Cristiano Ronaldo has been told that goalkeepers will want to let in his 1,000th goal, allowing them to join the Portuguese GOAT in the history books. CR7 continues to chase down that personal landmark, with ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen suggesting that the Al-Nassr superstar will be ready to hang up his boots and retire once another record has been broken.

• Ronaldo's remarkable strike rate for club & country

  Ronaldo is looking to become the first player to reach four figures on the competitive goal front. He is within sight of that target after maintaining remarkable individual standards. Prolific strike rates have been enjoyed for United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Portugal.

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• Getty
  

  Leading scorer in Champions League & international football

  The all-time leading scorer in Champions League and men’s international football is determined to further cement his legacy, with the evergreen 40-year-old being informed that he may get the odd helping hand as he closes in on a remarkable achievement.

• Goalkeepers to give Ronaldo a helping hand

  Meulensteen, who worked with Ronaldo at Old Trafford, told football betting site BetVictor: “He will be remembered for 1,000 goals, but if it is done in a spectacular manner, if it would be done for Portugal, if you would have had a choice, then probably you would say, yeah, let's do it for Portugal.

  “The world will be watching, telling you. Can you imagine being the goalkeeper? You want to let it in, don't you? Because you're going to be remembered as the goalkeeper that let Cristiano's 1,000th goal in.”

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  Will Ronaldo retire after making more history?

  Ronaldo has committed to a two-year contract with Al-Nassr that will take him through to 2027. Meulensteen believes the end of a stunning career could be reached before that point, adding: “What Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved is unparalleled, especially in the modern game where the pace is incredibly quick. To still be performing at such a high level is remarkable.

  “You can see how much it means to him when he plays for Portugal. They have good players around him, and they seem to accept that Cristiano, despite not being 28 anymore, is still the player he is and has achieved what he has.

  “While you might see some minor things creeping into his game, the fact that he remains so effective in front of goal is absolutely fantastic. It would be great to see him at next year's World Cup, which will probably be his last for Portugal. I believe he will keep playing until he scores his 1,000th goal, that might be the moment he decides to retire.”

Tottenham could make a signing befitting of new manager Thomas Frank by tempting one Liverpool star to north London, according to a new report.

£44m forward submits transfer request as Tottenham eye him to replace Son

Spurs need an heir to the club legend.

5

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 5, 2025

The Spurs squad have returned from what ended up being a whirlwind final game of their Asian pre-season tour against Newcastle United.

Son Heung-min bid a very emotional goodbye to the club in Seoul before sealing an MLS record-breaking move to Los Angeles FC, bringing the curtain down on 10 stunning years in the Premier League.

Adding to the emotion, but in a far more negative way, star playmaker James Maddison suffered a “bad” injury to the same knee which kept him out near the end of last season, with the England international carried off on a stretcher.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

Frank’s side take on Bayern Munich in their final pre-season friendly of the summer tomorrow at the Allianz Arena, before gearing up for an all-important first competitive game of the new season.

Tottenham’s blockbuster UEFA Super Cup clash against European champions PSG represents a golden opportunity for Frank to deliver silverware just months after his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, ended the club’s 17-year wait for a major trophy.

A surprise win against Luis Enrique’s Ligue 1 dominators would be the perfect start to Frank’s reign, but the Dane is poised to go into the clash with a weakened squad as things stand.

Maddison’s latest problem is likely to keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future, making the need for a new number 10 all the more glaring.

Tottenham were on the verge of signing Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, booking a medical for the 25-year-old this time last month ahead of a £60 million move (BBC).

However, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis blocked the transfer, threatened legal action against Spurs and surprisingly managed to convince Gibbs-White to pen a new £150,000-per-week contract instead of leaving the City Ground.

After this unprecedented transfer twist, Frank and Daniel Levy must continue navigating the market for an alternative, and Spurs-linked former Stuttgart playmaker Enzo Millot is now off the table too, following his Al-Ahli move.

Tottenham tipped to move for Liverpool star Harvey Elliott

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Liverpool star Harvey Elliott could emerge as an option for Levy before the deadline on September 1.

“The other name I’d keep an eye on when it comes to Spurs actually is Harvey Elliott at Liverpool,” Crook said.

“He’s another player that Liverpool are willing to cash in on, he had a brilliant summer leading the England Under-21s to European Championship glory.

“He won’t be cheap, I think the asking price is about £40million, maybe north of that. But obviously, they were willing to pay £60m for Gibbs-White.

“And he just strikes me, Harvey Elliott, as a very Thomas Frank-type signing.”

The homegrown and locally trained 22-year-old really did have a stunning Euro Under-21 campaign with England, grabbing goals against Spain, The Netherlands and against Germany in the final.

Elliott also featured on both the right and left-hand sides under Arne Slot last season, bagging a winner against PSG in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie last term, but struggled for consistent game time in the Premier League.

His versatility means that Elliott could even come in as a replacement for both Maddison and the departed Son, with the former Fulham youngster having just two years left on his contract – meaning there is also leverage for Levy to whittle down his asking price.

Hobson smashed Bartlett for 24 in the final over of Scorchers’ innings and they carried the momentum thereon

Tristan Lavalette26-Dec-2024

Nick Hobson’s 16-ball 47 not out helped Perth Scorchers to a respectable total•Getty Images

Nick Hobson again proved a thorn in Brisbane Heat’s attack before Perth Scorchers produced an outstanding effort in the field to claim a pivotal 33-run victory at Optus Stadium.In front of 41,921 fans, Scorchers struggled after being sent in to bat on a fast and bouncy surface before Hobson smashed an unbeaten 47 off 16 balls to lift them to 165 for 6.They carried over the momentum in the field and their disciplined bowling performance was highlighted by rapid bowling from speedster Lance Morris. Heat were never in the hunt after early wickets and were bowled out in the final over.Related

Ashton Turner signs four-year contract extension with Perth Scorchers

Scorchers ran out easy winners to convincingly halt a two-match losing streak, while defending champions Heat suffered their first defeat of the season.Hobson’s late heroics overshadows Allen’s struggles and Hardie’s returnFinn Allen was Scorchers’ big recruit this season and he started the season with a first-ball six against Melbourne Stars but it’s been all downhill since then. In his previous three innings, reaping just 10 runs, Allen has gone for broke from the get go but he started watchfully against left-arm quick Spencer Johnson. After failing to score off his first four deliveries, the pressure built and an edgy Allen then threw his bat hard at a full delivery only to edge Johnson to backward point.Cooper Connolly has been Scorchers’ best batter this season and made 37 off as many balls, but struggled to strike the ball with his usual fluency. Scorchers did regain allrounder Aaron Hardie, who made his season debut as a specialist batter at no.4 – a spot lower than his customary position which has been filled by Connolly.Hardie has been sidelined since the Pakistan white-ball series last month due to a nagging quad injury. He looked understandably rusty until giving himself room and smashing seamer Xavier Bartlett for a huge six over long on. It proved his best shot with Hardie holing out off left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann. He made 24 off 23 balls before Scorchers gained a late flurry from Hobson, who famously provided heroics in the epic BBL12 final between the teams.Hobson, well known for being an accountant in his day job, has been working very hard in recent times to build up his power-hitting and become a specialist finisher. His ever-improving muscular game was on show as he smashed Bartlett in the final over for 24 runs to lift Scorchers to a total that seemed implausible just moments earlier.Johnson stars, spinners bowl well in tandemHeat did start well through a superb opening spell from Johnson as Scorchers scored just 18 runs in the powerplay. He enjoyed a successful return in his season debut after missing their opening two matches with a toe injury.Spencer Johnson upped the heat with a four-wicket haul•Getty Images

Skipper Colin Munro turned to spinners Kuhnemann and Mitchell Swepson in the middle overs and they bowled with control to ensure the run-rate didn’t blow out of control. Swepson, particularly, mixed up his speeds well to ensure the batters could never find rhythm. Heat’s bowlers were backed up by slick fielding and catching until being swamped late by Hobson.Kuhnemann dropped a very high ball off Ashton Turner in the penultimate over before a rattled Bartlett lost his radar against Hobson.Morris fired up, spectacular fieldingMorris had a point to prove. After being dropped from the team following a pummelling at the hands of Hurricanes opener Mitchell Owens, Morris returned to favourable conditions and unleashed on the fast and bouncy surface. He was perhaps fortunate after dismissing Tom Banton on his first delivery with a strangle down the legside. It was the confidence boost Morris needed as he bowled a hostile spell with the new ball and reached speeds of 148 kph.Scorchers were aided by brilliant fielding. Firstly, Ashton Agar produced a moment of magic in the field when he ran out Jimmy Peirson with a direct hit from point after initially pulling off a stop with his right hand before transferring the ball to his favoured left arm for the throw.Allen also spectacularly threw down the stumps from backward point to run out Nathan McSweeney. It was Allen’s most significant contribution this season and might be the tonic he needs for a turnaround with the bat.Renshaw, Bryant shine brieflyHeat’s batters struggled to handle the conditions with the surface noticeably quicker than the season-opener between Scorchers and Stars. The exceptions were Matthew Renshaw and Max Bryant, who both clubbed the ball sweetly.After he was given an early life when wicketkeeper Matt Hurst dropped a catch off Agar, Renshaw looked in awesome form and smashed quick Matthew Kelly for consecutive sixes.But the task proved too great as Renshaw holed out to Andrew Tye in the 11th over after he smashed 36 off 24 balls. Bryant hit 35 off 20 balls but it was in vain.

Manchester City are now looking to sign a “mind-boggling” attacker, with Pep Guardiola known to be a keen admirer, according to a report.

Man City keen to strengthen in attack

Guardiola has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to reduce the size of his squad before the September 1st transfer deadline, recently saying: “We should [trim the squad], but it’s difficult because I love all of them; I like all of them and they like to be here. So the situation is not easy but they know it.”

As such, some of City’s current players will have to leave to make room for new arrivals, and with Savinho now emerging as a major target for Tottenham Hotspur, Guardiola’s side have set their sights on Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

The Blues boss is known to be a fan of the Brazil international, but Fabrizio Romano has revealed that a deal could be on the expensive side.

Not only is Pep an admirer of Rodrygo, but he is also a big fan of his Brazil teammate in West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta, who is now set to be available for the cut-price fee of just £30m – £40m this summer.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states the Hammers have drastically reduced their previous asking price for the Brazilian, and they are now open to a sale.

Man City have been named as potential suitors for Paqueta in the past, and they have now revived their pursuit, but there could be competition for the attacking midfielder’s signature, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace also keen.

Related Man City now hold talks with agents of "world-class" £86m Arsenal target

Pep Guardiola’s side have now contacted the agents of a forward.

Posts ByDominic Lund Aug 19, 2025 "Mind-boggling" Paqueta needs to rediscover his best form

The West Ham star made a fantastic start to life at the London Stadium, particularly impressing former teammate Declan Rice in the 2022-23 campaign, who said: “I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.”

The 27-year-old was also one of the driving forces behind West Ham’s 2022-23 Europa Conference League triumph, chipping in with one goal and four assists in 11 appearances as the Irons went on to lift the trophy in Prague.

However, the 55-time Brazil international has struggled to make a similar impact in recent times, failing to register a single assist in all competitions last season, while finding the back of the net just five times.

As such, it would be a gamble for City to sign Paqueta, and a move seems unlikely, given that Guardiola believes his squad is already bloated.

Newcastle United’s search for attacking reinforcements has defined their summer window, with Eddie Howe desperate to reshape his forward line before the transfer deadline.

The long-running uncertainty surrounding Alexander Isak has complicated matters, while Callum Wilson’s departure to West Ham has also forced the club into action.

The Magpies have already secured one marquee addition up front, with German striker Nick Woltemade set to arrive from Stuttgart in a club-record £69m deal.

The 23-year-old, who impressed at the U21 Euros, is viewed internally as the direct replacement for wantaway forward Isak.

The Swedish international has refused to reintegrate into Howe’s squad after Liverpool made an approach earlier in the summer.

Woltemade’s arrival marks a significant step forward for Newcastle’s recruitment drive, but the club are not finished yet.

Howe and his staff want a second new attacker before the window closes – and another target continues to make headlines as he pushes for a move to Tyneside.

Newcastle ready for next striker swoop

According to Ben Jacobs, Brentford forward Yoane Wissa has made his desire to move to St James’ Park clear and is actively “pushing to join Newcastle” after the Magpies had their most recent bid – £35m plus £5m in add-ons – rejected.

The lure of playing Champions League football is said to play a central role in the forward’s thinking.

Brentford are holding firm on their reported £50m valuation, but Newcastle are expected to return with an improved offer.

At 28 years old, Wissa does not fit the usual recruitment profile favoured by the club’s hierarchy, who typically target players aged 24 or under.

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However, his Premier League track record makes him an attractive option.

Last season he scored 19 goals and registered five assists in just 35 appearances.

Newcastle view Woltemade as the long-term successor to Isak, but Wissa is seen as the ideal replacement for Wilson, who has struggled with injuries over the past two campaigns.

The prospect of pairing the Bundesliga forward with the Brentford star excites Howe’s staff, who may feel the duo would represent a clear upgrade on Wilson and Isak.

Newcastle could be set to upgrade on Wilson & Isak

From a tactical standpoint, the potential combination of Woltemade and Wissa offers Newcastle something they lacked last season – consistency and availability.

Injuries to Isak and Wilson meant the pair missed 38 games between them in 2024/25, leaving Howe short of reliable attacking options.

By contrast, Woltemade and Wissa missed only seven matches combined, underlining their durability across demanding domestic campaigns.

The German striker brings physical presence at 1.98m, aerial dominance, and the ability to link play with intelligent hold-up work.

His Bundesliga return of 12 goals in 28 appearances last season demonstrates his effectiveness, but his underlying numbers point to even greater potential.

According to FBref, Woltemade averages 4.38 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes – more than double Wissa’s 2.13 – and completed 26.1 carries per 90, highlighting his tendency to drop deeper and progress the ball.

Wissa, by contrast, offers ruthless penalty-box instincts and movement in behind. He contributed 23 goal involvements in 25 league appearances last season, placing him among the most efficient forwards in the division.

While his shot-on-target percentage of 45.6% was slightly lower than Woltemade’s 50%, his ability to get into scoring positions consistently is a key asset.

His 1.27 shots on target per 90 closely matches the German’s 1.28.

In terms of progressive metrics, Woltemade edges it again, with 2.89 progressive passes per 90 compared to Wissa’s 2.07 and a passing distance of 58.8 metres against 49.9.

But Wissa makes up ground defensively, averaging more tackles (0.68 per 90) and matching the younger striker’s pressing intensity.

For Howe, the blend of attributes is what makes the partnership appealing.

Woltemade can act as the focal point – a target man capable of holding defenders and bringing teammates into play – while Wissa thrives as a secondary striker or inside forward, exploiting space with his acceleration and sharp finishing.

Together, they could provide Newcastle with a frontline as effective as any in the Premier League.

Stats – 2024/25

Stat

Yoane Wissa

Nick Woltemade

Matches Played

35

28

Goals

19

12

Assists

4

2

Progressive Carries

60

31

Progressive Passes

67

52

Source: FBref

The only concern is Wissa’s age profile and potential absence due to the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2026.

At 28, he does not represent a long-term investment in the same way as Woltemade, and his participation in AFCON could leave Newcastle short during a critical period of the season.

That said, the contrast in availability compared to Wilson and Isak last season suggests he would still significantly boost squad reliability.

Newcastle have already strengthened across other positions – adding Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale – but the club’s ability to truly challenge on all fronts depends on securing the necessary firepower.

Without a recognised striker, they struggled to convert chances in their opening fixtures against Aston Villa and Liverpool, with makeshift options failing to deliver in front of goal.

The pursuit of Wissa, therefore, is about more than depth. It represents Newcastle’s determination to build a balanced and reliable forward line for both domestic and European campaigns.

With Woltemade already in the building and the Brentford forward still pushing to make the switch, Howe could soon have the attacking options he needs to move on from the uncertainty of the Isak era.

Related Not Woltemade: Big-money Wilson upgrade has said yes to joining Newcastle

Newcastle could be closing in on the signing of a new striker at St James’ Park.

Posts ByWill Miller Aug 28, 2025

Still seeking reinforcements as the Premier League campaign gets underway, West Ham United are now reportedly ready to step up their move to sign a Championship star.

Latest West Ham transfer news

It’s not been a summer full of headlines at the London Stadium, but the Hammers have still welcomed a number of solid additions. El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle-Walker Peters, Mads Hermansen and Callum Wilson have all arrived to hand Graham Potter a much-needed boost across the squad as he looks to turn what has been a difficult start at West Ham around.

With just two weeks left until the transfer window slams shut, though, there’s still work to be done. Potter’s side are arguably still short in a number of areas and, as such, targets like Aleix Garcia and Lorenzo Pellegrini could still arrive.

Garcia is a particularly interesting target. The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder spent time at Manchester City in the early stages of his career, before eventually working his way back to the top level to join Leverkusen last summer. Now, just one year on from that move, the midfielder has done enough to attract the interest of West Ham.

Of course, however, he’s not the only one on the Hammers’ reported radar. Harvey Elliott has been linked with a move away from Liverpool all summer long, and he remains without a move. Among those interested in the England U21 international, West Ham could yet look to complete a late swoop.

The same can be said for another impressive talent, with those at the London Stadium now reportedly ready to increase their efforts in pursuit of his signature.

West Ham ready to step up El Khannouss move

According to GiveMeSport, West Ham are now ready to step up their move to sign Bilal El Khannouss this summer. The Leicester City star, who can leave for the value of his £22.5m release clause, has attracted interest from Leeds United, Crystal Palace and the Hammers in recent months, with the London club now seemingly prepared to battle their rivals for his signature.

Their new Bowen: West Ham submit bid to sign "dangerous" forward for £34m

West Ham are targeting a former Real Madrid star to provide competition for Jarrod Bowen.

ByWill Miller Aug 14, 2025

That said, it won’t be an easy deal to pull off. There are already reportedly concerns at West Ham that they won’t be in a strong enough position to turn El Khannouss’ head away from other clubs this month and there are reservations over their ability to even afford the deal.

Alas, what they should not be concerned about is the midfielder’s ability, given that Aaron Wan-Bissaka saw it first-hand when El-Khannouss scored and assisted in a 3-1 victory over West Ham last season. In a one-on-one battle against the Leicester man, Wan-Bissaka suffered a rare defeat.

Praised for that “great performance” by then-manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, El Khannouss left Wan-Bissaka guessing all game long in a decisive display which proved his Premier League quality.

There are plenty of reservations over their ability to get the deal done, but West Ham should push as far as they can to sign the Leicester star before the end of the month.

UP Warriorz went out of WPL 2025 in the most thrilling manner, and they took defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru along with them. This means Gujarat Giants will now make their maiden playoffs appearance, joining Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. The fight for the top spot, though, is still wide open.Warriorz belted the tournament’s highest total yet, courtesy Georgia Voll’s unbeaten 99, another record for the WPL’s joint-highest individual score. And that nearly didn’t prove enough because Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana threatened a jailbreak.Ghosh smashed 69 off 33, but her dismissal with RCB needing 55 off 3.4 overs left them on the edge. Then came another twist, when Deepti Sharma, who dismissed Ghosh, conceded the most runs in a single over in the WPL’s short history – 28 off the 19th – as Rana smacked her for an incredible sequence of 4, 6, 6, 4, 6 to bring the target down to 15 off seven balls.Sneh Rana’s six-ball 26 gave RCB a glimmer of hope•BCCI

One of the fours also came off a no-ball, but more dramatically, prior to delivering that ball, Deepti stopped short of her delivery stride when Kim Garth backed up too far at the non-striker’s end, but did not run her out.But Rana’s magic ended when she muscled a flat hit straight to Poonam Khemnar, whom RCB had let go ahead of the auction, at the deep midwicket fence. That blow, which left RCB nine down, was the knockout punch for the defending champions, with Warriorz sealing victory in the final over when they had Renuka Singh run out.Fittingly enough, Voll, who at one point may have wondered if her magical knock may have gone in vain, delivered the final over that she began with two dots to all but close it out before the run-out. It marked an incredible end to Voll’s maiden WPL stint, which had needed her to cut short her home renovation in Queensland to make a quick dash to India only a week ago.Having come in as a replacement for Chamari Athapaththu, Voll showed potential to possibly be retention material, a definite positive for the Warriorz in a campaign that brought them just three wins in eight matches.

Voll, Harris make merry

Having made an impression in her first set of games for Australia in Alyssa Healy’s absence, Voll did the same in the WPL too. Three nights after hitting a half-century on debut, she cranked it up several notches along with Grace Harris as the Warriorz went hell for leather in the powerplay, hitting the second-most boundaries (13) in this phase in the tournament’s short history.Voll exhibited her strong back-foot game, a consequence of having been brought up on bouncy decks in Queensland. She often stayed beside the line and opened up impossible gaps in the backward point region, but the standout was her display of brute forearm strength and a strong bottom hand to play a ferocious whip in front of square.At the other end, Harris scooped and paddled her way to boundaries, quick to pounce on anything loose – and there were plenty of such deliveries from RCB’s new-ball pair of Garth and Renuka. Warriorz muscled their way to 67 for 0 in six overs – the highest powerplay score this season.Kiran Navgire’s 16-ball 46 came at a strike rate of 287.50•BCCI

Navgire cranks it up

RCB had a gift soon after the powerplay when Harris was run out, but Kiran Navgire didn’t take long to settle in, muscling her second ball, off Ellyse Perry, over the 60-metre boundary at deep square leg, and then carrying on to hit legspinner Georgia Wareham for back-to-back sixes in the following over.At the other end, Voll raised her second straight fifty, off 31 balls, when she swung a full-toss to the deep midwicket boundary. The second-wicket pair’s comfort against spin forced Smriti Mandhana to turn to Renuka again in the 12th over, but the move proved utterly ineffective as Navgire clobbered her for 4, 2, 4, 0, 6, 6. The sixes were a thing of beauty for her nonchalance in swatting length balls bowled into the deck over the leg-side fence.Overs 9-12 brought Warriorz 64 runs as they set themselves up for over 200. RCB had a clutch of wickets in the back end when they dismissed Navgire, Chinelle Henry and Sophie Ecclestone, but a tiring Voll charged towards a the tournament’s first-ever century, only to be denied off the last ball when a half-attempt at a second run to long-on, which would have brought up the landmark, led to Deepti being run out.Richa Ghosh reached fifty off 25 balls•BCCI

RCB go hell or high water

Mandhana was out to a tame pull early on, but RCB kept going after the bowling with S Meghana, playing in her first game of the season, picking up 22 off the second over, bowled by Harris. Perry didn’t take long to settle in either, as she was up and running with three successive fours off Henry – all to different parts. She got on top of the bounce to cut the first one along the ground, then flicked a full-toss to fine leg, and followed up with the most blistering of pulls.This intent cost Meghana and Perry their wickets, but not before they had played neat cameos. But there was a sense that they’d left too much for Ghosh to cover up – which she nearly did, exhibiting tremendous range. She used the depth of the crease to pull, made room to get beside the line to loft imperiously, and was quick to rock back when the bowlers dropped short to unfurl flat-bat pulls that bisected long-on and deep midwicket.Her 64-run sixth-wicket stand with Wareham kept RCB alive, before it got to a point where it was Ghosh or nothing. When she fell, the end was nigh. But Rana wasn’t going to go down without a fight. In the end, she nearly pulled RCB home, but the fairlytale wasn’t to be.

Ousmane Dembele has been paid a special tribute by adidas in the wake of his Ballon d’Or triumph, with a nod being offered to the Paris Saint-Germain star’s Steph Curry-inspired goal celebration. The France international, who is clearly a big fan of NBA icons, has been named the best player on the planet in 2025 – allowing a place in the history books to be secured.

• Dembele joins exclusive trophy club

  Dembele now forms part of an exclusive group of players that have won the Golden Ball, Champions League and World Cup. He claimed a global crown with France in 2018, before helping PSG to land the most prestigious prize in European football last season.

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• Dembele named best player on the planet

  The 28-year-old hit 35 goals in 2024-25, as PSG picked up three trophies, and said exploits have allowed him to fend off competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal in the Ballon d’Or stakes.

• Messi also forms part of adidas talent stable

  His success has been acknowledged by adidas, who boast eight-time Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi in their endorsement stable. They have paid tribute to the “Man of the Year” in football circles.

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• Getty
  

  Celebration borrowed from NBA icon Curry

  Dembele is pictured striking his favourite goal celebration pose, which has been borrowed from basketball superstar Curry – with the Golden States Warriors icon taking to hitting ‘sleep’ mode after scoring crucial points and winning major honours.

Liverpool and Newcastle United have been at loggerheads for months, but a timeline for an agreement between the two clubs over the transfer of the summer may be fast approaching.

Alexander Isak's latest situation amid heavy Liverpool speculation

In a story that has twisted, turned and left everyone on the edge of their seats, Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak’s desire to join Liverpool and subsequent standoff with the Magpies has left Premier League fans desperate for a conclusion.

Earlier on Saturday, Jan Age Fjortoft sent supporters of the Reds into overdrive, offering a revealing statement on X that the Sweden international is now set to sign on at Anfield for a fee in the region of £130 million.

He stated: “Re: Alexander Isak Understand Isak – deal is done! Newcastle away at Leeds tonight, so nothing expected before that I am told. Fee expected to be around £130m Isak to Liverpool likely to happen very soon.”

However, there is always a twist in the tale somewhere, something that Mailsport’s Dominic King provided around half an hour after Fjortoft’s update on Isak’s situation.

The reporter contradicted claims that Isak is set for Liverpool, instead telling his followers that there is a chance Liverpool may not sign anyone else by Monday’s deadline.

Arne Slot’s men have always maintained hope they can land the Magpies striker, and that doesn’t look likely to change soon, even if some reports diverge from others on the current state of play.

With two extremes mentioned earlier, could the truth behind Isak’s proposed move to Merseyside from Newcastle be somewhere in the middle?

Tavolieri: Liverpool in advanced talks to land Alexander Isak

Once again by virtue of social media platform X, reputable journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that Isak is now in advanced talks to join Liverpool and a full agreement should be found by Sunday.

Tavolieri stated: “NUFC and LFC now in advanced talks for Alexander Isak! As explained from Friday night to Saturday, the Reds have made an offer likely to convince the Magpies management. Sunday expected to be the day of the announcement of a full agreement. Matter of time.”

Shades of Coutinho: Liverpool confident of signing “special” big-money star

Liverpool are ready to close a few deals before the end of the summer transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 29, 2025

Both Liverpool and Newcastle fans will be well-versed with his capabilities, which saw the Solna-born man register 27 goals and six assists inside 42 appearances last season.

Linking the play between Eddie Howe’s midfield and attack, Isak also managed to fashion 42 chances for his teammates on Premier League duty, albeit it doesn’t look like he will be continuing in the North East for much longer.

After months of speculation surrounding his future, Liverpool could now be about to make one of the biggest signings in recent English football memory should all go to plan.

Arsenal are a club that have been utterly transformed over the last five years or so.

Mikel Arteta has taken a side that were spiralling down into mid-table mediocrity and has helped craft one of the best teams in Europe, let alone the Premier League.

While his philosophy and tactics have played a significant role in the North Londoners’ rejuvenation, so have the signings they’ve made.

Under previous Sporting Director Edu Gaspar and Andrea Berta today, the Gunners have become far more effective at identifying and signing brilliant players in the transfer market.

However, Arsenal still have a problem selling stars, and have seen more than their fair share leave for nothing, including an international who could be described as being Arteta’s own Alexander Isak.

Arsenals players who left for nothing

There were signs of improvement with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale all leaving for decent money last summer, but in the previous four or five years, Arsenal have had too many players leave for nothing.

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Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

For example, perhaps the most exciting signing the club have ever made, the player whose arrival promised the ushering in of a triumphant period for the club that never arrived, Mesut Özil, ended up leaving for nothing.

The German superstar famously agreed to a bumper £350k-per-week contract renewal in January 2018, and it was pretty much downhill from that moment until he left for Fenerbahçe three years later.

Another big-money signing who left for free was Nicolas Pepe.

The Ivorian was a better player for the Gunners than people gave him credit for, racking up 48 goal involvements in 112 games, but he could never live up to his £75m price tag and, after several middling loans, had his contract terminated by mutual consent.

Going further back, to Unai Emery’s time at the club, and Aaron Ramsey’s exit was another disaster from a financial perspective.

After 369 games for the club, in which he scored 64 goals, provided 60 assists and played a significant role in several FA Cup triumphs, the Welsh legend left the Gunners to join Italian giants Juventus.

With all that said, none of these stars could realistically be compared to Liverpool’s new superstar Isak, which isn’t the case for another ace who left for nothing under Arteta’s watch.

The Arsenal star who was Arteta's Isak

Since taking the job at Arsenal, Arteta has overseen the exits of some notable players, including the aforementioned Ozil, but perhaps the most controversial one was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabonese international was the club captain for part of the Spaniard’s tenure, but following a drop in form and his late arrival for a North London derby in March 2021, the writing was on the wall for his Gunners career.

The former Borussia Dortmund star was eventually let go for nothing in January 2022, and while he endured a lacklustre year and a half with Barcelona and Chelsea, he quickly found his form in the south of France.

In one season with Marseille, the Laval-born monster scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 51 appearances, which was enough to earn him a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.

The 36-year-old was able to amass an impressive tally of 24 goal involvements in 36 games for Al-Qadsiah last season, but has now returned to Marseille, where he is already outperforming Viktor Gyokeres, producing three goal involvements in three games.

Appearances

51

36

3

Minutes

4005′

3196′

186′

Goals

30

21

2

Assists

11

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.80

0.66

1.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.68′

133.16”

62′

With all of that said, then, what was it about Auba that meant we could describe him as being like Arteta’s Isak in the past?

Well, the first reason is that, prior to going off the boil somewhat, the “world-class” striker, as dubbed by Behdad Eghbali, was a lean, mean goalscoring machine for the manager.

For example, in the 19/20 season, he racked up a sensational haul of 29 goals and three assists in 44 appearances, totalling 3725 minutes.

That comes out to an outrageous average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 116.40 minutes.

Moreover, like the former Newcastle United star, he’s a lanky striker but undeniably elegant centre-forward, who was capable of a plethora of finishes, but was particularly adept at coming in from out wide and slotting home.

In fact, like the Swede, he may be a striker first, but he has spent a considerable amount of time in his career playing out wide on the wings.

Finally, just as the Reds’ new star helped his former side with the League cup, the former Gunners star played a crucial role in Arteta lifting the FA Cup in his first season as manager.

Ultimately, while there were valid reasons for getting rid of Aubameyang, we can’t help but wonder how useful he’d be in this Arsenal squad, as he clearly still has an excellent ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

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