Arsenal managed to offload out-of-favour midfielder Fabio Vieira by the skin of their teeth at the end of the summer transfer window.

The Portuguese was once tipped for a big future by manager Mikel Arteta, after former sporting director Edu orchestrated a £34 million deal to sign Vieira from FC Porto in 2022.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

However, while the 25-year-old came to north London with plenty of promise, things didn’t quite go to plan.

Vieira failed to play his way into Arteta’s plans, making 19 of his 22 Premier League appearances off the bench during his debut campaign, even if he did impress at times with a goal and two assists in eight Europa League starts that year.

His game time was even more limited in 2023/2024, thanks partly to groin surgery. Vieira started just two top flight matches all season, and it soon became apparent that the playmaker wasn’t at Arsenal’s required level for their quest to become English champions.

Vieira was sent back on loan to Porto in 2024/2025, where he managed to impress in parts with eight goal contributions in 26 league appearances.

However, it was nowhere near the kind of form which originally prompted Arsenal to splash the cash on him, with the player’s best season to date still that exceptional 21/22 season in the Primeira Liga.

Vieira racked up six goals and 14 assists in the top flight alone that year, and he’s now been given another chance to rediscover that level of quality on another loan spell at newly-promoted Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

In a last-minute summer deal, Arsenal managed to agree a loan exit with Hamburg for Vieira, and the versatile creative ace once very similar to club captain Martin Odegaard is now in danger of becoming a real waste of club funds.

Vieira’s Arsenal contract expires in 2027, but luckily for the Gunners, sporting director Andrea Berta made sure there was a way to make some money back off him in 2026.

Arsenal could be set for record-breaking Fabio Vieira windfall after news

According to German news outlet BILD, Hamburg’s deal for Vieira includes an option to buy worth £17 million, and if activated, it would break a record.

Indeed, Vieira could become Hamburg’s most expensive signing in history, but the caveat is that Merlin Polzin’s side might not have to pay their £346,000 loan fee if he becomes a regular starter for them.

In any case, Arsenal could still recuperate half of the transfer fee they paid for Vieira, but it depends on Hamburg making a big decision. The deadline for Polzin and co to take up his £17 million buy option is the middle of May in 2026, right after the end of the Bundesliga season, and Arsenal will be hoping he can impress in the meantime.

Let’s be clear: Liverpool have not looked that good this season. Four times have Arne Slot’s side had to dig deep in the Premier League and find something within the dying embers to secure all three points.

And yet, Liverpool have only played four matches in the Premier League this season, and have indeed won all four, and have started their title defence flawlessly, the only side to have done so.

Now, domestic action takes a breather, and the Champions League campaign begins. The Reds host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening, kicking off their eight-part group phase.

Defeated by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain last season in the round of 16, Liverpool know they need to start strongly. Even so, their stunning top place finish in the group phase last year still pitted them against PSG, who had been subpar early on.

Liverpool have won every game in the Premier League this season, but they have also lacked their usual fluency and fizz in the final third.

Florian Wirtz joined for £116m in the summer, but the German has left plenty to be desired so far, and the question will be posed as to whether he should be dropped.

Wirtz's start to life at Liverpool

Wirtz, 22, left his German homeland cherished as one of the country’s modern greats. Indeed, journalist Chris Stonadge hailed him as a “generational talent” after playing an instrumental role in Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible championship of 2023/24.

But there’s no denying he’s struggled to get going for Slot’s Liverpool so far, assisting Hugo Ekitike in the Community Shield but blanking across his first four appearances in England’s top flight.

Might Liverpool be ready to place their midfield maestro on the bench? Wirtz, to be sure, has been somewhat below his best since joining the Premier League champions, but he’s still a world-class player and will soon crack the nut.

And anyway, he has demonstrated an incredible level of ability on the continental stage, starring for Leverkusen in the Champions League last season and picking up five Man of the Match awards, more than any other player.

It was his first foray into the competition.

It would be bold for Slot to drop Wirtz ahead of the opening night of the Champions League season, but the Dutch coach could make an even more contentious call by withdrawing one of Liverpool’s most instrumental figures from the starting line-up on Wednesday evening.

Slot could boldly axe Liverpool's talisman

It’s not been the smoothest start to the season for Mohamed Salah, and yet he has scored twice and assisted one goal across four games in the Premier League. This is Salah. This is what he does.

However, Slot is catering to a new system, which carries all the vagaries of fresh faces and how they fit together and how this affects the existing crop on the field. For the 33-year-old Salah, one of Europe’s deadliest attacking players, it has been a late-career learning curve, with the newfound quality at number nine hemming him in on the right flank.

Last year, the Egyptian icon was immense, the leading light who led Liverpool to the Premier League title. Across all competitions, he scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists. In the Premier League, his 47 goal involvements broke the record for a 38-game season. Sky Sports’ Gary Neville described him as a “superstar”, and who could argue against it?

1 – Mohamed Salah

29 (18)

47

2 – Alexander Isak

23 (6)

29

3 – Bryan Mbeumo

20 (8)

28

4 – Erling Haaland

22 (3)

25

5 – Yoane Wissa

19 (5)

24

5 – Ollie Watkins

16 (8)

24

5 – Cole Palmer

15 (9)

24

And yet, he’s struggling, spending most of his time outside the flow of the match so far. To suggest that he should be dropped would be to accept bewilderment from many, but here it is anyway.

The season is young, and so make what you will of the data below, but with Sofascore recording Salah’s heatmap to have been pulled somewhat closer to the touchline, it’s clear that a new role has been handed to him, a subtle shift.

Salah might benefit from a pause from the action, allowed to enter the fray after the interval and prey on tired legs.

This would not be a regular occurrence, not at all, but with Jeremie Frimpong waiting in the wings and having impressed off the bench against Burnley, maybe it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, adding some energy and pace into the game against an Atletico side who will enjoy nothing more than negating the Reds’ attacking threat.

Liverpool might not have hit the ground running this season, but they have claimed 12 points from 12 in the Premier League. Salah has played a big part in achieving that.

The Merseyside derby awaits on Saturday, and though the right winger’s athleticism and fitness are remarkable things, he might benefit from taking to the dugout for this one, still primed to enter the fray and make things happen after the break.

For 99% of Salah’s Liverpool career, dropping him on a big occasion has felt incomprehensible. Maybe it still does. But the 33-year-old veteran finds a new wealth of attacking talent to ease his burden, and his opening performances this term have left a lot to be desired, even with his trademark prolificness still intact.

Atletico will employ a rigid defensive structure, and they will seek to neutralise Salah and cut off that lane of creativity from the right.

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And, after all, Salah would still be ready for a big role throughout the second half, and given Liverpool’s current predilection for late goals, would a fresh Egyptian King in the closing stages not be a good thing, should Slot’s side need a goal?

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Spurs somehow came from two goals down to rescue a late 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt, despite an absolutely appalling performance in the Arctic Circle. Bodo missed a penalty and also had a 2-0 lead, but could not get over the line, as the north London side showed some real grit and determination to earn a point on the road in Europe.

Bodo/Glimt, perhaps surprisingly, dominated the opening half-hour and were rewarded with a penalty when Rodrigo Bentancur lunged into a terrible challenge in the area. Kasper Hogh, up front for the Norwegian team, took one of the worst penalties perhaps ever seen in Norway, as he managed to balloon his effort well over the bar – his second penalty miss in two games. 

At half-time, Thomas Frank, astonishingly, made no changes, and Bodo had the lead within 10 minutes, as Jens Petter Hauge found his way into the penalty area, shimmied, and finished brilliantly beyond Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs, though, thought they were level after 60 seconds; a free-kick from Pedro Porro on the left wing hit the post as it evaded all defenders, and Rodrigo Bentancur turned the ball home. However, a VAR review showed a foul by Micky van de Ven in the build-up, and the equaliser was ruled out. 

Spurs' sense of injustice only deepened as Hauge added a second in the 66th minute, once again taking advantage of lax Spurs defending to work an opening and score from range.

Micky van de Ven pulled a goal back two minutes later with a very good header after a fine Pedro Porro cross, with Tottenham suddenly emboldened to chase a comeback, and Wilson Odobert hit the crossbar late on, as did Andreas Helmerson in a helter-skelter final period. 

But it was Richarlison who found the net, as Bodo goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin could only parry Archie Gray's shot against the Brazilian, with the ball rolling over the line. A lengthy VAR check followed but the goal was allowed to stand. 

GOAL rates Spurs' players from Aspmyra Stadion…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Guglielmo Vicario (5/10):

Managed to put Hogh off, as his penalty flew into the Norwegian night. Well beaten by each of Hauge's strikes, and looked consistently alarmed by the defensive mess in front of him. 

Pedro Porro (5/10):

Hit the post before Bentancur's ruled-out equaliser. Struggled defensively on the plastic pitch and was often out of position but he is so capable on the ball, and provided a brilliant cross for Van de Ven to score.

Kevin Danso (4/10):

Can put his foot through the ball well and he's always willing to put his body on the line but he struggled against wave after wave of Bodo attacks. 

Micky van de Ven (6/10):

Conceded the foul that saw Bentancur's equaliser ruled out. Booked swiftly after as he threatened to lose his head but restored some calm as he scored to bring Spurs back into it. 

Djed Spence (5/10):

Probably Spurs' most effective defensive player but a terrible giveaway on the left flank led to Hauge's second. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Lucas Bergvall (5/10):

Struggled with the conditions. Better than most of his team-mates on the ball but didn't offer enough defensively. Subbed for Xavi Simons. 

Rodrigo Bentancur (4/10):

Lunged into a moronic challenge in the area and conceded a penalty. Fortunate that Hogh's finish was equally as dreadful as his tackle. Thought he had gone from villain to hero with the equaliser but VAR had other ideas.

Pape Matar Sarr (5/10):

Can pass the ball well and did so across short distances here but Bodo very effectively cut off his ability to carry it up the pitch. Subbed for Palhinha in the second half. 

AFPAttack

Brennan Johnson (2/10):

Subbed for Mohammed Kudus. The only noteworthy thing about his performance is that he lasted an hour. Anonymous.

Richarlison (4/10):

Wasted an early opening as he did not seem prepared to shoot when the ball came to him. Offers nothing when it comes to being a focal point but he was in the right place at the right time to somehow bundle in an equaliser. 

Wilson Odobert (5/10):

Capable of dribbling beyond but just doesn't take his man on enough. Frustrating to watch given his talent. Hit the bar with a late header. 

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Xavi Simons (5/10):

One very poor pass led to a Bodo counter-attack that had Spurs scrambling. Didn't get on the ball enough in the final third, unfortunately. 

Mohammed Kudus (6/10):

Simply a much better option on the right than Johnson as he is willing to take players on. Bodo struggled to deal with him but he could only show flashes, such was the nature of the game. 

Joao Palhinha (6/10):

Came on for Sarr. Made one very good last-ditch tackle to keep Spurs in with a shout. 

Archie Gray (7/10):

On for Bentancur. Slotted into midfield and made a couple of promising runs, one of which led to Richarlison's late equaliser. A fine cameo. 

Destiny Udogie (6/10):

Replaced Spence. Great cross for Odobert but he could only hit the crossbar.

Thomas Frank (3/10):

Got very, very lucky. This really should have been a chastening defeat, especially after Spurs did not train on the plastic pitch, but he can thank his lucky stars that Richarlison was in the right place at the right time. Nevertheless, this is a second consecutive uninspiring Champions League display for Frank's Spurs. 

Head coach wants his side to challenge the Championship’s frontrunners after 10-year absence

Alan Gardner28-Mar-2025

John Simpson holds the Division Two trophy aloft•Getty Images

Sussex’s base at Hove may be one of the more tranquil destinations on the county circuit. But when the club make their return to Division One of the Championship after a ten-year absence next month, opponents should not arrive expecting a ride on the teacups.That is the message coming from the 2024 Division Two champions, with head coach, Paul Farbrace, saying Sussex will go into the new season “aiming to win” the title. If that proves beyond them, Farbace is targeting a finish of fourth or higher, with the goal of being in the top two the following summer.All this is part of a five-year plan Farbrace drew up when appointed to succeed Ian Salisbury in the winter of 2022-2023. Sussex, who lifted the County Championship as recently as 2007, were at the time languishing in the second tier, having won just three first-class matches in the previous three seasons – but Farbrace immediately set about scotching talk of incremental progress, declaring that the club should be challenging for promotion and a place at T20 Finals Day.Related

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Although Sussex finished that season in third, those lofty twin goals were eventually realised a year later – John Simpson (a Farbrace signing) captaining them to the Division Two title with a 20-point gap on Yorkshire, while Tymal Mills oversaw a run to the last four of the Blast. It proved swift vindication for Farbrace’s belief that the players could walk his talk.”I deliberately tried to change the language [around the club],” Farbrace tells ESPNcricinfo during Sussex’s pre-season media day at Hove. “At the time, people were saying to me, it’s a tough job, because, you know, they’ve only won one game [per season] in three years. But actually, we’ve got a group of players, they were crying out for someone to say, ‘Right, this is where we going. Come on, let’s roll our sleeves up. Let’s have fun doing it.'”I think there’s a real feelgood [factor], and everyone’s realising now that we don’t have to be a team that just talks about, ‘What’s our relevance in county cricket?’ Let’s show people our relevance. Let’s punch above our weight. All right, some of the clubs have got bigger and better budgets than we have, but it’s not about that. It’s about having the right people in the right places, whether that’s on the field or off the field, and have a bit of fun doing what you’re doing. You spend a lot of time at cricket, practicing, playing, working at the game. You want to enjoy it as well. But you enjoy it so much more when you’re winning.”It was not all smooth sailing from the outset, with ill discipline undermining their promotion push in 2023 – Sussex were docked 12 points after a bad-tempered late-season win over Leicestershire – and rumours that not everyone agreed with Farbrace’s approach. Ali Orr, one of the club’s brightest batting talents, was allowed to leave for Hampshire, prompting Chris Adams and Ian Gould, two Sussex stalwarts, to step down from advisory roles. George Garton, another homegrown talent, also found himself surplus to requirements.Upending the deckchairs at a tight-knit club like Sussex could have been risky but Farbrace believes it was important to “give the place a shake” after several seasons in which cost-cutting and a reliance on the academy had limited ambition. He also says he has tempered his approach accordingly as the team has developed.”I had to do that,” he says. “I think that was part of my role when I first came in. I’d like to think I’m doing things differently to what I did in the first year. The first year, I was very bullish, I didn’t really ask too many questions. I told people what we were doing, let’s get on board and make sure you’re with me. That was something that I spent a lot of time doing, making sure people understood what we were trying to do and why we were trying to do it. And, yeah, I did ruffle a few feathers, I think I had to.Sussex won promotion with a game to spare in 2024•Getty Images

“I had quite a few spats with people during that first year. But I definitely think it was the right thing to do. And then subsequently, last year, I’ve been a lot more inclusive, a lot more open, I’ve asked a lot more people’s thoughts and views, and I’m hopefully starting to sit back a little bit more. It’s now a case of saying, we’ve got the right captains, we’ve got the right coaches, we’ve got the right support staff. The pitches are playing brilliantly. Now I can sit back a little bit and just keep nudging people in the right direction and make sure we keep that momentum going, and not feel as I’ve got to be at the front of it. It wasn’t about me, per se – it was just about someone just giving the place a bit of a shake. Saying, ‘Come on. Let’s compete. Let’s have some fun taking people on.’ And if it doesn’t work, I take full responsibility.”He admits, however, that things might have turned out differently had Sussex not sneaked their way to a two-wicket win over eventual Division Two-winners, Durham, in his first game in charge. “I’ll always be indebted to Oli Carter for the innings that he played to get us over the line against Durham. Because beating a strong Durham team here, in that first game, everyone started thinking: actually, maybe that idiot knows what he’s doing.”Faith in the group that Farbrace has assembled means there have been few changes at Sussex over the winter, with rookie contracts for George Thomas, the former England U19 batter released by Somerset, Nantes Oosthuizen and ACE academy graduate Troy Henry the only additions. Simpson will again lead the red-ball side after a stunning first summer down on the south coast in which he averaged 74.81 with the bat – and he has counselled his players that they will “need to be better for longer” in Division One as they seek to avoid a battle for survival.For the first time in four seasons, there is no Cheteshwar Pujara to act as batting bulwark – but Australian Daniel Hughes is back for a full campaign after impressing last year. West Indies quick Jayden Seales also returns to lead the attack alongside Ollie Robinson during the first block of Championship games. Robinson, who is expected to be fit after hernia surgery, opted not to speak to the media, presumably in anticipation of his bowling doing the talking as he aims to nudge the selectors more than a year on from his last England cap.And while incipient plans to nurture Jofra Archer’s Test comeback via a few appearances in the opening rounds of the Championship season were shelved after he was a late entrant in the IPL mega-auction, Sussex could still benefit from his services later in the summer. Could Archer tune up for involvement in the Ashes by firing Sussex’s Division One challenge? Down Hove way recently, stranger things have happened.

Lamine Yamal went out of his way to hype up his return to the Barcelona line-up for Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The 18-year-old posted a clip on his Instagram account from the movie 'The Devil's Advocate' in which Al Pacino's character, John Milton, discusses the effects of pressure: "Some people, you squeeze 'em, they focus; others fold. Can you summon your talent at will? Can you deliver on a deadline? Can you sleep at night?"

Yamal then posted a picture of himself from Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, accompanied by the words: "Pressure? I'm back and the mission is back too." The mission in question was Barcelona's bid to prove themselves the best team in Europe – which Yamal's team-mate Pedri insisted they already were on the eve of the game against PSG.

Admittedly, there's nothing wrong with self-belief; on the contrary, it's absolutely essential at the highest level of sport. But there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and the problem with big talk is that it can make you look ridiculous if you don't back it up. Wednesday night was a perfect case in point.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barca's blistering start

  One can certainly understand why Barca were in high spirits ahead of the visit of PSG.

  After beating Real Madrid four times during last season's domestic treble triumph, they'd made an undefeated start to their Liga title defence, taking 19 points from a possible 21 to sit top of the table after seven rounds of action, while at the same time kicking off their Champions League campaign with an impressive 2-1 win over Newcastle at a raucous St. James' Park.

  They'd also achieved all of this despite being shorn of the services of Yamal, their most wondrous attacking talent, for four matches in all competitions, so even accounting for the ongoing absences of Raphinha and goalkeeper Joan Garcia, Barca were in good condition going into the midweek match at Montjuic – unlike their opponents. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'A great statement' from a depleted PSG

  We knew well in advance that PSG would be without their captain (Marquinhos) and entire first-choice forward line (Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue) for the game in Catalonia. However, they also had to make do without key midfielder Joao Neves, who pulled out during the warm-up.

  The net result was PSG taking to the field without six members of the starting line-up that destroyed Inter in last season's Champions League final: one by choice (Gigi Donnarumma) but five others through injury. 

  Consequently, the feeling before kick-off was that Luis Enrique's side was there for the taking; that Barcelona had a glorious opportunity to make a serious statement of intent just two rounds into the new Champions League season. As Vitinha pointed out, though, it was PSG who sent a message to all of the pretenders to their throne.

  "It happens sometimes," the Portuguese mused after his team came from behind to win 2-1 at Montjuic. "There are often statements made before matches, it can happen. But we don't give a damn. We don't care, we just want to play the match and we won, so we're happy about that.

  "I'm proud of this team because it's happened several times before that we've turned a game around. But you had five players who normally start who aren't here, so you have some kids who play or come on and do very well. Then, other players who play less often came on and gave a great response.

  "We were behind against one of the best teams in Europe away from home, and even then, you manage to come through in the second half and turn the game around. It's a great statement from our team."

  For Barca, though, it was a dressing down.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barca unable to build on strong start

  The Blaugrana are a scintillating sight in full flight. In fact, they're arguably an even more exciting side to watch than PSG because Hansi Flick's high-risk approach makes goals a guarantee.

  It, thus, didn't come as a surprise to see them score for a club-record 45th game in a row, on Wednesday evening. They began the game brightly, too, and Yamal really did look like a man on a mission. 

  Just three minutes into the game, he danced past three PSG players wide on the right flank, while he was also involved in the lead-up to the game's opening goal, which came courtesy of Ferran Torres, who tucked away a lovely first-time pass from Marcus Rashford 19 minutes in.

  Barca didn't build on their strong start, though – or perhaps more accurately, they weren't allowed to, because the longer the half wore on, the stronger and indeed bolder PSG became.

  As Flick conceded afterwards, despite the best efforts of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, Vitinha & Co. took control of the contest from around the half-hour mark, and would never relinquish it.

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  Mendes gets the better of Yamal again

  Nuno Mendes winning his individual battle with Yamal was also key to PSG becoming the first team to win three consecutive games away to Barcelona. 

  Just as he had during Portugal's Nations League win over Spain during the summer, the left-back frustrated the life out of the Ballon d'Or runner-up – so much so, in fact, that Yamal even tried to get the referee to give Mendes a second yellow card just after the hour mark, even though it was Fabian Ruiz who had felled the winger.

  It was a classless show of weakness and reflective of the fact that Nuno was having a far bigger influence on the game – even from an offensive perspective.

  Whereas Yamal failed to register either a goal or assist, Mendes created PSG's crucial equaliser just before the break with a stunning surge up the left wing and beautifully-weighted pass into the feet of goal-scorer Senny Mayulu.

Newcastle United have built their modern reputation not just on financial clout but on shrewdly identifying opportunities that balance ambition with strategy.

Their recruitment since the change of ownership has been measured, targeted and often brave.

The signing of Sandro Tonali in 2023 epitomised that approach.

In making the AC Milan midfielder the most expensive Italian player in history, Newcastle showed their willingness to gamble on a player who combined proven Serie A quality with enormous potential upside.

Despite his 10-month suspension for breaching betting regulations, Tonali has since returned to play a central role in Eddie Howe’s side.

He was instrumental in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup triumph – their first domestic silverware in 70 years – and now forms part of a midfield three with Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton that ranks among the most complete in Europe.

That calculated risk has paid off.

It has also demonstrated to Newcastle’s hierarchy that Italian football remains fertile ground for elite talent that can be persuaded to make the move to the Premier League.

Newcastle make contact over Inter star

They have already dipped back into Serie A this summer, recruiting Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, further evidence of a strategy built on trusted relationships and a willingness to invest in players who can adapt quickly to Howe’s aggressive, high-pressing football.

Transfer Focus

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

Against that backdrop, it is no surprise that Newcastle are once again monitoring the Italian market.

According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, Newcastle have made initial contact with Inter Milan regarding midfielder Davide Frattesi.

While discussions have not moved beyond a preliminary stage, the very fact the club have opened a dialogue underlines their intent to explore whether another Serie A talent could be lured to Tyneside.

Frattesi, 25, has long been viewed as one of Italy’s brightest midfielders.

He joined Inter in 2023 from Sassuolo, and since then, he has grown into an important option for Inter.

Christian Chivu, Inter’s new head coach, considers him a key part of the squad, but with the likes of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Piotr Zieliński and Luis Henrique all competing for central roles, a departure cannot be entirely ruled out.

Still, Inter’s position is firm: any suitor must meet their €40m (£35m) valuation.

That figure is not insignificant, particularly for Newcastle, who have already invested heavily this summer.

Jacob Ramsey’s arrival from Aston Villa strengthened their midfield department, making a further signing in that area less of a priority.

Yet Frattesi’s profile fits with Howe’s long-term vision of building a squad capable of competing both domestically and in Europe.

Lessons From Tonali and the Italian Connection

Frattesi’s numbers underline his threat.

He scored five times and registered two assists in 28 Serie A appearances last season, while also making an impact on the European stage with two goals in 13 Champions League outings, including a decisive strike in Inter’s semi-final victory over Barcelona.

Internationally, he already has 29 caps for Italy and an impressive return of eight goals.

Beyond raw output, his underlying metrics stand out. According to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals per 90 (0.37), the 95th percentile for total shots per 90 (1.91) and the 93rd percentile for touches inside the attacking penalty area per 90 (3.08).

Few central midfielders in Europe consistently arrive in advanced areas with such effect.

The parallels with Newcastle’s pursuit of Tonali are obvious. In both cases, the club identified a player who, while not surplus to requirements, could potentially be prised away from one of Serie A’s giants for different reasons.

In Tonali’s case, although he was a key player in Milan’s 2021/22 Scudetto-winning side, the club’s difficult financial situation forced his transfer.

By contrast, Frattesi’s place in Inter’s starting lineup is far from guaranteed.

This situation could play into Newcastle’s hands, particularly if the player desires a more consistent role ahead of a potential World Cup campaign with Italy.

At 25, he has room to grow further, and his skillset – high pressing, ball-carrying, late penalty-box entries – aligns with Howe’s blueprint.

The challenge is financial. Inter, flush with midfield depth but also mindful of squad harmony, are under no pressure to sell unless their €40m (£35m) price tag is met.

Newcastle, mindful of PSR Regulations, may be wary, having already spent significantly on Ramsey, Anthony Elanga and Thiaw this summer.

That said, Newcastle’s Serie A ventures are rarely speculative.

Their recruitment team has cultivated strong networks in Italy, and the arrivals of Tonali and Thiaw underline the willingness of Italian clubs to engage with them when the price is right.

Whether or not a deal for Frattesi materialises, the broader point is that Newcastle are doubling down on a transfer strategy that has already brought success.

Tonali’s rehabilitation from suspension into a central figure was a vindication of Newcastle’s faith in Serie A talent.

Frattesi, with his goalscoring instincts and ability to operate at both ends of the pitch, could be the next step in that evolution.

For Newcastle, the Serie A experiment has already paid off once – a repeat, even if not immediately, seems only a matter of time.

Their answer to Guehi: Newcastle weigh up late move to sign £30m "monster"

Newcastle aren’t just looking at forwards as the transfer window enters the final stretch.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Segundo maior artilheiro estrangeiro da história do São Paulo, com 57 gols marcados, Jonathan Calleri está muito próximo de se tornar também um dos dez principais goleadores do Campeonato Brasileiro nascidos fora do país. Ao marcar duas vezes contra o Santos, na goleada por 4 a 1 neste fim de semana, o argentino chegou a 32 tentos anotados em quatro edições de Série A disputadas.

O camisa 9 do Morumbi agora é o 13º no ranking de artilheiros estrangeiros do Brasileirão, tendo deixado para trás o ex-lateral paraguaio Arce, ex-Palmeiras e Grêmio, e o atacante argentino Herrera, ex-Corinthians, Botafogo e Vasco. Calleri está a apenas dois gols de entrar no top 10, igualando com o boliviano Marcelo Moreno, ex-Cruzeiro, e seu compatriota Doval, que brilhou pela dupla Fla-Flu nos anos 70.

O atacante terá a chance de entrar neste seleto grupo no próximo sábado, quando o Tricolor voltar a campo pelo Brasileirão enfrentando o Cuiabá, às 18h30, na Arena Pantanal. Com 25 pontos, o São ocupa neste momento a 4ª colocação no campeonato.

ESTRANGEIROS COM MAIS GOLS NA HISTÓRIA DO BRASILEIRO

1º – Petkovic – sérvio – 83 gols
2º – Guerrero – Peruano – 56 gols
3º – Arrascaeta – uruguaio – 49 gols
4º – Aristizábal – colombiano – 48 gols
5º – Cano – argentino – 44 gols
6º – D’Alessandro – argentino – 41 gols
7º – Barcos – argentino – 38 gols
8º – Rodolfo Fischer – argentino – 36 gols
Conca – argentino – 36 gols
10º – Marcelo Moreno – boliviano – 34 gols
Doval – argentino – 34 gols
12º – Pedro Rocha – uruguaio – 33 gols
13º – Calleri – argentino – 32 gols
14º – Arce – paraguaio – 31 gols
15º – Herrera – argentino – 30 gols

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Faf du Plessis returned for DC after missing their previous game with injury

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-20252:21

‘Rahul’s new approach will work well at Chinnaswamy’

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and had chose to chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.He confirmed that Faf du Plessis, who missed DC’s previous game due to a groin strain, was fit to take back his place at the top of the order, which meant a move back to No. 4 for KL Rahul. Du Plessis replaced Sameer Rizvi in DC’s bowling-first XI, with Abishek Porel likely to come in as Impact Player for the chase. Axar also confirmed that his injured finger, due to which he bowled just one over in Chennai, was also fine.”My finger is fine, protecting it a little better, but will see, might even bowl four overs,” Axar said. “Faf is fit, so Sameer Rizvi is out. KL will bat in the middle order. The spinner’s role is also very important. We have two legspinners, and in the middle overs have told them to go for wickets.”Rajat Patidar said he had wanted to chase as well, while confirming an unchanged RCB side. Suyash Sharma or Rasikh Salam come come in as Impact Player when they bowl second.”Definitely wanted to chase,” Patidar said. “The surface is pretty hard and will try to put a good total on the board and put them under pressure. There has been a bit of planning as well, but I always back my instincts. It is important to win matches at home and have the momentum going.”DC are unbeaten so far in the tournament. They started with a one-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants before beating Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings comfortably. RCB have won three of their first four games, but their only defeat was in their first home game of the season, against table-toppers Gujarat Titans.Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting-first XI: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash DayalDC Impact Player options: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh.Delhi Capitals bowling-first XI: 1 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 KL Rahul (wk), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Ashutosh Sharma, 6 Axar Patel (capt), 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Mukesh KumarDC Impact Player options: Abishek Porel, Darshan Nalkande, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira

تحدث الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن الجدل الدائر في الأيام الأخيرة حول إمكانية انتقال مدافع الزمالك حسام عبد المجيد إلى النادي الأهلي، داعيًا جماهير الأندية المصرية إلى التحلي بالهدوء، والتعامل مع مثل هذه القضايا بعقلانية واحترافية دون ممارسة ضغوط على مجالس الإدارات أو اللاعبين.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الاثنين: “يا جماعة، يا جماهيرنا الجميلة ويا رواد مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي المحترمين، من حقك أن تُعبّر عن وجهة نظرك، ولكن دون أن تمارس ضغطًا على مجالس الإدارات أو على الأشخاص”.

وتابع: “يعني مثلًا، لو كان الزمالك باع زيزو أو تركه يرحل مجانًا، أو لو طالب زيزو بالحصول على مستحقاته، كانت الأمور ستكون أفضل بكثير”.

طالع أيضًا | بيراميدز يحسم الجدل بشأن انتقال رمضان صبحي إلى الزمالك مقابل حسام عبد المجيد

وأشار: “والآن نسمع بعض الآراء حول حسام عبد المجيد، لكن حتى لو انتقل إلى الأهلي مع أنني أؤكد أنه لن ينتقل، ولا توجد مفاوضات بينه وبين الأهلي حتى لحظة حديثي فلا يجب أن تكون هناك أزمة”.

وأضاف شوبير: “يا أخي، إذا أراد اللاعب الرحيل فليذهب، والنادي سيستفيد، نحن في منظومة احترافية”.

وشدد: “اللاعب محمد إسماعيل عندما شارك، قدّم أداءً رائعًا وكان مفاجأة للجميع، ولدينا أيضًا الونش، وصلاح مصدق الذي قدّم أداءً مميزًا وساهم سابقًا في فوز الزمالك على الأهلي”.

واختتم: “لذلك يا جماعة، علينا أن نُغيّر قليلًا من طريقتنا وأسلوبنا في التفكير والتعامل مع مثل هذه المواقف”.

Katie Mack upstaged the women’s Australia A squad with an unbeaten century in a three-day red-ball warm-up game in Canberra for Australia’s emerging stars ahead of England A’s tour of the country.Mack made 102 not out for CA Green against CA Gold in the third innings of the match to help Green XI claim a 121-run win, with Australia A 50-over and four-day captain and new Australia T20I squad member Nicole Faltum also making 62, while offspinner Lilly Mills took seven wickets for the match including 5 for 28 to bowl Gold XI out for 127 on the final day.Mack, 31, stole the show despite being one of the few players in the game not selected in any of the three Australia A squads for the upcoming multiformat series against England A that will feature three T20s, three 50-over matches and a four-day match in Sydney.Mack and Faltum shared a 137-run stand in the third innings of the match to set up victory after Green had claimed a first-innings lead thanks to 62 from Sianna Ginger on day one and 5 for 31 from Georgia Prestwidge on day two. South Australian batter Emma de Broughe made 84 in Gold’s first innings to ensure the lead was only 34.But Mack and Faltum feasted in the third innings before Faltum declared to set Gold a chase of 249 on the final day. Ginger took two early wickets with the new ball to complete a strong all-round performance before Mills tore through the middle and lower order, taking five of the last six wickets to bowl Gold out. Charli Knott was the only Gold batter to pass 17 on the final day with 59.The Green versus Gold three-day match has quickly become an important part of the women’s domestic calendar in terms of giving emerging players valuable long-form experience. Georgia Voll, who made her Test debut in January, made an unbeaten 200 in the game last year, while Alana King took a four-wicket haul on the final day before destroying England in the Ashes Test at the MCG.Australia A squadsAustralia A T20 squad: Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Heather Graham (capt), Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Rhys McKenna, Madeline Penna, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia WilsonAustralia A 50-over squad: Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (capt), Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Amy Smith, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Tahlia WilsonAustralia A Four-Day squad: Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (capt), Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Lilly Mills, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia WilsonWomen’s Australia A v England A series26 March: First T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval28 March: Second T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval30 March: Third T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval2 April: First 50-over match, 10:30am, Cricket Central, Sydney4 April: Second 50-over match, 10:30am, Cricket Central, Sydney7 April: Third 50-over match, 10am, Cricket Central, Sydney12-15 April: Four-day match, 10am, Cricket Central, Sydney