The four-team tournament comes after last year’s initial red-ball edition with two-day games
Mohammad Isam14-Dec-2024
Nigar Sultana and Rabeya Khan are among the captains at the WBCL•ICC/Getty Images
The Women’s Bangladesh Cricket League (WBCL), the country’s first three-day competition for women, will begin at two venues in Rajshahi on December 21. The BCB has organised the tournament to set in motion the process to build its first Test side, although the board is yet to put a timeline in place.”We have to be ready in red-ball cricket,” head of women’s cricket at BCB, Habibul Bashar, said. “Most of our female cricketers haven’t seen the red ball at all. It is all about white-ball cricket for them, as all our domestic cricket is with the white ball. They have only played two red-ball games, maybe. We will apply for first-class status as we have all that’s needed for this type of cricket.”The tournament is going to be played between four teams, grouped by the regions – North, South, East and West. Nigar Sultana, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan and Sobhana Mostary have been named captains of the four sides.”It is a very good initiative from the BCB,” Bashar said. “The challenge was to start it, so we got a bit of time this month. We have the West Indies tour coming up. We needed to start the tournament. We won’t have time until June next year.”Bashar said that the plan was to give the Bangladesh players bound for the West Indies next month enough time, so four matches will be held in December. The rest of the tournament will be played in January.Bangladesh received the Full Member status in women’s cricket in 2021 alongside Afghanistan (which doesn’t have a women’s national team) and Zimbabwe, and this is the second edition of the WBCL, which was played in a two-day format in 2023. Of the countries that have women’s multi-day cricket, there’s the Senior Women’s Inter Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in India, while Australia have recently begun three-day trial games for their red-ball team.
Tottenham are after a few more key summer signings before deadline day on September 1.
£43m star "clear" he wants to join Tottenham in talks with club chairman
He’s expressed his desire to seal a Spurs switch.
3
By
Emilio Galantini
Jul 15, 2025
Preferably for new manager Thomas Frank, they’d secure their desired targets before taking on European champions PSG in their looming UEFA Super Cup final, but it is rarely that straightforward when it comes to Spurs.
The Lilywhites are currently embroiled in a lengthy transfer saga involving Morgan Gibbs-White, who was due to have a medical on July 11 before Nottingham Forest blocked the 25-year-old’s move and threatened legal action against Spurs.
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
This has caused an unceremonious delay, but Tottenham are optimistic they can still sign Gibbs-White behind-the-scenes (Fabrizio Romano), even if they may have to wait a bit longer before announcing the England international as their fifth major signing of the summer after Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.
If Spurs’ £60 million deal for Gibbs-White goes through, then it would take Daniel Levy’s summer spending to around £172 million, providing they don’t have to pay Forest more compensation to sweeten the deal.
“The end result is that to get this deal done, Tottenham are probably gonna have to negotiate with Nottingham Forest a fee that includes not just the £60m release clause, but a little extra to effectively buy themselves out of the dispute, or walk away,” said Football Finance expert Stefan Borson to Football Insider.
“Now, we’ve seen in the past other teams have walked away. Of course, we know Liverpool walked away from Van Dijk and came back in January.
“I still think the most likely scenario is that Spurs are the only team that want to buy the player right now, that they’ll pay an extra, let’s say, £5-10m, maybe an extra £5m plus £5m, and the deal could get done. That would be the most likely outcome.”
As well as Gibbs-White, Tottenham are targeting a new number six, with Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha on their list of potential targets, as reliably reported by Alasdair Gold.
The north Londoners are also contenders to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, alongside Newcastle United and Forest, with the Congolese recently travelling to London for talks over his future (Ben Jacobs).
Tottenham's four-word transfer promise to Thomas Frank
Whatever the outcome of these pursuits, it appears Levy and co are very active in the market right now, which links in to an alleged promise they’ve made Frank about recruitment this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur managerThomasFrankcelebrates after the match
According to Spanish news outlet Diario AS, Tottenham have given Frank an encouraging four-word message in regard to their transfer plans before 2025/2026 – simply stating “investment and more investment” – as quoted by the outlet.
This comes as Levy looks to make a “statement” to the rest of the Premier League this summer, which comes as a promising bit of news for supporters who are about to watch Frank’s attempts to compete on multiple fronts.
They were once tipped for a ‘sell to buy’ summer at one stage, but their advancing talks over a stadium naming rights deal and rumoured cash injection from ENIC appear to have negated the need for high-profile players to depart.
Now, Frank is set to benefit, and as things stand, Levy is making good on the club’s pledge.
Aston Villa and Newcastle United played out the only goalless affair of an action-packed Premier League opening weekend.
The Villans notably struggled to spark into life in front of goal, with Ollie Watkins only managing one lacklustre effort all match long, while usual livewire Morgan Rogers failed to ever test Nick Pope with a meaningful effort.
Thus, the imminent arrival of Marco Asensio, who is spectacularly due to return to the Midlands, is set to come at just the right time.
Villa pushing to sign £4m star alongside Asensio
It looked as if Asensio’s love affair with the Villans was only ever going to be short-lived, having scored eight goals and tallied up one assist last season during a fruitful loan stint.
However, it is now looking very likely that the ex-Real Madrid midfielder will call Villa Park his permanent abode, with a £13m deal reportedly close to being wrapped up.
He isn’t the only exciting addition that could soon be signed off on, though, as Villa are also chasing down the services of this up-and-coming talent for just £4m.
As per reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Emery and Co. could soon push ahead to land 19-year-old sensation Hector Fort from Barcelona, with the Villa boss allegedly taken aback by the teenager’s quality.
Moreover, it is now being reported that Hansi Flick is open to allowing the homegrown Barca gem to leave, which could open the door for Villa to secure a cheap £4m deal, before the window slams shut.
Why signing Fort could be Asensio 2.0
Fort joining the ever-expanding camp could even be viewed as a purchase that’s as exciting as Asensio returning to familiar shores, with the teenager hopeful he can impress in the Premier League under Emery’s guidance, after starring in flashes in La Liga.
Of course, Asensio is unlikely to need time to get back up to speed with proceedings at Villa Park.
From just 21 appearances last season, the serial winner left a lasting impact on his new set of adoring supporters, as seen in his aforementioned tally of eight goals and one assist from those limited appearances.
Over a full season, the Spaniard should be able to reach even greater heights as a focal point in the Villa attack, with his glittering career to date seeing him pick up an outrageous 111 goal contributions on the books of Paris St. Germain and Real Madrid.
Fort will hope he can instantly settle into life in the Premier League in a similarly effortless way when making the move from Spain, having been previously lauded as “brilliant” by ex-Barca manager Xavi when being utilised sparingly as a stylish substitute option.
Games played
7
17
Games started
4
5
Goals scored
0
0
Assists
2
0
Touches*
37.0
34.6
Accurate passes*
25.6 (88%)
23.5 (92%)
To rubber-stamp his incredible potential, from just four starts during his debut season in the Camp Nou senior ranks, Fort would manage to amass a healthy two assists, with the attack-minded right-back no doubt confident in his ability to light up pitches at a demanding level.
Moreover, Fort averaged a 92% pass accuracy last campaign, even as he tumbled down Flick’s pecking order, with Asensio’s own average coming in at 86% when he instantly became a fan favourite at Villa Park.
FC Barcelona's Marc Casado, Lamine Yamal, Pablo Torre, Fermin Lopez, Hector Fort, Sergi Dominguez, Pau Victor, Marc Bernal andFrenkiedeJong
The Barca number 20 will hope he can offer the same creative energy donning Villa claret and blue, with Asensio also taking the English game by storm with his obvious class last campaign, before sealing a permanent move back.
Once lauded as a “superb” talent for the future by scout Jacek Kulig, who also further waxed lyrical about Fort being “one of the most talented youngsters in Spain”, the proof will soon be in the pudding if Fort can excel in the taxing environment of the Premier League.
Once upon a time, Asensio was also ‘one of the brightest talents in Spain’ in the eyes of Vicente del Bosque.
So, for a combined fee of £17m, the two Spaniards would surely go down as a stroke of genius capture.
Watkins will love him: Aston Villa close in on signing "world-class" star
Aston Villa could get Ollie Watkins firing on all cylinders again by landing this £13m superstar.
Firooza Amiri and Benafsha Hashimi, who fled the country after the Taliban takeover in 2021, speak to ESPNcricinfo about the complexities of Afghanistan’s place in world cricket
Firdose Moonda & Valkerie Baynes22-Jan-20252:01
Amiri: If Afghan women can play sports, they can study as well
Don’t ban the Afghanistan men’s side from playing international cricket but do expect them to do more for the women and girls who don’t have the same rights they do. That’s the opinion of two formerly contracted Afghanistan women’s players living in exile in Australia.Firooza Amiri and Benafsha Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021 and have narrated their story of escape to a new life on ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. Both women continue to play club cricket in Australia, with hopes of representing their country someday even though that will not be possible until the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) put up a women’s team. Under Taliban rule, the ACB cannot do that because of the country’s laws, which forbid women from playing sport, studying and working.Given that Afghanistan are ICC Full Members, and that one of the conditions of that status is to have a women’s side, there has been debate over whether or not to sanction the Afghanistan’s men’s team. Both Australia and England refuse to play bilateral series against them in protest, but continue to play them at ICC events, while the other nine Full Members engage with Afghanistan, sometimes amid growing calls to boycott them. South Africa are the most recent and relevant example, given they were isolated from the 1970s to 1990s for the country’s race-based Apartheid system. While the country’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, recently cited gender discrimination as a reason not to play Afghanistan, Cricket South Africa believes punishing the men’s players for a situation beyond their control will not force change. Amiri and Hashimi hold similar views but it is important to know that some of the other players are known to feel differently.Related
Afghanistan women's players soak up World Cup experience
Human Rights Watch asks ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership
England-Afghanistan to go ahead despite ECB speaking out over 'gender apartheid'
Pressure mounts on ICC amid Afghanistan women's fundraising drive
Powerplay: More than just a match for Afghanistan Women's XI
“The Afghanistan men’s team brings a kind of hope. They are role models for us. I don’t want to say I’m not supporting them at all,” Amiri told ESPNcricinfo in May 2024, when we first interviewed her. “But when I cannot play for Afghanistan, what’s more heartbreaking is when you see the men can do something and the women cannot do it – which is absolutely wrong. Everything men can do, women can do as well.”Hashimi, whom ESPNcricinfo spoke to last November, has similar feelings watching the men’s team. “I can say 50-50. I was happy because my team has played very well and Afghanistan got to the semi-finals [of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup] which is quite good for us because we haven’t been there but on the other side I was just hopeless. We have a really great men’s team but we never focus on a women’s team and it is a bit difficult to talk about. So I was happy and I was sad too. It’s a difficult feeling to describe: men having more opportunity than girls.”Australia, where Amiri and Hashimi live, refuse to play Afghanistan in bilateral cricket. This has caused Amiri to wonder whether selective shunning of the men’s team is worthwhile. “If it has an impact on our team, that we can put pressure on the Afghanistan Cricket Board to make a women’s team, then we will be happy, but only if it’s a way we can start playing cricket.”2:52
Mel Jones: Afghan women’s love for the game blew me away
Though she considered the thought of a ban, Amiri recognises that the Afghanistan men’s team has made rapid progress and its success could be more of a statement than a ban. “They are in a good position at the moment in the world and if they start supporting us, they’ll have a big impact on our team. They can be very, very helpful for us and for all the women. If women can start playing sport, women can start studying as well. It can be a pathway.”If they start supporting us, it’s going to be a way for all women. If they can hear my voice from here: Afghanistan, national players, please, please be the voice of the girls at the moment. Please do more for us. Start doing something for women. You are the voice of Afghanistan. They are the most famous people at the moment. They can be the voice of millions and millions of girls.”
Despite her plea, Amiri recognised that the men’s players may be risking their own safety if they speak out. “I know that there were always some challenges for them as well. Some of their families are still in Afghanistan. We don’t want you to be in danger.”We interviewed Amiri in November again, by which time she had also taken in Afghanistan’s semi-final showing at the T20 World Cup in June, and it had been announced that an Afghan Women’s XI will play against a Cricket Without Borders side at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on January 30, the same day as the Women’s Ashes Test starts.”The Afghanistan men’s team went on a very long journey as well. It’s never been easy for all of us. We all came through one journey and obviously because they are men, they had more opportunities than us as we are women, but they’ve come a long way. They are playing really well and they are achieving so much for Afghanistan. This is what we want too. We want to make Afghanistan proud as a men’s and women’s national team, and I could say our goals are the same.”We don’t want to make another problem by stopping them or keep talking about stopping them from playing cricket. Now we have our base, we want to play for the Afghan XI. We want to make a better future for Afghanistan women inside Afghanistan and make a change in cricket.”Firooza Amiri: ‘We want to make Afghanistan proud as a men’s and women’s national team, and I could say our goals are the same’•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
In the months since ESPNcricinfo spoke to the two players, things have regressed further in Afghanistan, with the Taliban closing down institutes for women training as nurses and midwives, effectively blocking women’s last remaining avenue to higher education in the country and putting women with medical issues at significant risk – women are not allowed to consult with male medics in Afghanistan without having a male guardian present. This prompted some of the first public reactions from the men’s team, with Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz posting on social media in support of women’s education.ESPNcricinfo also spoke to Mel Jones, who was instrumental in helping the female Afghanistan cricketers leave the country and settle in Australia. Jones agrees that campaigning for a women’s team is not as simple as banning the men’s side, but has asked the cricketing community to play its part in keeping the story of the Afghanistan women’s team alive.”It is one of the most complex pieces I’ve seen,” Jones said. “There’s nothing black and white about this at all… but I do think there’s a question around leadership. People take on positions of leadership to lead, and it’s not to say that you have to make a black and white decision about things but I think you have to stand up and be a voice and lean into some tough situations. And this is a really tough situation.Rashid Khan, in December, put out a social media post supporting women’s education in Afghanistan•ICC via Getty Images
“I think the frustration has been the lack of conversation around it. And so here’s this amazing group of women who are trying to rebuild their lives and still connect to cricket. And they’ve hardly had a conversation with our leaders right across the world. And that’s the most frustrating thing for me. We might still get to the same point and decisions that we are now regardless of those conversations. But give these women their due. Give them space… that’s probably the one piece that I would say we’ve been really bad at over the last three or four years: it’s that people turn their back on that conversation. And I would hope that if we’d learn anything from this, is that if something like this happens again, whether it’s a different country or a different group of people, if it’s a men’s team somewhere or something like that, that we just don’t turn our back on people and hope that silence will make it go away, because it just doesn’t.”Episode 2 of the ESPNcricinfo Powerplay podcast will look at where Amiri and Hashimi find themselves now as well as the practicalities and challenges of the Afghan women in exile playing as a team.
Raghvi Bist and Sayali Satghare have been called up for the series
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2025India’s regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and fast bowler Renuka Singh have been rested for the three ODIs against Ireland, set to begin on January 10 in Rajkot. Smriti Mandhana has been named captain in Harmanpreet’s absence, while Deepti Sharma is the vice-captain.Raghvi Bist and Sayali Satghare have been called up for the series, while the likes of Arundhati Reddy, Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav continue to miss out. Bist recently made her T20I debut in the T20I series against West Indies in Navi Mumbai in December last year, where she played two games and made scores of 5 and 31. Satghare, meanwhile, received her India call-up for the ODIs against New Zealand in October 2024, but did not get a game.Pratika Rawal and Tanuja Kanwar, who made their India debuts in the West Indies ODIs in Vadodara, keep their places in the squad.Mandhana also stood in as captain when Harmanpreet sat out of the last two T20Is against West Indies. Harmanpreet, however, returned for the ODIs, making 88 runs in three matches.Shafali, who was dropped for the series against Australia and West Indies late last year, misses out on selection despite finishing as the top run-getter in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy that concluded on December 30. She scored 527 in seven games at 75.29, including a 197 against Bengal. More recently, on January 5, she scored a match-winning 91 off 71 balls for Team A in the chase against Team B in the ongoing One Day Challenger Trophy.The India vs Ireland series, part of the 2022-2025 future tours programme, will be Ireland’s first-ever bilateral tour of India, and the teams’ first series against each other since 2006. Ireland have lost all of the 12 ODIs they have played against India so far. The sides last met in the T20 World Cup in 2023, when India won by five runs.India women’s squad for ODIs against IrelandSmriti Mandhana (capt), Deepti Sharma (vice-capt), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare
Liverpool have reportedly entered the race to sign a player with ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or, with as many as seven Premier League clubs eyeing him up.
Slot coy about Liverpool's attacking options
The Reds take on Crystal Palace in the Community Shield on Sunday afternoon, with new signings Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike all expected to start. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arne Slot was asked about his Liverpool attack, amid interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, with the Dutcham remaining coy about the situation.
“These are a lot of questions! As you know from me – and I think every manager works like this – you never talk about players that are not yours. I can talk to you about Hugo [Ekitike], who we signed recently and has done really well until now. I and we are very happy with the squad we are having and there is every reason to be happy about that because we won the league last season.
“OK, players left, but we have brought players in as well and youngsters are doing good. At this moment in time, Darwin [Nunez] might indeed leave, but things are not signed yet, so you need to wait maybe a few days before that is completely done. But there is indeed a chance he is going to leave.”
While signing Isak is the dream for Liverpool, another midfielder wouldn’t go amiss, and the Reds have been linked with a move for a Premier League star.
Liverpool enter race to sign Carlos Baleba
According to a new report from Caught Offside, Liverpool are in a seven-club race to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba this summer. The £100m-rated Cameroonian is being “closely monitored” by the Reds, but they are far from the only team in the mix to snap him up, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham all mentioned as suitors, too.
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba
Admittedly, Liverpool feel well-stocked in midfield ahead of the new Premier League season, but if there is a chance to sign a player of Baleba’s pedigree, they shouldn’t miss the opportunity.
The 21-year-old has vast potential – he has said he wants to win the Ballor d’Or, like Manchester City midfielder Rodri did in 2024 – and the hope is that he finds the Reds the most alluring, becoming their biggest ever defensive signing ahead of Virgil van Dijk.
The next Wirtz: Liverpool can forget Isak by signing "one of the best LWs"
Liverpool are ready to make one more marquee move for an elite forward this summer.
By
Angus Sinclair
Aug 9, 2025
In truth, it is easier to envisage Baleba moving to United instead, with Liverpool’s rivals more in need of a midfielder, and the Premier League champions surely focusing their funds on Isak and a new centre-back.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has given a brutally honest verdict on the partnership between new signing Xavi Simons and Djed Spence after seeing Spurs beat Villarreal 1-0 in their opening Champions League match of the 2025-26 campaign. An early own goal from Yellow Submarine goalkeeper Luiz Junior ensured Tottenham took all three points in a narrow win in north London.
Getty Images SportTottenham enjoy winning start to Champions League
Tottenham enjoyed a winning start to their Champions League campaign by beating Villarreal 1-0 on Tuesday. The game saw new signing Simons and Spence feature on the left flank for Thomas Frank's side, and the Spurs boss feels the two players can develop a good relationship together, but need more time out on the pitch to build a rapport.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFrank's verdict on Simons and Spence
He told reporters: "I think it was a step forward against West Ham offensively. That is definitely the area where we need to get better, but it's also a little bit [to improve] the relationship. So Djed Spence and Simons, it's their second game together. So too many times they played it too short, or into feet. So, there's something in that definitely. It's fair to say [Simons] and Djed need a little relationship, of course, to get going. No complaints, it's just natural.
"For example, on the right side, Pedro [Porro] and [Mohamed] Kudus, they definitely have something going. I think Lucas [Bergvall] came over to that side, it looks right. On the left side, Xavi and Djed, good against West Ham, but it's not 100 per cent in sync.Offensively, we didn't hit the highest level. There was definitely a spell second half where we decided to just give it to the Villarreal players, and then we just sprint back, which I thought was a very good, and fun, fun thing. But on the flip side, I think Villarreal is a good team, and they defended very well as well. So it was a very, very even game that we just edged."
Substitute Palhinha key to victory
Frank also felt that the arrival of another summer signing, Joao Palhinha, in the second half was crucial to Tottenham's victory. He added: "He's a very good player. He stabilised us more in the middle of the pitch. So that helped, definitely … [The players] are working very hard, and that we have a very good foundation to stand on, tn terms of our defensive organization. We give very little away against a Champions League team."
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Getty Images SportTottenham head to Brighton next
The win continues a strong start to the season for Frank and Spurs. Tottenham will now switch focus back to the Premier League and a trip to Brighton on Saturday.
As Alexander Isak edges closer to the exit door, Newcastle United are beginning to map out life without their talismanic striker.
The Swede’s choice to skip Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and instead train at former club Real Sociedad has only heightened speculation about his future.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
While Liverpool lodged a bid to secure his signature, the Magpies are already working on contingency plans. In Benjamin Šeško, Newcastle believe they have identified an heir to Isak’s throne.
A towering presence at 1.94m, the 22-year-old is equally capable of leading the line with intelligence and intensity.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskoheads at goal
Despite the club’s willingness to meet RB Leipzig’s valuation, the Slovenian appears to prefer a move to Manchester United – even in the absence of European football.
This has left the door open for alternatives.
One name is emerging as a serious contender – a raw but high-ceilinged talent who combines power, pace and composure in front of goal.
Newcastle looking at Europe's next powerhouse forward
According to TEAMTalk, Newcastle and Aston Villa are among five Premier League clubs interested in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.
FC Porto's SamuOmorodioncelebrates scoring their first goal
The 21-year-old Spanish-Nigerian powerhouse has taken Europe by storm since joining Porto from Atlético Madrid for around £15m last summer.
Aghehowa has scored 27 goals in 45 games, including six in the Europa League and two against Manchester United, evidence of his ability to shine on the biggest stage.
As per the report, sources close to the player suggest he is keen on a move to the Premier League, drawn by its competitiveness and global appeal. However, Porto’s valuation, a steep £70 million, partly due to Atlético Madrid’s 50% sell-on clause, may complicate matters.
Nevertheless, it’s believed a lower fee could be negotiated, with £50m-£60m having been suggested.
Why Samu Aghehowa Might Be the Next Šeško — Or Better
Standing at 1.93m, Aghehowa fits the same physical profile as Šeško. Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson described Omorodion as an “absolute powerhouse”, while also noting that he is the “real deal”.
Samu Aghehowa in action for Porto.
Crucially, he’s already proven capable of shouldering a club’s attacking burden, an attractive quality for both Newcastle and Villa, especially with the latter facing uncertainty over Ollie Watkins’ future.
Should Newcastle miss out on Šeško, Aghehowa represents a similarly ambitious gamble, albeit one with a potentially higher ceiling.
Benjamin Sesko
In truth, comparisons between the pair are as inevitable as both are towering, physically dominant forwards.
What’s more, both are under the age of 23 and represent the archetype of the modern target man: capable of bullying defenders whilst also possessing the technique to play in dynamic, high-tempo systems.
According to data from FBref, his non-penalty expected goals (npxG) stood at 8.4, with 11 goals scored in open play, and he averaged 2.5 shots per 90 minutes. But as promising as those numbers are, Aghehowa’s hold up well in comparison.
In the Liga Portugal, the Porto man scored 19 league goals and added three assists. Across all competitions, he notched 27.
The same data shows he ranks in the 75th percentile for non-penalty xG per 90 (0.43) and the 86th percentile for total shots per 90 (3.10).
In terms of pass completion, he’s even more efficient than Šeško, ranking in the 96th percentile (77.8%), demonstrating his ability to play quick link-up football.
Additionally, the former Atleti starlet is an active presence in the box.
Sesko vs Samu
He ranks in the 86th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area (5.45), and, surprisingly for a striker, in the 73rd percentile for interceptions – testament to his defensive work rate.
Šeško, for all his finishing prowess, has a more passive off-ball profile. With Isak increasingly detached, training independently at Real Sociedad and unlikely to return without resolution, Newcastle’s hierarchy must make a call.
Wait for a Šeško U-turn, or invest in the next rising star before the market catches up?
Aghehowa might not be a household name yet, but neither was Haaland before his Salzburg breakout, nor Šeško before Leipzig.
The traits are all there: size, speed, hunger, and a fearless eye for goal. In the end, signing him wouldn’t just be a response to Isak’s departure, it could be a defining statement of ambition for the years ahead.
Gordon's new Isak: Newcastle leading the race for £50m Sesko alternative
Newcastle are faced with the unenviable position of finding an Isak replacement this summer.
As the 49ers desperately look to sharpen Russell Martin’s frontline, Glasgow Rangers are reportedly eyeing a late swoop to sign a Premier League forward this month.
Latest on Rangers' transfer targets
It’s been a fairly disastrous start for Russell Martin at Ibrox. The Gers simply have not got going and their midweek thumping courtesy of Club Brugge summarised where they find themselves at present. They were hit by a 20-minute rout by the Belgian side to spark early Ibrox exits, before Danilo handed Rangers a slither of hope ahead of this week’s second leg.
Whether anything changes on the transfer front ahead of that crucial tie is the big question. With just over one week left until the transfer window slams shut, Rangers still have several reported targets on their radar and that includes Jamie Vardy.
The former Leicester City forward is still a free agent after leaving the Foxes as a club legend at the end of last season and may now be on his way to Scotland. If the Gers are attempting to spark their frontline into life then signing a Premier League winner is certainly one way to do it.
That said, at 38 years old, Vardy is not the only name on Rangers’ shortlist. The 49ers are also reportedly targeting Karl Etta Eyong, who has starred for Villarreal’s B team and since made his debut for the La Liga club’s senior side.
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With one experienced option and another who arguably lacks experience, it remains to be seen which route Rangers decide to go down. They could yet, of course, find the perfect in-between by shopping in the Premier League this month.
Rangers eyeing late Chermiti swoop
As reported by Rangers Review, the 49ers are now eyeing a late Rangers swoop to sign Youssef Chermiti from Everton this month. The 21-year-old forward has had much of his Everton career interrupted by injuries since arriving for around £10.8m from Sporting Club in 2023 and now needs a loan move to guarantee game time.
Dubbed a “superb prospect” by scout Jacek Kulig during his time at Sporting, Chermiti is still very much a player full of potential despite his recent injury woes.
If Rangers can keep him fit then, alongside the likes of Mikey Moore, they could have an exciting core of attacking talents at their disposal. After stuttering to another draw in the Scottish Premiership – this time against St Mirren – it’s the type of firepower that the Gers so desperately need.
As the transfer window approaches deadline day and the Gers seek reinforcements, Chermiti and Rangers may well be ones to watch.
تحدث طارق يحيى، نجم الزمالك السابق، عن الأوضاع الحالية داخل القلعة البيضاء، معربًا عن حزنه لما يمر به النادي من أزمات وصراعات داخل مجلس الإدارة وخارجه.
قال طارق يحيى في تصريحاته عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “MBC مصر”: “أشعر بحزن شديد لما أسمعه وما يحدث داخل نادي الزمالك، لكن هذه فترة مهمة ويجب على الجميع أن يتكاتفوا للوقوف خلف النادي”.
وتابع: “لا أريد أن تتداخل المصالح الشخصية في المشهد، لقد عانى النادي كثيرًا من تضارب المصالح بين مسؤولين سابقين وحاليين، نادي الزمالك وجماهيره وتاريخه هم دائمًا من يدفعون ثمن هذه الصراعات بين المجالس المتعاقبة، للأسف، ما يحدث هذا الموسم تكرر كثيرًا من قبل، دون أن يتعلم أحد أو يأخذ المبادرة لإنهاء هذه الأزمات”.
وأضاف: “أتحدث بصفتي زمالكاويًا غيورًا على ناديه، يجب أن نترفع عن هذه الخلافات التي أضرت بالكيان، من المؤسف أن نجد صراعات داخل المجلس الواحد رغم أن الجميع اتفق على اختياره، لا أفهم مثلًا سبب الخلافات مع أحمد سليمان ومنعه من ممارسة مهامه داخل المكتب التنفيذي، هذه أمور غير منطقية، أتمنى أن ينصرف الجميع للعمل من أجل النادي”.
وواصل: “نعاني من أزمة مادية واضحة منذ فترة، باستثناء المرحلة التي كان فيها المستشار مرتضى منصور، حيث شهد النادي خلالها استقرارًا ماليًا نسبيًا، لكن على مجلس الإدارة الحالي أن يجد حلولًا حقيقية، لا أن ينتظر أرض أكتوبر ووعودًا أو أموالًا قد لا تأتي، لا بد من وجود خطة بديلة، ما يُعرف بخطة (B)”.
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وتابع: “الضغوط الجماهيرية أصبحت أكبر من أي وقت مضى، وهي تدفع أحيانًا المسؤولين لاتخاذ قرارات متسرعة لا علاقة لها بالواقع، الهجوم الدائم من الجماهير بعد المباريات، خاصة عقب لقائي الأهلي وغزل المحلة، زاد من حدة التوتر داخل النادي”.
وأردف: “لا أريد أن أوجه اللوم للاعبين فقط، صحيح أن هناك أزمة مالية تؤثر على تركيزهم، لكن لا بد أن يدرك اللاعب أنه يرتدي قميص نادٍ كبير وعريق، معظم لاعبي الفريق الحاليين ليسوا من أبناء النادي، ربما ثلاثة أو أربعة فقط، ومع ذلك يجب أن يقدّر الجميع ظروف الزمالك الحالية، في المقابل، على مجلس الإدارة أن يعمل بجد لإيجاد حلول لهذه الأزمة، الجانبان يجب أن يسيرا في خطين متوازيين ومتساويين”.
واستكمل: “ما زلت عند رأيي بأن الزمالك قادر على الفوز ببطولة الدوري، بشرط أن يدرك اللاعبون قيمة القميص الذي يرتدونه وأنهم يمثلون نادياً له تاريخ كبير وبطولات عديدة، من المؤسف أن يفقد الفريق 12 أو 13 نقطة بهذه السهولة، فلو لم يضيع الزمالك تلك النقاط لكان الآن في موقع مختلف تمامًا ينافس بقوة على القمة”.
واختتم: “أتذكر الموسم الذي فاز فيه الزمالك بالدوري، كان مؤجلًا للأهلي سبع مباريات، ثم خسر بعض النقاط ونجح الزمالك في الفوز بمبارياته وحقق اللقب، الموقف الحالي يشبه ذلك، فالزمالك ما زال قادرًا على المنافسة إذا استعاد مستواه وثقته، النقاط التي ضاعت كانت في المتناول جدًا، وما زال الأمل قائمًا”.