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Sunderland have now submitted an offer for an “unreal” centre-back, according to a significant update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Sunderland's summer spree set to continue

It has been a memorable summer for the Black Cats, who have built on their Championship promotion last season by making 11 permanent signings in total to date.

Granit Xhaka is arguably the most high-profile addition, with the Swiss arriving from Bayer Leverkusen and immediately being made Sunderland captain, helping his side beat West Ham 3-0 in their Premier League opener on Saturday afternoon.

Habib Diarra and Simon Adingra have come in as the Black Cats’ two most expensive additions of the summer, however, joining from Strasbourg and Brighton respectively, looking to bolster Regis Le Bris’ midfield and wide options.

The early signs certainly bode well for Sunderland, in terms of their new signings ensuring that they avoid relegation straight back down to the Championship, but their business might not be done there.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

free transfer

Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

free transfer

Sunderland submit bid for "unreal" centre-back

Now, Romano has taken to X to claim that Sunderland have tabled an offer for Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi, as their summer of spending continues. He is keen to seal move to the club.

Lucumi could be just what the Black Cats are after, with the 27-year-old an experienced head but really rising into a star over the last couple of seasons, bringing high level talent and physical dominance to Le Bris’ back-line.

He is a 29-cap Colombia international, which is no mean feat, and after 94 appearances in Serie A, he may like the idea of testing himself in the Premier League.

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Lucumi was once backed to become a “great” centre-back” by scout Jacek Kulig, while journalist Ethan Todd described him as “unreal” earlier this summer.

The Colombian would be a statement 12th permanent signing of the summer for Sunderland, assuming the deal goes through, as their squad goes from strength to strength amid their efforts to remain a Premier League team beyond this season.

Arsenal are ready to splash the cash in a serious show of ambition this summer, with Mikel Arteta and co desperate to end the club’s long wait for a Premier League title, which has spanned over 20 years.

Arsenal convinced they can seal "huge signing" after "showdown talks"

The Gunners are growing in optimism.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 5, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta has already sealed deals for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, with the latter two unofficial but confirmed by multiple reliable media sources.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£5m

Arsenal will pay around £56 million for Zubimendi, with all documents regarding the Spaniard’s transfer signed and finalised, while Norgaard has apparently undergone the first part of his medical in N5.

Berta has shown a tendency to spin many plates at once when it comes to transfer targets, with Arsenal also believed to be after two new wide players. Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Chelsea forward Noni Madueke have all been linked this week, but signing a right and left-winger could depend on whether Berta sells one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli.

In any case, Arsenal have been working on deals for Eze and another star for the left-hand side (Fabrizio Romano), all while actively seeking their desired new striker – which could be one of Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal are advancing talks for Sesko and Gyokeres, before deciding which one would best suit the club’s needs both in a financial sense and on the field.

However, one player who’s likelier to arrive before any of the aforementioned attackers is Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera.

Arsenal enter "decisive" phase of talks for Cristhian Mosquera

As per CaughtOffside, Arsenal have entered their “decisive” phase of talks for Mosquera, who’s already agreed personal terms over a move to the Emirates.

The versatile centre-back could come as a like-for-like replacement for Takehiro Tomiyasu, who mutually shook hands on a contract termination this week following his Arsenal injury hell.

Arteta’s side have seen a £12 million offer rejected for Mosquera, but are planning to go back in with a new bid which could be as high as £26 million, including bonuses and add-ons.

The Spaniard is said to be very keen on joining Arsenal and even snubbed a new contract proposal from Valencia, with Berta said to be edging closer to a full agreement.

The move could be sealed pretty soon, and barring any unexpected twists, Mosquera appears poised to become Arsenal’s fourth signing of the window.

Footall Talent Scout Jacek Kulig describes him as an “elite” young player, with Mosquera playing more minutes than any other player under 21 in Europe’s top five leagues last season.

استجاب رونالد أراوخو قائد برشلونة لثقة المدرب الألماني هانز فليك وشارك في فوز فريقه ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد بهدفين لهدف واحد في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ولعب أراوخو أول مباراة مهمة هذا الموسم وهي أول مشاركة له في دوري أبطال أوروبا وأمام فريق قوي وخصم قوي، وتشارك مع باو كوبارسي في دفاع البلوجرانا.

وقال أراوخو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية عن تحليله للمباراة: “كنا الفريق المسيطر على المباراة، عندما سجلوا تعقد الأمر وهذا طبيعي، لقد أراد الفريق الفوز ولعب بحماس واستحوذنا على الكرة، سعيد لأنه من المهم أن نبدأ دوري أبطال أوروبا بهذه الطريقة”.

وسئل أراوخو عن المشاكل البدنية التي تعرض لها في المباراة: “كنت أعاني من تشنج في النهاية، كان جهد الفريق هائلاً، حققنا الفوز وهذا هو المهم”.

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وواصل عن أهم النقاط من الفوز ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد: “حللنا هذا الخصم جيداً، وكنا نعلم أنهم سيبدأون بقوة، هناك بعض المباريات التي يجب أن نلعب فيها بشكل جيد”.

وتابع مشيداً بما قدمه الإنجليزي ماركوس راشفورد الذي سجل هدفين في شباك نيوكاسل: “ماركوس يفعل الشيء نفسه في التدريبات، هو لاعب رائع وجودة عالية”.

وأكمل أراوخو: “لقد عانى كوبارسي من مشكلة في الركبة، نعلم أن هناك فريقًا تنافسيًا للغاية يجعلنا نبذل قصارى جهدنا، المدرب يدير الأمور بشكل جيد للغاية وهناك مباريات للجميع”.

واختتم عن الثقة التي حصل عليها من الألماني هانز فليك: “لقد عملنا بشكل ممتاز، ملتزمون بأسلوب لعب المدرب، الذي حقق لنا النتائج، علينا أن نواصل الإيمان بأسلوب لعبنا”.

The board also announced that a “technical method” would be established for issuing NOCs

Danyal Rasool15-Jul-2024The PCB is considering “several key changes” to the nature of international cricketers’ obligations to Pakistan cricket, with potential implications for the ability to obtain NOCs, participation in domestic cricket and a change to central contracts agreed last year.What those key changes contain, however, remains shrouded in mystery. A 500-word statement that was light on detail – and not released through official channels or uploaded to the PCB’s official website – stated that domestic cricket “is now compulsory for players”. The board also announced that a “technical method” would be established for issuing NOCs, and only players meeting the criteria of that method would be granted NOCs. It would appear that the tenure of central contracts has been reduced to one year, an apparent rollback of the landmark three-year contracts announced last year.However, despite the potentially wide-reaching implications of such changes, no specific information was provided on what these changes would entail and how they would come into effect. Mohammad Rafiullah – a spokesperson for the board chairman Mohsin Naqvi – told ESPNcricinfo that committees would be formed to work out the fine print: devising the technical method for the NOCs, the tweaking of the central contract, and how much domestic cricket international players would be required to play.Related

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PCB set for collision course after rejecting NOC to Naseem Shah

The original statement made no mention of the establishment of any committee, and it is not yet clear whether one committee will be tasked with all three responsibilities, or three separate committees will be formed to handle one task each. Rafiullah told ESPNcricinfo the committees – which have not come into existence yet – would submit their findings for implementation within 15 days.The statement did clarify that the centrally contracted players’ remuneration would not be reduced, a punitive move that initial reports suggested was being considered in the wake of Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign. It also said “the inclusion of players in various categories of the central contract would follow a defined procedure” without information on how this procedure was to be defined.It was also announced that Test head coach Jason Gillespie and white-ball coach Gary Kirsten had been added to the selection committee, though once again, it has yet to be clarified whether that means both coaches will make selectorial decisions across formats, or only sit on committees relevant to the formats they are respective coaches for.The issue concerning player NOCs is perhaps the prickliest one in Pakistan cricket at the moment, with some players understood to feel the spirit of the agreement to allow players two overseas leagues per year was not being respected . Last week, ESPNcricinfo reported Naseem Shah had been refused an NOC to play the Hundred on a contract worth GBP 125,000, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are also expected to have their NOCs for the Global T20 League in Canada turned down. There is no international cricket that clashes with either of these leagues, but the PCB is likely to cite workload management as a reason for their refusal.In a separate statement, one that was uploaded to the PCB’s official website, Australian pitch curator Tony Hemming was appointed the head curator on a two-year contract. He comes in ahead of a busy home season for Pakistan, which includes seven Test matches, a tri-series and the ICC Champions Trophy.

Birmingham City stole most of the headlines in League One last season by sealing a title success on a gigantic 111 points, but Wrexham also gained plenty of airtime themselves when clinching yet another promotion.

This was the Red Dragons’ third promotion success in a row, unbelievably, with Phil Parkinson the manager who has amazingly steered the Welsh giants back into the spotlight away from non-league obscurity, to now being one division below the Premier League.

Wrexham will know that their next step up to the Championship will be their most difficult jump to navigate so far, with plenty of new signings ready to enter the building to ensure the next step-up isn’t so difficult, which includes this exciting striker target potentially joining Parkinson’s ranks.

Wrexham now interested in former PL ace

As per an exclusive report from football journalist Graeme Bailey, Wrexham are now in the race to land Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt this summer.

Unfortunately, they aren’t just a lone suitor having a peek at the two-time Premier League goalscorer, with Chris Davies’ Birmingham also keen on landing a loan deal for the explosive centre-forward, as Leeds look to get rid temporarily after sealing their own dramatic promotion.

Whilst the 23-year-old has found himself stuck on the periphery at Elland Road as of late, he still has plenty of plus points next to his name that will intrigue Parkinson and Co.

He could even be viewed as a better signing for Wrexham to make than the newly promoted side going after an injury-prone Danny Ings, with the soon-to-be free agent forward more known now for his lengthy absences away from the first-team, than his clinical finishing ability.

Ings’ G/A record for West Ham

Season

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

24/25

17

1

2

23/24

30

1

1

22/23

22

3

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Why Gelhardt would be a better signing than Ings

Indeed, the table above makes for some pretty grim reading on the ex-Liverpool striker’s end, with Ings only managing five goals for West Ham over his last three unmemorable seasons.

Whereas, in Gelhardt’s defence – despite tumbling down the pecking order in West Yorkshire as of late – he has still proven he can cut it in the Championship when handed a chance to impress out on loan at Hull City last season.

This spectacular effort back in January would get the ball rolling for Gelhardt in his fresh location, with the ex-Hull number 30 going on to bag another four strikes in league action, away from just this wild shot looping over Paul Nardi’s head.

This will instantly put Wrexham at ease about whether the 23-year-old is well-suited to the demands of the Championship after barren patches of form at Leeds. On the contrary, Ings last played at the demanding level all the way back in 2014, with a concern brewing that he just doesn’t have the legs required to kick back into gear in the EFL.

Gelhardt’s league numbers for Hull (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Gelhardt

Games played

22

Goals scored

5

Assists

0

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

5

Total duels won*

5.2

Stats by Sofascore

To Wrexham’s relief, Gelhardt showed he has plenty left in his tank at Hull last season, with a bite present in his game too when winning 5.2 duels on average per Championship clash, away from also creating five big chances on top of his goal tally of five.

The newly promoted side have also been there and done that when it comes to veterans leading the line, as seen in Steven Fletcher being on their books last campaign, with the loan capture of the 23-year-old “wrecking ball” – as he was once labelled by Jamie Redknapp for his aggressive approach – signalling a newer approach centred on the future.

While Ings’ name might be more instantly recognisable, his best years seem to be behind him now.

When it comes to Gelhardt, however, plenty more could still be in the offing.

Related Big Rathbone upgrade: Wrexham still in race to sign "outstanding" PL star

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 12, 2025

Rangers have tasked new sporting director Kevin Thelwell with finding a new permanent manager this summer, and one of the candidates has confirmed a positive conversation with the incoming Ibrox chief.

49ers expect Thelwell to begin work 'as soon as possible'

Rarely will we see an Old Firm fixture with so little on the line, as the Gers welcome Celtic to Ibrox on Sunday with nothing to play for but professional pride and local bragging rights. Their arch-rivals will put their title celebrations aside to try and redeem the consecutive defeats suffered in the previous two derbies, but for Rangers nothing is more important right now than their search for a new permanent manager.

Barry Ferguson’s intermin bounce was short-lived, and 49ers Enterprises have tasked incoming sporting director Thelwell with finding the next permanent man in charge. According to a report by The Daily Mail, the American investors expect a significant summer rebuild at Ibrox and want the former Everton chief to get a new man in the dugout as soon as possible.

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1

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 22, 2025

The rumour mill is of course already churning, with perhaps the most exciting link so far the enigmatic and decorated Jose Mourinho. The infamous Portuguese tactician has admitted he would be open to managing one of the two great Scottish clubs, but would demand serious backing from the Ibrox boardroom.

Steven Gerrard still feels like the most likely arrival, given the Liverpool legend’s previous success in the role and current availability, with the club thought to be considering moves for both Gerrard and former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose.

The dark horse in the race is Ferguson, who despite winning just three of his seven Premiership matches so far would do his chances no harm with another victory over Celtic this weekend, and has confirmed in the build-up to Sunday’s action that he has already held conversations about the role with Thelwell.

Ferguson holds 'private' talks with new Rangers chief

Speaking to the press on Friday, via The Daily Record, the 47 year-old revealed what sounds like positive discussions with Thelwell: “I had a long meeting with Kev. It was good. it’s the first time I’ve sat down with him, I was impressed by him. Obviously, what was said will remain private, you know I’m going to say that.

“It was great to bang heads together. He got my feelings, he totally understood them. Very impressive and it’s something that I think will work really well for the club. Are plans starting to take shape? They need to,” said the interim boss.

In truth, the former Gers captain probably needed to make a serious charge at the Europa League to properly get his hat in the ring, with 49ers Enterprises likely wanting Thelwell to make a splash with a big name like Gerrard or Mourinho.

That said, the stand-in boss has done okay with a team he didn’t build, and with several incomings and outgoings expected this summer, perhaps someone who knows the club inside out could be exactly what’s needed to steady the ship and get things moving in the right direction.

Something feels different. For better or for worse (though usually better), Liverpool were tight-lipped on transfers with Jurgen Klopp at the helm.

It often felt like a contentious subject, but FSG’s savvy crew managed to make it work, combining with the German manager’s vision to drive Liverpool toward the full gamut of major honours.

However, something’s changed in this new iteration, this restructured hierarchy. Arne Slot, on the brink of winning the Premier League in his first season at the Anfield helm, has confirmed that Liverpool are planning for major investment this summer, with captain Virgil van Dijk echoing the sentiment as the final touches are placed on his expected new deal.

Liverpool are set to spend, all right. However, the Merseysiders will also want to cash in on a few to maximise the scope for investment.

Darwin Nunez is the anticipated surplus as plans are mapped for a new, more prolific centre-forward. However, the struggling Uruguayan isn’t the only forward at risk of being sold, with Luis Diaz also emerging as a candidate for sale.

And that’s despite his stunning recent form for the Reds.

Luis Diaz's late-season form

Liverpool are set to lift the Premier League title in the coming weeks, and Diaz has been instrumental in keeping Slot’s squad ticking over of late, rebounding from a frustrating patch of form to rack up the contributions in recent fixtures.

He’s scored 15 goals and laid on eight assists across all competitions for Liverpool this term, but Diaz may well be among those sold this summer.

Directly involved in goals during just one of Liverpool’s opening nine Premier League fixtures of 2025, a 2-1 victory over Wolves in February, Diaz has since registered a contribution across his past five outings, scoring in each of the Reds’ recent matches, having assisted in three successive games prior.

A man playing for his future? The winger has been routinely linked with a move to Barcelona over the past several years and Caught Offside have recently revealed that Liverpool would entertain offers in the £69m ballpark this summer.

Contrary to what the form book might suggest, Liverpool should indeed cash in on their Colombian maverick for maximum value this summer.

He’ll have turned 30 by the time his current deal expires in June 2027 and has ebbed and flowed in front of goal for much of his time at Anfield.

Liverpool could bank a pretty penny by selling him now, while his stock’s sky-high, and anyway, the Reds have identified the perfect successor to sign this summer.

Liverpool chasing Diaz successor

According to Football Insider, Liverpool may finally get their hands on Anthony Gordon this summer, with the Newcastle United winger among the most likely Magpies to be sold for a big profit.

Liverpool were in talks to sign the England international last summer but a deal came to nought when alternative means to circumvent PSR were struck.

It’s reported that Liverpool have retained a strong interest and, furthermore, cashing in on the winger would suit United more than their other big-money stars, Bruno Guimaraes and Liverpool-linked Alexander Isak.

Transfer Focus

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

Why Liverpool should sign Anthony Gordon

Having been awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, Gordon came close to moving back to Merseyside and linking up with Liverpool are being released from their academy as an 11-year-old.

Though it didn’t come to fruition, Liverpool have retained their interest in a “special” player – as said by producer Andrew Musgrove – who has been an essential part of Eddie Howe’s success at St. James’ Park over the past several years, indeed beating Slot’s Liverpool in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

He’s registered 44 goal involvements for Newcastle since the start of last season and has even seen club chiefs place a £100m price tag on him in the past to deter pesky suitors. However, now that United’s stance has changed, that lofty valuation may well be whittled down.

Playing into Slot’s tactical approach, Gordon is also a positionally flexible forward. Chiefly a left winger, the 23-year-old has featured regularly on the right to accommodate Newcastle’s needs while also finding prolific success from a more central berth.

Though Gordon’s arrival would see Diaz sold, this could allow him to work well with Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, who is settled on the left flank, where his in-cutting shooting ability is best served.

While he’s been more potent in front of goal of late, the underlying data suggests Gordon, who is five years the South American’s junior, has the potential to outstrip him.

Gordon vs Diaz – Underlying PL Data (24/25)
Stats (* per game)	Gordon	Diaz
Shots (on target)*	2.0 (0.7)	2.0 (0.8)
Pass completion	80%	86%
Key passes*	1.9	1.6
Dribble (success)*	1.3 (45%)	1.5 (39%)
Ball recoveries*	3.3	3.0
Tackles + interceptions*	1.3	1.2
Duels (won)*	4.7 (51%)	3.8 (39%)
Stats via Sofascore

There’s also the case to be made that Gordon has failed to hit the same heights this year after his success in 2023/24, whereas Diaz has actually made improvements since Klopp stepped down at Anfield.

This might appear to sway things in the Liverpool man’s favour but it actually reinforces the argument for his sale this summer, replacing him with a younger star in Gordon, who mirrors many attributes and has the potential to go from strength to strength under Slot’s wing.

Given that Liverpool’s interest stretches back to last summer, there’s every reason that he could be a success in a title-winning Reds squad, and given that Diaz’s potential sale could make it possible, it might just be one to keep a close eye on as the market opens its stalls.

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By
Angus Sinclair

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Where the India vs New Zealand game could be won and lost

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2023

The Powerplay face-off

The semi-final of the 2019 World Cup, in which New Zealand beat India by 18 runs, was pretty much decided in the powerplay. India were 5 for 3 in the fourth over making it hard for them to chase down the target of 240 set by New Zealand.This could be one of the biggest challenges for the Indian batters on Sunday. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have not been able to dominate the opening pair of Trent Boult and Matt Henry. India’s batters have not faced them in ODIs since that semi-final four years ago, so how they take these two bowlers on in Dharamsala will set the tone for the rest of the innings.