Newcastle United’s search for a new striker has moved into overdrive.

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move and Liverpool having lodged their first bid, the Magpies appear resigned to a future without their star striker.

Isak’s decision to skip the club’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and train independently at Real Sociedad has only added to the growing sense of inevitability.

Eddie Howe’s side are determined to act decisively.

They don’t just want a short-term solution; they want someone who can lead the line for years to come.

The ideal target? A striker who has already adapted to the Premier League, blends physical presence with technical quality, and is ready to shoulder the scoring burden once carried by the Swede.

All signs now point toward a player who checks those boxes, and who has already made a name for himself in England’s top flight.

Latest on Newcastle's search for a striker

According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are considering a move for Jørgen Strand Larsen, who enjoyed a standout debut campaign with Wolves.

Transfer Focus

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

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Speaking in a Q & A on Thursday, the Newcastle insider suggested that Larsen has been ‘described as the ‘dark horse’ from the list of possibles’, with his performances having ‘not gone unnoticed’ at St James’ Park.

The 25-year-old Norwegian scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, the most ever by a Wolves player in their first season at the club, surpassing the previous record held by Raúl Jiménez.

Larsen joined Wolves from Celta Vigo in July 2024 on an initial loan, with the option to buy. That clause was activated earlier this summer, with the deal believed to be worth £23m.

Despite the club’s modest position in the table, Larsen quickly emerged as a key figure. His goals included a run of three in three during April, which earned him a nomination for the Player of the Month award.

Reflecting on his season, Larsen told reporters: “It’s been a good first season in the Premier League.” I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’ve been able to take the steps quite earlier than I’ve done before.”

As already stated, his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.

Alan Shearer, speaking on Match of the Day, highlighted how Larsen stepped up in the absence of Matheus Cunha:

“The question was how they were going to get on for the four games without their best player [Matheus] Cunha. I actually think they’ve looked a better team.”

“He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent, and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

The Norwegian international, who has 21 caps and 3 goals for his country, has seen his market value rise to €30m (£26m).

Standing at 1.93m, he has the physical profile of a traditional No.9 but also brings a versatility that makes him appealing to Newcastle as they look to evolve their attack in the post-Isak era.

Why Strand Larsen Might Be a Smarter Fit Than Šeško

Benjamin Šeško has long been admired by Newcastle’s recruitment team. At 1.94m, he draws obvious comparisons to Erling Haaland and fits the club’s typical age preferences.

He scored 21 goals in 45 games for RB Leipzig last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga, and would represent a clear signal of ambition, with prior reports suggesting an agreement had already been struck.

But there are growing doubts over whether Šeško will end up at Manchester United instead, as well as whether he is actually the right man for the job. For starters, the Slovenian’s numbers don’t surpass those of his Norwegian counterpart.

Strand Larsen outscored Šeško in league competition last season – 14 goals to Šeško’s 13, despite playing in a less dominant team and having far fewer chances created for him.

According to data from FBref, Šeško’s underlying stats also suggest that there is still room for growth.

His non-penalty expected goals (npxG) last season was 8.4, with 11 non-penalty goals scored – a good conversion rate, but not exceptional.

Larsen, by comparison, ranks in the 99th percentile for shot-on-target percentage at a remarkable 61.1%. His npxG per shot (0.19) places him in the 84th percentile, indicating smart, high-quality shot selection.

He also ranks highly for aerial involvement, underlining his all-round centre-forward credentials. There’s also the matter of adaptation.

Šeško would require time to acclimatise to the intensity of the Premier League, while Larsen has already proved he can deliver.

Financially, the move for Larsen also makes more sense. Šeško is tied to a long-term contract at Leipzig until 2029, and the German side are unlikely to sell for anything less than £60–70m.

In contrast, Wolves may be willing to negotiate a deal closer to the £25m they paid, especially if Newcastle structure their payments creatively.

Strand Larsen’s profile – similar to Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) or Ante Budimir (Osasuna) – may not sound glamorous, but it’s highly effective.

His hold-up play would complement Newcastle’s wide runners like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, while also giving them an added dimension from set-pieces.

Newcastle won’t rush into a decision and are likely to explore both options thoroughly. But if they’re after an immediate impact, a proven Premier League scorer, and a more affordable route to replacing Isak, Jørgen Strand Larsen might just be the smarter bet.

Related Newcastle enquire for £33m Sesko alternative who made the Ballon d'Or top 30

The Magpies could take full advantage of the situation.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jul 31, 2025

Looking to follow up the arrival of Dan Ndoye in style, Evangelos Marinakis has now reportedly initiated contact to sign a midfield star for Nottingham Forest this summer.

Ndoye "really happy" to join "ambitious" Forest

Becoming their third signing of the summer following the arrival of Botafogo duo Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus, Ndoye enters Nottingham Forest hoping to make an instant impact. The winger, who scored nine goals and created another six in all competitions at Bologna last season, should prove to be worth every penny of his £34m transfer fee.

After putting pen to paper, the 24-year-old told the club’s official website: “I am really happy to have signed for the Club. It is a really exciting time at Forest and I knew straight away that I wanted to be a part of the project. It’s a really ambitious team with a fantastic history and I can’t wait to get started.”

Adding to that, Chief Football Officer, Ross Wilson spoke highly of the new arrival, saying: “Dan is an exciting new addition to our squad and a player we have tracked extensively over a long period of time. We are delighted that he joins Nottingham Forest and continues his own ambitious journey here with us.”

Arriving to replace Anthony Elanga, who joined Newcastle United earlier this summer, Ndoye’s numbers suggest that he’s capable of doing exactly that under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Minutes

2,143

2,501

Goals

8

6

Assists

4

11

Successful Take-ons

37

25

Whilst the Swiss star was unable to replicate Elanga’s output entirely last season, the signs were certainly promising, with his take-on success particularly worth highlighting.

Marinakis isn’t done there, however. Reports are now suggesting that Forest have taken a key step in their move to sign a South American midfielder this summer.

Marinakis initiates contact to sign Douglas Luiz

According to Fabrizio Romano, Marinakis has now initiated contact to sign Douglas Luiz for Nottingham Forest. The Juventus midfielder is reportedly “keen” on a return to the Premier League after a nightmare year in Italy, with both Everton and those at the City Ground in direct talks with his camp in an attempt to get a summer switch over the line.

As much as things didn’t work out at Juventus, Premier League clubs will be well aware that Luiz is still a talented player. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that the £160,000-a-week Brazilian was one of Unai Emery’s most important stars in Aston Villa’s Champions League qualification.

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Nottingham Forest are still in the race to sign this potent attacker.

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Described as “strong” by Villa’s sporting director, Monchi, even as his nightmare progressed in Italy last season, Luiz could now go on to hand Espirito Santo the same boost that he often gave Emery if Forest secure his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur are “contenders” to sign an “unbelievable” defender who’s now set to cost £50m, reporter Pete O’Rourke has revealed.

Spurs looking to bolster defensive options

Spurs completed the signing of West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus last week, with the Ghanaian arriving for a fee of £55m, while they also remain confident about sealing a deal for Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who said: “They want to proceed with the deal, they want to sign the player. Nottingham Forest are prepared to fight. So, let’s see what’s going to happen there.

“But, for sure, the Gibbs-White deal now has an issue to be solved between the two clubs. That’s going to be one to watch in the coming days and hours, with Tottenham still hopeful and confident to get the player.”

Should Spurs get a deal for Forest star over the line, they may turn their attentions to bolstering their backline, given that they had the fifth-worst defensive record in the Premier League last season.

Club 24/25

Goals conceded

Southampton

86

Ipswich Town

82

Leicester City

80

Wolverhampton Wanderers

69

Tottenham Hotspur

65

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke has now dropped an update on one of the centre-back’s Tottenham could target, Burnley’s Maxime Esteve saying: “Everton showed a lot of interest in him as well, now Tottenham are being mentioned as contenders for a signature if he leaves Burnley this summer.

“Spurs did try to sign him in the January window when he was doing so well; Burnley don’t want to lose Esteve, and they’ve put a £50million price tag on his head.

“I don’t think Spurs would go near that level to try and sign Esteve, but Burnley are in a really strong position to negotiate here. He’s under contract until 2029 and they can demand a substantial fee because of his contract – that price tag will probably scare off most clubs.”

"Unbelievable" Esteve could allay Spurs' defensive problems

At this stage, Burnley hold all the cards in the negotiations, but should the French defender push for a move this summer, there are clear signs that he could help allay Spurs’ defensive problems.

Remarkably, the Clarets shipped just 16 goals in the Championship en-route to promotion last season, and the Frenchman played every single game, during which time he managed to impress manager Scott Parker.

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Parker said: “First and foremost he’s a great kid and an unbelievable professional. Just his general aura about him and his humility about the boy and his professionalism, just everything about him is a top, top boy and of course you see his quality as well.”

That said, £50m would be a huge fee to pay for a player yet to prove himself at Premier League level, and with Burnley in a strong negotiating position, it would not be a surprise if Tottenham decide to move on to other targets.

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia is closing in on signing a new long-term contract, which will keep him at the Catalan club until 2029. Garcia was deemed surplus to Barcelona's needs before Hansi Flick took charge of the club. However, since the German coach came in, Garcia has managed to revive his career and the Spanish defender played a key role in the club's success last season.

Garcia set to sign new contractRevived his career under FlickPlayed key role in Barca's success last seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Flick used Garcia in multiple positions in the 2024-25 campaign, starting with a defensive midfield role, which later changed to right-back once Jules Kounde picked up an injury. In the current season, he has started in all three of Barcelona's La Liga matches thus far.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to , impressed by his versatility and his contributions with goals in crucial fixtures last season, the Blaugrana have decided to reward Garcia by offering a new five-year contract. The club were planning on the defender's contract extension since spring, however, they delayed the process due to their ongoing financial struggle. Barca, though, are expected to present the new deal by the end of this year. 

DID YOU KNOW?

The 24-year-old defender appeared in 45 matches across all competitions last season, where he registered eight goal contributions, including goal against Inter in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

The reigning Spanish champions will be back in action on September 14 as they host Valencia in a La Liga fixture.

Offspinner Amar Virdi has been released by Surrey, having been overlooked throughout their run of three consecutive County Championship titles.Virdi, 26, claimed 39 wickets in Surrey’s Championship-winning season in 2018, and was at the time considered to be a future Test prospect, having featured for the England Under-19 side in 2016 and 2017. He was part of England’s training bubble during the 2020 Covid-19 season and toured the subcontinent at the start of 2021 as a reserve for series against Sri Lanka and India.On his first-class debut in May 2017, he made history by joining Sam Curran, Ryan Patel and Ollie Pope to form the first quartet of teenagers to play for a county since World War 2, and only the fifth in history.But unlike his contemporaries, all of whom have gone on to become fixtures in Surrey’s first XI, Virdi’s opportunities have waned in recent years, with Surrey tending to prefer a batting allrounder such as Will Jacks or Dan Lawrence to carry their spin burden.He spent the latter part of the 2024 county season on loan at Worcestershire, where he took 14 wickets in four matches, including a five-wicket haul against Hampshire in September, but a permanent move is understood to be unlikely. Previously he had been on loan at Somerset in 2022, with his most recent Championship outing for Surrey coming in September 2021.”Having been a part of the club since I was 11 years old, I will look back on my time at Surrey with great fondness and I have some incredible memories of playing for the club,” Virdi said.”Winning the 2018 County Championship was a personal highlight and it was incredible to be part of the team that brought success back to the club after many years.”Having had a tough couple of years at Surrey with selection and pitches, I still believe I have a huge amount to offer the game as shown in my recent loan stint at Worcestershire and I’m looking forward to whatever the next step is in my playing career.”Alec Stewart, Director of Cricket, added: “It’s always tough letting a player go from the club and especially when that player has been in our set up from a young age. With the balance of our bowling attack we’ve used in the Championship in recent years which has brought us great success, Virds hasn’t been able to find a way into the starting eleven.”I firmly believe his bowling has a lot to offer another county and hopefully he will find a new home where he can show case his talents and further his career. I will do everything possible to help him find a good solution.”In the meantime, on behalf of everyone at Surrey CCC, I would like to thank Virds for the service he has given and we should never forget the impact he had when winning the 2018 County Championship title.”

تعرفت جماهير ومتابعو كرة القدم الأوروبية يوم الاثنين الماضي على أسماء جميع الفائزين في حفل الكرة الذهبية لعام 2025.

وانتشرت بعد أيام قليلة نتائج التصويت التى حصل عليها الفائزون في مختلف الاستطلاعات، ونشرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية مزيداً من التفاصيل حول الترتيب العام لجائزة كوبا لأفضل لاعب شاب لعام 2025 تحت 21 عاماً.

وحصد لامين يامال للعام الثاني على التوالي لأول مرة جائزة أفضل لاعب شاب تحت 21 عاماً بحصوله على 124 صوتا، ويتم التصويت من ناحية أخرى على جائزة الكرة الذهبية من جانب 100 صحفي من أعلى 100 دولة تصنيفاً في الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”.

وشارك في التصويت على جائزة أفضل لاعب شاب 27 لاعباً، وغاب كريستيانو رونالدو وميشيل بلاتيني وكيفن كيجان عن التصويت، وقد اختار أربعة وعشرون منهم نجم برشلونة لامين يامال للفوز بالجائزة.

أقرأ أيضاً.. اختيارات صادمة.. لمن ذهب صوت العرب في جائزة الكرة الذهبية 2025؟

ولم يتم اختيار لامين يامال للفوز بجائزة كوبا المقدمة من مجلة فرانس فوتبول الفرنسية، من جانب كل من روبرتو باجيو ورود خوليت وبافل نيدفيد.

واختار باجيو كل من ديزري دوي وجواو نيفيز في المركزين الأول والثاني وجاء لامين في المركز الثالث، بينما لم يختار رود خوليت لامين ضمن الثلاث الأوائل، حيث وقع اختياره بالترتيب على كل من دوي وهويسن وكوبارسي، بينما اختار بافل نيدفيد بالترتيب كل من ديزري دوي ولامين يامال ويلديز.

من جانب آخر اختار عدة لاعبين آخرين بين سابقين وحاليين لامين يامال للفوز بالجائزة أهمهم ليونيل ميسي وكريم بنزيما ولوكا مودريتش ورودري ورونالدينيو وشيفيشينكو وريفالدو وفيجو ومايكل أوين والظاهرة رونالدو وزين الدين زيدان وستويشكوف وجورج وياه وماتيوس وفابيو كانافارو وريكاردو كاكا.

وحصل لامين يامال على أكبر عدد من النقاط 124 نقطة وهو أعلى مجموع أصوات المرشحين الآخرين لهذه الجائزة، والذين حصلوا مجتمعين على 119 صوت.

وجاء لامين يامال في المركز الأول بـ124 نقطة، وفي المركز الثاني ديزري دوي من باريس سان جيرمان بـ72 نقطة وفي المركز الثالث جواو نيفيز من باريس سان جيرمان بـ23 نقطة.

وجاء إستيفاو لاعب بالميراس السابق وتشيلسي الحالي بـ9 نقاط، وحصل كينان يلديز لاعب يوفنتوس في المركز الخامس على 6 نقاط، وحصل دين هويسن لاعب بورنموث السابق وريال مدريد الحالي على 5 نقاط.

وحصل باو كوبارسي لاعب برشلونة على 3 نقاط في المركز الثالث وحصل رودريجو مورا نجم بورتو في المركز الثامن على نقطة، ولم يحصل أيوب من ليل ولويس سكيلي من آرسنال على أي نقاط.

ولم يتم اختيار لامين يامال ضمن قائمة أفضل ثلاث مرشحين للفوز بالكرة الذهبية من جانب 24 دولة من بينهم مصر حيث جاء في المركز التاسع إلى جانب دول أخرى.

بينما حصل من صحفيين آخرين من دول الإمارات وإيران تونس والمغرب والجزائر وإسبانيا وألمانيا والبرازيل وبولندا وهولندا وإيطاليا على أعلى عدد نقاط.

Bangladesh’s captain has also conceded that his own lack of runs is contributing to the top-order collapses

Mohammad Isam31-Oct-2024

Najmul Hossain Shanto has scored just one fifty in his last 17 Test innings•BCCI

Unless Bangladesh start to put together top-order partnerships, they will continue to suffer like they did in Chattogram against South Africa, according to captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. The home side sunk to an innings-and-273-run defeat, bowled out twice in a total of 89 overs. Bangladesh’s match aggregate of 302 runs is the lowest by any team at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, reputed to be the best batting pitch in the country.It played true to that reputation when South Africa posted 575 for 6 over the first two days, before Bangladesh imploded with the bat. They lost 14 wickets on the third day, ending the match bowled out for 159 and then 143 following on. Mominul Haque, who made 82 in the first innings, was out twice in one session.Related

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South Africa wrapped up a 2-0 series win, having won the first Test in Dhaka by seven wickets. Bangladesh had struggled there too, bowled out for 106 on day one.”We have been batting like this for a long time,” Shanto said. “If you don’t get top-order partnerships, the rest of the batters will find it difficult in red-ball cricket. I don’t know how our top-order batters prepare or think, but if it goes on like this, this will be the result. This was a good wicket. Even in Mirpur, the type of wicket it was, we shouldn’t have got out so quickly. Overall, we didn’t bat well in these two Tests.”While there have been individual efforts in recent Tests such as Mominul’s 82 out of Bangladesh’s first-innings total of 159, or even his century in Kanpur, these have tended not to come with sufficient top-order support. The lower order, instead, has been the source of resolute partnerships such as the 138-run seventh-wicket stand between Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali in the second innings in Dhaka or the 103-run ninth-wicket stand between Mominul and Taijul Islam after Bangladesh slipped to 48 for 8 in Chattogram. There was also the famous recovery from 26 for 6, courtesy Litton Das and Mehidy, that enabled Bangladesh to win the second Test in Rawalpindi two months ago, but Shanto felt these lower-order stands were only papering over the top-order cracks.”We are making runs individually,” he said. “Mominul made a century, but we couldn’t support him in Kanpur. Shadman [Islam] made 90-odd [in the first Test in Pakistan] but there was no support [from the top-order batters] at the other end. The top order can only help the team with big partnerships. We talk about winning after being 26 for 6 in Pakistan but our top order didn’t bat well. Top-order runs will ensure consistent performance from the team.”‘The worst thing is, I am getting out between 20 and 40. It is not good for the team’•Getty Images

Shanto conceded that his own lack of runs was also contributing to the top order’s collapses. He made 9 and 36 in Chattogram, as Kagiso Rabada first dismissed him with a brilliant delivery in the first innings, before he inside-edged one to Tony de Zorzi at leg slip off the left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy. Shanto has scored just a single fifty in his last 17 Test innings, 15 of which have come his appointment as full-time all-format captain in February.”I have an important role as a top-order batter. I am supposed to score runs,” Shanto said. “It is not happening, and the worst thing is, I am getting out between 20 and 40. It is not good for the team. I have to concentrate more in my batting.”Shanto however said that he continues to enjoy the Bangladesh captaincy and that it hasn’t affected his batting, although he has informed BCB president Faruque Ahmed that he doesn’t want to continue as captain. “After I speak to the president, either of us can give a clear message,” he said. “I have always said that I enjoy captaincy on the field. I never felt that I am the captain when I am batting. I didn’t think I have to do all of it on my own. I am only focused on the ball.”Shanto suggested that the team tends to suffer whenever there are distractions around it such as the discussions around his captaincy. There have been regular off-field issues since the Pakistan tour. Less than a week before this Test series against South Africa, the BCB sacked head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, while Shakib Al Hasan couldn’t fulfill his wish of playing a farewell Test in Dhaka after the government told him it couldn’t guarantee his safety due to the protests around the Shere Bangla National Stadium.”[Distractions] might have contributed, but it doesn’t mean we will play this poorly,” Shanto said. “Bowled out for 100 or 150 runs. Players have to adjust with these things, even though it is difficult. Still, it shouldn’t be this bad. We have to improve our skills and change our thinking. We have to find out specifically exactly what is happening.”

With just over two weeks to go until the Premier League season kicks off, it would be fair to say that this summer has been a success for Arsenal thus far.

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side have won all three of their games – if you include the behind-closed-doors clash with Watford – and off it, Andrea Berta and Co have been extraordinarily busy.

The Italian has sealed the signings of potential game-changers like Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, while massively improving the overall squad with players like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

However, the Gunners do not seem finished just yet, as they continue to be linked with Real Madrid dynamo Rodrygo, who could cost up to £86m.

Before they can sign the Brazilian international, the Gunners may need to make a sale or two, so it’s good news that one of Arteta’s own signings has already received several offers.

Why Arsenal want to splash the cash on Rodrygo

While almost every club in world football would love to have a player of Rodrygo’s quality in their squad, there are likely three main reasons Arsenal want to sign him this summer, and the first is down to his output.

Over the last two campaigns, the Brazilian “superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is a rate of return that could seriously help the North Londoners catch up to Liverpool next season.

The second reason Arteta and Co would want the 24-year-old is that he can play in multiple positions.

For example, even though his best role is off the left, the last two seasons have seen him play off the right and up top, so while he would likely spend much of his time in England playing on the left, he would be able to cover for other players and offer the manager plenty of tactical options.

Right Winger

146

34

31

Centre-Forward

84

22

8

Left Winger

78

23

16

Attacking Midfield

3

0

1

Second Striker

1

0

0

Finally, despite still being relatively young, and two years off his peak, according to research carried out by The Athletic, the Los Blancos ace has a vast amount of experience playing in the biggest games in world football, and that winning mentality which the North Londoners have lacked in recent years.

For example, since moving to Madrid, the Osasco-born monster has won two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues, and even more impressively, has a record of 25 goals and provided 14 assists in 64 games in the competition.

In all, Rodrygo would bring goals, versatility and real know-how to Arsenal this summer, but to be able to afford him, the club would likely have to make at least one or two sales, which is something that appears to be on the table.

The Arsenal star with offers to leave

While much of the transfer talk around Arsenal this summer has focused on incomings, and understandably so, there have still been several reports about players potentially leaving the Emirates.

Transfer Focus

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

One of the most prominent earlier on in the window was talk of Gabriel Martinelli being a target for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, but transfers expert Fabrizio Romano quickly shot that down.

Then, more recently, there have been rumours over a potential loan move to Brazilian outfit Flamengo for Gabriel Jesus, one that would see the Gunners pay 50% of his wages.

However, the most realistic sale, at this point anyway, appears to be Leandro Trossard.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the Belgian international, who joined the Gunners for around £27m in January 2023, is being monitored by German giants Borussia Dortmund, and more interestingly, has already been the subject of “two concrete offers from Premier League clubs” this window.

While the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace could still be an effective player for the North Londoners, selling him this summer to make way for Rodrygo would make sense, as even though Martinelli suffered a hamstring injury last season, the Brazilian still played more minutes than he did.

Moreover, the 30-year-old has been progressively getting less productive for Arteta’s side.

Appearances

22

46

56

Minutes

1071′

2263′

3455′

Goals

1

17

10

Assists

10

3

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.43

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.36′

113.15′

172.75′

For example, in his first half-season with the team, he produced 11 goal involvements in 1071 minutes, then in the following campaign, he produced 20 in 2263 minutes, and last season, he was only able to manage 20 in 3455 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to rejuvenate their frontline further this summer, and if by selling Trossard they can afford to sign Rodrygo, they should thank the Belgian and send him on his way.

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“We’re looking forward to the challenge, and hopefully we can lean back on the experiences that we’ve had here the last couple of times that we’ve toured”

Ashish Pant15-Oct-2024

Tom Latham admitted New Zealand had a less than “ideal” tour of Sri Lanka last month•Getty Images

New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham is hopeful the cloudy conditions and the pitch being under covers for a length of time due to all the rain Bengaluru has received in the past week, will potentially bring the fast bowlers into play thereby helping the visitors get into the game in the first Test against India.”Yeah, certainly wasn’t expecting the weather that we’ve had over the last couple of days since arriving here,” Latham said on the eve of the game. “And looking at the forecast, it obviously does look sort of similar to what we’ve got today.”So, obviously wicket being under covers for a longer duration, and it not necessarily being as hot as what we would usually expect here. So that potentially brings the fast bowlers into play.””It’s hard to say because I haven’t really had a look at the wicket in terms of a team that we play. But, yeah, we’ll obviously cover both bases [spin and pace] depending on when we see the pitch tomorrow.”Related

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Spin has been New Zealand’s kryptonite in the current World Test Championship [WTC] cycle. They are coming into the series on the back of a 2-0 loss against Sri Lanka, where they lost 37 of their 40 wickets to spinners.Latham admitted the results in Sri Lanka weren’t ideal but said that New Zealand did manage to do “a lot of good stuff in that tour”. He pointed to the first Test in Galle where New Zealand managed scores of 340 and 211. They were then blown away for 88 in the first innings of the second Test but came back with 360 in the second dig. That didn’t prevent a loss in both Tests though.”Yeah, obviously results weren’t ideal in Sri Lanka. I think that first Test was a reasonably small margin in terms of the defeat. But we actually did a lot of good stuff in that tour,” Latham said. “It’s obviously easy to look at the result. But I think from a batting point of view, you take away the first innings of the second Test and you know we did a lot of good stuff there.”We sort of changed our approach a little bit in terms of how we played and just the way things unfolded. And I thought we played really nicely. And, yeah, I guess you come here to India, it’s slightly different conditions.”So hopefully it offers a little bit more here in India for the seamers. And then, you know, potentially later on in the next couple of Test matches, spin might play a little bit more of a factor.”This is Latham’s first assignment as full-time Test captain – he has led New Zealand in nine Tests previously – after Tim Southee stepped down in the aftermath of the Sri Lanka series. His own form in the WTC 2023-25 cycle has been patchy with 368 runs in 16 innings at 23.00.However, Latham has a decent record in Tests in India with five fifties in as many Tests while averaging 35.70. He has also led New Zealand in a Test match in India previously and is hopeful his past experiences will hold him in good stead going into the crucial three-game series.”It’s obviously a huge, exciting privilege for me to be in this position,” Latham said. “Regardless of whether I’m captain, not captain, I’m always trying to perform my role as best as I can for the team. And that’s certainly not going to be any different being captain.”Yep, there’s a little bit more responsibility, but I guess I’m lucky that I’ve been in this position before, have captained here in India before, and have done it back home as well. So I think, like most of the guys, I’m just excited to get into things. It’s been a bit of a build-up for me since, obviously, taking over.”While aggression and intent have been the flavour of the town in Test cricket, New Zealand have taken a more old-school approach. In their eight Tests in the WTC cycle, they have gone at an average of 3.37 runs an over. While Latham agrees that teams the world over have taken a more aggressive route in Test cricket, he wants his players to do what comes to them naturally.”Yeah, if you look around the world recently over probably the last 12 months, I think a lot of teams have sort of taken the approach of being a little bit more aggressive and putting bowlers under pressure a little bit more,” he said. “But I think if you look at our team as a whole, everyone’s got a slightly different game plan.”We’ve got different guys that play completely different ways. And for us, it’s about letting guys go out and express themselves as much as they can and try to stick to their plans as best they can.”New Zealand have never recorded a series win in India, and Latham admits his side will have to play “really well” to change that record. He is, however, banking on New Zealand’s recent visits to India and their sub-continent expeditions in a bid to force a win in the three-Test series.”They know how to play in their own conditions,” Latham said. “And I think when you look at India as a whole, you obviously look at the spinners when you come over these conditions. But they’ve got just as equally good seam attack in terms of [Jasprit] Bumrah, [Mohammed] Siraj, obviously [Akash] Deep, who’s played the last couple of Test matches against Bangladesh.”So just a well-rounded side from a bowling point of view. They have a lot of match-winners that can take a game away from you pretty quickly.”We’re obviously going to have to play really well. We’re looking forward to the challenge. And hopefully we can lean back on the experiences that we’ve had here the last couple of times that we’ve toured.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers have a recent history of making intelligent transfer moves and could now be set to land another talented star, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Wolverhampton Wanderers looking upwards under Vitor Pereira

The Old Gold are back in pre-season action and will take encouragement despite their 2-1 defeat to CD Santa Clara in pre-season after forgotten man Sasa Kalajdzic scored in his first appearance for 18 months.

Despite enduring a tough time with injuries, the Austria international is back up and running and spoke to reporters post-match, stating: “It was a really good feeling [to play] after a long, long time. Just kicking the ball with my mates in an unofficial but, for me, more official game and I’m just happy everything went well.

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“I gained more minutes, playing with the others to get to now them again more and more on the pitch and it was a really good next step.”

With Jorgen Strand Larsen and Fer Lopez in the door at Molineux, Wolves are leading the race to sign Almeria full-back Marc Pubill as Vitor Pereira looks to add strength at right-back.

Real Betis winger Pablo Garcia is also on Wolves’ radar. However, they face stiff competition from Real Madrid for his signature, which may complicate the likelihood of a deal being done.

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The Old Gold are in a strong position to win the race for a defender.

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Reinforcing out wide is a central priority for the Old Gold to ensure they have enough chance creators present within their tactical framework, so it will come as no surprise to hear that they are now closing on a winger.

Romano: Jhon Arias set for Wolverhampton Wanderers medical

Taking to social media platform X, world-renowned transfer reporter Romano has confirmed that Fluminense winger Jhon Arias is set for a medical ahead of a proposed move to Wolves that will cost around £18.2 million.

The Club World Cup semi-finalists will retain a 10% sell-on clause in the deal, and it now only appears to be a matter of time before he will be announced at Molineux.

With his move now seemingly nothing more than a formality, the 27-year-old has registered a goal and four assists from 11 appearances this campaign in the Brazilian top-flight.

In that time, Arias has also created 28 chances and delivered 19 successful crosses, making him a prime candidate to strengthen Pereira’s attacking output on either flank.

South American players have a long history of thriving at Molineux, and the Colombia international will hope he can become the next quality recruit to shine in the West Midlands.