Newcastle United have accepted that a move for long-time transfer target Bryan Mbeumo may not work out this summer, with the Brentford forward reportedly preferring to sign for Manchester United.

Whether that will happen is another matter, and no longer the Magpies’ concern, for Eddie Howe and the powers that be have turned their attention to alternative options, Anthony Elanga and Mohammed Kudus among the targeted.

While Newcastle are in talks with Callum Wilson for a new contract, the ageing striker failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League last season as he battled through injury problems, and some extra firepower to complement Alexander Isak wouldn’t go amiss.

Newcastle plotting to sign new striker

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro is right at the top of the shopping list, but Newcastle may well be plotting to sign an even more exciting centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are considering an official move for Porto’s Samu Aghehowa in the coming months, having been keeping tabs on the prolific striker.

Though the 21-year-old has an £82.5m release clause in his contract, he could be sold for considerably less, with a fee of £63m mooted.

Manchester United are also interested as they search for an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, and the Premier League competitors may well battle it out for the number nine.

What Samu Omorodion would bring to Newcastle

Tall, powerful and blessed with swift pace, Aghehowa has the fundamental skills to become a fearsome marksman in the Premier League, more still a perfect counterpoint to ther breezy dynamism of Isak.

He might not be the finished article, but this wouldn’t actually be a negative: Aghehowa would join a Newcastle team blessed with “the best striker in the Premier League” in Isak, as has been said by pundit Jamie Carragher, and Wilson, an experienced poacher.

It’s a fantastic mix, and one which could see Aghehowa springboard into the ascendency. Who knows, he might even prove an even bigger star than Pedro with some careful man-management over the coming years.

Though Pedro has impressed since joining Brighton from Watford in a deal worth around £30m two years ago, scoring 30 goals and providing ten assists across 70 matches, 18 of those strikes have come from the penalty spot.

Aghehowa’s ceiling is higher.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid last summer just weeks after a move to Chelsea collapsed, Omorodion has thrived in Portugal, scoring 25 goals across 42 matches in all competitions, including a six-goal haul in the Europa League that saw him fire two past Man United.

League 24/25 – Samu Omorodion vs Joao Pedro
Stats (* per game)	Omorodion	Pedro
Matches (starts)	30 (23)	27 (23)
Goals	19	10
Assists	3	6
Shots (on target)*	2.7 (1.1)	1.7 (0.7)
Big chances missed	18	7
Pass completion	79%	75%
Big chances created	5	11
Key passes*	0.6	1.1
Dribbles*	0.4	1.1
Duels won*	3.3	4.9
Stats via Sofascore

Hailed as a “monster in the making” with a “complete profile” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Aghehowa has the mark of an elite-level goalscorer, and while Brighton’s Brazilian forward is more creative and dynamic, Newcastle must invest their chips in the man who could become one of the deadliest number nines in the business.

The dream XI Newcastle can build: No Gordon; Joao Pedro & £120m trio sign

Newcastle are looking to make sweeping changes as they step back into the Champions League.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

A look at the former captain’s plans, instincts, vision, charisma and philosophy

Mohammad Isam10-Mar-2020.Forming a core group
After Bangladesh had slipped in ODIs and T20Is in 2014, the BCB decided to split the captaincy for the first time. Mushfiqur Rahim had the Test job, while Mortaza, who had just recovered from an injury, was given white-ball duties. This was going to be a test case for the BCB, particularly because of Mortaza’s injury history which cut short his two previous captaincy stints.Very early in his third stint, Mortaza wanted to do away with Bangladesh’s culture of relying on individuals and wasn’t afraid of rebuking his team when he saw a lack of seriousness. At the same time, Mortaza slowly began to form a core group of senior cricketers from the 2015 World Cup squad, who would be the pillars around whom his team would be built.ALSO READ: ‘Nobody should forget what Mortaza has done for Bangladesh cricket’He had four senior players in the squad already – Shakib Al Hasan, Iqbal, Rahim and Mahmudullah – but two of them were low on confidence. Mahmudullah’s form had been iffy for the preceding two years, but he found some form when he was asked to bat higher up the order in a couple of matches leading up to the World Cup. Mortaza and coach Chandika Hathurusingha sensed that Mahmudullah could do with a bit of freedom for which he needed to be promoted, as he was a stroke-maker suited to playing on-the-rise shots, particularly on occasions when field restrictions were still in effect. Mahmudullah had a good tournament and his 103 from No. 4 against England in Adelaide helped Bangladesh progress to the knockouts for the first time.Mahmudullah believes that Mortaza’s fight for the cause of every cricketer in his team set him apart from all the other captains.
“You must have seen how we spend time together,” Mahmudullah told ESPNcricinfo. “We have a special bond. He fought for every individual player. I am a big example. I was in deep trouble at one point. He was right next to me. He gave me extraordinary support not only as my captain, but as my brother and friend. I will forever be thankful to him. We spent a lot of time together.”Mortaza also helped Iqbal out of a similar rut during the 2015 World Cup. It was an ordinary campaign for the batsman, who was accused by social media trolls of being in the team due to the influence his uncle Akram Khan – former Bangladesh captain, chief selector and later board director – wielded.Mortaza took Iqbal under his wing and gave him all the confidence he could. The result: Iqbal turned things around quickly, slamming two ODI hundreds and a Test double-hundred against Pakistan soon after the World Cup.Building a team
The encouraging performance from Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed in the 2015 World Cup, and the emergence of Mustafizur Rahman prompted Mortaza to ask the then BCB administration to prepare pace-friendly pitches for the ODIs against India. In the first ODI, he went in with a four-man pace attack.It was a wild idea coming from a Bangladesh captain but Mortaza sensed that the best way to counter India’s batsmen would be pace. His four-card trick reaped instant rewards, with Mustafizur leading the way as Bangladesh won the series 2-1.Iqbal said that Mortaza’s insistence that they could beat India rubbed off on the rest of the group, and the team started to believe.ALSO READ: Who will replace Mortaza as Bangladesh captain?“I think one of his greatest quality was how he kept on saying ‘we can win, we can win’, all the time,” Iqbal told ESPNcricinfo. “When he said we can beat India in the ODI series in 2015, it seemed impossible. They were the No. 1 side in the world [ranked No. 2 in ODIs at the time]. But he kept saying it, and that positivity spread around the team. Slowly we also started to believe that we can win.”Mortaza kept this belief in pace at home for much of his captaincy, but Ahmed’s form quickly declined while Rahman lost confidence in his cutters – his main weapon – after his shoulder surgery in 2016. Mortaza himself took the new ball from time to time when the other pacers struggled for form. But for five years, he fought for his belief in the idea that pace works against certain teams even at home, and tried to instill that in his team.An instinctive captain
His winning mentality spurred many progressive ideas for the Bangladesh team management, and one of them was to establish the need for four frontline bowlers. He was keen to cash in on allrounders like Shakib and Rahim (as keeper-batsman), who provided balance to the side with their dual roles. He often said that replacing Shakib meant bringing in two players, so when Shakib was around, and when Rahim kept wickets, it freed up two places for Mortaza, and more often than not, Mortaza picked bowlers.Mortaza was also an instinctive captain who didn’t shy away from deciding to take himself off in the middle of a spell. He once said: “I don’t wait for two or three overs like many captains. If I see that it isn’t happening for a bowler, I will change him after an over. It doesn’t happen with planning, sometimes you just have to make those changes.”Liton Das walks off after his dismissal•BCBA captain with a vision
Mortaza wanted a long-term vision for his team, so he was constantly looking for missing pieces of the puzzle. One of his biggest challenges was to find a suitable opening partner for Iqbal.
For example, in 2018, he publicly gave Anamul Haque the assurance to make the opening slot his own. Haque ultimately failed to do so, but more recently, Mortaza revealed that Liton Das had told him that he only wanted to play as an opener. Mortaza kept that request in mind, and towards the end of his captaincy tried to help Das settle down as an opener too.Mortaza didn’t shy away from backing erratic players either. He famously backed Hossain when his career was derailed by a criminal charge before the 2015 World Cup. Time after time, Sabbir Rahman failed to maintain discipline but Mortaza’s belief in his hitting abilities hardly wavered. Mortaza also backed players with more limited ability like Arafat Sunny, a domestic veteran who came good for a brief period at the highest level. He was also lucky to find Mohammad Saifuddin towards the latter part of his stint.His X-factor, his charisma
Mortaza’s life story, particularly his comebacks from crippling injuries, have often been enough to inspire team-mates, but on occasion, he has had to dig deep. Shane Jurgensen, the former Bangladesh coach, and Iqbal have described two separate incidents where Mortaza’s mere presence changed the mood of the entire team.Incidentally, both those moments came after a Test series drubbing, heading into an ODI series, and both against West Indies, although six years apart. In 2012, after Bangladesh went down 2-0 to West Indies at home, Mortaza took the entire team from Khulna to his hometown Narail for a day out. Jurgensen claimed that the team got into a different mood after that.A similar thing happened in the West Indies in 2018, after Bangladesh were hammered in the Test series. Mortaza wasn’t supposed to head to the West Indies as he hadn’t fully recovered from an injury. He arrived a couple of days before the first ODI, and Iqbal says that one look at him, and the dressing-room atmosphere changed.”I have played a lot of matches with Mortaza so sometimes it takes a bit of time to realise certain aspects of a particular individual,” Iqbal said. “I understood why this guy is so special during our 2018 West Indies tour. We were really down after the Test series. You can imagine the team atmosphere, but then when Mortaza arrived for the ODI series, the whole mood of the team changed. Something just clicked within the team seeing Mortaza.”On both occasions, Bangladesh went on to win the ODI series.Mortaza Mortaza rings in the changes•BCBHis philosophy, a lasting legacy
Mortaza was once asked whether an upcoming match against South Africa, with the series tied at 1-1, was going to be his greatest challenge.”Every challenge is different but there is no bigger challenge for me than to raise my son and daughter.”It wasn’t a jaw-dropping reply but the coming years would reveal that it summed up the person he was, and the philosophy he often tried inculcate. While Mortaza wanted his team to give their 100%, he never wanted them to lose sight of the fact that there was more to life than just cricket, and their careers. He spent countless hours chatting with many of his team-mates in his room, sipping cups of tea, and sharing stories.Iqbal said that Mortaza brought a very Bangladeshi quality to the team setting. “How he treated every player isn’t something common for professional sports teams. You won’t find it anywhere else in the world. But due to our culture, you needed a captain who would really take care of a player who is in poor form,” he said.Mahmudullah said that Mortaza’s focus on the small contributions really made a big difference within the team environment.”A captain is also a player. A lot of times, you need to perform. Even during his crunch time, he kept building the team. He was always worried about the team. He stood tall,” Mahmudullah said. “He always wanted us to perform for each other, enjoy another’s performance. He never overlooked small achievements and contributions. He always addressed those small things, and praised whoever had done it. I think it was a great quality.”

Manchester United finished 15th in the Premier League last season, with emphasis on the word ‘last’.

Ruben Amorim didn’t mince his words when talking about the need to turn things around and use the 2024/25, and all the baggage that came with it, as a springboard for the future, finally ending these endless years of frustration for one of the game’s biggest superpowers.

Fixing the frontline was always going to be among the chief priorities for the Old Trafford side, and INEOS started on a strong footing there, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £62.5m fee, the Brazil forward rejecting interest from a host of Premier League suitors to join the Red Devils.

Efforts for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are ongoing, but the pointers suggest that the right-sided forward will join up with Amorim’s squad in the coming weeks, having expressed a burning desire to make the switch.

This is all well and good, but Man United still need to sign a central striker.

Why Man Utd need a new striker

By all accounts, Amorim wanted to commence pre-season with Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all sold. That hasn’t happened, and they have all informed the hierarchy of their wish to depart.

More concerning, perhaps, is Rasmus Hojlund’s continued presence in the Man United senior squad.

The Danish striker, 22, was well out of sorts last term, and has been heavily linked with a summer exit, Inter Milan showing the most interest in his signature.

​​​​​

Hojlund is clearly a talented forward, but after such an abject run across the recent campaign, it might be a good idea for him to leave, not least because Sir Jim Ratcliffe openly admitted that the young talent was inherited from the past regime, and that he would “have to sort that out”.

Well, whether Hojlund goes or not, United’s movements in the market thus far suggest that a central frontman is on the agenda.

And they’ve been locked in talks for one of the best that Europe has to offer.

Man Utd open talks for new striker

According to talkSPORT, Manchester United have made a fresh enquiry for Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike, who is one of the hottest commodities in the market this summer.

Ekitike has been coveted by a host of Premier League sides this summer, with United joined in their interest by Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

However, with the Gunners closing in on Gyokeres, Jason Wilcox might feel he has a good shot at securing the talented Frenchman’s signature.

Transfer Focus

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

Frankfurt value their man at €100m (£85m), a figure they are unwilling to budge on and suitors are as yet unwilling to meet.

What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Man United

Ekitike is only 22 years old, but he’s already established himself as “one of the best strikers out there”, as said by analyst Ben Mattinson.

After leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Frankfurt in January 2024, initially on loan, he’s only gone from strength to strength, scoring 22 goals and supplying 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions last season.

Ekitike’s natural finishing ability is neat and all, but his high-speed movements and all-round presence in the final third have led journalist Graeme Bailey to dub him “the next Mbappe”, with such a skill set surely perfect for the frontline Amorim is trying to build, namely with Mbeumo circling in on the Theatre of Dreams.

Runners – and confident ones at that – were in short supply at Old Trafford last season. Adding Mbeumo and Ekitike would do wonders, building back up a will to win and work which would pour over to the rest of the squad.

He’s certainly performing at a superior level to Hojlund, and could in that sense prove the perfect centre-forward for Mbeumo to combine with and rekindle the United attack.

Goals scored

0.53

0.18

Assists

0.28

0.00

Shots taken

4.00

1.44

Shot-creating actions

3.55

1.53

Touches (att pen)

6.88

3.32

Progressive passes

1.86

0.82

Progressive carries

3.27

1.26

Successful take-ons

1.83

0.40

Ball recoveries

3.06

1.57

Tackles + interceptions

0.81

0.22

Quite comprehensively, Hojlund was outstripped by his French counterpart, like bark from a sun-weathered tree.

Ekitike’s dynamic movements and innate creative flair suggest he could be perfect for a pair of goal-focused wide forwards such as Cunha and Mbeumo.

Of course, Mbeumo isn’t only about goalscoring. The Cameroonian racked up seven assists in the Premier League last season, creating 17 big chances across the campaign and averaging 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

He also finished the campaign ranked among the top 9% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for crosses completed per 90 (FBref), so he would be well equipped to turn provider for the rangy striker when required.

The fact that the Red Devils have tweaked their strategy and appear to be intent on signing Prem-proven quality alongside the rising phenoms from overseas like Ekitike bespeaks the new era, incipient but inspired by the struggles of recent years, of ensuring that a corner will be turned.

United were at their nadir last season, and no mistake. However, Amorim is a tactician worth his salt, and he might just piece together a squad capable of competing at the top once more, with the likes of Mbeumo playing with the perfect frontman in Ekitike.

Let’s see how this one pans out over the coming weeks.

Cunha 2.0 for Amorim: Man Utd in talks to sign "unstoppable" £35m star

Manchester United are still planning to make some attacking signings this summer.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

The Saudi Pro League is reportedly prepared to pay a record-smashing €350 million for Kylian Mbappe and hand him a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque contract.

Vinicius Jr was wanted in the Middle EastMarquee signings being sought in that regionFrench superstar has no interest in moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

World Cup winner Mbappe has emerged as a top target for teams in the Middle East after they failed to lure club colleague Vinicius Junior away from Santiago Bernabeu. It was claimed that a €300m (£259m/$348m) fee could change hands there, with a €1 billion (£863m/$1.2bn) contract being lined up.

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No deal was done for the Brazil international, but the Saudi Pro League remains in the market for “high-profile players that can elevate the league’s global image”. According to , a €350m (£302m/$406m) offer has been readied for Mbappe.

The France international would be handed terms that “match or come very close to Ronaldo”, with the five-time Ballon d’Or-winning Portuguese superstar working on a record-breaking deal at Al-Nassr.

DID YOU KNOW?

No sale will be sanctioned as Real Madrid consider their French ‘Galactico’, who has been handed the No.10 shirt in the Spanish capital, to be “absolutely untransferable” as their “biggest commercial and media asset”.

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Mbappe has also “shown no inclination” that he wants to leave the Bernabeu. He is focused on “establishing his legacy among Europe’s elite” and believes his efforts to be in peak condition for the 2026 World Cup “would be compromised by a move to the Saudi league”.

KL Rahul has been given time off, while Washington Sundar could play the semi-finals if Tamil Nadu get there

Shashank Kishore08-Jan-2025Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna and Abhimanyu Easwaran will all turn out for their respective sides’ fixtures in the knockout phase of the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy from January 9 in Vadodara. KL Rahul has requested for a break, while Washington Sundar may be available semi-finals onwards if Tamil Nadu get to that stage.While Padikkal and Prasidh will fly out with a majority of the Indian contingent from Sydney on Wednesday, Abhimanyu was granted permission to fly out a day in advance. He was subsequently booked on an earlier flight by the Cricket Association of Bengal to be able to link up with the state squad in Vadodara, after stops in Singapore and Ahmedabad.On Wednesday, Abhimanyu will train with the rest of the Bengal squad ahead of their pre-quarter-final fixture against Haryana. Akash Deep, the other Bengal player in the India squad, has been ruled out because of a back niggle, which kept him out of the final Test in Australia, and will instead head to the Centre of Excellence (earlier the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru.Related

• Do Kohli and Rohit have a future in Test cricket?

• India did many good things, but more less-good things

Prasidh and Padikkal are expected to join the Karnataka squad by January 10, ahead of their quarter-final game against Baroda a day later. Initially part of only the India A squad that was on a shadow tour prior to the Border-Gavaskar series, Padikkal was an addition to the Test squad following Rohit Sharma’s late arrival because of the birth of his son. Padikkal featured in India’s 295-run win in Perth, but wasn’t picked in any of the subsequent Tests.Prasidh, meanwhile, played the last Test in Sydney – his first Test appearance in a year. He finished with a match haul of six wickets, including the wickets of Steven Smith in both innings. Padikkal and Prasidh had impressed in both the four-day fixtures for India A prior to the Test series.For Abhimanyu, the game against Haryana will be his first official fixture in two months, after he spent all five Tests in Australia on the sidelines. Having been in the race to be a back-up opener who may have been in with a shout to play in Perth in Rohit’s absence, scores of 7, 12, 0 and 17 in four innings for India A in Australia dented his chances of earning a Test debut.Prior to the India A tour, though, he had been in rip-roaring form, hitting four first-class hundreds in four matches across the season-opening Duleep Trophy and the Ranji Trophy that followed.In the aftermath of India’s 3-1 series loss in Australia, which also meant conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years, head coach Gautam Gambhir had stated his desire to see Test players making themselves available to play domestic cricket wherever possible.”I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket,” he had said. “That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not only one game. If they are available and they have the commitment to play red ball cricket, everyone should play domestic cricket. As simple as it can get. If you don’t give importance to domestic cricket, you will never get the desired players that you want.”

It seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it

Jarrod Kimber12-Nov-2021David Warner was the most dominant batter in the IPL for years. And then he played a few bad games, and the team he had captained for an IPL victory not too long ago dropped him mid-year and sacked him from his leadership job.When I said he was dominant, he had an average of 52 with a strike rate of 145 from 2014 until 2020. And half a bad year where he made runs, but far more slowly than anyone would have liked, was enough for Sunrisers Hyderabad to let him go. In the eight innings he played in IPL 2021, he was run-out twice. And they moved on from the most incredible batter they – or maybe anyone in the IPL – have ever had.Related

Warner on blistering World Cup after poor IPL: 'If you keep working hard, you will always have a second chance'

Australia saved their tournament, now they need to define it

Warner rides high again to quieten talks of his rut

Warner turns to concrete pitches for batting rhythm

Wade, Stoinis tee off at the close to put Australia in final

It was not the first time Warner had struggled. In 2018, when he was banned from the Australian team, he went on to play in Canada for the Global T20 league’s Winnipeg Hawks. He averaged 13.6 with a strike rate of 114.7. He then turned up for the CPL with St Lucia Stars and made nine, 11 and seven in his first three games. Even as he started to make some more runs for the Stars, people began to wonder if this was some kind of irreversible decline in form.Was Warner’s effectiveness tied to being an Australian player? Had his mojo been sucked out with the sandpapergate scandal? These were the weird thoughts that seemed to float around.Obviously not, as he then went straight back to the IPL and made 692 runs at a strike rate of 143.86 in 2019.

While he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that Sunrisers had in this tournament. Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons

The Sunrisers’ over-reaction might have had less to do with six bad games from Warner and more to do with their own poor roster construction. But it was a big decision to make on the back of such a small sample size. However, people took a few bad games and assumed that Warner was in an irreparable decline. At 35, hell, once you pass 32, people start looking for signs that you are done.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of the second semi-final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

And there are plenty of signs that Warner isn’t the same batter he once was, as he’s clearly just not. He made his mark by flat-batting Dale Steyn into the MCG crowd when he was 22 games into a professional career and hadn’t yet played a first-class match. In that game, he had a strike rate of 206, clearing the massive boundary six times.In all, he has hit that many maximums or more ten times, but only once since 2012.5:44

Jayawardene: ‘Warner’s contribution was crucial’

It is also really the period where he went from being a hitter to a batter. Or, more importantly, a Test player. Since being that kind of a batter, Warner has changed from a T20 hitting machine to a hard-running match-up guy who knows how to make very consistent runs. His body has changed too, and there is a reason he doesn’t bowl legspin – or even medium pace – anymore as his shoulder will not allow it.None of this means he can’t hit sixes anymore, he still takes down a lot of spin, and if Warner can time the ball well, he will score them off quickly. But he isn’t the beast who dumped Vinay Kumar a bunch of rows back in a Test at the WACA.And that is why it is strange that people saw the IPL form and the slow start to this tournament against South Africa and assumed Warner was past it. Most of what Warner does now is just smart cricket. He knows how to make runs in T20s. Like any batter, Warner will go through a bad patch because T20s can be like that. If Warner wasn’t the most consistent scorer in the modern T20 format, then KL Rahul was, and he went through a similar run not that long ago.And it seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it. This is already Warner’s best-ever T20 World Cup, and it’s not a tournament that he generally does that well in. In fact, part of Australia’s problems can probably be traced back to the fact that they have Warner and Aaron Finch at the top. But despite them being big-name T20 stars, they haven’t even always opened for Australia at this global tournament together.So far, Finch has not really fired this time, but Warner has. He made 65 from 42 against Sri Lanka, had two failures against England and Bangladesh, but then bounced back by scoring 89* against West Indies from 56 balls. His Sri Lanka knock probably helped the team win the game, the West Indies one did too, but they were half on the plane while bowling in that innings.This innings against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final was something else. This was a knockout match against an incredible bowling line-up that goes deep. Warner survived Shaheen Shah Afridi early on and took on his good match-up against legspin with Shadab Khan. And when Mohammad Hafeez bowled a double bouncer, he was so quick to work out that it was a no-ball and get to it so he could swing it over the ropes. That was again proof of how smart he is.This innings helped set up Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis at the end. And had he just reviewed his caught behind, he might well have been able to navigate Australia through their collapse much easier.Warner has changed. While he is the fourth leading run-scorer at this tournament, with a strike rate just under 150, he has only hit seven sixes. But while he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that the Sunrisers had in this tournament.Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons.

يشهد اليوم الأحد الموافق 26-11-2025، العديد من المواجهات القوية والمثيرة على المستويين المحلي والقاري، حيث تتجه أنظار عشاق كرة القدم إلى عدد من المباريات الحاسمة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس الكونفدرالية، إلى جانب قمم نارية في الدوريات الأوروبية الكبرى.

يشهد اليوم الأحد 26 نوفمبر 2025 العديد من المواجهات الكروية القوية والمثيرة على المستويين المحلي والعالمي، حيث تتجه أنظار عشاق كرة القدم إلى الملاعب العربية والإفريقية والأوروبية لمتابعة قمم نارية في مختلف البطولات.

في الملاعب المصرية، تتواصل منافسات الدوري المحلي بإقامة ثلاث مباريات مهمة أبرزها لقاء فاركو ضد الإسماعيلي في الإسكندرية، بينما يخوض طلائع الجيش مواجهة متكافئة أمام زد إف سي في إطار سعي الفريقين لتحسين موقعهما بجدول الترتيب.

أما على الصعيد الإفريقي، يخوض بيراميدز اختبارًا قويًا أمام التأمين الإثيوبي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، في حين يدخل المصري البورسعيدي مواجهة حاسمة أمام الاتحاد الليبي ضمن منافسات كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، في سعي ممثلي الكرة المصرية لبلوغ الأدوار المتقدمة القارية.

وفي أوروبا، تسرق موقعة مانشستر سيتي وأستون فيلا الأضواء ضمن مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث يبحث السيتيزنز عن استعادة صدارة الترتيب، بينما يأمل أستون فيلا في تحقيق مفاجأة أمام حامل اللقب، كما ينتظر عشاق الكرة العالمية كلاسيكو الأرض بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في الدوري الإسباني، في مواجهة تُعد الأبرز هذا الأسبوع.

أما في إيطاليا وفرنسا وألمانيا، فيتواصل الصراع بين الأندية الكبيرة، إذ يلتقي يوفنتوس ولاتسيو في قمة الكالتشيو، بينما يصطدم ليون بستراسبورج في الدوري الفرنسي، وتقام مواجهة قوية في البوندسليجا بين باير ليفركوزن وفرايبورج. مواعيد مباريات اليوم الأحد 26-11-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

كهرباء الإسماعيلية ضد سيراميكا كليوباترا، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 1.

فاركو ضد الإسماعيلي، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 1.

طلائع الجيش ضد زد، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2. مواعيد مباريات دوري أبطال إفريقيا اليوم

سيمبا ضد نادي نسينجيزيني، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ماميلودي صنداونز ضد ريمو ستارز، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

التأمين الإثيوبي ضد بيراميدز، الساعة 6:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2.

الترجي الرياضي ضد نادي رحيمو، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ستاد مالي ضد إف سي نواذيبو، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

أهلي طرابلس ضد نهضة بركان، الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

مولودية الجزائر ضد نادي كولومب، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. مواعيد مباريات الكونفدرالية اليوم

كايزر تشيفز ضد نادي سيمبا، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ستيلينبوش ضد نادي 15 أغسطس، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

أوتوهو أويو ضد فيروفياريو دي مابوتو، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

دجوليبا ضد القوات المسلحة، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

النجم الساحلي ضد نيروبي يونايتد، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2.

المصري ضد الاتحاد الليبي، الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

طالع أيضًا | سلوت يُعنف لاعبي ليفربول بعد الخسارة الرابعة: ما حدث أمام برينتفورد هو الأسوأ مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم

أرسنال ضد كريستال بالاس، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 2 HD.

بورنموث ضد نوتنجهام فورست، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 5 HD.

أستون فيلا ضد مانشستر سيتي، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD.

ولفرهامبتون ضد بيرنلي، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 4 HD.

إيفرتون ضد توتنهام هوتسبر، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 2 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

مايوركا ضد ليفانتي، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 8 HD.

ريال مدريد ضد برشلونة، الساعة 6:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 1 HD.

أوساسونا ضد سيلتا فيجو، الساعة 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD.

رايو فاييكانو ضد ألافيس، الساعة 11:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

تورينو ضد جنوى، الساعة 2:30 ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

هيلاس فيرونا ضد كالياري، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

ساسولو ضد روما، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

فيورنتينا ضد بولونيا، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

لاتسيو ضد يوفنتوس، الساعة 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الفرنسي اليوم

ليل ضد ميتز، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 6 HD.

أنجيه ضد لوريان، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 6 HD.

أوكسير ضد لوهافر، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 5 HD.

رين ضد نيس، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 4 HD.

ليون ضد ستراسبورج، الساعة 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 4 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الألماني اليوم

باير ليفركوزن ضد فرايبورج، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر منصة “شاهد”.

شتوتجارت ضد ماينز، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر منصة “شاهد”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

After scoring just 127, Zimbabwe had a chance with Afghanistan at 45 for 4, but they let the advantage slip

Himanshu Agrawal14-Dec-2024

[File photo] Azmatullah Omarzai top-scored for Afghanistan in the chase•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Afghanistan were down at 45 for 4 after seven overs in their pursuit of 128 to beat Zimbabwe in the third T20I, and with that, win the series. That could have been the point at which the game went Zimbabwe’s way. But Faraz Akram then bowled an 11-ball over with five wides to give Afghanistan the breathing space they needed, and the fifth-wicket pair of Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib eased into the repair job.Later, Akram’s bowling colleagues worked hard enough to dismiss Omarzai, Naib and Rashid Khan, and leave Afghanistan needing seven runs in the final over to win the game. But the first ball of the 20th, bowled again by Akram, went for four, and Mohammad Nabi wrapped the chase up with three balls remaining.A sloppy Zimbabwe eventually ended up giving away 17 extras, and have now lost all six of their bilateral T20I series against Afghanistan.[File photo] Brian Bennett has been Zimbabwe’s best batter of late•AFP/Getty Images

Bennett continues to scoreAfter contributing in the T20Is against Pakistan prior to this series, Brian Bennett ended as the highest run-getter across the two sides against Afghanistan with 107 runs. He slapped and sliced Naveen-ul-Haq for fours in the third over, as Zimbabwe went on to put up 31 in four overs despite losing Tadiwanashe Marumani early after being asked to bat.Bennett was the third to fall when he swung Omarzai to Naveen at deep midwicket, having hit four boundaries in his 24-ball 31. Zimbabwe were 57 for 3 one ball into the ninth over, and the slowdown had begun.Rashid runs through lower-middle orderFrom being 78 for 3 in the 11th over, Zimbabwe found themselves at 106 for 9 after 17. Rashid bagged four of those six wickets.But the slide had started with Sikandar Raza running out of luck. After a leading edge went over point and a top edge fell short of fine leg in the 11th over, Raza holed out to long leg off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.Mujeeb then had Wessly Madhevere caught for 21, after which Rashid weaved his magic. He trapped Akram in front, had Tashinga Musekiwa pulling to midwicket, saw Richard Ngarava chip to cover off a googly, and pinned Blessingh Muzarabani in front. The last three of those wickets all fell in the 17th over, as Rashid finished with 4 for 27. Although Wellington Masakadza scored 17 not out and added 21 with Trevor Gwandu for the last wicket, Zimbabwe’s 127 was below par.[File photo] Rashid Khan picked up four wickets, including three in one over•Getty Images

Bowlers give Zimbabwe a chanceNgarava and Muzarabani got some extra bounce with the new ball, leaving Afghanistan at 9 for 2 three overs into the chase. Muzarabani struck first, when he had Sediqullah Atal tickling behind to Marumani. Ngarava then had Zubaid Akbari slashing behind to Marumani, as the ball kicked up from outside off.Rahmanullah Gurbaz then cut and clipped Muzarabani for fours in the fourth over, and he and Darwish Rasooli picked 11 runs off the fifth. But Muzarabani, bowling his third over in a row, found Rasooli’s leading edge, as the ball looped up to point.Raza then brought Gwandu into the attack, and some luck went Zimbabwe’s way immediately. A short ball skidded through without bouncing, and got Gurbaz out lbw. Afghanistan were 44 for 4, but Zimbabwe couldn’t capitalise.Omarzai, Naib and Nabi take Afghanistan homeThe over in which Akram bowled five wides went for ten runs, and Afghanistan hardly looked in trouble after that. Omarzai cut and pulled for boundaries during his stand with Naib, as they otherwise ticked along steadily – they added 48 for the fifth wicket, with the required rate below six runs an over.That is when Raza turned one into Naib, and had him lbw for a run-a-ball 22. Omarzai and new batter Nabi kept going mostly with ones and twos – although Nabi drove Ngarava for four on one occasion – but Raza got a simple return catch from Omarzai, who scored 34 from 37 balls.Afghanistan were left needing another 12 runs from nine balls as things got tight, but Nabi dabbed Gwandu for four behind point to settle the nerves. When he got the boundary to start the final over, bowled by Akram, victory was all but sealed.

After reaching an agreement to sign Fer Lopez to get their summer business underway, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly showing “intent” in the race to sign a veteran defender.

Premier League fixtures confirmed as Wolves plot signings

Whilst the chaos continues in the transfer window, the Premier League fixtures have now officially been announced. Discovering their fate, Wolves will have an interesting reunion on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, with the visit of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Manchester City kicking things off in difficult fashion for Vitor Pereira’s side.

Of course, the last thing that Wolves will want is to get sucked into another relegation scrap – especially after Pereira’s instant progress after taking the job last season. But if they do find themselves in trouble, then relegation six-pointers against Leeds United in April and then Sunderland and Burnley in May stand out as crucial fixtures.

Burnley away on the final game of the season could be particularly decisive and already looks like one to watch in the relegation battle. As much as Wolves are keen to avoid another season in and amongst the dropzone, there’s no denying that they could face a tough transition into life without Matheus Cunha and Ait-Nouri.

On that front, however, those at Molineux are already working on replacements. The big question will be whether the likes of Lopez and Evann Guessand are capable of replicating Cunha’s crucial output in the Premier League, which singlehandedly carried Wolves’ frontline at times.

It’s not just attacking additions that the Midlands club need either. Pereira and Wolves have also reportedly set their sights on some key defensive reinforcements and could even reunite with a familiar face as a result this summer and one that Molinuex would need no introduction to.

Wolves show "intent" in Conor Coady race

Just two years on from his departure, Molineux could have one of their favourites back this summer. According to Sky Sports (17:10pm), Wolves are now showing “intent” in the race to sign Conor Coady in a transfer battle against Scottish giants Rangers. The veteran defender has been shown the door at Leicester City, handing Wolves the chance to secure an important reunion with their former captain.

Premier League appearances for Wolves	Total
Ruben Neves	177
Joao Moutinho	175
Adama Traore	157
Conor Coady	151
Raul Jimenez	135

By rejoining Wolves, Coady would instantly become the most experienced Premier League player in the current squad and could even go on to break the record for appearances in the club’s Premier League history, jumping ahead of Ruben Neves in the process.

The veteran defender experienced it all at Molineux, from Championship failure and then Championship promotion all the way to a European tour. Now, at 32 years old, he could return to ensure that Wolves steer clear of the dropzone and so much more once again.

Molineux chiefs scrambling as Club World Cup side Benfica set to raid Wolves

A major European side have their eyes on an important member of Wolves’ team.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 16, 2025

Whilst it remains to be seen how much Leicester demand to sell their defender, reports that they have opened the door for the £75,000-a-week defender to leave suggest that they’d be willing to accept a relatively cheap price this summer.

Aston Villa have reached an agreement over the signing of a “good character” this summer, according to a key update from reliable journalist Jacob Tanswell.

Rumours of McGinn out and Luiz back at Aston Villa

Transfers rumours continue to come thick and fast at Villa Park this summer, with ins and outs expected in the coming weeks leading up to the new Premier League season.

John McGinn has been a wonderful servant for Villa down the years, but the Scottish veteran has been linked with a move away from the club this summer. Everton are thought to be interested in snapping him up, with Unai Emery perhaps feeling that now is the right time to sell the midfielder, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027.

In fact, Douglas Luiz has been backed to return to the Midlands for a second stint from Juventus, with the Brazilian potentially coming in as his former teammate’s replacement in the middle of the park, according to some reports. He was an influential figure first time around, and at 27, he still has a huge amount to offer in his career.

It remains to be seen what will happen regarding McGinn and Luiz this summer – some supporters may love the idea of them being back together at Villa Park next season – but away from their respective sagas, another player looks set to be heading to the club.

Aston Villa close to signing 34 y/o "good character"

According to a new update from The Athletic‘s Tanswell on X, Aston Villa have “finalised terms” to complete the signing of veteran Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot, with NSWE and Monchi working their magic.

“AVFC have finalised terms to sign Marco Bizot from Brest. 34yo regarded a good character, with experience & low-cost fee other key factors. Will be GK No 2 – target position filled for Villa & remain in pursuit of defender & winger.”

The signing of Bizot may not feel like the most earth-shattering piece of business that Villa have ever done, given his age and the fact that he is likely coming in as a squad player, but it still feels like a sensible signing for them.

AZ Alkmaar

164

166

72

Brest

148

213

40

Genk

74

85

25

FC Groningen

59

82

15

SC Cambuur

21

30

3

The Dutchman is a vastly experienced head, making over 300 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie combined in his career – 139 in the former and 175 in the latter – as well as winning one cap for the Netherlands.

Tanswell’s description of Bizot as a “good character” certainly bodes well, in terms of him bringing a strong team ethic to the squad, and he can be an influential figure both on and off the pitch.

Big McGinn upgrade: Aston Villa make contact to sign £138k-p/w "engine"

Aston Villa are set to target a new midfielder this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 9, 2025

Villa will no doubt look to secure more expensive signings between now and the end of the summer transfer window, but Robin Olsen’s departure required a new backup goalkeeper and Bizot feels like a good choice to replace him.