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AC Milan have made contact with Nottingham Forest over a deal for a £26m Nuno signing who now wants to leave.

Forest on the up under the helm of Dyche

Ange Postecoglou didn’t last long after replacing Nuno earlier this season, but Sean Dyche has really managed to turn things around, with his side now four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, after defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

The Tricky Trees edged out a 1-0 victory against the bottom-placed side, courtesy of an Igor Jesus goal with just under 20 minutes left to play, meaning they finally have some breathing room, and survival is looking increasingly likely.

Dyche praised his side’s mindset in the narrow victory, saying: “They kept going and throwing things at us. I’m pleased with our mentality. You saw the way we dug it out, they threw a lot at us second half and we dealt with it well.”

In fairness, given that Forest qualified for the Europa League last season and spent heavily in the summer, relegation shouldn’t be on the cards, but it would be fair to say some of their recent additions haven’t hit the ground running at the City Ground.

Arnaud Kalimuendo, who arrived from Rennes for £26m, has particularly struggled to make an impact, having failed to score in his opening seven Premier League games, predominantly being utilised as a substitute.

According to a report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the striker could be offered an exit route soon, with it being revealed that AC Milan have made contact with Nottingham Forest CEO Lina Souloukou over a potential deal.

Kalimuendo now wants to leave Forest, amid a lack of game time, featuring for just 81 mintues across his seven Premier League appearances this season, and clubs from Italy are lining up to sign him, with AS Roma also being named as potential suitors.

Forest should sanction Kalimuendo departure this January

In truth, it is probably best for all parties if the centre-forward moves on this summer, given that he clearly hasn’t managed to impress all three of Forest’s managers this season, given the lack of game time in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old has impressed at times in the Europa League, most recently scoring in the 3-0 victory over Malmo FF, but he was unable to make an impact as a substitute against Brighton in the following match, failing to register a single shot.

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In fairness, it is difficult to have a major impact coming on late in the game, and Kalimuendo may need to be given a Premier League start if he is to prove himself.

However, with Jesus recently scoring his first Premier League goal, and Chris Wood still to return from injury, opportunities are likely to be even more limited going forward, and it may be worth Forest cutting their losses in the January transfer window.

Chelsea have now made contact with Ateltico Madrid over signing Pablo Barrios, according to reports, and have been told how much it will take to lure the midfielder away from Spain in 2026.

With the January transfer window less than two months away, the Blues have already got an eye on potential reinforcements. It’s a rare day when those in West London aren’t thinking about the transfer window and Todd Boehly could be about to spend big yet again to help Chelsea bridge the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Having already welcomed the likes of Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro in the summer, those at Stamford Bridge are now reportedly interested in signing Ousmane Diomande.

The Sporting CP defender is one of the most promising centre-backs in Europe and certainly fits the criteria of young stars that Chelsea have been recruiting in recent years. But he’s not the only target in their sights.

The Blues have also been linked with a midfield upgrade in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. The England international is among the most sought-after talents in the Premier League and will have the biggest decision of his career to make sooner or later. Whether that results in a move to West London remains to be seen.

With Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez at the base of the Blues’ midfield, it would take quite the talent to take a starting spot in the middle of Enzo Maresca’s side, but that may not stand in the way of BlueCo’s spending.

If it’s not Wharton that arrives in 2026, then it could be Atletico Madrid star Barrios, who has entered Chelsea’s radar ahead of the January transfer window.

Chelsea launch contact to sign Pablo Barrios

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea have now made contact over signing Barrios from Atletico Madrid, only to be told that the Spanish club will only be accepting offers in the region of €100m (£88m).

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Whilst money hasn’t been a problem for Chelsea in the past, they should question whether they actually need another midfielder with Caicedo and Fernandez already performing so well together this season.

Minutes

856

945

880

Progressive Passes

7.47

5.71

8.16

Tackles Won

0.95

1.90

0.71

Ball Recoveries

6.11

5.43

3.88

Barrios has certainly impressed enough to force Chelsea to ask themselves the question about his potential arrival, but whether they can lure him away from Atletico Madrid is another question entirely.

Diego Simeone is a big fan of the midfielder and told reporters when the 22-year-old was first breaking through: “He has a fantastic game, and I told him that we’re going to work to shape it. Koke is there now (at the ‘5’) and we are trying to bring out Pablo’s full potential. He has to grow, but he’s doing very well. I’m excited. He’s a kid from the academy, and he can play several roles.”

Forget Delap: 18-year-old star is destined to be Chelsea's future number 9

When Shohei Ohtani stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and the game tied at 5 against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night, he wasn't just facing the pressure of the moment.

The weight of fan expectations, heightened in light of the fact that Wednesday was his bobblehead night, were also bearing down on the three-time MVP.

But Ohtani delivered, crushing a first-pitch changeup into the center field seats for a walk-off home run to keep the undefeated Dodgers' record unblemished. After the game, Ohtani, speaking through interpreter Will Ireton to Dodgers reporter Kirsten Watson, joked that a fan made certain that he knew what was at stake before he dug into the batter's box.

"You know, just looking for a really good pitch to hit," Ohtani said when asked what he saw in the at-bat. "But one of the fans was telling me, 'It's your bobblehead night, so you better get a hit.' So, I'm glad I was able to do that."

Now, that's pressure. Dodgers fans, for the second straight season, showed up hours before the game to ensure they'd get their hands on the bobblehead, which featured a miniature Ohtani holding the National League MVP trophy he won in '24, his first season with the club.

Not only did they go home with a bobblehead, they went home after having witnessed a signature moment from the man himself.

Bangladesh have also dropped Mohammad Naim after a string of low scores

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2025The Bangladesh selectors have recalled wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan and allrounder Saif Hassan in the senior men’s squad for the Asia Cup next month. There was however no place for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mohammad Naim, who were both part of the Bangladesh side that beat Pakistan 2-1 last month.The same 16-member squad will play in the three-match T20I series against the Netherlands starting on August 30. Mehidy would have missed the Netherlands matches due to personal reasons, but he also lost his place for the Asia Cup. Mehidy, the new ODI captain, returned to the T20I side after Bangladesh’s 2-1 defeat against UAE, but didn’t make a big impact. He has been named among the four standby players.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup•ESPNcricinfo LtdNaim couldn’t convert his domestic T20 form into international runs. He had scores of 32*, 3 and 10 in the three T20Is against Pakistan. Naim also didn’t perform well enough for Bangladesh A side in the Top End T20s in Darwin, Australia.Nurul’s last T20I was in the World Cup in 2022, when he made just 41 runs in five innings. He gained better form during the 2024-25 season in which he scored 513 runs at a strike rate of 132.90 across the Bangladesh Premier League, National Cricket League and the Global Super League. The 31-year-old Nurul had also led Rangpur Riders to the inaugural GSL title in 2024.Both Nurul and Saif are playing the Top End T20s. Saif struck a half-century against the Pakistan Shaheens, and 45 against the Melbourne Stars Academy. Nurul got couple of thirties in the five matches.Related

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Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam and Hasan Mahmud are the others on the standby list.Bangladesh will play the three T20Is against Netherlands on August 30, and September 1 and 3. Their Asia Cup campaign starts against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on September 11.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup and Netherlands T20Is:Litton Das (capt, wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad SaifuddinIN: Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan
OUT: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Naim

Hannah Baker leads successful defence in face of Ellyse Perry’s sparkling half-century

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Jul-2025

Davina Perrin goes over the off side during her 48-ball 70•Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket

Birmingham165 for 9 (Perrin 70, Tyson 3-27) beat Hampshire 149 for 6 (Perry 58, Baker 3-18) by 16 runsDavina Perrin once again demonstrated her exciting talent with 70 as Bears downed Hampshire Hawks and booked their place at the Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day.Teenager Perrin held Bears’ innings together after they had been 41 for 4 in the powerplay to prove why she is the second top-scorer in the Women’s Blast.Perrin’s 70 off 48 balls took her side to 165, which Ellyse Perry threatened to hunted down with an exceptional 58.But the Hawks couldn’t keep up with the rate and only managed 149 in their 20 overs to lose by 16 runs to send Bears to the showpiece event at the Kia Oval next Sunday.Despite their premature exit from the competition, Hampshire have been drawing strong crowds for their double-headers. Each of the four matches have seen at least 3000 fans watch the women’s fixture – with 3251 spectators arriving for this clash.Their reward was seeing future superstar Perrin in full flow. She was the mainstay through the Bears’ innings, with her persistence allowing an average score to become a defendable total at the death, having chosen to bat first.While Perrin was tight and in control from the start, her top-order colleagues were not. Meg Austin was excellently caught and bowled by Daisy Gibb – who was a force with the new ball – before Amu Surenkumar tried to tip-and-run to Georgia Adams at cover, who ran her out with a direct hit.”Caught Ellyse Perry, bowled Bex Tyson” was copy and pasted for Sterre Kalis and Katie George, with Bears 41 for 4 at the end of the powerplay.Australian import Laura Harris did Laura Harris things in a boundary-frenzied 32 off 15 before Perry fired an unplayable yorker to dislodge her compatriot, while Nat Wraith’s leading edge saw her caught and bowled by Tyson first ball.Bears were facing a sub 100 sore when Millie Taylor missed a sweep and was bowled, but the tail growled, and Perrin got the rewards for her graft in the sun.Perrin, just 18, has been the Bears’ standout player in the Blast, and now stands behind just Suzie Bates in the leading run-scorer list. She hit powerfully down the ground, brought out the sweep when appropriate and ran hard to reach a gallant half-century in 34 balls.Perrin bunted a full toss to mid-off to depart in the penultimate over, but Bears walloped 44 runs in the last four overs to spin the momentum – Georgia Davis and Hannah Baker adding 15 and 12 not out respectively, crucial runs to the late surge.In reply, Perry was exceptional, peppering the boundary from ball one – although admittedly that was with an uncontrolled edge.Perry had shown glimpses of her superstardom with a 40 against Somerset but this was vintage stuff, with her trademark two-step and swing down the ground seen almost on repeat. Rhianna Southby simply ticked the strike back to Perry in a 75-run partnership before she was excellently caught by Perrin at long-off, with Freya Kemp bowled soon after.Baker caught and bowled Abi Norgrove as the Hawks fell from 75 without loss to 86 for 3 and from there they lost control of the chase.Perry reached a 36 ball fifty but plinked to mid-on with five overs to go, with 63 still needed. Megan Sturge and Mary Taylor also fell at the death as Bears strolled through.

Leeds United splashed the cash during the summer transfer window to bolster their squad with a host of new signings to make them competitive in the Premier League.

A return of eight points from the first seven matches of the top-flight season suggests that it has been money well spent so far, particularly given that they have already played Arsenal, Spurs, and Newcastle.

Daniel Farke has created a team that has a good blend of players who were instrumental to the club’s success in the Championship last season and the signings brought in during the summer window.

The midfield is a good example of that because it has recently consisted of Ethan Ampadu, in his third season at Elland Road, alongside new signings Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff.

This shows that Leeds have not been overly reliant on their Championship team, but they also have not completely ripped up what worked for them in the 2024/25 campaign.

One position on the pitch that is still up for debate is centre-forward, though, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin has yet to fully convince since his move to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds more from Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The 11-cap England international was brought in on a free transfer during the summer transfer window after he was released by Everton at the end of last season.

Calvert-Lewin is a vastly experienced Premier League campaigner, as this is his tenth year in the division, which made him seem like a sensible signing on paper, particularly on a free transfer.

His experience in the top-flight has been evident early on in his career at Elland Road in the way that he duels with opposition centre-backs, having won 4.6 duels per game and 41% of his aerial duels, per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old striker, who scored his first goal for the club against Wolves, has shown that he can compete with defenders and provide a physical presence in the number nine role.

However, Leeds need more from Calvert-Lewin in front of goal in the box, because he has scored one goal and missed five ‘big chances’ in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been wasteful with the opportunities that have come his way.

25/26

1.08

1

24/25

8.58

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

12

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/18

1.25

1

As you can see in the table above, the English forward’s career in the top-flight does not suggest that he is likely to improve his efficiency in the final third, which is a concern.

However, if his physical and hold-up play does enough to help the Whites win enough points to avoid relegation, irrespective of his goal return, then the Whites will surely deem him to have been a successful signing by the end of the season.

Calvert-Lewin’s arrival at Elland Road, and subsequent emergence as the first-choice striker at Elland Road, has led to one of last season’s stars now looking like he is on borrowed time in the Premier League.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Joel Piroe played a pivotal role on the pitch for the West Yorkshire outfit in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns in the Championship, but now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Why Joel Piroe has an uncertain future at Leeds

In the summer of 2023, Leeds swooped to sign the Dutch centre-forward from Championship rivals Swansea City for a fee of £10m, in a move that was described as a “statement transfer” by journalist Phil Hay.

The reporter hailed the shift in mood within the fanbase and around the club in general that the signing caused, as they had signed a proven goalscorer at the level. Piroe’s return of 46 goals in 96 games for Swansea, per Transfermarkt, made him an exciting addition.

Proven goalscorers are hard to find at any level, as evidenced by Calvert-Lewin’s current struggles in front of goal, but that is exactly what Leeds found in the Championship with Piroe.

The left-footed star scored 14 goals in his first Championship season with the Whites, before winning the Golden Boot with a 19-goal haul last term to help his side win the title.

A return of 33 goals in two league seasons in the second tier shows that Leeds made a great decision when they signed him from Swansea in 2023 as a statement transfer, as he brought the guaranteed goals that his form for the Welsh side promised.

Promotion to the Premier League, though, was always going to mean that some of the club’s stars from the promotion-winning season may find it difficult to get game time in the top-flight, as not every player is able to make the step up.

Piroe, on current evidence, already looks like he is on borrowed time at Elland Road after a difficult start to the 2025/26 campaign, having fallen behind Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in the pecking order.

Duels won

1.22

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

15.4%

Bottom 3%

Aerial duels won

1.22

Bottom 17%

Aerial duel success rate

22.2%

Bottom 3%

Fouls committed

0.61

Bottom 14%

Successful dribbles

0.00

Bottom 3%

Dribble success rate

0%

Bottom 3%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman has failed to deal with the step up in intensity and physicality in the Premier League, ranking among the worst strikers in the division in a host of physical metrics.

So far, Piroe has made three appearances, started two games, and been an unused substitute on three occasions, per Sofascore. All three of those minuteless matches on the bench came after his two starts, which suggests that Farke was not too impressed by his performances.

The Dutchman failed to score a goal, missing one ‘big chance’, and did not create a single chance for his teammates in those three appearances, to go along with his struggles off the ball.

Therefore, the former Swansea star may be on borrowed time at Elland Road unless there is a significant change to his performance level, as he may have to reconsider his future if it gets to January and he is rarely getting minutes on the pitch.

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There is no doubt that Piroe has been a success at Leeds, because he was signed in the Championship to score goals and did exactly that, but he may be coming to the end of his journey in West Yorkshire, unfortunately.

With Ruben Amorim under increasing pressure at Manchester United, the amount that it would cost INEOS to sack their manager has now been revealed.

Latest on Ruben Amorim's Man Utd future

Victory over Chelsea seemed like a glimmer of hope for many, but the reality is that it just papered over the cracks for Amorim in what has been an historically disastrous tenure. A win over Brentford would have handed the former Sporting Club boss back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time in his 11-month spell and it just about sums things up that the Red Devils came away defeated in West London.

Now, it’s all eyes on Old Trafford and Sunderland’s visit. Lose and that may be that for Amorim, who is still refusing to alter the system which has picked up just nine Premier League wins in 33 games.

With pressure increasing, questions have naturally arrived about who could replace Amorim at Old Trafford, with those questions leading to the likes of Gareth Southgate and Oliver Glasner.

Southgate has been out of a job since leaving his England post and has been mentioned among reports as a candidate to replace Amorim if the manager loses his job at Man United.

That said, he’s not the only one on the list. Reports have also mentioned Crystal Palace manager Glasner, who has taken the Eagles into European football and to a stunning 19-game unbeaten run. If the Red Devils want someone who can transform a side in the Premier League, then he is their man.

Just how much it would cost to take the Austrian out of his role at Palace immediately is another question entirely, however, and it would already cost INEOS more than enough to sack Amorim.

How much it would cost Man Utd to sack Amorim

INEOS didn’t just go all in on their manager when it came to summer signings, they also backed the Portuguese coach from the off when negotiating his contract. Now, after a disastrous spell, it would reportedly cost Man Utd £12m to sack Amorim in what should be seen as a nightmare ending for Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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It also continues a shocking trend for Man United, who would take their termination costs to as high as £81.8m since Sir Alex Ferguson by relieving Amorim of his duties. For context of how incredibly poor that record is, Liverpool paid £75m to sign Virgil van Dijk in 2018, who has since won every trophy on offer at Anfield and been a part of several thrashings over the Red Devils.

Ferguson’s coaching team

£2.4m

David Moyes

£5.2m

Louis van Gaal

£8.4m

Jose Mourinho

£19.6m

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

£9.1m

Ralf Rangnick

£14.7m

Erik ten Hag

£10.4m

Ruben Amorim*

£12m

Total* if Amorim sacked

£81.8m

When INEOS first hired Amorim, it was their first big call and one that many backed. He was a young, impressive candidate. Now, 11 months on, their first decision is one that looks destined to end in expensive failure.

Manchester United star Matheus Cunha admits that he has to carry the "weight" of being a goalscorer at Manchester United, although he admits there is some "confusion" over how he plays. The Brazil international joined the club in the summer for a fee of £62.5 million ($83m) and has yet to catch fire at Old Trafford.

• Cunha a big-money signing

  Cunha may have joined United for a major fee in the summer but he has yet to score his first goal for the club, despite making six Premier League appearances. He has now claimed that he is not actually a traditional centre-forward, although there is a "stereotype" that follows him leading people to assume he is a natural No.9. Last season, at Wolves, the Brazilian scored 15 league goals, having netted 12 the season prior. Before that, he had only hit double-figures once in his career, and Cunha says he is actually more of a midfielder. 

  Speaking to Globo, he said: "I think that because I play for Manchester [United] and people follow me more on the pitch, they understand better how I play. I think it's part of having that weight, which is a privilege. It's a weight that came after the Tokyo Olympics [for Brazil in 2021]. And if it means having that weight and becoming a champion, I think it's worth putting up with a little bit of confusion about where [I] play."

  At the Olympics that year, Brazil won the Gold medal, beating Spain in the final; Cunha, then on the cusp of joining Atletico Madrid, scored against Saudi Arabia, Egypt and La Roja. 

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• Getty Images
  

  Cunha claims midfield position was 'eliminated'

  Cunha admits that he always played as a midfielder, before 'encountering' a 4-3-3 formation when he became a professional. 

  He added: "I came to the national team with this stereotype of a number 9 shirt. I play my entire base as a midfielder, and when I became a professional, I encountered this world of 4-3-3. It seems like you have to adapt: either play centre-forward, winger, or 'eight'.

  "They eliminated the midfielder position, and you have to adapt. But I see it positively, as it has given me experience, many more positions, and even more so in short-term tournaments with the national team. Having a versatile player is a huge help for any coach."

• Cunha enjoying personal life

  Cunha admits that while he has not enjoyed a prolific start to life at United, he has found personal satisfaction, as he is playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, and has also become a starter for Brazil.

  He added: "What I was searching for as a person more than anything else, I'm slowly finding. You constantly want to improve; that's innate in human nature, but I can't help but stop and enjoy this moment.

  "Feeling privileged to wear the jersey of the greatest national team in the world, one of the greatest clubs in the world…it's a spectacular personal moment. I have an incredible family, another little girl now, everyone is doing well and healthy. I'm enjoying all of this in a positive way."

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  What comes next?

  United are currently 10th in the Premier League table and face Liverpool after the international break as they attempt to return to form. Cunha will hope to make a real impact against the Reds, as he is still awaiting his coming-out performance for the club after his move from Wolves. 

  He added: "Being here now with the national team, at United, is, without a doubt, a different level, a different moment as a player. I'm trying as much as possible to adapt, to learn… It's only been two months, but it feels like I've been here for a long time because of the club's current situation, because I have to deliver results as quickly as possible, because I'm a new signing… All of this helps me adapt more quickly and feel my best with the national team."

The international break has been and gone (until next month), and Newcastle United are primed to get their season up and running after an opening stretch that was disruptive to put it mildly.

Alexander Isak’s new life at Liverpool has begun, but Eddie Howe and co managed to pull through and equip their Magpies with firepower enough to challenge at the upper rung of the Premier League and in the Champions League too.

Two points and two goals from three top-flight fixtures to start the season underscore Howe’s task, and he will need to win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon without the suspended Anthony Gordon.

Joelinton is understood to have recovered from a fitness issue, but new recruits Jacob Ramsey and Yoane Wissa are sidelined for the foreseeable, the latter of which presents something of a conundrum after being welcomed as Isak’s direct replacement.

Wissa and Nick Woltemade, who joined from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee, are sure to contest for a place at number nine across the campaign, each meting out their differing skills on opponents throughout, and though Wissa would surely have started against Wolves, his injury means Woltemade is slung into the deep-end from the outset.

Why Howe must start Woltemade

Woltemade’s ceiling is high, but he has untapped potential, and Howe would likely want to ease him through the rigmarole of Premier League integration.

Wissa, on the other hand, scored 19 times for Brentford in the English top flight last season, leading Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam to hail his “absolutely sensational” finishing. However, the forward’s recent injury will propel Woltemade into the spotlight.

Having signed from Brentford for £55m on transfer deadline day, Wissa provides the Toon with the clinical goal threat withdrawn upon Isak’s sale. However, supporters will have to wait for a taste of his sharp attacking skills.

Given that Newcastle have blanked twice already this term and simply have to beat Wolves at St. James’ Park, Woltemade will need to be at the races as he leads a squad lacking both Wissa and Gordon’s qualities.

Now, the job involves finding the right conditions for Woltemade to succeed at number nine, and Howe might want to unleash right winger Jacob Murphy to achieve this, with the veteran’s wide spread of talents perfect for a striker such as him.

How Jacob Murphy could get Woltemade firing

Murphy would admit that for the lion’s share of his Premier League career he has been something of a journeyman, competent and industrious but rarely standing out.

However, he has become a star under Howe’s tutelage, hailed by correspondent Scott Wilson as being an “unsung hero”, having featured 139 times for the Englishman, the fourth-highest of any player across his reign on Tyneside.

And last season, Murphy came alive off the right flank, combining deliciously with Isak to form an unlikely and deadly partnership, bagging nine goals and assisting 14 more. Ten times did the duo directly come together to breach opposition defences.

Alexander Isak

27 (6)

33

Jacob Murphy

9 (14)

23

Anthony Gordon

9 (7)

16

Harvey Barnes

9 (5)

14

Bruno Guimaraes

5 (8)

13

Bringing this back to Woltemade, Isak might wear Red now, but Newcastle’s new attacking recruit could form a neat connection of his own with the experienced English winger, not just a talented goalscorer but also ranking among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90.

The 23-year-old scored 12 times in the Bundesliga last season, starting only 17 matches, and that budding clinical edge could be served well by a partner in Murphy, who could also feed into the German’s dynamic range of underlying qualities.

Murphy’s intelligence underpins his style of play, and he will have no qualms about maintaining a provider approach to best serve Newcastle’s new centre-forward, whose clinical shooting and crispness on the ball last season led FBref to draw Isak as one of his most comparable players.

Less mobile than the 25-year-old, Woltemade is still one of the most technically proficient young strikers in the business, and he has a knack for the kind of smooth link-up play that will enhance Howe’s interchanging attacking system.

Moreover, he actually had a higher conversion rate than Wissa last season and was more accurate with his overall shot-taking, and this all comes together to present an “absolutely ridiculous” skill set, as has been noted by journalist Zach Lowy.

What Woltemade needs, now that he is expected to be hauled onto the centre stage immediately, is a reliable dance partner to guide him through the nerve-wracking opening moments. Wolves’ resilient and well-drilled defensive shape will seek to restrict the towering talisman, but Howe’s is a well-oiled team too, and Murphy knows the ropes better than most.

Murphy’s starting berth would come at the expense of either that of Anthony Elanga or Harvey Barnes, but both are compelling options from the bench, and this merely speaks at the strength in depth at Newcastle, even with Isak gone and Gordon and Wissa unavailable.

Wolves have suffered a pretty dour start to the season themselves and will be desperate to strike a blow on Tyneside, but Newcastle have an underlying current of coherence and quality that shoots from left to right in Howe’s system, and the scratchy noises from a turbulent summer transfer window have now abated, and Newcastle are ready, and Woltemade is ready, and Murphy will help him score.

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S Sudarshanan06-Mar-2025

Amelia Kerr ran through Warriorz with 5 for 38•BCCI

Mumbai Indians (MI) mounted a fine comeback with the ball to set up a win that put them a step closer to making the playoffs for a third year in succession and pushed UP Warriorz (UPW) to the brink of exit from WPL 2025. Led by a five-wicket haul from Amelia Kerr, MI picked up nine wickets for 76 runs to restrict UPW to 150 for 9 and chased that down with six wickets and nine balls to spare.UPW were off to their best start in the competition thanks to Georgia Voll’s half-century in just her second WPL match. After being bowled for a duck on debut, she hit 55 off 33 balls to lay a strong platform. But UPW couldn’t capitalise, going from 74 for 0 to 125 for 7. The MI spinners combined to pick up eight of the nine wickets UPW lost.Harmanpreet fined 10% of her match fees

MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur was reprimanded and fined 10% of her match fees for Level 1 offence under Article 2.8, which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match. Harmanpreet had got into an argument with the umpires when MI were penalised for slow over rate.

In reply, Hayley Matthews struck her second half-century of the season and was involved in a 92-run second-wicket partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt that all but sealed the win. It was Matthews’ second fifty in as many games this season against UPW, the 46-ball 68 in Lucknow following up her 50-ball 59 in Bengaluru last week.The win took MI up to second on the points table with eight points and a net run-rate of 0.267 after six outings. Their next game is against Gujarat Giants, who are third currently with six points in six matches with an NRR of 0.357.Pace-off from MIShabnim Ismail bowled the fastest ball recorded in women’s cricket history last year. Sciver-Brunt is capable of swinging the ball around in the early 110kphs. Going by the first WPL game at the Ekana Stadium, there was enough help for the fast bowlers with the new ball. Yet, the MI fast-bowling duo bowled offcutters on a red-soil surface. Ismail tried to soften Voll up with a one-two trick early on but quickly switched to taking pace off. Sciver-Brunt’s cutters proved tough to get away too, initially.Georgia Voll and Grace Harris had a big opening stand•BCCI

A refreshing start ft. Harris and VollUPW opted for a third opening pair in their seventh game at WPL 2025, with former Brisbane Heat team-mates Grace Harris and Voll striding out. The first ball of the match, from Ismail, caught Harris by surprise. It reared up from short-of-a-good length outside off and hit her high on the blade. That left Voll expecting the bouncer again, but Ismail slipped a few full ones in to keep the batter thinking. But Voll soon got the measure of the bowler as well as the surface and she hit three fours in the five balls she faced after getting off the mark.Voll was the aggressor, but it was Harris who ended the powerplay with back-to-back fours off left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia, whom MI had brought in for Jintimani Kalita. And so UPW ended the powerplay on 50 without loss. It was the best start for UPW this season. Voll took just 29 balls to bring up a fine half-century soon after.The familiar batting collapseVoll greeted Kerr with three fours and then hit one more off Matthews in the next over. A misjudgment by Ismail at long-on saw Harris hit her only six. But a bouncer from Matthews, one she often uses to surprise the batters, got the better of Harris, who top-edged her pull to short fine-leg. Kiran Navgire, at No. 3, went for an ungainly hack, charging at Kerr, to fall for a second-ball duck. Sciver-Brunt delivered the decisive blow when Voll went for the scoop and missed.From there, UPW struggled to get momentum with only Deepti Sharma holding one end up. All of Vrinda Dinesh, Chinelle Henry, Shweta Sehrawat and Uma Chetry fell trying to hit out against spin. Deepti hit just the two fours in her 25-ball 27 as UPW scored just 61 in their last ten overs.Hayley Matthews established her dominance over UP Warriorz•BCCI

Matthews, Sciver-Brunt get the job doneMI are the most successful chasing team in the WPL and the 151-run target was unlikely to pose a major challenge. But they had a concern at the top of the order – Yastika Bhatia had tallied 38 runs in six innings before Thursday. So they pushed Kerr up to open with Matthews and the move did not pay dividends. After hitting a couple of fours, Kerr mis-swatted a back-of-a-length ball from Henry to mid-on.Matthews and Sciver-Brunt then joined forces and sped up the scoring with dew also coming to their aid. Deepti was seen using the towel to wipe the ball inside the powerplay. Kranti Goud began well and extracted enough swing, much like Henry had earlier, resulting in Matthews playing and missing a few. But a 16-run Gouher Sultana over set MI on their way.The duel between Caribbean mates Henry and Matthews was one of the highlights of the phase: Henry got one to rear up at her West Indies captain and had a few friendly words to say, only for Matthews to walk down the track to a short ball and send it sailing into the deep-midwicket stands and grin in response.MI lost three reasonably quick wickets at the doorstep of victory but Bhatia, in at No. 6, hit a couple of fours off the offspin of Voll and Deepti to seal the deal. And so, two games into their “home leg” in Lucknow, UPW have two comprehensive defeats to show.