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Noni Madueke might have been smiling after Arsenal’s 3-0 cruise past Nottingham Forest, but the winger was dealt a stinging jab from Martin Keown straight after the final whistle. The ex-Gunners hardman told the 22-year-old, to his face, that he had once seen him as “selfish”. It was a bold claim, especially on live TV, but Keown insisted that while Madueke has shown flair since swapping Chelsea blue for Arsenal red, he has finally started to balance his individual brilliance with more team-focused play.

Getty ImagesArsenal’s £48.5m man silences early doubters

Madueke only arrived in north London this summer, with Arsenal shelling out a hefty £48.5 million to prise him away from Chelsea. Some questioned whether the England international was worth the outlay, but the early signs are promising.

Against Forest, it was Arsenal’s new boys Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres who found the net, with the Spaniard bagging a brace before Gyokeres rounded off the scoring. Yet despite not being on the scoresheet himself, Madueke’s performance was once again eye-catching. His pace stretched the Forest backline, his trickery unlocked space, and his link-up play showed maturity beyond his years.     

AdvertisementKeown doesn’t hold back in TNT grilling

But Keown wasn’t about to let him bask in the praise unchallenged. Looking Madueke dead in the eye during the TNT Sports post-match chat, the former Arsenal defender dropped his verdict: "Noni, have you taken your game to another level? Because you look more collective. I was worried about you when you came. Because I thought sometimes you can be a little bit selfish. But now, you seem to have got really good balance to your play. The decisions you're making have been outstanding…"

Presenter Lynsey Hipgrave attempted to lighten the mood, joking that Madueke could dismiss the comment as “rubbish,” but Keown pressed on, insisting his decision-making had noticeably improved. 

Keown continued: "No, no. I think it's getting that balance. I think your decision-making has changed. Is that the manager? Is it the new club? What has happened?" 

Getty Images SportMadueke responds with maturity and class

If Keown thought his words would rattle the youngster, he was wrong. Madueke took the criticism on the chin, delivering a calm and confident response. 

"I feel it's important to keep that self-belief that you can get the ball and do it yourself as well," he said. "As a winger, I feel like you need that. But of course, like you're saying, I'm playing with such top players and it's important for me to try and find them as much as I try and play my own type of game. It's easy to play with these guys. I'm having a great time. Maybe I have taken a step in that direction."  

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One of the clear parts of their squad that Leeds United are looking to improve this summer is at centre-forward. The Whites were comfortably the top scorers in the Championship last season, with 95 goals to their name, and already have Joel Piroe in their ranks.

This summer, they’ve already signed Lukas Nmecha and seem set to add former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to their squad, too. At least, that is according to David Ornstein on X, who said the two parties were recently able to come to an ‘agreement in principle’ for a move to Elland Road this summer.

However, it doesn’t seem like Leeds are stopping there, with links to another striker recently intensifying even after signing Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin.

Leeds’ next striker target

It does seem like a deal to sign Calvert-Lewin will happen in the next few days for Leeds. In the same report, Ornstein revealed that he is ‘scheduled at Thorp Arch imminently’ for his medical. He could be in line to make his debut against former club Everton on Monday.

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

After that, the Whites might well move onto their next target, reported by Simon Jones of The Mail to be Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz. Daniel Farke’s side ‘remain in contact’ with the Cottagers over a potential move for the Brazilian this summer.

However, they will not be alone in the race for his signature. Competition is strong outside the Premier League, with Italian outfit Atalanta interested in a move. Top-flight rivals Newcastle United are also monitoring the situation.

As for the price, it was reported earlier in the window that Fulham could ask for as much as £43m for the striker.

Why Muniz would be a good signing

Over the last couple of seasons, Muniz has become a key member of the side at Craven Cottage, establishing himself as an important player under Marco Silva. His two full seasons of Premier League football have seen success in front of goal.

In total, the 24-year-old, who came through the academy at Flamengo, has played 57 games in the Premier League. He’s managed to find the back of the net on 17 occasions in that time, leaving him with a goal every 3.3 games.

It is his minutes-to-goal record that really stands out. The striker has played just 2549 minutes of English top-flight football, a goal every 144 minutes. Back in the 2023/24 season, he went on a run of eight goals in as many games, showing great consistency in the Premier League.

The pick of the bunch was surely this acrobatic effort against Sheffield United.

There is certainly a case to be made that the striker is an instant upgrade on the incoming Calvert-Lewin. Whilst the England international is far more experienced at this level, Muniz certainly has a more consistent record.

Former Toffees striker Calvert-Lewin has played his entire Premier League career on Merseyside, although that will change soon. In 239 games so far, he has bagged 57 goals, an average of one goal every 4.1 appearances. That is one game more than his counterpart in West London.

Looking at the underlying stats in more detail might further reinforce the fact that Muniz is an instant upgrade on the potential new Leeds striker. Over the last two seasons of top-flight football, the Fulham star has averaged 0.6 goals and 1.97 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Calvert-Lewin chalked up 0.24 goals and 1.9 shot-creating actions each game.

Goals

0.6

0.24

Goals per shot

0.15

0.07

Goals per shot on target

0.38

0.17

Key passes

0.88

0.62

Shot-creating actions

1.97

1.9

There is no doubt that a fee of £43m is a big investment for Leeds, especially at this stage of the window. Yet, it does feel like this would be an instant upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, who has not scored the weight of goals you might expect over the last few seasons.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Muniz as a “revelation” during his Flamengo days, and Leeds would be hoping he can have a similar impact at Elland Road if he signs.

Best move since Raphinha: Leeds are likely destination for £26m "monster"

Leeds United are reportedly a likely destination for a star who would be their best signing since Raphinha.

2 ByDan Emery Aug 13, 2025

The draw for the new-look UEFA Women's Champions League league phase has thrown up some mouthwatering fixtures for England's representatives. Arsenal, Chelsea and debutants Manchester United have all learned their opponents, with heavyweight clashes, tricky away days and reunions on the horizon. Mary Earps' return to the Red Devils with Paris Saint-Germain will also be a standout storyline.

GettyWho will Man Utd face in the Women's Champions League?

Manchester United’s debut campaign sees them thrown straight into the deep end with ties against Lyon, Wolfsburg, PSG, Juventus, Valarenga and Atletico Madrid. Their home fixtures will bring Earps back to Manchester with PSG, alongside Lyon and Valarenga. Away days in Germany, Italy and Spain ensure Marc Skinner’s side face a real baptism of fire.

AdvertisementArsenal go in defence of UWCL crown

Arsenal’s draw includes a mix of European heavyweights and emerging forces as they look to retain their title. Renee Slegers’ team will host Lyon, Real Madrid and Twente, while travelling to Bayern, Benfica and Leuven. The Gunners’ meetings with Lyon and Bayern stand out as marquee clashes.

Getty ImagesChelsea learn opponents in bid to end European hurt

Chelsea, semi-finalists last season, will meet Barcelona, Wolfsburg, Roma, St Polten, Paris FC and Twente under the new league-phase format. Sonia Bompastor’s side will enjoy three games at home versus Barca, Roma and Paris.

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Barcelona & Lyon set for mammoth fixtures

Beyond the English clubs, there are several blockbuster ties to look forward to across the continent. Barcelona will lock horns with Bayern Munich, while Lyon’s showdown with Wolfsburg promises fireworks.

Dillon Pennington called into England Lions squad after three-day defeat in Brisbane

ECB Reporters Network16-Jan-2025Cricket Australia XI 176 (Hearne 106, Cook 4-15) and 261 for 3 (Ward 115, Handscomb 57) beat England Lions 223 (Davies 54, Gannon 5-27) and 213 (McKinney 94, Bell 3-32) by six wicketsA Tim Ward century led a Cricket Australia XI to a six-wicket win over England Lions in their opening tour match at the Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane.Ward struck 115 before he retired out, while captain Peter Handscomb added 57, as the hosts coasted to their victory target of 261 on the third day. Hampshire duo John Turner and Sonny Baker claimed the only two wickets to fall after Shoaib Bashir had made a late breakthrough on day two.Opener Ward paced the home innings to reach his century from 195 balls and shared a 110-run third-wicket stand with Handscomb to steer his side to their win.Baker claimed the opening wicket of the day when Henry Hunt edged behind to James Rew but the Lions were made to sweat by Ward and Handscomb as they took the game away. Turner ended the partnership when Handscomb top-edged a hook and was caught by Hamza Shaikh on the rope before Ward retired out for Lachlan Hearne and Jack Clayton to steer the CAXI home.The Lions have called up Nottinghamshire seamer Dillon Pennington, currently with an ECB training camp in the UAE, for the remainder of the tour to bolster the fast-bowling group.The Lion will play a second tour game against a CAXI in Brisbane next week before the unofficial Test, which will hold first-class status, against Australia A in Sydney which starts on 30 January.

An “exciting” attacker now wants to join Crystal Palace, despite interest from rival Premier League clubs, as he is keen to play under Oliver Glasner, according to a report.

Palace looking to sign Eze replacement

Despite featuring in Palace’s Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday, it appears as though Eberechi Eze’s time at Selhurst Park is coming to an end, having made it clear he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur.

As such, the Eagles are now looking to sign a replacement for their talisman, who controversially had a free-kick ruled out by VAR in what could be his final appearance for the club.

Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss, who is valued at £20m+, has emerged as one of the main targets to replace Eze, but there is set to be competition for his signature, with West Ham United and Newcastle United also named as potential suitors.

However, there has now been a positive update on Crystal Palace’s pursuit of El Khannouss, with it being revealed the attacking midfielder wants to move to Selhurst Park, despite interest from elsewhere.

The Belgium-born attacker is attracted by the prospect of playing under Glasner, and positive talks have now been held over a deal.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey also added: “I am told that El Khannouss has been considering his options and they are plentiful – varying from England, Europe and Saudi Arabia. However, Palace sources are very happy with how talks have gone, and they like the player.”

El Khannouss could be "exciting" Eze replacement

Prior to his move to Leicester, the Moroccan received very high praise from scout Jacek Kulig, who described the youngster as “one of the most exciting young advanced playmakers in world football”.

Crystal Palace receive reply to £27.6m bid for 21-goal star

He would be a big-money signing at Selhurst Park.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 19, 2025

Despite his talent, the starlet was unable to lead the Foxes to safety last season, but he is still very young at 21-years-old, and some of the Leicester ace’s performances last season indicate he could flourish in a better side.

Perhaps most notably, the maestro impressed Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola last December, saying: “He (Guardiola) said he was impressed by my play today. I am not. I know myself and this is the player I can be. I have to show that every week now.”

El Khannouss has gotten off to a fantastic start to the Championship campaign, picking up two assists in two games, but given his potential, the 22-time Morocco international belongs in the Premier League, and he could be a fantastic long-term replacement for Eze.

Chelsea have now made a late approach to hijack Liverpool’s move for an “incredible” player, with their Premier League rivals’ move recently stalling.

Maresca keen on more signings before the deadline

Enzo Maresca has once again been provided with plenty of funds to strengthen his squad this summer, and there could still be some more additions before the transfer deadline, with a new attacking midfielder and centre-back still of interest.

Having missed out on Xavi Simons to Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues are set to bring in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, while Maresca also remains keen on bolstering his options at the opposite end of the pitch.

When discussing the prospect of bringing in a new defender, the Italian said: “It is a priority for me. Levi is a fantastic player. What we achieved last season is because of him. He played a lot of games with me, I love him. We are going to miss him.”

Chelsea now in talks to sign £35m "1v1 specialist" forward alongside Lopez

The Blues could trigger the release clause for a new attacker.

ByDominic Lund Aug 31, 2025

The Blues’ current backline has made a solid start to the new campaign, shipping just one goal in their first three outings, with Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah all receiving game time, but Maresca could perhaps do with bringing in a more experienced option.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea have now made an approach to hijack Liverpool’s deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who has already given the green light for a move to Anfield.

However, while the Reds are leading the race for Guehi’s signature, their deal has now stalled, with a £35m offer being knocked back by the South Londoners.

Reports from elsewhere have suggested that it may take £40m to prise the England international away from Palace, with Oliver Glasner keen to retain his services until next summer, at which point the 25-year-old’s contract will expire.

"Incredible" Guehi could be exactly what Chelsea need

With Levi Colwill set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury, it is little wonder Maresca wants to bring in a new centre-back before the deadline, and the Palace captain could be exactly what the Blues need.

Crucially, the former Chelsea man is now vastly experienced at Premier League level, making 134 appearances in the competition, while he has also now amassed 23 caps for the Three Lions.

Glasner has also praised the Ivory Coast-born defender for his “fantastic character”, and, having also captained Palace since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, he could make a real difference both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

As such, it is exciting news that Chelsea have made a late approach for Guehi, and they will be hoping his links to the club, and the prospect of remaining in Londonn, will give them the edge over Liverpool.

Ousmane Dembele has joined the likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane in an elite trophy club after being named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was crowned the best player on the planet at a glitzy ceremony in the French capital, with the France international fending off competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

Historic campaign for Dembele & PSG

Dembele was presented with the prestigious Golden Ball after helping PSG to make history in 2024-25. The Ligue 1 giants landed another domestic title last season to sit alongside a Coupe de France success and first Champions League triumph.

AdvertisementGettyWhy Dembele beat Yamal to 2025 Ballon d'Or

Dembele registered 35 goals and 16 assists across a memorable campaign, with the 28-year-old proving himself to be truly elite after leaving Barcelona – where he played alongside Messi – and returning to his homeland in 2023.

Dembele completes stunning trophy hat-trick

He is now one of only 10 players to have completed a stunning hat-trick of major honours. Dembele won the World Cup with France in 2018, the Champions League in 2025 and now has a Ballon d’Or on his glittering CV.

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GettyNine other players completed the same treble

The first man to achieve that feat was Manchester United and England legend Sir Bobby Charlton. He was followed by German icons Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer. Italian striker Paolo Rossi was next, with 1998 World Cup winner Zidane completing said treble in 2002.

Brazilian superstars Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, who starred for Barcelona in their respective careers, are also on the list alongside fellow countryman Kaka. Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi landed an elusive World Cup crown with Argentina in 2022.

Indian investment also not expected to shift BCCI stance on India’s male cricketers participating

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Feb-2025Despite the fact IPL owners make up half of the new investors in the Hundred, the ECB does not expect India’s male cricketers to be made available for the tournament, nor does it anticipate issues with players from Pakistan taking part in England’s flagship competition.On Thursday, the ECB confirmed it had entered into exclusivity agreements with eight partners to secure private investment in each of the Hundred’s teams, with a total valuation of just over £975 million. Those investors now enter an eight-week negotiation period with the eight host counties. Among them are RPSG Group (owners of Lucknow Super Giants), Sun TV Network Limited (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Reliance Industries Limited (Mumbai Indians) and GMR Group (co-owners of Delhi Capitals), who were successful with bids for Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave, respectively.While the ECB has got its wish with a variety of prospective new owners, there is a strong feeling that bringing on high-profile IPL investment will open up the lucrative Indian market. However, the ECB hierarchy do not believe these new connections will soften the BCCI stance on barring India’s active male players from participating in foreign T20 leagues. While many have graced county cricket, none have appeared in the men’s Hundred or the T20 Blast.Related

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“In terms of the India TV market, the overseas market is very important for us,” ECB chief executive, Richard Gould, said. “The fact that we have got such a wide-ranging set of investors from around the globe will, I believe, help us to add extra value to our overseas broadcast rights.”In terms of availability to Indian players, that is not priced in with our plans. The BCCI’s position has been very clear. At some point we’d love to see Indian players come and play in England. We currently see them obviously in bilaterals and actually quite a lot in county cricket. But that’s not something that we have predetermined through this process.”Gould also stated the ECB will ensure opportunities for Pakistan’s cricketers won’t be limited by the IPL influence on the Hundred. Given the tensions between India and Pakistan, no player representing Pakistan has taken part in the IPL since the inaugural season in 2008.The BCCI has never handed down an edict on the matter, but teams have operated accordingly, and not just in India. The first three seasons of the SA20, for instance, where all six teams are associated with IPL franchises, has not had any representative from Pakistan. There remains little if any Pakistan representation in IPL-owned teams at both the ILT20 and Major League Cricket (MLC). By contrast, the Hundred has relied heavily on Pakistani talent for overseas slots in a bid to uphold its “best versus best” tagline.”We’re aware of that in other regions,” Gould said of the playing restrictions encountered by cricketers from Pakistan, “but that won’t be happening here.”The ECB does hope working with IPL owners more directly will, in time, give the Hundred a dedicated window. Previous editions of The Hundred have coincided with MLC and the CPL, resulting in a conflict around talent acquisition. Though the MLC will finish before the Hundred this year, there is a two-week crossover with the CPL.With three of the eight Hundred investors involved in the MLC – Reliance (MI New York), GMR (Seattle Orcas) and Welsh Fire’s prospective 50% co-owner Sanjay Govil (Washington Freedom) – and former Professional Cricketers’ Association commercial director Johnny Grave in place as the league’s CEO, there is scope for more joined-up thinking around competition windows going forward.”One of the advantages that we have with our set is that there’s a connection there with majority of the other cricket leagues around the world,” Vikram Banerjee, who oversaw the Hundred sale as the ECB’s director of business operations, said. “And for all of those [T20] leagues around the world, it makes little sense for any of us to clash if we can avoid it.”So we are now on the same side, if you like, and we can have sensible conversations going forward. For the MLC, that includes that we obviously know the new CEO there pretty well.”But for us it’s about ensuring that we can make a Hundred of real success in our window by getting the best players, and clashes make that hard. So we’ll do our best to avoid it. And I think all the people coming in understand that.”

The trigger is an alleged incident during the 2020 T20 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2025Reacting to allegations of sexual harassment in the West Indies women’s team during the T20 World Cup in 2020, Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have decided to meet and review “all aspects of athlete safeguarding within West Indies cricket”.Saying in a statement on Saturday that the two bodies “take such matters seriously and remain fully committed to ensuring a safe, professional, and supportive environment for all players and staff”, CWI and WIPA added that they had “already taken significant steps to enhance player protection”. No details have been provided by CWI or the WIPA about the alleged incident.”In 2021, improved safeguarding measures were introduced for women’s tours, strengthening security and well-being,” the statement said. “In May 2023, CWI implemented additional policies, including single-room accommodations for the West Indies Senior Women’s team on all international assignments, ensuring parity with the men’s team. These are among other policy initiatives within the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2027.Related

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“Additionally, the CWI Women’s Cricket Transformation Committee was established to further advance women’s cricket.”Furthermore, we have implemented and strictly adhered to UNICEF’s Children Protection Policy, ensuring that minors never share rooms with adults under any circumstance. Additionally, we have mandated ongoing training for all officials to reinforce and uphold these standards.”The 2020 women’s T20 World Cup was played across Australia. West Indies, led by Stafanie Taylor, failed to get out of Group B after winning one and losing two, while their final game, against South Africa, was abandoned without a ball bowled. Australia won the tournament, beating India in the final in front of 86,174 people at the MCG.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has explained why the club moved for Roony Bardghji despite the winger’s recovery from a serious injury. The 19-year-old, dubbed the ‘Swedish Messi’, was signed to provide depth behind Lamine Yamal, with Deco comparing the pair’s profiles while stressing the deal was a long-monitored opportunity.

Barca’s ‘Swedish Messi’ gamble

Barca’s summer transfer strategy included an unexpected move for the 19-year-old winger, who joined from Copenhagen despite concerns about his recovery from a major injury. Speaking in a detailed interview with , sporting director Deco confirmed the signing was not a rushed decision but part of a longer scouting process. The Swede, who has already debuted at Montjuic, has been labelled a player with “similar” qualities to Lamine Yamal, capable of linking play and bringing creativity to the attack.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'similar to Lamine' – Deco explains Barca's decision

Deco dismissed the idea that Barca were taking an emotional risk, instead framing the signing as a market opportunity. “Roony was a player we've been monitoring for a while,” Deco said. “Our idea isn't to go to the market if we already have the players at home. But we apply a work-based approach, not an emotional one. We agreed with the manager that we needed a young player for that position.”
He went on to compare the winger to Barcelona’s teenage star, adding: “We had Dani Rodríguez for that position, but Dani got injured, and he's a different profile than Roony, who's more similar to Lamine, who comes in and links up.”

A talent spotted early

The Barca director stressed that Bardghji had been tracked before his injury setback. Deco revealed: “He was a player we were monitoring, but he got injured and returned to action in March. He hadn't played much, but he was a talented player, and it was a market opportunity. We knew the agent, and since his contract was almost up, it was a simpler deal. Plus, he's only 19 years old and has a lot of potential.”
This insight highlights that Barcelona were convinced by his technical profile and the reduced cost of the deal, which made the move possible despite his fitness history.

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Getty Images SportBardghji's early impressions, but tough challenge ahead for Barca

Bardghji has already felt the intensity of Barcelona’s stage, featuring in the league clash against Real Sociedad at Montjuic. The Kuwaiti-born forward, often compared stylistically to Lionel Messi in his youth, admitted to being impressed by the atmosphere and expectations surrounding the team. For now, however, Hansi Flick has rotated other players ahead of him, underlining the adaptation process required for a teenager stepping into elite-level football.

Barca’s immediate focus is the Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, a clash that could define their European campaign. For Bardghji, the road ahead will involve proving himself as a reliable deputy for Yamal while gradually earning Flick’s trust. With Deco insisting the signing was part of a long-term vision, the Swede remains a player earmarked for future impact rather than instant stardom.