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Newcastle United could well be set to lose Alexander Isak this summer after the striker appears to be exploring other options.

The Swedish centre-forward has been with the Magpies since the summer of 2022, going on to score 62 goals in just 109 matches for the club. This works out as a goal every 1.7 matches, and if he does leave, Eddie Howe will have a massive void to fill.

In the past, the Toon have enjoyed the services of several top class forwards. Going as far back to the days of Hughie Gallacher, who scored over 100 goals and helped Newcastle win the First Division in the 1920s, to Jackie Milburn, who won three FA Cups as a player and was the club’s highest ever scorer – until a certain Alan Shearer rocked up at St James’ Park.

Before Shearer, however, the likes of Malcolm Macdonald and Andy Cole flexed their goalscoring prowess for the club during the 1970s and 1990s, but it was the former Southampton and Blackburn hitman who would eclipse everything his predecessors achieved.

Alan Shearer’s Newcastle heroics

By the time Shearer made the move from Blackburn to Newcastle in the summer of 1996 for a world record fee of £15m, he was already established as arguably the finest centre-forward in the Premier League.

He led Blackburn to the 1994/95 top-flight title and ended his spell with the club having scored 130 goals during his stint at Ewood Park.

Throughout the next decade, the Englishman would shatter records at the Magpies and come close to glory on several occasions. The Toon reached the FA Cup final in both 1998 and 1999, yet lost both to Arsenal and Manchester United.

A move to United in 1996 might have seen Shearer enhance his medal collection, but nothing was going to stop him from moving to his hometown team.

Shearer could do it all. Not only potent in the penalty box, the striker loved scoring incredible goals. Who can forget his stunning volley against Everton in 2002, or his excellent free-kick against Wimbledon in his first ever match for the Magpies.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2005/06

41

14

4

2004/05

42

19

4

2003/04

52

28

6

2002/03

48

25

6

2001/02

46

27

6

2000/01

23

7

2

1999/00

50

30

13

1998/99

40

21

7

1997/98

23

7

1

1996/97

40

28

9

All of this added up to the 63-cap centre-forward eventually breaking Milburn’s all-time scoring record during a game against Portsmouth towards the tail end of the 205/06 season.

Racing onto a flick from Shola Ameobi, Shearer powered home a trademark finish in front of the Gallowgate End to score goal number 201 for the club.

Despite having players such as Isak, Andy Carroll, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Obafemi Martins lead the line at one stage or another since Shearer retired, none have come close to matching the legendary striker and his achievements.

Perhaps if Isak remains for the next few years, he could have a chance at breaking the goal record, but it looks as though he won’t be staying at St James’ Park for long.

As such, Howe must be looking at alternatives to bolster his attacking department. Could he target a move for someone who has shades of Shearer?

Newcastle’s search for a striker

Howe has been working hard to bring in another striker this summer. Players such as Yoane Wissa, Julian Alvarez and Mike Biereth have all been targeted in recent weeks.

All three would certainly make an impact at Newcastle, no doubt about it, but it is their pursuit of another striker that could take the club to the next level.

Journalist Graeme Bailey shared an update on X regarding Howe eyeing a move for Benjamin Sesko, saying that the Magpies “have engaged in talks” with the striker “to try and convince him to move to St James’ Park.”

Bailey added that “Newcastle would be prepared to break their transfer record to land him.”

According to The Times, it could take a fee of around £70m in order to land Sesko this summer, which would see Newcastle break their club-record transfer fee, eclipsing the £63m spent on Isak.

If they manage to sign the RB Leipzig frontman, it would signify a major statement of intent by Newcastle ahead of next season.

Sesko has plenty of traits similar to Shearer, meaning he could be the ideal player to lead the club’s charge in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Why Newcastle must sign Benjamin Sesko

The 22-year-old has an excellent goalscoring record for someone so young. Indeed, across 210 senior matches, the Slovenian has found the back of the net 90 times.

Sesko has scored 39 of those at Leipzig, with several being stunners. Against Bayern Munich last season, he netted a sublime strike with the outside of his foot from around 25 yards out to open the scoring.

He loves powerful efforts from outside the penalty area, just like Shearer in his pomp, with the former England skipper renowned for his ability to fire home from all angles and any distance – and with venom at that.

Much like Shearer was the main man at St James’ Park, Sesko has become a focal point of Leipzig’s attack since joining them in the summer of 2023. He is a “monster” of a striker, in the words of by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Shearer himself likes what he sees, having also noted comparisons between the Leipzig man and a certain Erling Haaland:

“He has the same frame. He is as quick as he is. He can certainly travel with the ball like he can. “He is very good at scoring goals. He is very good at bringing people into the game, so I get the comparison.

“I like him a lot. I know he is very young – he is only 21 years of age so he’s got a lot of learning to do – but without doubt there is a top-class footballer in there.”

Hailed as “phenomenal” by scout Antonio Mango, Sesko shone for his club last season. He finished the campaign with 13 league goals and a goal conversion percentage of 19% in the Bundesliga.

Furthermore, the player also created five big chances and recorded five assists, while succeeding with 55% of his dribble attempts.

It was yet another excellent season for the young striker and it is evident he is going from strength to strength.

Leipzig missed out on Champions League qualification, meaning Sesko will surely be seeking a move to a club where he can showcase his talents on the biggest stage in club football.

Newcastle would certainly provide the stage for the Slovenian, that’s for sure. If Isak does leave, Sesko would have some pretty big boots to fill.

Given his displays on the continent over the previous few years, the youngster wouldn’t be fazed at this prospect.

In the process, he could turn out to be one of the club’s finest strikers since Shearer. No pressure, eh?

PIF set sights on signing 13-goal star for Newcastle after Isak bombshell

The Magpies have instantly turned towards potential replacements.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 25, 2025

Everton have been put through the wringer over the past several years, but the return of David Moyes in January has turned the club back in the right direction.

The Friedkin Group have a daunting task ahead, with so many players out of contract at the end of the month. But it’s also a golden opportunity to redesign the Toffees squad as they step into a new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

New CEO Angus Kinnear, who left Leeds United to replace Kevin Thelwell in May, has got his work cut out, but Everton are willing to entrust their senior figures with the big decisions, and understandably so, given Moyes has identified an exciting new option to strengthen the frontline.

Everton make their first move

According to Turkish outlet A Spor, Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz has been approached by Everton as they look to add depth and dynamism to Moyes’ squad.

Yilmaz can play across both attacking flanks and thus would fit the bill as to what the manager hopes to add. It’s understood that the Merseysiders will soon present an opening £16m offer, but that the Istanbul club are holding out for a figure closer to £29m.

With Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom both returning to their parent clubs after difficult loan spells at Goodison Park, this could be a shrewd signing indeed for the Blues.

What Yilmaz would bring to Everton

Everton’s Premier League pedigree has at times felt threatened by the turbulence at the club over recent seasons, by the dysfunction that has led to palpable fears of relegation.

Moyes, though, transformed the club when arriving in January, after 12 years away. Everton finished comfortably in 13th place, and if they can get things right during the off-season, bringing in players such as Yilmaz, they could be headed for a new level of success.

Yilmaz, a silky and talented winger, would certainly ease the burden on Iliman Ndiaye’s shoulders, the Senegalese star hailed by pundit Jamie Redknapp for his “dynamite” qualities after joining from Marseille for £15m last summer.

He could even prove an upgrade on Dwight McNeil, taking his place in the starting line-up as Charly Alcaraz makes the number ten spot his own, especially after notching 20 goal contributions from 48 matches for Gala last season.

That came after a EURO 2024 showdown with the Netherlands, which led Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to declare his adversary “difficult for every defender”.

The Turk’s constant running and unrelenting intensity suggest he’d be a fantastic addition to the Premier League, potentially even capable of keeping McNeil on the bench.

Everton’s industrious playmaker started the 2023/24 season off with aplomb, but a knee injury ruled him out for the entirety of the midseason. Still, the one-time Burnley talent finished the year with four goals and eight assists from 21 top-flight fixtures, 15 starts.

League Stats 24/25 – Baris Yilmaz vs Dwight McNeil
Stats (* per game)	Yilmaz	McNeil
Matches (starts)	32 (29)	21 (15)
Goals	12	4
Assists	3	8
Touches*	46.9	39.4
Shots (on target)*	2.4 (0.9)	1.2 (0.5)
Pass completion	75%	83%
Big chances created	8	12
Key passes*	1.4	1.8
Dribbles*	1.4	1.1
Ball recoveries*	3.0	3.6
Tackles + interceptions*	1.7	0.9
Duels won*	6.3	2.8
Data via Sofascore

Though McNeil is evidently the more naturally creative player, Everton could add a new dimension to their attacking efforts by bringing Yilmaz in.

Everton, let’s not forget, finished 13th in the chance creation standings last season (63 big chances created) but only scored 42 goals, fewer than all but the three relegated outfits.

Ultimately, it would serve Moyes well to have both players in the team next season, but Yilmaz’s pace and directness offer shades of Ndiaye, and we’ve seen how well he took to life in the Premier League when signing for Everton.

Everton ready to trigger £30m release clause for "exciting" DCL replacement

The Toffees could land their Liam Delap alternative.

2

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 8, 2025

Football might have come to a brief stop, but there is no rest for the wicked, and Arsenal have a potentially era-defining few months ahead of them.

To ensure they get over the line in the Premier League next season, Mikel Arteta and new Sporting Director Andrea Berta need to nail their transfer dealings, and if they can bring in Rodrygo, that’d be an excellent start.

The Real Madrid superstar has been linked with a £85m move to the Emirates on multiple occasions over the last few weeks, and the combination of his outlandish ability and stature in the game makes him someone who could really move the needle in the Gunners’ favour next year.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, the North Londoners could now be closing in on another attacking talent who’d be an even more exciting signing than the Brazilian international.

Arsenal transfer news

Given Arsenal’s position in English football and how close they seem to be to glory, it’s hardly been a surprise to see them linked with a plethora of incredibly exciting players in recent weeks, such as Bradley Barcola and Takefusa Kubo.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could cost the club a whopping £101m this summer, which might be an eyewatering sum of money, but it might also be fair enough, as in 58 games for Paris Saint-Germain this season, he scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists.

Kubo would be a far cheaper option at around £50m, but he’s not been anywhere near as prolific as the Frenchman, racking up a reasonable but unspectacular haul of seven goals and four assists in 52 games.

However, while a wide player would be a welcome addition to the club, Arteta and Co’s priority has to be a new number nine, someone like Benjamin Sesko.

Fortunately, a recent report from Caught Offside has claimed that Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Slovenian striker.

In fact, on top of confirming that Berta has already held direct talks with RB Leipzig, the report has revealed that the Gunners are now among the frontrunners for the player, alongside London rivals Chelsea.

However, it won’t be a cheap deal complete; the report states that Leipzig want €80m for their star attacker, which is around £68m, and a fee Arsenal should pay, as not only would Sesko be an incredible signing, but a more exciting one than Rodrygo as well.

Why Sesko would be more exciting than Rodrygo

So the first thing to say is that Rodrygo would, in fact, be an incredibly exciting signing for Arsenal to make this summer. After all, he’s a Champions League and La Liga-winning winger who knows how to score a goal or two.

However, for our money, the “instinctive” Sesko, as dubbed by journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor, would be just that bit more exciting, and there are several reasons why.

The first is that, in signing him, Arteta and Co will finally be addressing the club’s longstanding need for an out-and-out striker, and more than that, he’d be coming in with a proven track record of scoring goals and providing assists.

For example, in the 22/23 campaign, he scored 18 goals and provided four assists in 41 appearances; last season, the Slovenian international scored 18 goals and provided two assists in 42 appearances, and then this year, the Leipzig star was able to rack up an impressive haul of 21 goals and six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes.

In other words, the Radeče-born “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, averaged a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or every 120.66 minutes this season.

Appearances

45

50

Minutes

3258′

3290′

Goals

21

13

Assists

6

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.6

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.66′

143.04′

In contrast, the Real Madrid star scored 13 goals and provided ten assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3290 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games, or every 143.04 minutes, in a far better team.

Finally, on top of his current ability in front of goal, the former Salzburg gem has received some rave reviews from scouts and analysts, with the respected EBL claiming he “has the potential to become the best #9 in the world” – which is also what makes him that bit more appealing than Viktor Gyokeres, another of the more heavily linked strikers in recent weeks.

He argues that this is down to the combination of him being “a 6’4 speed demon” who is “unstoppable in transition” and the fact “he can dribble”, all while also being “an elite ball-striker.”

That might sound hyperbolic, but a few of these strengths are on show in this goal, with him using his acceleration and mighty left foot – and you only need to look through some of his other goals to see his immense technical ability.

Ultimately, Arsenal need more than one attacking signing this summer, but from his goal tally this season to his potential and technical ability, Sesko would be the club’s most exciting addition.

Mega Martinelli upgrade: Arsenal eyeing £101m star with "devastating pace"

The sensational talent would be a real needle-mover for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 2, 2025

Arsenal transfer chiefs have been told exactly what they need to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Gunners given a “clear” message behind-the-scenes.

Arsenal's shortlist of summer striker targets for Mikel Arteta

Alongside Gyokeres, new sporting director Andrea Berta is believed to be looking at a number of centre-forwards to potentially move for in the summer transfer window.

Related Arteta has "serious" wish to sign £40m star with Arsenal contact made

The Gunners boss is “huge fan”.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 16, 2025

Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is taking the Premier League by storm yet again this season, racking up 24 goals and six assists in all competitions, and reliable media sources indicate Gyokeres’ international teammate is actually a “dream” target for Arsenal (Ben Jacobs).

However, while Isak is reportedly top of Mikel Arteta’s wishlist, a move for the Swede is less viable considering his rumoured price tag stands at a minimum of £150 million.

Arsenal want to bolster the goalkeeping position, full-back area, in midfield and sign further upgrades out wide in the summer (GiveMeSport), so Berta simply cannot afford to splash such a figure on just one signing, no matter the quality.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is another striker target for Arsenal, and one who could leave for just £62 million, due to the value of his current release clause (Sky Sports). The Slovenian boasts 19 goals in all competitions, and Arsenal did attempt to sign Sesko as a top target last summer, so this could still be one to watch.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

The competition for his signature will be fierce, as a host of elite Premier League sides, including Chelsea and Man United, are also reportedly looking to bring in a prolific number nine this summer.

The same can be said of Gyokeres, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to N5 recently as interest in the former Coventry City star grows stronger from Arsenal’s side.

There are even reports that Arsenal are ready to offer Gyokeres a £192,000-per-week contract to join Arteta’s side, and now Romano has shared a fresh update on their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

Arsenal told price to sign Viktor Gyokeres "in recent days"

Writing in a column for GiveMeSport, Romano claims Arsenal have been given a “clear” communication over Gyokeres’ price “in recent days/weeks”.

The Primeira Liga sensation can leave for much less than his £86 million release clause, namely a fee of up to £60 million, with add-ons, deal structure and payment terms still to be discussed.

Berta is also said to be a huge fan of his, so the Italian’s stance on a deal is also crystal clear. While Gyokeres has been a pivotal player for the Portuguese heavyweights, racking up a sensational 44 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season, the club are impressed with his conduct since last summer as well.

He’s made no trouble behind-closed-doors over a transfer and has behaved professionally, meaning Sporting are more inclined to help facilitate his dream move, with the Premier League looking more and more like a credible destination.

Gyokeres’ quality is evident for all to see, and often doesn’t get discussed enough, and some around the game are convinced he’s actually a “massively underrated” player for all he’s achieved in terms of a very impressive goalscoring record.

It’s arguably a mystery why no club has invested in the forward’s capture just yet, but it probably won’t be long now.

Fast bowler finds a way to break through New Zealand’s plans on opening day of 2nd Test

Alex Malcolm08-Mar-20244:00

Malcolm: Hazlewood’s metronomic accuracy too much for NZ

Josh Hazlewood received warm applause as he walked to fine leg after claiming Kane Williamson’s wicket. Some of it was from the small number of fans wearing yellow shirts on the grass bank at Hagley Oval. But there were plenty of locals showing Hazlewood their appreciation too.It was unusual to see an Australian get such an acknowledgement in New Zealand. But Christchurch is the home of Sir Richard Hadlee. New Zealand’s greatest fast bowler was there on day one, sitting in the Hagley Oval pavilion named in his family’s honour. The indoor sports centre out the back is named specifically after Sir Richard alone.Christchurch cricket fans know what great fast bowling looks like. And what Hazlewood produced on day one was Hadlee-esque. He was metronomic, masterful, and relentless. He operated with surgical precision to claim 5 for 31 from 13.5 overs as New Zealand were cleaned up for 162.Hazlewood has sometimes been the forgotten man of Australia’s big three quicks. He was the last to get to 250 Test wickets. He isn’t the captain nor is he breaking the bank at the IPL despite being the best T20 bowler of the three in recent years.Related

• Matt Henry, New Zealand's man of steel, drags his team back into the contest

• Henry on NZ's batting – 'It's not a concern'

• Hazlewood dismantles New Zealand but Henry gives home side hope

• Boland could get Shield release as big three make it seven from seven

He has also been forgotten in recent years because he has been absent for long periods. Between February 2021 and June 2023, Hazlewood played just four of Australia’s 20 Tests due to a spate of injuries. He had opened the door for Scott Boland to come barreling through.But since returning during the Ashes in 2023, Hazlewood has missed just one Test. The incredible durability of Australia’s three fast bowlers over the summer has been noted this week with all three playing seven Tests in a row. And in those seven Tests, it is Hazlewood who has been the star. He has bowled the most overs of the trio, the most maidens, and taken the most wickets, 34 at a staggering average of 13.70, with the best strike-rate and the best economy rate.Hagley Oval was simply a continuation of what he had been doing all summer, asking Test batters to survive the sternest of fast bowling examinations.In his second over of the day, he beat Will Young three consecutive times. He would later beat Tom Latham too. But his first spell of five overs went unrewarded despite some cracking deliveries as Latham and Young cruised to 47 without loss.He made a slight adjustment in his second spell. Back of a length had been profitable at the Basin Reserve in Wellington due to the excessive bounce. But Hagley’s surface was far more even. Hazlewood pushed his length a metre fuller and pocketed the Black Caps’ best four batters as a result with some world-class bowling.Latham had looked impenetrable. Mitchell Starc has been one of his chief tormentors in Test cricket and Latham played him with ease on his way to 38. Hazlewood changed the angle and went around the wicket. The first two balls were angled in. One was worked leg side. The next was just wide enough to leave but veering back enough to make Latham doubt whether he should have played. The next ball was fuller and angled into off. Latham had to play. It nipped away a fraction to scratch the edge.Thumbs up, indeed, for Josh Hazlewood•Getty ImagesHazlewood’s sequencing to Rachin Ravindra was even better. From around the wicket he delivered eight balls to Ravindra. Four angled into the top of off and asked for tight forward defensive strokes. Two were pushed wide deliberately but not at a half-volley length. Ravindra has been driving on line, not length, this summer, usually a dangerous game against Hazlewood. He played and missed at the first wide one but made contact with the second, nicking it to Usman Khawaja at first slip on the stroke of lunch.Daryl Mitchell has the game to handle high-class seam bowling, as evidenced by three Test hundreds in England against James Anderson and Stuart Broad. But Hazlewood worked him over. He kept up his full length and Mitchell countered, stepping out his crease to drive superbly down the ground. Hazlewood dragged his length back immediately. He first nipped one in to hit Mitchell on the inner thigh guard. He nipped the next away from the same spot to catch the outside edge and leave Mitchell in disbelief.Eight balls later Hazlewood bagged the big scalp of Williamson. Where Mitchell had been batting out of his crease to disrupt Hazlewood’s lengths, Williamson hung back to sweat on anything underpitched. Hazlewood went full, seaming it in to trap New Zealand’s greatest batter plumb lbw.New Zealand had slumped from 61 for 1 to 84 for 5. Starc then chimed in with two wickets in two balls to move past Dennis Lillee on Australia’s all-time wicket-takers list, but it was Hazlewood who deserved all the plaudits.He richly deserved a fifth wicket and was finally rewarded with the last of the innings when Cameron Green was the only man in Christchurch to hear a tiny nick off Matt Henry’s bat and convinced Pat Cummins to review after umpire Nitin Menon had also missed it.Hazlewood’s Test bowling average has dipped below 25. It’s not quite in Hadlee’s class, but for an hour at Hagley Oval he was, and Hadlee’s hometown appreciated it.

After a 2020 IPL season that lacked spark, Sunil Narine brought his best at just the right time in 2021

Saurabh Somani12-Oct-20212:32

How do you play Sunil Narine? Here’s Gautam Gambhir’s advice

Old T20 champions don’t die. They just wait for the IPL playoffs for a rebirth.It was MS Dhoni in qualifier 1, and it was the turn of Sunil Narine in the eliminator. Narine was not supposed to be as much of a wicket-taking force as he was in his glory days, before the remodelled action, before the analysts got hold of his videos. Narine, the batter, was supposed to be all sorted out, and Kolkata Knight Riders couldn’t even use him as an opener anymore.Three balls while bowling and three swings of the bat first up cleared all those doubts away.He fizzed an offbreak that got enough bite from the surface to beat Virat Kohli’s slog across the line. He then did AB de Villiers for length as well as turn, a rare enough occurrence by itself. And then he got Glenn Maxwell, who has turned every variety of sweep into a personal library collection this IPL, on that very shot. Three balls that ripped the heart out of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s innings. For good measure, Narine had begun by getting KS Bharat, Royal Challengers’ hero in the previous match, with a carom ball first up.Watch the IPL on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the IPL live in the US. Match highlights of the eliminator between KKR and RCB is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

When he came out to bat, it was an inspired promotion up to No. 5. First ball, dug halfway into the pitch, and pulled ferociously over deep square leg. Second ball, picked up off his pads and over cow corner. Third ball, hit straight through the line, bottom hand coming off the bat handle even as he made contact. There was a wide in the middle which meant that an equation of 59 from 52 balls had become 40 off 49. Three balls that knocked any control out of Royal Challengers’ defence.Remodelled action lacking bite? Batting no longer a threat? Save that for another day. Narine has found a way to come back.Not only did Narine deliver spectacularly with both bat and ball, he was used superbly by Knight Riders’ captain Eoin Morgan too. With Varun Chakravarthy and Shakib Al Hasan to call on, Morgan could delay introducing Narine till the ninth over, a point at which the preceding four overs had brought only 17 runs. The pressure to increase the scoring rate led to the wickets of Bharat, and then Kohli.The wicket of de Villiers was just great bowling, and with the runs drying up further, Maxwell was also consumed by the urgency of hitting out. Maxwell could have waited, with only three balls of spin to come and the pacers slated to bowl the last three overs. But Maxwell has achieved huge success in this IPL by taking down spinners, so it wasn’t a tactical gaffe to try and hit Narine. It was just a champion bowler getting the better of a champion batter with the combined effect of pressure and accuracy.It was in CPL 2020 that Narine first unveiled his new bowling action, hiding the ball behind body in his run-up. While that denied batters a look at his grip and seam position, it would have led to a reduction in ‘feel’ in his hand and body into his delivery. IPL 2020 wasn’t too hot, with just five wickets in 10 games, at an economy rate of 7.95. His Smart Wickets (6.14) and Smart Economy (7.41) suggested he bowled better than the bare numbers indicated, but he was still far short of being high-impact match-winner.Sunil Narine scored 26 off 15 to break open a tricky chase•BCCICut to IPL 2021 and Narine has been Knight Riders’ highest impact player so far in the season. His player rating per match, as per ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats is 43.24, the ninth highest overall. His bowling rating is 37.63, the sixth best (both for a minimum of seven games played). The latest match might have been dazzling, but over a season, such high numbers can only come from consistency.When Narine was sent out to bat, Knight Riders had more pedigreed left-handers if they wanted to go that way, in Shakib and Morgan. They had Dinesh Karthik, if they wanted to have a left-right combination with Nitish Rana in the middle. But with 11 overs bowled, and Mohammed Siraj having bowled three of them, Royal Challengers had only one over of pure pace left, the type of bowling Narine is most vulnerable to.If Narine forced Kohli to turn to Siraj, it would mean an easier latter half of the innings. If not, Narine had the batting chops to deliver boundaries against the other bowlers. Even he might not have expected three sixes off the first three legal balls he faced though. Kohli gambled on Daniel Christian, and Narine called the bluff at the poker table. The short-into-the-body stuff only really troubles Narine when it’s bowled at above 140kph. Christian was 20 clicks slower.What that one over of three sixes did was allow Knight Riders breathing room to deal with a Royal Challengers fightback, their own nerves, and the vagaries of a turning pitch. Knight Riders could have sent a proper batter instead of Narine and had a successful over, getting 10-12 runs off it instead of 22. But that would have meant taking a risk later in the chase, when the stakes were higher. Narine eliminated that possibility.”He was outstanding today. Both with the bat and ball, his impact was huge,” Morgan said after the game at the press conference. “He changed momentum when he went out to bat and swung it completely in our favour. And I think with the ball, he bowled as good as I’ve ever seen him bowl. Which, you know, is saying a lot. The guy is consistently exceptional every time he takes the field and always seems to take big wickets in the game.”If ever a series is made on Narine’s time in the IPL, ‘consistently exceptional’ might be an accurate title for it.

A large portion of Daniel Farke’s summer signings at Leeds United stood out in the Whites’ dramatic 3-3 draw against Liverpool last time out.

Indeed, Dominic Calvert-Lewin would have loved following up his instinctive effort against Chelsea with a penalty goal against the Reds, having just recently waved goodbye to Everton.

Anton Stach also got in on the goalscoring act as another new recruit from Hoffenheim, before Ao Tanaka – who triumphantly lifted the Championship title last season – hammered home the crucial equaliser.

Unfortunately, not every fresh face that arrived at Elland Road this off-season has instantly gelled, with Farke now in danger of having his very own Vurnon Anita, six years on from the ex-Newcastle United midfielder’s uneventful stint in West Yorkshire.

Remembering Anita's shambolic stay at Leeds

Leeds would have felt they’d struck gold by being able to land the now 36-year-old on a free transfer in 2017, considering Anita was just fresh off a Championship promotion with the Magpies, and the Whites were desperately looking to break back into the Premier League.

On top of his EFL experience, the three-time Eredivisie winner had also amassed 106 Premier League appearances on Tyneside as a useful utility presence, with one of his former Toon coaches, John Carver, once stating that he always has the “same attitude and commitment” wherever he’s thrown into the XI.

Anita’s numbers for Leeds
Stat	Anita
Games played	22
Minutes played	1620 mins
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Wage per week	£25k-per-week
Wage costs for a year	£1.3m
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Capology

Unfortunately for the Whites, though, they never managed to get the best out of Anita, who could play at left-back or right-back at a moment’s notice, away from his central midfield duties, with an unmemorable 22 first-team appearances all she wrote on his forgettable Leeds career.

His high £25k-per-week salary came under plenty of scrutiny, therefore, with Anita – who wasn’t even registered as an outfield player for Leeds during the 2018/19 campaign – branded as a “huge waste of money” by ex-Leeds player Noel Whelan, after he was chucked to one side by Marcelo Bielsa.

Surely, if Leeds could turn back time, they would never have gambled on the Curacao international to come good, with a worryingly similar tale playing out in the here and now for Farke…

Farke's very own Anita

Thankfully, Leeds already look to be vindicated in their decision to bring in the aforementioned Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, with no Anita-style repeat on the cards here, as the Sheffield-born striker already boasts four Premier League goals for Farke’s men.

The same, however, cannot be said for Sebastiaan Bornauw, who appears to be destined for the exit door, just a matter of months after sealing a move to England for a modest £5.1m fee from Wolfsburg.

Yet, at the time of the capture, Leeds would have thought they’d acquired a diamond in the rough, with the 26-year-old accumulating 140 Bundesliga appearances for both Wolfsburg and FC Köln, meaning the hope would be that he could be a dependable cover option at the back for Farke.

Fast forward to the present, though, and the deal to bring the four-time Belgium international to English shores has already been dismissed as “laughable” as per Leeds-based content creator Lewis Deighton, with Bornauw only fit enough for a paltry two minutes of Premier League action so far.

This is a far cry from when Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley was hailing the capture of Bornauw as an indicator that Leeds had conducted some “excellent” summer business back in July, with the lofty number 23 already out of action for four games this season, owing to recurring knee issues.

Estimated to be on a bumper £45k-per-week pay packet, too, all the current signs are pointing in the direction that Bornauw is Leeds’ modern-day iteration of Anita.

For context, both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu are on a lesser £40k-per-week salary each, reportedly.

Further dubbed as looking “terrible” against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup by commentator Sam Matterface, on what has been his only start to date, he only won 50% of his duels against lower league opposition.

It really does feel as if Bornauw’s stay at Elland Road will be extremely short-lived, as he just goes down as a forgotten flop, like Anita before him.

The "best finisher" at Leeds now finally looks finished under Farke

This Leeds star has not been involved much this season

By
Joe Nuttall

4 days ago

The Boston Red Sox stole a win from the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon on a walk-off so unlikely that it took the team a second to realize they had won the game.

After a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams go through more pitchers than they would have liked, the Red Sox were up to bat in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 9–9.

Ceddanne Rafaela stepped up to the plate and connected on a pitch from Brock Burke, blooping what appeared off the bat to be a foul ball into the outfield.

Except Fenway Park has parameters unlike any other ballpark in the majors, and what would have been at best a foul ball and at worst an easy out anywhere else in the league turned into a game-winning walk-off dinger.

Rafaela appeared to know he had gotten away with one. He barely left the box after making contact, and literally shrugged his shoulders in a “well, sure I’ll take it” gesture while rounding the bases.

308 feet, with an exit velocity of 94 mph and a launch angle of 31 degrees. There was only one ballpark in the majors that this was a home run in, but it was the one the Sox were playing in today.

Has a shorter walk-off home run ever been hit? It might be one of those stats that is impossible to break, like how the longest kickoff return for a touchdown will always be 109 yards, just because that is how big the field is. The Red Sox are pushing the limits of what is possible in walk-off home run studies.

Rafaela’s walk-off secured the 11–9 win for the Red Sox. Next up for Boston is a rivalry series against the Yankees in New York. Who will win the battle of the short porches?

Joe Buck was back in the baseball booth for Thursday’s Opening Day game between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, marking his first time calling a national baseball game in four years.

Buck, who joined the ESPN crew on a one-off assignment Thursday afternoon, didn’t have to wait long for a big moment as Yankees’ Austin Wells homered as the leadoff batter, becoming the first catcher with a leadoff home run on Opening Day.

Buck paid Yankees broadcasting stalwart Michael Kay a sweet nod on Wells’s homer, lending his voice to Kay’s signature call:

“Here’s a 2-0… That is ripped into right, back at the wall… See ya! Home run!” Buck said. “What a start. Yankees on top 1-0.”

Kay mentioned on the YES Network pregame that Buck was going to say that for him if the Yankees hit a homer, so it doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Still, it was nice to see Buck tip his hat to the longtime broadcaster.

The Yankees have gained an early lead over the Brewers and are currently up 2-1 in the third.

Chelsea got back to winning ways on the weekend.

Enzo Maresca’s side took on Tottenham Hotspur away from home, and as they tend to do in this fixture, left with all three points.

From front to back, the Blues looked back to their best, and more importantly, Joao Pedro got back on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian has the quality to be a hugely important player for Chelsea, and one of the club’s most exciting youngsters could help him one day reach Cole Palmer’s numbers, and no, it’s not Estevao.

Pedro's future at Chelsea

When Chelsea completed the £60m signing of Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, there was plenty of understandable excitement, as sections of the fan base assumed the club had their new long-term number nine.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This idea was further reinforced during the pre-season, as Maresca started him up top for three consecutive games during the Club World Cup, during which he scored three goals.

However, things quickly changed once the season began, as following the first game against Crystal Palace, the manager played the 24-year-old as a second striker for two consecutive Premier League games, in which he scored two goals and provided two assists.

Unfortunately, following Liam Delap’s hamstring injury, the former Brighton star was once again forced to lead the line.

So far, in the seven league games he has started there, he has scored just once and provided one assist.

In short, it has become abundantly clear that while hugely talented, the former Watford star is at his very best either as a second striker or a slightly more aggressive ten.

Now, for those fans who watched him on the south coast, this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, as while he did make 16 appearances up top last season, he also made 12 between second striker, attacking midfield and left-wing.

Centre-Forward

16

Second Striker

8

Left Winger

2

Attacking Midfield

2

So, if Maresca wants to get the most out of Pedro, he’ll have to start him behind another striker, and fortunately, someone who might help him reach Palmer-levels is joining Chelsea for next season.

The player who could help Pedro reach Palmer-levels

Now, while someone like Estevao could help Pedro up his output in the coming seasons, the 18-year-old is undoubtedly at his best out wide.

Therefore, what the former Brighton ace needs is another prolific forward to come in and start ahead of him, someone who will help not only boost his assist numbers, but also his own goal tally.

Fortunately, Chelsea might have just the young talent to do just that, joining in the summer: Dastan Satpayev.

The Khazak phenom is set to join the Blues at the end of this season, and while he’s still young and therefore a long way from the finished product, he looks like a superstar in the making.

With that said, why could he help Pedro put up Palmer-level numbers, though?

Well, simply put, while he can play in several positions, he is primarily a centre-forward, and a seriously exciting one at that.

For example, despite still being just 17 years old, the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by one analyst, scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2409 minutes last season.

That works out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 100.37 minutes.

Just imagine a forward as dangerous as that competing for a place with Delap ahead of a Pedro who has had a year to get used to life at Stamford Bridge.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but if Satpayev is even half the player many believe him to be, then he could certainly help the former Brighton man reach the creative and goalscoring levels of Palmer in the near future.

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