Whilst reinforcements continue to arrive, Chelsea could now lose one of their most promising players amid reports that he wants to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Jorrel Hato "very excited" to be at Chelsea

The latest to arrive at Stamford Bridge is Jorrel Hato. The former Ajax defender has been on the Blues’ radar for some time and has now finally completed a move worth around £35.5m. Becoming the 49th player to arrive since Todd Boehly’s takeover of the London club, Chelsea have once again spent big this summer.

Speaking for the first time after putting pen to paper, the 19-year-old said: “I’m very excited, I’m so happy to be here. I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I’m very happy.”

He then went on to say: “I was really thinking about my future and this is what I wanted. I think I will be a good fit for the way Chelsea are playing, so I was sure about taking my step to Chelsea.

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“For sure it was a big decision. I played seven years at Ajax and for me it was home – the people, the players, the coaches, the culture. So it was not easy to leave, but my feeling was that at this moment I needed to make a step to the biggest club in the biggest competitions, and for me this was the right decision at the right time.”

As one impressive young player arrives, however, another could be set to depart. As ever, the Chelsea dressing room has become busier this summer and that has left one player questioning his immediate future.

Tyrique George "wants to leave" Chelsea

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tyrique George now “wants to leave” Chelsea amid interest from RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach, who could even land a permanent deal for his signature this summer.

George’s exit would certainly split opinion whilst Chelsea continue to sign reinforcements from elsewhere around European football. As talents continue to arrive, it’s worth pointing out that their own academy prospects could be the ones to miss out.

Enzo Maresca is also well aware of the talent that he has on his hands in George. The Chelsea boss, full of praise for the 19-year-old winger following his display against Manchester United, told reporters last season: “Very good. Very good. Brave. He was a threat in behind. Not easy for him because on the other side you have Maguire, you have Lindelof, you have Shaw.

“He was fighting against important defenders. But again, we tried to find a solution with a player from the academy. Overall I think also he had the penalty moment, so he works quite good.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now ready to make an official bid for a “complete” player, who could be in line to join alongside Fluminense’s Jhon Arias, according to reports.

Wolves agree deal to sign Arias

Wolves are now closing in on the signature of Arias, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano corroborating reports that a fee has been agreed with the Brazilian club.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the forward’s seemingly imminent arrival, having performed remarkably well for Fluminense in the 2025 season, regularly contributing goals and assists in all competitions.

Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Campeonato Carioca	10	1	4
Copa do Brasil	4	1	2
Copa Sudamericana	3	0	2
Serie A	11	1	4

With the Old Gold closing in on a new attacker, it may be wise to now turn their attentions towards strengthening at the opposite end of the pitch, and they are ready to make an offer for a defender.

That is according to a report from Prasinoforos, which reveals that Wolves are preparing to make a formal bid for Panathinaikos right-back Georgios Vagiannidis, given that he has impressed scouts over the past few months.

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Vitor Pereira’s side have been closely monitoring Vagiannidis for quite some time, and they are now ready to launch an official offer, although the Greek club should be in a strong negotiating position, as the defender remains contracted until 2028.

With an important Champions League qualifier against Rangers on the horizon, Panathinaikos are unwilling to sanction a departure, but reports from elsewhere have revealed that a bid of £13m could be enough to tempt them into a sale.

"Complete" Vagiannidis could be smart acquisition for Wolves

Pereira may be forced into bringing in a new right-back this summer, with Nelson Semedo looking increasingly likely to join a club overseas, and there are signs the Panithinaikos ace could be a solid signing.

At 23-years-old, the full-back is at a good age to be a long-term heir to Semedo, and he has received praise from scout/writer Jacek Kulig in the past, who described him as “complete”, while also likening the Panathinaikos ace to Kyle Walker.

The Athens-born defender has now amassed 104 appearances for Panathinaikos in all competitions, including five in the Europa League, but there may be some concerns over the fact he is yet to prove himself in a major domestic league.

As such, while Vagiannidis could be a smart acquisition for Wolves, they will still be holding out hope that the more-experienced Semedo decides to sign a new contract.

A “terrific” Premier League player is “open to leaving” his current club to potentially join Newcastle United during the summer transfer window, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Newcastle targeting potential Isak replacements

The Alexander Isak saga continues to rumble on this summer, with Eddie Howe claiming that no club has come in and made an offer for him so far.

“He is still our player. He’s contracted to us. We, to a degree, control what is next for him. I would love to believe all possibilities are still available to us. My wish is that he stays, but that’s not in my full control. We have not received a formal offer for Alex, from any club.”

Newcastle continue to be linked with possible replacements, with former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic mentioned as a surprise option who could return to Tyneside following a string of rejections from their top targets this summer.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa are also leading options to move to the Magpies, but the former may be left to choose between St James’ Park and Old Trafford amid interest from Manchester United.

Watkins "open to leaving" Aston Villa

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown, a long-time scout for Villa before retiring for punditry, claimed that Newcastle target striker Ollie Watkins is “open to leaving” Aston Villa this summer, possibly paving the way for a move to St James’ Park.

“Man United have been looking at him as well, and now Newcastle are interested. I’m told it’s something Villa are going to be open to, and I think Watkins is open to leaving too. If clubs come in for him, he’s going to want to explore his options. Newcastle are preparing to lose Isak, so they’ve been looking at a lot of different players who could potentially come in and plug the gap he’s going to leave.

“Watkins is certainly on that list because he’s a top player and would be great for Newcastle. I was really pushing for Villa to sign him when I was there because he was the best option available to us, and eventually they went and got it done. Now he’s got Premier League and international experience, which make him ideal for Newcastle. It’s difficult to say what they’re going to do because they’ve missed out on so many players, but he is certainly one of the ones they’ve looked at.”

At 29, the £130,000-a-week Watkins isn’t getting any younger, but if Newcastle could sign both him and a younger option like Sesko, it could be great replacement business for Isak.

The Villa ace has now proven himself at the top level for a long time, scoring 75 goals in 184 Premier League appearances, as well as being lauded by Danny Murphy.

Aston Villa

223

87

42

Brentford

143

49

15

Exeter City

78

26

17

The fact that Watkins is happy to leave Villa is a big boost for Newcastle, and there should be no issues with him coming straight in and hitting the ground running at St James’.

Arsenal have long been linked with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, with reports suggesting they’ve held initial talks on the player side dating all the way back to May.

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Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg backed up their discussions for the Brazilian too, amid sporting director Andrea Berta’s previous search for a winger, before they ultimately signed Noni Madueke from Chelsea.

However, Madueke’s arrival may not actually signal the end of Arsenal’s pursuit after all.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£208m

While Arsenal are currently targeting Eberechi Eze, reliable journalist Ben Jacobs recently stated that Mikel Arteta’s side still have their eyes on Rodrygo alongside other forward targets like Rafael Leao and Anthony Gordon (talkSPORT), but it would require one of Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard leaving.

They may also face stiff competition for the 24-year-old, who’s reportedly yet to commit to the Bernabeu for next season.

This week, north London rivals Tottenham have been repeatedly linked with an audacious swoop for Rodrygo, while Liverpool reportedly remain contenders as well.

It’s a situation definitely worth monitoring from now until deadline day on September 1, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the winger will decide his future imminently after barely featuring for Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup.

The former Santos star is a wanted man elsewhere, but according to a new report, he isn’t the only Real star who’s popular in the Premier League.

Arsenal make £65m proposal for Aurelien Tchouameni via intermediary

Now, according to Defensa Central, a £65 million proposal for £210,000-per-week Real midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni has arrived from England via an intermediary.

Whilst not explicitly confirming Berta is responsible, Defensa theorise that this is most likely to have come from Arsenal, with the Premier League side apparently informing Real that they’re prepared to pay big.

However, Los Blancos immediately slammed the door shut, rejecting this approach with a blunt “we’re not interested, thank you.”

Real’s sporting directors made it crystal clear that Tchouaméni is untouchable this summer, with Alonso viewing the France international as a cornerstone for the upcoming season.

Tchouameni started every game under the Spaniard during their Club World Cup campaign, and he’ll likely be indispensable at Valdebebas once again next season, with Madrid insiders insisting no amount of money can pry him away.

The player himself has also made no secret of his desire to stay in Madrid long-term, so Arsenal’s work appears well and truly cut out for them here.

Tchouameni cost around £85 million to sign from Monaco in 2022, including add-ons, so if Real were to somehow pull a U-turn, it would likely take a fee north of this amount for them to even consider negotiating.

Arshdeep and Jansen have suggested that Centurion and Johannesburg will have more assistance for the quicks than Gqeberha and Durban

Hemant Brar12-Nov-20241:29

Arshdeep is ‘enjoying what India’s spinners are doing’ in South Africa

Pace and bounce. Those are the words that come to mind when one thinks of cricket in South Africa. However, things have been completely different in the first two T20Is of the current series. There was so much help for spinners that India looked more at home than the hosts.South Africa’s batters had no clue against Varun Chakravarthy, now an overspin bowler with more tricks in his bag than a magician. His eight wickets – and an economy rate of 5.25 – are the most in the series so far. Legspinner Ravi Bishnoi is the joint second on that list with four wickets and an economy rate of 6.12.In all, spinners from both sides have a combined 16 scalps and gone at 6.51 per over. Fast bowlers, despite bowling almost seven overs more, have 12 while going at 8.58.Related

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Arshdeep Singh, a fast bowler himself, does not mind that. Even though he went for 41 in four overs in the second T20I in Gqeberha. “I’m enjoying what the spinners are doing. I will be really happy if they take all ten wickets and I don’t have to do my job,” he said on the eve of the third T20I in Centurion.The conditions in the third T20I, though, are expected to be different from the first two. The first two were played in coastal cities, Durban and Gqeberha, and the teams could breach the 150 mark only once in four innings.The next two games will be played in Centurion and Johannesburg, high-altitude venues where the ball flies off the bat. In the most recent T20I in Centurion, in March 2023, West Indies posted 258 for 5, only for South Africa to pull off a record chase with more than an over to spare.So what is India’s plan for Wednesday? “The South Africa batters are struggling against spin,” Arshdeep said. “So the idea is to contain early on and give a good platform to our spinners to attack and take wickets.”Varun Chakravarthy bamboozled South Africa’s batters in the first two T20Is•AFP/Getty Images

But it will not be easy for Varun and Bishnoi to replicate their performance, and South Africa know this. “Playing spin here is a lot different than playing it in PE [Port Elizabeth, Gqeberha’s earlier name] or Durban,” their allrounder Marco Jansen said. “There is a lot more bounce here and they will probably try a fuller length. How we go about that is different for each individual.”I think we didn’t play spin as well as we wanted to in PE. There were a few soft dismissals where we felt we could definitely make better decisions and execute better.”It’s important we look to score straight against spinners. It’s the same for them; they don’t want to go too full because then it’s easier to play. They want to be shorter. It’s not turning a lot; the ball just skids on. So they know if they go fuller, it is easier to score. If it’s full, we can step out. If it’s short, we can stay back.”With the ball, South Africa’s plan looks different from India’s. Their lead fast bowlers – Jansen and Gerald Coetzee, both returning from injuries – have been quicker and more accurate than their Indian counterparts and will aim to strike early.”In the Highveld, the ball travels a lot more than at the coast,” Jansen said. “So it’s important to take wickets at regular intervals, because it’s very difficult to restrict the scoring rate.”Arshdeep is aware he may have to play a key role for India. “I am looking forward to what the wicket offers here,” he said. “It all depends on the conditions, the pitch, the situation whether to go for wickets or look to contain.”When you are bowling two overs at the start and two at the end, a lot depends on you – you can win a game or lose it. So there’s a lot of responsibility. When you bowl at the death, some days are good, some days are bad. You try to stay level-headed and not overthink. The endeavour is to keep things simple, not complicate them, and fulfil what the team demands from me.”

The Queensland quick wasn’t expected to be in the Perth Test squad but could be needed during the series

Alex Malcolm07-Nov-2024Australia’s Test bowling depth has taken a blow with back-up seamer Michael Neser ruled out of the remainder of the Australia A game at the MCG with a hamstring injury after claiming four wickets on the opening day to rip through India A’s top order.Neser was bowling his 13th over, having already taken 4 for 27 with some stunning swing and seam bowling in the morning session, when he pulled up sharply following his second delivery of the over. He immediately began limping off the ground in a clear sign that he knew exactly what the issue was.A Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed shortly after that Neser had injured his left hamstring and would not bowl again in the game. He will go for scans to assess the extent of the damage.Related

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It is understood Neser had experienced some soreness in the same left hamstring after the last Sheffield Shield game he played on October 23 when he bowled 48.5 overs for Queensland against South Australia. That soreness saw him ruled out of the domestic One-Day Cup game against South Australia two days later.He returned to training without any issues after a short break and was fine in the lead-up to this game. But the fast bowlers have had issues with the outfield at the MCG this season as it has been top dressed with sand following the Australian Football League season.Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc suffered cramps in both the Shield and ODI games he has played here over the past two weeks and complained about how heavy the outfield was to run on. Australia and New South Wales team-mate Sean Abbott also noted how heavy his legs felt after the Shield game.Neser had also come into the summer off an injury in the winter. He suffered a calf injury while playing in England and was on bowling restrictions in the pre-season right up until the first Shield game of the summer in Perth.He was unlikely to be in Australia’s Test squad for the first Test in Perth against India with Scott Boland set to be the sole back-up quick in what is expected to be a 13-man group. But there was an expectation that Neser could be needed at some point during the series. There is a nine-day break between the first two Tests but Australia are wary that there is only a three-day gap between the second and third Test in Adelaide and Brisbane. There is a seven-day break between the third and fourth Test and then another three-day break between the fourth and fifth Test.Abbott and Nathan McAndrew would be among the contenders if Australia needed another fast bowler for a Test match beyond Boland.There is some positive news from Western Australia with Jhye Richardson getting through a WA Second XI game last week and bowling 25 overs in the match for the first time in 12 months. He might be able to make a Shield return before the BBL break but it would be a big ask for him to be ready for a Test match given his long build back off a raft of injury issues.Lance Morris has also not played a red-ball game this season coming off stress fractures in the winter and a quad strain. But he is in line to play an ODI on Sunday when Australia’s big three are rested. He was also a chance to play a Shield game before the BBL provided he could build his loads up adequately.

Everton are believed to be in talks over the signing of a “fantastic” Premier League hero this summer, with the player in question even called better than Harry Kane in the past.

Moyes wants "five or six" new signings at Everton

The Blues have had a productive summer in the transfer market to date, not least acquiring the signature of big-money attacking signing Thierno Barry from Villarreal.

David Moyes will want to build on an excellent start to life back at Everton, however, with the Scot admitting that he still wants plenty of new faces through the door before the window slams shut on September 1st.

“Well, we’ve signed three, so if you take that off, we’re still in the need of maybe five or six players. That’s what we have to try and do. I’ve never had one of these times. In the past I have had to sign a lot of players, but I’ve never had to do so many in one window.”

While Barry has come in as an exciting new striker for Everton, they may well feel the need to add further depth there, especially following the exit of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the potential departure of Beto. Now, an intriguing name has been thrown into the mix to add more firepower to Moyes’ squad.

Everton in talks with Premier League legend Vardy

According to a report from Spain, Everton are in talks with Jamie Vardy over a move to the club this summer, in what would arguably be a shock piece of business. The Blues are the club who have “taken the initiative most seriously”, while the conversations are said to be “on the march” with the striker’s representatives.

The 38-year-old is a free agent after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season, following a legendary stint there that included winning the Premier League title back in 2015/16.

Vardy may not be the force he once was, given his age, but it is easy to see him being a good squad player at Everton for a year or two.

The Englishman still possesses plenty of pace and an eye for goal, and Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca even once claimed he is better than Kane and Wayne Rooney among the leading strikers of their generation, having worked with him at Leicester.

“Vardy is fantastic and people don’t realise how good he is. I know that England has been quite lucky with strikers, like Kane, Rooney and many others, but if you ask me he has been the best one. He can do many things, like run in behind and finish, but the best thing for me is his open mind.”

The fact that Vardy would be available on a free transfer almost makes him a gamble worth taking, and if he joins Everton and simply doesn’t have the impact of the past, it would be no disaster.

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On the flip side, though, he could be a great option off the substitutes’ bench, popping up with goals in key moments and becoming a crowd favourite with his infectious personality, having scored seven times in 16 appearances against the Blues.

Cristiano Ronaldo could be heading back to America for the first time in over 10 years, with the USMNT planning an exhibition match with Portugal.

• United States preparing to co-host World Cup
• Intend to line up glamour friendly contests
• CR7 last graced U.S. soil in summer of 2014

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  That is according to , who claim that the United States are hoping to play host to CR7 and Co and an “NFL-sized venue on the east coast”. It is being suggested that said contest could take place during the international break of March 2026.

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  USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly keen to “face teams from different confederations” as he prepares his squad for a home World Cup next summer. The U.S. do not need to qualify for that tournament as co-hosts.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  There is still work to do when it comes to readying the USMNT for clashes with the global elite, with a 2-0 defeat to South Korea last time out further highlighting that point. Facing Portugal would be a big test, with a friendly date with Belgium also being sought.

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  Said contests can only be confirmed if Portugal and Belgium qualify for the 2026 World Cup without the need for a play-off. Ronaldo and the 2025 UEFA Nations League winners are also being lined up for a meeting with Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

New Zealand withstood the sublime genius of Rishabh Pant to enter uncharted territory: a whitewash of India in India in a series of three Tests or more. Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips combined for nine wickets to defend 146 despite Pant’s 64 off 57 that took them from 29 for 5 to 106 for 6. Ajaz ended up with an 11-wicket haul, becoming the most successful visiting bowler at a single Indian ground.Apart from poor batting, of course, India were also left looking at a contentious DRS call from the third umpire Paul Reiffel. Pant had all the momentum with India taking six singles and two boundaries in the first two overs after lunch, but New Zealand managed to get a decision overturned in what appeared a desperate review. Pant had padded up to Ajaz after being beaten in the air, was given not-out on a bat-pad catch, the third umpire on first viewing seemed to be ruling that the murmur of UltraEdge came from the bat on the pad. Eventually, though, a possible deflection after the sound signature convinced the third umpire to overrule the on-field call.Related

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Take nothing away from Ajaz, though. Born in Mumbai, representing New Zealand, having taken an all-10 on his previous trip, Ajaz was having an ordinary series when he came into the final Test. Even though he found his groove post lunch on day two, taking five wickets in the first innings, even though he had taken three early wickets in the second innings, he was playing a different Test against Pant.At the moment of the Pant wicket, Ajaz had bowled 167 balls to rest of India for 112 runs and nine wickets, but 41 balls to Pant had gone for 75 runs. Pant was in the middle of an audacious effort that defied the treacherous conditions, asked for by the team management and duly delivered to them.The problem with batting on such tracks is the vast margin for errors bowlers have. Even if you bowl a rank long hop, you can protect the boundaries with in-out fields because the ball comes off the pitch at varying pace. Pant’s genius lay in still managing to manipulate shots enough to beat the deep fielders. A swivel almost onto the stumps to hit squarer. A collapse onto the knee to sweep finer. Almost always sweeping himself off his feet to impart that extra bit of power. All this while maintaining an 84% control rate at lunch.When Pant was not on strike, though, Ajaz was unplayable. Ever since lunch on day two, he bowled perfect lengths and carried it into the second innings. He bowled on a good length, drawing forward-defence from the batters without letting them reach the pitch of the ball.Rishabh Pant wasn’t happy with the review that sent him back•BCCI

Shubman Gill left one alone without covering the line of off, leaving himself open to the vagaries of the pitch. The ball didn’t turn, and took the off stump out. Virat Kohli was a sitting duck as he defended and edged into the big mitts of Dary Mitchell at slip. Ravindra Jadeja, who earlier completed his third career 10-wicket match haul and added 42 with Pant, finally got one that turned too much and was caught at bat-pad. Only Sarfaraz Khan’s wicket was a gift because of the gremlins in the minds. His two-ball innings consisted of two premeditated sweeps to what were otherwise boundary balls. One a single, and the other a full toss helped straight into deep midwicket’s welcoming hands.The openers fell to Matt Henry and Phillips. Rohit Sharma seemed like he wanted to get ahead of New Zealand while the roller’s effect was still fresh after New Zealand refused to get the pitch rolled as their last wicket added three runs to the overnight lead of 143. Two boundaries came, but the third attempt was to a ball not short enough, and Phillips caught the top-edged pull at midwicket.Phillips, who has far exceeded expectations as the second spinner of the side, continued the good work by not bowling any bad balls, and was duly rewarded by trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw on the forward-defence.Pant, though, was playing a different game. His first thought was a boundary, then running, and then defence. He opened his account with a flat six back over Ajaz’s head. That forced Ajaz to bowl quicker and shorter to him, getting India a set of two bye boundaries. His reverse-sweeping got rid of short fine leg, and benefitted him when he top-edged a sweep precisely there.After losing Jadeja, he found the boundary two times in the last two overs before lunch to bring up his fifty and leave India hopeful of a miracle. Post lunch, New Zealand sat back. Six singles in the first over. Two fours in the second. Then came the desperate review, which turned it around for New Zealand again.Tom Blundell found something to celebrate with a superb catch off the R Ashwin glove on the reverse-sweep. Phillips found a moment to celebrate all the hard work when he bowled Akash Deep through the gate. Fittingly, Ajaz ended it all as Washington Sundar tried to slog him with not many options left.

Where is Alexander Isak going to be playing his football next season? The Newcastle United striker is one of two attackers embroiled in a huge transfer saga involving the Magpies and Premier League champions Liverpool. It is fair to say that his future is up in the air right now.

A new report from David Ornstein explains that the Reds have contacted Eintracht Frankfurt over a possible move for Hugo Ekitike, also a key target for Liverpool. However, Arne Slot’s side have also made a move for Isak. Newcastle are hoping to keep their number nine and also sign Ektiike.

At this stage, it is too difficult to predict which striker will end up where next season. A recent development could see Newcastle move for a different striker altogether.

The latest on Newcastle’s striker pursuit

It will be fascinating to follow this transfer saga, which does not seem like it will come to a conclusion anytime soon. Perhaps the Magpies will instead look to pursue a new target up front, and have been linked with someone from within the Premier League.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, the North Eastern giants hold a strong interest in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, and, in the view of Bailey, like the striker ‘an awful lot’.

They are said to be ‘one of several Premier League clubs in talks’ to sign the forward in the 2025 summer window, meaning the competition will be stiff.

Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are also interested in a deal that could see the striker leave for as little as £40m.

Why Wissa would be a good signing

Perhaps it would be wise for Newcastle to untangle themselves from this Isak and Ekitike saga and focus on someone with a fantastic record in the Premier League, instead. Wissa is certainly that guy, and his top-flight numbers speak for themselves.

The 28-year-old has played 137 Premier League games in his career so far, finding the back of the net 45 times and assisting a further 13 goals. The last two seasons have seen the DR Congo international reach double figures for goals.

The 2024/25 campaign was comfortably Wissa’s best in the Premier League. He featured in 35 games for Brentford, scoring 19 times and grabbing five assists, stepping up in the wake of Ivan Toney’s departure. Impressively, the striker contributed to seven goals in the final seven games of the season.

If Isak is to depart St James’ Park this summer, then replacing him will be no mean feat. Last season, former defender-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports the Swede is the “best striker in the Premier League”, talking in December 2024.

Well, the stats from last season make it easy to see why the Liverpool legend spoke so highly of Isak. He bagged 23 goals in 34 Premier League appearances, as well as that crucial strike in the Carabao Cup final triumph over Carragher’s former side.

Finding an heir to the throne of Isak will not be easy, but perhaps Wissa, an “exceptional” striker according to Jamie Redknapp, could be the guy they’re looking for. They are actually noted as statistically similar players, as per FBef from the top flight last season and some of the stats stand out.

Of course, one of the most important stats for strikers is their shooting numbers. The Brentford star averaged 0.21 goals per shot per game last season, slightly pipping Isak, who had 0.2. The pair averaged the same number of goals per shot on target, with 0.46, too. Wissa’s 0.59 goals per game is not too far off Isak’s tally of 0.75.

Goals

0.59

0.75

Goals per shot

0.21

0.2

Goals per shot on target

0.46

0.46

Goal-creating actions

0.31

0.46

Ball recoveries

2.5

1.88

Aerial duels won

0.93

0.85

This could be a steal for Newcastle, at a price of just £40m. Wissa is undoubtedly one of the deadliest strikers in the Premier League, and only scored four fewer goals last season than Isak managed.

He has the quality and consistency to become the heir to the Swede’s throne and make the Magpies forget all about signing Ekitike this summer.

Elanga's dream CF: Newcastle exploring move for £50m Ekitike alternative

Following the signing of Anthony Elanga, Newcastle are now exploring a move to sign a Premier League striker worth £50m who has a “nose for goals”.

Jul 14, 2025