Pep’s new Sterling: Man City line up mega move to sign £87m “speedster”

Manchester City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League to just two points after they beat Sunderland 3-0 at The Etihad on Saturday.

A screamer from Ruben Dias set the Cityzens on their way before Rayan Cherki provided a genius rabona assist for Phil Foden to seal all three points with the third goal.

Despite a run of five wins in their last six matches in the Premier League, there is always room for improvement at Manchester City for Pep Guardiola, which means that they could be active in the upcoming January transfer window.

Man City scouting Bundesliga star

One thing that the Cityzens do not have in abundance is players with real speed who can run off the last line, but they are now looking at a star who could provide that.

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 CaughtOffside, Manchester City are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a potential swoop to sign RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Premier League side have sent scouts to watch the Ivorian talent in action in the Bundesliga this season, ahead of a possible move for him next month or next summer.

It adds, though, that Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool have also been watching the 19-year-old starlet, which suggests that there could be plenty of competition for his signature.

CaughtOffside reveals that insiders believe that his value could rise as high as £87m amid interest from a host of top European clubs, whilst his contract does not expire until 2030.

Why Man City should sign Yan Diomande

The Cityzens should push to win the race for the teenage whiz’s signature because he could be Guardiola’s new Sterling, as a rapid right-footed right winger who can provide a real threat in behind.

In Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Rayan Cherki, City have a collection of right-sided attackers who are at their best dropping into play to take the ball with their back to goal or on the half-turn, but they do not have a natural right winger who wants to run in behind.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described Diomande, meanwhile, as a “crazy speedster” who has become a “weapon” in the final third by adding goals and assists to go along with his electric pace.

The Ivorian star scored a hat-trick against Frankfurt in a 6-0 win for Leipzig at the weekend, taking his tally for the season to seven goals in 15 appearances for the German side.

Diomande has scored six goals from 3.03 xG and registered two assists from two ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore, in the Bundesliga for his club, whilst he has also completed 2.8 dribbles per game, which speaks to how direct and purposeful his play is.

Man City’s all-time leading scorers and assisters

Goals

Assists

Sergio Aguero (260)

Kevin De Bruyne (177)

Joe Hayes (146)

David Silva (136)

Eric Brook (145)

Raheem Sterling (86)

Erling Haaland (144)

Bernardo Silva (75)

Colin Bell (149)

Phil Foden (65)

Francis Lee (138)

Sergio Aguero (65)

Raheem Sterling (131)

Riyad Mahrez (59)

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Sterling was also a player who provided quality in the final third to go along with the pace that he used to run in behind opposition defenders.

The fact that the England international and Sergio Aguero are the only two players who feature in the top seven for both goals and assists speaks to how effective he was for Guardiola on the right wing as both a scorer and a creator.

Diomande is a talented young player who has the potential to follow in Sterling’s footsteps, because he has already shown that he can provide quality on a regular basis in the Bundesliga with Leipzig this term, with eight goal contributions so far.

Like Sterling, the 19-year-old winger is a dynamic forward who can go down the line or run in behind on his right foot, but he can also drop deep and come inside onto his weaker foot, having scored four goals with his left foot and two with his right, per Sofascore.

Man City make approach for 'frustrated' Arsenal star as three more clubs line up

The Gunners have responded.

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Emilio Galantini

7 days ago

This is why City should be pushing to get a deal done for the youngster when the January transfer window opens, because Diomande could provide Guardiola with a right-sided option that he has not had since Sterling left the club.

Rock and Roll It Podcast: Mohammed Shami – unlucky or underrated?

The crew gets together to answer questions like why is Shami not being picked, is he better than any current fast bowler in the side, how can he make a comeback, and more

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Why has Mohammed Shami – one of India’s top fast bowlers – been sidelined? Join Dustin Silgardo, Sidharth Monga, and Karthik Krishnaswamy as they dive deep into Shami’s legendary career, the chatter around his selection, and what makes him unique in Indian cricket. Hear untold stories from his journey, data-driven analysis, and the inside track on Indian fast bowling with banter and perspective.

Tamil Nadu split coaches mid-season after Ranji Trophy struggles

Senthilnathan will remain in charge of the red-ball team. Venkataramana has been brought to coach the white-ball team

Winless after four rounds of the Ranji Trophy, Tamil Nadu have restructured their coaching set-up with former offspinner M Venkataramana set to take over from M Senthilnathan as head coach for the white-ball leg of the Indian domestic season.Senthilnathan will, however, see out the remainder of the Ranji season; the two remaining rounds of matches will be played in January after the Vijay Hazare Trophy.TN are currently in the bottom half of Group A, just above Odisha and Nagaland. In the ongoing fifth round, they are in a fight for survival for first-innings points thanks to Rinku Singh, despite posting 455.TN have already lost outright to Jharkhand and Andhra, while conceding a lead against Vidarbha, the defending champions. They also nearly couldn’t defend 512 against Nagaland for the first-innings honours. It is likely that even victories in TN’s remaining two fixtures won’t be enough to secure a Ranji Trophy knockouts berthWhile the timing – right in the middle of their fifth-round game against Uttar Pradesh in Coimbatore – may seem off, there have been rumblings of such a move at the top from within the TNCA since their fourth-round defeat to Andhra.The decision was finally taken and approved at an emergency meeting in Chennai on Tuesday, with the TNCA announcing via a press release late at night that they were adopting a split-coaching model for the remainder of 2025-26. TNCA’s release didn’t specify if Senthilnathan would continue beyond the current Ranji season.Venkataramana represented India in one Test in 1989, against West Indies in Kingston. He played 75 first-class matches, picking up 247 wickets at an average of 29.63 and 12 five-fors.This is the third coaching change TN have made in the past two years. In 2023-24, there were similar rumblings, but from within the team against former Mumbai wicketkeeper Sulakshan Kulkarni. He was then removed as head coach barely a year into his two-year contract, with L Balaji, the former India fast bowler, taking over. Prior to the start of the 2025-26 season, Senthilnathan, a former chief selector, took over from Balaji.Earlier in the week, TN named Varun Chakravarthy as captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s. This will mark Chakravarthy’s first foray into a leadership role, after three other contenders – M Shahrukh Khan, R Sai Kishore and N Jagadeesan – were overlooked.At Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, TN are placed in a tough pool alongside Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tripura, Jharkhand and Saurashtra.

Leeds now make contact over signing “powerful” star who’s been likened to Odegaard

Leeds United have now made contact over signing a midfield star who’s been likened to Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, according to recent reports.

Daniel Farke Leeds "preparing" for January window

There’s no rest for the wicked and Leeds’ clash against Liverpool at Elland Road represents another tough test for Daniel Farke’s side, who have already squared off against Manchester City and Chelsea this week.

On paper, the visit of the reigning champions should be a daunting task, but Liverpool’s crown has been snatched this season and the Reds find themselves in the middle of a disastrous defence. Leeds, meanwhile, just ran Man City close and swept past Chelsea in shocking fashion. Those at Elland Road couldn’t be facing Liverpool at a better time.

Victory over Slot’s side could take the Whites five points clear of the dropzone if results go their way in a crucial step towards survival as the festive fixtures arrive thick and fast.

Meanwhile, as things progress on the pitch, the 49ers are already “planning” ahead for the January transfer window, according to Farke. The Leeds boss told reporters earlier this week: “I have not one second to think about what could happen, it also depends on injuries and how the players deliver in these upcoming games.

“I spoke in the summer about what he might have liked to sign and this has not gone away, in the background we are preparing but now is not the time to speak about it.”

Leeds now prioritising £35m move to sign South American defender ahead of Juventus

He’d be one of their most expensive arrivals.

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On that front, names such as Nilson Angulo have emerged as reported targets. The impressive winger has been dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers this season and would certainly inject some added spark to Farke’s frontline.

The same can be said for Jens Hjerto-Dahl. The midfielder has been likened to fellow Norway star Odegaard and now finds himself on the radar of those at Elland Road.

Leeds make contact over signing Jens Hjerto-Dahl

As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds have now made contact to sign Hjerto-Dahl in 2026, but face competition from Rangers, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Tromso midfielder has built up an impressive reputation in Norway for his ability as a goalscoring box-crasher – scoring five goals in 35 games in all competitions this season – and could now get the chance to do that in the Premier League.

Described as “powerful” by scout Kai Watson, Hjerto-Dahl was likened to Odegaard when he was linked with a move to Brighton earlier this month and Leeds should go all out to land his signature.

The towering star certainly fits the physical profile of what’s needed in the Premier League these days, but it remains to be seen if clubs act as early as January.

Farke must unleash "wonderkid" who'd be perfect for Nmecha's new Leeds role

Aaron Judge Praises Garrett Crochet As 'Best Pitcher in Baseball' After Game 1 Gem

Cy Young candidate Garrett Crochet pitched an absolute gem on Tuesday night, allowing one run on four hits while striking out 11 batters as the Red Sox took down the Yankees 3–1 in the Bronx. Boston now leads the American League wild-card playoff series 1–0.

Following the contest—which saw the Sox come back from down a run in the seventh—slugger Aaron Judge spoke about the challenges he and his New York teammates faced against the 25-year-old hurler, and made what was likely a painful admission:

"He's the best pitcher in the game," Judge explained. "He's gonna work all his pitches, worked a little more off-speed in there early on. We got the Volpe homer but couldn't really, when we got guys on, couldn't do much after that."

Game recognize game.

For what it's worth, Judge did find some relative success against Crochet, going 1-for-3 from the dish while striking out in the sixth.

The wild-card series between two of MLB's biggest rivals will continue on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, with Carlos Rodon set to to the rubber for New York while Brayan Bello goes for the Red Sox.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Simulator Struck Out a Dodgers Teammate Before World Series Parade

Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto decided to spend a portion of his Monday doing what he does best: pitching—the simulated version of him, anyway.

Yamamoto was crowned World Series MVP on Saturday night after his stellar October performances, from his historic complete game in Game 2 to his clutch close-out in the final key innings of Game 7. After winning baseball's biggest prize, the Japanese star prepared for the team's World Series parade on Monday while his teammate, Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki, had some fun with a Yamamoto simulator in batting practice.

In an Instagram Story shared by Sasaki, the Yamamoto simulator was seen pitching to Sasaki in a practice facility before Monday's championship parade. It seemed like there was some sort of contest going on, as what was presumably Sasaki's other Dodgers teammates could be heard egging on the Yamamoto machine.

"Strike him out! Strike out Roki!" one person said.

The Yamamoto simulator proceeded to do just that, and Sasaki took the loss in stride, captioning the video, "Yoshi is nasty."

Watch that funny moment below:

Yamamoto is just getting his Dodgers' career started, but after two title-winning seasons in L.A., he's already made his indelible mark in MLB history. Coming of this year's Fall Classic, the 27-year-old became the first player to win three games in a World Series since 2001, and just the fourth ever to record a win in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series.

Clearly, he's not finished yet, and neither is fellow Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

الحكم يوضح سبب طرد ثلاثي ريال مدريد أمام سيلتا فيجو.. وتصرف غريب من كارفاخال

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية ما جاء في تقرير حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وسيلتا فيجو في الدوري الاسباني، وما استند عليه لقيامه بطرد ثلاث لاعبين من جانب الفريق المضيف.

وكان سيلتا فيجو قد تغلب على ريال مدريد بثنائية نظيفة، بعد أن أكمل وصيف الليجا حالياً المباراة بتسعة لاعبين بعد طرد فران جارسيا وألفارو كاريراس، قبل طرد إندريك من دكة البدلاء.

وأفادت الصحفية “أرانشا رودريجيز” أن حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وسيلتا فيجو قام في الدقيقة 20 بطرد فران جارسيا لحصوله على البطاقة الصفراء الثانية.

بينما قام حكم مباراة الفريقين بطرد ألفارو كاريراس لاعب ريال مدريد في الدقيقة 90 بعد أن وجه كلمات له: “أنت سئ للغاية”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. تشابي ألونسو يهاجم حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وسيلتا فيجو: متساهل.. وقراراته أربكتنا

وفي الدقيقة 90 تم طرد إندريك فيليبي لاعب ريال مدريد لوقوفه من على مقاعد البدلاء ومغادرته المنطقة الفنية والصراخ على الحكم الرابع.

وبعد انتهاء المباراة، كتب الحكم في تقريره أنه في أثناء المرور في النفق المؤدي لغرفة الملابس، لاحظ عدم ارتداء داني كارفاخال ملابس التدريب حيث كان يرتدي ملابس عادية، فقد اقترب منه وقال: “هذا هو المستوى الذي تحكم به، ثم تبكي في المؤتمر الصحفي”.

No Castelão, Fortaleza vence CRB e coloca uma mão na taça da Copa do Nordeste

MatériaMais Notícias

No jogo de ida da final da Copa do Nordeste, o Fortaleza derrotou o CRB por 2 a 0, nesta quarta-feira (5), no Castelão. Moisés e Lucero foram os autores dos gols da vitória.

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➡ Clique aqui para assinar e assistir no Star+

Com o triunfo, o Tricolor pode até perder o duelo de volta por um gol de diferença para ser campeão regional. Por outro lado, a equipe alagoana precisa vencer por dois gols de vantagem para levar a decisão para os pênaltis ou mais para erguer o troféu do torneio.

O confronto de volta será realizado no domingo (9), às 16h30 (horário de Brasília), no Estádio Rei Pelé, em Alagoas.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Fortaleza 2 x 0 CRB – Copa do Nordeste
Final (Ida)

🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 5 de junho de 2024, às 21h30 (hora de Brasília)
📍 Local: Castelão, em Fortaleza (CE)
📺 Onde assistir: SBT, ESPN, Star+ e Nosso Futebol+
🟨 Arbitragem: Paulo Belence Alves dos Prazeres Filho (árbitro); Francisco Chaves Bezerra Júnior e Karla Renata Cavalcanti de Santana (auxiliares); Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Junior (VAR).

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FORTALEZA (Técnico: Juan Pablo Vojvoda)
João Ricardo; Tinga, Brítez, Titi e Bruno Pacheco; José Welison, Matheus Rossetto e Pochettino; Yago Pikachu, Lucero e Moisés.

CRB (Técnico: Daniel Paulista)
Matheus Albino; Hereda, Saimon, Fábio Alemão e Matheus Ribeiro; Falcão, João Pedro e Gegê; Labandeira, Anselmo Ramon e Léo Pereira.

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Tudo sobre

Copa do NordesteCRBFortaleza

Berta has just signed a “top talent” who can end Odegaard’s Arsenal career

On Saturday lunchtime, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had a big decision to make. Play Martin Odegaard or Eberechi Eze in the number 10 position?

Well, the Spaniard chose his club captain Odegaard. It was a successive start for the Norwegian who is now back from injury and ready to make an impact.

What that meant was that the Gunners’ November Player of the Month was selected on the left flank.

It wasn’t a decision that went well for Eze. The scorer of that famous hat-trick in the north London derby just a few weeks ago, his influence from the left, rather than in a central area, was severely lacking.

It was Eze who switched off at the back post for Matty Cash’s opener and despite having a goal ruled out for offside, he was anonymous in the final third.

The summer signing was subsequently withdrawn at the half time interval having registered just 13 touches of the ball and amassed just seven passes.

Why Arsenal must pick Eze over Odegaard in the number 10 role

Before Emiliano Buendia’s late winner at Villa Park on Saturday, TNT Sports’ Martin Keown had named Martin Odegaard as the player of the match.

The club captain drifted in and out of the game, but left the field with three key passes and three shots to his name. He also ensured Bukayo Saka looked like a constant threat in the game. Indeed, in the words of the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, he noted that “it can’t be a coincidence that Saka has been so dangerous today, on the day he is reunited with Odegaard,” suggesting that as a pairing, they remain one of Arsenal’s “great weapons.”

That they may well be, but the skipper arguably held Arteta’s team back. While Eze has looked like such a big goal threat over the last few weeks, a dynamic and silky player who can produce a moment of magic out of nowhere, Odegaard was sluggish and timid in possession.

His biggest problem is that unlike Eze, he takes too many touches and he’s slow in possession. The 26-year-old is one of the best midfielders in the world on his day. He’s supremely creative but Arsenal’s summer recruit from Crystal Palace has taken them to the next level in recent weeks.

Odegaard & Eze vs Villa

Stat

Odegaard

Eze

Mins played

90

45

Touches

80

13

Key passes

3

0

Shots

3

0

Successful dribbles

1/4

1/1

Duels won

3/10

2/5

Possession lost

15x

3x

Stats via Sofascore.

It was surely no coincidence that two of their finest wins of 2025, the victories against Spurs and Bayern, came with Eze in the team over Odegaard.

It feels incredibly unlikely that Arteta will drop the latter but he must explore what this team could be like without their captain.

That said, Eze isn’t the only threat to Odegaard’s long-term future at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal's next Odegaard and Eze

Eze’s arrival has coincided with a lack of game time for Ethan Nwaneri. Last season he was compared to Lionel Messi by Joe Cole and described as “the most exciting footballer in England.” How times change.

While the 18-year-old is still up there as one of the finest young talents in the country, scoring nine goals last term, regular senior football has eluded him in 2025/26. He has played just 165 minutes of Premier League football this term and only 20 minutes since the start of November.

Nwaneri will no doubt come good but he will also have to rival the great Max Dowman for a place in the team over the forthcoming years. Odegaard, beware.

The two exciting teenagers are not the only threats to Odegaard’s long-term future, however. Enter Holger Quintero.

At the end of last week, Arsenal announced the signings of a set of twins, Holger and Edwin Quintero from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle.

They have become one of the finest exponents of young talent in world football in recent years. Part of their alumni include Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and PSG’s brute of a central defender William Pacho.

Well, the Quintero twins look like the next cabs of the rank and while they will not be seen in Arsenal colours until they turn 18, the 16-year-old’s have signed an agreement to join the club, something that was announced last Thursday.

Edwin is a left-footed right winger and, alongside Dowman, has been labelled as a “10/10 talent” by scout Jacek Kulig. As for his brother, Holger, he is an attacking midfielder by trade and an exciting one at that.

Described as a “top talent” by Como scout Felix Johnston, he possesses a glittering array of skills, outlined by Kulig.

The scout notes that he has “superb close control, flair and creativity” while hailing the youngster’s “low centre of gravity and excellent agility, acceleration and coordination.”

Close control and creativity are two areas in which Odegaard also thrives in but it’s arguably that lack of acceleration and ability to carry the ball forward with pace that holds him back. That’s where Quintero could trump him in the years to come.

Further described as a young kid with “elite dribbling skills with futsal-like ball control”, there is a reason Arsenal have decided to invest in these two young attacking sensations.

To predict they could become world beaters might be a stretch at this stage, but there is huge excitement about them both. As Kulig put it, Holger is “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

Watch out, Odegaard, it might not only be Dowman coming for your place.

4/10 star had his worst game in an Arsenal shirt vs Aston Villa

Arsenal suffered their second defeat of the season against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago

Webster bags eight for the match but Tasmania lose to South Australia

Liam Scott made 53 to go with his five wickets while Ben Manenti finished 49 not out as South Australia won by three wickets in a tight fourth innings chase

AAP12-Nov-2025Australia’s incumbent Test allrounder Beau Webster has taken eight wickets, including Travis Head twice and Alex Carey once, but it wasn’t enough for Tasmania as Liam Scott and Ben Manenti guided South Australia to their first win of the Sheffield Shield season in Hobart.Needing to manufacture the highest innings of a bowler-dominated match, the reigning champions recovered from 88 for 5 to chase down the target of 217.Cult hero Manenti was one of the heroes, scoring an unbeaten 49 from No.8. Manenti also took the crucial wickets of Beau Webster, Tim Ward and Brad Hope in Tasmania’s second innings to help bowl the Tigers out for 184. He put on a crucial 71-run stand with player of the match Scott to steer the visitors out of trouble.Related

  • Webster takes five on tough day for his Test chances

  • Webster, Weatherald miss out as Doggett bags five

South Australia were winless from their first three games of the season, losing two and drawing the other. The result came against stiff opposition, with Australia’s incumbent Test No.6 Beau Webster starring with the ball to ensure he remains in contention to keep his spot.After claiming 5 for 50 in the first innings, Webster backed it up with 3 for 73 in the losing cause.Two of his victims were Travis Head and Alex Carey, his Australian teammates. Head edged Webster to slips on 15 from a ripping off-cutter, continuing his disappointing run of form leading into the Ashes.Since smashing a blazing ODI century against South Africa in August, his highest score has been 31 in 11 innings.Although Webster got the better of his Test teammates, he was taken apart by Manenti and Scott, with his wickets coming at more than six runs an over.Manenti was thrilled with the win.”We’ve been pretty successful down here the last couple of years. It’s a place we love to come and play at,” he said. “Probably rode the game a bit, it was a tricky wicket early.”We needed it. We’ve been close the last couple of weeks, playing some really good cricket, we’ve just lost patches.”South Australia will return to Adelaide Oval for their next match against Western Australia, starting on November 22.

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