Zafar Gohar, the former Pakistan spinner, has joined Middlesex on a two-year contract after qualifying as a local player.Gohar spent four seasons with Gloucestershire as an overseas signing, but has now received British citizenship. He last played for Pakistan in 2021, when he won his sole Test cap in Christchurch. He was also capped in an ODI against England in 2015.”Zafar is a player that we have admired for some time now and have been keeping a watchful eye on,” Middlesex’s managing director of cricket, Alan Coleman, said. “We are delighted to have secured his services as a local cricketer for the next two seasons.”In Championship cricket we have identified the need to increase our wicket-taking threat in all conditions and adding an international quality spinner to our line-up will strengthen us and add a greater threat on all types of surfaces.”Adding a senior bowler to our white-ball teams will also help the side in those situations where we’ve lacked some experience in the shorter formats in recent years.”The addition of someone like Zafar to our squad adds not only quality, but also invaluable experience, and our young spinners will benefit enormously from having him in the playing group. We are excited to see what Zafar can do for Middlesex and are delighted to have him on board.”Gohar claimed 118 wickets at 31.71 in first-class cricket for Gloucestershire, as well as 17 List A and nine T20 wickets, while also contributing handy runs down the order. He was only involved in six County Championship fixtures in 2024, however.Gohar said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Middlesex and making Lord’s my home ground for the next two years. It’s a club steeped in history and to be a part of this next chapter is hugely exciting.”The opportunity to contribute to both the red-ball and white-ball teams formed a big part of my decision to make Middlesex my home, and I can’t wait to play my part in what I hope will be a successful 2025 for the club.”
Though the Anfield side’s faithful all wait for the outcome of the Alexander Isak saga with bated breath, FSG are well aware that a new centre-back needs to be signed before the closure of the transfer window.
Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen was pursued in May, but the Spanish prodigy signed for Real Madrid in a £50m package. Nonetheless, an alternative is still needed, not least because Liverpool sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for as much as £35m last month.
Liverpool lining up new centre-back
Marc Guehi is Liverpool’s first-choice option to bolster Arne Slot’s backline, and the Crystal Palace star wants the Reds too.
However, Newcastle United are also interested, and Liverpool aren’t willing to meet the Eagles’ £50m demands with just one year left on the player’s deal.
According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have entered the race for Stade Rennais centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who is also attracting interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Jacquet, 20, has only just emerged onto the senior stage but has already established himself as one of French football’s most exciting talents.
Rennes know this, however, and rejected Arsenal’s approach. Thus, sporting director Richard Hughes has his work cut out if he’s to engineer a deal and complete Slot’s backline ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Why Liverpool want Jeremy Jacquet
Liverpool must sign a central defender this month. While there is tentative optimism among Liverpool circles that Slot will watch Ibrahima Konate pen a new deal at Anfield, Joe Gomez’s recent Achilles injury and, indeed, Quansah’s departure both suggest that more depth is paramount.
Ibrahima Konate warming up for Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk and Konate will continue their peerless partnership protecting the sticks, but Jacquet would add the extra depth needed to compete across multiple fronts, with a fast-rising skill set that may yet reach elite status.
Described by analyst Ben Mattinson as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender with the potential to become one of the centre-backs in the world, and with that in mind, Jacquet might even prove to be Liverpool’s own version of Huijsen.
Matches (starts)
32 (26)
11 (11)
Goals
3
0
Assists
2
1
Touches*
63.9
59.6
Pass completion
84%
85%
Key passes*
0.5
0.4
Dribbles*
0.1
0.5
Ball recoveries*
3.3
3.7
Tackles + interceptions*
2.7
4.9
Clearances*
6.1
3.9
Duels (won)*
3.6 (56%)
5.1 (61%)
Despite having only played 12 times for Rennes after leaving Clermont Foot in the second tier of French football, Jacquet’s expansive qualities align with Huijsen’s, blending a burgeoning passing game with a steely defensive side, strong in the duel and proactive in the tackle.
Jacquet’s aggressive and technically astute playing style has even seen him draw comparisons to Arsenal’s William Saliba, so it’s no surprise the Gunners want to get a deal done. However, this also confirms that Liverpool must ensure they win the race.
If that wasn’t enough, Arsenal also had a vested interest in Huijsen before Los Blancos stole ahead and completed a stunning deal.
Only, this time, Liverpool could win the race if they push ahead now.
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Liverpool are hoping to sign a new centre-forward in the transfer market this month.
Will Aston Villa soon make their maiden first-team signing of the summer?
So far, teenager Yasin Özcan has arrived from Kasımpaşa for a reported fee of around £5.8m, albeit he was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht, while veteran goalkeeper Marco Bizot and 19-year-old winger Zépiqueno Redmond have both joined on free transfers.
Aston Villa managerUnaiEmeryduring a lap of honour after the match
Thus, right now, ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United, Unai Emery will not have any high-profile new signings to showcase, but could that be about to change?
Aston Villa transfer news latest
Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Dan Bardell notes that Aston Villa have so far been unable to spend money in this summer window due to their lack of PSR headroom, but forecasts that they will be active and “opportunistic” in the coming weeks, having to date kept their powder dry.
This was exactly the strategy that saw the Claret and Blue Army land both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio on loan in January, but the pair will need replacing, with the Englishman having joined Barcelona, while it appears unlikely that the Spaniard will return to Villa Park either.
Thus, as they target attacking reinforcements, with Alan Nixon revealing on his Patreon that Aston Villa had joined the race to sign Evann Guessand, and were willing to outbid Crystal Palace, who have long been viewed as the front-runners to secure the Ivorian’s signature.
That has since been followed up by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that the Midlands has reached a “verbal agreement” with Nice, having lodged a bid of around €30m (£26m), plus add-ons.
That comes after it was previously noted that the forward was valued at around £22m by the Ligue 1 outfit.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
So, Guessand looks set to become just the second player from Côte d’Ivoire to call Villa Park home. Jonathan Kodjia is the first, and so far only, in case you were wondering!
What Evann Guessand would bring to Aston Villa
Guessand, who is still only 24 years old, joined Nice at the age of 15, but only became an outstanding figure in les Aiglons’ first-team as recently as last season.
He spent time out on loan at Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland and then Nantes in Ligue 1, scoring five goals for la Maison Jaune, most notably bagging a stoppage-time winner against Olympiacos in the Europa League, sparking wild scenes of celebration at Stade de la Beaujoire.
He has returned to Nice for the last two seasons, very much a key figure for his boyhood club, scoring six goals in Ligue 1 in 2023/24, before bagging 12 during the most recent campaign, firing Franck Haise’s side to a top four finish and possible Champions League qualification; they face Benfica in the first leg of a qualifier this week.
The table below emphasises Guessand’s impressive form in Ligue 1 last season.
Evann Guessand Ligue 1 statistics 2024/25
Statistics
Guessand
Ligue 1 rank
Goals
12
10th
Assists
8
6th
Shots
27
10th
Goals – xG
+2.8
9th
Shot-creating actions
91
23rd
Goal-creating actions
17
8th
Attempted take-ons
103
15th
Progressive carries
87
19th
Average SofaScore rating
7.23
7th*
*among forwards only.
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore
The table outlines that Guessand is an all-round attacker, ranked highly when it comes to both goals and assists, but also chances created and dribbling, overperforming his expected goals figure by almost three, underlining his clinical edge.
Alex Barker of The Athletic is certainly a fan, labelling him a “real physical handful” as well as being an “agile” forward who is capable of creating “high-quality chances” too, concluding that his ability to do it all makes him “Bruno Fernandes-esque”.
Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis agrees, noting that he is a ‘good dribbler’, which is surprising given that he is 6 ft 2 in (188 cm).
Meantime, Mohamed Fathall of Breaking the Lines states that he thrives when able to ‘support a central striker’, adding that he is ‘constantly looking to take on defenders’, using his ‘intelligent movement’ to get into goal-scoring positions.
Nice winger Evann Guessand
Well, this makes him the ideal strike partner for Ollie Watkins who, as documented by Ahmed Walid of The Athletic, only truly started scoring goals with impressive regularity at Aston Villa after Emery had coached him to remain within the width of the penalty area.
Watkins has reached double figures for goals in each of his five Premier League campaigns, although such consistency could be maintained if fed by the Fernandes-esque talents of Guessand, considering he created 12 ‘big chances’ in Ligue 1 last term, as per Sofascore.
For context, Manchester United’s skipper was only just ahead with 16 ‘big chances’ created in the Premier League.
With Villa’s number 11 thus able to pounce on regular, quality service, Guessand and Watkins could form a deadly attacking partnership, as Villa target a top five finish and Europa League glory in the season ahead.
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Unai Emery could soon have his own Christian Benteke at Aston Villa if this signing is secured.
It is fair to say that there was a fair bit of excitement among supporters when Glasgow Rangers finally confirmed the signing of Djeidi Gassama on a permanent deal earlier this month.
The Light Blues swooped to sign him from Sheffield Wednesday to bolster Russell Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, and he was an exciting addition off the back of his form last term.
Gassama scored seven goals and created three ‘big chances’ in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday, despite them not being in contention to gain promotion from the division.
He ranked within the top 14% of his positional peers in the league for goals (seven) and in the top 23% for chances created (38), which shows that he excelled as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the left wing.
These statistics show why fans were so excited to see him in action for the first time when Panathinaikos arrived at Ibrox for the first leg of the second round Champions League qualifier on Tuesday night.
How Djeidi Gassama could be a success for Rangers this season
The 21-year-old forward came on for the last 15 minutes of the win over the Greek side and immediately showed that supporters were right to be excited by the prospect of seeing him play in the flesh.
Gassama made an almost instant impact by cutting in from the left flank to fire a brilliant shot past Dragowski to put Rangers 2-0 up on the night.
That particular was not his only impressive contribution off the bench, though, as the winger also played a beautiful pass with the outside of his foot to send Nicolas Raskin through in the left channel, but the Belgian midfielder was unable to create a chance out of it.
Minutes played
15
Shots
1
Goals
1
Dribbles completed
2/2
Possession lost
3x
Pass accuracy
80%
Duel success rate
100%
As you can see in the table above, Gassama completed two dribbles, won all of his duels, and scored with his only shot in just 15 minutes of football off the bench for the Light Blues on Tuesday.
He could be a huge success for the Scottish giants this season as a direct and skillful left winger who can cut inside onto his favoured right foot to deliver goals, and hopefully assists, on a regular basis.
Gassama is currently valued at £1.7m by Transfermarkt and the Light Blues reportedly agreed a fee in the region of £2.2m to sign him from Sheffield Wednesday, which shows that he is not a mega-money signing.
However, at the age of 21, the French starlet could develop into a mega-money player for Rangers if he can start to produce quality in the final third on a regular basis.
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Although he did not feature against Panathinaikos, Jefte could play a key role in Gassama’s development as a potential left-back option to play behind him on the left flank.
Rangers have hit the jackpot with the talented young Brazilian defender, who has had one season at Ibrox so far, and he could be a future star for the club alongside Gassama.
Rangers have hit the jackpot with Jefte
Jefte signed for the Scottish giants from Fluminense on a permanent deal in the summer of 2024, and Transfermarkt valued the youngster at a price of just £693k at the time of the move.
Then 20 years old, the full-back came over to Scotland in a team with high expectations and had a fairly inconsistent first season at the club, which should be expected given the circumstances, with his age and lack of experience in the country.
Writer Kai Watson described the left-footed ace as a “polarising figure” among the fanbase, and that may be because of his inconsistency on the pitch, as some fans may not want to be as patient with players as others.
However, Rangers do have a very exciting talent on their hands, despite Max Aarons being picked ahead of him on Tuesday, as his performances were good enough to attract interest from Premier League giants, and now world champions, Chelsea in January.
As you can see in the post from journalist Chris Jack above, Chelsea went as far as to make contact with the player’s agents at the start of this year to discuss a possible move, which illustrates how impressive his form for Rangers had been up to that point.
Jefte made 52 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, which was vital learning for the 21-year-old talent, and he will now be hoping to kick on this season.
xA
3.27
Top 20%
Assists
4
Top 20%
Cross accuracy
28%
Top 23%
Tackles won
42
Top 9%
Interceptions
45
Top 12%
Recoveries
131
Top 14%
Duels won
183
Top 12%
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian whiz ranked highly in a host of key defensive and offensive metrics in the Scottish Premiership, particularly when it came to making tackles and interceptions.
His form for Rangers led to his Transfermarkt value soaring up to £3.4m at the time of writing, which means that his valuation has jumped up by a whopping 391% and is now above Gassama’s £1.7m valuation.
This suggests that the Light Blues have hit the jackpot with the young defender because they picked him up at a fairly low value, of under £1m, last summer, and he has already soared in value to become a multi-million pound asset for the club.
At the age of 21, and with clubs like Chelsea eyeing him up, Jefte may only get better from here if Martin can work with him on the training pitch to improve and develop in the months and years to come.
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Therefore, Rangers supporters have very good reason to be excited about the future of the club’s left flank moving forward, as Jefte and Gassama are both incredibly promising 21-year-old talents who could be stars at Ibrox.
Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to make a huge offer for an “incredible” £80m forward, who is now “keen” on a move to north London this summer, it has been revealed.
Spurs remain keen on new winger after losing Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min made the extremely difficult decision to leave Tottenham this summer, making the move to LAFC, and the South Korean has gotten off to a fantastic start in the MLS, recently picking up his first assist.
It was arguably the right time to cash-in on Son, given that the Spurs legend is now 33-years-old, and Brennan Johnson has proven he could be up to the task of being the long-term replacement at left-wing, scoring against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
However, with Son leaving, and James Maddison set to miss the majority of the campaign due to an ACL injury, Thomas Frank is light on options in attacking areas, and remains keen on adding another winger to his squad.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Savinho’s agents are trying to get a move to north London over the line, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Manchester City winger.
According to a report from Spain, Spurs are now willing to make a new offer for the Brazilian, having already had a £60m bid knocked back, and there is a feeling that a deal could be possible.
Frank identifies third £60m top Tottenham target with Eze and Savinho
The Spurs boss personally wants him.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 17, 2025
While City are keen to keep hold of the winger, they could be tempted to cash-in if an ‘irresistible’ offer arrives, with Pep Guardiola’s side valuing the 21-year-old at the £70m – £80m mark.
Fabrizio Romano has also revealed the youngster is “keen” on a move to north London, with talks still ongoing.
"Incredible" Savinho could be ideal Son heir
It is little wonder Man City are hesitant to sell the young winger, given that he is held in very high regard by Guardiola, who waxed lyrical about the forward after impressing against Leicester City last season.
The City boss said: “He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal. He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period.”
The Brazil international is also fantastic at dribbling and providing assists, indicating that he could be the ideal option to replace Son at left-wing.
Statistic
Average per 90 (past year)
Progressive carries
6.61 (97th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.69 (94th percentile)
Assists
0.35 (88th percentile)
The only thing that Savinho needs to improve is his end product, having averaged just 0.08 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, despite an xG of 0.25 per 90, and if the starlet is able to rectify that aspect of his game, he could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.
Gleeson picked up two wickets while Pooran scored a swift 28 as Gladiators romped home in 6.5 overs
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2024
Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck five fours and four sixes in his 56 not out•Abu Dhabi T10
Tom Kohler-Cadmore plundered an unbeaten 21-ball 56 while Nicholas Pooran smashed 28 off just ten to hand Deccan Gladiators their second Abu Dhabi T10 title in three years with an eight-wicket win over Morrisville Samp Army in the final.Electing to field, Gladiators ensured Samp Army were not allowed to get away at any stage. Maheesh Theekshana struck first sending back Sharjeel Khan for 5 before Charith Asalanka was run out. Andries Gous (21 off nine) and Faf du Plessis (34 off 23) added a 37-run stand in 16 balls for the third wicket to take the game forward.Gladiators, however, stormed back to pick up four wickets for six runs in 11 balls to restrict Samp Army. Karim Janat’s unbeaten eight-ball 16 took Samp Army to 104 for 7, an under-par score considering the format. Richard Gleeson was the most effective bowler for Gladiators, picking up 2 for 16 in his two overs.In reply, Kohler-Cadmore wasted no time in hitting his stride. He smashed Rohan Mustafa for four successive fours in the opening over to set up the chase. Pooran then got into the act smashing Amir Hamza for a six before laying into Imad Wasim for two sixes and a four in the third over. It took all of 2.4 overs for Gladiators to reach the 50-mark.Isuru Udana gave Samp Army some relief by removing Pooran, but Rilee Rossouw smashed three fours off his first four deliveries to wrest back all the momentum. Kohler-Cadmore then smoked Qais Ahmed for three sixes and a four in the fifth over, which went for 25, and Gladiators were almost home.Kohler-Cadmore recorded his half-century off 17 balls before Hamza removed Rossouw for 12, and Jos Buttler finished things off with a six off Qais. It took Gladiators all of 6.5 overs to overhaul their target of 105. Kohler-Cadmore finished the tournament as the leading run-getter with 278 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 198.57, with three fifties.
Dele Alli’s hopes of securing a lifeline move to Wrexham appear over, with manager Phil Parkinson hinting that his final squad spot will instead go to returning star Ollie Rathbone. The former Tottenham and England midfielder, recently released by Como, had been linked with the Hollywood-owned club but now looks set to continue his uncertain search for a new home.
Dele’s Wrexham transfer hopes appear to be overParkinson expects Rathbone to take final squad spotEx-Spurs star must continue search for new clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Dele has been released by Serie A side Como after his contract was terminated by mutual consent. The 29-year-old, once a Premier League star at Tottenham, has since been linked with potential moves to West Brom, Birmingham, and Wrexham. However, rumours of a North Wales switch have now been dampened.
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Wrexham boss Parkinson has suggested that Rathbone, last season’s Player of the Year for the Red Dragons, will fill the club’s 25th squad slot once he returns from injury. Rathbone has been sidelined with an ankle problem but is close to fitness after impressing during pre-season. His return appears to rule out a move for Dele.
Getty Images SportWHAT PARKINSON SAID
Speaking to the media, Parkinson said: "I think Ollie is closing in. I just wanted to make sure Ollie got through this week in training and the signs are looking positive, and he'll be back in a couple of weeks. We need Ollie back, he's a key player for us. He was instrumental for us last year.
"He's a player who has played in the Championship; first year did well, second one was a difficult one at Rotherham because they had a very weak squad. But he's played at this level and when he signed for us, he was determined to get back into the Championship.
"His start to the season has been curtailed but obviously he's a very naturally fit player and the sooner we get him back involved in football, the better. His energy and his quality, I can't wait to get Ollie back out with us."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?
With Rathbone set to be reintegrated, Dele will have to look elsewhere as he continues his search for a club. Birmingham and West Brom remain linked, but his options are shrinking. For Wrexham, the focus now shifts to Rathbone’s comeback and life in the Championship.
Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, will rejoin the touring party in Australia on Tuesday, having flown out of India after having returned home because of “personal reasons”.Gambhir missed India’s two-day tour game – which was later reduced to a limited-overs contest following rain on the first day – against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, having flown back home at the conclusion of the first Test in Perth on November 25. Gambhir left on November 26, the scheduled final day of that Test.The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a day-nighter in Adelaide, will start on December 6.Related
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In Gambhir’s absence, the support staff of Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel had overseen the team’s training, and were part of the Canberra fixture, which the Indians won by six wickets, with Harshit Rana (4 for 44) and Shubman Gill (50 in 62 balls) playing key roles.Now, Gambhir will have to be part of the tricky discussions around India’s playing XI, with Rohit Sharma, the full-time Test captain, having linked up with the team after skipping the first Test to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Jasprit Bumrah had led India to the comprehensive 295-run win in the Perth Test in Rohit’s absence.Gill, who had also missed that Test after fracturing his right thumb during a training session, is also back in the reckoning.Even if India bring in Rohit and Gill for Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, who were part of the XI in Perth, there is the question of the opening combination, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul having put on a double-century first-wicket stand in India’s second innings in Perth. Indications from the pink-ball tour game, though it wasn’t a full-fledged contest, are that Jaiswal and Rahul will continue to open with Gill replacing Padikkal at No. 3, and Rohit possibly going in the middle order behind Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant is the other certain starter in the middle order.
Manchester United supporters would’ve been hoping for a reunion between Ruben Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres this summer after the pair’s successful spell together at Sporting CP.
The Swede was the 40-year-old’s main talisman in their Liga Portugal triumph back in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring 43 times in his 50 appearances across all competitions.
He unsurprisingly won the division’s Golden Boot award, carrying on his tremendous goalscoring form even after the boss left the club to take the reins at Old Trafford.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
The 27-year-old ended the most recent campaign with 54 goals, bettering his tally from the previous season, subsequently making him one of Europe’s most sought-after talents, with the Red Devils previously in the race.
However, after the striker completed a move to join Premier League rivals Arsenal in recent weeks, attention has subsequently turned to other talents to provide the goods in the final third.
Man Utd's hunt for a new striker this summer
Ollie Watkins has been a name constantly on United’s radar over the last couple of weeks, as Amorim desperately looks to land a new striker for his 3-4-2-1 system.
The Aston Villa forward could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this summer, leading to talks being held between the Red Devils and his agent over a potential switch to Old Trafford this window.
Aston Villa's OllieWatkinscelebrates
However, another name has been thrown into the mix in recent days, with Al Hilal talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic a player the hierarchy are monitoring, according to one Spanish outlet.
They state that Amorim’s side are preparing a potential move for the Serbian international after he posted a tally of 28 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions last season.
It also states that he could be available for as little as £26m this summer, but the Red Devils face the possibility of a battle for his signature between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Why United’s £26m target would be Amorim’s next Gyokeres
Gyokeres’ rise to stardom injects hope and faith into all strikers that one day they can flourish and reach the top-level of the game further down the line in their career.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
Before his move to Portugal, the Swedish international was plying his trade for Coventry City in the Championship, finding a settled home after multiple failed loan spells.
He only moved to Sporting in a £20m transfer back in the summer of 2023, before his goalscoring spree catapulted him to being one of Europe’s deadliest strikers.
The 27-year-old operated in England’s second tier during the same year as Mitrovic, as the former Fulham man netted a staggering 43 league goals – subsequently breaking the division’s record for the most goals scored by a player in a single season.
After leaving Fulham two years ago, he’s had to move abroad to further his career and build on the success he achieved during his spell in the Championship.
Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates for Al-Hilal.
He’s followed a similar trajectory to Gyokeres, now deserving of a move back to England to demonstrate he’s capable of being the leading forward for one of the biggest teams in the league.
When comparing his stats to those of Gyokeres from last season, Mitrovic managed to outperform him in numerous areas, showcasing he has the tools to thrive under Amorim, just as the Swede did.
How Mitrovic & Gyokeres compare throughout 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Mitrovic
Gyokeres
Games played
23
33
Goals & assists
21
46
Shot on target accuracy
52%
50%
Pass accuracy
75%
73%
Duels won
51%
50%
Aerials won
2.7
1.6
Aerial success rate
56%
50%
Non-penalty xG
0.8
0.6
Stats via FotMob
The Serbian, who’s been labelled a “monster” by Statman Dave, registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate whilst achieving a better non-penalty xG, subsequently being capable of creating better goalscoring opportunities in the final third.
He also completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst posting a better aerial success rate, a component of his game that would be crucial given United’s lack of focal points.
Whilst a move back to the Premier League would be a huge jump compared to the players he’s coming up against at present, a deal for Mitrovic would make perfect sense this window.
He would provide the boss with an immediate fix to his issues in the final third, whilst also being a bargain at £26m – having all the tools to emulate the success the new Arsenal forward endured under his guidance.
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The 2025 summer transfer window has been one that many Newcastle United fans would likely want to forget.
They’ve had numerous transfer targets join Premier League rivals, including Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko, who went to Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively. Furthermore, the club has spent the whole window with the shadow of Alexander Isak’s departure hanging over them.
However, they have also achieved some underrated wins with the likes of Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw. Eddie Howe’s side have also been closely linked to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa as a potential replacement for Isak.
Even with these signings, PIF are on the hunt for even more squad depth and are close to completing the signing of a talented Premier League player.
Newcastle agree £40m deal for Ramsey
Fabrizio Romano reported that Newcastle were closing in on a deal for Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, who only wants a move to St James’ Park. The 24-year-old has been with Villa since 2007 and has risen through the academy to become a regular feature in the first team.
Mike McGrath has now added that Newcastle have agreed a £40m fee with Villa, so the Magpies now need to open talks over personal terms, and a medical will be arranged once an agreement has been reached.
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
However, this is a rapidly developing deal and there’s speculation that the personal terms could be agreed sooner rather than later and the deal concluded swiftly after.
West Ham were also reported to have approached Villa for Ramsey, as per Romano, but were dissuaded when the player made it clear that he “only wants Newcastle”.
Newcastle will be getting a versatile player who is seen as similar to Barcelona winger Raphinha, as per FBref due to his dynamic ability to play in attacking midfield or on the wing.
From a Villa perspective, they were one of the clubs most at risk of a PSR breach, so it’s likely the sale is more out of necessity than not wanting him. As Ramsey is an academy product, he will be listed purely as profit in Villa’s accounts, making him a more valuable player to sell PSR-wise than a player that they had signed.
Ramsey elevates those around him
Ramsey’s last season at Villa had been an upgrade on his quiet 2023/24 campaign, with most of his highlights coming in the Champions League and the FA Cup. With Newcastle back in the Champions League, they’ll be hoping that Ramsey can emulate this cup form in black and white.
While Ramsey’s goal involvements aren’t quite at the level of some of Newcastle’s current midfielders and wingers, he is often instrumental in build-up play, which can allow his teammates to score and assist more often.
The 24-year-old averages 13.5 progressive actions per 90 minutes in the league and features in the top 15% of players for pass accuracy, meaning he not only retains the ball but often does something positive with it.
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Additionally, he featured in the top 5% of players for dribble success rate. If PIF can get Ramsey, he will be able to get the ball to the forward line on a regular basis, allowing them to score more goals. While no one player may be able to replace Isak’s numbers, signings like Ramsey will bring up the squad’s numbers as a whole, helping to ease the goal burden.