Sri Lanka have not played a Test in Galle in over a year, while one of their main spinners has not played long-format cricket for many months. Could this be why Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers were inaccurate on day two of their Test against New Zealand?Spin bowling coach Craig Howard wasn’t exactly trying to absolve the Sri Lanka spinners, but did suggest they needed a bit of time to get back into the groove in Galle. Still, they could have done better than they did, he said.”If we’d bowled the way we’d have liked to, we’d be in a much better position,” Howard said. “If we were able to hold our line and length for longer, it would have been much more difficult for the New Zealand batters to rotate the strike the way they did, and we’d have limited the boundary balls as well. We pay heavy attention to controlling the run rate, and we didn’t do that today.”Related
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On a Galle track taking plenty of turn, Sri Lanka’s primary spinners – Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya – took just a wicket apiece on Thursday. Jayasuriya gave away 99, in his 31 overs.”Prabath was fractionally off. He’s a very proud man,” Howard said. “You average 22 at Galle for a reason, so I’m sure he’ll come back, and I’m sure he’ll have a major impact on this Test.”Ramesh was more expensive than Jayasuriya, however, going at an economy rate of more than four in his 17 overs. Where Jayasuriya had played in two of Sri Lanka’s three Tests in England, Ramesh had been on the sidelines throughout.”Ramesh Mendis hasn’t played a red-ball game for probably a few months now,” Howard said. “He’s been on an England tour not playing, and the LPL (Lanka Premier League) prior to that. He was probably a fraction off from a length-and-line point of view.”The New Zealand batters’ shot-making did present a challenge, Howard said. But he had confidence that if Sri Lanka’s spinners bowled accurately, the match could turn in their favour.”Control of line and length is the first thing. If we do that there’s enough in this wicket. The game can speed up very quick in the back end. We could be on or two wickets away from having a first-innings lead. Ideally we can go through them in a hurry and end up with a lead, but if not have a small target to catch up.”
أكد مارتن أوديجارد، نجم نادي آرسنال ، على صعوبة مواجهة فريقه اليوم الأحد مع مانشستر سيتي ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مشيرًا إلى أن اللقاء سيكون تكتيكيًا بشكل بحت.
ويحتضن ملعب الإمارات قمة الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بين آرسنال وضيفه مانشستر سيتي.
آرسنال يسعى إلى تحقيق الانتصار على مانشستر سيتي، من أجل مواصلة المنافسة على المركز الأول مع ليفربول الذي حقق خمس انتصارات متتالية في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وقال أوديجارد في تصريحات لموقع آرسنال الرسمي: ”كان فوزنا عليهم هنا الموسم الماضي رائعًا، لأن مواجهتهم دائمًا ما تكون صعبة، إنها دائمًا مباراة تكتيكية للغاية مع الكثير من الأمور التي يجب التكيف معها”.
وأضاف: ”يجب أن تكون في غاية التركيز طوال التسعين دقيقة، أعتقد أننا أظهرنا في المباريات القليلة الماضية ضدهم أننا مستعدون لذلك، ونأمل أن نحقق ليلة رائعة أخرى مثل العام الماضي وأن نهزمهم مجددًا”.
وأوضح: ”نريد الفوز بالألقاب هنا ولتحقيق ذلك نحتاج إلى تعاون الجميع وتوافقهم، نحن جميعًا في هذا معًا ونسعى لتحقيق نفس الهدف لذا علينا أن نستغله على أكمل وجه”.
وعن إصابته: ”كان كتفي يؤلمني بشدة، لكنني كنت أتعامل مع الأمر يوميًا هذا الأسبوع، وأعمل بجد على أمل أن أكون جاهزًا في الوقت المناسب لمباراة اليوم، إنه نفس الكتف الذي أصبت فيه في مباراة ليدز يونايتد، نفس الإصابة تقريبًا لذا فهو مجرد سوء حظ”.
وتابع: ”شفيت من الإصابة الأولى بشكل جيد وتجاوزتها، ولكن بعد ذلك تكرر نفس الشيء، لم يحدث لي هذا منذ 11 عامًا ولكنه يحدث مرتين خلال أسبوعين، لذا فهو أمر غريب ومؤسف للغاية”.
وواصل: ”كان الالتحام بحد ذاته في كرة الإصابة جيدًا، أعتقد أننا نحن الثلاثة حاولنا التقاط الكرة نفسها وشعرت بشيء يلمس قدمي مما دفعني للأمام، ولم أستطع فعل أي شيء حيال كيفية نزولي على الأرض، كان الخروج من أرض الملعب صعبًا للغاية لأنني كنت متحمسًا للعب على أرضنا مرة أخرى، وأشعر أنني بحالة جيدة بعد المباريات الدولية وأرغب بشدة في اللعب بعد إصابتي ضد ليدز”.
واستكمل: ”لكن أداءنا كان قويًا جدًا ضد نونيتجهام فورست، سجلنا أهدافًا رائعة ولم نستقبل أي فرص على الإطلاق وهذا ما نتمناه”.
وقال: ”كان هدف زوبيميندي الأول ضد نوتينجهام مذهلًا، من الصعب جدًا إنهاء المباراة بهذه الطريقة ويجب أن يكون لديك تواصل مثالي مع الكرة وأن تكون متوازنًا وأن يكون التوقيت مثاليًا، إن التسديد بتلك الطريقة تقنية رائعة منه، لأنه كان من الصعب جدًا التسجيل بهذا الشكل”.
وعن زميله في آرسنال، مارتن زوبيميندي أضاف: ”بالحديث عن زوبيميندي، كان من الرائع اللعب معه وميكيل ميرينو في خط الوسط، كما فعلنا قبل خمس سنوات مع ريال سوسيداد حيث كنا نتحدث عن ذلك، رأينا صورنا معًا آنذاك ، إنها حالة نادرة بالتأكيد وكانت لدي علاقة جيدة جدًا معهم من قبل ومن الرائع اللعب معهم”.
وأوضح: ”لعبنا معًا في عام 2020 في الدوري الإسباني، كان ذلك خلال فترة كورونا لذلك كان الأمر غريبًا بعض الشيء في غياب الجماهير، لعبت مع ميكيل عدة مرات ذلك الموسم عندما كنت معارًا لكن زوبيميندي اندمج مع الفريق أكثر في نهاية الموسم قبل رحيلي مباشرةً”.
وأردف: ”أعتقد أن معرفة أشخاص كهؤلاء جيدًا تسهل الأمور، خاصةً في خط الوسط، لذا على الرغم من أن زوبيميندي لاعب جديد إلا أن الترابط موجود بالفعل وهذا يمثل قوة لنا، إذا نظرتم إلى الفريق ستجدون أن هناك العديد من اللاعبين الذين لعبوا معًا سابقًا في منتخباتهم الوطنية لذا نشعر وكأننا نعرف بعضنا البعض منذ زمن طويل”.
وتابع: ”التقطنا صورة جماعية يوم الأربعاء ورؤيتها مع الجميع تذكرنا بجودة الفريق الآن، أعتقد أنها مجموعة أكبر مما كانت عليه في السنوات القليلة الماضية والمستوى مذهل، نرى أن المنافسة تزداد يومًا بعد يوم في التدريب وفي النهاية الجميع يريد الشيء نفسه”.
واختتم أوديجارد: ”نريد الفوز بالألقاب هنا ولتحقيق ذلك، نحتاج إلى تعاون الجميع وتوافقهم، نحن جميعًا في هذا معًا ونسعى جميعًا لتحقيق نفس الهدف، لذا علينا أن نستغله على أكمل وجه”.
Setting their sights on a fifth arrival this summer, Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly made an approach to sign an experienced player for Thomas Frank.
Latest on Tottenham incomings
In Spurs’ ideal world, they would have Morgan Gibbs-White at their disposal right now, but Nottingham Forest and Evangelos Marinakis quickly proved to be as stubborn as ever even after the Lilywhites triggered the midfielder’s £60m release clause.
Good news quickly turned into legal news for those in North London when Forest decided to threaten a legal complaint over Spurs’ move.
Nottingham Forest's MorganGibbs-Whitereacts after the match
According to reports, Gibbs-White still wants to complete a move to Spurs this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the Lilywhites do return with a second attempt to sway an already-disgruntled Nottingham Forest.
The same can be said for Yoane Wissa. As things stand, all signs point towards Newcastle being in pole position to sign the forward despite Spurs’ interest.
Given the Magpies’ recent habit of missing out on top targets, though, the door may still be left ajar for Frank to reunite with the impressive Brentford striker.
Frank has, of course, already welcomed both Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai this summer.
Asked about Kudus’ arrival in particular, who comes as their main blockbuster signing of the window so far, the Spurs boss told reporters: “I think it’s a great signing from the club. It’s top work from Daniel Levy getting a very good player early in pre-season so we can start working with him.”
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It’s the type of “top work” that Frank will now be hoping to see more of from Levy this summer, which could see Spurs land a top-level midfielder.
Tottenham make Joao Palhinha approach
According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have indeed made an approach to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, backing up similar previous reports. However, they have so far only worked on personal terms rather than submitting a proposal to the Bundesliga champions themselves.
Dubbed a “leader” by Fulham boss Marco Silva the last time that he starred in the Premier League, Palhinha could now be on his way back to English football just one year after leaving Craven Cottage.
Whilst things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the Portugal international in Germany, he remains a player with plenty of know-how and one who could rediscover his best form under Frank at Spurs.
That said, it remains to be seen whether Spurs are able to match Palhinha’s staggering £9m-a-year salary at Bayern or whether he is forced to take a pay-cut to secure a summer switch.
At their current pace, Sunderland could soon have a whole starting lineup of new players to call upon.
The Black Cats are picking up fresh signings at a breakneck speed, with a whopping £67m already dropped on the services of Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki.
Amazingly, another £19.5m could soon dent the weighty Sunderland back account, with Club Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi the reported next big buy on Regis Le Bris and Co’s agenda.
Four signings are nearly through the door, but don’t expect the Wearside underdogs to stop here as they go about assembling a Premier League-capable squad, with plenty more standout purchases in the offing.
Sunderland set sights on new £13m star
After a jubilant promotion, Sunderland might as well give it their all on their return to the top-flight, instead of just being content with making up the numbers.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Indeed, reports are coming thick and fast as to who Le Bris wants to add next to his ever-growing camp, with a bid of around £26m having allegedly been submitted to sign rising Real Madrid star Gonzalo Garcia.
Another name floating about is that of Armand Lauriente’s, with a new development from French outlet L’Equipe stating that Sunderland have entered negotiations to sign the 26-year-old attacker from Sassuolo.
Having caused a lot of havoc in Serie B last season, the hope will be that Lauriente explodes into life even more as a dangerous face down the Black Cats’ left flank.
How Lauriente can be Le Bris' own Amad Diallo
If Le Bris can bring Lauriente to Wearside this summer then he could potentially sign his very own Amad Diallo in the process, considering the Ivorian was once a slick attacker himself in Italy.
U19s
46
13
12
U17s
41
23
6
Youth League
6
1
3
Atalanta
5
1
0
Obviously, Amad is now more known for his exploits at Manchester United – with 26 goals and assists next to his name from 64 Old Trafford outings – but there was a time when he was considered an exciting winger ready for that next step on the books of Atalanta.
Whilst his Atalanta education ultimately won him that high-profile move to Manchester, Amad very much honed his craft at the Stadium of Light as a daring and entertaining option up top when he headed out on loan to the Mackems in 2022, leading to him strutting his stuff in style all across the 2022/23 season with 14 goals and four assists picked up from 42 clashes.
Former Sunderland loanee Amad Diallo.
Sunderland’s new £13m-rated target will hope he finds his time at Le Bris’ men to be equally beneficial in advancing his game, with Lauriente having the useful advantage already of being proven at a top level when Sassuolo plied their trade in Serie A.
The blistering Frenchman is only two off Amad’s entire total for Man United when assessing his Italian top-flight numbers, with a mightily impressive 12 goals and 12 assists tallied up, but it’s his numbers last campaign for Sassuolo when they triumphantly moved back up to face the likes of Juventus and AC Milan again that will have really caught the eye of the Black Cats.
Games played
33
Goals scored
18
Assists
5
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
6
In total, the former Lorient forward would pick up a bumper 23 goals and assists from just 33 Serie B games last season, with Lauriente now potentially ready to cause ripples on Wearside by challenging the likes of Enzo Le Fee and Romaine Mundle down the left wing.
Much like Amad needed Tony Mowbray’s guidance to get the very best out of him, Lauriente might be able to perform at the peak of his jaw-dropping excellence knowing he has Le Bris by his side, with this audacious free-kick below – which was heralded as “amazing” at the time by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – coming when the pair were together at Lorient.
Whilst Le Fee, Diarra, Sadiki, and Talbi will steal plenty of headlines, securing Lauriente’s services could be the best buy of the bunch, particularly if he morphs into being a star like Amad to help Sunderland beat the drop.
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Sunderland looks ready to take the Premier League by storm, with this being potentially what their dream squad could look like very soon.
Wet weather swept across Old Trafford from early in the day which meant the series finished 1-1
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2024
It was a bleak scene at Old Trafford•Getty Images
The forecast for Manchester wasn’t wrong as steady rain from early in the day forced the deciding T20I to be abandoned shortly after 4pm on a bleak Sunday. It meant England and Australia shared the spoils after the visitors were convincing winners in Southampton before England responded with a fine chase in Cardiff.It was expected the two teams would recall key fast bowlers for this game: Jofra Archer and Josh Hazlewood had both been rested in Cardiff, and Australia left with only 11 players to select from with Mitchell Marsh ill. However, conditions meant XIs never got close to being named.Related
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For Australia, it completed a run of six T20Is which began in Scotland where they won 3-0 and Marsh was pleased with the opportunities presented to younger players with Jake Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly both handed debuts.”Would have been nice to finish off with deciding match today but thought both teams played some really good cricket throughout and we move onto the one-day series,” he said. “We started in Scotland as a T20 group and knew young guys would get an opportunity throughout and thought we gave guys different roles in all five games we had and it’s been really pleasing.”England captain Phil Salt was delighted with the response of his team after the opening loss in Southampton with Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell putting together a matchwinning stand in the second match.”Very proud,” he said. “As a team when you lose the first one you are always under pressure and the messaging to the boys was when we get pushed back we come back hard and that’s what we did through that partnership in Cardiff with Livi and Beth. So really pleased with the way we responded but just disappointed we couldn’t get on today.”The focus will now turn to the five-match ODI series – and the forecast is much more promising – which starts on Thursday in Nottingham. England have named Harry Brook as captain in place of the injured Jos Buttler while Australia will be able to call on Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc who have arrived for the 50-over games.There is a more immediate target in sight for the one-day sides with next February’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan on the horizon. Both teams will likely go through various options over the five games which come in the space of 11 days.
Varun Chakravarthy, playing for India again after almost three years, got three wickets in a big win over Bangladesh
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-20241:53
‘Always good to have competition within the team’ – Varun Chakravarthy
Mayank Yadav attracted the eyeballs. Arshdeep Singh took the Player-of-the-Match award for his 3 for 14. Hardik Pandya kept the Bangladesh batters quiet but was deafening with the bat. For Varun Chakravarthy, meanwhile, it was a “rebirth” as he played a big part in India’s crushing seven-wicket win in the first T20I in Gwalior on Sunday. He was back playing for India after November 2021, after all, and 3 for 31 wasn’t shabby at all.”After three long years and… it was definitely emotional for me, and it feels nice to be back in the Blues, it feels like a rebirth,” he told Murali Kartik on the official broadcast after the game.”There have been many [challenges]. Once you are not in the Indian side, people tend to write you off very easily. You need to stay in the highest level, again and again you need to keep knocking the door. Thankfully, this time it happened and hopefully I can keep continuing my good work.”Related
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It’s been a year of great success for Varun. His team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), won IPL 2024. He finished as the team’s highest wicket-taker, and second-highest overall, with 21 wickets from 14 innings. That ended in May. In August, Dindigul Dragons won the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). His team, again, though captain R Ashwin is the face of the set-up. Varun got 2 for 26 in the final. And was joint-highest for his team with Sandeep Warrier at 12 wickets for the tournament, fifth-highest overall.And now this international comeback.”After IPL, I played a few tournaments and one of those was the TNPL. It’s a very good tournament, and high standard [of cricket] also,” Varun said. “That’s a place where I worked a lot, with Ash [Ashwin]. We won the competition also, and that gave me the confidence here, because it was good preparation for me for this series.”I just want to stick to the process because that’s what I have been following in the IPL also. So I don’t want to go over and beyond what’s there right now. I just want to stay in the present. That’s why I don’t want to think too much or express too much.”On Sunday, Varun was introduced in the fifth over. Off his second delivery, Towhid Hridoy swept him in the air in the direction of debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy at deep square-leg; Reddy ran forward for the catch but lost the ball in the lights and let it go for four. Varun got Hridoy in his next over, and then Jaker Ali and Rishad Hossain, fooling the batters with his bag of tricks, but wasn’t happy about the drop.He wasn’t going to say it, though.”I thought it could have gone my way, but I can’t complain,” he said. “But, yeah, thankful to god.”
After missing out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool, Newcastle United are desperately assessing their options in a bid to improve their firepower.
Toon supporters can perhaps rest easy knowing Alexander Isak is likely to stay at St James’ Park but without competent backup – William Osula is still young – they know recruits are needed.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike
Since that move for Ekitike fell through, the Magpies have reportedly cast their eyes upon the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Julian Alvarez. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also reportedly an option.
Newcastle's Ekitike alternative
Forgetting those names, Newcastle United are also exploring a deal for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, with the 28-year-old emerging as a serious option after the club missed out on top target Ekitike.
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 Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, the Magpies are feeling that a “deal should get done” for Wissa, in spite of having a £25m bid rejected.
Downie reveals that the Toon are set to return with a £30m bid plus add-ons for the centre-forward.
With interest growing from Tottenham and Nottingham Forest as well, Newcastle are weighing their options carefully.
A previous price tag of £50m had been set by Brentford, and that is seen as negotiable by interested parties. Personal terms are not expected to be a stumbling block.
Yoane Wissa celebrates for Brentford
BBC Sport reported that Wissa is keen on a new challenge and eager to play European football, a prospect that may sway him towards St. James’ Park.
Brentford, meanwhile, are being picked apart, and Wissa could be next out the door.
Manager Thomas Frank has left, replaced by set-piece coach Keith Andrews, along with key players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard, and Mark Flekken.
Mbeumo and Wissa
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is urging patience in the transfer market, stating the club must invest in “the right players” rather than rushing big-money deals.
However, Wissa’s Premier League pedigree, versatility, and recent form make him a standout candidate.
Why Yoane Wissa would be a good signing for Newcastle
After Ivan Toney’s move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli last summer, Wissa stepped up as one of Brentford’s main attacking threats.
Only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season, as Wissa found the net 20 times and added four assists.
Over four seasons at Brentford, Wissa has netted 49 goals in 149 appearances – a consistent return for a player who cost just £8.5m from Lorient.
Among his positional peers – Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Liam Delap, Dominic Solanke, and João Pedro – Wissa stands out in several areas.
Data from FBref shows that he has more shot-creating actions per 90 than Solanke, more touches than Pedro or Delap (34.1), and a greater pass completion rate than Isak and Haaland.
His minutes played (3,072) were second only to Isak, demonstrating not only quality but reliability and rubberstamping why European football expert, Zach Lowy, thinks he’s had a “remarkable rise.”
As a result, the potential signing of Yoane Wissa has drawn comparisons with former Magpies fan favourite Demba Ba.
The Senegalese forward, who arrived from West Ham in 2011, became a cult hero at St. James’ Park after firing 16 goals in the 2011/12 season, forming a lethal partnership with Papiss Cissé and helping Newcastle to a fifth-place finish.
Like Ba, Wissa would arrive from a fellow Premier League club and is known for his instinctive movement, sharp poaching instincts, and ruthless eye for goal.
The same data from FBref shows that while Ba scored 16 and assisted twice in 2,721 minutes during his most prolific Premier League campaign, Wissa bettered those numbers last season, scoring 20 goals and notching 4 assists in 3,072 minutes.
Ba averaged 1.39 shots on target per 90 in that 2011/12 season, while Wissa registered 1.26 per 90 in 2024/25, slightly lower, but still consistent with the profile of a reliable finisher.
Importantly, Wissa also outperformed his xG, underlining his sharpness in front of goal.
However, there are some caveats.
At 28, Wissa doesn’t fit Newcastle’s preferred age profile of 24 and under, and he may miss part of the 2025/26 season due to AFCON duties with DR Congo.
Still, for a club that needs ready-made depth up front and a player who knows how to find the net, Wissa ticks plenty of boxes.
Given the departure of Callum Wilson and other targets like Calvert-Lewin being considered, Wissa presents a compelling blend of Premier League experience, positional intelligence, and proven end product.
If Newcastle can negotiate the fee down, Wissa could well become the Magpies’ new Ba – an underrated Premier League poacher with the potential to light up St. James’ Park.
He's Bruno Guimaraes 2.0: Newcastle considering move to sign £50m "machine"
Newcastle could consider a move for an English midfielder
Manchester United are now preparing an offer to sign an “incredible” £6.2 million Brazilian who wants to join the Red Devils, according to a new report.
Man Utd move on to new targets after finalising Mbeumo deal
The Red Devils have spent the last six to eight weeks working on a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. They had seen two bids turned down for the Cameroon international, but on Friday it was confirmed that they had finally agreed a deal with the London side.
The forward underwent his medical at Carrington over the weekend, with pictures emerging of him wearing the club’s training kit, and now an official announcement is expected soon.
Now that United have wrapped up that deal, they are turning their attention to their next set of targets, and they include signing a goalkeeper and a striker. United have been linked with moves for Nicolas Jackson and Randal Kolo Muani most recently, but the Premier League side have also held internal discussions about signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
In fact, TEAMtalk report that United are set to intensify their efforts to sign Sesko, who is said to be valued at £67 million by the Bundesliga giants.
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Meanwhile, signing a new goalkeeper is also considered a priority for United, and on Sunday, Fabrizio Romano reported that the Red Devils made initial contact to be informed on a deal for Senne Lammens, who currently plays for Royal Antwerp.
The 23-year-old is among the options on United’s list, but he is not their only target, as they are also looking at another name.
Man Utd preparing bid to sign John Victor
According to Goal Brasil, relayed by Sport Witness, Man United are now expected to make an offer in the coming days to sign John Victor from Botafogo.
John Victor for Botafofo.
The report states that United have been in contact with Victor’s entourage since December last year, and he is now considered their top target in their search for a new goalkeeper. It isn’t clear what United’s offer will be, but the 28-year-old does have a release clause worth €7.4 million, which is roughly £6.2 million, and that figure would need to be paid in full to bypass Botafogo.
It goes on to add that other Premier League teams have approached Victor’s agent in recent days, but the goalkeeper is prioritising a move to Old Trafford. However, a deal will only progress when United have made an offer.
Apps
4
Starts
4
Goals conceded
3
Goals conceded per game
0.8
Saves made
13
Saves per game
3.3 (81%)
Passing accuracy per game
18.0 (65%)
Clean sheets
1
Clearances per game
2.8
The Red Devils are well stacked in the goalkeeper department, as they still have Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, and Tom Heaton in their ranks. The latter pair played in their opening pre-season game against Leeds United over the weekend, but it remains unclear if Bayindir has a future at the club.
Onana has also been linked with a move away and is now dealing with a hamstring injury that could see him miss the start of the season, so Victor, who has been dubbed “incredible” by FIFA’s official media channels, could arrive and have a good chance of being the club’s number one.
Arsenal are now preparing an opening bid for a £52m “monster” who has “given the green light” for a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.
Gunners looking to bolster attacking options
There have been calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a striker for quite some time, with the manager being forced to use Mikel Merino in a makeshift role during the latter stages of the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londers are now closing in on a statement signing.
Indeed, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the Gunners are making progress in their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres, with the Sweden international eager to leave Sporting CP and various reports suggesting personal terms are agreed.
Not only was Arteta left short on options at striker last season, but the manager also didn’t have much depth out wide, with 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri deputising for Bukayo Saka, while Raheem Sterling failed to make his mark at the Emirates Stadium.
As such, the Spaniard is also looking to bring in a new winger this summer, and Plettenberg has now taken to X to reveal that an opening offer for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke is currently “being prepared” and the Gunners have a “full agreement with Madueke until 2030”.
The Sky Sports reporter believes Madueke’s price tag will be around the €60m (£52m) mark, with the deal “on”, although it may have to wait until after the Club World Cup, with the forward fully focussed on his side’s upcoming semi-final against Fluminense.
Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi
The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.
By
Tom Cunningham
Jul 7, 2025
Having “given the green light for the move” across the capital, however, it is clear the Chelsea ace would be keen on a move to Arsenal when the tournament comes to a close.
"Monster" Madueke could be savvy signing for Arsenal
With Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka on the books, it seems unlikely the 23-year-old would be a regular starter, but the Gunners are in need of additional depth in attack if they are to compete on all fronts next season.
As such, the England international could be a savvy signing, off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which he picked up 11 goals and five assists across all competitions.
Personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst also described the former PSV Eindhoven man as a “mentality monster”, indicating that he has the personality to be a success at the Emirates Stadium and help Arteta’s side compete for major honours.
That said, a price tag of £52m seems a little on the high side, given that Madueke is yet to prove himself at the very highest level, and Arsenal should attempt to negotiate a deal for a lower fee.