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Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is set for a decision over the potential signing of a “unique” player, after the 53-year-old personally held talks with his representatives.

Andrea Berta working on Arsenal targets ahead of summer window

According to reports, since his arrival was confirmed in late March, Berta has wasted absolutely no time in laying the groundwork over Arsenal’s top summer transfer targets.

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

The former Atlético Madrid chief has been tasked with spearheading the club’s recruitment drive after 12 successful years at the Metropolitano, and he comes to Arsenal with a glittering reputation which he’ll be determined to maintain.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games of the season

Date

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

There are suggestions Berta could spend up to £300 million to reinforce Arsenal’s squad in almost all areas, including by bringing in a second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker (GiveMeSport).

Ahead of his debut summer window at the club, the Italian is also reliably believed to have personally reached out to the agents of key targets for discussions.

As per journalist Graeme Bailey, Berta has held talks with Martin Zubimendi’s camp, as Arsenal attempt to strike a full agreement for the Spain international after months of reported negotiations.

While Arsenal are in discussions to extend Thomas Partey’s contract, following his very impressive 2024/2025 campaign, Mikel Arteta will still be in need of further midfield reinforcement, with Jorginho set to leave on a free deal.

Alongside Zubimendi, in one of his “first acts” as sporting director, Berta also held talks with the representatives of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons.

The highly-rated forward’s contract includes a tempting £50 million release clause, but it could still prove to be a costly operation when factoring in the Spaniard’s £170,000-per-week wages, agent fees and payment structure.

Berta set for final say over Arsenal deal for Nico Williams

According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking to GiveMeSport, Berta is set to decide whether Arsenal sign Williams this summer – and it could prove to be one of his trickiest tasks.

“Nico Williams, the situation is this, there’s a €58million release clause, and he could finally, finally leave a club that he’s very much in love with,” said Jacobs.

“The overall cost of the deal is expensive, though, and the reason for that is because Williams has got a very high wage, €200,000 at the moment, and then there’s agent fees and taxes.

“So there is Premier League interest from Arsenal and from Chelsea as well. Arsenal are looking at a left-sided attacker. And it will be for Andrea Berta to decide whether or not there’s now value in Williams, because Arsenal have been put off by the cost in the past.”

The 22-year-old has enjoyed an excellent end to 24/25 after a dip in form, showcasing his “unique” talent, after he also racked up an incredible 19 assists in all competitions last season.

He is without doubt one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers, and he’d come in as great competition for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka out wide.

This summer could be make or break in terms of Ruben Amorim’s future as Manchester United manager, needing to make the right decisions in the transfer market if they are to progress next season.

The Red Devils currently sit in 13th position in the Premier League, with their only hope of securing European football next season relying on their success in the Europa League.

Their lowly league standing is huge evidence that the board need to back the 40-year-old in the window, allowing him to make the additions he wants to fit his 3-4-2-1 system.

He’s so far only had one window to implement his own changes, largely having to operate with the players signed under the guidance of former manager Erik ten Hag.

However, he appears to have wasted no time in identifying players to improve his first-team squad, targeting one player who could massively improve the situation at Old Trafford.

Man Utd already in talks to land huge PL talent

According to GIVEMESPORT, United are already in talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a summer deal to sign their star man, Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian only signed a new contract back in February but has stated his desire to depart Molineux this summer, with any club wanting him needing to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

The 25-year-old has registered 13 goals and four assists in the league to date, undoubtedly playing a huge role in maintaining the club’s top-flight status this campaign.

The report claims he’s interested in making a move to Old Trafford this summer, potentially making personal terms a forgone conclusion should the Red Devils trigger his release clause.

Whilst it would be a huge sum to fork out on yet another attacker at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a worthwhile investment, providing a better option than another player already on their radar.

Why Cunha would be a better signing than Delap for United

Over the last week or so, reports have emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number-one choice to become their new talisman next season.

The 22-year-old is set to be a man in demand this summer, with Chelsea also in the race to land the forward who has a £30m relegation release clause within his current contract.

The former Manchester City youngster has been the Tractor Boys’ key man in 2024/25, registering 12 goals in 30 appearances – scoring 39% of Kieran McKenna’s outfit’s efforts to date.

However, despite the huge difference in fee, Cunha would undoubtedly be the better option for Amorim’s side, having the ability to feature in a centre-forward or attacking midfield role.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from 2024/25, the Brazilian massively outperformed Delap, showcasing why the hierarchy should pay the added difference between the player’s different clauses.

How Cunha compares to Delap in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Cunha

Delap

Games played

26

30

Goals & assists

17

14

Progressive carries

3.9

2.2

Progressive passes

4.7

1.1

Shots on target

1.5

1.1

Pass accuracy

70%

61%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.4

Stats via FBref

The Wolves star, who’s been labelled “sensational” by current boss Vitor Pereira, has managed to register more combined goals and assists, whilst also registering more shots on target per 90 – showcasing his clinical nature in attacking areas.

He’s also completed more progressive passes per 90, whilst completing more take-ons per 90, achieving a higher pass completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature with the ball at his feet.

Whilst the club would pay more than double if they were to land Cunha, it’s evident that he would be a better option for the Red Devils based on the stats he’s produced in England’s top flight in 2024/25.

If they are to return to the summit of the Premier League in the next couple of years, it’s pivotal they learn from their mistakes in the market, needing to invest in top-quality talent rather than players who have only impressed over one season.

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Manchester United could only secure a 2-2 draw with Lyon in the Europa League last night.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 11, 2025

Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign handed Ruben Amorim and the hierarchy a huge task of winning the fanbase over ahead of the ongoing season.

The Red Devils’ 15th-place finish in the Premier League was nothing short of an embarrassment, with such a standing the club’s lowest since the division’s formation back in 1992.

The Europa League gave the manager a chance to redeem himself, but such a competition brought about more misery – losing the final in Bilbao to fellow English strugglers Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite all the failures of Amorim’s debut year at Old Trafford, the hierarchy decided to stick with the 40-year-old for 2025/26 – even handing him over £200m worth of funds to improve the first-team squad.

However, further embarrassing defeats against League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup once again led to rumours over the manager’s long-term future in the role.

He’s since managed to win three league games in a row for the first time in his tenure, with some of his tactical tweaks finally starting to take effect 12 months on from his appointment.

The impact of Bruno & Mbeumo in Amorim’s system at United

Despite United struggling massively last season, it didn’t stop club captain Bruno Fernandes from impressing and producing some astonishing numbers in the final third.

The 31-year-old ended 2024/25 on a combined 37 goals and assists, by far and away the highest tally of any player in the squad – with his efforts saving the club from a relegation battle.

However, after the recent summer spending spree, the Portuguese international has been forced to operate in a deep-lying central midfield role – but it hasn’t taken away from his incredible ability in attacking areas.

Bruno currently sits on a total of four goal contributions, but his underlying stats highlight the bearing he is still having on creating carnage for the opposition.

In the recent Premier League outing against Nottingham Forest, he registered a total of four chances created – the most of any player on the pitch at the City Ground.

Bruno has also created the most chances of any player in the first-team squad this campaign, with his average of 2.8 per 90 ranking him in the top 3% of all players in the division.

Most of his opportunities have fallen the way of Bryan Mbeumo, with the 26-year-old tasked with the responsibility of transforming the club’s lack of quality in the final third.

The Cameroonian cost a whopping £71m including add-ons from Brentford, but has already made an immediate impact despite the pressure of the price tag looming over him.

He’s scored four times in his first ten outings for the Red Devils, but like Bruno, his underlying figures are the ones that greatly highlight his impact in the Premier League during 2025/26.

Mbeumo’s total of 1.4 shots on target per 90 ranks him in the top 4% of all players in the division, undoubtedly contributing to his impressive goalscoring tally.

He also ranks in the top 4% for crosses completed and the top 10% for successful dribbles – further reaffirming how he’s helped transform the club’s ability to impress in front of goal.

The United star who’s becoming the best in the world

The impact of Bruno and Mbeumo in the final third simply can’t be understated, with the duo playing a key role in United’s recent revival under Amorim this season.

The pair have played a key role in the majority of the club’s goals in the Premier League this campaign, with such a situation night and day from the previous year.

Amorim’s men have already netted 17 league goals in just 10 outings to date, which is already 45% of the efforts registered during the embarrassing 2024/25 campaign.

Such an investment has already been worthwhile, which has certainly set the first team on the right trajectory for success if they can sustain such levels in the years ahead.

As for the defensive department, they have often come under fire for their lack of quality – with the majority of which being directed to goalkeeper Andre Onana.

However, the centre-backs in front of the shot-stopper didn’t cover themselves in glory, resulting in the Red Devils conceding 44 times in just 38 matches.

The hierarchy backed Amorim in the summer, as previously mentioned, even landing a new goalkeeper in the form of Senne Lammens from Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp.

The 23-year-old cost a fee in the region of £18m during the recent window, subsequently being an investment for the immediate and long-term future at Old Trafford.

His arrival has brought a newfound sense of confidence in the defensive department, already keeping a clean sheet and only conceding five times in his four senior outings for the Red Devils.

Amorim’s men currently remain unbeaten during the youngster’s spell in the first-team, which is no coincidence given the struggles of those who have filled the void before him.

His stats from the early stages of his career at Old Trafford no doubt highlight his impressive start to life in England, which has seen the side rise up England’s top-flight.

Games played

4

Minutes played

360

Saves made

12

Goals prevented

0.4

Goals conceded

5

Clean sheets

1

High claims

5

Passes completed

48

Lammens has achieved a 71% save percentage to date, whilst making three saves per 90 – tallies which have certainly prevented the side in numerous key moments.

He’s also achieved a goals prevented xG of 0.38, ranking him in the top 8% of all ‘keepers in the league – which has led to one analyst tipping him to become one of the “best in the world”.

The Belgian’s ability to quickly transition the play has also aided Mbeumo and Bruno, with his tally of 8.8 accurate long balls per 90 able to quickly start a counterattack for Amorim’s men.

Given his tender age, it’s certainly frightening how exciting Lammens could be at United, with the 23-year-old able to fill the void between the sticks for at least the next decade.

Should he carry on his current path under Amorim, there’s no reason as to why he can’t play a vital role in any success endured by the Red Devils in the near future.

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ByEthan Lamb Nov 6, 2025

Sandro Tonali maintained an interesting stance about a move away from Newcastle United earlier this week and now Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a move worth over £40m.

It’s an all too familiar feeling for Newcastle, who were forced to bid farewell to Alexander Isak for a Premier League record in the summer as they scrambled to find his replacement. Now, they potentially face the prospect of losing more key men amid reported interest from around English football in Sven Botman and, of course, Tonali.

It’s the last thing that Eddie Howe needs in the middle of the Magpies’ current domestic form. In the Champions League, his side have been close to perfect, but that couldn’t be further from the case in the Premier League with just three wins in their opening 10 games.

The Newcastle boss admitted in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brentford that his side must rise up the ranks in the Premier League after a disappointing run.

Missing out on Champions League qualification would only make Newcastle’s attempts to keep hold of key men even tougher, especially if Real Madrid do come calling for Tonali.

Tonali shares exit stance as Real Madrid prepare move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now preparing a move to sign Tonali from Newcastle worth €50m (£44m) in 2026. Now, whilst the Magpies are unlikely to accept such a low offer for a player that cost them £55m, Madrid’s attempts would certainly spark some interesting questions about the midfielder’s future.

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Despite recent reports revealing that the Italian has already signed a new deal which could keep him at St James’ Park until 2029, Tonali refused to rule out an exit away from the club when questioned about his Newcastle future earlier this week.

Described as “excellent” by Howe, Tonali’s admission will undoubtedly concern those on Tyneside, who saw Isak force his way out of the club in the summer. The last thing they need is another summer-long transfer saga.

PIF's "massive overpay" is quickly becoming Howe's new Almiron

It would be fair to say that the last week or so hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal.

Yes, Mikel Arteta’s side are still top of the Premier League, but a draw away to Chelsea and then a defeat at the hands of Aston Villa have diminished their lead to just two points.

Moreover, while they certainly weren’t terrible against the Villans, they failed to make the most of their chances.

One player who has received quite a bit of criticism from the fan base in the aftermath is Martin Odegaard, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to bring someone in who could be bad news for his place in the team.

Arsenal target Odegaard upgrade

With the transfer window now less than a month away from reopening, Arsenal have a chance to reinforce their squad, and the good news is that they’ve already been linked with a host of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has once again been touted for a £70m move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.

However, while both Brazilians would undoubtedly have an impact on Arteta’s side, neither one could be described as a potential rival, upgrade or replacement for Odegaard, unlike Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to recent reports from Italy, Arsenal have reignited their interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Gunners have once more made contact to find out what would be needed to make this deal happen.

However, while a potential price is not mentioned in the story, other reports from last month claim that a fee of around £88m could be enough to tempt Juventus into selling.

It would therefore be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, Arsenal should fight for him, especially as he could provide real competition for Odegaard, if not outright replace him.

How Yıldız compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to point out is that while Yıldız is primarily viewed as a winger, he could easily become more of a ten over time.

After all, while he has spent plenty of time out wide, his most-played position is second striker, and given his third-most-played position is attacking midfield, the idea of him dropping a little deeper does not feel far-fetched.

Moreover, the youngster already possesses one of the key characteristics of the best tens: the ability to both score and assist goals with relative ease. There is a reason European football writer Danny Corcoran has suggested the youngster has “Mbappe-like ability.”

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

He has somehow become even more dangerous this season, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1533 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 139.36 minutes.

Yıldız’s vs Odegaard
24/25	Yıldız	Odegaard
Appearances	52	45
Minutes	3520′	3447′
Goals	12	6
Assists	9	12
25/26	Yıldız	Odegaard
Appearances	18	11
Minutes	1457′	516′
Goals	5	0
Assists	5	2
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For comparison’s sake, Odegaard scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, last season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

This season, in the period he has been available, the Norwegian international has provided two assists in 11 appearances, totalling 516 minutes, which is an average of one every 5.5 games, or every 258 minutes.

With it clear that the Turkish gem is more of an attacking threat than the Gunners’ captain, what else makes him a player that Andrea Berta and Co cannot miss out on?

Well, as his output would suggest, he is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, someone “capable of the spectacular.”

Whether that’s a goal from distance, a mazy run that ends in a chance or just some tidy footwork that gets his team on their way, the Regensburg-born talent is an attacker who can seemingly do it all.

This is unsurprisingly reflected in his underlying numbers as well.

Yıldız’s Scout Report
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Goal-Creating Actions	1.22	Top 6%
Shot-Creating Actions	6.10	Top 8%
xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals	0.46	Top 9%
Carries into Penalty Area	3.41	Top 11%
Shots on Target	1.46	Top 12%
Successful Take-Ons	3.17	Top 12%
All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 UCL

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League for goal-creating actions, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for expected assisted goals, the top 11% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s got the ability and potential to replace Odegaard and become a world-class ten.

Sterling 2.0: Berta flop already looks like he'll never make it at Arsenal

It is not looking good for the Arsenal star so far this season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 6, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could now lose a “very important” member of his Gunners squad in January as his side battle for the Premier League title.

The Gunners have suffered various injury problems of late, with Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres all racing to be fit for the North London derby on November 23, but Gabriel Jesus will have to wait longer for his first game back despite returning to training last week.

This has left Arsenal very short of attacking options in the final third, but somehow, they’ve still managed to climb four points clear at the top of the table after a very impressive unbeaten run which stretches all the way back to September.

Arteta’s side even went eight straight games without conceding a single goal in all competitions before Dan Ballard ended the run in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland last weekend.

However, the fact remains — Arsenal are yet to taste defeat at all since their 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in August.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

It is also important to remember that Sunderland are no pushovers, having made the best start of any newly-promoted side since Hull City in 2008/2009.

Regis Le Bris’ men remain unbeaten at their Stadium of Light fortress, and depending on if you’re ‘glass half full’ or ‘glass half empty’ kind of person, you could see the draw up north as a point gained rather than two points lost. Of course, the manner of Arsenal’s draw, having conceded a last-gasp equaliser via Brian Brobbey’s acrobatic effort, means it will feel more like the latter to most.

In any case, with Gyokeres, Havertz, Martinelli and Madueke all pushing to be back for their crucial clash against Tottenham, things are still looking very rosy at the Emirates Stadium.

Their outstanding defence has put them in excellent stead to go on and win a first Premier League title in 22 years, with full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori standing out as two of Arsenal’s players of the season thus far.

So much so, that there’s been little room for Hale End academy sensation Myles Lewis-Skelly in the starting eleven.

Myles Lewis-Skelly could now leave Arsenal in January

The 19-year-old, who enjoyed a sensational breakthrough campaign at Arsenal last term, has just put pen to paper on a five-year contract — but it is now believed he could yet to depart the club in January due to a lack of game time.

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett, who shared what England boss Thomas Tuchel told Lewis-Skelly after omitting him from the latest England squad.

Dorsett goes on to explain that, while Arteta’s side don’t want to sell and expect him to get more minutes, not to mention the fact he’s just signed an extension, the “reality” is that Lewis-Skelly is probably Arsenal’s third-choice left-back behind Calafiori and Piero Hincapie.

He also explains, if Arsenal were to consider selling yet another academy graduate, 100 per cent of his transfer fee would go down as pure profit in the eyes of PSR — making the prospect of his exit fairly appealing in the long-term.

Dorsett also says that Arteta views him as a “very important” member of the team despite his lack of match action, but insists Lewis-Skelly is “one to watch” in January and a “big offer” could get Andrea Berta thinking twice.

The English sensation had battled his way into Tuchel’s plans thanks to his stellar upward trajectory at Arsenal. However, the form of Calafiori and arrival of Hincapie means he is no longer a Premier League first choice, and with the World Cup looming, Lewis-Skelly could have a key decision to make.

Wolves have now been heavily linked with making former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag their next boss, following the recent sacking of Vitor Pereira.

Wanderers are on the lookout for their next manager, with Pereira relieved of his duties after last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat away to Fulham in the Premier League proving to be the final straw.

A host of names have been mentioned, including former Wolves striker Robbie Keane and Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, and the latter hasn’t exactly ruled out the idea of taking charge at Molineux.

“I can understand it with my links to the club but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around for a really big game against Leicester. It’s hard for me to comment on speculation and anything other than Middlesbrough. We’ve done a decent job so far, and all I care about is trying to win tomorrow.”

Now, Ten Hag’s name has also been thrown into the hat, with a new update suggesting that he is among the front-runners to be Pereira’s successor at Wolves.

Wolves make contact with Ten Hag's agent

According to Algemeen Daglblad [via Sport Witness], Wolves made contact with Ten Hag’s agent on Monday over potentially taking charge of the Premier League club.

It is claimed that the Dutchman is “seeking revenge”, seemingly in terms of rebuilding his reputation, following doomed spells at both United and Bayer Leverkusen but he has several other options at unnamed clubs.

Ten Hag is certainly a manager whose stock has fallen significantly since he guided Ajax into the semi-finals of the Champions League back in 2019, due to struggling in his last two jobs.

For that reason, there is a risk in Wolves appointing him, with some supporters understandably worried that he is on the wane as a manager, rather than on the way up like Edwards.

Erik ten Hag’s managerial career	Matches	Points per game
Bayer Leverkusen	3	1.33
Man Utd	128	1.84
Ajax	215	2.34
Utrecht	111	1.74
FC Bayern II	72	2.14
Go Ahead Eagles	39	1.72

Then again, the 4-3-2-1-playing and Eredivisie-winning former Ajax boss is a talented manager, with Steve McClaren even likening him to Sir Alex Ferguson, in terms of his attention to detail.

“The only other one I would have seen do that? That would have been the gaffer [Ferguson]. His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation. He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football; the environment he wants to create. The player progression programme was a key part of Twente. He has done that at Ajax too, for each player from the academy to the first team.”

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By
Sean Markus Clifford

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Ultimately, the decision lies with the Wolves board, but Ten Hag does feel like a risky choice at this point in his career, despite the praise and success that have come his way in the past.

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Newcastle United’s wait for a first away win of the season is now over.

On Saturday night, the Magpies demolished Everton 4-1 on Merseyside, enjoying their first-ever visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Malick Thiaw broke the deadlock inside 60 seconds, with Lewis Miley lashing home a second and then Nick Woltemade making it three in first half stoppage time, before Thiaw bagged his second shortly after the interval, rubber stamping victory.

Before this, Eddie Howe’s side had failed to win any of their six Premier League away games this season, losing each of their last three on the road, their most recent away league victory coming at a hopeless Leicester in April.

Now, ahead of back-to-back home games this week against Tottenham and Burnley, which Newcastle player put in an excellent performance at Bramley-Moore Dock, suggesting he may be the club’s best young talent?

Can Lewis Miley break into Newcastle's midfield?

For so long, the backbone of Newcastle’s rise, twice qualifying for the Champions League and winning last season’s EFL Cup, has been their midfield trio of Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.

However, attempting to balance both domestic and continental commitments, Howe has started to rotate his team a bit more, ahead of a jam-packed December featuring eight fixtures, so could Lewis Miley force his way into the starting lineup on a more regular basis?

Still a teenager, Miley started in the Premier League for just the second time this season on Saturday evening, scoring his first goal since netting during a 4-3 victory over Nottingham Forest in February.

Dominic Scurr of the Shields Gazette awarded him a 9/10 for his performance against Everton, stating that it was ‘so good to see him shining’ having been handed a rare start, getting the nod over Tonali.

For a long time now, Miley has been viewed as the brightest young talent in this Newcastle squad, becoming the second-youngest player in the club’s Premier League history to both score and record an assist in a single match, behind only Charles N’Zogbia.

Meantime, almost two years ago, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he is a “special talent”, labelling him “technical, elegant, composed, and hardworking” who is an “absolute unicorn in midfield”, emphasising that he’s been in the spotlight for quite a while.

However, did another player come to the fore at Hill Dickinson Stadium and underline that he is Newcastle’s brightest young thing?

Newcastle's bigger talent than Lewis Miley

Given their side’s inconsistent form, the Geordie faithful have been calling for Howe to tinker with his lineup, and they may be getting their wish.

Aaron Ramsdale displaced Nick Pope this weekend, while full-back is the other positions supporters have wanted to see a change, with Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall both starting too, and the latter certainly caught the eye.

The 21-year-old has now started back-to-back Premier League games, having been included in the lineup only twice this season in any competition beforehand, and underlined why supporters have been eager to see more of him, as the table documents.

Hall’s stats vs Everton

Stats

Hall

Match rank

Assists

1

1st

Successful dribbles

3

1st

Passing accuracy

91%

7th

Key passes

2

1st

Accurate crosses

2

2nd

Big chances created

2

1st

Ground duels won

5

1st

Tackle win %

100%

1st

Touches

87

3rd

Match rating

7.8

4th

Stats via SofaScore

As the table notes, Hall ranked first in a wide variety of statistics on Merseyside on Saturday evening.

He registered an assist, created two big chances and completed 91% of his 55 passes, while also winning five ground duels and 100% of his tackles.

For the majority of this season, Dan Burn has been the first-choice left-back, but the 6 ft 7 in hometown hero has been massively exposed in recent weeks.

This was particularly the case when he met Dango Ouattara of Brentford earlier this month, conceding a penalty and being sent off for fouling the Burkinabé winger during a 3-1 defeat in West London.

Thus, against both Man City and now Everton, Hall has proved he has to be Howe’s first-choice going forward, while the same may not yet be the case for his namesake in midfield.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

The Brewers turned one of the most improbable double plays in MLB postseason history on Monday night, thanks to some abysmal baserunning from Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández.

An attempted home run robbery from Sal Frelick ultimately resulted in an incredibly rare 8-6-2 double play, the first of its kind in the history of the MLB playoffs, thanks to an abundance of confusion on the base paths during the fourth inning of Game 1. In short, Hernández failed to score from third base despite the ball being live at the center field wall after Frelick failed to come up with the heroic home run robbery.

Hernández addressed the incident on Tuesday, and he didn't mince words while taking ownership of his mistake.

"I f—ed up," said Hernández, via Bob Nightengale of . Hernández said that he's watched the replay of the incident and said he was entirely to blame for the mistake he made on the bases.

On the play in question, Hernández was thrown at out the plate after Frelick gathered the ball and rifled it to the cutoff man, Joey Ortiz. Hernández should have left third base the moment the ball hit Frelick's glove, but he remained on the base for far too long, enabling the defense to throw him out at home.

Milwaukee was then able to get the force out at third base, because catcher Will Smith had run back to second as if the runners needed to tag up.

It was a confusing play, to say the least, but Hernández acknowledged the significance of his mistake and took accountability for not getting the run home. Ultimately, the Dodgers were able to edge out a 2–1 victory over the Brewers, but they'd have gotten some crucial insurance runs in the fourth had Hernandez been more alert on the base paths.

Usman Shinwari, the left-arm quick, played just 34 times for Pakistan across formats between 2013 and 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2025Usman Shinwari, the 31-year-old left-arm fast bowler, has announced his retirement from international cricket after representing Pakistan in one Test, 17 ODIs and 16 T20Is from 2013 to 2019.Shinwari made his international debut in a T20I against Sri Lanka in Dubai in December 2013, conceding nine runs without picking up a wicket in his only over. He had played four T20Is before making his ODI debut, also against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, in October 2017. The only Test appearance came in December 2019, against Sri Lanka again, in Rawalpindi. That was the last time he played for Pakistan.His time in international cricket was hampered by a back injury, which flared up often.It was in ODIs that Shinwari was at his best, picking up two five-wicket hauls – including in his second appearance, against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in October 2017, when he returned 5 for 34. The five wickets came in the space of 21 balls. The other five-wicket haul came in his penultimate ODI, against Sri Lanka in Karachi in September 2019.Shinwari first caught the attention of the national selectors when he was 19, in 2013, when he crushed Misbah-ul-Haq’s Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in the departmental T20 Cup final. Seaming and swinging the ball, Shinwari returned 5 for 9 in 3.1 overs. That led to him being fast-tracked into the T20I side, but he failed to replicate his domestic form in international cricket.He was last in action in Pakistan’s National T20 Cup, where he turned out for Quetta Region, but failed to pick up a wicket in four games.