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There’s been a lack of activity in the transfer market so far this summer from Newcastle United, but fans shouldn’t worry; Eddie Howe’s side are looking to make several signings.

Having qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season, the Magpies faithful will expect the squad to be rewarded for their Herculean efforts, winning the Carabao Cup too.

But sporting director Paul Mitchell stands down at the end of the month, and frustrations are already reaching boiling point for some given transfer targets like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo appear to be headed elsewhere.

Mbeumo scored 20 goals across 38 top-flight fixtures, earning praise from Thomas Frank for his “unplayable” attacking performances.

However, with Mbeumo seemingly out of reach, Newcastle are turning their attention elsewhere, and might have found an exciting option perhaps not yet discussed by the biggest channels.

Newcastle enter race for Mbeumo alternative

As per Caught Offside, Newcastle are in the running for versatile RB Leipzig forward Antonio Nusa, though they are joined in their interest by a host of clubs, including Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

Valued at €45m (£38m), the 20-year-old has only been playing in Germany for a year but has made good progress, showcasing his range of attacking qualities. Thus, he could be snapped up before his stock rises higher still.

While there haven’t been any official proposals from the suitors yet, bids may materialise quickly, so Newcastle might be wise to act now and bring a top talent to St. James’ Park – one who might even outgrow Mbeumo in the future.

What Antonio Nusa would bring to Newcastle

Hailed as a “future icon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Nusa has impressed across his maiden campaign in Germany, scoring five goals and supplying seven assists across 36 appearances.

The Norwegian talent has yet to find the kind of goalscoring form that has defined Mbeumo’s time in the Premier League, but there’s more to his skill set than that.

In the Champions League, particularly, he impressed. As per FBref, Nusa ranked among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s elite competition for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.

There’s a long road ahead for Nusa if he wishes to prove himself as a better signing than Mbeumo in the future, but his underlying data certainly suggests he has what it takes.

Matches (starts)

25 (16)

38 (38)

Goals

3

20

Assists

3

7

Shots (on target)*

1.0 (0.3)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

1

9

Pass completion

78%

74%

Key passes*

0.8

1.8

Big chances created

6

17

Dribbles*

1.6

1.4

Ball recoveries*

3.1

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

1.7

Duels won*

4.1

4.7

Nusa is still very young – five years Mbeumo’s junior, in fact – but you can already see a combativeness and efficiency in his ball-carrying that suggests he too could sustain complete performances in the Premier League.

Moreover, the Norway international might not have converted that many chances, but he only missed one big chance in the Bundesliga last term, highlighting an underlying clinical edge that Howe could harness over the coming years, using the player’s pace and power to get him into dangerous positions.

Mbeumo will cost a pretty penny to prise from Brentford this summer, and given the strength of Newcastle’s existing frontline, adding an up-and-coming talent who can challenge for places might just be the winning formula for Howe’s side, as they step back onto the continent’s biggest stage.

Mbeumo & Pedro hybrid: Newcastle confident of signing "dangerous" £55m star

Newcastle are looking for a versatile forward

1 ByJoe Nuttall Jun 13, 2025

It’s been another season of disappointments for Arsenal this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side couldn’t get past Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of the Champions League despite creating enough chances; they fell to Newcastle United in the semi-finals of the League Cup and didn’t even get past the Third Round of the FA Cup.

Worse yet, after running Manchester City so close in the Premier League for the last two seasons, the Gunners completely fell away from Liverpool this year, who are currently 15 points ahead with two games to go.

1

Liverpool

83

37

83

2

Arsenal

66

33

68

3

Newcastle

68

45

66

4

Man City

67

43

65

5

Chelsea

62

43

63

One of the reasons the Reds have had such a comfortable time of it is the incredible, talismanic form of Mohamed Salah, something Andre Berta and Co are seemingly intent on bringing to the Emirates next season in the shape of a striker who’s outscoring Alexander Isak this year.

Arsenal's striker search

As things stand, Arne Slot’s Champions-elect have scored a whopping 17 goals more than Arsenal, so it’s hardly been surprising to see the Gunners linked with a host of prolific number nines in recent weeks, like Jonathan David and Benjamin Sesko.

Transfer Focus

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

The former is set to be available for free this summer, and it’s not hard to see why so many teams, including the North Londoners, are vying for his signature, as in just 48 appearances for LOSC Lille this season, the Canadian poacher has scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists.

Sesko, on the other hand, would cost Arteta and Co around £67m, but as he’s still just 21 years old and has managed to rack up 21 goals and six assists in 44 appearances for a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues, it would be hard to argue that’s not a fair valuation.

However, to really take that next step, the Gunners need to bring in someone with a truly remarkable record, someone like Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Portuguese outlet A Bola, Arsenal remain incredibly interested in the Swedish international and have stepped up their pursuit of him.

The report has revealed that the club have now made an offer to the Swede’s agent worth around £7m a year, which is about £135k-per-week, and that they are prepared to make an offer of up to €75m (£63m) to Sporting CP.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but given his incredible goalscoring ability, it’d be more than worth it, especially as he could become Arsenal’s own Salah.

Why Gyokeres could be Arsenal's own Salah

So, the first thing to say is that this comparison obviously has nothing to do with their position, as Salah almost exclusively plays off the right, while Gyokeres is an out-and-out centre-forward.

Instead, the latter could become Arsenal’s version of the former in the sense that his sensational goalscoring ability could fire the club to glory next season, making him a talisman for Arteta’s side.

It’s not hard to imagine this happening either, as in 50 appearances across all competitions and totalling 4038 minutes this season, the Swedish “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 52 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an average of 1.3 goal involvements per game, or one every 62.12 minutes.

In contrast, Isak, who has long been a target for the Gunners, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists in 41 appearances, totalling 3234 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.24 games, or every 98 minutes.

Moreover, the Stockholm-born phenomenon is also leading the race for the European Golden Boot, with 38 goals in just 32 league games, while second-placed Salah has 28 goals to his name in 36 league appearances.

1

Gyokeres

32

38

1.18

2

Salah

36

28

0.77

3

Mbappe

31

27

0.87

4

Kane

30

25

0.83

5

Lewandowski

31

25

0.80

Ultimately, while it might cost the club a pretty penny, they should be doing all they can to sign Gyokeres this summer, as his simply sensational ability to put the ball in the back of the net could see him become a Salah-esque talisman for them next year, and lead them to the title.

He's a lot like Xhaka: Arsenal working hard to sign £43m "duel monster"

The incredible youngster could be a superstar with Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 13, 2025

Aston Villa are now looking to a seal a deal for a “devastating” midfielder ahead of their Premier League rivals, and he is keen on the move, according to a report.

Aston Villa pursuing new midfielder

Villa are on course to have another successful season under the helm of Unai Emery, having reached the Champions League quarter-final and the FA Cup sem-final, and their midfield has been particularly impressive.

Youri Tielemans was dubbed “one of the best midfielders in the world” by analyst Raj Chohan earlier in the campaign, while Morgan Rogers has caught the eye in a more advanced role, with the Englishman ranked among the Villans’ most consistent performers.

However, it appears as though Emery is keen to bolster his midfield options even further this summer, with FC Barcelona’s Marc Casado becoming one of the latest players to be shortlisted, and talks over a deal have now been opened.

Emery has green-lighted a move for Casado, but the Spaniard is not the only target in central midfield, with a report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealing Aston Villa are working to close a deal for Rosenborg star Sverre Nypan.

Arsenal and Girona have also been named as potential suitors for Nypan, but the Villans are now looking to move ahead in the race for his signature, and the 18-year-old is believed to be keen on a move to Villa Park.

Personal terms and a transfer fee are still yet to be agreed, so there is still work to be done before a deal is finalised, but there is now optimism that the move will be possible.

Previous reports have detailed a deal could amount to £12.5m, potentially making the youngster a low-cost addition to Emery’s squad.

Aston Villa join Bayer Leverkusen in race to sign £30m ace who will be sold

Aston Villa are among the teams from England and abroad looking to sign a player who will definitely be on the move.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 14, 2025 "Devastating" Nypan is one for the future

Given the talent Emery has at his disposal, it may be difficult for the young Norwegian to make an instant impact at Villa Park, but there are clear signs he could be capable of going on to be an important player.

The teenager has a very impressive goal and assist record in Norway, amassing 25 goal contributions in 62 appearances for Rosenborg, which is an eye-catching tally at such a young age.

The attacking midfielder has also caught the eye of football scout Ben Mattinson, with the starlet standing out due to his ability to pick out his teammates in dangerous areas.

Nypan could be a fantastic signing for Villa, and it would be a real statement of intent if they are able to beat the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City to his signature.

The Peshawar-born, who will play for NZ in the Under-19 World Cup, took up legspin inspired by Shane Warne and Rashid Khan

Shashank Kishore16-Jan-2024Rahman Hekmat pinches himself at the prospect of choosing cricket as a career, something Hekmatullah, his father, couldn’t because he was busy trying to give the family a better life. This sole purpose brought the Hekmats from Afghanistan to New Zealand 17 years ago, when he was just one.However, like his father, Hekmat has grown up to be a “cricket tragic”. He took up legspin after being inspired by Shane Warne’s YouTube videos and Rashid Khan’s exploits in international cricket. At 18, Hekmat is primed for an Under-19 World Cup debut for New Zealand.Hekmat was born in Peshawar, the Pakistani city in the North-West Frontier Province adjoining the Afghan border. The family first arrived in Auckland in 2006 when Hekmatullah enrolled for university to pursue engineering. Five years later, they decided to settle in the country when Hekmatullah’s job as a structural engineer gave the family stability.Related

• Paul Wiseman: 'We don't have the numbers India or England have, so we have to be smart with what we've got'

• All you need to know about the men's Under-19 World Cup 2024

• Cumming, Rowe in New Zealand Under-19 World Cup squad

• ICC shifts Men's Under 19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa

As Hekmat reflects on his journey into cricket from a plush hotel room in Johannesburg, he remembers his father’s early struggles to give the family a better life.”My dad came to New Zealand with literally nothing,” Hekmat tells ESPNcricinfo. “He has built our life from scratch. All he knew was the value of hard work. To have been given this chance to represent New Zealand at an Under-19 World Cup is a massive privilege. It wouldn’t have been possible without my parents’ sacrifices.”Hekmat is truly in a position of privilege. That he can take a break from academics to concentrate solely on cricket comes from knowing that his family is secure. He can’t be more grateful for this, and hopes to make them proud.”When I made it to the team, I got a lot of messages of support from the Afghan community,” Hekmat says. “It’s a big thing for me [to be] representing them. It also motivated me to do much better and perform at the highest level possible since I’m possibly the first one of Afghan origin to play for the Black Caps.”Hekmat speaks fluent Pashto. He has remained rooted to his culture, and is an active member of the Afghan community in Auckland. It’s an identity he is proud of and wouldn’t trade for anything.Rahman Hekmat (right) on his father Hekmatullah: “My dad came to New Zealand with literally nothing”•Rahman Hekmat”A lot of people ask me how I’m so fluent in Pashto,” he says with a laugh. “They’re surprised when I tell them I came here when I was one. Kids these days forget their mother tongue, but I’m very proud of my roots. I follow our traditions and customs – they’re very dear to me. And of course, I love Afghan food.”For now, though, rich Afghan food is off the plate. “No Afghan kebabs or pulao,” he laughs. “It’s tough. When my dad’s friends invite us over, they tempt me with all kinds of delicacies. But as a cricketer, I realise you have to be committed. Ever since I decided this is what I want to do, I’ve improved my diet. A year ago, I wasn’t in the best shape. But now I’m feeling good and healthy.”Hekmat began playing recreationally when he was ten. He started off as a fast bowler, but gravitated towards legspin after watching Warne’s videos on loop. It was during a regular session of corridor cricket at home with his father when he decided to switch. “It’s a tough art,” Hekmat says. “It can be unforgiving. But once you get into the rhythm and put in the hard yards, it can be rewarding.”When he was 11, Hekmat was invited to play for a club where his friend’s father coached. It was there that he developed a deep interest for the sport. He loved the camaraderie and mateship, and the opportunity to mingle with people from different communities helped develop a sense of bonding that he learnt plenty from.”Ish Sodhi has motivated me to work hard and never give up on my dreams” – Rahman Hekmat•Rahman Hekmat”It’s important to be yourself, [and] I learnt that early,” he says. “New Zealand has always been welcoming of different cultures and religion. I didn’t try to feel belonged. It was very organic because I wasn’t trying to be who I wasn’t. They enjoy the way I talk, [and also] the subcontinent gestures – like saluting elders with both hands, etc.”I want to be a role model for young kids, [and] a respectful person in society who is kind and caring. I’d rather be known for having a good attitude on the field, and being good to the umpires and the opposition with my behaviour, than just be known as a good cricketer. These things matter to me. Attitude comes first.”As Hekmat progressed through the junior circuit, he had the chance to interact with Ish Sodhi, and Hekmatullah’s familiarity with Sodhi from his younger days helped. As it turned out, there was also a family connection; Sodhi and Hekmat’s cousin were from the same circle of friends.”I’ve talked to Ish a few times, and he’s been really supportive,” Rahman says. “He’s motivated me to work hard and never give up on my dreams. Rashid Khan has been another central figure. He put Afghan spinners on the world map, and I find that very inspiring. He gives me hope that I can push on and become a good legspinner too.”Hekmat comes across as confident and mature. He realises Under-19 stardom can be a pitfall but isn’t weighed down by the pressures of playing competitive sport. He wants to relish challenges and the new experiences cricket brings him. One of those will come next week when New Zealand play Afghanistan in their second group game.

“I’m a cricket tragic. I realise you’re young only once, so the break I’ve taken from studies should be worth it”Rahman Hekmat has a lot of maturity and clarity even at 18

“It will be emotional for sure,” Hekmat says. “It will be a day to remember. But I’ll just try and make the ball talk, [and] try and contribute towards my team. Playing your motherland is a great privilege that I’m looking forward to. My folks in Kabul will be watching for sure.”Hekmat’s ultimate dream is, of course, to represent New Zealand. But there’s also a desire to play in T20 leagues at some point, like Rashid has. He is happy to soak in all the learnings now, but hopes the maturity and clarity he has at 18 helps him become not just a better cricketer but also a better person.”I’m a cricket tragic. I realise you’re young only once, so the break I’ve taken from studies should be worth it,” Hekmat said. “I’m just using this opportunity to learn at every step and refine my game every day, and also enjoy the progress I’m making rather than being caught up over one or two bad days if they come along.”This is a long journey that will be filled with challenges. I’m just learning to embrace everything cricket teaches me.”

Also, who takes the No.3 and No.4 slots?

Karthik Krishnaswamy24-Jun-20221:17

Lara – ‘Rahul Tripathi can be a tremendous asset for SRH and India’

India have just gone through an entire five-match T20I series without making a single change to their XI. Now they begin a series in Ireland with a squad that looks similar in many respects, but is different in a couple of major ways. Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer are absent, having joined India’s Test squad in England, and Hardik Pandya will captain the side. Rahul Dravid is also away in England, so VVS Laxman will take over coaching duties. How will India’s XI shape up under Hardik and Laxman?Who bats at Nos. 3 and 4?

India’s most difficult selection could be who fills the No. 3 and 4 slots vacated by Shreyas and Pant, with their squad containing five candidates for those two roles. Of the five, Deepak Hooda and Venkatesh Iyer are incumbents who spent the entire South Africa series on the bench, while Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson are making comebacks.Related

• All eyes on India's bench as Ireland welcome Full-Member feast

• What Karthik's successful return means for Pant

• India's takeaways: Karthik's form, Iyer's lack of form, Bhuvneshwar's class

• Dravid: Rishabh Pant remains 'integral part of India's line-up'

• Rahul Tripathi gets maiden call-up for Ireland T20Is

Suryakumar will probably slot straight back into the side at No. 3, having only missed the South Africa series because he was nursing a forearm injury. Given what he’s done in his brief international career so far – he averages 39.00 and has a strike rate of 165.56 after 12 T20I innings – he’s probably ahead of Shreyas in the queue for middle-order spots in a full-strength India side.It’s harder to choose between the remaining four for the other slot. Samson and the uncapped Tripathi bring similar attributes. Both are known for their ability, and willingness, to go hard at the bowling early in their innings, and both are equally good at home against pace and spin, with Samson boasting particularly impressive strike-rate numbers.Hooda, meanwhile, earned his call-up thanks to a consistent run of form at No. 3 for Lucknow Super Giants, and apart from clean striking over extra-cover also brings the ability to bowl offspin. India might find this useful, with their other spinners turning their stock ball in the other direction (though that only holds true if you consider the legbreak to be Ravi Bishnoi’s stock ball and not the wrong’un).3:43

Can Umran Malik be a part of India’s T20 World Cup plans?

Venkatesh seems the unlikeliest of the five to bat at Nos. 3 or 4, given that he’s usually been used either as opener or finisher, but his left-handedness – an ingredient India otherwise lack in the middle order in Pant’s absence – gives him a valuable point of difference.The team management, however, probably views Venkatesh as a back-up to Hardik rather than a top-four option. With Hardik captaining the side, Venkatesh may only get his chance if India decide to go with two seam-bowling allrounders in Irish conditions and leave out Axar Patel, the spin-bowling allrounder.Who’s the wicketkeeper?

India’s squad contains three keepers in Dinesh Karthik, Ishan Kishan and Samson. With regular keeper Pant absent, the choice of who takes the big gloves will probably hinge less on pure keeping skills than on who of the three contenders is likeliest to have a settled place in the XI. This probably rules out Samson, who wasn’t part of the squad for the series against South Africa, and who is one of numerous contenders vying for limited space in the upper middle order.When all the regulars return to the T20I set-up, Karthik is probably the only one of the three who will remain in the first-choice XI, given how he’s pushed himself to the front of the queue to play the finisher’s role. Kishan will probably remain the back-up opener behind Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, even though he scored more runs than anyone else on either side during the South Africa series.The clearest clue to the identity of India’s wicketkeeper in Ireland came in the BCCI release that announced the squad for the tour. There may have been three keepers in the squad, but only Karthik had “(wicket-keeper)” next to his name.1:28

Jaffer: Arshdeep should be considered for selection against Ireland

Will Arshdeep and Malik finally get their chance?

The call-ups of the left-arm death-bowling specialist Arshdeep Singh and the scarily fast middle-overs enforcer Umran Malik were the most headline-worthy selections when India announced their squad to face South Africa, but neither got a game in that series. It made sense for the team management to stick to their first-choice bowling attack given the way the series went, with India having to come back from 2-0 down, but now, perhaps, could be the time for a few experiments.Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel are probably already sure-shot selections for the T20 World Cup later this year, fitness permitting, as is Yuzvendra Chahal on the spin front. India could perhaps rest the three of them at different points during the series, and test out Arshdeep, Malik and Bishnoi. This series might represent India’s best opportunity to test out their skills in unfamiliar conditions, with both quicks uncapped and Bishnoi yet to play international cricket away from home.

MLB just wrapped up the 2025 All-Star Game, which was held at Atlanta's Truist Park, home of the Braves. The National League emerged victorious courtesy of an enthralling Home Run Derby-style "swing-off" tiebreaker after the first nine innings of the game finished in a 6–6 deadlock.

Now that this year's All-Star Game has officially come and gone, fans will be turning their heads towards next year. We've got the information about where the game will be played in 2026 and even in '27, as well as some reports about what's in store for 2028.

Future MLB All-Star Game Locations

YEAR	LOCATION
2025	Truist Park – Atlanta
2026	Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia
2027	Wrigley Field – Chicago.

2026 MLB All-Star Game Location

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, home of the Phillies. The last time the Phillies hosted an All-Star Game was back in 1996, when they played at Veteran's Park. Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, so '26 will be the first time this stadium welcomes a crowd for the Midsummer Classic.

In all, it will be the fifth time the Phillies have been MLB's All-Star host. They've previously done so in 1943, 1952, 1976 and 1996.

2027 MLB All-Star Game Location

After spending the 2026 All-Star break in Philadelphia, MLB will return to one of its most renowned playing grounds for the 2027 All-Star Game; Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Cubs' stadium is one of baseball's most recognizable landmarks, but it hasn't hosted an All-Star Game since 1990. Almost four decades later, the event is coming back to the North Side of Chicago.

In total, the Cubs have hosted the All-Star Game three times, so 2027 will be their fourth. In addition to '90, the Cubs hosted it in 1947 and '62.

2028 MLB All-Star Game Location

No official decision has been made in regards to the location of the 2028 MLB All-Star Game, but reports indicate that Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, is the early front runner. Whether they're able to secure the Midsummer Classic in '28 remains to be seen, but it's looking optimistic for The Bay.

England’s security staff were involved in altercations with local media in Brisbane and Adelaide on Saturday as the touring party continued to feel the heat ahead of a make-or-break third Ashes Test.The first incident took place at Brisbane airport, with security confronting a Channel 7 camera operator. Footage from the broadcaster shows the security guard pushing away the camera operator as he looks to get up close to the players, who had driven down from Noosa where they had been enjoying a mid-series break. The trip itself had been the subject of derision after England went 2-0 down in the Ashes following their defeat at the Gabba last week.After the group touched down in Adelaide, where the third Test will begin on Wednesday, a local journalist tried a copycat stunt only to be given short shrift by Ben Stokes and managing director Rob Key before security again intervened.