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When Liverpool signed Luis Suarez from Dutch giants Ajax in January 2011, there was a general acceptance that a deal was possible because Europe’s leading clubs, of which Liverpool were not one in that former phase, were dissuaded by his conduct.

Suarez, now 38 and playing Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, will retire as one of the most decorated and greatest strikers of his generation. He will be remembered by many for his incredible goalscoring record and mesmeric movements and ability to blend with attacking teammates.

But he will also be remembered for his volatile and aggressive nature. Suarez plays with his heart on his sleeve, but not always in a sporting fashion. He is both bark and bite.

Even so, he was a superstar for Liverpool, and many others besides. Trumping him would take some doing at number nine, and for all their success under Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot, it is something the Reds have not achieved yet.

Well, not until this summer. Now, Liverpool may have not one but two new centre-forwards capable of emulating the Uruguayan’s Premier League legacy.

Liverpool's new strikers

Meet Liverpool’s new strikers. Hugo Ekitike has already familiarised himself with the Anfield crowd, scoring three goals and supplying an assist across his first three matches for the club.

Liverpool won a charged race for his signature, beating off a number of competitors, notably Newcastle United, to sign the French forward in a £69m deal, plus £10m in add-ons.

And he’s repaying the faith. Ekitike looks at home in the Premier League, leading the line. Still only 23, perhaps the most exciting part is that Ekitike has so much potential, and there’s little question that FSG have hit the jackpot, even given his lofty price tag.

Aleander Isak hardly needs an introduction. Liverpool signed Newcastle’s star striker in a British record £125m deal on transfer deadline day, ending a month of speculation that was as contentious as it was compelling.

The Sweden international scored 27 goals across all competitions in 2024/25 and won the Carabao Cup, scoring as Eddie Howe’s side beat Liverpool at Wembley.

Erling Haaland is the only player to have scored at a more clinical rate in the Premier League since Isak left Real Sociedad in Spain and joined Newcastle for £63m. Even Mohamed Salah, in all his brilliance, hasn’t provided the same frequency.

PL Top Scorers (22/23 to 25/26)

Player

Apps

Goals (rate)

Erling Haaland

101

90 (0.89)

Mohamed Salah

112

68 (0.61)

Alexander Isak

86

54 (0.63)

Ollie Watkins

112

50 (0.45)

Chris Wood

96

39 (0.41)

Bryan Mbeumo

105

39 (0.37)

Data via Transfermarkt

No doubt, Isak hopes to leave a legacy comparable to that of Suarez, and Ekitike will too. However, Liverpool’s new version of the South American star is actually another member of Slot’s squad.

Liverpool's new version of Suarez

Suarez was a maverick, a game-changer. Rarely has the Premier League seen such boundless quality in one man, and he almost single-handedly dragged Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool to the top-flight title in 2013/14, scoring 31 goals and assisting 13 more as he plied a campaign for the ages.

But he didn’t quite hit the ground running a few years earlier, when he joined from Ajax. Suarez scored off the bench on his Premier League debut, netting against Stoke City in a 2-0 win.

Then the goalscorer would go on to bag just once across his first eight starting appearances in the competition. The circumstances differ, but this curious fact could be applied to contextualise the slow start of Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz, 22, joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking £116m fee that was swiftly superseded by Isak. The attacking midfielder is one of the most talented footballers in the world and has earned acclaim for his performances in his German homeland.

Fleet feet and a sharp assist for Ekitike in the Community Shield issued a solemn warning to the rest of English football, but four games into the league campaign, the £195k-per-week talent has yet to break his duck.

Journalist Declan Carr conceded that the marquee arrival “has struggled since joining Liverpool”, but there is little reason for concern. As journalist Sam McGuire noted, he is a “statistical unicorn” – a “final third freak”.

Devastating in the Bundesliga and equally as mesmerising across his exploits in the Champions League, Wirtz has proven himself on every stage, and in spite of his relative struggles so far, data from Sofascore reveals that he is averaging two key passes per game for Liverpool, also winning 50% of his ground duels and completing 60% of his dribbles.

In a similar way, Suarez was always going to be a star on Merseyside. Perhaps he outgrew his reputation and potential, becoming one of the best to do it, but still, the forward just needed a bit of time to find his feet.

Suarez might not have made the fastest start in Premier League history, but he played and fought and won like a man possessed once he got going.

And Wirtz carries himself with the air of the footballing elite. You can see it when he takes a deft touch, scans and rolls his way through and into space. There’s a tenacity in his play and an undercurrent which is just waiting to erupt.

Has it been a disappointing start? Perhaps. Wirtz has not been bad, by any stretch, but those who expected him to set the English game aflame from the get-go would be forgiven, as he cost a significant sum, after all.

But Wirtz is young and adapting to a new league; Liverpool, let’s not forget, are adapting to a new system, and have emerged from a summer transfer window characterised by upheaval and change.

It is a matter of when, not if, and if Wirtz keeps on as he has been, he will soon find himself playing with all the gusto of Suarez in his Liverpool prime, and the plaudits will follow.

Related The new Rooney: Liverpool already sold Salah's heir in "world-class" talent

Liverpool have so much attacking quality but might come to regret selling this star.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 13, 2025

Danish Malewar also scored 73 to go with his 153 in the first innings

Shashank Kishore01-Mar-2025

Karun Nair celebrates his century•PTI

Vidarbha 379 and 249 for 4 (Nair 132*, Malewar 73) lead Kerala 342 (Baby 98, Sarwate 79, Nalkande 3-52, Rekhade 3-65, Dubey 3-88) by 286 runsIf fate had played out differently two seasons ago, Karun Nair would have been playing for Kerala after he first reached out to them when he was dumped unceremoniously by Karnataka. They couldn’t commit at the time and Nair, having sat at home for an entire season, couldn’t wait to grab his next opportunity. That’s when Vidarbha came calling.Two seasons on, Nair is at the forefront of Vidarbha’s charge to a third Ranji Trophy title, having batted all day to construct an unbeaten 132, his 23rd first-class century and fourth of the season. It helped stretch Vidarbha’s lead to 286 at stumps on the fourth day, and they still have six wickets remaining. If Nair does lift the trophy, it’ll be his third – his first two were with Karnataka in his first two seasons, 2013-14 and 2014-15.Nair shouldn’t batted this long, but luck shone on him. On 31, in the very first session on the third day, indecision against young seamer Eden Apple Tom had him playing at one that reared up awkwardly to lob off the glove to first slip where Akshay Chandran put down a dolly. Having already lost two early wickets, Vidarbha would have been 55 for 3. Instead, Kerala saw Nair and Danish Malewar, the 21-year-old batter in his maiden season, torment them again, as if to complete the business they had left unfinished in the first innings when a mix-up between the two led to Nair’s run out for 86.Malewar and Nair put on 182 for the third wicket – Malewar making 73 to go with his 153 in the first innings – to defuse any tension there might have been in the Vidarbha camp after they lost Parth Rekhade and Dhruv Shorey inside the first three overs. Rekhade was bowled through the gate by Jalaj Saxena’s in-drift, and Shorey was out to Mohammed Azharuddeen’s brilliance as he dived full stretch to pluck a healthy edge in front of first slip to give MD Nidheesh an early wicket.Kerala could have had a third very quickly, but Malewar was aided by luck when DRS deemed a not-out lbw decision off Saxena to be umpire’s call. It was the start of a frustrating few hours for Kerala, where they dropped a sitter of a big-match player, two of their frontline seamers – Nidheesh and Nedumankuzhy Basil – received warnings twice for running on to the danger area of the pitch, and then saw two healthy nicks off Saxena, their most prolific and in-form spinner, go through the vacant slip cordon when the need of the hour was to attack, not defend. All these factors combined to give Vidarbha the push they needed.Danish Malewar scored 73 in the second innings after 153 in the first•PTI

In the seventh over of the day, Malewar survived again, this time overturning an lbw call on DRS after being given out to Nidheesh, with replays showing the ball swung in late and would have missed leg stump. Things were happening quickly, and Kerala should have remained on the offensive. They didn’t and paid the price.Nair was good enough to pick gaps through the covers as Kerala left the off side open to have him drive against the turn. His ability to mix that up by playing a superb reverse sweep all along the ground made him a tough prospect to bowl to. Malewar’s temperament stood out as he absorbed the pressure from Saxena and played largely within himself until he got to his half-century and then stepped out to play a glorious drive over mid-off.As the partnership grew, Kerala resorted to a leg-stump line briefly to try to unsettle the batters. But given Vidarbha were sitting pretty with a lead, realisation dawned for Kerala that they needed to be a little more on the offensive, by which time the pair had already put on 100 runs.Nair survived on 65 when a leading edge off Saxena didn’t carry to the bowler, and he responded by offsetting any pressure by playing the reverse sweep. En route, he went past the 800-run mark for the season and charged into the 80s by hitting Aditya Sarwate for two back-to-back sixes – one over long-on and one over long-off. As he brought up his century, Nair dropped his bat, removed his gloves and showed nine fingers towards the dressing room to signal his nine hundreds across the season, before taking guard and continuing to blunt the bowling.It needed Chandran’s left-arm, part-time spin to break the mammoth stand when Malewar jabbed at one that flicked the glove and lobbed to Sachin Baby at slip. Then Yash Rathod came out and battled serenely with Nair, and at one point in the final session, overtook Madhya Pradesh batter Shubham Sharma’s tally of 943 to lead the run charts for the season.Then a sharp turner from Sarwate spun back in to trap him lbw, a decision that Kerala got overturned in their favour through the DRS. But moments like those were few and far amid a largely frustrating day for Kerala, whose hopes of a maiden title seem all but gone, with them needing a miracle to make a match of this on the final day.

Ben McKinney struck a century for England Lions but the visitors were heavily beaten in Sydney

AAP01-Feb-2025South Australian quick Jordan Buckingham starred with four wickets to help Australia A secure a thumping innings and 10-run win against the England Lions.Australia’s decision to go with a bowler-heavy line-up paid off, running through the Lions twice in a day and a half at Cricket Central in Sydney to end the match on day three.Related

Patterson resurgence continues with Australia A century

England Lions made to follow on as Australia A turn screw

After being skittled for just 116 in 37.3 overs on Friday, England showed more resistance in their second innings.Lions opener Ben McKinney posted a brilliant run-a-ball 110 to halt Australia’s momentum. But McKinney received little help, with Matty Hurst (35), Alex Davies (28) and Rocky Flintoff (21) the only other batters to reach double figures.After going wicketless in the first innings, Buckingham took the new ball with Queensland quick Xavier Bartlett and finished with figures of 4 for 41.Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Will Sutherland also had productive stints with the ball.Australia opted to pick just five specialist batters, but it mattered little as they made 373 for 9 after being sent in to bat on Thursday.Former Test batter Kurtis Patterson further pressed his claim for an international comeback after hitting a superb 137. Facing Test players Shoaib Bashir and Josh Tongue, No. 3 Patterson arrived at the crease in the first over of the game after opener Tim Ward fell for a duck.It has been a remarkable turnaround for 31-year-old Patterson, who began the summer playing grade cricket for St George after being dropped and stripped of the NSW captaincy.

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) on Wednesday announced that it is pulling the team out of the fourth edition of the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be held in Pakistan, after failing to secure the Indian government’s clearance for the squad to travel to Pakistan.The tournament is set to start on November 22 and go on till December 3.”While this is a significant setback for the team, CABI fully respects the government’s concerns and the decision for the same,” the board said in a statement. “The team had been training rigorously and was eager to compete. However, we prioritise the government’s guidance and remain steadfast in our commitment to the continued development of Blind Cricket in India.”Related

• Champions Trophy saga: Blame lies with ICC leadership

• India will not travel to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy

“We play with passion, and we represent our country with immense pride. We have always looked forward to competing at the biggest stage, and it is disheartening to miss out on this opportunity,” Durga Rao Tompaki, the captain of the Indian men’s cricket team for the blind, said. “However, we know that the next World Cup is just around the corner, and we remain committed to our training and preparation.”We have had a successful coaching camp and have seen emerging talent that we believe can lead our team to greater heights. It’s time to nurture these talents and ensure that our team is ready when the next tournament comes.”The development comes 100 days ahead of the start of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is also set to be held in Pakistan. On November 9, the BCCI had informed the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament – again, a decision taken on the advice of the Indian government.The schedule for the Champions Trophy was originally expected to be released by the ICC today.India had hosted and won the first three T20 Blind Cricket World Cups, beating Pakistan in the finals of the first two editions and Bangladesh in their most recent triumph.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em coletiva de imprensa na tarde de terça-feira, o Ministério Público de Goiás (MP-GO) divulgou que um atleta confessou ter participado de esquema de manipulação de resultado de um jogo entre Palmeiras e Juventude, pelo Brasileirão de 2022. O nome do atleta não foi divulgado.

O Ministério Público afirma que foram cumpridos 3 mandados de prisão preventiva e 20 mandados de busca e apreensão em 16 municípios de 6 estados.

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+Vitor Roque na mira de gigante inglês, zagueiro do Corinthians cobiçado por clubes brasileiros… O Dia do Mercado!

De acordo com o Ministério Público, estes são os detalhes dos mandados expedidos:

– Goiás: 1 atleta investigado. 1 mandado de busca e apreensão;
– Rio Grande do Sul: 2 atletas investigados, mas ao total são 3 mandados de busca e apreensão;
– Santa Catarina: 2 atletas investigados. 2 mandados de busca e apreensão;
– Rio de Janeiro: 1 pessoa investigada, não é atleta;
– Pernambuco: 2 atletas investigados. 2 mandados de busca e apreensão;
– São Paulo: 2 atletas investigados, sendo no total 10 mandados de busca e apreensão e 3 mandados de prisão.

+Regulamentação das apostas esportivas: entenda como o governo planeja taxar empresas e apostadores

ENTENDA O CASO

Na última terça-feira, oMinistério Público de Goiás (MP-GO) iniciou a Operação Penalidade Máxima II, que visa investigar a atuação de uma organização criminosa na manipulação de resultados de jogos de futebol, inclusive da Série A do Brasileirão. O órgão informou que já foram cumpridos três mandados de prisão preventiva e 20 de busca e apreensão em 16 municípios de seis estados brasileiros. Um destes mandados foi contra o zagueiro Victor Ramos, da Chapecoense, conforme publicado pelo portal “ND Mais”, filiado à “Record TV”.

Segundo o MP-GO, há suspeitas de que o grupo criminoso tenha atuado em pelo menos cinco jogos do Brasileirão de 2022, além de cinco partidas de Campeonatos Estaduais deste ano. A investigação descobriu que os criminosos tentavam cooptar jogadores de futebol com ofertas entre R$50 mil e R$100 mil para que interferissem em eventos dos jogos. A interferência beneficiaria os apostadores em detrimento das casas de apostas, que estariam sendo lesadas pelas manipulações.

A nova investigação é um desdobramento da Operação Penalidade Máxima, que identificou suspeita de manipulação em jogos da Série B do Brasileirão no ano passado.

continua após a publicidade

Manchester United supporters had their first chance to see Matheus Cunha in action for the club in their friendly clash with Leeds United on Saturday.

The Red Devils were held to a 0-0 draw by the Championship champions, who will be in the Premier League next season, and the Brazil international started the match.

Cunha played the opening 45 minutes of the match, as one of the two number tens behind Chido Obi Martin, before being replaced by Mason Mount at the break.

In those 45 minutes, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man completed 92% of his attempted passes for the Red Devils, but failed to create any chances or register a shot on goal.

These games are largely about building up fitness for Ruben Amorim’s side, though, and United supporters will know that there is not too much you can read into that performance, as it was his first outing in pre-season after playing for Brazil over the summer.

The exciting forward is already a proven Premier League performer who has been there and done it with Wolves in the division, which suggests that he will be fine when the real action gets underway.

What Matheus Cunha will bring to Man Utd

Amorim will be hoping that Cunha will provide a huge threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whether that is as a number ten or as a centre-forward, as he has played in both positions in his career.

Cunha produced an impressive return of 17 goals and six assists in all competitions for the Old Gold in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst he was unfortunate to only register six assists based on the quality of chances that the forward created.

The former Atletico Madrid starlet created 13 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the Premier League, but his teammates only managed to find the back of the net six times. This suggests that wasteful finishing from his fellow forwards let him down in that respect.

Matheus Cunha (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

32

33

xG

9.49

8.63

Goals

12

15

Big chances created

7

13

Key passes per game

0.9

1.8

Assists

7

6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cunha also scored 27 goals in the Premier League in the last two seasons, which shows that he knows how to find the back of the net on his own, outperforming his xG in both campaigns.

The 26-year-old attacker, therefore, is likely to bring goals and assists to the United team next season, given that he has already proven his quality in the division and could hit the ground running without having to adapt to the league.

It remains to be seen who the club’s first-choice number nine will be, though, and the Red Devils are reportedly interested in a Premier League striker who could be lethal with Cunha.

Man Utd hold talks to sign Premier League striker

According to BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Chelsea centre-forward Nicolas Jackson is a potential signing that Manchester United could make before the end of the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that the Premier League giants have “held talks” with the player’s agent about a possible transfer for the Senegal international, who is facing increased competition for his place at Stamford Bridge.

Transfer Focus

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

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Chelsea have signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to bolster their number nine options ahead of next season, which could open the door for United to swoop in for his services.

Kinsella adds that the club will have to do “a lot” in terms of outgoings before being able to pursue a deal for Jackson, but that it is a move that could happen in the “right circumstances”.

The BBC reporter does not reveal how much Chelsea would want for the 24-year-old number nine, but it has previously been reported that the Blues value him at up to £100m.

Why Man Utd should sign Nicolas Jackson

If the Red Devils can reach an agreement with Chelsea for a fee that works for all parties, United should push to bring Jackson to Old Trafford because he could be lethal alongside Cunha.

Jackson is far from the perfect centre-forward, and that is to be expected at the age of 24, but he is a player who has scored goals at a respectable rate during his time in England.

A haul of 30 goals and 11 assists in his first two years in English football in all competitions is nothing to be sniffed at. He has shown that he can make a big impact in front of goal, but it is his consistency that needs work.

It is hardly a secret that the Senegal international is not a world-class finisher who is going to score week-in-week-out without getting regular service from creative midfielders, which is why he could be lethal alongside Cunha.

As aforementioned, the Brazil international has showcased his creative quality in the Premier League during his time with Wolves, which suggests that he has the ability to consistently create ‘big chances’ for Jackson to find the back of the net.

Nicolas Jackson (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

35

30

xG

18.64

12.34

Goals

14

10

Minutes per goal

200

224

Big chances created

8

6

Assists

5

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Chelsea striker has hit double figures for goals in both of his seasons in the top-flight, but he has also underperformed his xG both times.

This shows that Jackson, who was hailed as “unbelievable” by Peter Crouch, does have the quality to score goals on a regular basis, whilst also creating high-quality opportunities for his teammates, but he needs plenty of service to do so.

That is why he could be lethal alongside Cunha in the final third for United because the Brazilian magician has the creative quality to provide Jackson with the chances that he needs to score regularly.

Overall, whilst the Chelsea forward may not be the perfect option, given his finishing issues, he is a Premier League proven goalscorer who could come in to hit the ground running alongside Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Related Amorim's own Rodri: Man Utd agree personal terms to sign £26m sensation

Manchester United are starting to make things happen in the summer transfer market.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 19, 2025

Birmingham City are now in talks to sign a right-back who has been likened to Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier, according to a new transfer report.

Birmingham City sign wingers Gray and Osayi-Samuel

The Blues have been busy in recent days, bringing back academy graduate Demarai Gray on a permanent deal ahead of the Championship season.

Gray returns to St Andrew’s from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq and penned a three-year deal in the Midlands.

Related Birmingham City enter race to sign £6m "monster" ahead of Sheffield United

The Blues have joined the race to sign a defender from a Premier League club.

Posts 2 ByBrett Worthington Jul 2, 2025

Shortly after, Birmingham also announced a permanent transfer to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel after he left Fenerbahce, with the versatile winger also signing a Blues contract until 2028. Talking after making the move to Birmingham, Osayi-Samuel said:

The club and co-owners Tom Wagner and Tom Brady aren’t stopping there, though, with striker Kyogo Furuhashi also in advanced talks over a move from Rennes.

With all these attacking additions, Chris Davies and co also want to strength at the back, and now, a new full-back is also of interest.

Birmingham City in talks to sign right-back compared to Trippier

According to reports in Sweden, relayed by Sport Witness, Birmingham City are one of the clubs in talks to sign SC Braga right-back Joe Mendes.

Mendes spent last season on loan at FC Basel, however, the Swiss side have decided against signing the 22-year-old on a permanent basis.

Championship rivals Sheffield United and Southampton are also in discussions for Mendes, as are German side Union Berlin and Turkish outfit Samsunspor. The talks are described as concrete negotiations, with Mendes set to be on the move over the coming months.

Defenders who Joe Mendes has been compared to

Club

Kieran Trippier

Newcastle United

Ferland Mendy

Real Madrid

Angelino

Roma

Aleksa Terzic

RB Salzburg

Manuel Lazzari

Lazio

Should he end up at St Andrew’s, Birmingham will be getting a right-back who has been labelled as “another gem” from the AIK academy, providing conception to Ethan Laird in the process.

As can be seen, FBref have likened Mendes to Newcastle star Trippier among others following his displays in the 2023/24 Champions League, so he could be another exciting addition ahead of the new campaign.

Everton manager David Moyes desperately wants to bring a “special” Premier League player to the club this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Everton eye attacking reinforcements

The Blues have been linked with lots of players since the 2024/25 season reached its conclusion, but few rumoured signings have caught the eye more than Ben Doak. The Liverpool teenager is reportedly the subject of interest from several top flight clubs, as the Blues look to seal the first direct senior signing between the two Merseyside rivals since 2002, when Abel Xavier traded Goodison Park for Anfield.

The Reds have a big decision to make with Doak, who spent the season on loan in the Championship with Middlesbrough, as they weigh up whether they think he is good enough to make the grade in the years to come, or cash in on him for a healthy amount of money this summer.

Plenty of clubs are hovering if they do decide to sell the 19-year-old, and for Everton supporters, the idea of snapping up a bright Liverpool talent will be a mouthwatering prospect. Now, there has been a fresh development in the saga, as Moyes looks to work his magic.

Doak now Everton's leading winger target

According to TEAMtalk, Doak is now a “leading target” for Everton to sign this summer, as their interest in the Liverpool youngster shows no sign of going away. It is claimed that Moyes is a “huge admirer” of the £30m-rated Scottish wide man, as they look to complete a memorable piece of business.

This has to be considered an encouraging update regarding Everton’s pursuit of Doak, not least the fact that Moyes would seemingly love him at the club.

The Scotland international is exactly what the Blues are crying out for on the flank, with the Liverpool man possessing blistering pace, an ability to both cut inside and hit the byline, and also an enormous amount of long-term potential.

Doak is admired by so many, including former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who has said of him: “Special boy. Really confident, has something nobody else delivers really, this kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery, all these kind of things.”

The biggest downside to this whole situation is that the Reds may be unwilling to sell to Everton, given the risk of one of their own players becoming a star for their local rivals, which could put paid to a move.

Mourinho loves him: Everton readying offer to sign "intelligent" forward

Everton have identified a player who they believe will strengthen a key position in their team.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 5, 2025

If the Scot likes the idea of playing for the Blues, though, not least as it would mean not having to move away, Moyes and those high up at the club must pounce while they have the chance.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy, following the club’s historic Europa League celebrations, now has some key decisions to make ahead of the summer transfer window, discounting the obvious debate surrounding Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham celebrate first major trophy in 17 years after Europa League triumph

Amid a dismal domestic campaign, where Spurs have recorded 21 Premier League defeats and counting, Postecoglou finally gave supporters something to smile about on Wednesday evening.

Postecoglou sack stance after Levy holds fresh Tottenham boardroom talks

The Australian is now a history-maker.

3 ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025

After a tense battle with Man United, the Australian and his team ended Tottenham’s 17-year wait for a piece of major silverware, with Brennan Johnson’s scrappy winning goal proving the decider on a historic night in Bilbao.

Postecoglou did wonders to transform the narrative surrounding the club’s ‘Spursy’ tag, having long suffered from a reputation of being the ‘nearly team’, and he’s given Levy something to seriously think about in terms of a potential dismissal.

Player

Rating

Guglielmo Vicario

7.7

Yves Bissouma

7.6

Cristian Romero

7.4

Bruno Fernandes

7.4

Destiny Udogie

7.2

While David Ornstein suggests that Tottenham are still leaning in the direction of sacking Postecoglou, the emotion of such a momentous occasion, and the promise of Champions League football next season, makes you wonder whether the 59-year-old should be given a third season.

Injury problems took their toll on a ravaged Spurs squad, and it would be interesting to see if Postecoglou could have better luck next term, especially after a summer transfer window boosted by their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition for 2025/26.

“As much as you try to understand what a trophy would mean to these people, seeing them out there today, is why we do what we do,” said Postecoglou in a rousing speech during their Europa League trophy parade.

“That’s the priceless bit, for this feeling. I’m super pleased that these boys could deliver. All good things come through hard work, toil, perseverance and belief. This group have that in spades, and I’m so pleased that we could crack that stone and now everyone can enjoy it.

“We had to dig deep, for sure, but what the history books will say is that we’re the Europa Cup winners, and it doesn’t say how we did it, just that we did it.”

Cristian Romero informs Daniel Levy of decision to leave Tottenham

Beyond Postecoglou’s long-term future in the dugout, Levy also has some key calls to think about when it comes to £165,000-per-week defender Cristian Romero.

He was crowned the Europa League’s Player of the Season and put in a match-winning performance against United earlier this week, proving integral to Spurs’ trophy glory, but it is believed Atlético Madrid are seriously pursuing a summer move for the Argentinian.

There are even some suggestions that Diego Simeone is personally pushing for Atletico to sign Romero, with Spanish newspaper Marca sharing another update on his future.

The outlet reports that Romero has informed Levy of his desire to leave Tottenham and join Atlético, and this stance hasn’t changed, despite their victory at the Estadio de San Mamés.

As has been the theme of this developing story, there is still a gap in valuation for the player. Spurs ideally want nearly £60 million for Romero, and will categorically refuse to go lower than £44 million. Atlético’s wish is to “significantly” lower Romero’s asking price, but Simeone’s side still need to invest a lot in his signature.

“Underrated? Cristian Romero. Top, top centre-back,” said teammate James Maddison on TikTok when asked about Spurs’ most underrated player.

“For some reason in England, I feel like he has the perception of being a hot head who gets a lot of red cards and isn’t disciplined, but it’s the opposite, he’s a World Cup winner and he’s a top player.”

West Bromwich Albion take to the field for the final time in the 2024/25 campaign when they host Luton Town at the Hawthorns in the Championship this afternoon.

It is a game that does not mean a great deal for the Baggies, who are without a permanent manager and cannot get promoted or relegated, but they will still want to end the season on a high in front of their home fans.

James Morrison will take the team for the final time before the board decide on a long-term replacement for Tony Mowbray, and one manager who has been linked with the job is Russell Martin.

The pros and cons of Russell Martin

The former Scotland international would come in as a manager with plenty of experience in the English leagues, having managed MK Dons, Swansea, and Southampton.

Martin has also proven that he can get a team promoted from the Championship, as he won the play-offs with the Saints in the 2023/24 campaign, and that makes him an ideal candidate on paper for a West Brom team that should be aiming for promotion next term.

However, the English-born coach won just one of his 16 Premier League games, picking up five points, in charge of Southampton before being sacked with his side sat at the bottom of the table.

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This suggests that it may be a risk to go with Martin as a long-term appointment as there are concerns, given his record, about his suitability for the Premier League.

West Brom, however, have also been linked with an interest in Steve Cooper, who is also out of work at the moment, and he could be an even more exciting appointment than the ex-Saints boss.

Why Steve Cooper would be more exciting than Russell Martin

The English boss, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 system, could be even more exciting than a move for Martin because he has proven that he can compete above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Cooper was sacked by Leicester City earlier this season with his side in 16th place, and they have since been relegated from the top-flight, which suggests that they may have made a hasty decision with that call.

The 45-year-old tactician, once dubbed “tremendous” by Sam Allardyce, also kept Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after winning promotion from the second tier with the Tricky Trees.

24/25

Premier League

12

10

16th

23/24

Premier League

17

14

17th

22/23

Premier League

38

38

16th

21/22

Championship

41

76

4th (play-off winners)

20/21

Championship

49

80

4th (play-off finalists)

19/20

Championship

48

70

6th (play-off semi-finalists)

As you can see in the table above, Cooper has either finished in the play-offs in the Championship or left a team above the relegation zone in the Premier League in every season in his senior managerial career to date.

This suggests that the former Swansea boss, who won the U17 World Cup with England in 2017, would be perfectly suited to where the Baggies are as a club at this moment in time.

West Brom need a manager who can guide them to the play-offs, firstly, and then to safety in the Premier League, secondly, and Cooper has proven that he can do both of those things as a manager.

Whereas, Martin is yet to prove that he can keep a team in the top-flight, and that is why the English head coach could be an even more exciting hire for the Baggies this summer.

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