Category Uncategorized

Chelsea are already making their presence known ahead of the January transfer window and could now be set to enact a blockbuster move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, under certain conditions.

The Blues have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign under Enzo Maresca, despite having to find their way a little at Stamford Bridge, leaving them third in the Premier League standings as the international break unfolds.

With a notably young squad after a summer transfer spend of nearly £300 million, it was never going to be easy for them to adapt, albeit they have managed to create a sense of stability on the pitch and could stake a claim for the title if their current form persists.

Half the battle is being able to sell a vision to new recruits. In the case of Estevao, the young Brazilian has revealed that he had a private conversation with former Chelsea star Thiago Silva before opting to put pen to paper in West London.

He said via Sky Sports: “That’s right, after the last Brazilian Serie A game in 2024. We had a brief conversation, he came and spoke to me, and told me (I would like the club a lot), that the club had an incredible structure. For sure, we are seeing that now that the club has everything I need and an incredible set up, incredible people that work there.

“So yeah, I spoke to him after the game. I was really happy because Thiago Silva is an idol of this club, it was an incredible opportunity. So for the rest of that year I was anticipating it. I watched a lot of Chelsea games so I could see who I would be working with here, and thanks to God it’s all going well here.”

In truth, BlueCo have shown a real penchant for snapping up some of world football’s most elite young talent, and that extends far beyond Estevao.

While Chelsea are frontrunners to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, they are also reportedly becoming a genuine contender to acquire one of his competitors for a slot in the England starting line-up.

Chelsea keen on Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have laid some groundwork over signing Forest’s Anderson through extensive scouting missions, and could look to act after his excellent start to the top-flight campaign.

Lauded by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, the 23-year-old has notched a solitary goal and an assist apiece in 14 appearances this term, but his performances at the City Ground have earned rave reviews.

However, they may not be able to complete any move for the Whitley Bay-born star until they sell a player to clear expenditure, and it is unlikely that Enzo Fernández will be sacrificed to make way for the ex-Newcastle United man.

Manchester United are also in pursuit and may be one to watch in the race for his signature, albeit Kobbie Mainoo is an alternative name that could fill any vacant midfield berths at Stamford Bridge.

Conceivably, there could be a few moving parts to this story, but Chelsea's strong interest in Anderson could pave the way for another big-money incoming if Maresca's side feel he is worth the risk.

Chelsea are also ready to perform a last-minute hijack to land a Real Madrid star

Once upon a time, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer were teammates rather than adversaries—first on the Washington Nationals from 2015 to '21, and then on the Los Angeles Dodgers late in '21.

The distance separating them now, however, doesn't mean one can't have a little fun with the other from time to time—as Turner did with Scherzer Sunday.

Stepping in to take the first at-bat of the Phillies' eventual 5–4 loss to the Blue Jays, Turner used MLB's automated ball-strike system to challenge a crystal-clear strike thrown by Scherzer (Scherzer recently criticized the much-ballyhooed experimental technology).

“I don’t think he realized that I challenged it,” Turner said via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “And then we were just laughing. It was good. In the regular season, it would really piss him off. But now he's kind of faking his little act. But I knew. I just wanted to see his eyes roll. That's what I was going for.”

In a sense, Scherzer had the last laugh; Turner finished 0-for-3 in defeat.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in MLS, including Freese helping NYCFC seal narrow playoff win

The MLS playoffs are here, and they haven’t disappointed. For matches decided in regulation, the average margin of victory is just 1.44 goals.

And American stars have been at the forefront. From Matt Freese strengthening his case to be the USMNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper ahead of the next World Cup to Diego Luna and Alex Freeman facing early playoff exits, Mauricio Pochettino is getting a look at key pieces of his national team pool in high-pressure moments.

How they respond will be critical, especially with the November friendlies just around the corner.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from USMNT players in MLS.

• Imagn
  

  Whitecaps send message in Game 1

  FC Dallas beat the Whitecaps to secure the seventh seed on Decision Day, but the Canadian side ensured there would be no repeat. The Blue-and-White crushed The Toros 3-0, and while Thomas Muller got the headlines for shining in his first playoff appearance, Sebastian Berhalter deserves his due. 

  Berhalter had a hockey-like assist, but he probably would have had more on the night if his teammates converted. He had four scoring chances created on the night, along with 18 passes into the final-third. He was also impressive with long balls, connecting on six accurate ones. And he added four defensive contributions. 

  Vancouver's two other U.S. internationals, Tristan Blackmon and Brian White, have been out of action since September, with the club remaining mum about their potential returns. Blackmon admitted its been challenging to watch the postseason from the sidelines. 

  “It’s tough. Obviously, you want to be a part of what’s going on on the pitch,” he said. “But it’s been super inspiring to have a different viewpoint. Watching the guys perform every single game since I’ve been out has been incredible. So it’s definitely making me want to get back sooner than later.”

  Manager Jesper Sørensen stressed he's been cautious as he sees the team having a potentially long run, so he wants both his leading striker and defender to be in full fitness. Considering the scoreline against Dallas, it's a scary thought when both return.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Luna and Freeman miss out

  Freeman narrowly beat Luna to capture MLS's top young player award announced on Thursday. Unfortunately, for both the players and MLS, the two rising American stars won't participate in the playoffs after being bounced out in the play-in stage. 

  Luna's early exit was more expected. Real Salt Lake were in and out of the playoff picture for the entire season and struggled to find any consistency despite their No. 10's brilliance. Freeman and Orlando City SC's loss to the Chicago Fire should be more concerning, though. Orlando hovered near the top four all season, getting as high as fourth in May.

  Yet, the team has been on a steady decline, atypical of a group coached by Oscar Pareja. Both RSL and Orlando's disappointing seasons raise questions. 

  Pareja is likely safe after signing a new contract in April, but the same can't necessarily be said for RSL's Pablo Mastroeni, with even the former U.S. international stressing the need for change. And will either Luna or Freeman be around to see those changes? 

  The pressure to jump to Europe isn't as high as it's been in the past, thanks to Pochettino viewing MLS as a strong league. But there's a lot more money outside of the U.S. Luna appears likely to stay, even though he mentioned during the All-Star game that he was open to a move. Yet, Freeman's future could be one to watch. 

  Unless Orlando and the right back come to terms on an extension, the 21-year-old is essentially playing on a one-year contract next year, if the Lions exercise his option. Freeman made $104,000 according to MLSPA's salary release this week and has been linked with Villarreal, along with clubs from Serie A and the Premier League.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Freese to the rescue

  There were eight Game 1s played in the first round of MLS playoffs, and only one away team won their series opener. That team was NYCFC, and Freese played a significant part. 

  Freese's four saves helped the Pigeons escape with a 1-0 win over Tim Ream and Charlotte FC. The 27-year-old's best stop of the night might have came early on, with the goalkeeper leaping in the air to stop an incredible chance by Brandt Bronico in the 17th minute.

  Freese acknowledged that his breakout season has been a bit of a whirlwind.

  "I love chaos. I think one of my strengths is that I'm able to weather storms and I'm able to stay composed under pressure. I can stick it out when a lot is going on, so I'm enjoying all of this," he told GOAL. "It's a huge honor to have this pressure and to have this chaos. It's a huge honor to travel for the national team, and a huge honor to be a part of this playoff run right now in New York."

  Ream, Freese's international teammate, also featured on the night and was largely solid – with two tackles and two clearances. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Soccer guy comes through

  Growing up, Miles Robinson was called the "Soccer Guy" because he went to daycare rocking cleats. Considering how it's all played out for the U.S. international, it wasn't a bad call. 

  The 28-year-old continued his strong run of form by helping FC Cincinnati seal a 1-0 win over their heated rivals, Columbus Crew, in Game 1 of the Hell is Real playoff edition. Robinson had two interceptions and five clearances. He was especially effective in the aerial part of the game, winning three heading clearances.

  While Kevin Denkey got his due for scoring a dramatic game-winner, FCC don't win this game without Robinson's efforts. But as good as the centerback was, his U.S. international hopeful teammate, Roman Celentano, was even more effective. The goalkeeper had three saves, one clearance, and was impressive in passing, connecting on 88 percent.

  The competition at goalkeeper for the USMNT is increasing, despite the fact Freese has been holding the No. 1 spot. Celentano's odds of getting a backup spot are slim, but if he keeps this up, he might be in the mix for a November call-up. 

  Max Arfsten and Patrick Schulte also featured for the Crew. Schulte had a strong showing in goal, with five saves, while Arfsten provided creative spark for the visitors, completing two successful dribbles and creating a chance from his wing back position. 

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، قائمة المرشحين للتواجد في التشكيل المثالي لأفضل 11 لاعبًا في العالم لعام 2025، حيث فتح باب التصويت أمام الجماهير.

وتم نشر قائمة تضم 88 لاعبًا، من بينهم 22 حارس مرمى، 22 في خط الدفاع، 22 في خط الوسط، 22 في خط الهجوم.

اقرأ أيضًا | فيفا يعلن المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم 2025.. موقف محمد صلاح

وتم ترشيح اللاعبين بناءً على أدائهم في الفترة من 11 أغسطس 2024 إلى 2 أغسطس 2025، وطُلب من المصوتين أيضًا اختيارهم بناءً على الفترة المذكورة.

وشهدت قائمة المرشحين للتشكيل المثالي لعام 2025، فئة الهجوم، تواجد النجم المصري محمد صلاح بعد أدائه المذهل رفقة ليفربول الموسم الماضي. المرشحون للتشكيل المثالي لعام 2025

حراسة المرمى:

أليسون بيكر (البرازيل وليفربول)، ياسين بونو (المغرب والهلال)، ديوجو كوستا (البرتغال وبورتو)، تيبو كورتوا (بلجيكا وريال مدريد)، ميشيل دي جريجوريو (إيطاليا ويوفنتوس)، جيانلويجي دوناروما (إيطاليا وباريس سان جيرمان/مانشستر سيتي)، فابيو (البرازيل وفلوميننسي)، جون فيكتور (البرازيل وبوتافوجو /نوتينجهام فورست)، إيميليانو مارتينيز (الأرجنتين وأستون فيلا)، إدوارد ميندي (السنغال وأهلي جدة)، أليكس ميريت (إيطاليا ونابولي)، كيفن مير (كولومبيا وكروز أزول)، مانويل نوير (ألمانيا وبايرن ميونخ)، يان أوبلاك (سلوفينيا وأتلتيكو مدريد)، ديفيد رايا (إسبانيا وآرسنال)، روبرت سانشيز (إسبانيا وتشيلسي)، أوناي سيمون (إسبانيا وأتلتيك بلباو)، يان سومر (سويسرا وإنتر ميلان)، ميل سفيلار (بلجيكا وروما)، فويتشيك تشيزني (بولندا وبرشلونة)، ويفرتون (البرازيل وبالميراس)، رونوين ويليامز (جنوب أفريقيا وماميلودي صن داونز).

خط الدفاع:

باو كوبارسي (إسبانيا وبرشلونة)، مارك كوكوريلا (إسبانيا وتشيلسي)، ألفونسو ديفيز (كندا وبايرن ميونخ)، جيوفاني دي لورينزو (إيطاليا ونابولي)، روبن دياز (البرتغال ومانشستر سيتي)، دينزل دومفريس (هولندا وإنتر ميلان)، رافائيل جيريرو (البرتغال وإنتر ميلان)، أشرف حكيمي (المغرب وباريس سان جيرمان)، دين هويسن (إسبانيا وبورنموث/ريال مدريد)، إبراهيما كوناتي (فرنسا وليفربول)، كاليدو كوليبالي (السنغال والهلال)، جول كوندي (فرنسا وبرشلونة)، جابرييل ماجالايس (البرازيل وآرسنال)، ماركينيوس (البرازيل وباريس سان جيرمان)، نونو مينديز (البرتغال وباريس سان جيرمان)، نيكولاس أوتاميندي (الأرجنتين) (بنفيكا)، ويليان باتشو (الإكوادور وباريس سان جيرمان)، أنطونيو روديجر (ألمانيا وريال مدريد)، ويليام ساليبا (فرنسا وأرسنال)، تياجو سيلفا (البرازيل وفلوميننسي)، دايوت أوباميكانو (فرنسا وبايرن ميونخ)، فيرجيل فان دايك (هولندا وليفربول).

خط الوسط:

جون أرياس (كولومبيا وفلومينينسي/ولفرهامبتون)، جود بيلينجهام (إنجلترا وريال مدريد)، موسيس كايسيدو (الإكوادور وتشيلسي)، فرينكي دي يونج (هولندا وبرشلونة)، برونو فرنانديز (البرتغال ومانشستر يونايتد)، إنزو فرنانديز (الأرجنتين وتشيلسي)، ريان جرافنبيرخ (هولندا وليفربول)، جوشوا كيميش (ألمانيا وبايرن ميونخ)، أليكسيس ماك أليستر (الأرجنتين وليفربول)، سكوت مكتوميناي (اسكتلندا ونابولي)، جمال موسيالا (ألمانيا وبايرن ميونخ)، جواو نيفيز (البرتغال وباريس سان جيرمان)، روبن نيفيز (البرتغال والهلال)، مايكل أوليس (فرنسا وبايرن ميونخ)، كول بالمر (إنجلترا وتشيلسي)، بيدري (إسبانيا وبرشلونة)، ديكلان رايس (إنجلترا وآرسنال)، فابيان رويز (إسبانيا وباريس سان جيرمان)، برناردو سيلفا (البرتغال ومانشستر سيتي)، فيديريكو فالفيردي (أوروجواي وريال مدريد)، فيتينها (البرتغال وباريس سان جيرمان)، فلوريان فيرتز (ألمانيا وباير ليفركوزن/ليفربول).

خط الهجوم:

سالم الدوسري (السعودية والهلال)، برادلي باركولا (فرنسا وباريس سان جيرمان)، عثمان ديمبيلي (فرنسا وباريس سان جيرمان)، ديزيري دوي (فرنسا وباريس سان جيرمان)، سيرهو جيراسي (غينيا وبوروسيا دورتموند)، فيكتور جيوكيريس (السويد وسبورتينج لشبونة/آرسنال)، إيرلينج هالاند (النرويج ومانشستر سيتي)، لويز هنريكي (البرازيل وبوتافوجو/زينيت سان بطرسبرج)، ألكسندر إيزاك (السويد ونيوكاسل/ليفربول)، هاري كين (إنجلترا وبايرن ميونخ)، خفيتشا كفاراتسخيليا (جورجيا ونابولي/باريس سان جيرمان)، روبرت ليفاندوفسكي (بولندا وبرشلونة)، لاوتارو مارتينيز (الأرجنتين وإنتر ميلان)، كيليان مبابي (فرنسا وريال مدريد)، ليونيل ميسي (الأرجنتين وإنتر ميامي)، جواو بيدرو (البرازيل وبرايتون / تشيلسي)، رافينها (البرازيل وبرشلونة)، ماتيو ريتيجي (إيطاليا وأتالانتا/القادسية)، كريستيانو رونالدو (البرتغال والنصر)، محمد صلاح (مصر وليفربول)، فينيسيوس جونيور (البرازيل وريال مدريد)، لامين يامال (اسبانيا وبرشلونة).

Dani Gregory scrambles a single off the last ball to seal result

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-May-2025

Alice Capsey scored a crucial century for Surrey•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

A stunning finish at Beckenham saw Surrey tie with The Blaze in the Metro Bank Cup, after Dani Gregory scrambled a single off the last ball.Georgia Elwiss, who top-scored with 82 and took 3 for 35, looked to have handed the visitors victory but a superb 125 by Alice Capsey dragged Surrey back from the brink.When Capsey was out, Surrey’s last-wicket duo of Alexa Stonehouse and Gregory needed 40 from 29 balls. They got the target down to nine off the last over and two off the last ball, but with the No. 11 Gregory on strike they could only manage one, leaving both sides unsure if they should laugh or weep.The visitors had dominated after being put in, with Amy Jones hitting 80 and Kathryn Bryce 56. Gregory had Surrey’s best figures with 3 for 66.Surrey got Tammy Beaumont for just 8, when she pulled Stonehouse straight to Ryana MacDonald Gay at backward square, they struggled to contain Jones and Bryce.They put on 113 for the second wicket and Jones looked poised for a century until Gregory had her caught behind.Bryce also looked well set until she missed a straight one from MacDonald-Gay and was bowled middle stump.Sarah Bryce had made 34 when she edged Stonehouse and Chathli took a sharp one-handed catch.Gregory slowed The Blaze’s progress by bowling both Maddy Green and Ella Claridge in successive overs for 21 and seven respectively, but Elwiss and Kirstie Gordon responded with a stand worth 63 that was only broken when the latter was run out by Paige Scholfield for 26.Davidson-Richards took two wickets in as many balls in the final over, with Scholfield snaring Elwiss on theboundary and MacDonald-Gay reeling in Cassidy McCarthy at mid-off, but Grace Ballinger just avoided getting caught and bowled off the hat-trick ball and Groves finished with a flourish, hitting an unbeaten 10 from five, including a six over mid-wicket.Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on 57 for Surrey’s opening wicket, but the former was caught behind for 20 off McCarthy.Capsey was on six when she was dropped by Elwiss on the midwicket boundary off Kathryn Bryce, but Bryce struck in the same over to get Wyatt-Hodge for 43, caught at backward square by Groves.Scholfield went on the attack, smashing Gordon back over her head for six, then sweeping her for another maximum over cow corner, but she went for 37 of 31 balls when she miscued Elwiss and Kathryn Bryce took a diving catch at deep midwicket.Davidson-Richards made a single, smashed a Groves delivery into her own foot, hobbled back to the crease and was caught and bowled off the next ball.Elwiss then got Chathli for five, caught on the boundary by Sarah Bryce and Phoebe Franklin for 17 after Groves took a steepling catch at backward square.Moore went for 10, caught by Gordon off McCarthy but Capsey made her maiden List A century by sweeping Gordon for four after hitting the previous delivery for six. She hit the next ball for another six. Elwiss at dropped Capsey again at extra cover off Ballinger, but she held on to catch MacDonald-Gay for 27 off the next ball and when Capsey skied Ballinger to Gordon the game seemed up. Yet Stonehouse still managed to hit sixes off Ballinger and Kathryn Bryce to leave Surrey needing nine from the last over.Stonehouse hit Ballinger’s first ball for four, then took a single. The third was a dot, the fourth and fifth singles, leaving Gregory on strike. She straight drove Ballinger who couldn’t break the wicket before the single was completed, leaving the scores tied.

Tottenham could sign a highly-rated player in the winter window, knowing that he was once keen on a move to N17.

The recent board restructure, which resulted in ex-chair Daniel Levy resigning and CEO Vinai Vinkatesham taking a more prominent role alongside members of the Lewis family, has prompted some optimism over their future recruitment plans.

Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol recently mooted the possibility of further squad investment from ENIC, who may now be willing to spend more on both wages and transfers overall to hand Thomas Frank the best chance of on-pitch success.

The Lilywhites are already one of world football’s highest revenue-generating clubs, according to the Deloitte Money League, and Levy’s success in turning the club into a financial powerhouse cannot be understated.

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

However, Levy’s reputation for underspending compared to rivals was a key complaint of his tenure, and arguably contributed towards Tottenham’s lack of silverware during the 24 years he was chairman.

Now, Spurs insist a “new era” has begun with the swathe of recent boardroom changes, and it will be very intriguing to see how the north Londoners tackle their first transfer market post-Levy.

Frank has overseen an excellent start to 2025/2026, and worked wonders to tempt Xavi Simons with a move to Tottenham, according to super agent Ali Barat.

Reports over the summer claimed that Frank was also really pushing to sign Man City forward Savinho, and the Dane apparently believed that he could do ‘big things’ in north London, as per the reliable Fabrizio Romano.

Pep Guardiola was publicly clear that he wanted to keep the Brazil international and a potential Spurs move ultimately fell through, with City rejecting two bids, including an offer just under £61 million (Fabrizio Romano).

Savinho transfer to Tottenham alive for January after previous Levy plan

As per journalist Dean Jones, speaking to TEAMtalk, Levy was prepared to pay up to £65m for Savinho in the summer, and Tottenham know the winger wanted to join them before deadline day on September 1.

Spurs are still keeping an eye on Savinho, and it is believed they could move in January if Frank’s side get enough encouragement.

Savinho has played just 37 minutes in all competitions so far.

This is partly down to injury, but if the ex-Girona star continues to be on the fringes of Guardiola’s plans, a January move could well tempt him.

Savinho faces a battle to get into the starting eleven on a regular basis amid Jeremy Doku’s sensational start to the season, and with the 2026 World Cup looming, the 21-year-old may fancy a move elsewhere as Frank’s side maintain a serious interest.

His best-ever campaign yielded 11 goals and 10 assists in 41 appearances for title-chasing Girona in 23/24, and Guardiola has called Savinho an “exceptional” player.

Fast bowler made one Championship appearance in 2024 before injury curtailed his stay

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2025Neil Wagner, the former New Zealand fast bowler, will return to Durham for the final four months of the season, with his first appearance set for their home County Championship clash with Sussex on June 22.Wagner, 39, claimed 260 wickets in 64 Tests for New Zealand, from 2012 until his international retirement in February 2024, earning plaudits along the way for his indefatigable left-arm line of attack. He announced his New Zealand domestic retirement last week but said he still had plans to play county cricket.He made a one-off Championship appearance for Durham against Nottinghamshire last season, claiming four first-innings wickets to set up an innings win, but managed just three further List A games before his short stint was curtailed by injury.In total, Wagner has claimed 841 first-class wickets in more than 200 first-class appearances, and his return will shore up Durham’s fast-bowling stocks, which are set to be hit this summer by Brydon Carse’s likely inclusion in England’s Test plans.Related

'Definitely a tick off the bucket list' – emotional Wagner signs off with Plunket Shield in his hands

Sussex aiming to ruffle Division One feathers as part of Farbrace revival

Kemar Roach back at Surrey for start of Championship

Will Smeed fighting on all fronts for Somerset after red-ball reversal

Ben Stokes unlikely to play for Durham ahead of Test summer

“I am extremely excited to join Durham again!” Wagner said. “I loved and enjoyed my short time their last season, which was unfortunately shortened by injury, but I feel like have some unfinished business with wanting to contribute and play a role for a great club.”I met some awesome people during my last time in Durham and can’t wait to join up with the lads again and play some exciting cricket.”Durham is Wagner’s fifth county, following appearances for Northampton, Lancashire, Essex and Somerset.Director of Cricket, Marcus North said: “We are delighted that Neil is returning to Durham this season for a large block of the summer.”We saw during his short spell with us last season how much of an influential character he was in the changing room, so when the opportunity presented for Neil to return it was an easy decision.”His left arm pace complements our bowling attack immensely and his record speaks for itself with over 800 first-class wickets to his name, we are really pleased to welcome him back in June and see him play a key role in our County Championship success”.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was confirmed as the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner earlier this week and final voting figures revealed he finished more than 300 points clear of Barcelona's teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. The Frenchman's stellar campaign, which included a historic quadruple, made him only PSG's second ever recipient of the prestigious prize.

• 2025 Ballon d'Or voting points confirmed

  Final voting numbers released on Friday, four days after the ceremony itslef, confirmed that Dembele finished top with 1,380 points, ahead of Yamal on 1,059 – the only two playes to break through the 1,000-point barrier. Vitinha (703), Mohamed Salah (657) and Raphinha (620) rounded out the top five.

Advertisement

• Paris Saint-Germain dominate the rankings

  The top 10 also included Achraf Hakimi (484), Kylian Mbappe (378), Cole Palmer (211), Gianluigi Donnarumma (172) and Nuno Mendes (171). Liverpool star Salah was recognised again after another prolific year, while Palmer earned a surprise eighth place after shining for Chelsea. The top 10 included five Paris Saint-Germain stars overall, highlighting Les Parisiens' massive season.

• Getty Images
  

  Dembele's fantastic 2024/25 season

  Dembele's triumph caps off a campaign in which PSG finally lifted their first Champions League trophy. The reinvented Frenchman scored 35 goals and provided 14 assists across all competitions as Luis Enrique's side swept to four titles. For Yamal, finishing second at just 18-years-old underlined his growing status as the future of Barcelona and Spain, while he remarkably still has three more chances to break Ronaldo Nazario's record as the youngest ever winner. It's already impossible to imagine him winning at least one Ballon d'Or during his career.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Dembele and Yamal could face off next week

  Dembele will now look to build on his Ballon d'Or triumph by sustaining PSG's momentum into 2025-26. Yamal, meanwhile, will be determined to go one better after already proving he belongs among the world’s elite. The two former colleagues could go head-to-head next week when PSG take on Barcelona at the Olympic Stadium, with Yamal declaring himself fit after injury.

It was not the return to Premier League action that West Ham United fans were hoping for on Saturday afternoon.

However, while Graham Potter’s side were trounced 3-0 by Sunderland, there were at least a couple of positives to take from the game, like El Hadji Malick Diouf’s first competitive game for the club.

The Senegalese international certainly wasn’t spectacular against the Black Cats, but he was still one of the Hammers’ better players on the day and showed enough to suggest he could be a key player.

For example, he played two key passes, took one shot on target, was successful in 100% of his dribbles and even made three clearances.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking the club with an up-and-coming player who could be a perfect teammate for Diouf.

Diouf’s game vs Sunderland

Minutes

97′

Touches

54

Expected Goals +Assists

0.23

Number of Sprints

10

Key Passes

2

Shots on Target

1

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (1)

Fouls Won

1

Clearances

3

All Stats via Sofascore

West Ham target a dream teammate for Diouf

With just under two weeks to go until the transfer window slams shut, West Ham are still being linked with several players who could help keep them out of a relegation scrap this season.

Transfer Focus

Expand Collapse

One of those players touted for a move to the London Stadium has been AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, who could be available for free and would bring an abundance of top-flight experience with him.

However, while the Italian international would be an excellent addition to the squad, it now looks like the Irons are closing in on another midfield ace, someone who’d be a perfect teammate for Diouf.

At least that is according to a recent report, which has claimed West Ham United are still very interested in Mateus Fernandes.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Hammers are now preparing an offer for the Southampton star, which, according to other stories this month, might have to be worth around £50m to get the South Coast side to sell.

However, while that is an enormous sum of money, Fernandes might just be worth it, especially as he could help get even more out of Diouf.

Why Fernandes would be perfect for Diouf

There are two primary ways that Fernandes could help get more out of Diouf this season, and the first is down to his offensive qualities.

For example, despite playing in a terrible Southampton team last season that was in real danger of taking Derby County’s most unwanted of records at one point, the Portuguese ace was still able to amass a pretty decent tally of three goals and six assists in 42 games.

What makes that more impressive is the fact that he was tasked with playing all over, from defensive to attacking midfield and even in wide midfield at points.

So, just imagine how much more effective he could be playing alongside considerably more talented players at the London Stadium – his output would shoot up.

At the same time, Diouf would now have a central midfielder to his right who is more than capable of progressing the ball and laying on chances for him, in turn boosting his own goal and assist tally.

However, the former Sporting CP star is also more than capable of doing the defensive work, which is the second reason he could help get more out of the former Slavia Prague star.

For example, FBref ranked the “exceptional” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the defensive third, the top 2% for tackles plus interceptions and blocks, the top 4% for ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

With the Olhão-born monster able to do this in the middle of the park, Diouf may have more freedom to maraud forward and swing in a cross or take a shot on himself, thus bolstering the chance he gets himself an assist or goal.

Ultimately, Fernandes would be a great signing in his own right, but with the Senegalese international on the left, he could have an even more game-changing addition to this West Ham side.

Related West Ham lodge major enquiry for "magic" £21m maestro who's keen on PL move

The Hammers have made an approach to sign a versatile midfielder.

Posts ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

Scott Boland will be favourite to come into the line-up for the day-night contest in Adelaide

Andrew McGlashan30-Nov-20241:21

Clarke: Australia has some work to do to keep Kohli down

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the second Test against India with a side strain.Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett, who are both uncapped at Test level, have been added to Australia’s squad although Scott Boland will be Hazlewood’s likely replacement in the XI for the day-night Test.Related

'I honestly think we'll see Mitch Marsh bowl' – Lyon's Adelaide update

Marsh 'hopefully right and ready to go' but questions around bowling remain

Uncertain Australia walking a tightrope in Adelaide

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal open, Shubman Gill fifty at No. 3 in warm-up

Labuschagne's batting mentor: 'Every batter goes through this'

A Cricket Australia statement said that Hazlewood had a “low grade left side injury” and he would remain with the squad in Adelaide to work through his recovery.Hazlewood was the pick of Australia’s bowlers in Perth with 5 for 57 across 34 overs. This will be the first Test that Hazlewood has missed since Headingley in last year’s Ashes which followed a period where he suffered a run of frustrating injuries – including two side strains – while he was also omitted due to conditions on various subcontinent tours. Between December 2021 and June 2023 he featured in just four Tests.Should, as expected, Boland return to the side it would be his first Test since he came in for Hazlewood in that Ashes game at Leeds. He has a stunning record at home with 28 wickets at 12.21 from six matches.Last season against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand, Australia got through all seven Tests with an unchanged attack and last week’s Perth Test marked the 10th consecutive outing where Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc had lined up together.Abbott, a regular in Australia’s white-ball squads, has often been considered unfortunate not to have earned a Test cap. For Doggett, meanwhile, it has been a rapid return to national contention after he was previously selected for the series against Pakistan in the UAE in 2018. It comes on the back of taking a career-best 6 for 15 for Australia A against India A in Mackay having not been an original member of the squad before being called up as an injury replacement.Josh Hazlewood was impressive during the opening Test•Associated Press

Michael Neser would have been firmly in contention for a call-up but suffered a hamstring injury in the second Australia A match at the MCG and is unlikely to be fit until the start of the BBL.Western Australia duo Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris, who are both centrally contracted, have recently made their returns to Sheffield Shield cricket for the first time this season.Australia’s selectors had previously added uncapped allrounder Beau Webster to the squad amid concerns over Mitchell Marsh after he pulled up sore following Perth. Josh Inglis, originally selected as the spare batter, remains in the squad but could be leapfrogged by Webster if Marsh is unavailable for Adelaide.The loss of Hazlewood adds to the uncertainty around Australia heading into the second Test after their 295-run thrashing in Perth. There are question marks over the batting line-up, with Marnus Labuschagne the most under pressure after his twin failures in Perth including 2 off 52 balls in the first innings.Australia will be begin training in Adelaide on Monday, a day earlier than originally scheduled. India are due to play a two-day game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra on Saturday and Sunday although heavy rain has put that in doubt. Boland is part of the PM’s XI squad with a view to getting some overs under his belt having played just two first-class games this season.