A Sporting Lisbon quartet – including striker Bas Dost – have terminated their contracts with the Portuguese outfit, as The Telegraph reported on Tuesday morning, and Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have been quick to deliver their verdict on whether they club should sign the prolific Dutchman.
The Telegraph says that the 6ft 5in tall centre-forward – along with teammates Gelson Martins, Bruno Fernandes and William Carvalho – have all rescinded their deals claiming “just cause”, after some of the Sporting players were attacked by a group of supporters at their training ground last month.
Meanwhile, the west Midlands outfit, who reportedly want to sign a 6ft midfielder who dominated Ruben Neves in 2018, may well be busy in the transfer market this summer as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of their Premier League return, and they could look to bring in a new striker – especially after Benik Afobe left to join Stoke City on Tuesday.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
Wolves supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on a potential move for Dost, and while one said “get him to the Molineux”, another said “I’m not sure he’s compatible with our style”.
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Gary Neville’s recent decision to retire has had everyone in football talking. Manchester United fans have been singing his praises, announcing him as England’s best ever right back, former players have been talking up his longevity and sustained quality, whilst the majority of opposing fans have been celebrating the end of a career of a player they would liken to the anti-Christ of Premier League football. Whatever your opinion, he certainly falls into the category of a player who is quite well hated other than in the red half of Manchester. The reaction following his retirement had me thinking of other players who have played the Premier League villain despite remaining a fans favourite in his own back garden. So who are the top ten players loved by their clubs but hated by everybody else? I decided to put together a list of past and present Premier League players who have done their best to get on the nerves of ever football fan across the country, other than their own teams supporters of course. After giving it quite a bit of thought, a few players who we would have rather not had to have put with over the years have missed out, such as Graeme Le Saux, or Michael Brown. But feel free to add your own thoughts if I’ve missed the player you love to hate…
Click on the king of loathed players Robbie Savage to view the top 10
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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini refused to admit that Joe Hart will be his first-choice goalkeeper this season following the goalless draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon.
The England shot-stopper was the star of the show during the White Hart Lane stalemate on the opening day of the new Premier League campaign.
Hart made a number of fine stops in the opening period to keep the hosts at bay but, with last season's first-choice Shay Given sat on the bench, Mancini refused to be drawn into the debate.
"The right decision is always after the game for the manager, but I'm happy because I have two big goalkeepers," he said.
"I must take a decision and one strong goalkeeper must go on the bench."
City looked sluggish during the opening 45 minutes as new boys David Silva, Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov failed to make a telling impact, but their Italian tactician is confident the side will produce the goods in the coming weeks.
"I think that, because it's against Tottenham, it's a difficult game. It's the first game for us and the second time that all these players have played together," he added.
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"I think that we need time because we have two, three new players and we haven't played together for five, six games.
"These players were together today and yesterday. It's difficult for us, but I think we have the time next week and we can improve."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has put striker Will Osula on red alert for the Premier League after seeing him score twice as the holders booked their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 4-1 win against Bradford.
The 22-year-old Dane scored the Magpies’ second and final goals against the League One leaders at St James’ Park to highlight his development, and with record signing Nick Woltemade still coming to terms with English football and Yoane Wissa injured, he has been told he could get his chance amid a hectic schedule.
Asked how close Osula, on £25,000-a-week, is to starting a league game, Howe said:
Howe impressed with Newcastle forward Osula in training
Osula, rarely seen this season with just over 200 minutes of game time, arrived at the club from Sheffield United as a raw youngster last summer, and Howe and his coaches have since gone to work with him on the training ground.
Newcastle largely dominated throughout and the game was effectively over when Joelinton and Osula struck after 17 and 19 minutes respectively.
However, thanks to the efforts of City goalkeeper Sam Walker and some sub-standard finishing, they had to wait until the 75th minute for the Brazilian to make it 3-0, and although lifelong Magpies fan Andy Cook reduced the deficit, Osula scored again at the death to wrap up a comfortable win.
Howe said: “It was always going to be a difficult game. Nobody makes anything easy for you. Bradford are top of their league and full of confidence, so we needed an element of patience in our performance. But once we got into our groove, we were good.”
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Opposite number Graham Alexander, who played under Howe during his spell in charge at Burnley, was happy with much of what he saw from his side on a difficult night on Tyneside.
Asked what they had learned, he said with a smile: “We learned what a Champions League team looks like up close.”
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On Cook’s goal, he added: “He’s a proper lad, he’s been a big player for this club for the last three or four years and everyone knows about his support for Newcastle, but he’s also got a massive bond with our club as well, so it was a special night for Cooky just getting on the pitch.
“But that’s a goal he’ll be talking about for the next 50 years, I expect.”
A Bayern Munich star would be keen on a move to Chelsea this summer, rather than joining Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report.
Blues set sights on new winger
With the summer transfer window edging ever closer, it is becoming apparent that the Blues are keen on bolstering their wide options, and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao is among their main targets, although the 25-year-old is unlikely to come cheap.
The west Londoners are the favourites to sign Leao, having held talks over a deal, but the Portugal international’s £148m release clause may be prohibitive, while there is also rival interest from Arsenal and Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
There are also potential options from within the Premier League, with Enzo Maresca’s side still keen on Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, having remained in contact with the 20-year-old’s agents ahead of a potential summer swoop.
Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea now want to sign £50m star "by the end of May"
The reliable journalist says BlueCo want a deal done as soon as possible.
ByEmilio Galantini
In the aforementioned report, it is detailed that Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams make up the shortlist, but a new update has revealed that a Bayern Munich winger could also be in line to move to Stamford Bridge.
According to a report from Sky Sports in Germany, Chelsea are interested in signing Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane, and a move to west London would appeal to the German, who isn’t as keen on joining fellow suitors Tottenham Hotspur or Newcastle.
Bayern Munich's LeroySanescores their third goa
Sane is out of contract this summer, which means the winger is set to be available on a free transfer, but there could be competition for his signature, with the 29-year-old open to a move to Arsenal.
A move to La Liga also appeals to the Bayern star, whose current employers want him to make a final decision on his future by May 17th, the date of their final Bundesliga match.
"Outstanding" Sane could help take Blues to next level
The Blues remain in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which means Maresca may be keen to bring in players with experience in Europe’s elite competition, and the forward certainly fits the bill in that regard.
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The Germany international has 23 goals and 19 assists to his name in 73 Champions League appearances, while his attacking output in the Bundesliga has been impressive ever since arriving at Bayern.
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
2020-21
32
6
9
2021-22
32
7
7
2022-23
32
8
7
2023-24
27
8
11
2024-25
29
11
6
Not only that, but the £244k-per-week forward also received high praise from Harry Kane in November 2023, with the England captain saying: “He has great pace and outstanding power. Leroy is probably our best player so far this season. He is fantastic.”
At 29-years-old, Sane is older than the players Chelsea usually sign, but should they qualify for the Champions League, it is important Maresca has a good blend of youth and experience, and his availability on a free transfer is an added bonus.
Newcastle United started the season in hot and cold form, but hit a real green patch over the festive period, winning ten matches in a row in all competitions, leading them into the Champions League places in the Premier League table and the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.
However, due to last weekend’s 4-1 loss to Bournemouth, their first loss since November, Eddie Howe’s side have dropped to sixth place, joint on points with fifth place Manchester City, and two points behind fourth place Chelsea.
Newcastle United managerEddieHowe
With the Toon looking to return to the Champions League next season, an emphasis will be put on keeping their best players at the club this January, whilst also looking to strengthen if possible, as the second half of the season looks likely to determine the future of Alexander Isak.
Newcaste weigh up move for big-money striker
According to reports from The Chronicle, Newcastle are ‘weighing up a bid’ to sign RB Leipzig forward, Benjamin Sesko. It follows reports from Germany that suggest any suitor will have to pay a seismic fee and for the Magpies, it would take a club record transfer fee of around £67m.
The Slovenian striker is also on the radar of plenty of top European clubs, with Arsenal one name said to be keen to strike a deal this month for Sesko.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The 21-year-old was of interest to Newcastle in 2023, before he made the move from RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig, but since making that switch to the Bundesliga and further proving his quality, it has become even more unlikely for teams to get him out of Germany for any less than his €80m (£67m) release clause.
Sesko has made 25 appearances in all competitions for the German outfit this season, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists across 1,768 minutes.
How Sesko compares to Alexander Isak
Isak, who is four years older than Sesko, has made 24 appearances for the Magpies this season, scoring 17 goals, providing five assists and totalling 1,932 minutes played. So rather unsurprisingly, he’s bettering the Toon target.
That said, they share similar traits and qualities that would make Sesko a fine replacement should the Swede depart the north east in 2025.
They are both blessed with height, Isak standing at 6 foot 4 and Sesko at 6 foot 5, so the forwards have a similar tall but lean frame, being deceptively agile for their height.
That said, the Swede’s output is better across the domestic campaign to date.
Benjamin Sesko vs Alexander Isak in 2024/25
Stats (per 90 mins)
Sesko
Isak
Goals
0.71
0.83
Assists
0.12
0.24
xG
0.40
0.70
xAG
0.03
0.20
Progressive Carries
1.75
2.82
Progressive Passes
1.58
2.71
Shots Total
2.89
3.61
Goals/Shot
0.21
0.23
Key Passes
0.51
1.82
Shot-Creating Actions
1.58
3.70
Aerial Duels Won
2.60
0.94
Stats taken from FBref
When comparing Sesko and Isak with the metrics analysed above, you can see Isak is, of course, a more refined version of the Leipzig star, contributing more with output, finding himself in better areas to score (higher xG generated) and finishing at a higher level, with a 0.23 shots/goal ratio compared to Sesko’s 0.21 ratio.
That said, Sesko has been labelled as an “extraordinary” forward by pundit Tony Cascarino, comparing his physical attributes to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, but comparing his dribbling quality to Manchester United legend, Ryan Giggs.
This alone shows the quality of the tall striker. He’s evidently physically gifted but with the agility and dribbling qualities of a winger, similar to Isak.
Alexander Isak
If the club’s top-scorer is to leave Newcastle at the end of the season, Sesko would be a brilliant replacement. He is a young superstar and capable of filling the former Real Sociedad striker’s boots in the long-term.
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Newcastle have started to draw up plans for an Isak replacement, with interest in the Sweden striker fierce.
Chelsea have undergone a huge midfield rebuild in recent years, phasing out the old guard of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, and Jorginho.
Under Thomas Tuchel, that midfield configuration won the Champions League in 2021. However, as all three were ageing, the Blues knew that a rebuild in that area of the pitch was looming.
This has led to a huge spending spree on that area of the pitch, acquiring Moises Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, and Enzo Fernández for a combined total of €299.10m (just over £250m).
Fernandez made 40 appearances for the Londoners last season, scoring seven goals and providing three assists, Moises Caicedo made 48 appearances, scoring once and supplying four assists, whilst Lavia only managed one appearance, due to injury struggles.
One of those who was phased out by Todd Boehly to accommodate these new faces was Scot, Billy Gilmour.
The first impressions of Billy Gilmour
Chelsea signed Gilmour back in 2017 from Rangers, buying the 15-year-old at the time for around £500,000. The midfielder quickly became prominent in the Chelsea youth ranks, making 79 appearances for the U18, U19, and U21 teams.
Gilmour earned his senior call up under Frank Lampard, appearing in pre-season for the Blues in 2019, before making his Premier League debut in August 2019, and starting his first game for Chelsea, in the EFL Cup against Grimsby in September.
Another Chelsea academy graduate, Patrick van Aanholt, praised Gilmour calling him “basically N’Golo Kante” in a performance for Scotland, and maybe Chelsea missed a trick by selling him for such a small fee, even if they did rake in a huge profit, with the former academy man joining Brighton for just £9m in 2022.
Billy Gilmour's stats since leaving Chelsea
The young Scot made 60 appearances for Brighton, quickly establishing himself as a key player for Roberto De Zerbi after Graham Potter left to take over Chelsea, weeks after Gilmour’s arrival. The midfielder even stated it’s “amazing” to play for De Zerbi, saying his tough love spurred him on to perform better.
Gilmour made 41 appearances for Brighton in the 2023/24 campaign in all competitions, providing two assists, and contributing to nine clean sheets in his 2,926 minutes played.
Gilmour vs Fernandez & Caicedo (23/24)
Stats (per 90 mins)
Gilmour
Fernandez
Caicedo
Goals + Assists
0.06
0.29
0.11
Progressive Carries
1.62
2.12
0.85
Progressive Passes
7.68
8.57
5.44
Shots Total
0.96
1.90
0.44
Passes Attempted
84.2
76.0
66.6
Pass Completion %
90.8%
84.5%
90.0%
Key Passes
0.83
1.31
0.72
Passes into Final Third
7.09
7.22
5.53
Tackles
1.03
2.04
2.86
Interceptions
0.52
0.73
1.10
Stats taken from FBref
Comparing Gilmour to Chelsea’s midfielders last season shows how closely he actually ranks in many metrics. Firstly, Gilmour averaged the most pass attempts per 90, with 84.2, compared to Fernandez’s 76.0 per 90, and Caicedo’s 66.6 per 90.
Brighton midfielder Billy Gilmour.
He also averages the highest pass completion rate, with these passing stats showing his comfortable he is on the ball, and a willingness to control the game with high pass volume and touches.
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The Scotland international does rank lowest in defensive metrics. However, being only 5 foot 7, his athleticism and power aren’t a key component of his game, and usually this would be provided by a midfield partner, in order to strike balance.
Gilmour’s impressive Brighton spell has earned him a move to Napoli, joining them this summer for an initial fee of £12m, with add-ons worth a potential further £4m.
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The 23-year-old is yet to enter his prime years, and could still end up being a huge mistake for Chelsea, letting the talented midfielder go for so cheap.
Better than Mudryk: Chelsea have a teen who could be their next Hazard
He’s already demonstrated his qualities away from Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal are considering a summer bid for a £100 million player with Edu poised to splash a record amount of cash in the next transfer window, according to reports.
Arsenal tipped for record summer spend in 2024
Some reports have claimed that Arsenal could look to break their summer transfer record this year, despite spending over £208 million in 2023, which included a deal for club-record signing Declan Rice.
Arsenal "set sights on signing" £65m star who wants to join Man United
He’ll be heavily courted this summer.
ByEmilio Galantini
According to reliable journalist Charles Watts, this potential splurge could be invested across a wide array of positions, not just in the striker position widely reported.
"It's no great secret that Arsenal want to sign a striker this summer. When the window opens it will be the priority, along with a midfielder and potentially another wide attacker," said Watts.
"It will be interesting to see whether they move for Victor Osimhen. He, like Toney, is a player they like and I know that his representatives have visited Arsenal's training ground for talks with Edu. Those talks took place in the summer when Arsenal eventually signed Gabriel Jesus. Jesus was always the priority that year, but Osimhen was definitely a player they viewed as a serious alternative.
"That interest will remain, but the Nigerian could prove to be too costly an option in a summer given Arsenal want to spread their budget around as they look to take the squad to the next level."
Named targets have already been mentioned for out wide and in centre midfield. Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is thought to be admired by Arsenal, while Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.is a very ambitious target for the middle.
Bruno Guimaraes' best league games for Newcastle this season
Match rating (via WhoScored)
Sheffield United 0-8 Newcastle United
9.72
Newcastle United 4-0 Tottenham
8.46
Tottenham 3-0 Fulham
8.44
Tottenham 1-1 Everton
8.27
Nottingham Forest 3-2 Tottenham
8.21
The Brazilian, who's been a crucial mainstay and key creator for Eddie Howe this season, boasts four goals and six assists from 31 league starts. As such, he's attracting interest from elite clubs, and Arsenal are one of them.
Arsenal considering summer bid for £100m Guimaraes
According to journalist Sam Dean, Arsenal are considering a summer bid for Guimaraes alongside Man City, meaning the two sides could be set for a similar transfer battle to their tug of war over Rice last summer, but this time for the Magpies £160,000 per week sensation.
The South American ace's contract includes a £100 million release clause, and he is aware of interest from both City and Arsenal as we approach the summer, with reports from Rudy Galetti claiming he is "expected" to leave Tyneside despite recently buying a new house.
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“Recently, Bruno is a player who has been doing an exceptional job at Newcastle," said Brazil international teammate Casemiro. "With every workout and every game I’m more comfortable with him. He is a great player, who has been demonstrating this in the most difficult competition in the world.”
West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a blow after learning that one of their first-team stars is facing an extended spell on the sidelines.
West Brom injury news
The Baggies currently have Daryl Dike, Martin Kelly and Matt Phillips all out of action with their own respective problems as it stands, and they have recently been joined in the treatment room by another squad member having suffered a fresh setback.
In the Championship, Carlos Corberan’s side were on the receiving end of a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last weekend, and unfortunately for the manager, the result wasn’t the only negative to occur from that day on the club’s trip to the northeast.
On 36 minutes, Josh Maja was the subject of a heavy challenge from Dan Ballard and the intense pain that the striker felt forced him off the pitch prematurely, which will have caused concern among supporters because they know that their summer signing hasn’t had the best of luck since he put pen to paper.
The Nigerian has only been able to make one start in the second tier since the start of the season having only recently returned from an ankle injury (WhoScored – Maja statistics), and the 24-year-old is now set to spend another period of time away from the grass.
Maja ruled out for four months
Speaking to West Brom’s official website, Corberan confirmed that Maja is facing four months out because he may require surgery to rectify his problem in order for it to heal as quickly as possible, describing it as the "worst news".
"In the tackle against Sunderland they injured all the ligaments in his ankle, it depends and the doctors still need to ask for a second opinion to see if there is any ligament to fix without surgery. Normally he will need surgery and be out of the team for the next four months. It's the worst news we can give."
West Bromwich Albion's home stadium, The Hawthorns.
Corberan dealt huge blow over Maja
According to Josh Bunting, Maja was an “interesting” addition over the summer, because while he isn’t the best at linking up the play, as per the journalist, he is a fantastic finisher, with his prolific form being something that he has shown right since the very start of his career.
The Lewisham-born talent has clocked up 79 involvements, 61 goals and 18 assists, in 213 appearances following his arrival on the professional scene, and it’s not just his ability to find the back of the net that the boss will have to cope without once again (Transfermarkt – Maja statistics).
Sponsored by Nike, the striker is a versatile operator having previously been deployed in four different positions over the grass, including three roles across the frontline and even as an attacking midfielder, though this is another attribute that the coach won’t have at his disposal for the foreseeable future.
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Therefore, Maja not being able to return until April at the earliest will come as a setback to Corberan, and it may mean that the club are forced to enter the market to find a replacement for their injured star during the upcoming transfer window in January.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe wants to make one more signing for his outfit this summer and looks to have identified a rising Premier League star as a candidate.
Who could Newcastle sign this summer?
According to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, Chelsea starlet Lewis Hall is being considered by the Magpies as they explore defensive options this summer, with Marc Cucurella and Kieran Tierney also on the list.
The reporter stated in full: "Understand NUFC are exploring move for Chelsea’s Lewis Hall but are at limit of spend & must be “creative”. Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney & Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella others discussed at LB but nothing close. Joachim Andersen & Antonio Silva high on list at CB but v unlikely re cost."
The 18-year-old impressed upon breaking into the Blues' first team last season and could now make the move to Tyneside as Newcastle search for 'creative' ways to complete their summer spending while aligning with Financial Fair Play.
Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…
Hall has been widely expected to complete a loan move to Crystal Palace this summer but Howe's side may well be in the driving seat to now hijack the deal.
How good is Lewis Hall?
It's not quite clear if Newcastle would entertain a loan move, but if that is a viable option for the club, then it could work out tremendously.
The Magpies have signed Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Yankuba Minteh for approximately £132m this summer, and are approaching their limitations, though the lion's share of what Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth would have wanted has been achieved.
Chelsea defender Lewis Hall.
Hall would complete the jigsaw, and while he is young, the Englishman has been heralded by Pat Nevin for his 'incredibly impressive' start to life on the major stage after winning Chelsea's Academy Player of the Season award in 2021/22.
Last season, he recorded an average rating of 7.01 across his nine Premier League outings, making 1.7 key passes per game and completing 84% of his passes. Clearly, this is a player that loves to be on the front foot.
He would also provide cover and competition for Dan Burn on the left flank of the Toon backline, with the towering 6 foot 6 ace impressing in his makeshift role over the past year, naturally a central defender.
However, now that Newcastle have entered continental competition and could realistically compete for silverware across four different competitions, signing Hall would be a prudent move, especially following Jamal Lewis' loan departure – with the option to buy – to Watford.
Burn joined United from Brighton & Hove Albion for £13m in January 2022 and has been instrumental in the club's remarkable rise under Howe's management, playing every match in the English top-flight last year as Newcastle finished fourth, boasting the joint-best defence in the division (alongside champions Manchester City).
The £55k-per-week titan is not the most mobile of defenders, something Hall on the flip side can indeed consider himself to be, and while Burn does rank among the top 5% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances and the top 2% for aerials won per 90, as per FBref, he ranks among the bottom 7% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 4% for progressive carries and the bottom 13% for successful take-ons per 90.
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The 31-year-old also only earned an average Sofascore rating of 6.78 last term, completing 0.4 key passes and 79% of his total passes despite being less ambitious than Hall in his ball-playing.
The divergence in style that Hall would bring to St. James' Park would add a whole new dimension to Howe's burgeoning system, with the teenage talent ranking among the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
The youngster is also a solid and tenacious defensive option, sitting among the top 5% for tackles and the top 9% for interceptions per 90 – it is this age-belying roundedness to his craft that has left Newcastle so interested in stealing him from under Crystal Palace's nose.
Once dubbed "amazing" by Chelsea teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hall boasts the creativity and the progressive presence to improve Newcastle's team, and he could be the low-risk signing to finish off the emphatic transfer activity this summer with aplomb.