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Newcastle United rode into the summer transfer window on the crest of a wave, having finished the 2024/25 campaign as Carabao Cup champions, also sealing their place back in the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

All told, Eddie Howe will be a happy man after his side’s success, but the onus is now on improving across the next few months ahead of the fresh term, when expectations will be heightened.

Efforts have certainly been made at this early stage to go from strength to strength. As per The Telegraph, the Magpies have singled out England centre-back Marc Guehi and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, although the latter has reportedly chosen he wants to join Manchester United.

A right-sided forward is still at the top of the agenda, and Newcastle might just have identified the perfect man for the job.

Newcastle open talks for new right winger

No, it’s not Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, although the 23-year-old is admired by senior Newcastle officials.

Transfer Focus

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

Instead, the man of the moment could be West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus, with The Athletic revealing talks have been held among senior Magpies officials to ascertain the potential of a summer signing.

Kudus has an £84m release clause in his Hammers contract and is expected to leave east London this summer.

After a difficult campaign, however, it’s thought Graham Potter’s side would be open to a more agreeable £65m fee.

Why Newcastle should sign Kudus

Kudus only scored five times in the Premier League last season, also assisting three goals, but he hit four goal contributions across his final eight appearances, and presents one of the most menacing profiles out there.

Though Elanga, Newcastle’s other top wide target, chalked up six goals and 11 assists across the league campaign, Kudus may yet hit a new level of prolific progress, which would see him soar away from the Tricky Trees star’s capacity.

Despite his struggles, the Ghana international has still maintained his ball-carrying quality across the past year, with Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku the only man to produce a greater regularity of successful dribbles.

This metric is further underscored by data-driven site FBref, who recorded that Kudus ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

And you’d think that Howe could restore Kudus’ finest level. When comparing his 2023/24 campaign, under David Moyes’ wing, against Elanga’s at Forest over the past year, it becomes a little clearer that Kudus’ ceiling stretches higher.

Matches (starts)

33 (27)

38 (31)

Goals

8

6

Assists

6

11

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.5)

1.2 (0.6)

Pass completion

84%

78%

Big chances created

5

9

Key passes*

0.8

1.3

Dribbles*

3.8

0.7

Ball recoveries*

6.4

2.3

Tackles*

2.0

0.5

Duels won*

8.5

3.0

Given that Forest would be looking to bank in excess of £50m for the sale of Elanga, it might be more worthwhile to invest in a star such as Kudus, who, when at his rip-roaring best, has been regarded as a “generational talent” by those such as journalist Gary Al-Smith.

The dream XI Newcastle can build: No Gordon; Joao Pedro & £120m trio sign

Newcastle are looking to make sweeping changes as they step back into the Champions League.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025

Manchester City are already lining up a few transfer targets ahead of the summer transfer window opening on June 1.

Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White have both been earmarked as potential replacements for the departing Kevin De Bruyne.

That being said, City will have to splash the cash if they wish to land either, as the German is valued at £129m while Nottingham Forest are demanding £100m for their star player.

However, the Citizens are also looking to strengthen at the back.

Man City's search for a defender

Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is also reportedly emerging as a player Pep Guardiola wants to have at his disposal.

He isn’t the only full-back on City’s radar, however, as a current Serie A star could be on the move to England.

Transfer Focus

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

In January, the Etihad side were keeping a close watch on Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso, yet no move materialised back then.

Fast-forward a few months and Guardiola is keen to follow through on this initial interest when the transfer window opens, according to the Sun, who state that City still want to acquire him this summer.

Juventus appears to be closing in on a replacement for the Italian full-back, which could boost City’s pursuit of the player this summer.

A fee of around €60m (£50m) will be demanded by the Old Lady, one that is certainly affordable for the Manchester side.

While Kerkez would be an ideal long-term option at left-back, Cambiaso has much more experienced and has even enjoyed a better season from a statistical point of view than the Hungarian…

Why Andrea Cambiaso would be a better signing than Milos Kerkez

Kerkez has enjoyed a wonderful campaign for the Cherries throughout 2024/25, and it is perhaps no surprise the likes of City and Liverpool are looking to test their resolve with an offer.

Since joining from Genoa in 2022, Cambiaso has gone about his business steadily, but offers qualities at both ends of the pitch.

There isn’t much between the two City targets, especially regarding attacking metrics, but the Italian does come out on top in a fair few.

Indeed, when assessing data supplied via FBRef, he has registered more shots per 90 (0.63 vs 0.51), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.41 vs 2.26), successful take-ons (25 vs 20) and more goal-creating actions (0.31 vs 0.27) than the Hungarian left-back this season domestically.

Furthermore, the Juventus star has registered a higher pass completion percentage (89.5% vs 75.2%) while winning a higher percentage of aerial duels (37.5% vs 35.2%) per 90 than the Bournemouth youngster.

He was even dubbed “world-class” by European football expert Zach Lowy last season and he could be the ideal fit for Guardiola at City.

Another bonus is his ability to play either on the right or left side of the defence, giving the manager plenty of flexibility when choosing his side. That’s something that the Cherries defender cannot offer. He is solely a left-back.

Kerkez will no doubt go on to have an excellent future in the game, that there is no doubt, but at the current time, Cambiaso could very well be the best signing for the club as they head into a new era next season.

Man City have struck gold on "exceptional" gem worth more than Kerkez

City have hit the jackpot on a current academy graduate who is starring under Guardiola.

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 26, 2025

Chelsea are now going all out to sign a “stunning” winger, and they may be willing to trigger the £42m release clause in his contract, according to a report.

Blues keen to strengthen in attack

Nicolas Jackson made a flying start to the campaign, but the 23-year-old is still without a Premier League goal in 2025, having now failed to score in his last 11 matches, most recently drawing a blank in the 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town.

The Blues’ disappointing draw against Ipswich may have significantly dented their Champions League aspirations, while also underlining the need for Enzo Maresca to strengthen his squad this summer, and new forwards are of particular interest.

Ipswich star Liam Delap is one of the main targets at striker, with the west Londoners recently opening talks over a deal for the Englishman, while they could also consider a move for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

Sky Sports: Tottenham looking to sign £38m star who wants to leave Bayern

Tottenham are in the race for a winger, who has now made it clear he wants to leave his club.

ByDominic Lund Apr 13, 2025

Not only is signing a new striker on the agenda, but there may also be a need to bring in a new winger, given that Noni Madueke has widely been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.

According to a report from Spain, a new target has now entered the frame, with Chelsea going all out to sign Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez, who has a £42m release clause included in his contract with the Spanish side.

The Blues are yet to make an official bid, but they are considering stumping up the release clause to ensure they win the race for Rodriguez’s signature, amid interest from other unnamed clubs.

Betis hope to keep hold of the winger for at least one more season, but they are powerless to prevent his departure, should any of the interested parties be willing to fork out the release clause.

"Stunning" Rodriguez enjoying breakthrough season

The ongoing campaign has been a real breakthrough season for the 19-year-old, having made 24 appearances in all competitions, picking up two goals and two assists in the process.

The teenager has certainly managed to impress the Spanish media with his performances, having been lauded as “stunning” by journalist Alvaro Borrego, who adds the youngster will soon be part of the Spain national team set-up.

The Spaniard’s performances over the past year indicate he is a well-rounded winger, who is effective on the front foot, but also willing to pitch in defensively.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

0.64 (83rd percentile)

Successful take-ons

2.78 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

4.59 (77th percentile)

Blocks

1.39 (94th percentile)

That said, while Rodriguez is showing very promising signs at such a young age, his attacking numbers are yet to justify a £42m outlay, and Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

With ten matches to go, only KKR have sealed a spot in the top four, while MI and PBKS have been knocked out

S Rajesh11-May-2024

Chennai Super Kings

Four losses in their last six games have left CSK with plenty to do to ensure a place in the top four. However, wins in their two remaining games will almost certainly ensure qualification, since their net run rate is still a healthy 0.491 despite their 35-run loss to Gujarat Titans. That’s a substantial cushion over Delhi Capitals’ -0.316, who could also reach 16 if they win their last two.Super Kings will have to contend with a quick turnaround though, as they face Rajasthan Royals next in a day game on Sunday at home, after playing in Ahmedabad on Friday. If they lose that, they could be knocked out as RR, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and one of Delhi Capitals or Lucknow Super Giants can all finish on 16 or more points.If they do finish on 14, their best bet will be SRH and DC losing their remaining games and LSG losing to Mumbai Indians to stay on 14. Then, their superior net run rate will ensure CSK finish third, ahead of the two other teams on 14.

Gujarat Titans

Even with the two points against CSK, qualification is extremely tough for GT, because of their terrible net run rate of -1.063. Their best case will be a 14-point finish and a jostle for the last two spots with three other teams. On the current net run rate, GT’s best chance will be if those three teams are SRH (who are already on 14), DC and LSG. GT will still need huge wins to finish above at least two of those teams.

Kolkata Knight Riders

With 18 points already in the bag and two matches still to go, KKR have qualified for the playoffs, and almost sealed a top-two spot. For them to miss out on the top two, they’ll have to lose by really huge margins, and SRH will need two big wins as well. For instance, if KKR lose their last two by a combined margin of 100 runs, SRH will have to win their two remaining games by a combined margin of 137 runs (assuming first-innings totals of 200 in each game).

Rajasthan Royals

RR need one win to be sure of qualification. Even if they lose all three, they will be knocked out only if their net run rate falls below that of the winner of the DC-LSG clash, assuming the winner finishes on 16. Like KKR, RR will instead be eyeing a top-two finish after having dominated the points table for most of the season.Travishek’s demolition job against LSG has ensured a healthy NRR for SRH•AFP/Getty Images

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Their stunning win over LSG has lifted SRH to 14 points at a net run rate of 0.406, which not only gives them an excellent chance of qualifying but also a shot at finishing in the top two (though they’ll need help from other results for that). Even one more win will put them in a favourable position to qualify for the playoffs. They also have a good schedule, playing their last two games at home against teams which are currently among the bottom three.

Lucknow Super Giants

The drubbing against SRH has impacted LSG’s net run rate quite adversely, and that could see them missing out on a top-four finish. Even with 16 points, they could be knocked out by RR, KKR, SRH and CSK finishing above them. Even if they beat DC but lose to Mumbai, they will be hard-pressed to qualify as the other teams in contention – SRH, DC, CSK and RCB – all have better run rates.Delhi Capitals could be in for a late tussle with LSG•BCCI

Delhi Capitals

CSK’s defeat to GT is good news for Capitals, but they could still miss out even with 16 points if CSK win their last two, and if the top three teams move beyond 16.However, if DC beat RCB but lose to LSG, they could still finish among the top four on 14 points if LSG lose to Mumbai and if none of the other teams which are currently below 14 get to that mark. Then, the fight for the fourth place could be a direct tussle between DC and LSG, with both on 14 points and the former currently having the better run rate.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB have mounted a late charge with four wins on the bounce, but even six in a row might not be enough as four teams can still finish on 16 or more points. However, given their relatively healthy net run rate, they could even finish third with the following result combination: SRH and CSK lose both their matches, and LSG win no more than one. Then RCB will have a good chance of surpassing SRH on net run rate, and they will stay ahead of DC and LSG as well.

All the key numbers from England’s record chase against India at Edgbaston

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Jul-2022

A record chase

378 – Target chased down by England, their highest successful chase in Tests. Their previous best was 359, against Australia in the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – England posted the highest chase by any team against India in Tests. Australia’s 339-run chase in the 1977 Perth Test was the previous highest against India. The 378-run chase is also the second-highest by any team in England, behind Australia’s 404 in 1948.1 – Number of fourth-innings total against India in Tests that are higher than the 378 for 3 by England at Edgbaston. South Africa made 450 for 7 in pursuit of a 458-run target in the 2013 Johannesburg Test. It is also the fourth-highest total for England in the fourth innings of a Test.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Successful 250-plus run chases in 2022 for England. They have now become the first team to complete four successful chases of 250-plus targets in a calendar year. Australia had three such wins in 2006, while four other teams have won two each, including England in 2004.Related

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Scoring them quickly

4.93 – England’s run rate in the chase, the third-highest for any team involved in a successful 300-plus chase in Test cricket. Pakistan scored at a run rate of 5.25 to chase down a target of 302 against Sri Lanka in 2014, while West Indies hunted down 342 against England in the 1984 Lord’s Test at 5.19 runs an over.4.34 – Scoring rate in the Edgbaston Test, the fourth-highest for a completed Test match. Edgbaston has played host to three of the top-six results in the list of completed Tests with the highest scoring rates.

A partnership for the ages

269* – The partnership between Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. This is the fourth-highest stand for any wicket in the fourth innings of a Test match. It is also the highest partnership for the fourth (or lower) wicket, surpassing the 251-run fourth-wicket stand by Australia’s Graeme Wood and Craig Serjeant against West Indies in 1978.1 – The partnership between Root and Bairstow is the highest in the fourth innings of a Test match against India, surpassing the 216-run stand between Sri Lanka’s Roy Dias and Duleep Mendis in the 1985 Kandy Test. It is also the second-highest stand for England in the fourth innings behind the 280-run partnership between Paul Gibb and Bill Edrich in 1939 against South Africa.1 – Root and Bairstow became the first England pair to score hundreds in a successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket. There have been 11 previous instances of twin centurions in a successful chase in Tests, with the last one by Pakistan in 2015 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.2 – Hundreds for Root and Bairstow in successful chases, both in the ongoing home summer. No other England batter has more than one century in a successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket.

Bairsball!

2008 – Last instance of a player scoring centuries for England in both innings of a Test match – Andrew Strauss in 2008 against India in Chennai.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 – Bairstow became only the second England batter with twin hundreds while batting at No. 5 or lower in Test cricket. Denis Compton scored 147 and 103* against Australia in the 1947 Adelaide Test while batting at No. 5.6 – Hundreds for Bairstow in Tests in 2022, the most by a player while batting at No. 5 or lower in a calendar year, surpassing Michael Clarke’s five hundreds in 2012. Bairstow’s six Test centuries is the joint-most by an England batter in a calendar year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Root’s favourite opponents

9 – Number of centuries for Root in Tests against India, the most by any batter against India. Garry Sobers, Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting and Steven Smith are all at second with eight hundreds each against India.ESPNcricinfo Ltd737 – Number of runs by Root in the series, the second-most for England in a series against India, behind Graham Gooch’s 752 in 1990. His 737 runs are the fifth-highest for an England batter in a bilateral Test series and the fifth-most runs for a batter in a series against India.333 – Difference in runs between Root and Bairstow in this series, the joint-third highest between the top two run-getters of a Test series since 1940. Smith led Ben Stokes by exactly 333 runs during the 2019 Ashes series in England.