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Alex Iwobi has made a good start to life at Everton since making his transfer deadline day move to Goodison Park.

In his first three games for the Toffees, he has already scored two goals, which represents a third of his highest-season total of six achieved last year.

How do football vloggers afford to watch their team week in, week out? Find out in the video below…

Former Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu has been talking about the switch, and he clearly feels that the Gunners made a mistake in letting the Nigeria international move on to pastures new.

He has said he “couldn’t believe” that the deal went ahead in an interview with Goal.com.

Unsurprisingly, the Gunners fans have been reacting to the comments, and they appear to be torn.

Some have agreed with the 43-year-old that they should have held on to the winger, while others seem happy with the transfer.

They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has turned out since being signed/sold and using statistical figures and statements from key figures to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

The relationship between shared Leeds United supporters and January 2019 arrival Kiko Casilla went from great highs to great lows, between the moment he put pen to paper on a contract at Elland Road in the winter and the season ending in May without promotion into the Premier League.

Fans (via Leeds Live) hailed the former Real Madrid shot-stopper as a ‘quality’ addition and being a statement of intent when the Elland Road outfit announced his arrival as a free transfer on a four-and-a-half-year deal, but came to lament his rash decision making and ‘shocking’ distribution (via HITC).

His contribution to the Play-Off Semi-Final second leg at home to Derby County particularly left a saw note for many, with Leeds Live’s Beren Cross describing his performance as: “Premier League goalkeepers have done much for the reputation of the sweeper ‘keeper role in modern football over the past couple of seasons, but this was a night when all of the frailties of that high-risk role were laid bare.

“Casilla has had a few difficult moments during the final weeks of the regular campaign and, just after he came out of Pride Park unscathed, this was a torrid night for him.”

Word that Casilla may have been allowed to leave in the summer saw calls of hope and desire from corners of the Elland Road faithful (via HITC), but it was not the Spaniard who left West Yorkshire in the end, and instead it was academy graduate Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The Darlington-born goalkeeper opted to leave his boyhood side for Burnley, with Leeds receiving £2.5million for his services (BBC), and the transfer now looks like 100 per cent profit for the Whites, with Peacock-Farrell serving as Sean Dyche’s third choice behind Nick Pope and Joe Hart while Casilla appears to have learned from his errors.

No goalkeeper in the Championship has kept more clean sheets than Casilla has this season, with Blackburn Rovers’ Christian Walton the only other shot-stopper to keep four from the opening seven games of the campaign (TransferMarkt).

Communication at the back certainly seems to have improved over the more recent fixtures, with the erratic nature displayed at Bristol City replaced with a confident presence between the sticks without denting his bravery to rush out and claim possession.

Leeds boasting one of the best defences in the second-tier has helped Casilla, too, with the Whites only allowing an average of 8.7 shots per game – the second-fewest to Brentford (8.3), per WhoScored data – and averaging the second-most tackles with 19.7 to Hull City’s 21.3.

This has meant Casilla has only needed to pull off a total of 14 saves, eight of which have come from efforts from outside the box – only Preston North End’s Declan Rudd and Millwall’s Bartosz Bialkowski (10 each) have faced more from outside of their areas – and six of his total 14 came against Barnsley last Sunday.

Casilla’s distribution has also improved, with the 32-year-old averaging just 0.1 inaccurate short balls per ninety minutes in the second-tier this season, compared to 0.5 in his maiden campaign, while also averaging more accurate long balls (5.3 to 4.7).

It is impossible to say how well or how poorly Peacock-Farrell would have fared in the same seven Championship fixtures if he had been the one who remained at Elland Road in the summer, but Casilla is putting in the displays to justify Leeds’ decision to retain his services, and make the fee received for his former teammate nothing but profit.

Leeds fans, how would you describe Casilla’s start to the season? Let us know in the comments below…

Real Madrid are going through some tough times at the moment. They have officially confirmed that Isco has also suffered an injury and their options within the squad are getting thin. But while looking at the market might be expected of such a big club, there is still one player that Zinedine Zidane can use to solve this tricky situation: Vinicius Junior.

On the chalkboard

The situation at the Santiago Bernabeu has been dire in the last couple of weeks. The number of injured players seems to be growing with each passing day and Los Blancos now have a total of six sidelined by injuries – including Isco, Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard.

And looking at their squad and the positions that are now in need of filling, the middle of the park and the left-wing stand out as the most alarming of the bunch, the latter one in particular as it is the natural position of many of the injured players. Of course, Zidane can always shift the entire formation, make some bigger tweaks to the lineup and somehow compensate for the lack of attacking players in that way.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But that’s a risky approach that could prove to be too big of a change in such a short amount of time. Can Real Madrid really afford to experiment now or even if they decide against it, can they find a suitable name on the market before the window closes on 2 September? Either way, the clock is against them and besides, they already have a solution in-house.

Old problems, new solutions

A lot has already been said about Real Madrid using the same old faces all over again, hoping that something clicks along the line. But as much as there is still life in the Spanish capital, there are also concerns about those same faces bringing the same old problems back.

But what if Zidane were to put his trust in a young star who was supposed to take the stage by storm but was, ironically, also stopped by a serious injury? The Madrid media have already been sounding the alarms, emphasising how Vinicius is being played out of position.

But now is the perfect chance for Zidane to push him to that left wing role where he belongs and give him a chance to prove himself once again. The 19-year-old had a brilliant 2018/19 season despite that injury. He played in a total of 33 games for the Galacticos, scoring three goals and assisting further 12.

That proves he can be a valuable asset when used properly and Zidane should trust him to be exactly that. With so many alternatives out wide currently injured, his time is now.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Football Insider, a number of MLS sides are eyeing up a bargain £4m January move for West Ham striker Javier Hernandez.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Mexico international has entered the final year of his contract at the London Stadium and it is said to be unlikely that he will receive an extension anywhere close to his current £140k-a-week earnings.

As a result, the 31-year-old is of interest to MLS teams who have sniffed out what could be a potential bargain deal for Mexico’s all-time top scorer, as the Hammers may be tempted to sell for a small fee rather than lose the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man for free.

Hernandez cost the Irons £16m when they signed him from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2017, and it seems like the east Londoners will have to accept a big loss on that investment.

Would be a major risk to sell him 

Selling Hernandez in January could potentially derail West Ham’s season.

Why? Well, having sold Marko Arnautovic in the summer whilst also allowing Andy Carroll to leave on a free, the Hammers have just one striker who is proven in the Premier League – Hernandez.

Admittedly, their two summer signings to replace the aforementioned duo who left the club do seem like exciting additions – £45m man Sebastien Haller and £8m recruit Albian Ajeti scored 20 and 21 goals respectively last season.

Watch the video below to find out how CR7 achieves some his best skills…

However, neither of them are proven in England and it remains to be seen how they will cope with life in the Premier League.

Contrastingly, Hernandez is extremely well accustomed to life in the English top-flight having made 158 appearances for both Manchester United and the Hammers, scoring 53 goals and recording 10 assists.

Allowing their only Premier League proven frontman to leave the club mid-season would represent a huge risk for Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham.

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Allrounder takes 2 for 11 as Essex stutter to 104 all out before unbeaten fifty seals chase

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Jun-2025Kathryn Bryce starred with bat and ball as The Blaze beat Essex Women by seven wickets in the Vitality Blast match at the Central Co-op County Ground Derby.Despite losing opening bowler Grace Ballinger after one ball of the game, The Blaze delivered a disciplined display in the field with Bryce taking 2 for 11 and Cassidy McCarthy 2 for 22.Essex were bowled out for 104, Jo Gardner making 22, but that proved inadequate with Bryce scoring a run a ball unbeaten 51 to seal a bonus point win with 35 balls to spare.The Blaze suffered a setback at the start when Ballinger pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and had to leave the field. But it was Essex who had problems to solve when they lost three wickets in the powerplay.Kathryn Bryce took over from Ballinger and with her fourth delivery, had Lauren Winfield-Hill lbw playing across the line.Essex then lost two wickets in the fourth over. A brilliant piece of fielding by Ella Claridige at gully ran out Lissy Macleod before Cordelia Griffith top edged a pull to mid on.Grace Scrivens and Maddie Penna were beginning to repair the damage when they both fell in quick succession. Scrivens top-edged a reverse sweep at Josie Groves and was caught at point before Penna missed a conventional sweep at Kirstie Gordon to leave Essex on 44 for 5.Gardner and Sophia Smale added 42 from 37 balls but the pair were parted in the 17th over when Smale was bowled trying to sweep Maddy Green. Gardner went in the next over, caught at deep midwicket off McCarthy and Bryce returned to bowl Eva Gray in the 19th.Essex passed 100 but they needed early wickets to have a chance of defending a small total and Kate Coppack struck in the first over of the Blaze chase. She found enough movement to have Georgia Elwiss caught behind without scoring but she lost control in her next over which cost 17.Esmae MacGregor replaced her and had Marie Kelly caught at mid off but at the end of the powerplay, The Blaze were well on course at 45 for 2.MacGregor beat Sarah Bryce’s drive but sister Kathryn moved through the gears and won the game in style with a straight six off Smale which also took her to a richly deserved 50.

Both players were named in Australia’s Test squad for the WTC final that starts on June 11 at Lord’s

Nagraj Gollapudi13-May-20254:43

Moody: SRH were stubborn to change

The Australian pair of Pat Cummins and Travis Head are likely to rejoin the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad ahead of IPL 2025’s resumption on May 17. They were among the contingent of overseas players who had left India once the IPL was suspended on May 9 for one week following cross-border tensions with Pakistan.Both players were named in Australia’s Test squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s from June 11, raising questions over whether they would return for the IPL considering SRH are already out of contention for the playoffs. The decision to resume the season was announced on May 11, after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.It is understood that Cummins, the SRH captain, and Head, have told the franchise they will fly back to India. “Pat has a responsibility as captain of the franchise and is looking at returning,” Cummins’ manager Neil Maxwell told News Corp on Tuesday.Related

• IPL 2025 to resume on May 17, final to be played on June 3

• IPL 2025 scenarios: GT and RCB one win away from playoffs, MI in control of their fate

• Buttler to rejoin Gujarat Titans squad but likely to miss playoffs

Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s head of national teams, said while it was an “extreme situation”, the board would “work with players on their individual decision to return to India or not” over the next two days.There is no confirmation yet on whether SRH’s other overseas players – Heinrich Klaasen, Eshan Malinga, Kamindu Mendis and Wiaan Mulder – will rejoin the squad. Mulder was also named in South Africa’s Test squad for the WTC final.Having finished as runners-up in IPL 2024, SRH have struggled in IPL 2025 and were one of the first teams to be knocked out of playoffs contention. Their remaining three fixtures are all away games: in Lucknow against LSG (May 19), in Bengaluru against RCB (May 23) and against KKR in Delhi (May 25).The IPL released the revised schedule for the remainder of the season on May 12: there are 13 league games to go, in addition to the four playoff fixtures. The rest of the league phase will be played at six venues – Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru – while the venues for the playoffs have not yet been announced. The dates for the playoffs are as follows: Qualifier 1 on May 29, the Eliminator on May 30, Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the final on June 3.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

According to TRT Spor journalist Firat Gunayer, Liverpool and two other British clubs are interested in a move for Besiktas defensive midfielder Dorukhan Tokoz.

If a deal is to be completed, it will have to be done quickly. The transfer deadline is this Thursday, and as of now, the Reds have signed just four players and only one who looks likely to influence first-team proceedings – Adrian has been signed as Simon Mignolet’s replacement, whilst teenage duo Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott have arrived along with 35-year-old Andy Lonergan.

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Not many will have heard of Tokoz, as the defensive midfielder plies his trade over in the Super Lig with Besiktas, but the stats suggests he could be a fairly useful option to deputise for – and eventually replace – Fabinho.

Whilst we must consider the fact that the Premier League is arguably a more testing division than the Super Lig, it can’t be denied that the Turkey international’s statistics are quite impressive.

Fabinho arrived in a £39m deal from Monaco last summer and eventually became an important player for Jurgen Klopp, after a period of acclimatisation at the start of the campaign saw him partially left out.

Liverpool recorded 97 points in the league last term, and the Brazil international was a big part of their success as well as their Champions League glory.

He averaged 2.1 tackles per game and one interception per game from a defensive midfield role, but as good as he was, Tokoz’s stats are far better.

The 23-year-old – two years younger than Fabinho – excelled for Besiktas last term, bettering the former Real Madrid man’s numbers in every department detailed above.

We’re by no means suggesting that the Turk will oust Fabinho from his role at Anfield if he signed, but there is definitely enough to suggest that Tokoz could succeed the No.3 at Liverpool and learn from an expert in his position on Merseyside.

It should also be noted that there isn’t really another player of Fabinho’s type at Liverpool currently, although there is also only one place on the teamsheet for a deep-lying defensive midfielder in Klopp’s 4-3-3 system.

With this knowledge in mind, Tokoz acting as Fabinho’s understudy, learning from the Brazilian and being the heir to his throne at Liverpool would be the best course of action if the Reds did get this deal over the line.

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Opener scores second consecutive hundred as Surrey toil before making solid start to their first innings

ECB Reporters Network19-Apr-2025Surrey 90 for 1 trail Sussex 435 (Haines 174, Alsop 63, Atkinson 4-120) by 345 runsTom Haines, one of the better opening batsmen in the country for many years, has been unable to prove himself in Division One of the County Championship. Now he has done so most emphatically.Haines batted for seven and a half hours against the best seam attack in the land, scoring 174 runs to anchor the Sussex first innings of 435 against Surrey. This followed 141 in his side’s resounding victory over Somerset last week.When he was bowled, getting an inside edge onto his leg stump from a delivery from Gus Atkinson, bowling round the wicket, this compact, neatly acquisitive left-hander had faced 286 balls and struck 18 fours, adding 180 for the third wicket with Tom Alsop (63). In doing so he pushed himself into the England reckoning, for the Lions side at least.But for all his great efforts on the second day of the match between the county champions and the current joint leaders, it was Surrey who reached the close of play the happier side. On their travels they have become accustomed to being presented with flat pitches and this was another one, a slow, low piece of turf that drew the teeth from the fast bowlers.Surrey bowled with more control than they had shown on the opening day. But on an even flatter pitch and with a softer ball they struggled for penetration. Instead, they opted for containment, and were so successful in their plan that Sussex scored just 208 runs in 79.2 overs, at a run-rate of 2.62, losing eight wickets in the process as they slogged to fielders and picking up just three batting points.Atkinson, in his first match of the season, took four wickets but Matt Fisher was the pick of the bowlers, achieving unexpected bounce on occasions and often beating the bat. On a pitch offering occasional uneven bounce, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was outstanding in conceding a single bye.Sussex resumed on 227 for 2 and scored 78 runs in the 34 overs before lunch. Atkinson bowled consistently short of a length from the sea end and Jordan Clark bowled with fine discipline from the Cromwell Road end.Haines, who started on 89, reached his century when he drove Jordan Clark through the overs for a single and then Alsop reached his second fifty of the season. Surrey broke through after 75 minutes when Alsop flicked a leg-side delivery from Fisher to Dan Worrall at deep square-leg. Sussex lost their fourth wicket at 302 when James Coles hooked a short one from Atkinson and Fisher took a tumbling catch at long leg.After lunch John Simpson, the in-form Sussex skipper, hinted at a greater urgency until he pulled Atkinson straight to midwicket and the long vigil by Haines ended on 379. Sussex did not have the runs they wanted and Danny Lamb, who retired hurt after being struck on the right arm by the impressive Clark, returned in obvious pain to give Fynn Hudson-Prentice late support after Ollie Robinson had thrown his wicket awayWhen Surrey batted Rory Burns, playing no stroke, had his off stump plucked out by Robinson and they ended on 90 for 1.

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And now it is finally official – Djibril Sidibe has joined Everton on loan from Monaco for the entirety of the 2019/20 Premier League season.

The Blues also have an option to buy the right-back once his initial stint at the club comes to an end.

Sidibe was Everton’s sixth signing of the summer at the time of writing, joining the newcomers who, so far, consist of Jonas Lossl, Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and Moise Kean.

Rumours suggest that Marcos Rojo could arrive at Goodison by the end of the transfer deadline.

The 27-year-old defender has immediately taken to

/B04OtO9BTdv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link” data-lasso->Instagram to share the first snaps in his new colours.

And naturally, it didn’t take long for the Frenchman to get swarmed by his friends and other stars, who wished him all the best in the future and sent their regards on his new journey.

Thomas Lemar sent his well wishes by saying “congratulations my darling”, while Germany U21 international Benny Henrichs and Monaco youngster Jordi Mboula also responded.

Sidibe will no doubt bring a lot of experience and quality to his new side.

The Frenchman has already won the World Cup with his nation in Russia last year and has contributed directly to 27 goals, scoring six and assisting 21 in 114 games in all competitions for Monaco.

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Seamer Ayanda Hlubi, wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder and opener Lara Goodall have been left out

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Apr-2025Young wicketkeeper Karabo Meso and spin-bowling allrounders Seshnie Naidu and Miane Smit have earned maiden ODI call-ups for South Africa Women’s tri-series in Sri Lanka that will have India as the third team.Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp has been rested as she “continues her conditioning block in preparation for the subsequent tours and the World Cup in India”, a CSA release stated.Naidu and Meso featured in this year’s Under-19 T20 World Cup, where South Africa lost to India in the final. They have also represented South Africa in T20Is – Naidu three times and Meso twice. Smit was a travelling reserve at last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. That apart, Nondumiso Shangase has also returned to the side for the first time since South Africa’s tour to India in June last year.Seamer Ayanda Hlubi, wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder and opener Lara Goodall have been left out.”It’s a very good squad,” head coach Mandla Mashimbyi said. “The mixture of youth and experience helps. It’s an opportunity for these girls to show what they can do. Hopefully, whatever we’ve covered at the camp can be applied in Sri Lanka when we take the field.”For me, it’s not an opportunity for Karabo, Miane and Seshnie anymore. It’s an opportunity for us to give them exposure at this level. Going forward and for the bigger picture, it’s important that we expose them as much as possible to international cricket.”This tour is an opportunity for us to check where the team is at. It’s a work in progress. We want to get to a point where when we get to India in September [for the ODI World Cup], we are where we need to be as a team. But from a skill point of view, there’s still a bit of work to do, and that’s what we’re busy with at the moment.”The tri-series will be held between April 27 and May 11, with all matches to be played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo.

South Africa Women squad for tri-series

Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nondumiso Shangase, Miane Smitand, Chloe Tryon