Arne Slot has defended his decision to delay Alexander Isak’s Liverpool debut by pointing to Yoane Wissa’s recent injury at Newcastle. The Reds’ £125 million ($170m) signing was left out of the squad against Burnley, with the Dutchman warning that rushing him back after a summer stand-off and no pre-season could risk long-term damage to the Swedish striker.
Despite a late red card being picked up by Darnell Furlong, West Bromwich Albion kicked off their fresh tenure under Ryan Mason with a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Up next in the Championship, however, the Baggies have a tough away trip on the cards to Wrexham, who will be reeling themselves after a late 2-1 slip-up to Southampton at St. Mary’s.
Portsmouth and Stoke City then see out August as West Brom’s next opponents, with the second-tier table no doubt an intriguing read by the end of the action-packed month.
One or two new faces might even be donning Baggies’ blue and white for these tense contests, as Mason and Co. now weigh up a move for this former EFL ace to join the building.
West Brom express interest in ex-EFL attacker
It has been a lively transfer window for the West Midlands side so far.
The main notable purchase to date has been Aune Heggebo leaving Brann behind for pastures new in England for around the £4.7m price range, with the Nordic centre-forward already up and running in the EFL when he assisted Isaac Price’s goal on the opening day.
Away from this standout buy, the Championship promotion candidates have also been linked with some exciting new additions, with Cadiz attacker Chris Ramos reportedly on their radar to compete with Heggebo, presumably.
A fresh report by Hayters TV has also revealed that West Brom are contemplating dipping their toes into the German market to land St Pauli attacker Dapo Afolayan.
The report states that Mason’s men have expressed an interest in snapping up the Bundesliga forward, but further interest is also there from second-tier rivals Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, and Swansea City.
Having once ripped up the EFL with Bolton Wanderers, Afolayan could welcome a return to familiar shores with the Baggies, as the Championship outfit attempt to secure their next Grady Diangana by landing the 27-year-old’s services.
How Afolayan can be the next Diangana
Mason underwent a clear-out of some of West Brom’s most experienced EFL personnel this summer as Diangana left the Hawthorns behind at the expiry of his contract.
This must have been a sad exit for the Congolese international who had amassed 26 goals and 22 assists for the Baggies from 206 appearances, as per Transfermarkt, with a creative hole in the side now needing to be filled by a new, gung-ho forward capable of playing down both the left and right flanks.
Afolayan might just be what West Brom desire, therefore, away from sticking with what they already have, when you consider his blistering exploits for Bolton in a number of different attacking positions.
In total for the Trotters, the 27-year-old would fire home a hefty 21 goals and pick up nine assists from 101 appearances, with a further 16 efforts finding the back of the net in Germany when plying his trade for St. Pauli, as three of those came about in the Bundesliga just last season.
LW
72
16 + 6
CF
60
12 + 4
RW
53
16 + 5
AM
27
7 + 2
SS
11
1 + 1
LM
11
2 + 0
The London-born attacker’s similarities to Diangana are even clearer to see when studying the table above, with Afolayan spreading his career goals and assists all across the forward positions, as the St Pauli number 17 even gifts Mason another option up top.
Diangana also lined up as a lone striker on occasion at the Hawthorns – as seen in a quickfire four goals coming his way from this spot on the pitch from just seven outings – with Afolayan also capable as a number ten, too, much like his former West Ham United counterpart.
Coincidentally, the 27-year-old also came through the Hammers academy system before making a name for himself elsewhere, with a hope he can blossom into a Championship star – like Diangana – by following his career path even more closely.
Once lauded for his “first-class” attitude by former Bolton boss Ian Evatt, Mason will hope adding in Afolayan before September’s deadline is yet another sprinkle of quality that pushes his side into the promotion reckoning.
West Brom could sign Heggebo upgrade in "extraordinary" £3m "monster"
West Bromwich Albion still have time to seal a deal for this EFL star who is even better than Aune Heggebo.
ByKelan Sarson Aug 11, 2025
Players incensed by ECB clampdown on permissions to play in overseas leagues
Matt Roller06-Dec-2024
The Hundred is the focus of some players’ ire as they consider their options in the ongoing NOCs row•ECB/Getty Images
A group of English players have discussed the possibility of boycotting the Hundred in 2025 as the fall-out from the ECB’s new policy on No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) continues.The reported the boycott threat on Friday, and ESPNcricinfo understands that players have raised it as a nuclear option with their agents, and in crisis talks with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), if the policy does not change. The PCA declined to comment, and the prospect of a boycott has so far been discussed independently of the players’ union.The timing is particularly unfortunate for the ECB ahead of Monday’s second-round deadline in the Hundred’s sales process, which will see prospective investors submitting offers for stakes in the eight teams. The ECB declined to comment, while a source insisted that the timing was coincidental and that the potential for a boycott would have been raised regardless.The latest development comes after a chaotic week behind the scenes in the English game, with players scrambling for clarification over the new policy. There is confusion at apparent discrepancies between the wording of the policy itself and the details briefed by the ECB, and frustration at limited consultation with the PCA before its publication.Around 40-50 players put their frustrations across to the PCA across two group calls staged on Monday, and suggested potential next steps. These included the idea of a collective policy of non-engagement with the Hundred’s retention process, which is expected to begin imminently and run until late February.Related
ECB plans huge wage hikes, increase in overseas player limit in the Hundred
'Anger and resentment': PCA holds crisis talks over ECB NOC policy
Players threaten legal action over new ECB stance on NOCs
PCA chief: Counties will be 'discerning' about players' franchise availability
'A broken sport': Franchise free-for-all compromises players' incentives
In practice, such a move appears unlikely – not least because the ECB’s board are understood to have ratified pay rises for the 2025 edition of the Hundred, ahead of further increases once deals with private investors have been signed off. The group of players who have raised the option is not thought to include anyone on an England central contract, though does feature some who were among the Hundred’s higher earners last year.Several players were incensed to learn on Monday – via ESPNcricinfo’s reporting – that players with ‘pay-as-you-play’ red-ball provisions in their contracts would be considered the same as all-format county cricketers. Those frustrations were raised by agents in a PCA meeting on Wednesday afternoon, who cited inconsistencies with precedents around insurance.The PCA is awaiting legal advice before working out its own next steps, while several players want answers as to whether they will be granted NOCs to fulfil long-standing commitments for the winter. Male English players have already featured in leagues in Abu Dhabi, Guyana and Nepal since the end of the season, with Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) starting next weekend.Players also want to know where they stand before the six Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises step up recruitment for the 2025 season, which will clash with the first two months of the County Championship. Some English players have already agreed deals in principle to play in the PSL, with a draft date and recruitment regulations expected to be published this month.The first-class counties are understood to be generally supportive of the new policy. One source predicted that the regulations would prompt a handful of players to retire from first-class cricket, but said that the English game as a whole would benefit from the ECB’s attempts to stave off the perceived threats posed by a significant player drain to overseas franchise leagues during the English summer.
Leeds United officially confirmed their latest arrival of the summer transfer window on Friday with the unveiling of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as their new centre-forward.
The former England international became a free agent last month when his contract at Everton expired, which has allowed the Whites to snap him up on a free transfer.
Calvert-Lewin has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Elland Road, which means that he will be committed to the club even if they suffer relegation at the first time of asking.
The former Toffees marksman is set to compete with Joel Pirore and Lukas Nmecha for a place in the starting line-up, and could make his debut against his former club at Elland Road in the Premier League on Monday.
Daniel Farke has ‘lost’ two number nine options this summer, though, as he told Patrick Bamford that the veteran forward would not be a part of his plans, whilst Mateo Joseph is out on loan at Mallorca.
Despite bringing Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin in, Leeds may need to dip back into the market to sign another centre-forward before the end of the window.
Why Leeds need to sign another striker
It is no secret that the Whites will need to score plenty of goals this season to give themselves a chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League, which makes the striker position particularly important.
However, Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha do not seem primed to arrive as prolific number nine options who are going to deliver consistent performances in front of goal in the top-flight, based on their form for their previous clubs.
Nmecha, for example, scored just seven goals in the Bundesliga in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined, per Transfermarkt, and missed 47 matches through injury in that time.
These statistics do not suggest that the former Wolfsburg man is likely to be Farke’s own Erling Haaland or Alexander Isak in the Premier League this season, as he struggled for goals and fitness in the last couple of campaigns.
24/25
8.85
3
23/24
13.63
7
22/23
6.50
2
21/22
6.22
5
20/21
18.21
16
19/20
16.11
13
18/19
6.17
6
17/18
5.44
4
16/17
1.25
1
As you can see in the table above, though, Calvert-Lewin also appears unlikely to be a prolific scorer for Leeds when you consider his output in front of goal and his disappointing finishing in recent years.
The English striker has underperformed against his xG in all nine of his seasons in the Premier League to date, and has not scored more than seven goals in a league campaign for four years.
Whilst he has scored some impressive goals, as shown in the clips above, Calvert-Lewin may not be the prolific scorer that the Whites may need to stay in the top-flight.
Leeds eyeing deal for Bundesliga striker
Supporters should, therefore, be pleased to read that the West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly eyeing up another option in that area of the pitch.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Kicker, Leeds United are lining up a potential move to sign Stuttgart centre-forward Ermedin Demirovic to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
The report claims that the Whites have a ‘desire’ to buy the 27-year-old marksman, despite the fact that they only signed Calvert-Lewin this week.
It adds that the Bosnia international is not happy with his current role at Stuttgart. Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav are said to be ahead of him in the pecking order, which could lead to him pursuing a move away before the window slams shut.
Kicker also reveals that it will take a fee in the region of £35m to persuade Stuttgart to part ways with the striker, and it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are willing to pay that much to bring him to Elland Road.
Why Leeds should sign Demirovic
As aforementioned, Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha, whilst they may prove to be huge successes at Elland Road, have not done enough in recent seasons to suggest that they will carry a significant goal threat for Farke.
This is why Leeds should be pushing to seal a deal for their latest transfer target, because he is an experienced, yet not over-the-hill, striker who could be the talismanic goalscorer they need to avoid the drop.
The former Augsburg marksman, who was dubbed a “special” talent by Stuttgart director Fabian Wohlgemuth, has an incredibly impressive fitness record in his career, with just two matches missed through injury according to Transfermarkt.
This suggests that Farke would be able to rely on him to play week-in-week-out, thanks to his durability, and the same cannot be said for the two other centre-forward arrivals this summer, as aforementioned.
Demirovic, most importantly, has proven himself to be a fantastic goalscorer in the German top-flight, and could provide a clinical presence in front of goal for the Whites.
Appearances
33
34
Starts
33
20
xG
13.59
14.20
Goals
15
15
Minutes per goal
192
124
Conversion rate
19%
23%
Big chances created
8
5
Assists
9
1
As you can see in the table above, the Bosnian attacker has scored 30 goals and provided ten assists in the last seasons in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart and Augsburg combined.
Meanwhile, Calvert-Lewin, who has also missed 83 games through injury in this time, has only scored 15 goals in the last four Premier League seasons combined for Everton, per Transfermarkt, which suggests that Demirovic is way more prolific in front of goal, to put it lightly.
The £35m-rated star has also shown that he can finish chances at an efficient rate, outperforming his xG in both of those Bundesliga seasons, whilst the Englishman has consistently struggled to tuck away the high-quality chances that have been created for him.
Therefore, Demirovic could come in as an instant upgrade on Calvert-Lewin because he has a better fitness record, a significantly better goal record, and is a far more clinical finisher, having proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.
He’s Gnonto 2.0: Leeds exploring move to sign "electric" £13m forward
Leeds are not done signing attackers this summer
ByJoe Nuttall Aug 15, 2025
This is why Leeds should be working to bring Demirovic over from Stuttgart before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of next month, as he can offer way more to the team than Calvert-Lewin as the starting number nine.
Things are really starting to heat up at Everton in the transfer market.
As they prepare for life at their new home at Bramley-Moore Dock, the Toffees have, so far, made five new signings.
Most notably, striker Thierno Barry has arrived from Villarreal and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has joined from Chelsea, but the headline arrival is Jack Grealish’s loan move from Manchester City, which contains a £50m option to buy.
Nevertheless, David Moyes still wants to add more attacking quality to his squad, so could the Toffees target a “special talent”?
With Grealish in the door, observers are wondering where the England international will fit into Everton’s attack.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Iliman Ndiaye was, by some distance, the Toffees’ most-productive forward last season, scoring 11 goals across all competitions during his debut campaign on Merseyside, with the Senegalese international deployed on the left.
This suggests Grealish is going to be played more centrally, so could the Blues add another rapid winger to their team, one that’ll help get the best out of their high-profile new arrival?
Well, according to Alan Myers of Sky Sports News, Everton have added Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu to their list of targets.
Vinny O’Connor of Sky Sports News adds that the Blues have turned their attention to Fatawu as they are ‘reluctant’ to meet Southampton’s £45m price tag for Tyler Dibling.
No potential fee has been reported thus far, but the Ghanaian international’s transfer value is estimated to be around £15m, so could the winger soon swap the King Power for Hill Dickinson?
Fatawu’s European career began at Sporting CP, making 12 senior appearances for the Lisbon-based giants, before moving to Leicester City in August 2023, initially on loan, before the move was made permanent for around £15m a year later.
The Ghanaian international was key to the Foxes’ EFL Championship title-winning team during his debut campaign in the East Midlands, before making just 11 Premier League appearances last year, heartbreakingly suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture against Angola in Talatona during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier back in November.
The 21-year-old is back now, playing 78 minutes of Leicester’s league opener against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, so could he be in line for a return to the Premier League?
Speaking on Match of the Day, Shay Given labelled him a “special talent”, while Gary Lineker was left baffled every time then-manager Steve Cooper chose not to start Fatawu.
The Leicester starlet is a direct, dynamic threat who regularly looks to beat his man, having ranked in the top 7% of Championship wingers for take-ons attempted in 2023/24, as per FBref, successfully completing 2.88 of those per 90 (ranking in the top 6% in that regard). That mirrors his potential new teammate, Grealish, who ranks in the top 1% in Europe for progressive carries per 90.
While the left-footer is often erratic in front of goal, having ranked in just the bottom 8% for shots on target in that promotion-winning campaign, he does still boast an astonishing effort in his locker, such as this one against Bournemouth in an FA Cup tie.
They add that Fatawu is at his best when he ‘receives the ball close to the touchline’ on the right wing, able to dribble forward or combine quickly with teammates.
So, let’s assess his statistics from Leicester’s Championship promotion-winning campaign.
|
Fatawu 2023/24 stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Record |
Leicester rank |
|
Goals |
6 |
5th |
|
Assists |
13 |
2nd |
|
Shots |
75 |
3rd |
|
Goals – xG |
+1.3 |
3rd |
|
Key passes |
72 |
2nd |
|
Big chances created |
32 |
2nd |
|
Shot-creating actions |
133 |
3rd |
|
Goal-creating actions |
23 |
2nd |
|
Attempted take-ons |
181 |
2nd |
|
Successful take-ons |
90 |
1st |
|
Progressive carries |
144 |
3rd |
|
Average SofaScore rating |
7.52 |
2nd |
|
via FBref.com & Sofascore |
||
As the table documents, Fatawu was at the heart of everything Leicester City did in an attacking sense when they won promotion from the EFL Championship, namely in terms of scoring goals, creating chances and much more.
His creativity and dribbling prowess is surely what makes the 21-year-old such an attractive proposition to Everton.
Fatawu would alleviate a lot of the creative burden that’s surely going to be thrust onto Grealish’s shoulders, making runs in behind with which either Grealish will be able to find him, or the Ghanaian will pull defenders away, thereby creating space for the England international.
Put succinctly, all available evidence suggests the pair would form an excellent partnership, thereby making Everton both fun and, more importantly, a dangerous attacking team again.
He's like Grealish: Everton tempted by signing "explosive" £40m star
With Jack Grealish joining Everton on loan, David Moyes also wants the Toffees to sign an “explosive” winger valued at £40m who could be even better.
By
Ben Gray
Aug 12, 2025
Nottingham Forest have been told why they "dodged a bullet" in not appointing Jose Mourinho as their new manager. After parting with Nuno Espirito Santo, the Reds were heavily linked with another Portuguese tactician. Reins at the City Ground were eventually handed to former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, with Stan Collymore reacting to that decision.
Nuno sacked amid changes at City Ground
Colourful Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis decided to implement more change on Trentside after admissions from Nuno that he no longer enjoyed a productive working relationship with those filling directorial and ownership roles.
AdvertisementGettyPostecoglou favoured over fellow ex-Spurs boss
It did not take long for Postecoglou to be brought back to English football, on the back of his Europa League success with Spurs last season, but there was still enough time for Mourinho to see his own retracing of steps to the Premier League speculated on.
The Special One: Mourinho back in Portugal
No deal was done, with the ex-Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham coach heading back to his homeland at Benfica. Collymore believes that Forest made the right decision in exploring other options.
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GettyBullet dodged: Why Mourinho would have been a mistake
The legendary ex-Reds striker told of goings on at the City Ground: "Did Nottingham Forest make a mistake in not appointing Jose Mourinho? Absolutely not! Forest have absolutely dodged a bullet there because Mourinho, these days his approach is always the same.
"He gets a job, gets the sack, then tells everyone how great he is on all the television channels. Then some chairman sees him and thinks yeah, he’s still got that fire in him. They give him another job, and he falls out with the local press in a week. Then he falls out with the rest of the nation’s press by the end of the month, three months later he’s at war with the chairman, and he gets a payoff and looks elsewhere.
"That’s the last thing Forest needed. Forest don't need that kind of destabilising figure in terms of Mourinho. It’s an obvious talking point for pundits, but worth pointing out that maybe what Nottingham Forest need now is a change in the system."
There’s been a newfound sense of excitement building at Leeds United in recent months, undoubtedly aided by their return to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season.
The opening day victory over Everton at Elland Road has certainly heightened the mood amongst the fanbase, with the hierarchy conducting excellent business in the market during the off-season.
Lukas Nmecha, who arrived on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, scored the winner against the Toffees, already making an immediate impact and catching the eye of the fanbase.
Other additions, such as Anton Stach and Gabriel Gudmundsson, have already cemented their place in the side, potentially playing a key role in Daniel Farke’s quest for survival come the end of May.
However, despite the previous work done by the hierarchy in recent months, other potential signings continue to be lined up before the transfer deadline on September 1st.
Leeds targeting move for further attacking options
In an effort to bolster the options in the forward line, Leeds have previously made a move for Inter Milan star Mehdi Taremi during the summer transfer window.
However, in the last few weeks, a move has gone quiet for the Iranian international, which has potentially seen the hierarchy move onto other targets as a result.
In recent days, the Whites have been conducting work to land Stuttgart talisman Ermedin Demirovic, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.
His latest update claims that Farke’s side have made an approach to the Bundesliga outfit over a deal to land the 27-year-old, who scored 17 goals in all competitions last campaign.
Plettenberg also stated that Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the Bosnian’s signature, potentially leading to a £35m deal taking place before the summer deadline.
Why Leeds’ latest target would be a better signing than Okafor
Despite the efforts elsewhere, Leeds have already completed the £18m signing of Noah Okafor from Italian side AC Milan – handing needed depth to the side within the final third.
The Swiss international can operate in a central striker role, or even off the left-hand side, providing needed versatility in the club’s quest for top-flight survival.
Whilst he only registered one goal in the 2024/25 season, the 25-year-old has previously showcased his quality, notching 34 goals in his 110 appearances for RB Salzburg – but injuries have certainly halted his progress in recent seasons.
However, the deal has still brought about added excitement to the fanbase, understandably so given his experience in top divisions across Europe – plying his trade in Italy, Switzerland and Austria.
He’s not the only player the fans should be eager to see, with Demirovic also able to offer further quality, that’s if the hierarchy can complete a deal for the forward before the summer window slams shut.
Such a move would see the Whites land the big-money centre forward they’ve been craving, with the Bosnian able to massively transform the club’s fortunes in the final third.
When delving into his stats from the Bundesliga last campaign, the striker produced numerous impressive figures that rank him highly among other attackers in Europe.
Games played
34
Goals & assists
16
Goals per 90
0.73
Shots on target
1.3
Goals per shot on target
0.56
Aerials won
1.7
Touches in opposition box
6.1
Fouls won
1.3
Demirovic, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, ranked in the 90th percentile for goals per 90 (0.73) whilst also placing in the 86th percentile for goals per shot on target (0.56) – highlighting the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.
He also won 1.7 aerials per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, offering a focal point and outlet for the Whites to play long ball football if they’re under pressure at the back.
The Stuttgart star also notched 6.1 touches in the opposition box per 90, ranking him in the 81st percentile – a skillset that would provide Farke’s side with a needed poacher in the final third.
Whilst his £35m asking price may seem a tad steep, it would hand the side an immediate top-level talisman in their attempts to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Should he replicate his numbers from 2024/25 at Elland Road, he would undoubtedly be a more exciting addition than Okafor, with the supporters having the opportunity to adore a new talisman this season.
Their new Raphinha: Leeds could hijack late move to sign £32m "magician"
Leeds could pull off a last-minute hijack
1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 22, 2025
أوضح وليد صلاح الدين، مدير الكرة بالنادي الأهلي، موقفه من الصلاحيات المنتظرة لـ سيد عبد الحفيظ المرشح لعضوية النادي الأهلي في الانتخابات القادمة، حال نجاحه.
ويخوض سيد عبد الحفيظ، سباق انتخابات النادي الأهلي للفترة الجديدة 2025 حتى 2029 ضمن قائمة الكابتن محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي.
وقال وليد خلال تصريحات عبر قناة النادي “الأهلي” لبرنامج “حارس الأهلي”: “بالطبع لا يوجد لدي أي قلق من تواجد سيد عبد الحفيظ، هو سيكون إضافة كبيرة لنا خلال المرحلة القادمة”.
طالع | وليد صلاح الدين يوضح حقيقة معاملة زيزو بشكل خاص في الأهلي.. وسر رفضه طلب محمد الشناوي
وأضاف: “نحن قربين من بعض جدًا كنا نتحدث خلال فترة علمه بالنادي الأهلي وأنا كنت في الاتحاد السكندري وفي نادي زد أيضًا، كنت أساله لماذا فعلت ذلك في موقف ما وهو كذلك معي”.
ومن جانب آخر، قال: “كان لدي قلق كبير، بعدما تحدث معي الكابتن الخطيب لتولي منصب مدير الكرة وبعدها قام بالاعتذار عن استكمال فترته وعدم الترشح، وقلقي راح، عندما عاد في القرار بناءً على رغبة الأعضاء”.
وأكمل: “(كنت أشعر أنه لبسني وشيلني الموضوع كله)، لكن تواجده حماية كبيرة لنا وهو أسطورة كبيرة ورمز في الكرة المصرية”.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has been involved in one the biggest transfer sagas of the summer, refusing to play for the Magpies as he looked to push for a move to Liverpool.
The Swedish striker has been training on his own for the majority of the summer transfer window, with the Reds having a £110m bid rejected for Isak’s services.
Under contract at St James’ Park, Isak has refused to play for Newcastle, but isn’t the first Premier League star to do so.
10 Premier League stars who refused to play for their clubs 10 Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Man Utd in 2021 didn’t exactly go to plan, as 18 months later he signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
In the final days of Ronaldo’s second stint at Old Trafford, he was an unused substitute at home to Tottenham Hotspur. It later emerged that the Portuguese superstar refused to come on under Erik ten Hag and was demoted to train with the youth side.
9 Raheem Sterling Liverpool
After coming through Liverpool’s academy and impressing at Anfield for the first team, Raheem Sterling wanted to leave the Reds in 2015.
Manchester City wanted to sign the winger and eventually did so for close to £50m, but it took Sterling to refuse to go and play for Liverpool in their pre-season tour. Sterling turned down numerous contract offers to stay with Liverpool and would go on to win four Premier League titles with City.
8 Paul Scholes Man Utd
Paul Scholes has gone down as a Man Utd legend, however, the former Red Devils midfielder actually refused to play a game under Sir Alex Ferguson.
He was dropped for a clash with Liverpool in 2001 but was set to play the next match, a League Cup fixture against Arsenal. Scholes refused to show up, though, and was fined heavily by those at Old Trafford.
7 William Gallas Chelsea
William Gallas didn’t just refuse to play for Chelsea when he was looking to leave Stamford Bridge, he also threatened to score an own goal, get himself sent off, or make deliberate mistakes if he was forced to play.
After five years with the Blues, the French defender was eventually sold to rivals Arsenal, although Chelsea did end up signing star left-back Ashley Cole from the Gunners.
6 Riyad Mahrez Leicester City
Riyad Mahrez signed for Man City from Leicester City in the summer of 2018, but in the January, the winger went on strike and refused to play for the Foxes as he pushed for a move to the Etihad.
The Algerian was fined by Leicester but did eventually return after going on strike and was welcomed back by both team-mates and supporters.
Leicester City
Man City
Games
139
145
Goals
39
43
Assists
26
37
Titles
1
4
5 Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham
Man Utd eventually signed Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham on deadline day in 2008, however, the move wasn’t without controversy.
The Bulgarian striker got wind of Man Utd’s interest, however Spurs chairman Daniel Levy didn’t want to sell which ended up with Berbatov not playing for Tottenham against rivals Chelsea.
Levy and co complained about Man Utd’s move for the forward, but Ferguson got his man for £30m.
4 Dimitri Payet West Ham
After starring at Euro 2016, West Ham rewarded Dimitri Payet with a new contract and Irons supporters loved him during his time at Upton Park.
That was until the beginning of 2017 when Payet refused to play for West Ham as he tried to force a move back to Marseille. He got his wish, with the Hammers bringing in £25m, but his West Ham mural was quickly removed.
3 Kieron Dyer Newcastle
During his time at Newcastle, Kieron Dyer was involved in numerous controversies, including refusing to play under iconic manager Sir Bobby Robson.
Dyer didn’t play on the right side of midfield against Middlesbrough in 2004 and Robson was sacked by the Magpies weeks later. Dyer has since called that decision his “greatest regret” and admitted he “let Bobby Robson down”.
2 Carlos Tevez Man City
After swapping Man Utd for Man City, Carlos Tevez would win the Premier League at the Etihad, however, it wasn’t without drama.
He refused to come on in September 2011 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with Roberto Mancini banishing him from the squad. Tevez did return months later and helped City win their first ever Premier League title.
1 Leonardo Ulloa Leicester City
Shortly after winning the Premier League with Leicester City, Leonardo Ulloa refused to play for the Foxes again under Claudio Ranieri and felt “betrayed” by the Italian.
Ulloa was desperate to join Sunderland but didn’t get his wish, and after Leicester sacked Ranieri a month later in February 2017, the forward would return to the squad, even signing a new contract that summer.
While they certainly didn’t help themselves, the biggest problem for Tottenham Hotspur last season was injuries.
Ange Postecoglou had to make do with a cobbled-together squad for much of the campaign, and when he did have his players back, they won the Europa League.
Arguably, the biggest miss for the Lilywhites was Cristian Romero, who missed 27 games before playing a pivotal role in the club’s first trophy triumph in 17 years.
The World Cup winner will undoubtedly be one of Thomas Frank’s most important players this season, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking the club to an international who has been compared to him, as well as Gabriel Magalhães.
Spurs target Romero and Gabriel hybrid
It’s been an interesting summer for Spurs so far regarding transfers, as while their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White hasn’t borne any fruit, they’ve bought in several other potential game-changers.
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For example, while he wasn’t cheap, Mohammed Kudus could help turn the Lilywhites into a far more dangerous side, while Joao Palhinha has the ability to make them a far tougher side to break down.
Moreover, the North Londoners appear keen on adding at least one more player to their ranks before the window slams shut, a player who has been compared to Romero and Gabriel.
At least that’s according to a recent report from Sebastien Vidal, who claims that Spurs are very interested in Ronald Araujo, who is valued at £43m.
In fact, the journalist goes further, revealing that the Lilywhites are “expected” to make their first official approach for the Barcelona star as soon as “next week.”
It could be a complicated and relatively costly transfer to get done, but Araujo has proven he’d be worth it, especially as he’s been compared to Romero and Gabriel.
How Araujo compares to Romero & Gabriel
Now, there are several quite surface-level similarities you can point to between Araujo, Gabriel and Romero, such as them all being South American defenders who play for their nations, the fact they all play for top sides in one of Europe’s top five leagues, or that none of them are the kind of defender who gets bullied off the ball easily.
However, thanks to FBref, we know that there are also some undeniable statistical similarities between them as they looked at all centre-backs across the top five leagues and, over the last 365 days, the Arsenal star comes in as the third most similar to the Barça ace, while the Spurs titan ranks as the ninth most similar.
You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Uruguayan ranked closely to the two Premier League monsters.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
0.11
0.10
Passing Accuracy
91.9%
90.2%
Key Passes
0.48
0.49
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.36
0.30
Goal-Creating Actions
0.24
0.23
Interestingly, when it comes to the Gunners’ ace, the Rivera-born star doesn’t actually rank all that closely in the defensive metrics, and instead shares plenty of the Brazilian’s offensive qualities, from non-penalty expected goals to key passes and goal-creating actions, all per 90.
However, when it comes to the Lilywhites ace, the metrics include offensive and defensive statistics, such as interceptions, percentage of aerial duels won, tackles in the middle third, key passes and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
0.11
0.10
Interceptions
1.07
1.34
Aerial Duels Won %
62.3%
60.3%
Tackles in the Middle Third
0.60
0.51
Key Passes
0.48
0.45
Progressive Carries
0.71
0.76
With all that said, while comparisons to two of the best defenders in the world’s toughest league are certainly encouraging, there are other arguments for why the North Londoners should be all over a deal for the former Boston River star, such as his experience.
For example, despite still being just 26 years old, and therefore a year out from hitting his peak, according to research from The Athletic, the “athletic monster,” as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, has made 175 appearances for Barcelona, of which 141 have been starts, and he’s racked up a pretty good tally of ten goals and seven assists in those games.
On top of that, he has also helped the Spanish giants win two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and two Super Cups, which makes it easy to understand why legendary centre-back Carles Puyol once described him as “one of the best defenders in the world.”
Ultimately, even though it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, Spurs should be doing what they can to secure Araujo’s services, especially as he’s something of a hybrid between Romero and Gabriel.
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