Red Rose turn to veteran seamer with Marcus Harris absent to attend the birth of his child
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2025
James Anderson will captain a side for the first time•PA Photos/Getty Images
Lancashire will be captained by James Anderson in their next two County Championship matches, with the 42-year-old stepping into an interim role due to Marcus Harris returning to Australia for the birth of his child.Anderson has only played once in the Championship this season, after a calf injury ruled him out for the first six weeks, but has been in good form in the Vitality Blast. He is set to lead the side against Kent in Blackpool starting on Sunday, in what will be his first experience of captaining a professional XI.Anderson will become Lancashire’s third red-ball captain this summer, with Harris having succeeded Keaton Jennings after a difficult start to the season that also cost Dale Benkenstein his job as head coach.Related
Dal, Morley defy Anderson, Hartley as Derbyshire escape
Benkenstein leaves Lancashire as Croft takes over as head coach
James Anderson: I've missed out on T20 over the past ten years
Anderson shines again as Lancashire continue Blast revival
“Jimmy [Anderson] will lead the side and it is exciting for him and us,” Steven Croft, Lancashire’s interim head coach, told the BBC. “He has captained only once and that was in a pre-season tour T20 game in Dubai so it will be nice for Jimmy and nice for the lads.”He has obviously got a lot to offer on and off the field. It will be a proud moment for him. It is not obviously all on Jimmy but it helps and his presence, particularly as captain, is a massive boost for the rest of the lads.”Lancashire are currently second from bottom in Division Two, having drawn five and lost two of their seven games, but they have enjoyed a successful start to the Blast, winning four of six to sit third in the North Group. Anderson has played his part, returning to the format after more than a decade and taking ten wickets in four matches.The Blast will break after Friday’s fixtures for two rounds of the Championship, with Lancashire facing Kent at home before a trip to play Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Harris will miss both games, but Lancashire will be able to call on Australian overseas signings Ashton Turner and Chris Green.”The way I’m looking at it and what I will say to the team is this is a pivot in the season,” Croft said. “Seven games that have gone before we can’t do anything about. But we still have seven games to climb the ladder and there is still a chance we can go up.”We are only a few wins away from being right at the top so we can use it as pivot in the season to get in the right direction. That break with the Blast, suddenly those wins seem a little bit more attainable.”
Arsenal have had a testing and trialling start to the new season. They’ve already visited Old Trafford, Anfield and St James’ Park. They’ve also faced Manchester City. Therefore, to come away with 13 points from their opening six matches isn’t bad at all.
They’ve spent most of the campaign watching Liverpool come up with late goals. The Reds have galloped to the top of the Premier League by scoring late goals aplenty. It was in the 83rd minute that they scored the winner against Arsenal while against Burnley and Newcastle, they left it until injury time.
Well, in response, Mikel Arteta’s men have delivered late drama themselves. They needed Gabriel Martinelli’s injury-time equaliser a week ago and against Newcastle on Tyneside, it required an 84th-minute header from Mikel Merino and another header from Gabriel Magalhaes in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
It was dramatic, it was chaotic, but for Arsenal, it was oh so lovely.
Merino and Gabriel were the heroes but a special mention must go Declan Rice’s way for the manner in which he helped power the away side to victory.
Declan Rice's performance vs Newcastle in numbers
Towards the end of last season, Rice firmly established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Europe.
That stunning pair of free-kicks against Real Madrid put him on the map, with Rio Ferdinand remarking that the England star was one of the finest players on the park.
In comparison, the former West Ham star has had a slower start to 2025/26 but he’s beginning to motor now, really proving that in Sunday’s win over Newcastle.
Truth be told, Rice was playing far too deep in the opening 45 minutes of the game but as he began to move further forward in the second period, he came alive.
It was Rice’s perfectly weighted delivery from the left-hand side that led to the Gunners’ equaliser, playing the ball into Merino who glanced home.
The club-record signing’s display was much more than just that assist, however.
Indeed, it was a display in which he showcased why he is “one of the best midfielders in world football” in the words of analyst Raj Chohan.
Throughout his 90 minutes on the field, the 26-year-old did it all, completing 88% of his passes and amassing 104 touches. He also completed three key passes and won seven of his nine duels.
It was an imperious performance from Rice, a player who is perhaps proving to be the club’s most complete midfielder since the days of Patrick Vieira.
He’s not the only one evoking memories of the great Frenchman, though.
Arsenal's "colossal" star is showing shades of Patrick Vieira
Rice has continued to prove that he’s one of the most important players in the squad. He’s also demonstrated why he’s one of the most clutch players at Arteta’s disposal. He simply comes alive in the big moments and in the big games.
Another player who embodies that is Gabriel. The Brazilian has been an enormous part of Arsenal’s rise during Arteta’s reign and nothing summed up his time at the club more than Sunday’s win against Newcastle.
It actually didn’t start particularly well for the central defender, who was certainly at blame for the game’s opening goal.
The ball was swung in toward the Toon’s towering striker, Nick Woltemade. The German gently leaned on Gabriel who, instead of challenging for the ball, threw himself to the floor in a wildly embarrassing moment.
However, Gabriel responded emphatically with a phenomenal second-half performance, in particular, that culminated in the game’s winning goal.
While the centre-back’s late header sparked pandemonium among the Arsenal players and staff, it was certainly no surprise that he popped up when he did.
After all, like Rice, like Vieira 20 odd years ago, Gabriel is one of the most clutch players we’ve seen at the club. He’s scored 18 Premier League goals, at least six more than any other defender since he made his English top-flight debut back in September 2020.
Like Vieira he’s a warrior, a leader, a titan and a gladiator amongst men. In the words of Statman Dave, via X, his display against Newcastle was “colossal”.
Minutes played
90
Touches
81
Accurate passes
51/60 (85%)
Clearances
9
Blocks
2
Interceptions
3
Tackles
3
Ground duels won
4/4
Aerial duels won
7/11
Woltemade goal aside, it certainly was sublime. Gabriel won more duels (11), made more clearances (9) and won more aerial battles (7) than any other Arsenal player at St James’ Park.
Meanwhile, no player in red or white made more than the defender’s three tackles and three interceptions.
While it would have been easy for the 27-year-old to get carried away after being bundled over easily for the opener, the way in which he bounced back was characteristic of the way he plays his football.
Like Rice, he’s Vieira-esque, a warrior with the heart of a lion, somebody you can never write off. If Arsenal win the league come May, then Gabriel will have had a huge say in that triumph.
Arteta must drop Arsenal star who's been their "Player of the Season"
Arsenal sealed a remarkable late win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
It’s starting to feel like it might be game over for Graham Potter at West Ham United.
The former Chelsea boss ended last season in 14th place, and has already lost three of four Premier League games this year.
On top of that, the team crashed out of the League Cup and simply aren’t playing good football.
Some fans would surely love for the club to re-hire David Moyes, but while that is almost certainly impossible, West Ham do seem interested in another of their former managers.
The latest on West Ham's managerial situation
Given the form West Ham have been in this season, it’s not been much of a surprise to see them being linked with a host of managers.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
One name that seems to continuously pop up is Frank Lampard, who is currently plying his trade with Coventry City and has overseen two wins and three draws in the Championship this season.
Another manager touted for a move to the London Stadium is Nuno Espírito Santo, who Nottingham Forest recently fired despite getting them back into Europe for the first time in a very long time.
However, neither of these managers could really be seen as another Moyes-esque appointment, unlike Slaven Bilic.
Yes, according to a recent report from Ben Jacobs, the Croatian coach is now someone West Ham are interested in.
In fact, Jacobs has revealed that David Sullivan currently “favours” the 57-year-old over other candidates.
It remains to be seen who, if anyone, replaces Potter this season, but Bilic may well be a great option, and something of a Moyes 2.0.
Why Bilic could be Moyes 2.0
So, while it might sound incredibly simplistic, the primary reason hiring Bilic would be a Moyes-esque move is that he, too, would be coming back to West Ham.
The Scotsman was in charge of the club between November 2017 and May 2018, and then came back for a second, more successful spell between December 2019 and June 2024.
In Bilic’s case, he was sitting in the hot seat at the club between July 2015 and November 2017.
During that time, the Croatian took charge of 109 matches, overseeing 42 wins, 30 draws and 37 losses, which resulted in a points per game average of 1.43.
That’s light years better than Potter’s record of six wins, five draws and 13 losses in 24 games at the helm, which comes out to a dreadful average of 0.96 points per game.
Bilic vs Potter at West Ham
Manager
Bilic
Potter
Games
109
24
Wins
42
6
Draws
30
5
Losses
37
13
Points per Game
1.43
0.96
Goals Scored
160
29
Goals Conceded
167
39
All Stats via Transfermarkt
It’s also not much worse than Moyes’ second stint at the club, which saw him rack up 103 wins, 43 draws and 84 losses, which saw him average 1.53 points per game and crucially, win the club some European silverware.
Now, while potentially mirroring the Scotsman’s return to the club is an enticing prospect, there are some other reasons the Hammers might want to re-hire Bilic.
For example, within a year of being appointed manager of West Brom, the “absolutely immense” manager, as dubbed by former professional Lee Hendrie, had led them back up to the Premier League.
Ultimately, while there might be more prestigious options out there, re-hiring Bilic might be the way to go for West Ham, as he’d certainly be an upgrade on Potter, and when Moyes made his return, he won the club a major honour.
West Ham source shares potentially imminent Graham Potter sack timeline
The Englishman may be out of a job soon on one condition.
Manchester United did some impressive business on paper during the summer transfer window as they brought Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko in to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.
Mbeumo has hit the ground running since his move from Premier League rivals Brentford, with goals against Grimsby and Burnley in recent weeks.
The summer transfer window was not perfect, though, as the Red Devils were unable to get a deal done for Brighton & Hove Albion central midfielder Carlos Baleba.
There was also a scare late on in the window when Fabrizio Romano revealed that Kobbie Mainoo had told the club that he wanted to leave on loan for the season.
The England international wanted to go out on loan, but was not entertaining any permanent transfers away from Old Trafford, in order to play regular minutes ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
However, Manchester United were unwilling to lose the academy graduate, even on loan, so close to the end of the window, which means that he remained at the club.
Why Man Utd need to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo
Ruben Amorim must find a way to get the best out of Mainoo now that the player is staying at Old Trafford, because he has proven himself to be an exciting young talent.
His only start of the season so far came against Grimsby in the League Cup. It was an awful night for the club, losing on penalties, but the midfielder showed his quality in and out of possession in midfield.
There should be little doubt over whether or not Mainoo is good enough to be starting matches for Manchester United when you consider his form prior to Amorim’s arrival.
23/24 Premier League
Kobbie Mainoo per 90
Percentile rank vs CMs
Take-ons attempted
2.71
Top 20%
Take-ons completed
1.42
Top 18%
Take-on success rate
53.4%
Top 28%
Goal-creating actions (take-ons)
0.09
Top 4%
Goal-creating actions (shot)
0.09
Top 2%
Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)
0.05
Top 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old starlet was one of the most impressive central midfielders in the Premier League at driving with the ball and making things happen in possession in the 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag.
Now, at the start of this season, Mainoo was an unused substitute in the first two matches of the Premier League season, against Arsenal and Fulham, and Amorim explained that it was because he is competing with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team.
Whilst you can rationalise what the manager says in the quotes above, as his midfield two typically has one creative player and one enforcer to complement each other, it seems like a waste of the talent that he has available to him.
Mainoo is capable of producing quality in the Premier League, such as the goal in the clip above, whilst Manuel Ugarte has made more appearances in the league than him this season, despite his disappointing performances.
The Uruguay international, who was signed from PSG in 2024, has not done enough to suggest that he should be prioritised over Mainoo, and INEOS must finally cash in on him when the transfer window opens again in January.
Why Man Utd should sell Manuel Ugarte
Per Capology, Ugarte currently earns £120k-per-week at Old Trafford. That is over four times as much as Mainoo earns per week (£25k), but his performances do not justify that expense.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
The former Sporting star is a midfield destroyer who ‘suits’ Amorim’s system as a partner for Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount because he is naturally defensive-minded.
However, Ugarte was dribbled past 1.3 times per game in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, whilst Mainoo was only dribbled past 0.6 times, which shows that opposition midfielders found it too easy to get the better of him.
He also won 53% of his duels and made two errors that led to shots or goals. Mainoo, meanwhile, won 45% of his duels and made one error that led to a shot or goal, per Sofascore, which suggests that they were both fairly indifferent in physical contests.
Ugarte is, therefore, not enough of an upgrade, if at all, in a defensive sense, to rationalise him playing in the first two Premier League games off the bench ahead of the England international.
These comments on Sky Sports from last October still ring true to this day, as the Uruguay international’s ‘lackadaisical’ play on the ball was an issue for him throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
24/25 PL
Ugarte
Rank vs midfielders
Non-penalty goals
0.05
Bottom 41%
xAG
0.06
Bottom 30%
Shot-creating actions
1.56
Bottom 16%
Progressive passes
3.08
Bottom 18%
Progressive carries
0.81
Bottom 23%
Passes into the final third
2.96
Bottom 36%
Passes into the penalty area
0.45
Bottom 20%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Ugarte was one of the worst central midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to progressing play and making an impact at the top end of the pitch.
Therefore, the ex-PSG man has flopped at Old Trafford because he has not been reliable defensively, given how easy it has been for players to dribble past him, and he has struggled badly in possession.
Manchester United's ManuelUgartein action with Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi
In fact, a former Netherlands international claimed in October of last year that Ugarte was “walking” around the pitch and criticised Ten Hag and the club for signing players who are “not even good”, referring to the midfielder.
INEOS must, therefore, cash in on Ugarte when they next get the chance to, because he is standing in Mainoo’s way, despite not being better than the English starlet, and has been a big flop since his move from PSG with his underwhelming performances on the pitch.
Man Utd tipped to join race for Premier League star who's an "absolute gem"
Liverpool Women's manager Gareth Taylor paid a moving tribute to former boss Matt Beard after he passed away at just 47. Taylor admitted the shock has left a "big void" across the Reds' Melwood base and beyond. On Monday, the squad gathered in silence at training, holding a minute of reflection in his honour.
Leading Liverpool to glory
Beard’s managerial journey began at Millwall Lionesses before he took charge at Chelsea. His career truly caught fire when he joined Liverpool in 2012, transforming the Reds into the dominant force in English women’s football. Within two years, he delivered consecutive WSL crowns, a golden era that etched his name permanently into the club’s history.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesA 'devastating' death, says Taylor
Speaking with raw emotion, Taylor emphasised the scale of Beard’s legacy: "We have lost Matt far too young. But where we can take some solace is by thinking of the huge impact he managed to have on so many people across his 47 years – a real legacy and he packed in more than a lot of people who are fortunate to be around until their old age.
"It's just really devastating news. Devastating for his family and friends and especially [wife] Debbie, [and children] Harry and Ellie. All of our thoughts of course are with them at this moment. It's a huge loss and he will leave a big void."
A man who delivered more than trophies
While his medal collection and achievements are unmatched at Liverpool, Taylor stressed that Beard’s true mark was the impression he left on people.
"I have to say, he's the most enjoyable to work with, in the sense of coming up against, in my time in the women's game," he added. "The legacy he has left, as a person firstly, because of the impression he left on the people he worked with at all of his clubs, particularly here at Liverpool. And then obviously his record as a gaffer.
"He took Liverpool to the real heights of the game. The most decorated women's manager for Liverpool and I think that is only half of the story. The other half is the void he will leave as a person. He served all of his clubs really, really well and definitely left an impression. As a person, as a coach, as an employee of a club, that's what you look for – to try to leave an impression, and you hope it's a good one. It certainly was with Matt. He left so many memories for people to hold on to."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesBeard's legacy will never fade
For Liverpool, Beard remains their most successful women’s manager, the person who delivered their only two WSL titles and the promotion that restored them to the top table. A touching tribute is set for Anfield on Tuesday night when Liverpool’s men face Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Leeds United looked at signing a new attacker on deadline day but missed out to a rival Premier League club.
The Whites head into the first international break of the Premier League season above the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle United in the table, however Daniel Farke still wanted more signings before Monday’s deadline.
Picking up four points from the first three games, Leeds are yet to score from open play in the Premier League, bringing in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on free transfers.
Noah Okafor
AC Milan
£18m
Anton Stach
Hoffenheim
£17.4m
Jaka Bijol
Udinese
£15m
Lucas Perri
Lyon
£13.9m
Sean Longstaff
Newcastle
£12m
Gabriel Gudmundsson
Lille
£10m
James Justin
Leicester City
£10m
Sebastiaan Bornauw
Wolfsburg
£5m
Louis Enahoro-Marcus
Liverpool
Undisclosed
Lukas Nmecha
Wolfsburg
Free
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton
Free
Noah Okafor has been the marquee addition in the final third, but Farke urged the 49ers Enterprises to bring in more quality.
“I don’t play any games. Everyone in the club says: ‘OK, we want to try everything to give us the best possible squad’. Everyone wants to add, in the offence, some more quality players. If not, we also won’t raise the white flag and say, ‘OK, that’s it’.
“We have shown we are competitive in the first three games, but it will be difficult (thereafter). There’s also no moaning, but, until the last hour of the window, we have to try everything to bring some more quality in.”
Contact made: Leeds now plotting last-gasp offer to sign "underrated" star
He’s in excellent form.
5 ByTom Cunningham Sep 1, 2025
It remains to be seen whether or not Farke will get his wish in January, or if he’ll have to rely on Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor, Jack Harrison, Dan James, Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto for the entire season.
Leeds were big fans of £35m Dilane Bakwa
Linked with a move to Leeds over the summer was Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa, and he remained on the Whites’ radar with hours remaining of the transfer window.
Leeds were thought to be in pole position to sign the attacker before the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, however, Nottingham Forest have since come in for the 23-year-old and sealed a deal late in the day.
Jarrod Bowen
West Ham
Jack Harrison
Leeds
Igor Paixao
Marseille
Dan James
Leeds
Ismaila Sarr
Crystal Palace
According to LeedsLive in their transfer deadline day blog, Bakwa had big admirers at Leeds and a £35m deal would have been a near record from what the club paid for Georginio Rutter back in 2023.
As can be seen, Bakwa has been compared to Harrison, James and even summer transfer target Igor Paixao by Football Transfers, and Leeds ultimately missed out on his services.
Juventus boss Igor Tudor praised Kenan Yildiz’s discipline and talent, insisting the Turkish starlet has everything to become a top player.
Juventus coach Tudor hails Yildiz’s discipline
Registered two assists in Juve’s opener vs Parma
Contract runs until 2029 but new deal planned
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
Juventus coach Tudor has singled out Yildiz for praise, stressing that the 20-year-old attacker combines talent with a model attitude on and off the pitch. The Juve boss explained that he rarely needs to correct the youngster in training, highlighting his professionalism and inner motivation as key strengths.
Advertisement
Getty Images
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Yildiz already boasts 86 senior appearances for the Bianconeri, scoring 16 goals and providing 13 assists since breaking into the first team. He assisted twice in Juve’s opening-day win against Parma and looks set for a pivotal role in the 2025-26 campaign. The Turkish international has quickly emerged as one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, with Juventus eager to tie him down on a new contract despite his current deal running until 2029. His development comes at a crucial moment for the Turin giants, who have started the season with back-to-back victories and face Inter in the Derby d’Italia this weekend. With Juve aiming to reclaim Serie A supremacy and make a deep Champions League run, Yildiz’s ability to deliver consistently at the highest level could prove decisive.
WHAT IGOR TUDOR SAID
Speaking to , Tudor said: "I was talking to them the other day and I noticed that I never say anything to Yildiz in front of others, because he always does what he's supposed to do. We rarely say anything to him, whether it's about his playing style or his behavior. The difference is that inner motivation you have to get there and do what you do, which has to be there every day. Yildiz is proving he does that, and I hope he continues every day. He has all the attributes to become a truly top player."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images Sport
WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS & YILDIZ?
Juve will look to extend their perfect start to the season when they face Inter this weekend. Yildiz is expected to play a key role as Tudor’s side aim to maintain momentum in both the Serie A and the Champions League. With contract talks on the horizon, the Bianconeri are determined to secure his long-term future as the cornerstone of their attack.
يخوض فريق بيراميدز مواجهة قوية أمام نظيره الأهلي السعودي، في اللقاء الذي يجمع بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.
وتقام مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي على أرضية ملعب استاد الجوهرة المشعة، في إطار مباريات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.
طالع | فيديو | بيراميدز يهزم الأهلي السعودي ويتوج بطلًا لكأس القارات الثلاثة ويتأهل لنصف نهائي كأس إنتركونتيننتال
ويدخل بيراميدز المباراة ساعيًا لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية تمنحه دفعة قوية في مشواره بالبطولة، بينما يطمح الأهلي السعودي إلى حصد الانتصار والمنافسة على لقب كأس القارات الثلاثة.
طتاع | يورتشيتش: حلم بيراميدز أصبح حقيقة.. وطالبت اللاعبين بهذا الأمر أمام الأهلي السعودي
وكان بيراميدز قد استطاع أن يحقق الفوز على أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بنتجة 3-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالقاهرة ضمن مواجهات الدور التمهيدي الأول للبطولة العالمية.
وكان نادي بيراميدز، شارك في بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال، للمرة الأولى في تاريخه بعد التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا الموسم الماضي.
يذكر أن المتأهل من الأهلي السعودي وبيراميدز، سيلعب ضد الفائز من ديربي الأمريكتين في دور نصف النهائي، ثم المتأهل يلاقي باريس سان جيرمان في المباراة النهائية. موعد مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي في كأس الإنتركونتيننتال
تقام مباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي، اليوم الثلاثاء 23 سبتمبر، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز والأهلي السعودي في كأس الإنتركونتيننتال
من المقرر أن تنقل مباراة بيراميدز أمام منافسه الأهلي السعودي عبر منصة شاهد، وسيتم نقلها عبر قناة ام بي سي أكشن.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا
Sunderland’s squad is really starting to take shape now ahead of their first Premier League showdown with West Ham United next month.
Indeed, at the time of writing, Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki have all joined Regis Le Bris’ camp in rapid-fire fashion, with the next expected arrival through the door coming in the form of promising Club Brugge attacker Chemsdine Talbi for a weighty £19.8m.
Sunderland’s breakneck pace in the summer transfer window won’t be slowing down here, you imagine, as more and more new faces are tipped to join the exciting Black Cats ride up to the top flight.
Sunderland lodge bid for next summer signing
The central midfield department certainly looks well stocked on Wearside, as plenty of attackers now begin to be linked to the Stadium of Light to boost numbers all over the pitch, away from just Talbi strengthening their options down the right channel.
Both Gonzalo Garcia and Luiz Suarez have been on the Sunderland radar from Real Madrid and Almeria, respectively, as Le Bris looks to enhance the Black Cats’ firepower up top. Still, with Garcia reportedly content to stick it out in Spain, and with Suarez on the Sporting shopping list, it might well be a tough battle ahead to tempt either promising striker to England.
It could well be an equally testing endeavour to try and pick up Sassuolo ace Armand Lauriente this summer. However, it is stated that Sunderland still holds a concrete interest in snapping up the entertaining Frenchman, according to journalist Gianluigi Longari.
Further reports from Italy have also suggested that the Black Cats have seen a first offer rejected for the forward, with the Italian outfit holding out for more than €30m (£25m) plus bonus. The player himself is said to be pushing to leave.
If Sunderland were ultimately successful in this race to land the explosive 26-year-old, they could be about to win Le Bris his next Le Fee, as another exciting talent from Europe down the left flank prepares to wreak havoc on Wearside.
Wju Lauriente can be Le Bris' next Le Fee
Sunderland’s strategy in the chaotic summer window so far seems to centre on them plucking gems from the European leagues, hopeful that they go on to be as instantly successful as Le Fee was on English shores.
Le Fee was a very bright spark for the Black Cats in their moment of need last season, as seen in the former Lorient midfielder collecting two assists in the tense playoff semi-final matches to secure his team a triumphant trip to Wembley.
Lauriente will hope he can translate his Sassuolo magic to the English game very shortly too, with the stylish winger spearheading his own promotion charge last season as Fabio Grosso’s men returned to Serie A at the first time of asking.
Their similarities don’t end there as Le Bris gears up to potentially welcome his next Le Fee to his ever-growing camp, with Lauriente well-versed in what it takes to be a star at a top level, having collected a mightily impressive tally of 42 goals and assists plying his trade in both Ligue 1 and Serie A. His compatriot, before embarking on a fresh challenge on Wearside, lags behind on 21 goals and assists in both those top divisions.
Sassuolo
102
31
18
Lorient
91
13
14
US Orleans
17
3
1
Rennes
2
0
0
Staggeringly, Lauriente might well go on to be an even bigger star than Le Fee when judging those numbers, with the Sassuolo number 45 no doubt ready to push the 25-year-old for a starting spot down the left flank. It’s no wonder that analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “one of the best left-wing options out there”.
Having been lauded as an “amazing” performer to watch in the past by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, too, picking up Lauriente might well have the same impact Le Fee’s arrival did in boosting the Black Cats’ chances of being a success.
Armand Lauriente in action for Sassuolo.
But this time around, he could be the decisive star that helps Sunderland stave off the relegation drop zone in the Premier League.
Dream squad Sunderland could build: £112m spent on 7 signings after Talbi
Sunderland looks ready to take the Premier League by storm, with this being potentially what their dream squad could look like very soon.
Liverpool have held a meeting in Paris with a Premier League player and his representatives over a move this summer, according to journalist Sebastien Denis.
Who will be Liverpool's starting No.9 next season?
The Reds have already made so much progress in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Florian Wirtz in a British record deal, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez bolstering Arne Slot’s full-back options.
A new striker needs to be a forefront of Liverpool’s thinking now, though, with Darwin Nunez not seen as the solution there, despite scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 win away to Preston in a pre-season friendly.
There are plenty of options to have been mentioned this summer, from Alexander Isak to Hugo Ekitike, and now RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko has been linked with a move to Anfield. The 22-year-old has also been seen as a target for Arsenal, but it now looks as though the Gunners will sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres instead.
Now, another name has been thrown into the hat for Liverpool, as the likes of Slot and Richard Hughes look to bring in the ideal No.9 option ahead of the defence of their Premier League crown next month.
Liverpool hold Paris talks with Premier League striker
According to Foot Mercato journalist Denis on X, Liverpool had a meeting with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and his agents recently: “French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and his representative met with Liverpool in Paris last days.”
In the report itself, it states that the Reds have been “checking the water” for the 28-year-old, adding that as much as £52m may potentially be needed to snap him up. That said, a fee of £43m is also far from out of the question.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates.
Mateta is a good striker who has proven to be an excellent option for Palace, helping them win the FA Cup last season and being hailed by Eagles manager Oliver Glasner.
“We don’t always talk because he knows what we demand of him. With his two goals today, he is amazing in the box. He has the feeling that a number nine must have in the box. He makes so many runs where he doesn’t get the ball. You need to suffer as a striker because you make so many runs where you don’t get the ball. He gets the reward and it decides the game for us.”
At 28, though, Mateta may not feel like the right choice for Liverpool, considering his peak could pass relatively quickly and there are younger options out there.
Liverpool now hold "phone call" to sign £75m+ star to replace Darwin Nunez
Contact has been made regarding a move to Anfield.
1 ByHenry Jackson Jul 14, 2025
He has scored against the Reds in the past, netting in a 2-1 defeat for the Eagles in 2023, and while he could do a good job for Slot after scoring 30 goals in the last two Premier League seasons, he arguably doesn’t feel like the right pick when nailing the new striker is so essential for the Premier League champions.