Celtic find themselves in a race against time to land a new striker, though they have now made an approach to bring in a forward on the books at a Premier League club.

Celtic fail in bid to land Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg

Despite making him their top target, Celtic look to have missed out on a deal for Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg, who is primed to complete a move to Anderlecht before the close of play.

Taking to social media platform X, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reported that the Denmark international now has his set on a move to his former club after the Dutch giants sought assurances over his willingness to snub alternative interest.

He stated: “UPDATE: Ajax are now pressing ahead with their hijack of Kasper Dolberg’s move to Celtic after seeking assurances from the player that he would prefer a return to his old club. #AFCAjax now back in talks with Anderlecht over a permanet deal. This could leave Celtic scrambling.”

Elsewhere, the Bhoys have put forward a loan for Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sayki, albeit he could end up at either Rangers, Lyon, and Leicester City, who are also keen on landing the England Under-21 international.

The timing of whether Celtic manage to land a striker or not is critical, given Irishman Adam Idah is set for a move to Swansea after completing his medical, though they have held fire on relinquishing his services until a replacement is found.

Related Birmingham hold talks to sign "valuable" £3m ace; waiting on "green-light"

This is exactly what Chris Davies could be after.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 1, 2025

Truthfully, the late part of the window for supporters has failed to deliver in terms of excitement, but that could be about to change as they hone in on a new centre-forward.

Celtic make loan approach to sign Chelsea's David Datro Fofana

According to Sky Sports reporter Joseph on X, who was mentioned earlier, Celtic have made a loan approach to try and sign Chelsea striker David Datro Fofana before tonight’s deadline.

Intriguingly, his colleague Ron Walker eluded to the fact that is ‘looks like’ the Bhoys may land his services despite suggesting that Bristol City were in the mix, potentially suggesting that a deal is further down the line than initially thought.

Despite joining Chelsea for £10.3 million in 2022, Fofana has made only four appearances for the Premier League giants and spent time out on loan at Goztepe last term, scoring twice in nine appearances before sustaining a knee injury.

Adding Union Berlin and Burnley to his other loans, the Ivory Coast international, dubbed “aggressive” by Vincent Kompany, has never really settled since joining the Blues from Molde, where he burst on to the scene after netting 24 times in 65 outings.

Celtic appear willing to offer him an olive branch at a late stage, creating a scenario where both parties benefit while Chelsea move another player off their books.

The captain Ashleigh Gardner chipped in with 52 as Giants chased down 144 with 12 balls remaining

Srinidhi Ramanujam16-Feb-20253:53

Mithali Raj impressed with Priya Mishra’s talent

Gujarat Giants were inspired by Priya Mishra’s three-wicket haul and captain Ashleigh Gardner’s breezy 52 to post a comprehensive six-wicket win over UP Warriorz in their second home game of the WPL 2025. Giants were a much-improved outfit with the ball and on the field, and followed it up with a clinical batting effort where the likes of Harleen Deol and Deandra Dottin also chipped in, to chase down a modest 144 in Vadodara with 12 balls remaining.With the injured Alyssa Healy not available and Chamari Athapaththu making way for Alana King, Warriorz lacked power up front. New captain Deepti Sharma’s 39 and Sophie Ecclestone’s excellent bowling performance went in vain as Giants bounced back from the opening-day loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru to get off the mark early in the tournament.Related

Delhi Capitals take on RCB in a rematch of last season's final

Run-out calls in MI-DC game turn focus on rules around LED stumps

Sneh Rana replaces injured Shreyanka Patil at RCB

Gardner hits second fifty as Giants captainGardner carried on from where she left off, scoring yet another crucial fifty to lift Giants from 2 for 2. After her unbeaten 79 in the opener against RCB, Gardner came in to bat as early as the second over after Giants lost Beth Mooney and D Hemalatha early. She got going by scoring back-to-back fours off the debutant fast bowling-allrounder Kranti Goud in the third over.She was particularly brutal against Saima Thakor, who conceded 20 runs in the fifth over. Two of the three sixes of the over were hit by Gardner, one over long-on and another over deep midwicket. She used her feet well to charge down the ground when necessary and converted full tosses into fours or sixes. With Laura Wolvaardt, she stitched a crucial 55-run stand for the third wicket.She brought up her fifty off 28 balls, with a humongous six over deep square leg off Alana King after flicking away the previous ball to deep backward square leg for four. Overall, she hit five fours and three sixes.With 131 runs in two matches at an impressive strike rate of 195.52, Gardner is the leading run-scorer of the tournament as of now.Dottin’s all-round performanceAfter Tahlia McGrath dismissed Gardner in the 12th over, Giants needed 58 off 49 balls. But Dottin came in and swung her bat straightaway over midwicket to collect her first six, off King. Putting her power game to use, she punished McGrath for two more fours in the next over and released pressure off Giants.The dew factor and a few dropped catches didn’t help Warriorz either as Deol also played the role of anchor to keep the chase at a healthy run-rate. Deol made an unbeaten 34 off 30 balls while Dottin hit a quickfire 33 that included three fours and two sixes.Earlier, with the ball, Dottin struck in the second over, dismissing Kiran Navgire with an inswinger and then knocked off Uma Chetry with a short ball in the tenth over when Warriorz were just trying to steady the ship after a few early wickets.Ashleigh Gardner smacked a fifty off 28 balls•WPLMishra’s momentum-changing overWarriorz were 73 for 3 after 10 overs, and with McGrath and Grace Harris yet to come, they would have hoped for a lift-off. But Mishra landed a big blow by removing both the Australians in the span of three deliveries. For McGrath, she bowled a googly that skidded on in line of middle and off and scrapped past the batter’s inside edge and hit the pad first, and then off the bat and onto the pads. McGrath reviewed the lbw decision but it was struck down.A ball later, Mishra bowled another googly, a flighted delivery on off, and Harris went for a big slog across the line only to be beaten on the inside edge as the ball crashed onto the stumps. Mishra let out a loud roar after producing a statement performance.Warriorz struggle with the batAfter being asked to bat, Warriorz decided to open with Kiran Navgire and Vrinda Dinesh, who had suffered a shoulder injury last season after playing four matches. But neither of them made an impact with Dottin and Gardner striking inside the powerplay.Uma Chetry, at No.3, also toiled to middle a lot of deliveries but utilised her strong bottom hand to smash four boundaries in her 27-ball 24. With Deepti at the other end, the duo produced a 51-run partnership to rescue Warriorz from early jitters. Deepti, who had hit an unbeaten 88 against Giants last year while batting at No.4 the only other time before Sunday, was the positive of the lot and smashed 39 off 27. She used her trademark sweep shots to good effect and also kept the scorecard ticking in the middle overs with pull shots and punches off the backfoot. Eventually, Deepti was also dismissed by Mishra in the 15th over.Despite the late flourish at the end of the innings thanks to Thakor and King, Warriorz finished with an under-par total.The Ecclestone vs Wolvaardt battleWolvaardt was keen to charge down the track and disrupt the bowlers early into the chase but was challenged by Ecclestone. Though the scorecard might not offer a glimpse into the battle, Warriorz were briefly in the game, thanks to Ecclestone. After the England left-arm spinner picked up her first wicket off the second over, she was given another over in the powerplay.Wolvaardt shimmied down and smashed one down the ground for four after missing Ecclestone’s first ball of the fourth over. Four dot balls followed. Eventually, Wolvaardt fell to Ecclestone for 22 off 24 balls. In a moment of indecision that left her neither playing forward nor back, she was beaten on pace in the ninth over. Overall, Wolvaardt scored six runs off Ecclestone’s ten balls with only three scoring shots in it.Ecclestone finished with figures of 2 for 16 but that wasn’t enough for Warriorz.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca looked as if he had gone public with his desire to sign a new centre-back this summer after Levi Colwill’s injury, amid their ongoing attempts to bring in both Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

Colwill will miss the majority of 2025/2026 after tearing his ACL, leaving Maresca with precious few options for his backline, and the Italian stated last week that the club need more names in that area.

However, in his press conference prior to Chelsea’s clash with West Ham at the London Stadium, Maresca has now gone back on that message, claiming it was lost in translation, and they’re looking at finding an internal solution.

Benoit Badiashile is still injured and will remain out until September, but it is worth noting that members of the Chelsea coaching staff are backing him as a reliable option behind-the-scenes.

Renato Veiga has just sealed a £26 million move to Villarreal, so he can no longer be called upon, while Axel Disasi is believed to be attracting serious interest from Bournemouth.

According to journalist Sebastian Staszewski, they were considering a defensive rising star earlier in the window, but talks have hit a “standstill”.

Chelsea pause talks for Motor Lublin defender Bright Ede

As per the reporter, Chelsea have “paused talks” for Motor Lublin defender Bright Ede, after previously being interested, and this has handed Man United a chance to swoop in and get the teenager instead.

The £7 million defender would come in among BlueCo’s pool of promising young talents, but if Chelsea were to sign a centre-back before the deadline, they arguably need a more proven asset, despite lots of praise for Ede from certain sectors.

كشف ميكيل أرتيتا مدرب آرسنال عن تحديث إيجابي قبل مباراة فولهام مساء غد السبت بعد العودة من فترة التوقف الدولي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وسيكون مارتن زوبيميندي متاحاً لمباراة الغد، رغم غيابه عن تدريبات آرسنال أمس الخميس، وكان لاعب خط الوسط الإسباني قد شارك في مباراتي إسبانيا في تصفيات كأس العالم ضد جورجيا وبلغاريا.

وقال أرتيتا في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة” مترو” البريطانية: “جميع اللاعبين يأتون من دول مختلفة ويختلف عدد مبارياتهم ودقائق لعبهم، نعتقد أنه كان القرار الصائب، كان الضغط الذي تعرض له زوبيميندي كبير جداً لكنه سيكون متاحاً”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ماريسكا: كنت مخطئا بشأن كول بالمر.. وطردي أمام ليفربول لحظة فارقة

وسيخسر أرتيتا خدمات مارتن أوديجارد في المباريات المقبلة بعد غيابه لإصابة في الركبة، وقد أجبر اللاعب على مغادرة الملعب ضد وست هام.

وقال أرتيتا الذي لم يعلن موعد زمني محدد لعودة النرويجي: “ستستغرق عودة أوديجارد بعض أسابيع قبل أن يكون متاحاً مرة أخرى، وربما ليس قبل التوقف القادم”.

واختتم المدرب الإسباني: “أوديجارد سيغيب لعدة أسابيع ولا يوجد موعد محدد لعودته، هو يتحسن بشكل جيد ومن المؤسف جداً ما يحدث له وإصاباته هذا الموسم، علينا أن نتابع حالته وكيف تشعر ركبته وكيف سيتعامل مع المرحلة الثانية من إعادة تأهيله ومن السابق لآوانه الحديث عن إجابة”.

It’s been a frankly unbelievable summer for Arsenal so far this year.

On top of winning their opening games of the Premier League season, the Gunners have gone big in the market in a way fans have not seen them do before.

Mikel Arteta has been given seven first-team quality players so far, and it now looks likely that he’ll get an eighth in Piero Hincapie.

Yet, the club could make it the greatest transfer window in the club’s history if they go back in for someone they’ve already been linked with, someone who could end up being their best deadline day deal since Mesut Özil.

Why the signing of Piero Hincapie is so exciting

It wouldn’t be a summer transfer window for Arsenal if Arteta didn’t get his customary left-back signing, and based on stories from the last few days, it does seem like Hincapie will eventually make it to the Emirates this week.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the big difference between the Bayer Leverkusen star and some of the other defensive signings made by the manager in recent years is that he’s far more of an overlapping full-back.

Instead of moving into the middle of the park or into a back three when in possession, the Ecuadorian is likely going to be tasked with bombing up and down the byline and swinging crosses into the penalty area, or just ahead of it for his teammates to get onto.

On top of adding more explosiveness and dynamism to a left-hand side that has become rather stale, the 23-year-old phenom, whom analyst Ben Mattinson has described as “a left-sided Ben White”, will also help get more out of some of the other summer signings.

For example, with him in the starting lineup, Eberechi Eze will be able to start on the left and then drift into the centre of the pitch in games without making attacks too narrow.

Moreover, his ability to pull opposition defenders wide and then deliver a dangerous cross into the penalty area should work incredibly well with the poacher tendencies of Viktor Gyokeres.

In short, Hincapie appears to be an excellent signing for Arsenal, although the club could really end the window with a bang and go back in for a prior target who’d be their best deadline-day deal since Ozil.

The star who'd be Arsenal's best deadline deal since Ozil

Arsenal have been linked with an unbelievable number of supremely talented players over the last few months who could probably fit this description.

However, in this instance, Rodrygo is the £78m star in question who, were he to join the club in the dying embers of the window, would be the Gunners’ best deadline deal since Ozil.

Now, it should be said that the club has made several quality last-minute additions since the German made his incredible £42m switch in 2013.

Still, even though David Luiz, Kieran Tierney, Danny Welbeck, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all made positive contributions in some manner, the impact of Rodrygo would be magnitudes more significant.

After all, even though the former Santos gem isn’t getting the game time his talent warrants at the moment, he’s been a brilliant player for Real Madrid over the last few years.

For example, across the 23/24 and 24/25 campaigns, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, was able to rack up a sensational tally of 31 goals and 20 assists in just 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the 24-year-old game-changer was averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes in that period, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing everywhere but his preferred position of left-wing.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

Moreover, after three years of getting close but winning nothing, the North Londoners are in need of more big-game players, and the Osasco-born ace certainly fits into the category.

For example, in his 64 Champions League appearances, totalling 3883 minutes, he has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out as a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.

Furthermore, of those 25 goals, eight have been match-winning strikes, and another eight have come in the knockout rounds.

Finally, while his preferred position is off the left, the Brazilian dynamo is more than capable of playing off the right or even down the middle, so he’d be able to interchange with his attacking teammates with ease and make things even harder for opposition defenders.

Ultimately, while it seems unlikely at this point in time, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Rodrygo before the window slams shut, and if they do get him at the last minute, he’d be their best deadline day deal since Ozil.

Arsenal targeting "extraordinary" Ajax attacker amid Piero Hincapie talks

Mikel Arteta’s side are looking at more signings before the deadline.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 28, 2025

Roberto De Zerbi has threatened Mason Greenwood and his Marseille squad after seeing them claim a notable Classique victory over arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain. A battling win in a rearranged fixture at Stade Velodrome underlined the title credentials of De Zerbi’s side, but he has pointed out that said win will count for little if it does not set a standard for the rest of the season.

• Marseille held their own against Real Madrid

  Marseille finished as Ligue 1 runners-up in 2024-25, booking them return tickets to the Champions League. They held their own for long periods in a European opener with Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu, with USMNT star Tim Weah firing them in front before going on to suffer an agonising 2-1 defeat against 10 men.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Fought off PSG following storm delay

  De Zerbi’s team were able to get over the line in their latest outing, with Nayef Aguerd netting the only goal of the game inside five minutes against PSG – in a match that was delayed by 24 hours due to stormy weather conditions in southern France.

• Are Marseille Ligue 1 title contenders?

  De Zerbi showed plenty of passion in that contest, as he was shown a late red card for arguing with the match officials, and wants to see his players prove that they are capable of challenging for a domestic crown.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  De Zerbi's warning to Greenwood & Co

  De Zerbi told reporters of the need to build on victory over PSG, who were without Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele: “This victory should not give anything more to the team. The defeat in Madrid brought us a lot, made us realise that we have strong players. The squad is strong, we know that, but Friday will be even more important than tonight's match. I have already threatened the players, they know it. If we beat Paris and then tap dance against Strasbourg, it means we are not a great team.”

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho has accused referee Sergio Guelho of having "no personality" after his side's disappointing 1-1 draw with Rio Ave. The ex-Chelsea manager's new club were pegged back in injury time against their lowly opponents, who are yet to win this season, much to the Portuguese's chagrin.

Benfica disappointed by late equaliser

Mourinho was appointed Benfica boss last week, and has already been on the receiving end of a dispiriting result. He took charge of the Portuguese giants against Rio Ave, who have yet to win a game this season, and saw his side concede an injury-time equaliser, having only gone ahead in the 86th minute through Heorhiy Sudakov.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMourinho left fuming

The famously spiky tactician took aim at the officials at the end of the game, insisting that the referee played a pivotal role in Benfica letting three points slip through their fingers, as his side had a goal ruled out at 0-0 that would have given them an earlier lead. 

Mourinho's rant at match officials

Mourinho told reporters: “We didn’t do enough in the first half. The second half was good, within our limitations. We were dominant, aggressive and created chances, always playing in their half of the pitch. The two players who came on shook up the game.

“We scored a goal. If this is the new football, when goals are ruled out because a small toe steps on another small toe, I don’t like this new football. But that’s the way it is so we have to accept it. We kept trying and finally got the goal, but we conceded when we can’t concede a goal. It’s tremendously unfair and an awful result for us. It was the game that Rio Ave wanted and which the referee allowed.

“We are not an overly physical team or strong in the air. We have to penetrate using other routes. With Aursnes and Ivanovic there’s little width, because of the type of players they are. We tried with Dedic and Dahl, and also with Lukebakio, who is not yet fully fit, and with Andreas [Schjelderup].

“We were hit on the break and a team that is winning cannot concede a goal like that. We lost two points because of it.”

He also said about referee Guelho: "He has no personality." 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPCan Benfica bounce back?

Mourinho's side will aim to bounce back in the league when they face Gil Vicente this weekend, before travelling to Stamford Bridge to play his former club Chelsea in the Champions League four days later. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Aos 15 anos, Fernandinho pode até ser jovem, mas conhece bem o gosto de ser campeão. O volante da categoria sub-15 do Palmeiras foi um dos destaques da Marveld Cup, na qual o Verdão bateu o Barcelona e levantou o caneco internacional, na Holanda, no último final de semana.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasGoleiro da base do Palmeiras é eleito o melhor em torneio sub-18 na HolandaPalmeiras07/06/2023PalmeirasTécnico do Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira é convidado a prestar informações para a CPI da Manipulação de ResultadosPalmeiras07/06/2023PalmeirasReal Arenas admite frear projetos no Allianz Parque por conta de briga judicial com o PalmeirasPalmeiras07/06/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

– O segredo é trabalho e disciplina. Sabíamos que seria desafiador jogar com as maiores equipes do mundo. Não existe nada melhor do que vencer títulos pelo Palmeiras. Ainda mais em uma competição de nível tão alto assim, em solo internacional – celebrou.

Titular do começo ao fim da competição, Fernandinho conta que o grupo não se abalou ao saber que enfrentaria tantos adversários de peso – mas se motivou mais ainda. Ele destaca que o grupo ficou mais forte quando viu o tamanho do desafio que era participar de um torneio com Manchester United, Ajax, PSV e, o agora vice-campeão, Barcelona.

continua após a publicidade

– Só posso agradecer a Deus por essa grande conquista. Só precisamos manter o foco, disciplina e fé que tudo dá certo. Só posso agradecer ao clube pela confiança e oportunidade que nos foram dadas – agradeceu.

Fernandinho e o sub-15 do Palmeiras voltam a campo para mais uma competição internacional já neste final de semana. Na Bélgica, o jogador vai disputar a Kevin De Bruyne Cup. Campeonato em que o Palmeiras vai enfrentar gigantes do futebol mundial como Bayern de Munique, PSG, Barcelona, Manchester City, Real Madrid, entre outros.

continua após a publicidade

Considering their disastrous campaign last season, it would be fair to say that it’s been a pretty good summer of business for Manchester United and for director of football, Jason Wilcox.

They’ve dramatically improved Ruben Amorim’s frontline with the additions of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, and overseen a few much-needed departures.

For example, while they’ve been unable to sell Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford is out of the squad, Rasmus Hojlund is close to joining Napoli, and, arguably most importantly, the disruptive Alejandro Garnacho joined Chelsea for a fairly sizable £40m plus a 10% sell-on clause.

And now, in even more good news, the Red Devils are being linked with a deadline-day move for someone who could be the perfect upgrade.

Manchester United eye deadline-day move for Garnacho upgrade

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Manchester United are one of several top-flight teams interested in Fermin Lopez.

Transfer Focus

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

Alongside the Red Devils, the report claims Chelsea, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen on the Spanish gem.

In addition to facing considerable competition, United will have to pay a substantial amount to secure their target, with Barcelona reportedly seeking offers of up to €90m, equivalent to approximately £78m.

With that said, Lopez would likely be worth the effort to sign, as not only is he an extraordinary talent in his own right, but a significant upgrade on Garnacho as well.

How Lopez compares to Garnacho

So, comparing Lopez to Garnacho to determine who is the bigger talent is actually relatively straightforward, as, like the Argentine, the Spaniard is a versatile attacker who primarily plays in attacking midfield and off the left wing.

In other words, we can take a look at their output and underlying numbers from last season and directly compare them to one another, and when it comes to the former, the Barça gem comes out on top.

In 46 appearances, totalling just 2039 minutes, the “creative” star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided ten assists.

That means he managed to average a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 113.27 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for someone his age.

In contrast, the Red Devils’ former troublemaker scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 58 appearances last season, totalling 3568 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or 169.90 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Madrid-born ace, the comparison is just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

For example, the “spectacular” Spaniard, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, comes out ahead in most relevant metrics such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, key passes, passes into the penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions, and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.69

0.48

Non-Penalty G+As

0.79

0.33

Progressive Passes

5.68

2.30

Progressive Carries

2.23

5.78

Passing Accuracy

81.8%

78.9%

Key Passes

2.09

1.52

Passes into the Final Third

4.68

0.90

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.44

1.02

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.43

0.20

Shot-Creating Actions

4.10

3.40

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.25

Successful Take-Ons

1.80

1.07

Ball Recoveries

4.75

4.43

These numbers help to show that the El Campillo-born dynamo is a far more dangerous goalscorer, a considerably more accomplished creator, and an attacker who is also a more effective dribbler.

In other words, Lopez is simply a far better player than Garnacho and would therefore be a significant upgrade for United.

Therefore, Wilcox and the Red Devils should be doing all they can to sign him before the window slams shut at 7pm.

West Ham in shock talks for "one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United's history"

Potter is in a desperate situation.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 27, 2025

Newcastle United’s summer business looked very different compared to recent years.

After seasons of navigating the tightrope of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the Magpies were finally able to spend again, but only after some tough lessons in financial housekeeping.

The arrival of Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for £69m, which paved the way for Alexander Isak’s British-record £125m move to Liverpool, was the headline act of the window.

Yoane Wissa eventually followed in a £55m deal, capping off a remarkable string of forward moves in the window, while Jacob Ramsay, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and Anthony Elanga added depth elsewhere.

It was a refreshing change from the three previous windows, in which Newcastle made no first-team signings.

Last summer was especially fraught: the club scrambled to raise funds, reluctantly selling players like Jankuba Minteh, and even entertaining moves for Isak and Anthony Gordon.

Now, with greater stability, Eddie Howe has the squad refreshed and ready for another assault on both the Premier League and Champions League.

But this financial strain has already shaped the careers of some local talents.

Elliot Anderson was one of the unfortunate casualties of last year’s PSR storm, and his career trajectory offers an intriguing comparison to the Magpies’ latest homegrown star.

Elliot Anderson: The one that got away

Born in Whitley Bay and a product of the Newcastle academy, Anderson was supposed to be one of the players to lead the club into a new era.

His versatility and box-to-box energy made him a valuable squad member, but his sale to Nottingham Forest in 2024 highlighted the brutal reality of PSR.

The deal, which saw goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos move the other way, was not desired by either player or club, but pure profit from academy graduates was too valuable to ignore.

It echoed Aston Villa’s decision to part with Jacob Ramsey this summer – a player they desperately wanted to keep, but whose sale ensured compliance.

For Anderson, though, the move has proved a blessing as he has gone on to become a first-team regular at Forest.

Last season, he made 37 league appearances, scoring twice and providing six assists.

His all-action style and adaptability earned him his first senior England call-up, having previously represented Scotland at youth level.

In a recent World Cup qualifier against Andorra, he started in midfield and drew widespread praise.

The underlying numbers emphasise Anderson’s growth.

He ranks in the 88th percentile compared to positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 (0.19), 77th percentile for shot-creating actions (3.07), and 89th percentile for successful take-ons (1.18).

Defensively, he is just as impactful: 3.07 tackles (88th percentile) and 2.40 clearances (87th percentile) per 90 show his ability to press and recover.

Anderson has carved out an impressive Premier League profile at Forest, but Newcastle may already be brewing an even bigger star at home.

The Magpies' rising star

At just 19 years old, Lewis Miley has become the brightest prospect on Tyneside.

A product of Newcastle’s youth system, Miley has already played 49 times for the first team, including appearances in the Champions League.

Miley was linked with loans to Crystal Palace and Ipswich this summer, but Newcastle blocked any exit after early-season injuries to Joelinton, Tonali and Joe Willock.

That decision reflects his growing importance. As Bruno Guimaraes put it, “Miley is massive, he’s a star.”

His profile is that of a modern box-to-box midfielder: technically gifted, press-resistant, and intelligent in possession.

With a precise first touch, excellent passing range, and an ability to dictate tempo, Miley is already showing signs of becoming Newcastle’s long-term midfield conductor.

His market value, as per Transfermarkt, has soared to £20m, and he is beginning to feature for England’s U21s.

The data comparison with Anderson highlights why Miley may have a higher ceiling and has been noted as the “next young English superstar” by pundit Pat Nevin.

Premier League – 2024/25

Stat

Miley

Anderson

Matches Played

14

37

Minutes Played

313

2,728

Goals

1

2

Progressive Carries

2

52

Progressive Passes

17

143

Source: FBref

His pass completion stands at 88.0%, compared to Anderson’s 78.3%.

He averages more completed passes per 90 (48.0 to 35.8) and slightly more progressive passes (4.86 to 4.72). Defensively, he excels too: four tackles per 90 versus Anderson’s 3.04.

While Anderson leads in progressive carries (1.72 to Miley’s 0.57) and shot-creating actions (2.87 to 1.15), Miley’s calmness and precision make him a more reliable figure in possession.

His game is built less on dribbling bursts and more on orchestrating play, ensuring balance between attack and defence.

With almost 50 senior appearances under his belt before turning 20, Miley is developing in a way Anderson never quite could at Newcastle.

Surrounded by elite midfielders like Guimaraes and Tonali, he has the perfect environment to refine his craft.

If Anderson is proof of what can be achieved after leaving Tyneside, Miley may be the one who makes it all the way at St James’ Park.

For Newcastle, ensuring his development could be just as important as their headline signings in shaping the club’s long-term future.

Related PIF have already signed Newcastle's new Elliot Anderson and he's "terrific"

Eddie Howe will hope he has his own Elliot Anderson now at Newcastle United in this terrific talent.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2025