Birmingham City fans will now be counting down the days until their side kicks off their hotly anticipated Championship season.

Indeed, the Blues only have one friendly left until Ipswich Town come to St. Andrew’s for a Friday night kick-off to start the second-tier entertainment, before clashes against Blackburn Rovers, Oxford United, and Leicester City then round off a busy August for Chris Davies’ men in league action.

In bittersweet fashion, however, Lukas Jutkiewicz won’t be lining up for Davies’ side as they triumphantly return to the Championship, having confirmed his retirement right after Birmingham lifted the League One title.

It will be strange for die-hard supporters of the Blues not seeing Jutkiewicz line up for their beloved team in the EFL’s elite league, having often been viewed as the main marksman when Birmingham last regularly competed at the level.

How Jutkiewicz made himself a Birmingham legend

Birmingham’s previous Championship exploits haven’t always been rosy, but the 6-foot-1 striker remained as constant, even during those testing times.

The Blues will be entering back into the division hungry to compete near the top of the division, which will be some feat to pull off, considering Jutkiewicz’s days as the main source of goals at St. Andrew’s saw his lowly side be consistently plunged into a battle against the drop.

By the time the 36-year-old had called time on his playing days, the towering attacker had bagged a memorable 68 strikes for the Blues across 358 appearances, with 54 of those coming about in the notoriously punishing league.

Now, it will be up to a new face to be as impactful – away from Davies just relying on Kyogo Furuhashi and Jay Stansfield up top – with a fresh target on the Birmingham shopping list possessing the potential to become the club’s next iteration of their dominant number ten.

The "complete number 9" who could be their next Jutkiewicz

Arguably, Birmingham might not need to pursue the signature of another attacker, with both Kyogo and Stansfield sticking out as obvious choices to lead the line.

Yet, neither of those options will be able to throw themselves about with authority, which is where Blues target Bojan Miovski could come into his own if he makes the leap to join Birmingham shortly.

Coming in at a lofty 6-foot-2, Miovski is now seemingly one of the main targets Birmingham is casting their eye over to further enhance their striker personnel, with the ambitious Championship side currently in talks over a move to sign the lethal Macedonian at the expense of Celtic and Rangers, according to reports.

Whilst he has only managed to bag a middle-of-the-road four goals for Girona from 22 appearances in Spain, the 26-year-old more than proved himself when leading the line for Aberdeen that he is a worthwhile Jutkiewicz replacement in terms of his deadly finishing game when soaring into aerial duels, but also with the ball at his feet as a well-rounded presence.

Games played

98

Goals scored

44

Assists

7

Braces

8x

Fee sold for

£6.8m

The 38-time North Macedonia international registered a blistering 44 strikes for the Dons across 98 appearances, with his ability to be powerful in the air, yet classy when running through on goal, earning him the title of being a “complete number nine” by journalist Josh Bunting.

He should, therefore, be ready for the pressures of the Championship, even if his £6.8m move out to Girona hasn’t gone completely to plan, knowing he has what it takes to be the “best centre forward in the league” in the Scottish Premiership, as he was also labelled by ex-Dons teammate Nick Devlin.

Sealing a deal for Miovski to join the building might not be as instantly eye-catching as Kyogo’s statement deal was.

But, he should be able to leave a lasting impact on the English game if he finds his Aberdeen mojo again as a battling, skilful striker built very much in the same mould as Jutkiewicz.

Birmingham could sign a bigger talent than Cashin in "dynamite" £10m star

Birmingham City could soon win themselves a bigger talent than Eiran Cashin by landing this dynamite attacker.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 25, 2025

Former West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has ended his long and celebrated career at Chennai Super Kings, with whom he won four IPL titles in different roles. He has joined defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as mentor from the 2025 season.ESPNcricinfo learned that Bravo recently met with KKR CEO Venky Mysore during the CPL before agreeing to a long-term contract. Apart from KKR, he will be in charge of all franchises under the Knight Riders label in T20 leagues: Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL), Los Angeles Knight Riders (MLC) and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20).”DJ Bravo joining us is an exciting development.” Mysore said in a statement. “His relentless drive to win, along with his vast experience and deep knowledge, will greatly benefit our franchise and players.”Bravo, who turns 41 in October, replaces Gautam Gambhir, who took over as India’s head coach soon after helping KKR win their third IPL title in 2024. A day prior to the announcement, Bravo had retired from all cricket. Apart from Gambhir, KKR also lost two of their assistant coaches, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, both of whom were also given roles in India’s support staff. At KKR, Bravo will have Chandrakant Pandit as head coach and Bharat Arun as bowling coach.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I’ve been part of the Trinbago Knight Riders for the last 10 years in the CPL. Having played for and against the Knight Riders in various leagues, I have a lot of respect for how they operate,” Bravo said in a statement. “The owners’ passion, the professionalism of the management, and the family-like environment make it a special place. This is the perfect platform for me as I transition from playing to mentoring and coaching the next generation of players.”The mentor role with KKR is Bravo’s second team management position in the IPL. Having joined CSK in 2011, he retired from the IPL after the 2022 season and joined the franchise as bowling coach from the 2023 season. Bravo had immediate success in his first coaching role as CSK won the title in 2023, to go with his three titles with them as a player. Among the best death bowlers in T20 cricket, Bravo is the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history and the first player to win two purple caps in the tournament.Related

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With more than 500 T20s worth of experience, Bravo is considered by players and peers as among the best tacticians and motivators, qualities that had elevated him to the West Indies captaincy. He had retired from international cricket after the 2021 T20 World Cup, and while he continued to play in T20 leagues (at Mumbai Emirates in ILT20, Texas Super Kings in MLC and TKR in CPL), he gradually moved towards coaching. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, Bravo played a key role as a consultant coach for Afghanistan, helping the team making the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Griffin coached Western Storm to two KSL titles in first of two stints in charge of regional side

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2024

Somerset have appointed Trevor Griffin as head coach of their women’s team. Griffin, who has signed a two-year deal, previously had two spells coaching Western Storm in the women’s regional structure.He oversaw Storm’s two Kia Super League successes between 2017 and 2019, before moving on to coach Sunrisers and London Spirit in the Hundred. He also had a four-season spell in charge of Sydney Thunder in the WBBL.A former district sales manager with Nationwide, Griffin took an unusual route into coaching, via the Devon Cricket Board, Chance to Shine, and the University of Exeter. He worked for Canterbury Cricket in New Zealand before being offered the job of analyst and assistant coach at Western Storm, and was subsequently promoted to head coach when Caroline Foster stepped down.Griffin returned to take charge of Storm in 2022 and will now oversee the reintegration between women’s cricket and the county game at Taunton.”I’m absolutely thrilled. To be the first Head Coach and lead Somerset Women into this new era is a huge honour and I’m really excited for the future,” Griffin said. “Women’s cricket is going from strength to strength, and we’ve seen tremendous growth in the southwest in recent years. To be able to build on this as we move forward with Somerset is incredibly motivating for staff and players alike.”Somerset has a great history of supporting women’s cricket, and I can’t wait to share our knowledge and experience and work alongside their staff and players as we build a women’s squad to compete for top honours, inspire others and entertain the fans.”Somerset director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “Trevor is a coach who has achieved domestic success both in England and in Australia. He has a really strong understanding of our domestic structure which will enable him to lead this team into an exciting new era for the women’s game.”He has built and developed key relationships with players and staff across the region during his time with Western Storm and he is someone who shares the values that we at Somerset adhere to both on and off the field.”Trevor is held in high regard by players and staff alike and we very much look forward to working with him as we commence our journey to build a team and a brand of cricket that competes on all fronts and inspires the next generation of players.”

Everton have enjoyed plenty of success when it comes to signing players from the EFL since 2004.

Tim Cahill was the first real star to move from the Championship to Everton that summer, before the likes of Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Dwight McNeil have followed throughout the years.

It is a place where talented players can be signed for a reduced fee, especially if a club has just suffered relegation.

The transfer window is already weeks old and only Carlos Alcaraz has signed permanently. The Toffees faithful will be hoping David Moyes can change this sooner rather than later by welcoming in another player from the EFL.

Everton eyeing Championship starlet

A move for Villarreal striker Thierno Barry looks close to being sealed and this could act as a catalyst for more incomings.

Barry looks set to cost around £34.5m, but there is no doubt that he is exactly the type of signing Everton needs.

Now, according to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, a move for Ipswich Town starlet Omari Hutchinson could be next.

The journalist stated the player would love the chance to return to the Premier League, with the publication specifically name-checking the Toffees as one possible destination.

The Englishman has a release clause in his contract worth £35m and this is surely an enticing proposition for Moyes.

Considering the club’s success at poaching talented players from the Championship in recent years, this is a move the Toffees should be all over in the coming weeks.

With Iliman Ndiaye on one wing and Hutchinson in the middle, Everton could provide Barry with plenty of opportunities next term.

Why Omari Hutchinson could be Ndiaye 2.0 at Everton

Ndiaye was particularly impressive for the Toffees last term. Following his summer arrival from Marseille, the Senegal international scored 11 goals, including nine in the Premier League.

These efforts played a huge part in the club preserving their top-flight status, and he will be key for Moyes next season.

Hutchinson, who was hailed as “dazzling” by Statman Dave in 2024, is cut from a similar cloth and despite not being able to get on the ball as much during Ipswich dismal Premier League campaign, he did shine for England at the U21 European Championships this summer.

Goals

1

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.8

Big chances created

3

Successful dribbles per game

2

Shots per game

1.5

He scored in the final against Germany, which saw his country defend their title, and a move back to the Premier League now seems inevitable.

Interestingly enough, Hutchinson could perhaps become Ndiaye 2.0, as the Senegal star is his fourth-most comparable player according to FBref.

Last season, the pair registered similar statistics across a range of metrics, including shots (1.57 vs 1.3), shot-creating actions (2.82 vs 2.41) per 90 minutes, successful take-ons (51 vs 68), touches in the attacking penalty area (92 vs 83) and carries into the penalty area (37 vs 32), suggesting the pair offer plenty in the final third.

Ndiaye settled in nicely at the club last term, eventually ending it as their top scorer across all competitions.

Should Hutchinson swap East Anglia for Merseyside, there is every chance he could sparkle under the tutelage of Moyes next term.

It could turn into an excellent signing. That much is certain.

Everton now ready to pay £5m+ to sign new star with same agent as McNeil

The Toffees are ready to take advantage…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jul 7, 2025

“England’s attacking cricket always gives you an opportunity to induce mistakes in them”

Danyal Rasool05-Oct-2024Pakistan vice-captain Saud Shakeel echoed his coach Jason Gillespie’s comments about Pakistan’s game plan, saying his side were looking to use England’s aggressive tactics against them in their three-Test series. England’s reputation for playing high-risk, high-reward cricket under current coach Brendon McCullum means Pakistan are sniffing an opportunity to draw them into making mistakes, according to Shakeel.”England always play attacking cricket, and that always gives you an opportunity to induce mistakes in them, and to use their mistakes to stay in the game,” Shakeel said at a press conference in Multan.Shakeel, who was Pakistan’s second-highest scorer during their series against England in 2022, said Pakistan would draw inspiration from that tour, despite England ultimately beating the hosts 3-0. “The last series we played against England, there were times we were quite close to winning, such as Rawalpindi and Multan, but we couldn’t finish it off.”Related

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Ben Stokes out of first Test as recovery from hamstring injury continues

It was in Multan, where the first Test starts Monday, that Pakistan ran England closest last time, with Shakeel almost steering his side home. Needing 355 for victory in the fourth innings, Pakistan were securely placed at 290 with half the side still to bat, and Shakeel on 94. But two wickets from Mark Wood on the stroke of lunch ended Pakistan’s resistance, with England ultimately edging to a 26-run victory.The idea of exploiting England’s mistakes is not exactly novel. Most recently, Sri Lanka managed it with relative success in their three-Test series in England, winning the third Test after inducing England collapses in each innings. Pakistan’s ability to execute such a plan, though, is far from guaranteed, given recent struggles with both bat and ball, badly exposed by Bangladesh.Saud Shakeel finished as Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer when they last played England•AFP/Getty Images”We’re struggling with the bat from time to time, and unable to convert starts into huge scores,” Shakeel said. “That’s a point of concern. The series that’s over is now in the past. Admittedly we didn’t play well there. Our focus is on what’s ahead.”But we don’t follow any particular style playing cricket, we play according to the requirement of any situation, which gives us flexibility.”Pakistan have been trying to carve out their own identity, something new head coach Gillespie has tried to nail down. In July, he told ESPNcricinfo he wanted his side to find a style of cricket “authentic to Pakistan”, admitting he didn’t yet know what that was.Earlier this week, he told the that Pakistan would look to “hang in there, keep being disciplined” and “strike at the right moments”, suggesting the quest for an identity is temporarily being shelved in the hunt for the results Pakistan have been starved of.”The strategy is often decided on the spot depending on how England play,” Shakeel said. “Reverse swing may also come into play depending on the weather and the pitch [that is] prepared. If a team is being aggressive, it can be easy to get sucked into their style of play and over-attack. If they’re attacking, and we just let them make their mistakes, that might work out better for us.”

Liverpool are believed to be targeting a new player who is similar in style to a recent Arsenal signing once they wrap up the signature of Hugo Ekitike, according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey.

Liverpool closing in on Ekitike

The Reds are closing in on the addition of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, and it is seemingly a matter of time until he is confirmed as the Premier League champions’ latest signing for an initial fee of £69m.

That doesn’t mean that Liverpool are done yet, however, with Arne Slot and his players departing for their tour of Asia, ahead of one pre-season game apiece in Hong Kong and Japan, against AC Milan and Yokohama FM respectively.

While Newcastle United are remaining stubborn in their efforts to keep hold of Alexander Isak this summer, the Reds are still making it clear that they would like to sign the Swede, even though they have already broken the British transfer record for Florian Wirtz.

While attacking reinforcements are the order of the day for Liverpool currently, it looks as though their focus will move elsewhere as the window goes on, with funds available to spend and depth required in certain areas.

Liverpool want Mosquera-like signing

Speaking to The Boot Room, Bailey claimed that Liverpool will target a new centre-back this summer – one who is similar to imminent Arsenal signing Cristhian Mosquera, having shown an interest in him.

“Liverpool are not finished even with Ekitike, far from it. Even with Ekitike and Wirtz, they want more in the last third but they are happy with how things are going. Nunez and Diaz leaving will free up space, and, if as expected they both depart, expect to see another wide forward too, if not another central option.

“That aside, they are still working on a central defender – irrespective of the Konate situation. They did like (Cristhian) Mosquera before Arsenal launched their bid for him. I believe they will sign someone of similar stature to him – someone who can learn from Van Dijk and Konate.”

Bringing in a central defender is vital for Liverpool, especially following Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen, and former Valencia man Mosquera would have been a strong option, having been lauded as “elite” by analyst Harvey Diamonds.

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi arguably stands out as the best choice for Liverpool currently, amid links with him this summer, with the England international knowing the Premier League extremely well and still a relatively young player.

Guehi vs. Mosquera in league action 24/25

Guehi

Mosquera

Appearances

34

37

Starts

34

37

Minutes played

3060

3320

Clearances per game

4.6

3.3

Aerial duel wins per game

2.0

1.1

Tackles per game

1.8

1.5

Pass completion rate

84.1%

91.2%

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

0

Admittedly, he would be an expensive signing, with the Eagles demanding big money for a prized asset, but he could be an ideal alternative to Mosquera.

Newcastle United look to be making strides in the transfer market. Eddie Howe is not one to make signings on a whim. Rather, he aims to find value and only strengthen when required.

With Champions League football gracing St James’ Park once again, however, the manager must add some high-profile players to his first-team squad, especially if he wishes to make progress in the competition.

An improved bid of £55m was submitted for winger Anthony Elanga recently and Howe will be hoping that this will be enough to secure the services of the Swede.

Their first offer was rejected, but the Magpies are desperate to land their man and it would be a significant coup should they sign Elanga.

Another move that is in the pipeline is for James Trafford. The Toon are aiming to get a move for the Burnley goalkeeper tied up by next week.

Signing these two should be the catalyst for Howe to land a few more significant signings over the next couple of weeks.

Bolstering his defence is certainly a priority and one name that has been touted for a move to Newcastle is Atalanta starlet Giorgio Scalvini.

Latest on Newcastle's pursuit of Scalvini

It was reported on Friday by journalist Martin Hardy, who is the Northern sports correspondent for The Times, that Newcastle have made Scalvini their top target.

The youngster is valued by the Serie A side at around £30m, which means Howe will need to splash the cash to lure him to England.

Is he worth it, however? He could only muster eight appearances all season due to a cruciate ligament injury, which hampered his progress.

It was the 2023/24 campaign in which the 21-year-old began to demonstrate his potential. He featured in 44 matches across all competitions for his club, scoring twice and grabbing three assists in the process.

The centre-back also played a key role in Atalanta’s Europa League triumph, playing 45 minutes in the final which the club won 3-0 against Bayer Leverkusen.

During his 45-minute cameo in that game, Scalvini won two of his three duels contested, made three clearances and finished the game with a 92% pass success rate.

It was an excellent performance and there is no doubt he would have continued this fine progress into the 2024/25 campaign if it weren’t for his injury.

He appears to be back at full fitness and ready to prove a point. Still only 21, Scalvini is yet to even hit his peak and this could entice Howe into making a swoop for the defender this summer.

Will the potential price tag put him off, however? Especially if moves for Elanga and Trafford go through as planned in the coming days.

Could the club perhaps go for another transfer target instead? One that won’t cost north of £30m to sign.

Newcastle have also been linked with another defender from Serie A. This time, it is AC Milan star Malick Thiaw.

Newcastle chasing move for AC Milan defender

Although Scalvini would be a solid signing, especially with his long-term potential, might Howe be slightly put off by his lack of game time due to the cruciate ligament injury?

Journalist Graeme Bailey provided an update on Newcastle’s transfer business on Friday, naming Thiaw among those that the Magpies are showing “major interest” in.

There are several targets that Howe clearly wishes he could sign, but ultimately, only one or two will arrive at St James’ Park.

Milan are holding out for a fee of between €25m to €30m (£22m to £26m) for the German centre-back, which could be more appealing for Howe.

Thiaw has already played 14 games in the Champions League, which is another aspect that will please Howe amid his chase for another defender.

Might he be an even better signing than Scalvini too? Let’s take a look at the statistics.

Why Newcastle must sign Malick Thiaw this summer

The German international played 31 times for Milan last term, including five games in the Champions League. He showed his class by even scoring against Real Madrid in the group stages.

Hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig as “simply superb” following his debut season for Milan, Thiaw has gone from strength to strength during his time in Serie A.

If comparing both he and Scalvini, however, taking a look into their respective stats from the 2023/24 league season is the best option due to Scalvini missing most of 2024/25.

From an attacking point of view, the Italian did record more goals and assists that campaign (four vs one) and registered more shots per 90 (0.67 vs 0.28) than Thiaw.

The Milan star registered a higher pass completion percentage (91.6% vs 81.3%) than Scalvini, while also recording a higher percentage of dribblers tackled (48% vs 47.5%) and committing fewer fouls.

Thiaw also made more clearances (2.6 vs 2) in Serie A that campaign, along with losing possession fewer times (5.4 vs 10) and completing more accurate passes (51.4 vs 37.8) for their respective teams.

Of course, this data is from two seasons ago, but it proves that Thiaw shone across a range of metrics compared to the Atalanta starlet.

Howe will have plenty of thoughts regarding who he could sign to bolster his defensive options, but much will depend on the finances involved.

Scalvini will likely cost more, yet he is younger and has a potentially higher ceiling for development, meaning he could make the club a significant profit in the near future.

Thiaw, on the other hand, is two years older, but he comes with much more experience, especially in the Champions League, having been hailed as a “top-class centre-back” at his best by Kulig.

Given that this is a tournament which Howe wants to do well in next term, perhaps making a move for the German international is the best way to go.

Could be better than Elanga: Newcastle exploring move for "insane" winger

Newcastle have identified a winger who could be even better than Anthony Elanga.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 5, 2025

Birmingham City will be looking to join an exclusive club next season in attempting to seal the dramatic feat of back-to-back promotions.

Ipswich Town were the last triumphant outfit to manage back-to-back promotions from League One all the way up to the promised land of the Premier League, whilst the likes of Southampton, Norwich City, Manchester City, and Watford have all also achieved the same unthinkable goal, with Birmingham wanting to add their name to this unique list shortly.

The Blues’ whirlwind summer transfer activity to date will have done them no harm in trying to pull off such an inconceivable accomplishment, with the standout capture of Kyogo Furuhashi for £10m one deal that certainly demonstrates the Blues’ hunger to try and become Premier League-bound.

Kyogo's statement arrival to St. Andrew's

It has even been reported now that the ex-Celtic attacker turned down opportunities to go to higher-up sides to hop on board the enthralling St. Andrew’s rollercoaster.

He clearly believes in the project, and he will surely want to be remembered as the goalscoring hero that managed to push the Blues up to the Premier League very soon, having already garnered a reputation for being a deadly goal machine when bagging a mammoth 85 strikes on the books of the Hoops.

The buzz surrounding this Kyogo deal is very reminiscent of Jay Stansfield’s arrival on the scene last summer for an equally hefty fee of £15m with the former Fulham man dropping all the way down to League One – even as he knew full well he was held in high regard at Craven Cottage – to then becoming the decisive star that fired home a promotion-sealing 19 strikes.

Kyogo is on the same pedestal as Stansfield, therefore, in potentially going down as a season-altering purchase, but there is another transfer target on the Blues’ radar that might be seen as an even more daring coup than the much-talked-about attacking duo if a move is pulled off shortly.

The £14m star who'd be a bigger coup than Kyogo & Stansfield

Whilst both Kyogo and Stansfield have stunned supporters across their collective careers with their ice-cold ability to finish off chances under pressure, neither has been a success story at the very pinnacle of English football, with the first of those two names never actually competing in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan has that on his side, fortunately, as Birmingham now attempt to land the South Korean forward for around the £14m mark, according to reports.

Before he saw his minutes at Molineux deplete under the fresh Wolves reign of Vitor Pereira, Hwang was seen as one of the more reliable attackers in the Old Gold squad, with his tally in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season coming in at a sturdy 12 goals.

Amazingly, that was the exact same amount Matheus Cunha managed that campaign in league action, before his form exploded into life even more to attract Manchester United’s interest.

RB Salzburg

126

45

29

Wolves

119

24

8

FC Liefering

31

13

8

RB Leipzig

28

3

4

Hamburg

21

2

2

Whilst Hwang might well have hoped for a similar earth-shuddering move down the line himself, it’s more a sign of Birmingham’s ambition than it is an indicator of the South Korean settling for an underwhelming switch down a division, with a further 74 goals and assists coming his way in the Austrian top-flight across his well-travelled career to date.

This blistering spell for Salzburg even saw Erling Haaland, who led the line with Hwang in the Austrian Bundesliga, label the 29-year-old as “absolutely crazy” in the way he operates as a captivating forward presence.

Unfortunately for Kyogo, he has also suffered from some barren patches of form in front of goal away from his celebrated Celtic spell, with zero strikes coming his way during a brief Rennes stint.

Moreover, Stansfield only ever tasted the luxuries of the Premier League on occasion with Fulham, with Hwang more than ready to take the Championship by storm as a coup purchase, before then potentially settling back into the challenging division with confidence if the Blues have made their top-flight dreams come true.

Birmingham and Wagner keen to sign "great" 26 y/o and soon-to-be free agent

The Blues mean business.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jul 11, 2025

Tottenham are currently in ongoing negotiations over selling a high-profile member of their squad, according to a new report.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank gave his first ever pre-match press conference before their friendly against Reading on Saturday, and in his statement to the media, he moved to quash rumours linking some star players with a move away.

Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs

The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 18, 2025

Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero have both been repeatedly linked with a summer exit, attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and Atletico Madrid specifically, but Frank insists they both remain a part of his plans.

“Two top players, Sonny, been here 10 years, finally got his his well deserved trophy in the summer,” said Frank.

“So important for the team and the club. Cristian Romeo, World Cup winner, Europa League winner, Copa America winner, very, very important for us as well. Both have trained well, setting the standards out there on the training pitch and both will play tomorrow so I’m very happy.

“My expectation is all the players are here and they are training well. That is what I am focusing on and again very impressed by them. They set the standards and train hard. As I said, they are playing tomorrow, that’s a good indicator that they are here.”

Of course, depending on any suitable offers that come in, the nature of the transfer market means we can never completely rule anything out.

Spurs are now starting to move in terms of outgoings, with goalkeeper Josh Keeley completing a move to Luton Town after Tottenham agreed a £1 million deal with the League One side earlier this week, as first reported by Alasdair Gold.

Alfie Dorrington has gone out on loan to Aberdeen again as well, joining young striker Alejo Veliz in securing a temporary transfer away from N17 this summer in pursuit of more game time.

In terms of bigger names leaving, Yves Bissouma has reportedly been told he’s free to leave Tottenham, while great uncertainty surrounds the futures of Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon after their 2024/2025 loan spells elsewhere.

There is also the matter of Richarlison, who suffered from a plague of injury problems last term.

Palmeiras president in talks with Tottenham to sign Richarlison

The Brazil international, who cost Levy a whopping £60 million to sign from Everton in 2022, enjoyed a brief purple patch midway through Ange Postecoglou’s first season in charge, but his highlights have been few and far between.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia, Richarlison’s homeland and Turkish champions Galatasaray have all been credited with an interest in the 28-year-old, with a report from The Boy Hotspur now claiming that Palmeiras are taking the lead.

It is believed that Palmeiras president, Leila Pereira, is “personally conducting the negotiations” to sign Richarlison – currently working on payment plans and acquiring more financial resources to meet Spurs’ asking price.

Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Shabab, Vasco de Gama, Fluminense and even Newcastle are named as other suitors for the ex-Watford forward, so he’s a man in demand, and Spurs are apparently keen on selling to reinvest Richarlison’s transfer fee in their own summer recruitment drive.

McSweeney is firmly in the mix and has a chance to make his Test debut, having made an excellent start to Sheffield Shield

Tristan Lavalette30-Oct-20241:00

Bailey: Bancroft’s consistency will count for something

Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney says he is confident of fronting up to the new ball and opening the batting in the first Test against India if the selectors go down the route of a non-specialist.The race to partner Usman Khawaja has seemingly come down to back-to-back four-day matches between Australia A and India A. Former Test openers Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris are set to open the batting in the first match in Mackay starting on Thursday, while teenaged prodigy Sam Konstas is also in the squad.Even though he bats at No. 3 for South Australia, McSweeney is firmly in the mix and has a chance to make his Test debut, having made an excellent start to the Sheffield Shield season with scores of 55, 127 not out, 37 and 72.Related

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McSweeney, 25, has built on his form from last season where he scored 762 runs at 40.10, including three centuries, in mostly tough batting conditions. Only three players in the competition scored more runs for the season.He has been touted as a future Test captain underlined by his appointment as Australian A skipper, a role he has fulfilled several times previously. McSweeney has also led the Prime Minister’s XI once, as well as captaining the Brisbane Heat to last season’s BBL title.McSweeney’s form and highly-regarded leadership credentials – his tactical nous has impressed observers in his debut season as South Australia captain – have proved compelling for the national selectors who are left pondering if he can step up into the unfamiliar role of opening.”I think I’m playing probably the best cricket I have, batting No. 3 for South Australia, and pretty much my whole career,” McSweeney told reporters in Mackay.”It’s not too dissimilar to opening. I feel like you can be in there the first over of the game. All my preparation is with the new ball, so I feel like my game’s ready.Nathan McSweeney is coming off scores of 55, 127 not out, 37 and 72•Getty Images”Hopefully I can get an opportunity. If not, I’ll keep trying to get better. What will be, will be.”McSweeney was tight-lipped over his position in Australia A’s batting order, but he will likely stay in his customary role at No. 3.”I’m quite clear where I’m batting for this game. It’s a great honour to play for Australia and I’m happy to bat wherever,” he said. “Hopefully I can take my opportunity batting where I do. I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the next game, so the selectors will pick that.”I think being talked about playing for your country is a great honour….try and embrace the chat. All I can do is prepare as best I can and prepare the other boys.”There are so many guys that are playing well and hopefully we can all take it [the opportunities] and make it really hard for the selectors.”While the national focus has been absorbed with this so-called ‘bat-off’, set to reach almost fanatical levels in Mackay and the MCG, Australia A will be pitted against a talented India A line-up in a contest to be played in the humid conditions of northeast Queensland.India A boasts several Test squad members, including 21-year-old allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, looking to acclimatise to Australian conditions and start the tour strongly.”It will be nice to play those guys. We only see them on TV [in the IPL], for me personally,” McSweeney said. “The wicket looks great, I don’t think it will be too toss dependent. I think with the bat and the ball, they’ve got some great players.”We’ll need to be at our best and hopefully we can put in a good performance and get the win for Australia A.”