Will Kieran Tierney’s return be just the start of another busy summer at Celtic?

On Tuesday, the Parkhead side officially confirmed the left-back’s return to Glasgow, six years after he departed for £25m, which remains a joint-club record sale.

Despite this, the Scottish Premiership champions are looking to bolster their full-back options further, possibly anticipating a departure, so could Brendan Rodgers’ side be close to another arrival?

Celtic chasing another defender after Tierney

Announced to supporters earlier this week, Tierney arrived back at Celtic with a point to prove. He was sporting a beaming smile and we’re sure Rodgers was too. Speaking about the deal, the Northern Irishman said:

“We are delighted to welcome Kieran back to Celtic. He is such a talented, high-quality player and he will be a massive addition to our squad. Kieran has always had Celtic in his blood and he is excited to be coming back to the place he loves.”

That said, he’s not the only left-back who could arrive this summer.

According to a report by journalist Ben Jacobs, Celtic are ‘interested’ in a move to sign defender Josh Doig.

Transfer Focus

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

Still only 23 years old, the full-back made his senior debut at Hibernian in 2020, accumulating 78 appearances for Hibs, before moving to Italy in 2022.

He spent two seasons at Hellas Verona, featuring 16 times in Serie A and then 29 times in Serie B following I Gialloblù’s relegation, before joining Sassuolo for a reported £5m in January 2024, a key figure as I Neroverdi won the second-tier title in Italy this season; only four of his teammate racked up more league minutes.

So now, could the youngster, who also made his senior Scotland debut against Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion on Monday, be heading and joining the Premiership champions?

How Josh Doig compares to Greg Taylor

According to reports in Greece, PAOK have submitted an official offer to Greg Taylor, while Dinamo Zagreb have previously been noted as interested in securing the left-back’s signature.

Taylor joined Celtic from Kilmarnock in 2019, signed as Tierney’s direct replacement, and has made 216 appearances for the club, but is out of contract at the end of this month, and it seems extremely unlikely that he’ll sign an extension.

Callum McFadden of Breaking the Lines praises Taylor’s ‘consistency’, labelling him a ‘mainstay’ in the Celtic back-line during his six seasons at the club and, while Samuel Hutchinson of Total Football Analysis is impressed by his ‘reliability’, both in terms of performance and availability, they understand why the arrival of Tierney is viewed as an upgrade.

Nevertheless, Tierney has struggled for fitness throughout the entirety of his career, so a competent back-up in the form of Doig is required.

Jack Ross, who handed Doig his senior debut at Hibs, praised his “excellent” performances back in 2020. Since then, his game has reached a whole new level since making the move to Italy, scoring three goals and posting seven assists. That isn’t bad going for a defender, particularly as he only ever scored once for Hibs.

Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman believes that his ‘pace, physique and athleticism’ are his primary attributes, making him very much like Tierney in that regard, but also like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yes, that was the view of former Hibs teammate Lewis Stevenson, who said in 2022: “He hasthe potential to go to the top level. He is 6 foot 3, fast, strong. Even just looking at him with his top off – without meaning to sound creepy – he looks like Ronaldo, with that kind of physique. He just is an athlete.”

So, let’s analyse how he compares to Taylor this season.

Appearances

31

43

Minutes

2,338

3,141

Pass completion %

77.4%

83.5%

Interceptions per 90

0.6

0.6

Tackles per 90

0.6

1.3

Clearances per 90

2

1.9

Ball recoveries

87

21

% of dribblers tackled

41.4%

77.8%

% of ground duels won

52%

58.3%

% of aerial duels won

55.6%

43.3%

As the table shows, Taylor does come out on top for a few metrics, but Doig’s statistics are comparable across the board, notably racking up more clearances and ball recoveries, as well as winning a higher percentage of aerial duels, suggesting he’d shore up the defence.

Also, according to Global Football Rankings, the youngster was doing his work at a higher level, with Serie B rated the 19th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is down at 43rd.

Still only 23 years old, there is plenty of time for Doig to get better and, given Tierney’s injury record, should he arrive at Parkhead, there would be plenty of minutes available to him, if he chooses to swap green and black stripes for green and white hoops.

He's like Rodri: Celtic can sign bigger talent than Miller in £8m "anchor"

With Lennon Miller once again on Celtic’s radar following his full Scotland debut in Liechtenstein, should the Hoops sign an £8m anchor instead?

Jun 11, 2025

Lancashire were closing in on a huge victory in their Vitality County Championship with Kent at Canterbury, having reduced the hosts to 143 for 6 at stumps on day three. Kent still trail by 162 with just four second innings wickets remaining, Charlie Stobo and Beyers Swanepoel the not out batters on 25 and 18 respectively.Lancashire declared on 549 for 9, a lead of 305, with Josh Bohannon making 205 and Matty Hurst 50, while George Garrett took 3 for 89.Will Williams and Tom Bailey then both took two wickets apiece to leave Kent six down at stumps. Ben Compton was their highest scorer with just 37 and the chances of them escaping with anything other than a heavy defeat to their relegation rivals are bleak.The only question at the start of day three was how long Lancashire were going to bat for, with a lead of 158 already in the bank, although for a side who’d been pummelled for four straight sessions Kent at least managed to stop Lancashire from scoring too freely.Bohannon reached his double-hundred with a pushed single off Matt Parkinson, before his former team-mate finally got him out lbw with a ball that might have been going down the leg side.Hurst eased to fifty with a single off Joey Evison but he was then stumped by Harry Finch when he tried to charge at Parkinson. It was 499 for 6 at lunch, during which a band called the “Useless Pluckers” performed, prompting one Lancastrian observer to remark: “They’re not Goons’N’Roses.”Garrett took all three of his wickets after the interval, which at least prevented an onslaught. Jack Blatherwick tried to hit him out of the ground and went for 18, caught by sub fielder Jaydn Denly. Garrett then had George Balderson caught behind for 42 and when Bailey skied him to Parkinson, Lancashire declared.They didn’t have to wait long for a wicket: Williams had Marcus O’Riordan caught at first slip by George Bell for 4 in the fourth over.Nathan Lyon came on after 12 overs but it was George Balderson who struck next, pinning Daniel Bell-Drummond lbw for 9 to leave Kent on 59 for 2 at tea.Compton always looked like being the key wicket but he inexplicably tried to slog Bailey and the ball flew in the air off his bottom edge. He spread his arms wide in despair well before Bell took the catch when the ball finally fell to earth.Williams sent Evison’s off stump flying for 10, Bailey had Tawanda Muyeye caught behind for a six-ball duck and Finch lasted for 56 balls for 23 until Lyon had him caught by Bohannon at mid-on.Swanepoel, who’d been unable to bowl, came out with O’Riordan as a runner and caused confusion by running anyway, but he and Stobo at least managed to drop anchor for the final 11.4 overs to take the game to a final day.

Brendan Rodgers has had to oversee a lot of change on the left side of his Celtic squad, at left-back in particular, during the summer transfer window so far.

The Hoops have already added one new left-back to the team in the form of Kieran Tierney, who has returned to Parkhead on a free transfer from Premier League giants Arsenal, six years on from his initial move to the Gunners from Glasgow.

Tierney, who won five Scottish Premiership titles during his first spell at the club after coming through the academy, will be aiming to nail down a position as the first-choice left-back at Celtic once again.

The Scotland international looks set to replace compatriot Greg Taylor, who is leaving the Scottish giants this summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Fabrizio Romano, as shown in the post above, recently confirmed that the full-back has agreed a deal to sign for Greek side PAOK ahead of next season.

Another left-back who has moved on from Parkhead this summer is Jeffrey Schlupp, who spent the second half of the season on loan from Crystal Palace, and the club must now avoid a permanent deal for him.

Why Celtic should not sign Jeffrey Schlupp

The Eagles confirmed at the end of May that the left-back would not be getting a new contract at Selhurst Park, which means that he will be available on a free transfer.

Schlupp made 14 appearances, starting eight of those games, in the Premiership and the Champions League for the Hoops, and his best performance for the club came in the second leg of their Champions League play-off clash with Bayern Munich.

Vs Bayern (A)

Jeffrey Schlupp

Minutes

90

Clearances

9

Blocks

1

Interceptions

5

Tackles

6

Dribbled past

1x

Ground duels won

7/8

Aerial duels won

1/2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Palace loanee was incredibly dominant defensively up against the mercurial Michael Olise on the right wing for Bayern, winning the majority of his duels and making 11 tackles and interceptions, whilst being dribbled past just once.

Despite that impressive showing from the Ghana international, Celtic also have to plan for the future and signing a 32-year-old, who turns 33 in December, on a permanent multi-year contract may not be the best move that they can make this summer.

Therefore, supporters should be happy to read that the Hoops are reportedly closing in on the signing of an alternative target who could be an even better signing than Schlupp.

Celtic schedule medical to complete new signing

According to Sponichi, Celtic are closing in on a deal to sign Albirex Niigata defender Hayato Inamura to bolster their options at the back ahead of next season.

The report claims that the left-footed star’s last match for his club was the 4-0 defeat to Machida on Sunday, as he played 90 minutes as a centre-back in the loss.

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

Expand Collapse

It adds that the two clubs have already reached an agreement in principle over a transfer for the 23-year-old talent, and that a move will officially go through in the coming week.

Sponichi reveals that the Japanese defender will travel to Scotland at the start of the coming week to undergo a medical with the Hoops before putting pen to paper on a permanent switch to Glasgow.

This means that Celtic are set to sign the versatile Niigata ace in the coming days, with a medical scheduled and a fee agreed, and he could come in as an even better signing than Schlupp.

Why Inamura will be a better signing than Schlupp for Celtic

As aforementioned, the former Palace loanee turns 33 later this year and would only come in as a stop-gap signing to provide cover in the short term, which is also what he did during his loan spell.

Schlupp would not be a signing with a view to the future because, at his age, he is unlikely to develop much further, if at all, and does not have the potential to grow into being the first-choice after Tierney’s second spell comes to an end.

Inamura, however, is nine years younger than the Ghana international and, therefore, has far more time on his hands to develop and improve as a player during his time in Glasgow.

He is five years younger than Tierney and could, therefore, eventually be his successor if he kicks on and improves at Celtic, whilst initially coming in as a back-up option.

Inamura is usually deployed as a centre-back by Niigata, but Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph noted that he can also play as a left-back. His statistics in the J1 League this season also suggest that he would be well-suited to playing that role for the Hoops.

2025 J1 League

Hayato Inamura

Percentile rank vs CBs

Assists

0.07

Top 8%

Pass accuracy

87%

Top 29%

Accurate long passes

5.75

Top 5%

Long pass accuracy

47%

Top 19%

Chances created

0.42

Top 18%

Cross accuracy

50%

Top 15%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the soon-to-be Celtic signing ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of possession-based metrics, which speaks to his ability on the ball.

His ability to successfully complete crosses at an impressive rate and to consistently create chances for his teammates from a centre-back position suggests that he could be well-suited to playing as a left-back for the Hoops, which would allow him to showcase his in-possession qualities.

Inamura, who analyst Rio Nakagawara claimed has “fantastic ball progression” as a passer and carrier, appears to have the technical qualities to thrive in Glasgow.

His positional flexibility also makes him an attractive target, as he can play at centre-back or left-back, and that is another reason why he would be an even better signing than Schlupp, who was not a central defensive option for Rodgers.

Related Dream signing for Nygren: Celtic targeting move for "promising" £2m star

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Posts ByBen Gray Jun 29, 2025

Overall, signing Inamura seems to make more sense for the Premiership champions because of his age profile, his positional flexibility, and his quality on the ball.

Leeds United aren’t messing about getting their business done early during the chaotic summer transfer window.

Already, Daniel Farke’s Whites are two signings down with plenty more activity expected at Elland Road, with Lukas Nmecha starting proceedings when joining from Wolfsburg, before Leeds dipped their toes in once more to land Jaka Bijol for a bumper £15m.

Of course, there will be the worry of exits still to come – as faces such as Junior Firpo slowly edge away from their West Yorkshire home – but the general feeling in the air at the newly promoted side will be one of optimism, especially as Leeds are usually notoriously slow out of the traps to seal signings.

Nikola Krstovic could be the next notable pick-up through the door, but the Whites might be able to land an even better signing than the potent Montenegrin if they succeed with this other pursuit.

Leeds join the race for £9m star

As per a new report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds are now in the race to snap up promising Borussia Mönchengladbach left-back Lukas Ullrich this summer.

Bailey states that the Bundesliga giants are looking to tie the Germany U21 international down to a new deal. However, significant interest from the Premier League – away from just Leeds being keen – could potentially jeopardise those talks.

Indeed, it’s stated that Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Everton, Brighton, and Nottingham Forest are all also chasing the £9m-rated defender, as per Football Transfers, meaning Leeds will have their work cut out to advance to the front of the queue for Ullrich’s services.

Still, Leeds might well deem it more of a necessary and worthwhile venture chasing after the Berlin-born starlet than continuing to pursue Krstovic, with the newly promoted side desperately short on numbers down the left.

Why Ullrich could be a better signing than Krstovic

Leeds already possess the likes of Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford in attack, even if the Lecce striker didn’t move on to England, with the Dutchman just fresh off a 19-goal season in the Championship.

Moreover, Bamford – away from his recurring injury problems – is also a Premier League-experienced head that could still offer Farke a worthwhile option if needed, as seen in his respectable 24-goal tally at the intimidating level.

Therefore, it would be safe to assume that the Whites are well-stocked in this department for the time being, with it also being a risk to splash around the £30m mark on Krstovic, considering Georginio Rutter is their most expensive capture ever at just £5.5m more.

Whereas, for £7m, Leeds would be able to win a star in Ullrich, who should only get better with time, and a purchase that is needed far more urgently than another centre-forward joining the building. After all, if you remove Firpo from Leeds’ ever-changing squad, only an ageing Sam Byram is available in the left-back spot.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

52

Accurate passes

20/28 (71%)

Successful dribbles

1/1

Clearances

4

Tackles

6

Total duels won

7/10

The in-demand 21-year-old has already shown he can do it on the big occasion for club and country too, as seen in his one goal and two assists last season as an attack-oriented full-back for Gladbach, on top of his recent heroics for his nation at the U21 Euros when his early assist got Germany up and running against the youthful Three Lions.

On the night, the “high intensity” defender – as described by Germany U19 manager Guido Streichsbier – showed he can tussle with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Ethan Nwaneri and come out on top, meaning he might well be ready for the challenge of the Premier League to follow.

He isn’t quite at Firpo’s level just yet, considering the ex-Barcelona defender picked up a hefty ten assists last campaign.

But, having been noted as making “huge strides” already by manager Gerardo Seoane, the Premier League might well just be the next big step he has to adjust to, with Farke also known to get the maximum out of up-and-coming youngsters under his wing.

He'd be unstoppable with Tanaka: Leeds make offer to sign "complete" star

Leeds are looking to sign a new midfielder this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 26, 2025

Celtic’s pre-season plans are starting to take shape, but will they get any new signings over the line before then?

On Monday, the club announced a green and white hoops Clásico, facing Portuguese champions Sporting at Estádio Algarve on 16 July, before confirming they’ll also take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden 12 days earlier.

With trips to Cork, Como and now the Algarve already in the calendar for July, from a destination perspective, this is poised to be an exciting pre-season schedule for the Celtic support, but will they have a new midfielder to assess by then?

Celtic's continued interest in Lennon Miller

As has been widely reported, Celtic remain interested in midfielder Lennon Miller, with French outlet L’Équipe reporting that the 18 year old is valued at around £7.5m by Motherwell, amid interest from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

On Monday evening, Miller made his full-senior debut for Scotland, assisting Ché Adams’ second goal during the 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion, with his performance earning rave reviews.

Thomas Duncan of BBC Sport noted how the teenager exuded calmness while, speaking during the BBC’s coverage, Celtic legend Scott Brown said that “Lennon is really special…nothing fazes him”, adding that he undoubtedly has the quality to break into the Celts’ first team.

Transfer Focus

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

However, with countless other clubs courting Miller this summer, should Celtic turn their attention to another midfield target instead?

Celtic's dream Miller alternative

As previously reported last week, Celtic have ‘already initiated’ talks to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

Demir Ege Tıknaz (Tiknaz)

As Mustafa Akgün of Karabük Postası outlines, Tıknaz spent last season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, but the Portuguese club have an obligation to buy for around £4.2m, planning to do just that before selling him for roughly double that amount.

The 20-year-old, who is currently with the Türkiye national team squad in America for friendlies against the United States and Mexico, is reportedly being courted by many big European clubs, including Celtic and Sporting CP, so the Scottish champions will need to act fast.

In an interview with the Athletic, Tıknaz compared himself stylistically to Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout compares him to another Spaniard, namely Rodri, labelling him a midfield “anchor”, praising his “passing, vision and football IQ”.

Analyst Ben Mattinson agrees, stating that Tıknaz ‘reads the game well’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’.

As a result, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, he has become one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, making 33 appearances for Rio Ave of the Primeira Liga this season, scoring four goals and registering two assists.

Nevertheless, the key question remains. How does he compare to Miller? Well, let’s find out.

Appearances

33

39

Minutes

2,340

3,398

Goals

4

4

Assists

2

8

Big chances created

2

12

Tackles won (per 90)

2.1

1.8

Interceptions (per 90)

1.7

1.3

% of ground duels won

51.1%

57.9%

% of aerial diels won

53.1%

41.2%

Possession lost (per 90)

7.3

17.4

As the table outlines, while Miller is more of an all-rounder and an attacking threat, Tıknaz does come out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, giving away possession significantly less frequently too.

So, while Miller is unquestionably a big talent, possibly to such an extent that Celtic will ultimately miss out on him, the Hoops should therefore make signing Tıknaz a priority.

Celtic set to sign 14-goal star who'd be Moussa Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers

Celtic are set to complete a deal for a young star who could be a repeat of Moussa Dembele.

ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025

Aston Villa may have an element of uncertainty hanging over them this window, but that hasn’t stopped Unai Emery pushing hard to sign a talented midfielder from the continent.

Aston Villa could be forced to sell before they can buy

By now, most Premier League fans will be aware that Aston Villa run the risk of being penalised in line with Profit and Sustainability Rules if they don’t manage to sell some players before the June 30th deadline.

In turn, a host of stars have been linked with moves away from the club. Morgan Rogers is said to be a £100 million target for Arsenal and isn’t the only player being lined up by circling sides.

Nevertheless, Emiliano Martinez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed and could ease pressure on offloading the likes of Rodgers this summer. The Argentina international is being courted by Manchester United and several Saudi Pro League teams.

Planning for the future without their long-serving number one, Aston Villa could look to sign LOSC Lille’s Lucas Chevalier, giving an indication of the one-in-one-out policy that could be adopted in the West Midlands to carefully navigate their delicate situation.

Losing out on a Champions League slot has created an unwanted PSR shortfall, but that isn’t something that can’t be fixed with savvy decision-making.

Aston Villa now ready to offer major deal to sign £50m Mozambique winger

He could replace Marcus Rashford.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 4, 2025

Leon Bailey could net £25 million if he is sold to Neom SC and Jhon Duran’s big-money sale earlier this year could create some wiggle room later down the line, so who could Aston Villa buy in that case?

If recent developments are anything to go by, Emery is willing to take a major step towards improving his midfield, with the added caveat that his latest target can play in several different positions.

Aston Villa make first move to sign Fares Chaibi from Eintracht Frankfurt

According to reports in Italy via Frankfurter Rundschau, Aston Villa have taken concrete steps to sign Fares Chaibi from Eintracht Frankfurt and the Bundesliga outfit may consider a sale under the right circumstances.

The 20-year-old is predominantly an attacking midfielder, but he can also feature on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward when needed.

Fares Chaibi in 2024/25 for Eintracht Frankfurt per 90 mins (FBRef)
Shot-creating actions	4.03
Shots	2.05
Progressive passes	4.78
Progressive passes received	6.58
Touches in attacking penalty area	2.67

Earning a modest £12,968 per week in Germany, roughly speaking, Chaibi has registered two goals and three assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.

Making their first move, Aston Villa believe the Algeria international has the talent to become a special player at Villa Park, and they are now trying to push a deal over the line.

Moving back to matters previously mentioned, this swoop may be contingent on whether they can come out the other side of the PSR deadline unscathed, so it remains to be seen whether they can force this one through.

Durham have secured a key signing ahead of their first season as a Tier 1 women’s team in 2025, with the return of Dani Hazell, Northern Diamonds’ highly rated head coach, to Chester-le-Street on a three-year deal.Hazell, who made 141 appearances for England between 2009 and 2018, including two World Cups and three Ashes wins, is also head coach of the Headingley-based Northern Superchargers, a role she will retain alongside her Durham commitments.Having begun her playing career at Durham’s academy, Hazell was an obvious target for the club hierarchy as they set about establishing themselves as the new home of women’s cricket in the north of England, and her transfer may help to persuade other Leeds-based Diamonds’ players to commit to a relocation, rather than wait for Yorkshire to attain their own Tier 1 status in 2026.”It was clear from the off that Dani was the right person to lead Durham into our new chapter and begin to create history as a women’s professional team,” Marcus North, the club’s director of cricket, said. “She knows the club inside-out having played for us and worked within our women and girl’s pathway in recent years.”Dani has an excellent reputation following a successful period as Northern Diamonds and Northern Superchargers head coach, she had a winning mentality as a player and as a coach which is exciting for Durham. I look forward to working with her, as this exciting chapter for Durham Cricket begins.”Hazell, 36, took over as Northern Diamonds’ head coach in 2019, with the club winning the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2022, while Northern Superchargers reached the women’s Hundred final in 2023. She has also played a key role in the development of the Diamonds academy over the course of her tenure.”I’m delighted to take up the opportunity as head coach.” said Hazell. “This is an exciting new chapter for Durham Cricket and the whole of the region, and I wanted to be part of this historic new era for the club.”I feel aligned with the club’s ambitions and standards to continually grow and move forward in such a pivotal moment for women and girls’ cricket.”I knew after initial conversations; it was the right opportunity for me to return to my home club and I am really looking forward to the challenge ahead.”Tim Bostock, Durham’s chief executive, added: “We’re delighted that Dani has agreed to become the head coach of our women’s team and we are extremely excited to welcome her back to Durham. Her knowledge of the game globally is key, but also her knowledge of the game in Durham is vitally important for us, I believe she is the perfect fit for Durham Cricket.”

Yorkshire were 100 for 2 chasing 167 before losing seven wickets for 42

ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024Lewis Goldsworthy and Scott Currie equally shared six wickets to inspire a brilliant Leicestershire fightback against Yorkshire as they successfully defended a 167 target at Headingley to secure their fourth win from seven in this season’s Vitality Blast.The Foxes were bowled out for 166 in 19.5 overs. They looked under par on a good pitch – not a road, but true enough having elected to bat. Opener Rishi Patel top-scored with 64 off 47 balls.Yorkshire’s star-studded batting line-up then cruised to 100 for 2 in the 13th over of their chase, but Joe Root and Shan Masood both fell amidst a damaging collapse to 124 for 6 in the 17th. In the end, they finished on 146 for 9, losing by 20 runs.Left-arm spinner Goldsworthy, on loan from Somerset, had England’s Root caught at long-on on the way to 3 for 20 from three overs, while pacer Currie returned 3 for 19 from four. The Foxes jump into the North Group’s top four as a result.Yorkshire have now lost three, won three at the start of their campaign.An eventful six-over powerplay saw Leicestershire reach 60 for 3. Patel and opening partner Harry Swindells hit a six apiece, but the Foxes were pegged back as Vikings loanee fast bowler Conor McKerr had a hand in two of the three early wickets.He had Swindells caught at mid-off for 22 and helped to run out Rehan Ahmed at the striker’s end as the England man attempted a third run to deep backward point. McKerr was the fielder.From there, the Foxes lost wickets at inopportune times, with spinners Jafer Chohan and Dan Moriarty striking twice, a haul matched by seamer Matthew Revis.Patel reached his fifty off 31 balls, but the loss of wickets meant he couldn’t press the accelerator as not long after the Foxes were 100 for 5 after 11 overs.Patel fell caught at cover trying to reverse sweep against Moriarty’s left-arm spin – 146 for 7 in the 18th over – before former Viking Ben Mike hit a couple of sixes in a 28 which proved crucial in the final reckoning even if it didn’t feel like it would be at the time.In reply, Adam Lyth and Dawid Malan were by no means slow, but the openers were more controlled than Leicestershire had been early on, sharing 45 inside six overs.Both men caressed sixes over cover off Louis Kimber’s part-time off-spin as 13 came off the opening over before falling for 21 and 32 respectively as Yorkshire fell to 65 for 2 in the ninth. Lyth was bowled by Currie and Malan, who top-scored, caught at long-off against Goldsworthy.And those wickets were the early shoots of a successful Foxes fightback which was very similar to the one which saw them defend 141 to beat Durham at the Riverside last Wednesday.Root and Masood hit early sixes but fell in quick succession, leaving the Vikings 104 for four in the 14th. Root found long-on off Goldsworthy for 30 and Masood skewed Currie to backward point for 14.Wickets then tumbled at a decisive rate, quietening an expectant home crowd of 5,307.Goldsworthy had Jordan Thompson well caught at deep midwicket before Currie had last hope Donovan Ferreira caught behind for 22 – 136 for 8 with 11 balls left.Josh Hull comfortably defended 25 off the last over, removing Chohan on the way.

It wouldn’t be all that controversial to claim that this season was a bit of a bust for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s men did well to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, but failing to win a domestic cup and finishing ten points off Premier League champions Liverpool was undeniably disappointing.

However, while the Gunners’ attack failed to spark this year, there were still some players who could go into the summer with their heads held high, like Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain was a force of nature in the middle of the park and was justifiably named the club’s Player of the Year for his efforts.

Fortunately, he could get even better next year, as reports have now heavily linked Arsenal to a dangerous goalscorer who’d be a dream teammate for the Englishman.

Arsenal target prolific goalscorers

As Arsenal still managed to create the best defence in the Premier League during their lacklustre campaign, it’s hardly a surprise that most of the players they have been linked with in recent weeks and months have been goalscorers.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, the most significant saga for the North Londoners so far has been around Benjamin Sesko, who scored 21 goals for RB Leipzig in 45 games this year.

Then, off the left, the primary target seems to be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who’s scored 14 goals in 52 games for the Spanish giants.

Interestingly, the Gunners were even linked with Bryan Mbeumo, who found the back of the net 20 times in 42 games for Brentford this year, at one point this summer.

Yet, another name has now firmly reentered the picture, and when it comes to scoring goals, nobody can hold a candle to him: Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Portuguese outlet Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, the Sporting CP star is now desperate to leave the club and join Arsenal this summer.

The report has revealed that the striker has expressed his desire to the Lisbon side’s president and informed them that he would not be returning to the club this summer in an attempt to force their hand into accepting offers totalling €70m, which comes to £60m, and stands at around €5m – £4m – less than the unofficial offer the Gunners made prior, per the report.

It might be an expensive transfer for Arsenal to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ unreal ability in front of goal, it’s one they should pursue, especially as he could be a superb teammate for Rice.

Why Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice

It will come as no surprise that the number one reason Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice is his utterly absurd output, but there are two reasons for this, and the first is that he’d surely help the midfielder improve his own output.

For example, in just 52 appearances for Sporting this season, totalling 4248 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, was able to score 54 goals and provide 13 assists, which comes out to an out of this world average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Just imagine a striker as devastatingly effective as the Swedish international playing ahead of the Englishman, who has himself become more of an attacking threat since becoming the team’s left-eight; he’d certainly rack up more assists than the ten he managed this year and probably even a few more goals than the nine he scored to boot.

Appearances

52

Minutes

4248′

Goals

54

Assists

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.40′

On top of helping his own tally, though, it would also be a serious signal of intent to bring in someone so prolific and hopefully be the difference in getting the team over the line next year, in turn putting any potential doubt that the 25-year-old could start to have to rest.

Finally, on top of the mountain of goals the former Coventry City star might bring to the Emirates, he could also allow the Englishman the space to further develop his skills as a proper out-and-out left-eight.

We say this as the Sporting star’s heatmap from this season shows that he doesn’t drop into midfield very much at all, instead preferring to spend time in and around the penalty area, which in turn should give the former Irons star space to operate in without worrying about where his striker is.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gyokeres this summer, as not only could he fire the team to glory, but he could also help Rice reach another level entirely.

Arteta's own Mbeumo: Arsenal hold talks to sign £85m "generational talent"

The sensational attacker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

South Africa suffered an innings defeat in the last Test they played earlier this year, while India beat England and Australia in December

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Jun-2024

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet undertake catching drills on the eve of the Test•PTI

Big picture: Can South Africa challenge upbeat India? It’s been a while but women’s cricket finally returns to Chennai. Both teams are unfamiliar with the conditions: India haven’t played here since a Quadrangular Series in 2007; South Africa have only played one match in Chennai, a T20 World Cup game in 2016.But India are coming into this match not only having played a Test against England and Australia last December, but also comprehensively beating both those top sides. India’s spinners were key in those wins, and that will also be a big advantage for the home team going into this Test in what are expected to be spin-friendly conditions.Related

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India’s resources have only increased in the last several months. They handed maiden call-ups to several players and have had four players train at the National Cricket Academy exclusively for the red-ball format, boasting depth in both batting and bowling departments. Their offspin-allrounders Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma played match-winning hands in the December Tests, while their batters posted two 400-plus totals in the first innings of both matches. Most of the international players also played in the Senior Women’s Inter-zonal multi-day series in March-April.India will also take confidence from the ODI series win against South Africa into the Test. Their mainstay Smriti Mandhana showed superb form, while the likes of Deepti and Arundhati Reddy shone with the ball.South Africa, on the other hand, will be playing their second Test of the year, having suffered an innings defeat against Australia in February in Perth. They also don’t have quality preparation with the red ball heading into this Test. The format is not part of their domestic system and South Africa also had only a couple of days to adjust to the conditions. They did have long net sessions over the last two days against Tamil Nadu’s Under-14 and Under-16 boys teams, facing more spin than pace.Laura Wolvaardt has called for South Africa women to play more domestic red-ball cricket•PTI

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt said on the eve of the Test that adapting to the ball “staying low and turning a bit” will be the “biggest challenge”. They do have a left-arm spin option in Nonkululeko Mlaba, while Marizanne Kapp said Sune Luus, who bowled offspin in the second ODI, will also bowl.All things considered, it is advantage India going into the only Test.Form GuideIndia WWD (last three matches, most recent first)
South Africa LDLIn the spotlight: Deepti Sharma and Laura WolvaardtDeepti Sharma has been in brilliant all-round form lately. In the Test against England, she picked up a match haul of 9 for 39, which included superb figures of 5 for 7 in the first innings. She also scored a 67 in that game in a dominant Indian batting display. Deepti followed that up with a score of 78 and two wickets against Australia. She was in peak form in domestic cricket as well, taking 27 wickets and scoring 157 runs in three games in the Inter-zonal multi-day Trophy for East Zone.Deepti Sharma has been in excellent all-round form lately•BCCI

Captain Laura Wolvaardt has been a force at the top of the order for South Africa for a long time. But she’s been batting at a different level since last year: she averages 68.21 in ODIs with five centuries and three fifties, and 49 in T20Is with seven half-centuries. She scored 135* and 61 in the last two ODIs against India and will be a key player for South Africa in the Test as well.Team news: India likely to go with Shubha at No. 3Satheesh Shubha, who played the England Test in December, is likely to slot in at No. 3. Renuka Singh was rested for the last two ODIs against South Africa but had a bowl at the nets on the eve of the Test. Harmanpreet Kaur said that India would keep Renuka’s “workload in mind”.India (probable XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Satheesh Shubha, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Pooja Vastrakar, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad/ Saika Ishaque, 11 Renuka SinghKapp, who did not play South Africa’s Test against Australia earlier this year, is likely to slot back in. She, however, did not bowl in the ODI series last week. Wolvaardt said at the press conference that Kapp was “managing her workload and taking it on a day-to-day basis” with the T20 World Cup around the corner. Sinalo Jafta, who did not play the last two ODIs after she suffered a mild concussion, has trained all week and is available for selection.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Anneke Bosch, 3 Marizanne Kapp 4 Sune Luus, 5 Tazmin Brits, 6 Delmi Tucker, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Nonkulueko Mlaba, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Tumi SekhukhunePitch and conditions: Expect spin to play a big roleThe Chepauk surface is traditionally known for being slow and spin-friendly. A red-soil strip will be used for the match, and Harmanpreet expects it to start spinning “from the second or third day”.There was a cloud cover on the eve of the Test but there’s no rain threat to the game.Stats that matter: Mandhana in sight of a milestoneMandhana is just 20 away from scoring 500 runs in Tests. She’ll be the ninth women’s batter from India to achieve that milestone if she gets thereDeepti has played four Tests and has a fifty in each of those. She averages 63.40 with the bat and 13.75 with the ball. The average difference of 45.65 is the second best among allrounders with 300-plus runs and 15-plus wicketsChennai has hosted only one women’s Test before this – India vs West Indies in 1976Kapp made her Test debut when the two teams last played each other – in 2014 in Mysore. That was one of the only two Tests she would play in ten years