Sunderland were reportedly denied the opportunity to add to their huge amount of signings at the end of the summer transfer window.

Geertruida completes Sunderland overhaul

An unforgettable summer is now over for the Black Cats, with Regis Le Bris bringing in endless new signings, from Granit Xhaka to Lutsharel Geertruida. The latter proved to be Sunderland’s last addition of the window, coming in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, and he can’t wait to get started at the Stadium of Light.

“First of all, I want to thank God for this opportunity, and I also want to thank the Club for their trust in me. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, and I’m so excited now that my opportunity is here.

“We are new to the league, so we need to fight, and I want to be a part of that. I’ve seen the recent games and think the group looks fresh and energetic. Now, I just want to be as important as possible for this Club. I’m ready, and I can’t wait to see the fans in the stadium.”

While Sunderland are now unable to sign players until January, barring free agents, a new update has now emerged regarding a potential late deal that almost happened.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Brian Brobbey

Ajax

£21.6m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

£2.5m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

free transfer

Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

free transfer

Sunderland denied chance to sign young prodigy

According to a fresh claim FiorentinaNews [via Sport Witness], Sunderland made “concrete moves” to sign Eddy Kouadio from Fiorentina before the transfer window slammed shut. The Serie A club prevented the move from going through, however, even pulling the plug on their move to sign Victor Lindelof from Manchester United to convince 19-year-old to stay put and be a key figure in Florence.

Not signing the 6 foot 3 Kouadio is a shame for Sunderland, considering the defender is a player with the potential to have a bright long-term future in the game.

The teenager has been capped by Italy at both Under-19 and Under-18 level, and while only one appearance in Serie A highlights that he is still raw, he could have grown into a key man at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland had “maverick” talent on loan, now he's worth more than Brobbey

Sunderland once had this superb star on loan, who is now worth way more than new recruit Brian Brobbey.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 3, 2025

Still, this has been a wonderful summer for Sunderland, with the new faces coming in giving them as good a chance as possible of remaining in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool have started their Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins following a late victory at Newcastle United. Rio Ngumoha’s 100th-minute winner made him the youngest Premier League goalscorer in Liverpool history.

While Arne Slot was happy with the win, post-match, he highlighted an issue that has plagued them all season thus far.

In all of Liverpool’s last three fixtures, they have gone two goals up and then found themselves drawing 2-2. They managed to salvage a victory against Bournemouth and Newcastle, but in the Community Shield, they were taken to penalties by Crystal Palace and were defeated.

A new signing that can improve their defensive capabilities is half of Liverpool’s plan for what could turn out to be an eventful deadline day.

Liverpool plan double deadline day deal

Liverpool are “ready to finalise” two deadline day deals as they look to complete moves for Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi. Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported that “agreements have been reached with both players” and, once their clubs find replacements, the deals will be done.

Liverpool bid £110 million for Isak on August 1st and have held off placing a second bid since then. The Reds have already broken their transfer record once this window with the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that could be worth up to £116 million, but the second bid for Isak will break this record again.

Guehi won’t cost Liverpool anywhere near as much as Isak due to the England centre-back’s contract situation. Guehi is in the final year of his contract with Crystal Palace, and because of this, Steve Parish is only looking to get £40 million for him. However, reports indicate that Liverpool will try and negotiate Palace down from that figure.

The hunt for Isak and Guehi's replacements

Plettenberg indicated that the main sticking point in these two deals is the players’ current clubs finding adequate replacements for them before the window ends, as they don’t want to start the season short-handed.

In this regard, Newcastle have already put in numerous bids for potential Isak replacements. The Magpies had a deal worth £40 million rejected for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, and just this week, they had bids worth £50 million and £55 million rejected for Wolverhampton’s Jorgen Strand Larsen. Crucially however, the Magpies are now closing in on a deal for Nick Woltemade.

Crystal Palace will have plenty of money to spend on a replacement for Guehi, as they have also sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal this summer. They are currently being linked with a move for Juventus’s Lloyd Kelly as their new centre-back.

For Liverpool, these clubs completing their deals quickly is of the utmost importance. If Newcastle and Crystal Palace can’t bring in replacements for Isak and Guehi before the window closes, they will likely opt to keep them until at least the next window.

Sheffield United certainly suffered from a rude awakening on the opening day of the new Championship season.

Bristol City travelled to Bramall Lane with last campaign’s playoff agony at the hands of the Blades still evidently on their mind, as the Robins exposed constant weaknesses from the hosts to run out as unexpected 4-1 victors.

It hasn’t got any better for Ruben Selles with another two defeats smacking his forlorn team in the face, as the ex-Hull City boss now also attempts to welcome in more new signings before September comes around to turn around this dire start to his reign.

The Blades will be hoping that their next James McAtee-level signing is waiting in the wings, as the Manchester City outcast instantly settled into his South Yorkshire surroundings once upon a time to secure promotion.

McAtee's heroics at United

McAtee looks to be on the move this summer away from the Etihad for good, as the 22-year-old finally appears out from the periphery at the Citizens to try and become another side’s leading man.

When he was chucked into the first-team fold at Bramall Lane back in 2022, the silky, 5-foot-10 attacking midfielder was an instant hit, leading to McAtee extending his loan deal with the club to the following season when Premier League action was on the menu.

In total, the England U21s regular would pick up a stunning 14 goals and eight assists from 75 clashes in South Yorkshire, with a hefty 12 of those coming in the second tier as United jumped back up to the big time via automatic promotion.

Selles will still be dreaming of similar promotion heroics this season, even with the defeats piling up early on, with one signing potentially sticking out as a McAtee repeat if it gets over the line.

The "incredible" £10m star who could be a McAtee repeat

As much as McAtee did enhance the attack during his time at Bramall Lane, the priority in the here and now for Selles and Co. might well be to strengthen defensively.

Indeed, in recent weeks, the Championship promotion candidates have been dealt a harsh blow in losing first-team star Anel Ahmedhodzic to Dutch giants Feyenoord, after the Bosnian lined up for 42 contests last season as a key individual.

Therefore, picking up some fresh blood at the back could be integral to their promotion hopes, over needing to add some spellbinding forward players.

That’s where Callum Doyle could come in handy, with SportsBoom previously speculating this month that the Etihad-based youngster is on the United shopping list this summer, alongside a whole host of other EFL suitors.

Norwich City are also being floated about as a party keen on bringing back their former loanee to Carrow Road off the back of him hammering home a sweet strike such as this one he put away with confidence last season, despite predominantly lining up as a centre-back presence.

It could cost any potential suitor around the £10m mark to land the up-and-coming 21-year-old, but this might well prove to be a price worth paying on United’s end if Doyle’s added presence gifts Selles and Co. the boost they desire in the promotion reckoning.

Doyle’s league numbers for Norwich (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*	Doyle
Games played	40
Goals scored	1
Assists	7
Touches*	93.9
Accurate passes*	65.7 (86%)
Big chances created	7
Ball recoveries*	3.9
Clearances*	3.8
Total duels won*	3.8
Clean sheets	5
Stats by Sofascore

Doyle certainly showed off a lot of the same class McAtee brought to proceedings in South Yorkshire when plying his trade in Norfolk last campaign, with a standout seven assists picked up when playing his assured game out from the back.

On top of that, he also won an admirable 3.8 duels per contest for the Canaries, with his potential addition to a depleted backline making the loss of Ahmedhodzic sting less.

Hailed as “incredible” by his Norwich teammate Kenny McLean for his unerring ability with the ball at his feet, it does feel as if Doyle is ready for a switch where he shines even further up the EFL’s elite league, much like McAtee was handed in 2022.

History could repeat itself even more if Doyle is the calm and assured warrior who pushes Selles’ men up to those coveted promotion spaces despite such a bleak introduction to Championship life this season, as his senior game is taken to yet another level.

Sheffield United could land the next Rak-Sakyi with move for "special" ace

Sheffield United could gift Ruben Selles his own Jesurun Rak-Sakyi with this summer move.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 6, 2025

دافع يورجن كلينسمان، أسطورة كرة القدم الألمانية، عن نجم نادي ليفربول موضحًا أن اللاعب سيقدم كل ما في وسعه وأفضل ما لديه مع الريدز في حال تم منحه الوقت لذلك.

ليفربول أبرم عددا من الصفقات خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير، والتي شملت صفقات كبرى كألكسندر إيزاك، وفلوريان فيرتز، وهوجو إيكتيكي، وميلوس كيركيز، وجيريمي فريمبونج.

لكن فيرتز على سبيل الخصوص لم يقدم المستوى المطلوب منه حتى هذه اللحظة رفقة ليفربول، ووقع الدولي الألماني تحت طاولة الانتقادات.

ليفربول تعاقد مع فيرتز خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير، وذلك قادمًا من صفوف نادي باير ليفركوزن مقابل 120 مليون يورو.

أقرأ أيضًا .. ديلي ميل: ثلاثي برشلونة يقترب من العودة للعب معًا مرة أخرى

وقال كلينسمان في تصريحات لمجلة سبورتس إلوستريتد: “فلوريان يحتاج إلى وقته ليجد طريقه في شمال غرب إنجلترا وليفربول تحديدًا”.

وأضاف كلينسمان في حديثه عن فيرتز: ”ما حدث مع فيرتز من ضغوطات كثير على لاعب شاب مثله . ثم يأتي إلى فريق يضم نجومًا فقط، عليه أن يكافح ليشق طريقه خطوة بخطوة مع ليفربول وسيفعل ذلك ، لأنه مقاتل”.

فيرتز يعتبر من بين أهم اللاعبين في مركزه خلال السنوات الأخيرة، وذلك في ظل المستويات الرائعة التي قدمه مع باير ليفركوزن بالفعل وكذلك مع منتخب ألمانيا.

Having prioritised Test cricket last year, the batter hopes to get better and more consistent in T20 as Sunrisers eye another SA20 title

Firdose Moonda05-Feb-20252:34

Bedingham: ‘I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet’

David Bedingham, intentionally or not, became the traditionalists’ hero last summer when he revealed he decided not to put his name in the SA20 draft so he could play Test cricket, specifically on South Africa’s tour to New Zealand. The SA20 was finishing as those Tests were starting and all South Africa’s first-choice players were contractually bound to stay behind for a T20 tournament still finding its feet. As expected, an under-strength Test side lost but Bedingham, with a defiant second innings century in the second Test, confirmed his reputation as a red-ball specialist.Fast-forward a few months, with schedule clashes out of the way and his spot in the Test side fairly secure, and Bedingham did enter the draft. He was picked up by defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, for what has been one of the biggest tests of his career. “I’m still trying to learn my trade in T20. I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet,” he told ESPNcricinfo from Johannesburg, where Sunrisers will play the Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings on Wednesday. “Hopefully, the more I play, the better I’ll get and the more consistent I’ll get.”Perhaps, his role will become more defined. Bedingham started the campaign batting at No. 7 for Sunrisers and was promoted to opening in their third game, It took another match before he started to show glimpses of what he is capable of with a 20-ball 39 against Durban’s Super Giants. He has since also recorded two scores in the 40s which suggests he is most comfortable at the top. Indeed, of the 80 T20s Bedingham has played, he has batted in the top three in 53 of them.Related

Batters find life tougher in the SA20, but is it all the pitches?

Almost half of his matches (38) have been for Durham, where he averages 21.47 and has a strike rate of 141.19. Those numbers probably best explain the struggles he has had between trying to make an impact and searching for consistency in the shortest format. “For me, it’s just trying to find the balance of attack and defence,” he said. “In this tournament, I’ve probably found it harder to attack, so that’s why I’ve probably leaned more to [have] a defensive mindset and then in previous tournaments, let’s say in the Blast or the CSA T20, I’ve probably attacked too much.”And that approach has earned him 200 runs from ten league games which put him second on Sunrisers’ run-getter’s list, behind Aiden Markram. That tells as much of a story about how much they have struggled as it does about who they have relied on in a campaign that started with three defeats and has since been revived despite the challenges.Playing for Sunrisers has been one of the biggest tests of David Bedingham’s career•SA20″I’ve found it quite tough. But I also feel that the bowlers that we played against have been quite good as well, so it’s probably a combination of both,” he said. “But speaking to the guys that played the first two seasons, they’ve definitely said that the wickets have played a bit tougher. I’ve spoken to Russ(ell Domingo, Sunrisers’ batting coach) and he said that in India, and England, those types of countries are probably a lot easier to bat in the first six overs, whereas in South Africa, you probably have to be a bit more circumspect. So especially in this tournament where the wickets have played quite tough, I think those first six overs have been crucial. And I think a lot of the teams, including us, have probably struggled in those first six overs.”All told, this edition of the SA20 has seen the lowest run-rate of the league phase with an average powerplay score of 45.6. Sunrisers have averaged 38.1 in their powerplay. Their opening pair has the lowest average of 15.60, and the second least number of runs, but they’re still working on their batting blueprint, particularly Bedingham.”I’ve basically tried to just play one-day cricket in those first three or four overs,” Bedingham said. “Obviously, if we have wickets in hand, then you can maybe push the tempo a bit but I’ve either been out in the first couple overs or we’ve three or four wickets in the first three overs, so it’s been quite tough to kick on and try and hit quick runs. But in saying that we’re in the Eliminator, so hopefully we can start off well and win that game.”Sunrisers are the only team to have won the SA20, and they’ve done it twice under the same coach Adi Birrell and captain Markram and seemed to have mastered the recipe for success. Now, it’s just about whether all the ingredients can come together to do it again.

Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie before the deadline on Monday, but a deal may not be as straightforward as that after all.

The Ecuador international is poised to come in as a direct replacement for Jakub Kiwior, who has now sealed a loan move to FC Porto ahead of a permanent switch in 2026.

Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta are looking to both grant Kiwior’s wish for more game time elsewhere, whilst also ensuring that the Gunners are not left too exposed defensively in case one of William Saliba or Gabrial Magalhaes succumbs to injury at some point this season – which is a distinct possibility.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Cristhian Mosquera helps to reinforce Arteta’s options in this regard, but the young Spanish prospect is untested in England and would benefit from a more experienced partner of the highest calibre.

Hincapie played a key role under Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen last term and was a member of their Bundesliga-winning side in 2023/2024 – a team that also went unbeaten all campaign until their loss to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

The 23-year-old also offers versatility and can play in multiple defensive roles, with Arsenal believed to be closing in on a loan deal which includes an obligation to buy next year – similarly to Kiwior.

The Premier League title hopefuls appear determined to get Hincapie over the line with time running out, but according to BBC journalist Sami Mokbel, they face a late roadblock.

Arsenal talks for Piero Hincapie take late transfer twist

According to Mokbel, due to “concerns” over UEFA’s squad coast ratio rule, Arsenal are working to sell players before finalising a deal for the defender.

In his piece for the BBC, Mokbel also reports that a successful move for Hincapie “hinges” on Berta getting players out of the door with Kiwior.

Of the names up for grabs at Arsenal, it is believed Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Fabio Vieira could all leave the Emirates before Monday’s deadline.

Zinchenko has attracted interest from Italy and Turkey, while Stuttgart were in talks for Vieira and Fulham have approached for Nelson – but the latter want to sign him on a straight loan and are reluctant to agree to any permanent deal conditions (BBC).

Smith says his dismissal was a crucial moment in Australia’s semi-final loss to India

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Mar-20251:22

Agar: Australia building more depth a big positive despite loss

“I missed a full toss. It wasn’t ideal.” This is one of the greatest contemporary batters speaking on a moment that swung the match away from his team.Steven Smith was batting on 73 in the 37th over against India, and seemed set to guide Australia into the death overs. Then he ran at Mohammed Shami, got a full toss at around knee-height, and missed it completely. The off stump was rattled.From there, Australia got 66 runs off the 75 balls available to them. Alex Carey hit 61 off 57, batting with the tail in the later stages. Nathan Ellis tried to crash some late boundaries. But if you are looking for a moment in the match that paved the way for India’s dominance, this is a big one.Related

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Kohli's 84 sends India into Champions Trophy final

Shami vs Connolly: A different kind of six and out

“My plan was to try and put the seamers under a bit more pressure, and just rotate the spin,” Smith said after the match. “But I didn’t do it very well. I lost my wicket at probably a crucial stage. Had I batted a little deeper, we could have potentially got up to near 300 or something. Alex was batting really nicely at the other end. It was a disappointing time to get out, but that’s the game sometimes.”Australia only set India 265 for victory. But given this was likely the most batting-friendly surface at this venue for the whole tournament, Smith rued the chance to go big.”I think we had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300,” Smith said. “We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings. If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit, we’re probably getting up to 290 to 300 and we’re putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard.Steven Smith was bowled by a full toss•Associated Press

“The square block as a whole, I think, has seen a lot of cricket over the last couple of months. We can see it’s pretty tired and that’s probably the reason why we haven’t seen a score above 300 in the tournament here so far. So we did a reasonable job, but we probably just lacked a couple of those partnerships just dragging out a little bit further.”Australia were also poor in the field. They dropped Rohit Sharma twice, and Virat Kohli was put down on 51. All of these were tough chances, though.”I think when you’re trying to squeeze the game and you’re trying to build a lot of pressure, you need to take those chances when you’ve got 260 [264] on the board,” Smith said. “But that’s the game, it happens. No one means to drop a catch. It’s part of the game.”

Former Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Bas Dost has hung up his boots at 36 after a terrifying on-pitch collapse in 2023. The Dutchman described his difficult recovery from heart inflammation as "maddening" and revealed a "dramatic" setback that he called a "slap in the face" following his unsuccessful attempts to continue his career.

• Getty Images
  

  Dost calls it a day with the sport

  Former Netherlands international Dost has announced his retirement from professional football. The decision comes after a lengthy battle with health issues following a cardiac arrest he suffered on the pitch in October 2023, with the player describing a major setback in his recovery as a "slap in the face" in an interview with Dutch newspaper .

Advertisement

• Dost reveals 'maddening' recovery and 'dramatic' setback

  The terrifying incident occurred during an Eredivisie match between his club NEC and AZ, when Dost collapsed on the field and required resuscitation. He was later diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. After an initial prognosis of six months for recovery, Dost suffered a devastating blow. "It was maddening. The prognosis was that the inflammation would disappear after six months. I thought I'd be able to play again next season," he said. "But in March, a scan was done – with dramatic results. The inflammation was almost back in full force. That was a slap in the face for me."

• AFP
  

  A prolific career in the Bundesliga and beyond

  Dost enjoyed a successful career as a powerful centre-forward across Europe, becoming particularly well-known for his time in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. Across his spells with both clubs, he scored an impressive 48 goals in 121 Bundesliga appearances. Before moving to Germany, he was the Eredivisie's top scorer with Heerenveen, and he also had a prolific stint at Sporting CP in Portugal. For Netherlands, Dost won 18 caps and scored one goal.

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• What next for Dost?

  While the 36-year-old confirmed that "the inflammation is now gone," the nearly two-year ordeal has prompted him to end his playing days. Dost took the opportunity to express his immense gratitude to the first responders who saved his life on the pitch, stating: "I cannot put into words how grateful I am to you." He retires with a legacy as a clinical and physically dominant goalscorer who made a significant impact in multiple top leagues.

Manager Javier Mascherano lamented Inter Miami’s missed opportunity to climb in the Eastern Conference standings after a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday night, just 72 hours after facing NYCFC. While his side still hold games in hand, the dropped points complicated their pursuit of the Supporters’ Shield amid a congested schedule.

Getty Images SportInter Miami let chance slip away

Mascherano credited a strong performance from USMNT goalkeeper Sean Johnson as part of the reason why Miami dropped points Saturday. 

“I think we deserved to win – we had the clearest chances," the Argentine coach said. "We had 15 minutes of confusion in the second half, but the match was under control. I believe their goalkeeper was the man of the match.” 

AdvertisementChicago is next

The Herons now face a tight turnaround, hosting Chicago Fire Tuesday at Chase Stadium. 

“We have to keep going. We have four matches left and we’ll try to win them all to finish as high as possible," Mascherano said. "We’re focused on ending the regular season near the top. Maybe we missed an opportunity today, but we want home-field advantage in the playoffs. We’ll keep fighting for the Supporters’ Shield – we have that obligation."

Getty Images Sport'Not even 72 hours had passed'

The coach acknowledged the heavy workload his team has faced in recent weeks, especially after competing in the Club World Cup.

“It was always going to be a tricky game. Not even 72 hours had passed since the match in New York. It’s a huge physical toll, and we faced a team that hadn’t lost in its last five games,” he said.

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Getty Images SportSupporters’ Shield chances at risk

Inter Miami had controlled their own destiny in the Supporters’ Shield race. Following the draw with Toronto, the Herons will need help from other results – even if they win their remaining four games – to claim the trophy.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta quinta-feira (15), o principal atacante da Seleção Brasileira, Vini Jr., usou seus espaço para se manter firme na luta contra o racismo. O jogador do Real Madrid fez um pronunciamento forte sobre isso e prometeu seguir em frente pensando naqueles que não têm o mesmo espaço que ele para se expressar do tema. Confira, no vídeo acima, o que disse Vini:

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