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In the first game of the Tokyo Series, Shohei Ohtani, in his return to his native country of Japan, helped lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. And Ohtani continues to make his country proud, as he belted a two-run home run in an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants on Saturday, then rapped two hits in Tuesday's season-opening victory.

Amidst the Ohtani-mania, a photo of a stunning agricultural mural, which was depicted to honor the Dodgers superstar and his beloved dog Decoy, went viral after it was shown on the Fox broadcast of the Dodgers-Cubs game.

Check out the epic mural.

The roughly 3,000-square-meter mural is made from seven varieties of rice, which were planted by a local volunteer group in his hometown of Oshu, Iwate Prefecture in June of 2024. The mural also features the phrase "Let's play baseball."

It's no surprise that such an impressive tribute is going viral once again.

Tottenham Hotspur’s squad in 2025/26 is packed with numerous midfield stars, but it’s apparent that boss Thomas Frank is yet to work out his best combination in such an area.

The Dane has utilised a three-man midfield in the vast majority of his 11 Premier League outings to date, often varying between two deep-lying options with a ten and a flat three.

Joao Palhinha arrived in the summer on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and has started all but one, with his ball-winning presence a real component to the Lilywhites’ side.

The same can’t be said for £52m addition Xavi Simons, as the Dutchman has struggled to nail down a starting position in his attacking midfield role – subsequently being named in the starting eleven on just six occasions.

However, there’s little denying that one player would have easily walked into the current squad had he still been on the books after his previous spell in North London.

Spurs’ most underrated player in the last decade

When talking about Spurs’ most underrated players in numerous years, many players will be mentioned, but one will always rise to the top – with that man being Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian midfielder joined the Lilywhites from Fulham for just £15m back in the summer 2012, with very few supporters anticipating the levels he would produce in the capital.

He would go on to rack up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, often catching the eye with his physicality and dazzling feet.

Standing at 6’1, you wouldn’t expect a player to easily get past the opposition, but Dembele used to glide past his men – leading to his tally of 10 goals and 11 assists.

Many of his former teammates have sung his praises in recent years, even labelling him as one of the most underrated players they have played alongside in their careers.

Former right-back Kieran Trippier is just one player to sign his praises, with the Englishman stating: “He was a remarkable player. He was unbelievable, I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for being such an unbelievable player.”

Since his move to Guangzhou City back in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Frank and the supporters undoubtedly wishing they had a player of Dembélé’s talents at present.

The Spurs star who was tipped to be the next Dembele

In the last six years since Dembele’s departure from Spurs, the hierarchy have spent upwards of £300m on the midfield department alone – a simply staggering amount of money.

Numerous of their additions still remain on the books in North London, with the aforementioned Simons just one of the options Frank is still able to call upon.

Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are two other young stars who have been brought to the club in the last few seasons, with both cementing themselves within the first team ranks.

The latter of the duo joined for just £8m from Swedish side Djurgarden last summer, but has already racked up a total of 60 appearances despite being just 19.

However, Yves Bissouma is another midfield addition that remains in North London, but his time at the club has been far from successful in the last few years.

The Malian joined for a reported £25m from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2022, leading to journalist Alasdair Gold claiming he’s just “like Dembele”.

In the three years with the Lilywhites, the 29-year-old has already racked up a century of appearances – even finding the back of the net on two separate occasions.

Games played

28

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

89%

Tackles won

2.1

% of tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.2

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

5.4

However, it’s been a period that has been littered with controversy, with Bissouma being suspended by the club back in August 2024 after being pictured inhaling laughing gas.

Frank’s arrival has seen the downward spiral continue for the Malian, with the Dane leaving him out of the UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG after being consistently late for training.

In the three months since the final, he’s failed to make a single appearance for the Lilywhites, even being left out of the Premier League and Champions League squads for the first half of 2025/26.

Such an omission is a sign that the manager simply doesn’t see the 29-year-old as part of his long-term plans – with the hierarchy desperately needing to offload him in January.

Bissouma currently earns a reported £55k-per-week in North London, with the club paying him a staggering £1.4m since his last competitive outing in the first-team.

Not only has he failed to reach the levels many anticipated upon his move, but he’s also bleeding the club dry of crucial funds that will be needed in January.

His lack of action, current earnings and disciplinary record all point to an exit for the midfielder in the upcoming winter window, with the club needing to make his departure a priority.

Frank will no doubt want to clear him off the books, raising funds for the January market, which is no doubt a crucial point of the season in his quest to secure Champions League football a second successive year in North London.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2025

Worcestershire Rapids secured a home semi-final in the Metro Bank One Day Cup after cantering to a six-wicket win over Surrey at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Making an unexpected appearance, Gus Atkinson top-scored for the visitors with 60, but Worcestershire’s bowlers took wickets with frequency to restrict their opponents to 266 for 6.In reply, 19-year-old Dan Lategan registered a maiden List A fifty at the top of the order for the Rapids, before Kashif Ali (80) propelled the home side into pole position.Skipper Jake Libby’s unbeaten half-century steered Worcestershire to a comfortable win as the Rapids secured top spot in Group A and now wait to learn who they will face in Sunday’s semi-final.Tom Taylor vindicated Libby’s choice to bowl first as he castled Adam Thomas in his third over of the morning, with a full ball that angled back in and rattled into off stump providing the home side with the ideal start.Ben Foakes joined Rory Burns at the crease as the former England duo looked to steer Surrey back into the contest, but Foakes’ cameo was short-lived as he departed for just 6.Ben Gibbon impressed with an economical spell either side of a brief rain delay, that included the scalp of Burns, who looked impressive on his way to 43 before losing his wicket when he dragged a length ball straight to Rob Jones at short midwicket.Despite being reliant on Gloucestershire’s result against Hampshire that was unfolding simultaneously to events at Visit Worcestershire New Road, only a win would suffice if the Rapids were to stand any chance of hosting a semi-final.Ollie Sykes (36) and Josh Blake (43) both looked to be the batters to kick on, but Tom Taylor (2 for 59) first dismissed the Surrey skipper, before Fateh Singh trapped Blake lbw to reduce the visitors to 160 for 5.Making only his third List A appearance for the club, England star Gus Atkinson showed why his batting capabilities have earnt him a Test match century, as he struck nine boundaries in his 48-ball-60 that took his side up towards 250 in the face of some disciplined Worcestershire bowling.Khurram picked up his second wicket as he removed Atkinson to stall the visitors once more, but some lusty blows from Nikhil Gorantla saw the away side finish their 49 overs 266 for 6.Brett D’Oliveira and rising star Lategan catapulted the hosts to a flying start, with D’Oliveira making an enterprising 45 as the pair added 83 for the first wicket.Lategan continued in the wake of his opening partner’s dismissal, recording his maiden List A half-century from 45 balls, but he could only add four more before he was bowled by Sykes.Kashif Ali showed no signs of slowing, making a typically explosive start to his innings by racing to 34, as Worcestershire passed 150 in the 21st over.Libby, averaging 62 in this year’s competition as he made his way to the middle, helped guide the Rapids beyond 200 despite losing Kashif in the process for an exhilarating 80 from 58 balls, caught in the deep looking to clear the boundary.Yousef Majid (2 for 57) returned the best figures for Surrey on a day where only one bowler registered an economy below six-an-over.With the required run rate dropping below two-an-over, Libby guided his side to victory.

Xavi Simons’ start to life at Tottenham has been fairly slow, already raising some concerns about the club’s hefty investment in the Dutchman.

Thomas Frank dealt Xavi Simons concern at Tottenham

The 22-year-old struggled to influence the game once again during Spurs’ 2-1 loss to Aston Villa at home in the Premier League on Sunday.

Since his high-profile move from RB Leipzig in the summer, which could end up costing the club a whopping £125 million in total when factoring in wages over a potential seven-year deal (Paul O’Keefe), expectations have been sky-high for Simons to inject creativity and flair.

Xavi Simons for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga last season

Stats

Appearances

25

Minutes played

2,157

Goals

10

Assists

7

Bookings

5

Shots at goal per 90 minutes

2

Passing accuracy

82.9%

Average match rating

7.32

via WhoScored

However, his performances so far have largely fallen short of those hopes, with many fans and pundits noting Simons’ inability to make his mark in the way those at the club envisioned.

One of the most glaring concerns has been Simons’ output — or rather, the lack of it.

Despite being touted as a dynamic playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison, capable of unlocking defenses with clever passes and incisive dribbling, he has struggled to consistently make an impact in the final third.

So far, Simons has registered just one goal contribution, which came during his Premier League debut, and even that was an in-swinging cross from a corner for Pape Sarr to head home against struggling West Ham.

Part of the problem may be attributed to the pressure of living up to his big-money price tag at a club with high expectations.

The weight of that can sometimes hamper a young player’s confidence, especially in a league known for its intensity and competitiveness. Moreover, adapting to a completely new environment, manager and tactical setup takes time, and the Netherlands international’s early struggles could be a reflection of this adjustment period.

Interestingly, Thomas Frank has been told by some members of the media that Simons isn’t a playmaker at all, but this is hardly reflective of the numbers during his time at Leipzig.

The former PSG sensation, who was also a member of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy during his time as a youth player, racked up 11 goals and eight assists in 33 total appearances for Leipzig last season — even despite missing a good portion of 24/25 with an ankle problem.

Simons did deliver a good portion of those numbers in a CAM role, including a match-winning performance against Borussia Dortmund and brace at home to Werder Bremen, but he impressed out on the left too during his final Bundesliga matches for Leipzig.

Frank could have some experimenting to do, and Lucas Bergvall could be deployed in a more advanced midfield role with the Dane playing centrally, Simons out wide and Mohammed Kudus on the right.

In the meantime, though, Simons is attracting criticism from on-lookers.

Gabriel Agbonlahor gives scathing Xavi Simons verdict after Tottenham loss

Following Spurs’ disappointing loss to Villa, pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor gave a scathing verdict about Simons when debating who would get into a team combining both sides’ best players.

Despite his challenges, it’s worth noting that Simons is still young and has shown flashes of his talent in glimpses during games.

His technical ability, vision and dribbling are evident when he finds space, and Tottenham’s coaching staff will be keen to work closely with him to help unlock his potential.

Meanwhile, Frank has already leaped to the player’s defence — insisting he needs more time to bed in.

Celtic supporters have been lucky enough to enjoy plenty of top-quality centre-forwards in recent years.

Henrik Larsson will forever remain the gold standard, given that he scored 242 goals in 313 appearances for the club between 1997 and 2004, winning eight major honours, firing them to the UEFA Cup Final of 2003 and picking up the European Golden Shoe in 2001.

In more recent times, Odsonne Édouard, Moussa Dembélé and Kyōgo Furuhashi have all racked up plenty of goals and trophies as Celtic’s centre-forward.

Supporters may argue they do not have a striker of the requisite quality right now, although that opinion could soon be changing, while a player you’ve probably completely forgotten ever played for Celtic is tearing it up in one of the world’s strongest leagues.

Kelechi Iheanacho's start to life at Celtic

Fair to say, not a lot was expected of Kelechi Iheanacho when he arrived at Celtic, considering he joined after the transfer window had closed as an archetypal panic buy.

Well, so far, the Nigerian international is proving the doubters wrong, converting a stoppage time penalty to snatch victory at Kilmarnock on debut, before breaking the deadlock during Wednesday night’s Europa League draw with Crvena zvezda in Belgrade.

During his time at Leicester City, Iheanacho was known as a “deadly finisher”, his best campaign coming in 2020/21, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, four of which came in the FA Cup, a key figure as the Foxes won that competition for the first time ever.

Since then though, he’s not managed more than eight goals in a single campaign, scoring zero times in La Liga during his brief time at Sevilla, hence why los Nervionenses jumped at the chance to cut ties with him.

Nevertheless, reunited with Brendan Rodgers, his manager in the East Midlands of course, Iheanacho looks revitalised and reinvigorated, back to his clinical best in front of goal.

Nevertheless, there is a forward, who made almost no impact at all at Celtic, who actually has more goals to his name at this early stage of the season.

Forgotten Celtic flop on fire in the Bundesliga

We all have that one player who, when they first burst onto the scene, you are certain they’re going to be a future Ballon d’Or winner one day.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Well, for many in Scotland, that player was Oliver Burke.

Back in 2016, having made just 31 appearances for Nottingham Forest, Burke was sold to recently promoted RB Leipzig for £13m, a then-record for a Scottish player, but fair to say he never lived up to this hype.

The table below documents the still only 28-year-old’s manic career so far.

​​​​​​​

As the table outlines, Burke has played for 12 different clubs in four different countries, yet to score double figures in terms of goals for any of them, which is honestly mind-blowing, with the four he managed during a six-month loan spell at Celtic Park from West Brom in 2019 among his higher tallies.

In hoops, he bagged a brace during his Premiership debut against St Mirren, before also netting during home wins over Hibernian and Motherwell, often deployed as a centre-forward by Neil Lennon, who succeeded Rodgers during this period.

This summer, having previously played for RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen, Burke returned to Germany, joining Union Berlin, and perhaps he could finally fulfil his potential at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

On Sunday, during die Eisernen’s crazy 4-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion, Burke scored a 24-minute hat-trick, becoming the first Scotsman to ever bag a treble in the Bundesliga – and bettering Iheanacho’s own 2025/26 tally in the process.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Andy Brassell labelled them “ice-cold finishes”, noting that Union Berlin are playing to Burke’s strengths, which is utilising his pace in-behind, given that he has always been lightning quick.

Burke has remained such an enigma throughout his career; his raw and physical attributes are seemingly what ensures that clubs keep signing him, but as far back as his Leipzig days there were concerns over his tactical awareness, with then manager Ralph Hasenhüttl comparing him to an “empty hard drive” who had a lot to learn.

The most recent of Burke’s 13 Scotland caps came against Israel in Netanya back in November 2020 but, if he continues to score Bundesliga hat-tricks, Steve Clarke will have to pay attention.

Who knows, he could have been an even better emergency centre-forward option for Celtic than Iheanacho will prove to be.

100% dribbles: "Fearless" Celtic star was even better than Iheanacho

Celtic drew 1-1 with Crvena zvezda in the Europa League, Kelechi Iheanacho scoring in Belgrade, but a “fearless” attacker was even more impressive.

By
Ben Gray

Sep 25, 2025

An “unbelievable” manager has now emerged as Manchester United’s top target to replace Ruben Amorim, who has made a poor start to the new campaign.

Doubts over Amorim's Man Utd future after slow start

With Man United winning their final game before the international break, defeating Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford, Amorim appears to be safe in the short-term, but there are doubts about how long the 40-year-old will be able to last in the job.

Former Arsenal defender William Gallas has even suggested the Portuguese coach could be gone by the end of the year, saying: “He looks lost. I don’t think his body language and emotional response are giving a good impression to his players or the Manchester United fans,

“Looking at him, I’m not sure he’ll make it to Christmas, to be honest, because it feels like United are one poor performance or defeat away from a crisis.”

The former Sporting CP boss has struggled ever since his arrival at Old Trafford, with his points per match ratio particularly concerning, and the shock defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup certainly won’t have done the manager any favours.

Games

46

Wins

17

Draws

12

Losses

17

Points per match

1.37

Consequently, according to a report from Football Insider, Man United have now started to identify potential replacements for Amorim, and they have selected Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as their top target.

INEOS are not actively looking to bring in a replacement for their manager straight away, but they have now started to assess the market, and Emery has emerged as an appealing option, given the job he has done at Villa.

The 53-year-old replaced Steven Gerrard at Villa Park in November 2022, taking over when the Villans were just above the relegation zone, and he has since led them to the Champions League and Europa League in back-to-back seasons.

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ByDominic Lund Sep 9, 2025 Emery could be "unbelievable" Amorim replacement

While the Spaniard has undoubtedly done a fantastic job at Aston Villa, there are doubts over how much further he can take them, given his current employers’ PSR issues, which limited their spending in the summer transfer window.

As such, a move to Old Trafford could potentially appeal to the Villa boss, who has enjoyed an incredibly successful career up to this point, winning 11 trophies across spells with Sevilla, Villarreal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Villa striker Louie Barry, who is currently on loan at Sheffield United, has also praised the former PSG manager’s training sessions, saying: “Unai Emery is an unbelievable coach for improving players. It was crazy to me how similar the training was to my time in Barcelona.”

Should they sack Amorim, Man United could do with bringing in a proven Premier League manager, who has a history of winning trophies, and Emery ticks both boxes.

Tottenham Hotspur avoided an embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat last night, subsequently claiming a 3-0 victory over League One Doncaster Rovers.

The win keeps Thomas Frank’s hopes of claiming a trophy in his first year as Lilywhites boss alive, with a trip to face current holders Newcastle United awaiting them in round four.

It may have only been against a team two divisions below them, but the Dane will have been impressed with the relentless nature of the performance, which saw the Lilywhites have 55% possession.

Such an outing gave numerous fringe players a chance to stake their claim for a regular role in the starting eleven, with the Dane having some incredible strength in depth currently at his disposal.

However, the victory also allowed one other player to finally get the opportunity he’s craved to feature in his natural position after being forced to operate in an unnatural role as of late.

Xavi Simons’ performance against Doncaster

After joining in a £52m deal from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window, Xavi Simons became a player with huge expectations at Spurs, but he’s so far struggled to reach the levels many hoped for.

He’s mainly operated in a wide left role, but he was handed a start in a more familiar central role against Doncaster last night – taking advantage of the opportunity handed his way.

The Dutchman featured for a little over an hour, but had a huge impact on proceedings – as seen by the underlying stats that he produced in North London.

Simons created seven chances and won four fouls – with both tallies being the most of any player on the pitch – subsequently highlighting the threat he posed to Grant McCann’s side.

He also completed 97% of the passes he attempted, with four of his efforts being into the final third – allowing him to create one big chance in the process.

Whilst he was unable to register a goal or assist last night, the 22-year-old looked a constant nuisance in the number ten role, with Frank needing to stick with him in such a position.

However, one other first-team player managed to impress, now arguably being just as important as the Dutchman, given his own impressive display against Donny last night.

The Spurs star who is becoming as important as Simons

Given the sheer volume of competitions this season, Frank needs to have every Spurs player up to scratch to try and allow for success in various tournaments.

His side have already claimed wins in three separate competitions in 2025/26, with the side already impressing in the Premier League, Champions League and the Carabao Cup.

Simons has started all but one game since making his big-money move to join the Lilywhites, but the Dutchman has rapidly developed into a key player for the Dane as a result of his creativity.

However, he’s not the only summer addition who’s already impressed in North London, with Joao Palhinha immediately exceeding all expectations placed upon him after his loan move to the club.

The Portuguese international joined from Bayern Munich, but to the disappointment of many, with the 30-year-old not seen as the man to improve the first-team squad.

He’s already scored twice despite his deep-lying role, with his latest effort coming against Doncaster last night – producing an incredible acrobatic effort which opened the scoring.

Palhinha also featured out of position at centre-back, but still managed to thrive, producing numerous incredible figures that helped the Lilywhites claim a crucial victory.

The former Fulham star completed 63 passes, at a completion rate of 90%, with the former of the two stats the most of any player who featured during the contest on home soil.

Despite his defensive role, he also managed to complete four passes into the final third, able to provide those ahead of him with the chances to impress in front of goal.

Joao Palhinha – stats against Doncaster

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

82

Passes completed

63

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles made

2

Clearances made

6

Interceptions

1

Passes into final third

4

Stats via FotMob

However, Palhinha dominated without the ball, making two tackles, six clearances and one interception – helping the Lilywhites keep their fifth clean sheet of the 2025/26 campaign.

As a result of his showing, the loanee was handed a superb 9/10 match rating by The Standard’s journalist Matt Verri, further showcasing how impressive he was during the victory.

After such a display, Frank simply can’t afford to drop the Portuguese international from his starting eleven, with the experienced talent on a phenomenal run of form in the first team of late.

Should he continue his current impressive form for the Lilywhites, there’s no reason as to why Palhinha can’t be as undroppable as Simons, with the pair able to catapult the side to new heights in the months ahead when operating together.

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Tottenham Hotspur secured their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup last night with a win over Doncaster.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 25, 2025

Manchester United have the long term in their sights under Ruben Amorim, though they could now face a decision on whether to sell one of their prize assets to Real Madrid.

Man Utd look for gradual progression under Ruben Amorim

The Premier League campaign has ignited quiet optimism at Old Trafford over the direction Amorim’s young squad may be headed. However, there is still plenty of work to do before debates can take place over quantified success.

Taking difficult decisions to improve his pool of talent, Andre Onana’s departure to join Trabzonspor on loan has impressed supporters as the Red Devils streamline their squad appropriately for years to come.

Onana stated upon his arrival: “I am very happy. I can say that I am very happy. I am starting a new project, a new adventure for me, I am very happy to be here. This is a feeling that makes me so happy. I’ve never felt so much love from people around me.”

Feeling love in a new environment is important, something reflected in Rasmus Hojlund scoring his first goal for Napoli over the weekend, but Amorim has shown courage to discard big-money signings in pursuit of an improved product on the field.

In statistics recorded before Manchester United’s tussle with Manchester City, the Red Devils had taken the most shots and also faced the second-fewest efforts in the Premier League across their last ten top-flight matches, illustrating that slow change is taking place.

CSKA Moscow midfielder Kirill Glebov has his heart set on moving to Old Trafford, showing a buy-in from young players desperate to join Amorim’s project, albeit not everyone is feeling the same way amid recent developments.

Kobbie Mainoo wants to leave Man Utd for Real Madrid

According to reports in Spain, Kobbie Mainoo is pressuring Manchester United to sell him to Real Madrid and views a move to the Santiago Bernabeu as a dream destination in January.

This term, the England international has fallen out of favour under Amorim and hasn’t been a regular starter, though any transfer could depend on Los Blancos running into injury trouble or selling Dani Ceballos. Mainoo still wants out of Old Trafford and ‘his inner circle is working on finding a club that can guarantee him minutes’

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BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025

INEOS may now be left with a decision to make on Mainoo’s future, which is complicated further by the fact he has two years left on his contract at Old Trafford.

Amorim stated earlier this week that the Carrington graduate needs to improve in the engine room to fulfil his potential fully: “I believe in him a lot. He is a top player. But some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done [a complete player]. I think he can do so much better.

“For some guys (talent) is enough, but for him it is not. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie, and that’s it.”

After Mainoo asked to leave Manchester United on loan before the window closed, it appears there may still be work to do at Old Trafford to convince him to stick around amid interest from Champions League giants.

Newcastle United are in talks over the signing of a towering Scandinavian attacker this summer, who could join alongside one of Yoane Wissa or Nicolas Jackson.

Newcastle watch on as striker dominoes fall

The striker situation at St James’ Park has dominated their summer, with Alexander Isak’s future still in doubt amid continued interest from Liverpool and seemingly every other European rival in the top flight landing their own superstar striker.

If Isak does depart, he would be the second big Swedish striker transfer of the summer aftter Viktor Gyokeres joined Arsenal, with the pair joining the likes of Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth in what is a growing crop of Nordic strikers thriving in major European leagues.

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson have emerged as two of the leading options to arrive at St James’ Park to replace Isak, with both potentially needed if the Magpies lose both Isak and Callum Wilson in the same summer transfer window.

Like Isak, Wissa is refusing to play for his current club, in order to try and force a move away, while Jackson finds himself struggling for a starting berth at Stamford Bridge after the signing of Joao Pedro from Brighton. Now, an update has emerged regarding another Premier League attacker.

Newcastle join teams tapping into Scandinavian striker market

According to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein on X, Newcastle are in “talks” over signing Wolves and Norway striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, with the 25-year-old liking the idea of joining the Magpies.

“Newcastle retain firm interest in Jorgen Strand Larsen. Not more advanced than other options but 25yo Wolves forward among small group being considered. Talks via intermediaries + Norway int’l keen on NUFC but not agitating to exit.”

Strand Larsen stands out as another good option for Newcastle, having developed massively in recent years. According to Transfermarkt, the striker was worth just €600k (£500k) at Groningen, a number which has ballooned to €30m (£26m) after moves to Celta Vigo and then Wolves.

The Wolves ace has 14 goals in 39 appearances, which is a good return for a team that struggled in the Premier League last season, and Magpies legend Alan Shearer is a big admirer, hailing his qualities back in April.

“He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent and I thought his touch and his control were superb. “Wolves didn’t play that well in the first half, but they certainly improved in the second. When you’ve got a guy who’s 6’4, you have to get balls into the box, and they certainly did that in the second half.”

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ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2025

Strand Larsen is arguably a better option than Jackson, considering he scored more league goals than him in a weaker team last season, so he and Wissa could be ideal business to make up for the loss of Isak, if it happens.

New Zealand came close in the 219-run chase, but Sri Lanka did enough to get a consolation win

Madushka Balasuriya02-Jan-2025In the end, Sri Lanka did enough. That’s not something you’d expect to say about a team that had racked up 218 runs in their first innings, but it speaks towards just how well New Zealand had set about their chase for most of the innings. It was a victory set up largely by Kusal Perera’s maiden T20I ton, the fastest ever by a Sri Lankan, coming off just 44 deliveries.For about 15 overs of the chase New Zealand were keeping up with the nearly 11-an-over required rate, and when Daryl Mitchell struck Charith Asalanka for four consecutive sixes in a 25-run 15th over they might have even been ahead.Sri Lanka then thought they had done enough with a couple of wickets at the death, before Zachary Foulkes’ final-over fireworks provided yet another scare. But despite frayed nerves, Sri Lanka held on to close out a consolatory seven-run win.Having entered inside the powerplay, Perera fell with less than two overs left in the innings, and such was the impact of his innings even a run-a-ball final two overs couldn’t prevent Sri Lanka from registering their second-highest T20I total ever.Asalanka also played a starring role – despite the treatment meted out by Mitchell – backing up his 46 with the bat with a three-wicket haul that derailed New Zealand’s well-planned chase. He also took a scorcher of a catch at extra cover to cap an impressive outing. There was however no looking beyond Perera for the player of the match award.Jacob Duffy, a thorn in Sri Lanka’s side throughout the series, picked up just the solitary wicket this time round, although his economy rate of 7.50 was still the best of any bowler who bowled at least two overs in the game. He was deservedly named player of the series.SL and NZ trade early blowsThe rollercoaster nature of the game was telegraphed right from the start. Sri Lanka lost three of their top four inside the opening 10 overs, and their openers inside the powerplay, but they didn’t let that slow them down.Kusal Mendis struck 22 off 16, Pathum Nissanka 14 off 12 and Avishka Fernando 17 off 12, as Sri Lanka kept a steady rate of around eight an over.Despite the early wickets, it could have been better too, had New Zealand held on to miscued reverse sweep off Perera when he was on just 15.Despite taking two excellent grabs to dismiss both Nissanka and Mendis, it was the chance they will likely look back on and regret.Mitchell Santner celebrates Kusal Mendis’ wicket•MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty ImagesPerera and Sri Lanka turn on the afterburnersDespite losing three wickets, Sri Lanka’s score of 85 after the first 10 overs constituted their best score at the halfway mark of an innings all series. But the 10 overs to follow would put that tally comfortably in the shade.Led by a belligerent Perera, and aided by some short boundaries at Nelson, Sri Lanka proceeded to plunder 133 runs off the final 10 overs – and that could have been considerably more if not for two excellent overs at the death from Mitchell and Duffy.Those two overs went for six each, but that Sri Lanka still ended up on a mammoth 218 speaks towards the damage done in the overs that preceded them – particularly devastating was a four-over period from overs 14-18 that brought 75 runs. Much of that was down to Perera, whose century came at a strike rate above 200 and included 13 fours and four sixes.While he initially targeted the boundaries behind square with a catalogue of sweeps, switch hits and outright slogs, by the end his knock was a true 360 exhibition – a monster six over cover to bring up his century emphatically ramming home the point.He was kept company by an equally combative Asalanka, who struck 46 off 24 during a 100-run fourth wicket stand that came off just 45 deliveries.Well prepared New Zealand come out firingRegardless of the match situation you can always count on New Zealand to come out with an effective plan, and their chase in Nelson was a prime example.Most sides would be overawed when hunting down a target of 219, but from the very first over of the chase New Zealand set the tone as Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra each took Chamidu Wickramasinghe for a boundary each.This was followed by a five-run over by Nuwan Thushara, but New Zealand made up for that by taking on Sri Lanka’s most effective seamer this series, Binura Fernando, for 18 off his opening over.Sixty-three runs were scored inside the powerplay, but the onslaught only continued afterwards. By the halfway point New Zealand had run up 108 runs and still had eight wickets in hand.Charith Asalanka struck in three consecutive overs•MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty ImagesAsalanka the unlikely heroWith Thushara and Binura being saved for the death overs and Theekshana having an off day, Asalanka was left with a conundrum through the middle overs. Was he going to rely on the green Wickramasinghe to handle the fifth bowler quota on his own, or would he bowl a few himself?He ended up opting for the latter, and it might just be what swung the game in Sri Lanka’s direction. In his first over the Lankan skipper removed Mark Chapman, before taking out Glenn Phillips in his second. But it was his third that brought the big fish, sliding one past Ravindra’s inside edge to dismiss the New Zealand opener for a 39-ball 69.Perhaps Asalanka overestimated his capabilities in bowling himself out, and was duly punished by Mitchell. But his breakthroughs meant New Zealand would be forced to score heavily off Sri Lanka’s frontline bowlers at the death.New Zealand can’t stick the landingDespite Asalanka’s strikes, Mitchell’s monster striking had brought the equation down to 51 from 30 with six wickets in hand.At that point it seemed like the hard work had been all but done, but New Zealand just couldn’t stick the landing. Hasaranga’s double-wicket 16th over did much to reverse to momentum that had swung New Zealand’s way through Mitchell’s onslaught. And then when Mitchell fell an over later, looking to take on Thushara, the writing seemed on the wall.Foulkes however ensured Sri Lanka were made to work for their win with some powerful hitting at the death, but the visitors just about managed to hold on.