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There are no prizes for guessing what Celtic’s priority in the transfer window is likely to be in the coming days or weeks, as they look to add more quality to Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

The Hoops have already snapped up Ross Doohan, Kieran Tierney, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, and Benjamin Nygren to bolster their options across the pitch.

However, Celtic are not done there and they are set to be in the market to add another winger to their squad, as they are about to lose one of their star forwards.

Nicolas Kuhn is reportedly set to undergo a medical with Como either today or on Tuesday ahead of a £17m switch from the Scottish giants this week.

The German forward’s exit will come as a blow for Rodgers, given what he produced in the 2024/25 campaign, but it also represents a masterclass by the club.

Celtic have played a masterclass with Nicolas Kuhn

The Scottish Premiership champions hit the jackpot when they swooped to sign the left-footed attacker from Rapid Vienna for a reported fee of £3m at the start of 2024.

Kuhn had a relatively slow start to life in Glasgow, with a return of two goals and two assists in 14 league games in the second half of that season, but his first six months in Scotland helped him to adjust to the country and the league.

That experience helped him to then hit the ground running in the 2024/25 campaign, as the 25-year-old star went on to become a key player for Rodgers.

The German attacker, who came through the youth set-ups at Leipzig and Bayern Munich, ended the season with a haul of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 matches for the Hoops, which shows that he made a big impact in the final third for Celtic.

xG

0.46

Top 10%

Goals

0.62

Top 8%

Shots on target

1.30

Top 14%

xA

0.34

Top 10%

Assists

0.43

Top 10%

Chances created

2.49

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn ranked very highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics, which further illustrates the impact that he had on the team, particularly in the Premiership.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Kuhn because they turned a £3m signing into a Premiership superstar and are now set to make a £14m profit on him within 18 months.

Celtic eyeing deal for new winger

The Scottish giants could be on course to repeat the masterclass that they played with Nicolas Kuhn, as they are eyeing up a player from his former club.

Transfer Focus

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

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic have identified Rapid Vienna winger Isak Jansson as a potential replacement for Kuhn, as a player who can play on either side of the pitch.

The report claims that the Swedish forward is one of a number of attackers on the club’s radar as they look to add more quality to their frontline, amid the German’s proposed move to Como.

It adds that the 23-year-old dynamo, who was signed by Rapid Vienna to replace Kuhn, is valued at a fee of around £3m by the Austrian Bundesliga outfit.

However, it currently remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to accelerate their pursuit of the right-footed star by offering that kind of fee for his services.

Why Jansson could be Kuhn 2.0

Despite being a right-footed winger who predominantly plays on the left flank, there are a lot of similarities between a potential deal for Jansson and the deal they completed for Kuhn in 2024.

For starters, a fee of £3m would be the exact same figure that they paid Rapid Vienna for the German sensation, which would leave plenty of room to make a healthy profit on him in the future if he follows in the left-footed ace’s footsteps at Parkhead.

The Swedish star, who was once hailed for his “beautiful” goal by ex-head coach Robert Klauß, could also be a Kuhn repeat for Celtic because, of course, he would arrive from the same club.

Jansson has caught the eye with some impressive performances in the Austrian top-flight for Rapid Vienna, just as the £17m-rated winger did before his move to Parkhead, which suggests that he could be an exciting addition to Rodgers’ squad this summer.

Appearances

22

16

Goals

7

2

Goals per game

0.3

0.1

Crosses per game

0.5

0.5

Big chances missed

2

8

Assists

2

5

Big chances created

5

11

As you can see in the table above, the right-footed attacker delivered nine goal contributions in 22 matches in the Bundesliga last season, two more than Kuhn managed in 16 games for Rapid Vienna before his switch to Scotland.

When you see the way that the German winger had adapted to life in the Premiership, as a scorer and a creator of goals, after thriving in Austria, Jansson’s performances for Rapid Vienna are incredibly exciting.

The Swedish star could aim to follow in Kuhn’s footsteps as another £3m winger to make the switch from Austria to Scotland to thrive in the final third as a forward who makes a big impact on a regular basis.

At the age of 23, the Celtic target would also arrive at Parkhead with plenty of time left on his side to develop and improve over the years to increase his output in front of goal, and his market value.

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Celtic have slapped a huge price tag on the head of one of their star players.

ByDan Emery Jul 5, 2025

Therefore, this is a signing that could make a lot of sense for the Hoops, despite not being a like-for-like replacement for Kuhn from a stylistic perspective, because of his quality and potential for the reported fee that would be needed.

Sunderland are now “increasingly likely” to complete the signing of a defender in the summer transfer window, according to a promising transfer update.

Le Bris bullish about Sunderland's summer

The Black Cats are still basking in the glory of being promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship amid joyous scenes at Wembley last month. Regis Le Bris made it clear that he is already focusing on new signings, however, saying how he expects the summer to pan out at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have been linked with a move for young Liverpool striker Jayden Danns, with talks even reportedly held over a move to the club. The Englishman joined the Black Cats on loan in January, but a back injury put paid to his chances of even playing a single minute.

Elsewhere, former defender Wes Brown has also talked up Sunderland’s chances of bringing Jordan Henderson back to his old club: “Going back to Sunderland would make sense. He’d understand that he might not play every week, but when needed, definitely show the heart.”

Sunderland "increasingly likely" to sign defender

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Sunderland are now “increasingly likely” to have a chance of signing Reims defender Cedric Kipre, as he expects to leave his current club this summer. Le Bris is thought to consider the 28-year-old a “serious option” for his side, no doubt knowing that he needs to bolster his defence ahead of the return to the Premier League.

Kipre is a player who already has a wealth of experience in British football, having racked up a total of 206 appearances in the Championship and Scottish Premiership combined after leaving PSG’s academy, during spells with the likes of Wigan Athletic, West Brom, Cardiff City and Motherwell.

He won the Baggies Supporters’ Player of the Season award in 2023/24, starting all 46 matches in the Championship and averaging 3.6 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins per game in the competition that year.

This all highlights what a strong option Kipre could be for Sunderland, even though he hasn’t yet played in the Premier League, with his experience of Ligue 1 no doubt helping him.

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The Black Cats are making moves ahead of their top-flight return.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 1, 2025

The Ivorian could provide great competition for minutes to the likes of Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien, potentially even being a starter from the off, and the fact that his exit from Reims looks likely could only be a good thing for the Black Cats.

Birmingham City ended up coasting to the League One title in style with five straight victories to close out the season seeing the Blues end on a record-breaking 111 points.

This was the first honour added to the St. Andrew’s trophy cabinet since Birmingham’s dramatic League Cup win over Arsenal in 2011, but the Tom Wagner-backed Blues will be hungry for more successes of this kind when heading up to the Championship.

Back-to-back promotions will be the dream goal for Chris Davies’ men upon their re-entry into the tricky division, with some new statement signings needed to boost their chances of immediately feeling at home in the EFL’s elite league.

One of those major buys could be Che Adams, with the hectic rumour mill suggesting Birmingham are keen on snapping up their former star to add even more firepower to their ranks.

Birmingham's hunt for Che Adams

Late last month, Football Insider broke the news that Davies and Co were eyeing up a spectacular move to tempt Adams back to the West Midlands club.

They further stated that Birmingham were looking to add the 28-year-old back to their roster in order to possess a Championship ready goal machine, with Adams boasting 49 career goals in the difficult division.

But, both Jay Stansfield and Alfie May arguably deserve a crack at the level after firing home the goals to seal promotion for their side.

Moreover, Birmingham could seal a better and more worthwhile purchase than landing Adams by signing an EFL star who might make the likes of Stansfield and May even more prolific.

Birmingham eyeing a more exciting signing than Adams

Luring Adams back to St. Andrew’s won’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, considering he once joined former employers Southampton for a reported £15m.

On the other hand, snapping up the services of Peterborough United superstar Kwame Poku could be a lot cheaper, with a compensatory fee needing to be agreed between both the Blues and Posh as the Ghanaian ace’s contract is now expired in Cambridgeshire.

Whilst Adams’ impressive goal record might well justify whatever bumper fee Torino want, Poku would come in and offer far more than just goals for Davies’ men, with the excellent delivery in the video above proving the 23-year-old’s calmness under pressure to pick out an inch-perfect pass for a teammate.

Of course, Poku’s blistering game does also focus in on his ability to fire home strikes, considering he bagged a potent 12 league goals last season for Darren Ferguson’s men.

But, he can also be unselfish and creative marauding through the centre or down the right channel, meaning the likes of Stansfield and May could have chances galore put on a plate for them if the 5 foot 10 star does finally join.

On top of that, it’s not also guaranteed that Adams would return to the Blues and be an instant rip-roaring success, considering he fired home just 12 goals during his first two seasons at the level when last donning a Birmingham strip.

Games played

27

37

44

Goals scored

12

19

16

Assists

8

3

8

Touches*

46.3

29.0

21.9

Shots*

2.4

2.7

1.6

Scoring frequency

172 mins

142 mins

148 mins

Accurate passes*

20.3 (80%)

8.1 (69%)

10.9 (79%)

Big chances missed

3

13

13

Big chances created

9

6

7

Whereas, looking at the table above, it appears that Poku, Stansfield and May could become a terrifying trio for Championship defences to contain, with the “top drawer” talent – as he’s been lauded by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony – chomping at the bit to prove himself as an attacking force in the far tougher league.

Also, reunions often just don’t go to plan either. Whereas, if Poku’s League One numbers are anything to go by, he could be the exact fresh blood Birmingham need to become an more formidable outfit stepping back up a division.

Birmingham closing in on signing their next Iwata for Davies

Birmingham City could soon snap up their next Tomoki Iwata with this summer purchase.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 18, 2025

Aston Villa are now ready to pay the release clause of an “elite” goalkeeper, who is also wanted by Manchester United, according to a new report.

Aston Villa suffer FA Cup semi-final heartbreak

The Villans had a very good chance of ending their drought as they reached the FA Cup semi-final this weekend, but it was Crystal Palace who sailed to a 3-0 win. Eberechi Eze and a double from Ismaila Sarr sealed Palace’s place in the final, and while Villa created chances to get back into the game, Unai Emery felt Palace deserved to win.

Emery could ditch Kamara by unleashing "world-class" Aston Villa ace

Aston Villa could reach their first FA Cup final since 2015 against Crystal Palace.

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 26, 2025

“When they scored the first goal, it was more difficult for us, and we only reacted after 2-0. Then we created more chances to score, and we didn’t score. In transition, they are very good, and they deserved to win,” Emery told BBC Sport.

“After the first goal, we pushed some corners. We had our moments, but we have to accept defeat. We were motivated for the semi-final, and we lost, but we keep going. Two years ago, when I arrived here, we were in a really bad moment. We are improving, and our level is going up so quickly. Yes, of course, we lost in the Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos as well.

“Everything we are doing is increasing our demands, and today the loss is something we have to accept. Sorry to our supporters because they were motivated. We have to be quick to react because in the league we have the most important objective. Today we lost, thank you to our supporters, and congratulations to Crystal Palace, and we keep going. Now it is finished, and we focus on the next match.”

Villa and Emery will now put full focus on the Premier League, as they still have work to do to finish in the top five and secure Champions League football once again for next season.

Aston Villa are ready to pay release clause of £21m Joan Garcia

As well as turning their attention towards their remaining league games, the club’s hierarchy are already looking ahead to the summer and are trying to get their business done early. That is because, according to Cadena Ser, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa want to sign goalkeeper Joan Garcia by paying his release clause.

The report states that Villa do not want to waste any time and want a “fast-track deal” for Garcia, and they hope the fact they are willing to pay his release clause means they can win the race for his signature. The 23-year-old’s release clause is said to stand between €25-30 million, which is roughly £21-25 million.

However, the Villans are not the only side chasing the Espanyol shot-stopper, as Manchester United are also keen, and the Red Devils have made contact with the player’s entourage in recent days over bringing him to Old Trafford. Garcia, who has been described as “elite” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has played every La Liga game for his side this season, conceding 42 goals and keeping seven clean sheets.

Apps

62

Goals conceded

63

Clean sheets

20

Garcia’s arrival at Villa Park would see him join a team that already has an established number one in Emi Martinez, whereas if he were to join Man United, he would likely become their number one goalkeeper given the doubts about Andre Onana.

A senior ticket collector at the New Delhi Railway Station, Sangwan sent Kohli’s off stump cartwheeling for 6

Daya Sagar31-Jan-2025On Friday, when the second day of the Delhi vs Railways Ranji Trophy match began, the fans were waiting eagerly for a Delhi wicket so that they could see their hero, Virat Kohli, bat. But Delhi’s overnight batters Sanat Sangwan and Yash Dhull made them wait for an hour. During their 67-run partnership for the second wicket, the spectators kept getting impatient and kept demanding a wicket from the Railways bowlers.However, when their wait ended, the joy did not last long. After only 23 minutes and 15 balls in the middle, Kohli was back in the pavilion for 6. This was a disappointing end to Kohli’s first innings in the Ranji Trophy after 12 years, and the stadium, which was reverberating with chants of “Kohli, Kohli… RCB, RCB” a while back was now completely silent.The man responsible for this was Railways’ right-arm fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan. Posted as a senior ticket collector at the New Delhi Railway Station, Sangwan bowled a good-length ball to Kohli. The batter took a step forward to drive it down the ground but the ball came in, beat his inside edge, and sent his off stump cartwheeling. Just one ball before this, Kohli had nailed the same shot off a similar length. Not this time.Related

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In the previous over, Kunal Yadav had beaten Kohli outside off stump on two successive deliveries. Perhaps to avoid that, Kohli charged at Sangwan and lost his wicket in the process. It was undoubtedly the biggest wicket of Sangwan’s career, and he celebrated it by punching the air and clenching his teeth.”We did not have any special plan for Kohli,” Sangwan said after the day’s play. “Since all Delhi batters play aggressive cricket, our plan was to bowl in the channel. If you do not give runs to an aggressive batter, he will try a big shot and get out. Perhaps the same happened with him.”Talking about his reaction after the wicket, Sangwan said: “That was my natural celebration. If you have seen me playing before, I always celebrate my wicket like this. I did not do anything different there.”Sangwan, 29, was born in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana. But his father’s job meant he spent his childhood in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. Like most Indian boys, he has been playing cricket since childhood, but in 2008, when Virat Kohli’s team won the Under-19 World Cup, he was very impressed by fast bowler Pradeep Sangwan, the guy with the same surname as him, and started dreaming of becoming a fast bowler like him.To focus on cricket, he moved from Jhunjhunu to his uncle’s place in Najafgarh, Delhi and started taking coaching there. Incidentally, Pradeep also hails from Najafgarh.After playing school and club cricket for four-five years, Sangwan was selected in Delhi’s Under-19 team and made his debut with Rishabh Pant in the 2013 Vinoo Mankad Trophy. In that 50-over game, he took 1 for 30 from eight overs. But after that, he was never selected for Delhi’s junior or senior team.Disappointed by this, Sangwan decided to play for his home state Haryana. He played district and university cricket there for about three-four years but did not get a chance in senior cricket.During this time, Sangwan got a job in Indian Railways as a ticket collector through sports quota. In 2018-19, he represented Railways in the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy, where he took 37 wickets in seven matches at an average of 18.21. That earned him a place in the senior team for the next season.Since then, Sangwan has been a key part of Railways’ bowling attack. Before the match against Delhi, he had 77 wickets in 23 first-class matches at an average of 19.92. His tally includes international names such as Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarawal, Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan. Apart from this, he has taken 21 wickets in 17 List A matches and five in seven T20s.”When I was not getting any opportunity, Railways supported me,” Sangwan said. They gave me chances, so my first priority is the Railways team. It is nothing like I had to prove something to Delhi for not giving me a chance.”

His towering frame and ability to generate steep bounce could give NZ’s attack a point of difference in Pakistan and India

Deivarayan Muthu08-Jan-2023Henry Shipley often imagined himself as Shane Bond during Christmas Day clashes with his cousins when he was a kid. Having earned his maiden New Zealand call-up, Shipley, now 26, is on the verge of becoming a Black Cap himself.While Shipley can generate sharp pace, he is more of a bowler in the mould of Kyle Jamieson than Bond. His towering frame (1.96 metres) and ability to produce steep bounce often draws comparisons with Jamieson. It’s something that even selector Gavin Larsen has acknowledged.”Bounce is the key for him, given his height, but equally the reason he gets given the new ball at times for Canterbury is he has the ability to move the ball in the air,” Larsen had said after selecting Shipley in the New Zealand squads for the tours of Pakistan and India. “Anyone that can bowl à la Kyle Jamieson with that sort of a height, swinging in and getting bounce, the potential is there that he will be a handful.”In the absence of Jamieson, who is still recovering from a back injury, Shipley is expected to provide New Zealand’s attack with a potent point of difference on what could be flat tracks in Pakistan and India. Bowling to the likes of Babar Azam and Virat Kohli could unnerve a rookie, but Shipley plans to shut out the outside noise and just do his job.Related

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“I think it will just be cool to say [post-tour that] I’ve been over there, and not be too worried about what happens I guess,” Shipley said. “We want to come away with some wins and hopefully win both series, but it’s [about] just getting over there, getting your feet on the ground and doing your job that’s at hand.”Shipley’s national call-up is reward for his remarkable consistency with the ball on the easy-paced hit-through-the-line one-day pitches and small grounds in New Zealand in domestic cricket. In November, he took career-best List A figures of 6 for 40, including a hat-trick in the Ford Trophy opener for Canterbury against Wellington. It was the first hat-trick for Canterbury and only fourth overall in 52 years of the tournament.Shipley continued his rich form in the Ford Trophy and is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with 12 strikes in five games at an economy rate of 4.20. Earlier in last season’s 20-over Super Smash, he had emerged as the top wicket-taker, with 18 scalps in 11 games at an economy rate of 7.25 in Canterbury’s run to the final, where they lost to Northern Districts.Shipley’s Canterbury coach Peter Fulton has had a hand in his progress. “Fulty is a pretty straight up character,” Shipley said. “He tells you what you need to do to get better and he can be pretty black and white. When you don’t have that clarity, it can be quite hard to understand what it is that’s going to get you to the next level. He simplified it from the very beginning and kind of took my thoughts away from it and let me do my work at the domestic level.”Working with international players like Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell at Canterbury has also helped Shipley. He has now reunited with them in Pakistan.”I don’t know [on what has clicked for him recently]. I think there can be some individual success but on the back of a team performance as well,” Shipley said. “I’ve been quite lucky with Canterbury, and we’ve had a lot of success in all three formats and the guys around you pave the way for the individual side of things.”Shipley hails from a strong cricketing background. His uncle Mark Priest was a stalwart for Canterbury and even played 21 international games for New Zealand while his father James is a “cricket tragic”.”My old man is a bit of a cricket tragic, and my uncle played a bit of cricket for New Zealand and Canterbury,” Shipley said. “So that [cricket] was always around me growing up and I’ve always been involved with Canterbury Country, Greendale and Darefield [clubs]. I guess it was something not I didn’t have a choice, but it was put in front of me from an early age and I kind of just took it from there.”However, the path to the top hasn’t been smooth. Shipley has been on New Zealand’s radar for a while, but multiple injuries have derailed his career. The injuries bothered him so much that at one point he stopped enjoying his cricket. Shipley has now learnt to embrace setbacks and just wants to cherish every moment on the field.Henry Shipley has been at the forefront of Canterbury’s recent success•Getty Images”I guess I’m never really looking to play safe,” Shipley said. “I think injuries are just a part of it and I guess they’re frustrating whenever they pop up and I’m sure they’re going to pop up in the future. It’s one of those things where you try and get on the park and stay there and enjoy it as long as you can.”For a while there, I was probably so conscious of that side of the game that I never really just enjoyed playing and perhaps something in the last 24 months has changed and the attitude has been to just enjoy being out there each game.”Shipley can also give it a good whack with the bat, as his T20 strike rate of 137 indicates. Larsen backs Shipley to become a genuine allrounder.”He’s a player who has been on our radar for a few years now – probably five-six years,” Larsen said. “He has performed really well over the past couple of years. I consider him to be a genuine allrounder. He’s tall and he’s a power-hitter. So, he offers a really good all-round skillset. Genuine allrounders are like gold dust in cricket and we would like to think he will develop his skills on this tour and push hard for us.”Trent Boult, Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill have all turned down their New Zealand contracts to become T20 freelancers, but the domestic system is still robust enough to feed promising talents like Shipley to the national side. A strong early impression in Pakistan and India could potentially propel Shipley into New Zealand’s World Cup plans.

Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa calls for transparency, wants quick results from the new panel

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2020
Analyse and act on the forensic report used to fire former CEO Thabang Moroe
South African cricket’s best-kept secret is this document, which has only been seen by three former CSA independent board directors and Mthethwa, and which can only be viewed by those willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. A summary released by CSA did reveal some of the contents of the report, including financial misconduct on the part of Moroe, and implicated several former board members including Beresford Williams, acting president till the other day.Mthethwa wants the interim board to study the report and act on it, including taking any actions against parties who are proven guilty of wrongdoing, and he also wants the report to be made available more widely.”This thing that you have a report that is a secret document must come to an end,” Mthethwa said. “It be a document which must be understood and scrutinised; implement what the recommendations are but be at liberty to look at the report itself, critically so, so that there is nothing which is an area you can’t get into.”Implementation of the 2012 Nicholson Report
Eight years ago, when Gerald Majola was investigated and then sacked after being found guilty on nine charges at a disciplinary hearing around the awarding of bonuses during the 2009 IPL, which was held in South Africa because of the Indian general elections, judge Chris Nicholson compiled a report which made recommendations including about how CSA should constitute its board. Nicholson suggested the board be made up of as many independent directors as non-independents (people from within the members’ council) and that the chairperson be independent too. To date, CSA has not implemented this. Instead, it had a board made up of a majority of non-independent directors and a president chosen from that, and a minority of independents. Part of the reason CSA did that was to please the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which did not approve of a majority of independent directors.The performance of the national team will play a role in deciding what CSA has to bargain with when it comes to a new broadcast deal.•BCCINow that Mthethwa has taken over the case of CSA from SASCOC, he has insisted that the Nicholson recommendations are put in place. Therefore, the job of the interim board is likely to be to determine a process by which the permanent board will be appointed, bearing in mind the Nicholson report’s criteria.Review board decisions taken since 2019
Although the summary of the forensic report that was used to fire Moroe indicated that many of Moroe’s actions, especially with regard to deals over the Mzansi Super League, were undertaken without the board’s knowledge, the board made several of its own decisions which Mthethwa wants the interim structure to look into.”This team is going to look into everything, including the decisions that were taken by the board that resigned,” he said. That would include things like the firing of five members of staff other than Moroe – which includes former COO Naasai Appiah, former head of sales and commercial Clive Eksteen, both of whom are fighting their dismissals in court – and decisions over the structure of cricket operations and the domestic game.Make South African cricket great again
Strictly speaking, this is the job of the executive (the CEO, acting in this case, and those who work in the office) and the players, but the board is responsible for making sure that the right things get done. In the last year, CSA has attracted “public criticism around how (it) has conducted its affairs, particularly in the areas of leadership, governance, transformation, selection of teams and so on from various interest groups within and outside of cricket”, as Mtethwa pointed out, it has lost sponsors and will be on the back foot when negotiations for a new broadcast deal begin. CSA’s deal with pay-television channel SuperSport ends in April next year, by which time the performance of the national teams over the summer will play a role in determining whether the organisation has a strong product to bargain with. The more competitive the teams are, the better the deal CSA can get, and although team form is not in their control, creating an environment that is suitable for growth is.Last summer, South Africa lurched through a string of poor results in India and at home as massive uncertainty shrouded the organisation. A more stable structure may help support stronger results and the rebuilding of a team that used to be on top of the Test rankings and still has unfulfilled ambitions of hoisting a World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering an offer to sign a Premier League striker to replace the struggling Dominic Solanke for Thomas Frank in 2026.

Frank ready to replace Solanke

It’s been an excellent start for Frank in North London. After becoming the first Premier League side to win away at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, Spurs now sit as high as third in the Premier League. Any thoughts about a repeat of last season are long gone and the Lilywhites are on course to earn their place back in the top four.

Not everyone is thriving under the Dane, however. In fact, the likes of Solanke have failed to win over the new manager entirely and now reports are suggesting that the former Brentford boss simply does not rate him.

The same reports also claimed that Spurs could replace the former Liverpool striker as soon as January, which could open the door to an early exit just over a year on from his £65m move from Bournemouth.

What hasn’t helped the forward’s case is his injury history. Since the start of last season, Solanke has missed 26 games through injury. For a £65m signing, that was always likely to give those in North London something to think about.

Tottenham now keen on "world-class" £35m star who Frank's already approved

Spurs are in the race to sign a new forward.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025

The early season form of Richarlison as well as the introduction of loan signing Randal Kolo Muani is also unlikely to help Tottenham’s record signing, who is facing an uphill battle to get in to Frank’s side for the first time.

Now, further reports have claimed that the Lilywhites are considering a 2026 offer to sign the 28-year-old’s replacement in a brutal decision from all involved.

Tottenham considering Igor Thiago offer

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are now considering a 2026 offer to sign Igor Thiago from Brentford. Frank initially welcomed the forward to West London for a record deal in 2024 before the Bees broke that record to sign Dango Ouattara in the summer just gone. Now, the Dane could reunite with his towering striker in North London.

The Brentford star has recovered from a long-term injury issue and is now thriving under Keith Andrews – scoring seven goals in 10 games in all competitions so far this season. It’s, therefore, no surprise that Spurs are reportedly eyeing a €35m+ (£31m+) loan to buy offer for Thiago in the January transfer window.

Described as “selfless” by Andrews, Thiago could yet hand Frank an ideal replacement for the struggling Solanke, who takes up £140,000-a-week on Spurs’ wage bill.

Liverpool have reportedly opened talks this week to sign a key reinforcement who Arne Slot loves ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2026.

Slot urges Liverpool to "remain humble"

Sunday’s 2-0 victory against West Ham United simply cannot be a false dawn for Liverpool or record signing Alexander Isak. After a disastrous run of form, the Reds must make it back-to-back victories by defeating Sunderland this evening.

Anything but three points would only spark further concerns about Slot’s tenure, as reports continue to suggest potential managerial candidates such as Ange Postecoglou.

Ahead of Liverpool’s clash against the Black Cats, Slot told reporters: “The challenge now will be to build on this win. We do not get to believe that a corner has been turned or that a recovery is under way.

“We have to remain humble, work hard and continue to fight. If we do this then maybe we can continue taking the small steps forward that are very much required.

“I would like to welcome Regis Le Bris, his players and staff as well as the supporters and directors of Sunderland to Anfield for tonight’s game. What they have done in the Premier League already this season reflects incredibly well on all at the club having earned promotion back in May.”

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Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 3, 2025

It’s been the type of run that sparks serious questions about the January transfer window and the need for reinforcements – particularly on the defensive front. As things stand, Liverpool have just two senior centre-backs available, but have been linked with moves for the likes of Castello Lukeba and, of course, Marc Guehi.

Liverpool open talks to sign Marc Guehi

According to TeamTalk, Liverpool have now opened talks to sign Guehi this week in an attempt to get their deal back on track and land their No.1 defensive target ahead of Real Madrid.

The Reds came within hours of signing the Crystal Palace star in the summer, only for the Eagles to pull the plug on the deal at the death. Now, they’re attempting to jump ahead of the chasing pack by making their move as early as the January transfer window.

Those at Anfield are reportedly willing to offer a deal worth around £30m next month, whilst others wait in line to secure Guehi’s signature as a free agent in the summer.

Not even Slot could hide Liverpool’s admiration for Guehi when they missed out on his signature in the summer, telling reporters: “It would be ridiculous if I were to deny we were close to signing him.

“That is so out in the open. These things happen in football. We would have liked to have signed him, of course. If we feel we can strengthen the team, we never hesitate to do so.”

Whether Crystal Palace willingly part with their defender, who was described as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, remains to be seen, however.

Liverpool star is now very quickly becoming "the next Diaz" at Anfield

Chelsea are probing the market for potential reinforcements and may find themselves in luck as they plot to reinforce their full-back options.

Admittedly, Enzo Maresca and his men are still finding their feet in the Premier League this term, and it remains to be seen whether they can sustain their recent form. Still, being third in the top-flight while fans await the conclusion of the international break is not to be sniffed at.

Integrating young stars and mixing them with a blend of experienced players who have been over the course seems to be working at Stamford Bridge. Either way, they look to have already secured the next talent to join their conveyor belt of future first-team prospects.

Fabrizio Romano has provided an intriguing update despite the transfer window being closed, claiming that the Londoners have reached an agreement to sign Deinner Ordóñez from Independiente del Valle on a deal that will start in January 2028.

Maintaining an excellent relationship with Moises Caicedo’s former club, Chelsea’s method of locking down future stars on long-term contracts is something that is beginning to translate into consistency on the pitch, and there will be plenty more to come once the January window opens.

Making their presence known, the Club World Cup holders could hijack Lyon’s move for Real Madrid forward Endrick, and a loan deal with an option to buy could be an ideal solution for all parties.

Building for the challenges that lie ahead will be at the forefront of Maresca’s mind in the capital, and he may have stumbled across a transfer bargain that is simply too good to pass up.

Chelsea look to potential cut-price Daniel Munoz deal

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have made contact with the intermediaries of Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz and could look to size up a cut-price deal worth in the region of £26.4 million.

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping close attention to his situation in South London after an excellent run of form that has seen him produce two goals and two assists in 19 matches this season.

Five similar players to Daniel Munoz (FBRef)

Josha Vagnoman

Stuttgart

Denzel Dumfries

Inter Milan

Robin Gosens

Fiorentina

Mitchell Weiser

Werder Bremen

Nico O’Reilly

Manchester City

Awareness of Reece James’s injury record has prompted Stamford Bridge chiefs to consider a bid for Munoz, who has been labelled an “animal” by Michel Ribeiro, something that may come as soon as January as they look to build momentum ahead of a possible challenge for the Premier League title.

The Colombia international is currently Palace’s second-best performer in the top flight behind Marc Guehi, who’s also been linked with a return to Chelsea in 2026, with the Blues potentially on for a Selhurst Park raid next year.

Undoubtedly, the Blues’ rivals will use the mid-season window to tool up ahead of an exciting climax to the season, and Chelsea look to be following the same trend and may strike if circumstances align.

Chelsea are also pushing to sign a Real Madrid attacking force