Tag Futebol

GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.

For example, the captain of the Three Lions decided to leave the Premier League just as he was closing in on becoming its all-time leading scorer, while two of his international team-mates are shining at Real Madrid and Scotland's Ballon d'Or nominee is living like a king in Italy.

Every Monday this season, GOAL will provide you with the latest on British stars playing on the continent and beyond. Here's what happened this weekend following a manic international break…

Getty Images SportKane plays sidekick role

By Harry Kane's high standards, this was a pretty slow week for him. He scored once as Bayern Munich smashed Freiburg 6-2 at the Allianz Arena. Therefore, he contributed to merely 16.7 percent of his side's goals. What gives?

Even despite finding the back of the net again, Kane was merely a member of the supporting cast as the Bavarians were forced to come from behind at home. Their visitors rudely sailed into a two-goal lead inside the opening 17 minutes, with both efforts coming from corners. Bayern, whose draw with Union Berlin before the international break interrupted their 16-match winning streak to open the season, took that personally.

Goals from Kane, Lennart Karl, Nicolas Jackson and Dayot Upamecano, plus a fine brace from Michael Olise, saw Vincent Kompany's men eventually run out rampant winners, but it was difficult to ignore their weaknesses defending dead balls ahead of a trip to set-piece kings Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"The first 20 minutes weren't good from us, but then we showed character," Kane said post-match. "The goal to take the lead shortly after half time obviously helped us. We came out with significantly more energy in the second half. We did really well both with and without the ball and showed the true face of FC Bayern. It was a really good win."

In good news for Kane on an individual note, he is now joint-top of the European Golden Shoe rankings after Erling Haaland drew a blank in Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Newcastle on Saturday, with both strikers now level on 14 goals apiece.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBellingham saves Madrid as Trent finally impresses

Poor Jude Bellingham was surprisingly the subject of a strange campaign from certain corners of the English media during his week away with the Three Lions. Fortunately, the Spanish press recognise his talent is less worthy of inflammatory sh*t-stirring, particularly with Real Madrid lingering from one crisis to another in recent weeks.

Pressure is already mounting on head coach Xabi Alonso despite a fairly positive start to life in the Bernabeu dugout, with the uncertain future of star winger Vinicius Jr one of the main talking points. Results are starting to slide a little too – their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool team in the Champions League a fortnight ago has already aged like milk.

On Sunday, Madrid made the trip to Elche, whose fast start to life back in La Liga has slowed in recent weeks, yet they still gave a decent account of themselves during this clash at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. Aleix Febas gave the hosts a surprise lead at the start of the second half, before Bellingham's header from a corner was turned in by Dean Huijsen to pull Los Blancos level.

When Alvaro Rodriguez put Elche back in front with six minutes to go, it appeared Madrid would be crashing to defeat, but Bellingham tapped home the second ball from a free-kick after his initial effort was denied to ensure it ended 2-2 and rescue a late point for the visitors.

Bellingham was not the only England international to prove his worth to Madrid, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also turning some doubters into believers with his wicked deliveries from set plays, even despite his haphazard defending. , who gave the right-back a rating of 8/10 when Bellingham only got a 7, wrote: "Honestly, his set pieces are a real treat. He's delivering the ball with flair… and Madrid is getting something out of every attack. The Englishman takes a long-range shot and it sails high. He gets caught out of position for Elche's 1-0 goal. All of Madrid's danger stems from a Trent cross. A low, powerful ball that hits the crossbar. He's everywhere. And another set piece… and a Madrid goal."

Getty Images SportTomori keeps out Inter in derby win

The first Derby della Madonnina of the season swung the way of AC Milan on Sunday, emerging as 1-0 winners in their 'away' match against Inter. A second-half strike from Christian Pulisic was all that separated these two great rivals, though the Nerazzurri spurned several chances to get on the scoresheet, with Hakan Calhanoglu denied from the penalty spot by former Rossoneri team-mate Mike Maignan.

Fikayo Tomori started on the right of a back three and was tasked with trying to clamp down wing-back extraordinaire Federico Dimarco as well as Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. The latter was hooked with 25 minutes remaining despite his side chasing a goal, if you want to know how that particular battle turned out.

At 27, Tomori was the elder statesman in a Milan backline which featured 26-year-old Matteo Gabbia in the middle, while the incredibly raw Strahinja Pavlovic, 24, conceded the penalty for a trip on Marcus Thuram. In fact, Tomori is actually the oldest defender in the entire Rossoneri squad, save for summer signing Pervis Estupinan by a few months, and Massimiliano Allegri has heavily leant on the forgotten England man upon his return to San Siro, featuring in all but two games so far this season.

Allegri proclaimed pre-match that 'whoever wins the most duels will win the derby'. Tomori responded by winning six of his seven in the air and on the floor, while he made all three of his tackles, six clearances, two interceptions and one block.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMcTominay helps get Napoli back on track

It was always going to be hard for Scott McTominay to return to club level with Napoli and exceed what he achieved over the November international window. His early submission for the 2026 Puskas Award – an outrageous overhead kick, obviously – was the first of many screamers during Scotland's 4-2 win at home to Denmark that saw them book a World Cup spot for the first time since 1998, only enhancing his modern-day legend.

That ought to have served as quite the palette cleanser given Napoli's indifferent defence of their Serie A title. The reigning champions of Italy went into the international break with Antonio Conte playing up the possibility of leaving the club, as is usually customary wherever he goes but is a warning sign nonetheless. A 3-1 triumph against Atalanta at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona snapped a run of three games without victory and would have vastly improved the mood around Naples.

David Neres' first-half double got Napoli on their way, and McTominay's quick thinking allowed the Brazilian to score his second, slipping the winger in down the left before he fired across goalkeeper Marco Carnasecchi to double the hosts' advantage. For those of a Manchester United persuasion wanting to check in on their alumni, Rasmus Hojlund teed up Neres for his first goal of the evening too.

يعتقد روبي فاولر أسطورة ليفربول أن الريدز يفتقد أحد لاعبيه الذين رحلوا عن صفوف الفريق خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية.

وكان ليفربول قد قام ببيع لويس دياز إلى صفوف بايرن ميونخ بعد ثلاث سنوات ونصف في صفقة تكلفت قيمتها 65 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وأنفق ليفربول أكثر من 450 مليون جنيه إسترليني لضم لاعبين جدد، ومع ذلك فقد تعرض للهزيمة في خمس مباريات من أصل 11 مباراة ويتأخر عن آرسنال بفارق ثماني نقاط في جدول الترتيب.

وأرجع فاولر سبب العديد من المشاكل إلى رحيل لويس دياز، والذي يقدم مستوى رائعًا مع بايرن ميونخ منذ بداية الموسم الحالي.

اقرأ أيضاً.. مدرب السويد يثير مخاوف ليفربول بشأن إيزاك.. ويصرح: اللاعب يشعر بالإحباط

وقال فاولر في تصريحات نشرتها “مترو” البريطانية: “لا أعرف سبب رحيل دياز، لكن يبدو أنه أراد ذلك، بالنسبة لي كان على الأرجح أحد أبرز لاعبي ليفربول العام الماضي”.

وأضاف :”لذلك أنا مندهش حقاً من عدم الحديث أكثر عن مدى افتقاد ليفربول لخدماته”.

وواصل: “عندما ننظر إلى ليفربول وبالتأكيد بدايتهم الصعبة، ربما واجهوا صعوبة في اختراق دفاعات الفرق الأخرى عندما كانت الفرق الأخرى تكتفي بالدفاع المنخفض، لويس دياز من اللاعبين القادرين على اختراق الدفاعات لذا أعتقد أنهم افتقدوه حقاً”.

ويعتقد روبي فاولر أن النجم الشاب الذي تخرج من أكاديمية ليفربول تايلر مورتون ورحل إلى صفوف ليون في الصيف يعد لاعباً واعداً ويأمل أن يثبت خطأ الريدز في بيعه.

West Indies coach Daren Sammy believes Nicholas Pooran’s shock retirement from international cricket underlines his challenge to “keep our players motivated to play for the crest”, even as he predicts that more players will follow Pooran’s lead.Pooran announced his decision to quit the international game on Monday, at the age of just 29. He never played a Test, and his last ODI was two years ago. But Pooran is West Indies’ all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is, and the timing of his retirement – eight months before a T20 World Cup – came as a surprise to many, not least because he is already a top earner in the franchise circuit.But Sammy, who captained West Indies to the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups in his playing days, said he had already started planning for life after Pooran before he had announced his decision. “My instincts told me something like that would happen,” Sammy said on Tuesday night, after West Indies’ sixth consecutive defeat on their white-ball tour to England.Related

• Cricket West Indies works on roadmap with 'about a hundred things to improve'

• MLC 2025: Pooran and Maxwell to lead MI New York and Washington Freedom respectively

• Pooran makes shock retirement from international cricket at 29

“Nicholas sent me a text message, and so did I have a conversation with his agent as well… When we first spoke about the UK tour and the conversation I had with him, I did ask him, ‘Are you unavailable for the UK tour only, or indefinite?’ And from that response, I just knew I had to start preparing for the worst case.”Ideally, a talent like that, I would love to have him in the team. But I don’t control nor could I control anybody’s careers… I wished him well, he wished the team well. It is [about] trying to move on now from planning a gameplan without Nicholas Pooran. With a World Cup coming ahead, I respect the fact that he told us early enough so we have more time to plan without him.”Sammy revealed, when asked about Pooran’s decision, that he had spoken to his players in their team meeting before Tuesday’s T20I in Southampton about his own pride in playing for the West Indies crest.”Surprised? No, I’m not surprised,” Sammy said. “I said something to the guys in the team meeting today: we don’t have control. It’s up to each individual. I made my debut in 2004 right at this ground, and I see here today in the stands the same people from 2004 – 21 years ago – the same fans: loyal, coming, bringing food, and everything they’ve been doing that way before I started, for Sir Viv [Richards] and these guys.”The passion they have travelling from London, all over, coming to watch us playing – not because we are great, [but] because of the love they have for the game and for West Indies cricket; what it meant to them when West Indies came here back in the 80s with Sir Viv and Clive [Lloyd], and they won games; the feeling it gave them during that era, walking down the streets, going to work the following day.”It is up to us, each individual, to understand what the brand and the crest means, and come out and play a brand that those people come and travel three hours to watch you play because of what the crest means to them. It is up to each player to go out and put in that type of passion out there. I could only speak about it, but I can’t force anybody to do it, just like I can’t tell anybody when to call time on their career.”Sammy also predicted that other players will follow Pooran’s lead relatively early in their careers, citing the recent examples of two South Africa players who have retired from international cricket in their early 30s.”I’m pretty sure more will follow in that mood, in that direction,” Sammy said. “That’s the way T20 cricket is now, and especially coming from the West Indies, with the challenges that we face trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest, so I wouldn’t be surprised. You saw everybody talk about Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, these guys who’ve retired. It’s out of our control.”Nicholas Pooran is West Indies’ all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is•Getty Images

West Indies struggled badly in Pooran’s absence in England, losing 3-0 in both the ODI and T20I series, and will now return to Ireland for a three-match T20I series which starts on Thursday. Sammy said that his main concern was around his team’s bowling attack, after they leaked 628 runs in 58.3 overs in the T20I series, including a total of 248 in Southampton.”It’s a question of skills,” Sammy said. “When being put under pressure, do we have the skillset to be disciplined with our plans? Do we back our ability long enough? Especially from a bowling point of view, we’ve been trying to search: how do we restrict things when they put us under the pump? […] It’s a conversation with a World Cup in less than eight months: how do we get our bowling right?”I think the batting will be more consistent. They have been over the last two years, but we can’t keep asking our batters to chase down high-200s, and then when we set 190 or 200, our bowling has yet to defend it. But I’m a very positive guy… We have enough time and games to put a combination together that could help us be successful.”

After closing out the MLS regular season on a dominant streak, Inter Miami CF star Lionel Messi has been named MLS Player of the Month for October 2025, following a stunning run of five goals and five assists in his last three matches. Thanks to his influence, the Herons finished the month with a perfect record of three wins and no losses, securing third place in the Eastern Conference.

• In peak form

  Messi has added yet another accolade to his spectacular MLS journey, earning his third Player of the Month award of the 2025 season-and the fifth since arriving in North America. His 10 goal contributions were the highest in the league for October. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Sealing the Golden Boot

  His dominant surge couldn’t have come at a better time, driving the Herons to a perfect October and ultimately earning him the MLS Golden Boot. Decision Day against Nashville SC served as the exclamation point: Messi delivered a hat-trick and an assist, bringing his season total to an astonishing 48 goal contributions (29 goals and 19 assists) – the second-highest single-season mark in league history.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  More milestones for Messi

  Messi continues to rewrite MLS records. He remains the only player to surpass 36 goal involvements in consecutive seasons, first doing so in 2024 with a 20-goal, 16-assist campaign that earned him the Landon Donovan MVP award.

  Now, with the regular season concluded, the 38-year-old has his sights set on making history again by becoming the first player in league history to win back-to-back MVP honors. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  Inter Miami head into the MLS Cup playoffs full of confidence. The club will open its best-of-three series against Nashville this Friday at Chase Stadium, with Messi once again at the forefront of their title ambitions.

أدلى آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، بتصريحات عقب فوزهم الثمين في مباراة يوم السبت ضد خصمه أستون فيلا، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وعاد ليفربول إلى سكة الانتصارات بعدما حقق فوزًا على أستون فيلا بهدفين دون رد، في الجولة العاشرة من الدوري الإنجليزي، مساء أمس على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

وتمكن محمد صلاح وريان جرافنبيرخ من تسجيل هدفي ليفربول في تلك المباراة.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “كانت الفوارق ضئيلة في كل مباراة، لقد سددوا كرة في القائم بعد 5 دقائق، لم تُحتسب ضدنا كرة ثابتة، وهو ما كان مفيدًا، لكننا كنا محظوظين بعض الشيء، وهو أمر لم يحدث مؤخرًا، هدفنا الثاني كان ارتدادًا من جانبهم”.

وأضاف: “كانت فرصتهم الأكبر أمامنا عندما سددوا في القائم، في الأسابيع القليلة الماضية كانت مثل تلك الكرات تدخل المرمى، لم يحدث ذلك هذه المرة، هدفنا الثاني كان من حسن حظنا، وهو ما لم نكن نملكه في الأسابيع القليلة الماضية”.

وواصل: “الميزة في التقدم 1-0 أو 2-0 هي أنه يمكنك التحكم في المباراة بشكل أفضل مع المزيد من الاستحواذ، ولكن إذا كنت متأخرًا، فعليك أن تطارد المباراة وتخاطر وتواجه الهجمات المرتدة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | “لا نراه كثيرًا”.. سلوت يعلق على إنجاز محمد صلاح بعد هدفه أمام أستون فيلا

وأردف: “أعتقد أن كل من كان هنا اليوم شعر بأهمية المباراة، اللاعبون والجماهير أيضًا، أظهرنا شخصية قوية وفزنا بالمباراة، لقد صنعنا فرصًا أكثر في مباريات أخرى، الأهداف تُحدث فرقًا كبيرًا في كرة القدم، لم تكن هذه هي المرة الأولى التي نصنع فيها فرصة من ضغط عال”.

واستكمل: “في مباريات أخرى استقبلنا أهدافًا بسبب قلة تركيزنا، اليوم كان الفارق الكبير هو عدم استقبال أي ركلة ثابتة، كل مباراة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز حاليًا تعتمد على الكرات الثابتة”.

وفيما يخص ريان جرافنبيرخ، قال: “أعتقد أنه قادر على العودة (بكامل قوته)، لكن علينا أن نرى كيف سيخرج من هذه المباراة، الأمر يعتمد على كاحله، علينا أن نكون أذكياء في اختيار دقائق اللعب”.

واسترسل: “لدينا 19 أو 20 لاعبًا متاحًا، عادةً ما يكون ثلاثة أو أربعة منهم غائبين، وينضمون بعد ذلك أيضًا إلى المنتخب الوطني”.

وتغزل سلوت في محمد صلاح، قائلًا: “لقد أعجبتني قوته في كل مرة نلعب فيها تمريرات طويلة، لقد ساعد الفريق، هذا هو محمد الذي نتمناه أنا وهو، ونريد رؤيته”.

وأوضح: “عندما كان نضطر إلى اللعب بتمريرات طويلة، كنا نلعبها في الغالب تجاه محمد صلاح، كان قادرًا على الاحتفاظ بالكرة، وبسبب ذلك تمكن بقية الفريق من التقدم نحوه وتمكنا من الاستمرار في اللعب”.

واستأنف: “ما أعجبني أيضًا أن محمد صلاح لم يقم بعمله الهجومي بشكل جيد فحسب، بل ساعد الفريق دفاعيًا أيضًا، أعتقد أنه بعد أن سجلنا 1-0، كان يساعد فان دايك، في مكان ما حول خط المنتصف، هذا المزيج من الأمور أدى إلى إعجابي بأدائه الليلة”.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Everton are expected to make big progress in their efforts to sign a priority target in the “next 24 hours”.

Grealish delighted after impressive Everton debut

The Blues made a perfect start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon, beating Brighton 2-0, thanks to goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner.

It was debutant Jack Grealish who caught the eye the most, however, with the Englishman assisting both goals and speaking of his happiness after the game.

“It was massive, our first game at the new stadium and we wanted to put on a show for the supporters. I think we certainly did that. I always say playing against Brighton is one of the toughest games with the way they play, so we’re very happy to get the win. It was great.

“I absolutely loved my time at Man City – I had a great four years there and won a lot of things, but this summer I felt like it was time for a change and, as I’ve said before, as soon as I spoke to the manager, David Moyes, on FaceTime, I knew this was the place I wanted to come. There were a lot of reasons why I wanted to come here – and today shows why.”

It was a huge win for Everton, especially after the defeat at Leeds United to begin their 2025/26 season, and it’s now a case of them completing more transfer business before the window closes next Monday, with David Moyes proving he can get the best out of limited squad depth during his tenure so far.

Everton closing in on "world-class talent"

According to Romano on X, Everton are on the verge of signing Tyler Dibling after a breakthrough in the deal, with a medical expected to take place imminently.

Dibling has the potential to be such an exciting signing for Everton, during a summer in which much-needed creativity has been added to the squad, from Grealish to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

England Under-21s

2

0

England Under-19s

6

1

England Under-18s

5

0

England Under-17s

15

3

England Under-16s

1

1

The 19-year-old Saints ace is a player with so much ability, invariably taking a right-sided role and cutting onto his left foot, with Southampton’s academy manager Andy Goldie heaping praise on him.

While Grealish is another exciting addition, he turns 30 next month and doesn’t represent the long-term future, whereas Dibling falls into that bracket perfectly.

The teenage attacker can mature into a wonderful player over time, should Moyes get the best out of him, and it looks like a case of when the deal is announced now, rather than if.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has beaten off competition from Lamine Yamal to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or. The France international was crowned the best male player in the world at a ceremony in Paris on Monday night after an incredible season where he won the quadruple with Luis Enrique’s side and delivered the club a first ever Champions League title.

• PSG star Dembele wins 2025 Ballon d'Or

  Dembele was the hot favourite to claim the prize after an extraordinary campaign with PSG. The 28-year-old scored 35 goals in all competitions and bagged 14 assists for the French club as they swept all before them in 2024-25 and won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the French Super Cup and the Champions League.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  The full Ballon d'Or rankings

  Dembele and Yamal were unsurprisingly the top two in the final Ballon d'Or rankings. The duo finished ahead of PSG star Vitinha, Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah and Barcelona attacker Raphinha. The top 10 was completed by Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Nuno Mendes.

• Dembele in tears after Ballon d'Or victory

  An emotional Dembele was moved to tears after collecting his award. He said in his acceptance speech: "What I'm experiencing is exceptional. It's been an incredible year with Paris Saint-Germain. I'm a little stressed, it's not easy. It's exceptional that Ronaldinho is giving me this title. I thank PSG who came looking for me in 2023, its president, the whole team and the whole club. It's an incredible family. President Nasser is like a dad to me. The staff has been exceptional. Luis Enrique has also been like a dad to me throughout my career, even though it's not over. Thank you to my teammates. The team won this individual trophy."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Yamal takes home Kopa Trophy again

  Yamal may not have won the main prize but he did not go home empty-handed. The 18-year-old won the Kopa Trophy – handed to the best Under-21 player – for the second year in a row. ”It’s an honor to be here again. I want to thank Barcelona and the national team. Also, my family. I don’t want to forget my teammates, like Cubarsí and Raphinha, who we can also see here," he said as he picked up his award.

The announcement follows a swirl of corruption allegations in the BPL over the last couple of weeks

Mohammad Isam01-Feb-2025The BCB has formed an independent inquiry body to support its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) in ongoing investigations into the BPL. The announcement follows a swirl of corruption allegations in the BPL over the last couple of weeks.”As part of its ongoing efforts, the BCB is in the process of establishing an Independent Inquiry Body to further support the ACU in its investigations,” a BCB press release said. “The BCB remains dedicated to ensuring a fair and transparent cricketing environment, and will continue to take all necessary actions to safeguard the integrity of the sport in Bangladesh.”The press release said that there have been media reports on potential corruption incidents during the tournament. The reports have named players and matches, although the allegations have not been corroborated by the BCB’s ACU.Related

BCB drop several players from BPL auction following findings of corruption report

Alex Marshall: 'The biggest threat to any league is when it appears vulnerable'

BCB brings in Alex Marshall for its anti-corruption unit among new appointments

BPL gets a boost from arrival of eliminated ILT20 players

Shaun Tait keeps it simple to find success with Chittagong Kings

“The BCB has also come across media coverage regarding potential anti-corruption concerns about the BPL. The Board reiterates its firm commitment to upholding the integrity and spirit of the game,” the release said. “The BCB strictly adheres to the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Participants and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in any form. The BCB anti-corruption unit is continuously monitoring all matters relating to integrity within Bangladesh cricket, addressing them with due confidentiality and discretion.”This is the first time since 2013 that the BCB has announced an investigation into corruption allegations at the BPL. It comes as another hit to the league in a season when there has already been issues over player payments and ticketing.

Everton have entered the summer transfer window with a clear mission: reinvigorate their squad after a campaign that demanded both patience and pragmatism.

The club has already made notable additions, including Carlos Alcaraz, whose loan from Flamengo has been made permanent, Thierno Barry from Villarreal, and a headline-grabbing move for Jack Grealish from Manchester City.

This flurry of activity comes amid a period of departures, as several senior players have left on free transfers, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Ashley Young.

These exits have created opportunities for the Toffees to bring in Premier League talent seeking a fresh start.

Moyes appears to be targeting players who, much like Grealish, have been cast out or underutilised at bigger clubs and now need a platform to reignite their careers.

The player in question offers a blend of defensive tenacity and midfield intelligence, and, like Grealish, he represents a gamble but could be someone who could transform the spine of a team when given the right environment and playing time.

Everton eyeing move for Spurs midfielder

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Yves Bissouma is the midfielder at the centre of Everton’s interest, a player who has found himself on the fringes at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs paid £25m to acquire him from Brighton in 2022, but the midfielder has struggled to consistently secure a starting spot.

Despite these challenges, pundits like Adam Smithy have lauded Bissouma as “world-class,” praising his ability to control the game from midfield and break up opposition attacks.

Football Insider revealed that Tottenham are unlikely to stand in his way this summer, but any move will depend on the club finding a suitable replacement.

Spurs have already invested heavily in Mohammed Kudu, who joined from West Ham United for £60m. Additionally, Spurs have secured Palhinha on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and are eyeing Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, who could potentially be available for around £40 million, although Madrid are reportedly reluctant to sell.

At Tottenham, Bissouma has competed with Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Pape Sarr in a crowded central midfield.

For Everton, Bissouma represents the chance to acquire a Premier League-proven midfielder who is hungry to prove himself again.

His contract at Spurs runs until summer 2026, meaning Tottenham will want to recoup part of their £25m investment rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Why he could be a Jack Grealish repeat

The parallels between Bissouma and Jack Grealish are striking.

Both players arrived at their respective clubs with strong reputations, only to find themselves needing a fresh start to reach their full potential.

Grealish, who joined Everton from Manchester City, faced limited game time at City and struggled with injuries, ultimately playing just 721 minutes last season, representing 21.1% of squad minutes, per Transfermarkt.

Thomas Tuchel reportedly told him he needed regular football to maintain his World Cup ambitions, prompting the move to Goodison Park. Similarly, Bissouma has the capability to dominate matches when given trust and continuity.

Over 100 appearances for Spurs, he has contributed six goals and three assists while maintaining exceptional defensive metrics: 91st percentile for tackles (3.09 per 90), 83rd percentile for interceptions (1.39 per 90), and 92nd percentile for clearances (2.65 per 90), per FBref.

He also boasts a 83rd percentile pass completion rate of 88.6%, highlighting his dual ability to break up attacks and distribute effectively.

Yves Bissouma – Premier League Stats 2024/25

Matches Played

28

Starts

16

Minutes

1,408

Goals

1.02

Shot Creating Actions per 90

1.02

Tackles

49

Blocks

11

Bissouma’s profile evokes comparisons with Boubakar Kamara and Edson Álvarez, two players who provide balance in the centre of the park and thrive in roles where they can cover ground, intercept play, and initiate transitions.

Age is another factor that favours Everton’s pursuit.

At 28, Bissouma combines maturity with peak athleticism, offering immediate value rather than a long-term developmental gamble.

Furthermore, Everton’s summer recruitment strategy reflects a clear intention to blend experience and ambition.

With departures opening up space for new arrivals, the club is seeking players who have Premier League experience and can make an immediate contribution.

Bissouma fits this mould perfectly. His experience in England’s top-flight, combined with European competition exposure at Spurs, ensures he arrives ready to adapt and lead.

For a player already acclimated to Premier League demands, this represents a low-risk, high-reward investment, just like Grealish.

Finally, Bissouma’s move could serve as a statement of intent.

Everton are signalling that they are prepared to offer players a platform to succeed, encouraging other talented professionals seeking a new start to consider Goodison Park as a destination where their abilities will be maximised.

Nottingham Forest are now ready to advance on a deal to sign an “incredible” attacking midfielder this week, according to a reliable reporter.

Nottingham Forest chasing multiple targets who could replace Gibbs-White

Having already lost Anthony Elanga, Forest are now doing everything they can to make sure they don’t lose captain and talisman Morgan Gibbs-White as well. Tottenham Hotspur have already triggered Gibbs-White’s release clause this summer, but the Reds have threatened legal action due to Spurs’ move.

Gibbs-White has returned to pre-season training and played in a pre-season game over the weekend, but it remains unclear where his future lies.

Nottingham Forest strike "verbal agreement" with "complete" £35m forward

The Tricky Trees are making progress in their pursuit of an attacker, with an opening bid now in the works.

ByDominic Lund Jul 20, 2025

Therefore, the Tricky Trees are looking at their options, and there are now two names being looked at as possible replacements for the England international. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa has been a target for Forest for a while now, and the BBC’s Sami Mokbel revealed last week that Forest are advancing with their plans to sign Wissa, albeit he is of course more of an out and out forward.

As well as working on a deal for Wissa, according to Football Insider, Forest are now in pole position to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa. The Midlands side are reportedly open to selling the midfielder should they receive an offer between £40-50 million, as Ramsey is said to be unhappy due to his playing time last season.

Nottingham Forest to advance deal to sign "incredible" McAtee

The Premier League side are not stopping at Wissa and Ramsey, as according to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Nottingham Forest are looking to move ahead with their pursuit of James McAtee from Manchester City.

In his update, Percy also states that Forest are not the only team chasing McAtee, as teams from the Premier League and Bundesliga are also interested. It was reported a couple of days ago that Everton are prioritising a move to sign McAtee, as they look to spend £150 million on new arrivals this summer.

As well as Everton, Manchester United have been linked with a shock move for the England under-21 international, who looks set to leave the Etihad Stadium.

McAtee, who has been lauded as being “incredible” by former Sheffield United teammate Oli McBurnie, is out of contract at Man City next summer, and therefore, the Blues may look to cash in on their attacking midfielder, who played just 15 times in the Premier League last season.

Despite only having 12 months left on his contract however, City have still set a price tag of £25 million to sign McAtee this summer.

Apps

15

Starts

3

Goals

3

Shots per game

0.8

Chance conversion

25%

Big chances created

2

Key passes per game

0.2

Balls recovered per game

0.5

McAtee was very much on the fringes of the City team last season, but it is probably his two separate spells at Sheffield United that have teams continuing to circle with interest. The 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 67 league games for the Blades.