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Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat against his former team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Both the matches in Mullanpur this IPL so far have featured 200-plus targets and successful defences. Iyer said he made the decision despite the dew because of the trend of teams batting first winning.There were caps handed out on both sides. Anrich Nortje made his KKR debut replacing Moeen Ali. It was clear KKR wanted to go express pace against a side whose Indian batters have been doing well.In the absence of the injured Lockie Ferguson, PBKS handed out a debut to Xavier Bartlett, the Australia fast bowler, who can bat a little down the order. They also beefed up their batting with the introduction of Josh Inglis to go with their India-heavy batting. Marcus Stoinis was left out.Related

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PBKS are likely to bring in Yash Thakur when bowling in the second innings. KKR had Angkrish Raghuvanshi as the extra batter among their substitutes.This was expected to be an emotional match for Shreyas, who led KKR to the title last year, but wasn’t retained by the team, who were left scrambling for a captain by the end of the auction.Punjab Kings 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt.), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Arshdeep SinghPBKS bench V Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar, Pravin DubeyKolkata Knight Riders 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Anrich Nortje, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun ChakravarthyKKR bench Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia

وجّه أمير عبد الحميد، مدرب حراس المرمى السابق بالنادي الأهلي، رسالة وداع مؤثرة بعد انتهاء مهمته مع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، بعد تعيين ييس توروب مديرًا فنيًا للمارد الأحمر ومعه مساعديه.

ووجّه وليد صلاح الدين، مدير الكرة بالنادي الأهلي، رسالة تقدير وشكر إلى الثلاثي أمير عبد الحميد ومحمد نجيب وعبد الرحمن عيسى، عقب انتهاء مهمتهم مع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، مثمنًا الجهود التي بذلوها خلال الفترة الماضية داخل القلعة الحمراء.

وقال أمير عبد الحميد في رسالته عبر “إنستجرام”: “ويَبقى الأثر.. رحلة قصيرة انتهت، بما حملته من لحظات حرجة وأخرى حاسمة، وذكريات عظيمة واستثنائية غير قابلة للنسيان، ستظل محفورة في الوجدان مهما طال الزمن”.

وتابع: “40 يومًا داخل جدران نادينا الحبيب، وبيتي الأول الذي أتشرف بكوني واحدًا من أبنائه، وفردًا من جيل ذهبي صال وجال وحقق إنجازات تاريخية”.

طالع أيضًا | إسلام الشاطر: الأهلي يستطيع شراء أي لاعب.. ولو أراد الزمالك أن يفعل مثله “يورينا”

وأضاف: “كانت مهمة مؤقتة عبرنا خلالها بمحطات صعبة، لكن الله كافأ مجهوداتنا بالنجاح، ليبدأ نادينا مرحلة جديدة مع جهاز فني جديد نأمل أن يُوفق في إسعاد جماهير الأهلي، وتحقيق ما يليق باسم وتاريخ هذا الكيان الكبير”.

وأردف: “أتقدم بخالص الشكر لإدارة الأهلي برئاسة الأسطورة محمود الخطيب على ثقته ودعمه، ولزملائي في الجهاز الفني على مجهوداتهم المخلصة، وللاعبي الفريق الرجال أصحاب المعدن الأصيل وأبطال المواقف الصعبة”.

وواصل: “كل التحية والتقدير لحراس فريقنا الكبار: الشناوي، شوبير، سيحا، وحمزة علاء، ومعهم تبقى حراسة الأهلي ومنتخب مصر في أمان”.

واختتم: “ويبقى الشكر الأكبر لجمهور الأهلي العظيم، خير الداعم والسند الدائم في كل الأوقات، وصاحب الفضل – بعد الله – في نجاحات النادي. وباستمرار دعمه، سنبقى دائمًا في المقدمة، ولنا عودة بإذن الله”.

كشف حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر الثاني المقرر مشاركته في بطولة كأس العرب، عن اللاعبين البدلاء في مواجهة البحرين، التي تقام اليوم الأحد، وديًا.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر الثاني مع البحرين، في الثامنة مساء اليوم، خلال معسكره المقام في المغرب، ضمن الاستعدادات لبطولة كأس العرب بقطر في نهاية العام الحالي.

طالع | تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني أمام البحرين وديًا.. محمد شريف يقود الهجوم

وكان منتخب مصر خسر في مباراته الودية الأولى أمام منتخب المغرب للمحليين، بهدفين دون رد، التي أقيمت الخميس الماضي.

ويشارك منتخب مصر الثاني، في بطولة كأس العرب، المقرر إقامتها في قطر، تبدأ في 1 ديسمبر وتختتم بالنهائي في 18 ديسمبر 2025.

وكانت قد أسفرت قرعة بطولة كأس العرب عن تواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة مع الأردن والإمارات والفائز من (الكويت ضد موريتانيا). بدلاء منتخب مصر الثاني اليوم أمام البحرين

أحمد الشناوي – محمود جاد -محمود رزق – محمد إسماعيل – محمود الونش – أحمد هاني – يحيى زكريا – سام مرسي – محمد مجدي أفشة – عمر الساعي – مصطفى سعد ميسي” – مصطفى شلبي – مروان حمدي.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has hailed David de Gea's remarkable comeback at Fiorentina. Reina admitted he did not expect the ex-Manchester United star to return with such confidence and leadership after a full year out of the sport, labelling his compatriot as 'exceptional' and the club's most decisive player last season.

Reina acknowledges De Gea's return

Reina has lauded De Gea's successful return to football with Fiorentina, admitting he has been surprised by the "exceptional" form shown by his compatriot. Speaking to , Reina praised the ex-United star's impact since he moved Serie A following a full season out of the game as a free agent.

AdvertisementGettyWhat Reina said about De Gea's comeback

Reina, who was speaking ahead of Fiorentina's match against his former club Como, expressed his admiration for how quickly De Gea has re-established himself as a top-tier goalkeeper. He highlighted the mental fortitude required to perform at such a high level after a significant break.

"Hats off to him, really," Reina said. "After a year of inactivity, I didn't expect him to return with such confidence, leadership, and self-belief. He was exceptional and brought the team many points. Last season, he was Fiorentina's most decisive player."

De Gea's impressive Fiorentina stats

After his contract with United expired in the summer of 2023, De Gea spent the entire 2023-24 campaign without a club before signing for Fiorentina in August 2024. The 34-year-old has quickly become the undisputed number one for La Viola. So far in the 2025-26 season, he has started all three of Fiorentina's Serie A matches, keeping one clean sheet. Across all competitions, he has made five appearances, conceding six goals and recording two shutouts.

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Getty Images SportWhat next for De Gea?

Having silenced any doubts about his ability to compete at the highest level, De Gea will look to build on his strong start in Florence. The Spaniard is contracted to the club until June 2028, providing him with long-term security. His immediate focus will be on maintaining his form and helping Fiorentina push for European qualification, having already established himself as one of the team's most important players. De Gea will now be seen in action for his club against Como this Sunday in a Serie A fixture.

States are having to delve into their reserves due to the Australia ODI and A series

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Oct-2024

Josh Hazlewood will make his first appearance of the season for New South Wales as he builds up to the India Test series while Nathan Lyon has been rested.Hazlewood had been due to play last week’s One-Day Cup game against Victoria alongside Pat Cummins but withdrew on the morning of the match due to illness. It means the Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland will be his first outing since the England tour finished in late September and will likely be his one competitive game before the first Test against India.It had been expected that Lyon would feature in three Shield matches before the Test series, but he has sent down 104 overs in the two matches he has played against South Australia and Victoria and it’s understood he is unlikely to have another run before facing India.A number of states have been significantly hit for round three of the Shield by Australia ODI and Australia A call-ups. From their previous XI, alongside Lyon, NSW are missing Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Sam Konstas and Josh Phillippe due to those concurrent series.Ollie Davies is also part of the Australia A squad but will only feature in the second four-day game next week at the MCG so is available to face Queensland. And in a boost for NSW, allrounder Jack Edwards is fit after a hamstring injury. Lyon’s absence means legspinner Tanveer Sangha will be able to return to the XI.Mitchell Swepson will captain Queensland with Marnus Labuschagne in ODI duty. They are also with Michael Neser (Australia A) and Mark Steketee (ankle), Gurinder Sandhu (calf), Callum Vidler (groin). Jimmy Peirson will be the wicketkeeper in the second Australia A match next week.Mahli Beardman is a chance to make his first-class debut for Western Australia after being named in a 13-man squad to play Tasmania in Hobart. Beardman was a shock selection on Australia’s recent limited-overs tour of the UK after playing just one List A game last summer. The Under-19 World Cup winner has played just one Second XI match for WA this summer returning figures of 1 for 30 and 1 for 25 from just 13.3 overs across the two innings. He’s also gone wicketless in his three WA premier cricket matches for his club side Melville.Uncontracted international spinner Ashton Agar has also been named in the squad with Corey Rocchiccioli rested ahead of his appearance for Australia A. Agar has not played a first-class match since his last Test appearance in January 2023. Joel Paris has been named for his first game of the Shield season. Cameron Bancroft (Australia A), Cooper Connolly (Australia A), Aaron Hardie (Australia ODI), Josh Inglis (Australia ODI) and Mitch Marsh (paternity leave) are all unavailable.Joel Curtis will keep wicket while Jhye Richardson has been named to play another Second XI game for WA as he continues to build his red-ball fitness. Lance Morris played a club T20 for Scarborough last Sunday but is still working back to full fitness from a quad injury.Tasmania have lost Beau Webster to Australia A duty but welcome back Gabe Bell and Lawrence Neil-Smith after the two seamers were rested from the last Shield clash with WA.South Australia are also missing key players with Nathan McSweeney captaining Australia A while pace bowlers Jordan Buckingham, Brendon Doggett and Nathan McAndrew are in the squad. Alex Carey, who has been in outstanding form, will captain against Victoria.Peter Siddle, who turns 40 later this month, has been recalled for his first Shield game of the season as Victoria are missing Scott Boland, Fergus O’Neill, Todd Murphy and Marcus Harris due to Australia A duty.New South Wales squad Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques (capt), Nic Maddinson, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Tanveer SanghaQueensland squad 4. Mitchell Swepson (capt), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker, Jack WildermuthSouth Australia squad Alex Carey (capt), Harry Conway, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Conor McInerney, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry ThorntonVictoria squad Will Sutherland (capt), Dylan Brasher, Ash Chandrasinghe, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Mitch Perry, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Doug WarrenTasmania squad Gabe Bell, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Matt Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen, Jordan Silk (capt), Charlie Wakim, Jake WeatheraldWestern Australia squad Sam Whiteman (capt), Ashton Agar, Mahli Beardman, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Matt Kelly, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Teague Wyllie

Sunderland fans will be hoping their team can be instantly successful moving up to the Premier League after an action-packed summer so far in the transfer window.

Of course, it will take time for the multitude of fresh signings on Wearside to gel and get up to speed with their daunting new environment, but Regis Le Bris will just pray it clicks relatively quickly as his team tries to stave off an immediate drop back down to the Championship.

Granit Xhaka could well be the next statement addition through that door that ruffles a few feathers, with the Black Cats reportedly striking an agreement on personal terms with the ex-Arsenal midfielder to return to the Premier League. Further reports have indicated that a bid has also been lodged for the Bayer Leverkusen man.

Then, with the attack already bolstered and the midfield department brimming with quality, the defence could be next on Le Bris’ agenda to strengthen.

Sunderland prepare bid for £22m titan

The star-studded buys look as if they will continue into the Black Cats’ back line, with Sunderland now being linked to former Europa League winner Loic Bade in the heart of defence.

Recent reports have suggested that the newly promoted side are in pole position to land the imposing Frenchman, even as fellow suitors from the Premier League in Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur circle for the £25m defender’s services, alongside Marseille and Villarreal.

It still could be a tall order for Sunderland to win this race outright, even if they are reported to be in the lead for his signature currently, with a dream alternative to the 25-year-old now up their sleeve as a fresh bid is potentially prepared.

Transfer Focus

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

As per reports from Italian outlet Il Resto del Carlino, as relayed by 1000CuoriRossoblu, Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi is now tempted by a move to Wearside after initially being hesitant.

With the newly-promoted side already lodging a bid of around €20m (£17m), a heftier offer is now being prepared by the Black Cats, with the Serie A side looking for closer to €25m (£22m) to cash in.

With Lucumi’s agents also pushing for the centre-back to relocate to England, this might well be a move that is finalised in a swifter manner than Bade’s, with the Bologna number 26 sticking out as a dream alternative to the one-time France international.

Why Lucumi would be a dream Bade alternative

This chaotic summer period so far has proven that the Black Cats are unafraid to splash the cash, with a club-record £30m forked out on Habib Diarra.

Yet, there won’t be a bottomless pit of money at the Stadium of Light forever, meaning £3m saved on a defender could be a worthwhile, savvy move in the long run, especially when you weigh up Lucumi’s strengths next to his £25m counterpart.

Despite once being heralded as an “elite” level defender by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Bade comes up short when assessed next to Lucumi in many different areas of their defensive games across last season.

The South American centre-back trumps the Sevilla number 22 when it comes to accurate passes per 90 minutes in league action, on top of Bade also falling flat in terms of ball recoveries and tackles won.

Lucumi’s well-known composure with the ball at his feet has even seen him labelled as “ice cold” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, with this assured demeanour standing him in good stead for the intense challenges the Premier League would throw his way.

Whilst Bade might be a more notable name to an outsider looking in, the evidence here proves that Lucumi would be a fantastic, cost-effective alternative to the Frenchman.

Adingra will love him: Sunderland in talks to sign "sensational" £22.5m ace

Sunderland is continuing to negotiate a deal to snap up a £22.5m star

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 22, 2025

Khurram Shahzad’s six-for had Pakistan on top, but they couldn’t capitalise on the opposition being 26 for 6

Ashish Pant01-Sep-2024In a comeback story for the ages, Litton Das’ sublime 138 backed up by Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s confident 78 helped Bangladesh bounce back from the depths of 26 for 6 to post 262 and keep Pakistan’s first-innings lead to a mere 12 runs in the second Test in Rawalpindi.This was Litton’s fourth Test century and his first in more than two years. He was also ably supported by No. 10 Hasan Mahmud, who hung around for a ninth-wicket partnership that frustrated Pakistan for 149 balls, on top of adding 69 valuable runs as Bangladesh closed in on parity. In the end, the visitors fell a mere 12 short.Bangladesh’s remarkable turnaround continued with the ball too with Hasan picking up two wickets in 10 balls. Pakistan, at 9 for 2, could only wonder what if having begun the third day’s play so well. Khurram Shahzad had set the tone, picking up his first Test-match five-for. He finished with 6 for 90, having ripped through the Bangladesh top order in a fiery spell of 4 for 15 in the first hour of the day. But Mehidy and Litton added 165 runs for the seventh wicket to herald the visitors’ fight back. Then there was more rearguard action in the final session.Resuming at 193 for 8 after tea, Litton and Mahmud stalled the Pakistan bowlers for more than two hours. Litton farmed most of the strike as he declined singles and only gave Mahmud a handful of balls to face. Mahmud showed solid defensive technique, playing his part in Litton reaching his century. The wicketkeeper-batter, who overcame severe cramps in the second session, reached the milestone with a delicate dab past backward point.Pakistan finally grabbed the last two wickets when Litton, trying to take on Salman Ali Agha, mistimed his shot for once and holed out at long-on. Two balls later No. 11 Nahid Rana shouldered arms to a straight ball and was give out lbw. Apart from Shahzad, Hamza and Salman also chipped in with two wickets apiece.Khurram Shahzad picked up his first five-for in Test cricket•Associated PressEarlier, the Bangladesh top order seemed clueless against the Pakistan pair of Shahzad and Mir Hamza. They struck six times in 34 balls in the first hour, swinging the new ball through hoops, but more importantly sticking to their lines.Hamza created the opportunities, but it was Shahzad who got the wickets, picking three in five deliveries. His plan was quite simple. Target Bangladesh’s left-handers from around the wicket and always keep the stumps in play. It worked magnificently.Shahzad had Zakir Hasan flicking uppishly with Abrar Ahmed taking a simple catch around the short midwicket area. In his next over, he cleaned up Shadman Islam, the opener walking right across his stumps but failing to account for Shahzad’s swing. Three balls later, it was Najmul Hossain Shanto’s turn to walk back, playing all around a full ball to find his middle stump rattled.Hamza then had Mominul Haque caught off the first ball of the ninth over. It was a meek dismissal, with the batter chipping a full-length ball to mid-on with the Bangladesh score reading 20 for 4. That soon became 26 for 5 when Hamza got a length ball to nibble away ever so late with first-Test hero Mushfiqur Rahim only managing a thin edge through to Mohammad Rizwan. Shahzad then trapped Shakib Al Hasan, who played down the wrong line to be adjudged lbw. Shakib reviewed, but to no avail.Mehidy Hasan Miraz added a fifty to the five-for he’s already taken in this game•Associated PressAt 26 for 6, Bangladesh’s lowest Test total of 43 looked in danger. But Mehidy and Litton shepherded them past that hurdle and many more. With the sheen off the ball, and the Khurram-Hamza pair out of the attack, the two batters dug in and took Bangladesh to lunch without further damage.Litton went the aggressive route after the break. Still trailing Pakistan by 199 runs, he came down particularly hard on Shahzad, taking him for two fours in three balls in the third over of the session, before smashing him for three fours on the bounce in the next. Bangladesh scored 40 runs in the first six overs after lunch. Litton and Mehidy brought up the 100-run stand for the seventh wicket soon after which also saw them avoid the follow-on that was reduced to a margin of 150 as the opening day was washed out.Litton reached his fifty with a clip towards deep backward square leg while Mehidy also did not take much time to reach his eighth Test half-century. Pakistan were not helped by fast bowler Mohammad Ali leaving the field, feeling unwell.When Shahzad decided to go short, Litton and Mehidy took him on with the pull shot and had decent success with it. Litton clubbed the fast bowler over deep square leg while Mehidy got inside the line and achieved the same result over long leg. Having gone for just 15 off his first seven overs, Shahzad went for 58 from his next six. But he managed to make a comeback.He foxed Mehidy with a fuller ball which he lobbed back to the bowler. That gave Shahzad his five-wicket haul and he quickly added another one, trapping Taskin Ahmed right in front of the stumps which signalled the tea interval.Pakistan would have hoped of a swift end to the innings post the break but Mahmud and Litton were having none of it.

Liverpool have already made a series of intelligent moves this window, and Arne Slot is now looking to see off some of his closest competitors for the Premier League title to strengthen his engine room, per a report.

Liverpool close in on Florian Wirtz deal

Following Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds have returned to the Bundesliga outfit in an attempt to seal a deal for one of Germany’s most talented assets.

Despite the assumption that Florian Wirtz is close to having his feet under the table at Anfield, Liverpool have made an improved £113 million move for the playmaker as they look to match Erik ten Hag’s £126 million valuation of the Pulheim-born man.

His opener during Germany’s Nations League semi-final defeat to Portugal wasn’t enough to see off Cristiano Ronaldo and Co, but his impressive display will have pleased plenty of supporters ahead of his seemingly inevitable move to Anfield.

Nevertheless, he is far from the only player on the radar in Merseyside. Talks have been held between Liverpool and Real Madrid star Rodrygo amid speculation about the Brazil international leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, which may be a sign of things to come.

Financial expect Kieran Maguire has indicated the Reds have plenty of capital available to invest in targets after taking a minimalist approach to last season’s transfer window.

He's like Gordon: Liverpool lead race for "explosive" £40m Diaz replacement

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will need to welcome a new winger into the fold if Luis Diaz is sold.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 7, 2025

He explained: “I think for Liverpool it’s not a case of how much they’ve got to spend because they can spend as much as they want. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”

In light of this, Liverpool have now identified another candidate to strengthen their thriving squad, though they may need to fend off stiff competition.

Liverpool in three-way battle to sign Morgan Gibbs-White

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are battling Chelsea and Manchester City to sign Morgan Gibbs-White following his excellent campaign at Nottingham Forest.

Valued at around the £70 million mark, the Three Lions international is considered by Slot as a valuable option to bolster his engine room. However, the outlet also notes that he is seen as an alternative should their pursuit of Wirtz hit a snag.

Praised for having ‘so much talent’ by Nuno, he has certainly lived up to that billing this season, notching seven goals and ten assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for Nottingham Forest.

Gibbs-White also created 51 chances on Premier League duty and became central to their eventual Europa Conference League qualification at the City Ground.

Liverpool are already well-stocked in midfield, but you can never have too many technicians capable of producing match-winning moments when in the hunt to bring regular silverware to your chosen club.

Sunderland now look set to sell an “excellent” player on the cheap in the summer transfer window, following a significant new update.

Sunderland prepare for Premier League amid Bellingham uncertainty

The Black Cats are preparing for life back in the Premier League, and while focus has been on new signings, trying to persuade Jobe Bellingham to stay put has also been at the top of their list of priorities.

The 19-year-old has been weighing up his future in recent weeks, with Sunderland no doubt hoping he will decide to stay on after Regis Le Bris’ side’s memorable playoff wins over Coventry and Sheffield United.

Despite this, it has always felt as though the teenage midfielder is still more likely move on, though, with the Borussia Dortmund seen as the likely destination.

Fabrizio Romano has often reported that Sunderland won’t allow him to leave for less than his £34m release clause, but now a new update has emerged regarding his future.

Bellingham set to leave on the cheap

According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, Bellingham has chosen to leave Sunderland for Dortmund, exiting for nearly £10m less than the Black Cats hoped and joining for £25m instead.

It is such a shame to see Bellingham depart the Stadium of Light this summer, considering what an exciting young talent he is, but it is no great surprise at the same time. The Sunderland ace has no doubt been told by his brother about the path through Dortmund to stardom, as he looks to emulate him and become a world class player over time.

Bellingham will be remembered as a key man in the Black Cats’ unforgettable promotion campaign, though, being hailed as “excellent” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Hopefully, Sunderland can now use the funds received for Bellingham wisely, bringing in either one big-name addition or a couple of good players to bolster Le Bris’ squad.

Sunderland now looking "increasingly likely" to sign ex-PSG defender

Regis Le Bris wants to snap him up.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

Black Cats supporters are unlikely to wish any ill of the Englishman, with his exit feeling rather predictable, and it’s now a case of moving on without him, ensuring his departure doesn’t affect them too badly.

Heading into their contest at the Emirates Stadium, Newcastle United were still riding high off beating Chelsea 2-0 in the ongoing race to finish inside the Premier League’s Champions League spots.

However, the Magpies swiftly returned to reality after losing 1-0 to Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, meaning only point now separates Eddie Howe’s Toon from seventh placed Nottingham Forest. Unfortunately, only the top five are allowed a seat around Europe’s elite table.

Therefore, Newcastle will have to get back to winning ways at home to David Moyes’ Everton to cement a spot, with a number of underperformers very much at risk of being dropped from this crucial tie.

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Newcastle's biggest underperformers vs Arsenal

Newcastle just didn’t enter into this contest away from home with the same clinical edge they showed against Enzo Maresca’s Blues, as wasteful finishing ruined their day throughout. In short, it was obvious they missed Alexander Isak who was ruled out through injury,

Come the end of the finely poised clash, Newcastle actually bettered the hosts in terms of shots, but Arsenal just displayed more self-control in crunch moments, particularly when Declan Rice’s latest stunner proved to be the difference-maker between the two teams.

The visitors just didn’t have this same composure in their locker, with Anthony Gordon a real letdown throughout in the attacking areas, leading to the ex-Everton winger finishing the game with no efforts attempted on David Raya’s net. On top of this, a misjudged dribble from the Liverpool-born attacker would culminate in Rice firing home.

Moreover, Harvey Barnes would only muster up 14 touches of the ball down the opposing left channel on a quiet day at the office from the former Leicester City man, whilst Jacob Murphy would also fail to provide a spark down the wings when failed to register an accurate cross.

But, the most anonymous body perhaps just started for the final time donning the famous black and white stripes.

4/10 dud must never start for Newcastle again

Newcastle were, of course, hindered on their travels by 27-goal machine Isak being injured, but Howe would have hoped those in reserve would step up to the mark in the Swede’s costly absence.

Instead, Callum Wilson really struggled leading the line for the Magpies throughout, resulting in the 33-year-old being hooked by his manager just after the hour mark.

Minutes played

64

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

17

Shots

0

Accurate passes

8/8 (100%)

Successful dribbles

0/2

Total duels won

0/7

It hasn’t exactly been a standout season for Wilson away from his struggles in North London – with only one goal coming the former AFC Bournemouth striker’s way – but even this dire showing on the big stage against Arteta’s men felt like a low, especially as his St. James’ Park future hangs in the balance.

Across his forgettable 64-minute stint, Wilson failed to register a single shot on the Arsenal goal, failed to complete a single dribble to test the Gunners defence and further failed to win a solitary duel from seven attempts.

Just off this showing alone, Wilson is unlikely to be kept around past this season, particularly when there are promising young talents such as William Osula at Howe’s disposal in the striker department.

Osula came on in place of the 33-year-old veteran actually, and whilst he too didn’t test Raya, he did valiantly win two duels for the cause.

Therefore, the future may well lie with Osula now over persisting with a waning Wilson, with Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder equally displeased with the ageing forward’s performance when dishing out a low 4/10 rating his way.

Cursing his team’s careless finishing at the full-time whistle, Howe will pray he has Isak available again for the vital final day contest.

If he isn’t though, you would anticipate that Osula will be thrown into the deep-end, with Wilson now potentially exiting St James’ Park on a whimper.

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