Sunderland’s rapid-fire business so far this summer has certainly entertained those watching on.

To date, the Premier League newcomers have welcomed in eight fresh faces that have cost an alleged £140m in total, with their ninth purchase now in the offing as a deal to bring in Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea for the season edges nearer to being completed.

With Regis Le Bris also now tied down to a contract until 2028 in the Stadium of Light dug-out, this summer has been an extremely smooth operation for the most part, with Jobe Bellingham’s exit to Borussia Dortmund also swiftly forgotten about.

Guiu might not be the only striker addition signed off on before September’s looming deadline, however, as a deal to bring in an experienced free-agent forward might also be on the cards.

Sunderland made ambitious move for free agent

Sunderland could well be looking to add in more Premier League experience to their ranks, away from Guiu’s addition, with Granit Xhaka the only presence in their squad who has tasted the harshness of the division previously.

They have certainly tried to bring in some seasoned heads, with a new report from talkSPORT revealing that the Black Cats had lined up an ambitious play to bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin in on a free transfer, after his Everton contract had expired.

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co., despite their obvious ambition being on full display, the injury-prone striker has decided to keep his options open for the time being, in the hope that a team higher up the Premier League standings decides to gamble on his free agent services.

After all, if he were to wrestle free of his injury concerns and get back to his Toffees goalscoring peak, he would be a real asset to Sunderland, or any other side, as the Wearside outfit potentially battle against the drop.

He could even become the Black Cats’ next iteration of Darren Bent, with Bent’s goalscoring exploits on Wearside somewhat slipping under the radar, much like Calvert-Lewin’s best days on Merseyside have been shoved to one side amid his constant issues in the treatment room.

How Calvert-Lewin could be the next Bent

Unfortunately, when strikers go off the boil, it often receives the most attention.

Bent’s playing days would unfortunately fizzle out by the time he was lining up for lowly Burton Albion in the Championship, but he will still be well remembered at the Stadium of Light for being an absolute menace at the peak of his powers.

Of course, his most infamous strike for the Wearside club would come against Liverpool in 2009, as a beachball inexplicably got involved with play, but he would score another 35 goals donning Sunderland red and white, away from this bizarre moment in isolation.

Bent would close out his esteemed career with 106 Premier League efforts next to his name. Calvert-Lewin is only 49 strikes shy of matching that bumper amount, despite being dismissed as an injury-plagued, wasteful presence in recent seasons.

Calvert-Lewin’s PL goal numbers for Everton

Season

Games

Goals

24/25

17

2

23/24

32

7

22/23

17

2

21/22

17

5

20/21

33

16

19/20

36

13

18/19

35

6

17/18

32

4

16/17

11

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The 11-time England international was even once viewed as a “monster” in front of goal – as he was labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – for the Toffees before his career at Moyes’ side unravelled, with his output during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons in the top-flight seeing him bag a clinical 29 strikes.

Both the campaigns in question saw Everton comfortably sit in mid-table, but his reasonable seven goals during the 2023/24 season had a far more pivotal impact on proceedings, resulting in the Merseyside outfit surviving in 15th spot.

The concern will be whether or not Calvert-Lewin can wriggle free of those consistent knocks to be that same impactful presence for Le Bris’ men, with Guiu no doubt boosted subsequently by having such an experienced figure by his side as he learns and grows out on loan.

Bent’s goalscoring heroics for the Black Cats once upon a time enabled mid-table finishes in the Premier League to be a regular occurrence.

The Sheffield-born forward will hope he can offer up the same for his potential new employers as they boldly reenter the promised land.

Related Better signing than Xhaka: Sunderland make £26m "warrior" their top target

Sunderland is still interested in the prospect of landing this £26m star.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

Phil Parkinson has been warned that he is under pressure at Wrexham, despite guiding the club to three successive promotions. After a £33 million summer recruitment drive funded by co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, questions are being raised over whether the manager can guide the new-look team to success in the Championship.

• Wrexham spent £33m on 13 summer signings
• Chris Wathan says Parkinson "probably" under pressure
• Hollywood co-owners target Premier League by 2027

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Parkinson was handed significant backing in the summer market, with 13 players arriving to bolster the Red Dragons' squad. Among the standout signings were striker Kieffer Moore and midfielder Lewis O’Brien. Despite such investment, Wrexham have only managed one win and endured a slow start to the 2025-26 season, which has sparked speculation about Parkinson's position. BBC Sport's Chris Wathan believes that the 57-year-old is "probably" under pressure.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT WATHAN SAID

  Speaking on BBC Sounds, Wathan explained: “Some of those players have really slotted in beautifully already. The new signings, we only have to look at Kieffer Moore’s goal return already, and how he is perfect for the big man role, the way that Wrexham play.

  “Lewis O’Brien, many of us have seen play for Swansea, has been outstanding. I’ve missed Ollie Rathbone, don’t forget he’s to come back from injury. The midfield options are superb.

  “Does it put pressure on Phil Parkinson? Probably, but pressure has never bothered him ever since he arrived at the club, has it?

  “What he now has are options to change within games, and I think that is something that is a step up in the Championship compared to League One. It is something Phil Parkinson addressed in that really disappointing display play against Sheffield Wednesday when he said we didn’t have, he hinted at it, he didn’t have the fresh legs or the bodies on the bench to really impact that game and stop it getting away from Wrexham. They do now, barring injuries, of course, they very much do now.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners have been clear with their vision: reach the Premier League by 2027. That gives Parkinson little margin for error; however, just staying in the Championship this season may be enough to satisfy Reynolds and McElhenney.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  For Parkinson, stabilising Wrexham in the Championship is the immediate task. The challenge now is translating Reynolds and McElhenney’s heavy investment into consistent performances in the second tier of English football, with a home fixture against QPR up next on September 13.

Glasgow Rangers have one foot in the play-off round of Champions League qualifiers after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Djeidi Gassama scored two goals, one on either side of a penalty from Cyriel Dessers, to take his tally to four goals in four games since his move to the Light Blues from Sheffield Wednesday.

Another new signing caught the eye, though, as central defender Nasser Djiga produced a dominant and composed performance at the heart of the defence, with our Football FanCast article explaining why he was even better than Gassama and Oliver Antman on the night.

The Wolves loanee made multiple impressive blocks and utilised his pace to mop up in behind when Plzen looked to exploit the space left by the team’s high line.

Rangers have held talks to sign new defender

Russell Martin could find a Djiga repeat to partner the right-footed colossus in defence amid an update on their pursuit of another central defender.

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 Spanish outlet El Desmarque, as relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers would offer more than £1.7m in an attempt to sign Real Betis defender Nobel Mendy.

The report claims that they will likely offer more than Rayo Vallecano, who are also interested, but they have yet to officially submit a bid to the Spanish side, who are looking for around £3.4m.

It adds that the Light Blues have already held talks with the 20-year-old centre-back to discuss where he would fit in at Ibrox as part of Martin’s plans.

The outlet reveals that they have already convinced Mendy to make the move to Glasgow, but it is now down to the two clubs to agree a transfer fee.

Why Rangers should sign Nobel Mendy

The Gers should push to get a deal over the line for the left-footed defender because he could come in as Djiga 2.0 for the Scottish giants this summer.

Djiga only started one game and made five appearances in the Premier League in the second half of last season for Wolves, and Rangers swooped in to offer him a chance to play regular football and shine.

Nasser Djiga

The 22-year-old star already seems to be grasping that opportunity with both hands, which is something that Mendy could also do at Ibrox for the Light Blues.

Mendy, 20, only played five first-team matches for Real Betis in the 2024/25 campaign, including two in LaLiga, two in the Conference League, and one in the Copa del Rey.

Minutes

90

17

Clearances

9

0

Interceptions

3

1

Ball recoveries

6

1

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Duels won

2/2

0/0

Pass accuracy

90%

75%

As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 2 giant showed signs of promise in his two outings in the Spanish top-flight, particularly in his start against Real Madrid.

He ranked within the top 1% of defenders in the league with 3.36 interceptions per 90 and the top 3% with 5.89 ball recoveries per 90, which shows how impressive those defensive contributions were.

Whilst it is impossible to draw meaningful conclusions from that data, as he only started one game, it does show that he has the potential to deliver quality displays at the top level.

As was the case with Djiga in the Premier League with Wolves, Mendy was not given a run of games to prove himself by Real Betis in LaLiga last season. This is where Rangers can step in to offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out and develop as a player at first-team level.

Better than Gassama: Rangers have found new superhero & it's not Antman

Rangers have found their new superhero and it is not Oliver Antman or Djeidi Gassama.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2025

Therefore, the Gers could repeat their Djiga transfer by signing another physically imposing and mobile young centre-back who needs to get some games under his belt to hit his stride.

As a left-footed player, Mendy could also play alongside Djiga at the heart of the Light Blues defence and provide John Souttar with some competition for his place in the side.

نجح محمد الشيبي، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، في رفع رصيده التهديفي بجدول ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري الممتاز، بعد تسجيله هدفين في مباراة فريقه مع طلائع الجيش، والتي انتهت بفوز السماوي 4-0.

والتقى فريق نادي بيراميدز أمام طلائع الجيش، على أرضية استاد الدفاع الجوي، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري المصري الممتاز موسم 2025-2026.

طالع|فيديو | محمد الشيبي يسجل هدفين لـ بيراميدز أمام طلائع الجيش

وجاء هدف بيراميدز الأول في الدقيقة 42 عن طريق محمد الشيبي، من تسديدة قوية خارج منطقة الجزاء سكنت الشباك.

وفي الدقيقة 45+1 أضاف محمد الشيبي الهدف الثاني، بعد هجمة مرتدة وعدة تمريرات انتهت عند الشيبي داخل منطقة الجزاء ثم سدد كرة قوية سكنت المرمى.

واستطاع محمد الشيبي رفع رصيده إلى هدفين في جدول ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري، وذلك بعد 9 جولات.

وفي مباراة أقيمت أيضا اليوم، سجل صلاح محسن هدف التعادل لفريقه المصري في شباك بتروجيت في الدقيقة 62 من تسديدة صاروخية، وأحرز عمر الساعي زميله الهدف الثاني للمصري في الدقيقة 66، ليرفع الأول رصيده إلى خمسة أهداف في الصدارة، بينما الساعي يصل رصيده إلى 4 أهداف، في لقاء انتهى بفوز بتروجيت 3-2.

ويتصدر ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري، حتي الآن، نجم النادي المصري، صلاح محسن برصيد 5 أهداف، ويليه عبد الرحيم دغموم وعمر الساعي زميليه في الفريق برصيد 4 أهداف. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري

– صلاح محسن – المصري – 5 أهداف.

– عبد الرحيم دغموم – المصري – 4 أهداف.

– عمر الساعي – المصري – 4 أهداف.

– عدي الدباغ – الزمالك – 3 أهداف.

– محمد السيد شيكا – كهرباء الاسماعيلية – 3 أهداف.

– محمود حسن تريزيجيه – الأهلي – 3 أهداف.

– أحمد فاروق – وادي دجلة – 3 أهداف.

– محمد الشيبي – بيراميدز – هدفين.

– عمرو السولية – سيراميكا كليوباترا – هدفين.

– عبدالله السعيد- الزمالك- هدفين.

– أحمد سيد زيزو – الأهلي – هدفين.

– شيكو بانزا – الزمالك – هدفين.

– ناصر ماهر- الزمالك- هدفين.

– نيجك جراديشار – الأهلي – هدفين.

– وليد الكرتي – بيراميدز – هدفين.

 

Interim coach says finding more opportunities for 50-over cricket is isn’t easy within current structure

Cameron Ponsonby07-Nov-2024Marcus Trescothick has described the current List A domestic structure as “not helping” England’s new era of white-ball players.In Barbados, a severely inexperienced England team fell to their third consecutive ODI series defeat since the 2023 World Cup, and a 13th loss in 20 one-dayers.With the series overlapping with England’s Test commitments, several first-choice players are missing with only Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed from the group that toured Pakistan also being in the Caribbean. Cox batted at No. 3 across the ODIs, despite only playing four List A matches before his selection, while the likes of Dan Mousley, 23, hadn’t played a 50-over game in over three years before his debut.When asked if the lack of domestic 50-over cricket was hindering England’s young players, Trescothick said: “Well, it’s not helping because you’re not getting the volume of games that players would like to get and really build an understanding of the game.”But you kind of know why that is and that is the structure we’re given to play, and we’ll make a fist of it and make it work as much as we can.”Currently, England’s One-Day Cup directly overlaps with the Hundred, meaning the top white-ball players in the country do not have any domestic List A cricket available for them to compete in.Related

Marcus Trescothick defends quality of English white-ball cricket after crushing defeat

England aren't good at ODI cricket, and they can't help it

How many new faces are too many for England?

Alzarri Joseph suspended for two matches following 'unacceptable' behaviour

Keacy Carty, Brandon King hundreds seal series for West Indies

“I’m not going to speak against any other competition,” Trescothick said, referencing the One-Day Cup’s clash with the Hundred. “But of course we’d want more 50-over cricket somehow. How do we do that? That’s not up to me to try and work out.”Earlier this week, Phil Salt, who made 74 in the final ODI, pushed the case for England’s domestic structure to allow for more one-day opportunities.”I don’t think there’s many players in this team that you could go through and go ‘oh they’re doing a great job right now’,” Salt said. “That’s the reality of it because we’ve not played a lot of 50-over cricket. I’d love something like a domestic 50-over competition. I’d love the opportunity to play in that so you can get the rhythm and it’s not always stop-start.”I don’t think there’s many people that can just walk in and do it after not playing for a while. I know that I’ve not had the most successful time in 50-over cricket and not really been doing myself justice, but the more opportunities I get to play it, the better I will be at it. That’s the bottom line.”It is unclear what shape added List A opportunities could look like for England players, with the only realistic option being a dramatic restructuring of the English domestic calendar.”It’s really challenging,” Trescothick said. “We know how important Test cricket is in England and obviously having the domestic T20 competition and the Hundred, that’s vitally important to our game.”How do we get that balance right? That’s for the powers above to look at, but it’s not going to be easy.”There’s not a massive amount of experience in this current team right now. Of course there’s not. But part of the reason for bringing that youth across was to get the experience into them. It’s not always going to be easy to get games into them.”There’s not a massive amount to play back at home, and most of the white-ball cricket played now around the world is T20. So that is a challenge, and we’re aware of that.”Trescothick also provided an update on Jofra Archer, with the fast bowler successfully completing the series without any injury issues, meaning he has played in seven of England’s last eight ODI matches.The Bajan-born bowler only took one wicket across the series, but Trescothick was pleased with his efforts as England look to build Archer back to potentially playing Test cricket with the visit of India in the summer, before an away Ashes series next year.”He’s gone really well,” Trescothick said. “We’re really pleased with the progression he’s making. He can probably move it on to the next step, whatever that is. I think getting through these three games is important.”

Everton’s centre-forward issues date back several years. Indeed, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked like he could be the new messiah, his final few years at the club were poor.

Not since Romelu Lukaku left in the summer of 2017 have the Toffees enjoyed the services of a striker who knew how to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

David Moyes has splashed out £27m to sign Thierno Barry in the hope that the Frenchman could finally be the answer to the club’s centre-forward dilemma.

The Scot won’t stop there, however, as he looks keen on adding another attacking player this summer. Could he be close to hijacking a deal for a recent target?

Everton's search for another striker

Hamza Igamane is on the club’s shortlist, as Moyes looks to potentially hijack Lille’s deal to sign him from Glasgow Rangers.

It might not be the only deal Everton are set to hijack. Recently, the club showed interest in Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, but it appeared as though Bayern Munich were going to secure his signature.

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, however, the German side have temporarily pulled out of any potential deal, leaving the door ajar for Everton to swoop in and hijack a deal.

Any move could cost Moyes around £42m, but given he is a young striker with plenty of room for development, it might be a masterstroke.

Transfer Focus

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

He could even turn into Lukaku 2.0 for the club.

Why Everton must sign Nick Woltemade

Lukaku arrived at Goodison Park as a young, strong centre-forward. Fast-forward four years later, and he departed after scoring 87 goals in 186 appearances for the club.

The bustling striker was a menace in front of goal, and Moyes would dearly love someone to replicate these types of performances.

Woltemade doesn’t look like a typical centre-forward. Possessing a hulking frame like Lukaku, the 6-foot-6 German might not offer the most aesthetic-looking performances, but there is no denying how effective he is.

Indeed, last season for Stuttgart, Woltemade scored 17 goals in all competitions, helping the club win the German Cup in the process.

Following his stunning campaign for the club, Antonio Mango hailed the striker as “exceptional”, and he looks set for a bright future indeed.

Not just competent in front of goal, Woltemade is also impressive at taking on opposition defenders and working the ball into the box, as Lukaku was in Everton blue.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues, the German ranks in the top 1% for touches in the penalty area (8.82), in the top 4% for successful take-ons (1.72) and in the top 3% for shot-creating actions (4.38) per 90.

Nick Woltemade’s Bundesliga stats last season
Goals	12
Assists	2
Shots per game	1.8
Big chances created	8
Key passes per game	1.3
Big chances missed	11
Via Sofascore

These are the sorts of statistics which Lukaku has exuded throughout his career, turning into a powerful centre-forward capable of moments of magic.

Should Moyes manage to hijack a move for the current Stuttgart starlet, it would prove to be a significant coup for the club. The next few weeks will be interesting indeed.

Everton in contact to sign "fantastic" defender who pocketed Calvert-Lewin

The Toffees are in the hunt for defensive reinforcements…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jul 21, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O zagueiro, que completou 37 anos no final de fevereiro, encerrou sua passagem de dois anos pelo Cuiabá, em novembro do ano passado. Desde então, o atleta reforçou os treinamentos pessoais com seu fisioterapeuta, projetando uma boa temporada em 2023.

Paulão é considerado um dos atletas mais experientes do Brasil, segundo a imprensa. Suas passagens vitoriosas por diversos clubes do país comprovam essa alcunha. De 2011 pra cá, foram 9 títulos conquistados, entre eles os estaduais pelo Internacional, Cuiabá e Fortaleza, o Brasileirão pelo Cruzeiro e duas vezes a Superliga Chinesa, atuando pelo Guangzhou FC. Contudo, o jogador afirma que ainda tem muito o que construir no futebol.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol InternacionalPSG x Lorient: onde assistir, horário e prováveis escalações do jogo pelo Campeonato FrancêsFutebol Internacional29/04/2023Fora de CampoNovos narradores da Globo comemoram chegada na emissoraFora de Campo29/04/2023Futebol LatinoOriente Petrolero acerta com novo técnico após goleada do BragantinoFutebol Latino29/04/2023

– Sou um cara que estou sempre me cobrando, quero sempre melhorar. Mesmo após todos esses anos e passagens por grandes clubes, eu fico ansioso para saber o que vem pela frente. Por isso, sigo trabalhando para estar preparado quando o novo desafio chegar – disse Paulão.

Em 2022, Paulão disputou 25 partidas com a camiseta do Cuiabá e marcou um gol. Foram 15 vitórias, 5 empates e apenas 7 derrotas.

Despite already securing the services of Mohammed Kudus this summer, there’s still a huge lingering sense of disappointment at Tottenham Hotspur so far this summer.

Morgan Gibbs-White emerged as a key target for Thomas Frank’s side, as the Dane looks to improve the forward options at his disposal in North London.

The hierarchy even went to the length of triggering his £60m release clause, leading to Fabrizio Romano confirming he was set for a medical at the club.

However, his move has now been cancelled after Nottingham Forest lodged an appeal for an illegal approach, resulting in the 25-year-old signing a record-breaking contract with his current employers.

As a result, missing out on his signature has seen other targets being considered for the number ten role, with Frank evidently wanting to improve such a position ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new attacking midfielder

Despite having James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski already on the books at Spurs, other attacking options are being considered to provide depth within the final third.

The likes of James McAtee, Harvey Elliott and Jack Grealish have been touted with moves to North London, still remaining on their shortlist despite interest elsewhere.

They’re not the only ones currently in their sights, leading to Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey being named as another target, according to TBR Football.

They claim that the Lilywhites are weighing up a move for the 24-year-old forward, who could be able to depart Villa Park if an acceptable offer is presented this summer.

The report also states that Unai Emery’s side are currently demanding a £40m fee to part ways with the academy graduate who’s notched 14 Premier League goals in his career to date.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be their answer to Gibbs-White

There’s no denying that, given the work conducted for Gibbs-White’s signature this summer, that the Forest star was the number one target to strengthen their squad.

Frank has previously stated his admiration for the England international, likely being gutted to miss out on his services after the hierarchy demonstrated their ambition, given years of inactivity in the market.

£60m in today’s market would’ve been an excellent price tag for a player of his quality, but if the club are to be successful next campaign, they will need to rapidly move on to other targets.

Such a situation has seen Ramsey emerge as a key target for Frank’s side, potentially allowing them to forget about the disappointment currently being felt in North London.

However, any move for the Villa star would allow the club to land their own version of the Forest star, potentially replicating a deal that saw the 25-year-old move to the City Ground.

Ramsey could join the Lilywhites for a similar fee as Gibbs-White did a couple of years ago, whilst also moving away from his boyhood club in order to further his career.

The similarities are there for all to see, but when delving into their underlying figures from 2024/25, the Villa academy graduate has managed to better the former target in various areas, arguably being a better addition for Frank’s side.

Games played

29

34

Goals & assists

4

15

Pass accuracy

85%

78%

Passes into opposition box

1.4

1.3

Take-on success

54%

40%

Progressive carries

3.4

2.2

Carries into opposition box

1.2

0.4

Tackles won

0.9

0.7

Blocks made

1.3

0.5

Ramsey, who’s been dubbed “ridiculous” by Squawka, managed to complete more passes, registering more into the opposition box per 90 last season, arguably being a more creative option for the Lilywhites.

The number ten role also requires individual brilliance, something which the 24-year-old possesses, as seen by his higher tallies of take-ons completed and carries into the opposition’s box per 90.

Whilst the attacking role requires talent with the ball, it also comes with the demands of being effective out of possession, something which the Villa gem has demonstrated, winning more tackles per 90, potentially being a superb all-round option within the current Spurs side.

He may not provide the immediate excitement like a deal for Gibbs-White did, but Ramsey is a hugely talented player who could add further quality to the current first team squad in North London.

If he can continue on his current trajectory, he could even surpass the levels produced by the Reds’ talent, potentially seeing the disappointment of missing out on his signature become a blessing in disguise.

Big Solanke upgrade: Spurs exploring deal to sign £26m "monster"

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly exploring a deal to sign a new striker who would be an upgrade on Dominic Solanke.

ByDan Emery Jul 27, 2025

West Ham United are now willing to submit a formal offer for a “special” goal-scoring midfielder, who could be keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

West Ham looking to sign new midfielder after opening day defeat

There have been widespread suggestions that West Ham are set to make an offer for at least one new midfielder in the coming days, and the need to get new signings through the door has arguably been exacerbated by the disappointing opening day defeat.

The Hammers suffered a 3-0 loss against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, and Alan Shearer has since stated that fans should be worried about the season that lies ahead.

Shearer said: “I would be [concerned]. That’s Graham Potter’s biggest defeat as West Ham manager. They haven’t replaced Kudus, two new players in the starting lineup.

“There was no spark, no energy, and there was certainly no reaction at all, and that would be the worrying thing already.”

Related Their new Rice: West Ham now in the mix to sign PL "monster" for Potter

West Ham are in the race to sign a midfielder who could be their best since Declan Rice.

Posts ByWill Miller Aug 17, 2025

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia is one of the midfielders on Potter’s shortlist, and there has now been a new update on the Irons’ pursuit of the Spaniard.

According to a report from Spain, West Ham are now willing to submit a formal offer for Garcia in the coming weeks, and there is a feeling the former Manchester City man could welcome a return to the Premier League.

The Hammers’ current midfield options have been inconsistent, meaning Potter is looking to bolster his options, but it could be a challenge to prise the Spanish maestro away from Bayer Leverkusen, given that he only arrived at the German club for €18m (£16m) last summer.

The Irons also held talks to sign the former Girona man prior to his move to Germany, and there are plenty of signs it could be worth reigniting their interest…

"Special" Garcia could elevate West Ham's midfield

Pep Guardiola has lauded the five-time Spain international in the past, claiming he has “something special”, and the Leverkusen ace’s goal-scoring ability could make him a shrewd acquisition for West Ham.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has been a reliable source of goals for Leverkusen over the past year, placing in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90, while also ranking in the 89th percentile for assists.

Moreover, the former Man City man has vastly outperformed Lucas Paqueta over that time period, despite the Brazilian being more accustomed with playing in a more advanced midfield role.

Player

Non penalty goals (per 90)

Assists (per 90)

Lucas Paqueta

0.07

0.0

Aleix Garcia

0.20

0.20

As such, Garcia could clearly be capable of taking West Ham’s midfield to the next level, and it is promising news that an official bid could be submitted soon.

Aston Villa had a quiet start to the window but it appears to be ramping up in the final few weeks. The club was at risk of breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules, but with the impending sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle, they have more freedom to spend.

Unai Emery has already brought in Nice forward Evann Guessand for around £30 million – the boss seems to have been a major contributing factor in the 24 year-old’s decision to come to Birmingham, as in one of his first interviews as a Villa player, he spoke of their relationship.

Villa are looking to quickly follow up this signing with another forward who has already spent some time with the club.

Villa working to bring back Asensio

With the sale of Jacob Ramsey almost complete, Aston Villa have started the process of bringing Marco Asensio back to the club (Sky Sports). Asensio joined Villa on loan from PSG from January until the end of the 24/25 season, but until now, there have been no official moves to make the signing permanent.

Negotiations are already proceeding well, with an agreement in place with the player to sign a three-year contract with all other personal terms having been agreed. On the club front, PSG has already informed Asensio that they are open to selling him in the event that a satisfactory offer is received.

Later this week, Villa are expected to place their first official bid with PSG, with a figure of £17.2 million including bonuses being their asking price.

Asensio to build on his fantastic first impression

From the moment Asensio joined Villa last season, he seemed to buy into Emery’s vision and the club’s project. In February, he held an interview with Sky: “Happy to join the project, be with my teammates and staff, and grateful to be able to give a lot of joy to the fans as well. I want to be able to help us achieve the goals that we have, collectively, as a team and a club.”

His teammates also took a liking to him, with Matty Cash calling him a “Mentality Monster”. His teammates would also have loved his creativity, as he featured in the top 25% of players for chances created per 90 minutes.

As a well-regarded figure, both in the dressing room and global football, who already has a good relationship with the club and the manager, resigning Asensio on a three-year deal for less than £20 million feels like a no-brainer for Villa.