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Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar played in the franchise's first series of the season in late March, going 3-for-15 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres.

It was a rough start to the season for the newly acquired outfielder, which was made worse shortly thereafter when he landed an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Profar returned to the lineup on Wednesday night after completing his three-month long suspension, and made sure to make his debut in front of the home crowd at Truist Field count.

With Atlanta leading the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Profar turned on an 89-mile-per-hour Hunter Strickland changeup and launched a towering solo blast deep into the night.

The no-doubt home run cemented a successful home debut for Profar. The Braves won 8-3, and Profar went 2-for-4 in his return from suspension.

It's been a disappointing season thus far for the Braves, who sit at 39-46 on the year, but the franchise hopes that Profar's return can continue to spark an up-and-down offensive attack in the second half of the season.

With Rose Lavelle flying, Naomi Girma healthy again and new faces pushing in camp, Emma Hayes gets a final 2025 look at the USWNT against Italy.

The U.S. women’s national team has one final test to close out the year: a pair of friendlies against No. 12 Italy.

The USWNT and Italy have met 15 times, with the Americans holding a 10-4-1 edge. Emma Hayes’ squad opens the series Friday in Orlando before shifting south to Fort Lauderdale for the second match. The team is already in Florida, with several players joining camp straight off their NWSL Championship celebrations. Rose Lavelle, Lilly Reale, Emily Sonnett, Jaelin Howell, and Jaedyn Shaw all arrived fresh from Gotham FC’s title parade – and Hayes made sure they received a proper welcome.

“I think it’s the right test,” Hayes said. “The key for us is we have to play our game and know that no matter what the opponent throws at us – whether they change shapes in the game or are very clever in the way they defend – we have to stick to our task and our game.”

This camp reflects Hayes’ now-familiar balance of new faces and established leaders, with a few notable tweaks. Naomi Girma has returned to the roster, while two players earned their first senior call-ups. With the final window of 2025 underway, Hayes will use these friendlies as another step toward shaping the squad she wants representing the United States at the 2027 World Cup.

GOAL looks at five keys for the USWNT against Italy…

• Getty Images
  

  'I'm very excited to be here'

  The backline has been missing one major piece in recent matches: Naomi Girma.

  "I'm very excited to be here. Yeah, I'm happy to be back on the pitch and two good games for us, so I'm looking forward to it," Girma said at pre-match availability. 

  The defending hasn’t been disastrous by any means, but the inexperience has shown,  particularly against Portugal. The USWNT had never conceded to Portugal until their most recent meeting, a surprising loss that included two goals surrendered on set pieces. The team corrected course in the rematch and then dominated New Zealand, but the defensive lapses were still jarring for a program that prides itself on stability at the back.

  With Girma out, Hayes has relied on a rotating center-back pairing: sometimes Emily Sonnett and Tara McKeown, other times Jordyn Bugg and Emily Sams. For the first match against Italy, though, it feels almost certain Girma returns to the XI now that she’s fully recovered. In fact, she’s already making her presence known – U.S. Soccer’s camp video showed her jokingly celebrating being “first down for breakfast,” a small but telling indicator of how eager she is to be back in the mix.

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• Getty Images
  

  Plenty of midfield choices

  The USWNT's midfield is absolutely stacked, from veterans Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps to young stars like Lily Yohannes and Claire Hutton, Hayes is going to have a hard time deciding who her starting three will be. And those aren't even the only four, there's also always reliable Sam Coffey and recent call-ins Jaelin Howell and Croiz Bethune. 

  The midfield is essential to how the USWNT plays, and historically it's usually a mix of one shutdown defensive-minded midfielder, like a Coffey paired with duo of creative magicians when it comes to combining and seeing the field. 

  Fresh off scoring the game-winning goal against the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship, Lavelle was smiling ear to ear when she spoke to reporters on Wednesday. 

  "Happy to be back in camp, always fun when we can be back together and be together," she said. 

  Whatever trio is charging the midfield will be solid, and Hayes will most likely showcase two different lineups against Italy because they have two games to try out different lineups and rotations. 

  Howell hasn't been called up to the senior team in more than three years and was instrumental in Gotham FC's championship and postseason run. Hayes pays attention to all the leagues and players playing, so she was clearly impressed with Howell's season and contribution in the midfield. Another player back in the mix is Bethune, who has had a long journey back to health after unluckily injuring her knee last year while throwing out a first pitch. 

• Getty Images
  

  Chelsea FC trio

  The 'Triple Espresso' trio of Sophia Wilson, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman may not be fully back yet, but a new trio of force is here to stay, and that's out of WSL side Chelsea FC: Girma, Catarina Macario, and Alyssa Thompson. 

  All three players have a massive role on this USWNT roster. Girma, the centerback that keeps it all together, Macario, the composed and strong ball holder and handler in the No.9 spot, and Thompson, the fearless attacking winger who will take on anyone at any time. 

  Chances are high that all three will be on the field at once for these upcoming friendlies, which will be exciting and all the credit to . Three other players on this roster are currently playing professional soccer overseas. Heaps and Yohannes play for OL Lyonnes in UEFA Women's Champions League, and then there's Emily Fox, who plays for Arsenal FC, which is currently mid-table in the competition at 10th, and marks the fourth U.S. player to be competing in England. 

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• Getty Images
  

  Battle of the keepers

  It’s the never-ending battle for the No. 1 shirt – a competition that truly began when longtime USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement earlier this year. Since then, Emma Hayes has tested just about every option available, from Houston Dash standout Jane Campbell to North Carolina Courage keeper Casey Murphy, Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and several others.

  For this camp, Hayes stuck with two familiar faces in Mandy McGlynn and Claudia Dickey, but, in classic Hayes fashion, added a newcomer to the mix: Jordan Silkowitz. This is only Silkowitz’s second-ever international call-up, following her summer trip to Germany with the U-23s. She spent this past season with Bay FC in the NWSL and has quickly played her way into the senior conversation.

  Hayes recently told reporters she is “likely” to lean on the same three goalkeepers she used against Portugal – Dickey, Tullis-Joyce, and McGlynn. Silkowitz is here to gain experience and push the group, but the battle for the top spot remains very much between the established trio.

Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy campaign is raging on. When will Eddie Howe strike the balance needed for his team to kick on and reestablish themselves as a force in the Premier League?

Last weekend’s performance over Manchester City offered a glimpse into what United are capable of, dispatching Pep Guardiola’s side at St. James’ Park thanks to Harvey Barnes’ second-half brace.

But that win was built atop a run of three defeats from four in the Premier League, and Newcastle have since been defeated on the road in the Champions League, against Marseille in France.

It wasn’t the Toon’s worst performance of the season, but the emission of anxiety after Nick Pope’s costly mistake emphasises the issue in mentality when away from Tyneside.

Why Howe should drop Nick Pope

Pope has been a strong and convincing goalkeeper for Newcastle since joining the club from relegated Burnley in 2022, but, aged 33, the Three Lions star is allowing errors to creep into his game, the latest of which cost the Magpies dearly in Marseille.

Newcastle knew they needed to take something home with them from the Orange Velodrome, and indeed, Barnes’ finish secured an advantage at the interval.

Cool heads were needed, but Pope rushed out to claim a neat through ball and failed to match the pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the veteran striker getting there first and then rounding Pope and scoring from an acute angle to restore parity. The one-time Arsenal hero then scored again from close range, smacking home from a few yards out following a fierce cross-box pass.

That frustrating display was hardly an outlier. This season, Pope has left plenty to be desired.

Given that loanee Aaron Ramsdale is waiting in the wings, it’s understandable that some supporters want to see a change between the sticks, and it’s perhaps something Howe should consider if he wishes to revive his team’s fluency and confidence on the road.

It’s not the only change that must be made, though, with another United man’s form this season emphasising the need for a permanent tweak on Howe’s part.

The Newcastle star who's a bigger liability than Pope

A core part of Newcastle’s success over the past four years, Joelinton’s chapter at the club may nearly be written, with the long-time star beginning to become a problem for Howe.

One of the most powerful and imposing midfielders in the Premier League, Joelinton’s form has suffered this season, and he’s noticeably regressed, and that is accentuated by the superstars around him.

Unlike last season, when Joelinton’s intense, pack-a-punch style was so integral in charging up the Newcastle engine, the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are forming something of a partnership

Newcastle’s Italian midfielder, to be sure, is showing off new levels of athleticism and strength to match his natural elegance, and the skipper is as all-encompassing as ever in the middle of the park.

But Joelinton is waning, and this has been picked up by Toon observers. Indeed, journalist Mark Douglas noted earlier in the campaign that the 29-year-old has been “nowhere near his best”.

Sofascore record that Joelinton is winning only 2.9 ground duels per Premier League fixture, which is his lowest average since 2019/20, his debut term, when he principally played as a centre-forward.

Refashioned into an all-action midfielder, Joelinton has proved himself to be an iconic servant for Howe at Newcastle, but after so many rounds of unforgiving action, it may be that it is the right time for him to move on.

Howe’s Most-used Players at Newcastle
Rank	Player	Apps
1	Bruno Guimaraes	172
2	Dan Burn	166
3	Fabian Schar	165
4	Jacob Murphy	152
5	Joelinton	146
Data via Transfermarkt

Hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, the Brazil international has had his day, and the fact that PIF are gearing up for an ambitious bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in 2026, the England midfielder having emerged from Newcastle’s academy, suggests that the mainstay is becoming expendable.

The suggestions that Pope should be extricated from his post between the posts are rising in volume, but the emphasis on pushing for a Joelinton upgrade must be just as loud.

For all the Brazilian’s robustness, he is no longer untouchable under Howe’s wing, and is perhaps becoming the weakest link in a team that needs to kick on.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 27, 2025

Teenage spinner strikes with ball before adding unbeaten fifty on day Surrey surrender their title

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Surrey 147 and 226 for 6 (Albert 61*, Abbott 4-51) lead Hampshire 248 (Washington 56) by 124 runsSurrey lost their grasp on the Rothesay County Championship trophy for the first time in 1100 days, but saw a glimpse into their future as Ralphie Albert took centre stage against Hampshire.Nottinghamshire confirmed themselves as champions midway through the evening to end Surrey’s three-season dynasty as red-ball kings. But Albert, the 17-year-old grandson of snooker icon Jimmy White, celebrated his first two first-class wickets before picking up a maiden fifty to give Surrey a chance of sending Hampshire to Division Two.The England Under 19 allrounder bowled Scott Currie and caught and bowled Kyle Abbott in the morning as Hampshire claimed a 101 first-innings lead. He then struck 61 not out during a 97-run stand with Dan Lawrence in the evening – Surrey ended the day with a 124 lead, with Hampshire needing to at least match Durham’s result to avoid relegation.After 13 wickets had fallen on the first day, on a pitch sympathetic but not overwhelmingly so for the bowlers, the second day began with a similar tone. Toby Albert couldn’t be blamed for edging a Matt Fisher in-ducker to first slip, before fellow overnight batter Ben Brown was plumb lbw three balls later.Fisher had immediately swung the momentum of the match, and gave Hampshire the relegation jitters again. Those weren’t helped when Liam Dawson swished outside his off stump three overs later but Washington Sundar and James Fuller corrected things with patience and runs.The pair put on 62 to flesh out Hampshire’s lead, but it proved the last resistance as spin went through the tail. Indian legspinner Rahul Chahar picked up his first Championship wicket when Fuller slog-swept to deep square, before Albert thudded one into Currie’s off stump.Washington waved his bat on an 89-ball fifty, but Abbott was caught and bowled before the India allrounder picked out deep midwicket off his compatriot, with Hampshire two runs shy of a batting bonus point.That near miss shouldn’t impact Hampshire’s chances of staying in Division One, with Durham also narrowly failing to get to 350, meaning that as long as Hampshire match Durham’s result they will stay up.A victory would be the most straightforward method of securing their status, and Brad Wheal appeared to be fast-forwarding his side there with two quick wickets. Rory Burns’ batting for the season was ended when he edged a good ball to first slip, before Ryan Patel hooked straight to the deep square fielder.Abbott then took over with one of his incredible spells, taking three wickets in four overs. The South African had Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes caught behind before keeping one low to castle Ollie Sykes.But Ralphie Albert and Lawrence ground out runs on the slow pitch and made the most of a ragged Hampshire session, to head towards a position from which they could win the game. Albert largely made use of space behind the wicket, but also drove through the covers beautifully, to take himself to a second professional half-century in 68 balls.Lawrence became Abbott’s fourth notch of the innings when he was bowled, but Surrey remained six down at close, while Hampshire suffered a blow as Washington damaged his hand while fielding a ball off his own bowling.

Stumps After four Tests on flat pitches that took bowlers from both teams to the brink and counted among its casualties Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah, The Oval, which has been profoundly seam-friendly in recent times, provided margin for error. England played like they needed it; there were 30 extras but also six wickets and just 204 runs.India came to the ground facing humongous odds. But they beat them. The probability of losing a 15th toss in a row was 32728 to 1. There’s a chance unicorns are easier to find than a coin that will fall the way Shubman Gill wants it to.England got first use of a pitch with 8mm of grass on it and their fast bowlers benefited from the weather in more than one way. Rain through most of the afternoon helped keep their legs fresh and the threat of it, hanging over the entire day, created overhead conditions that were perfect for swing and seam. Only 64 overs were possible but there was enough help to bowl a team out. England’s lack of discipline is the reason why India are still standing. That and Karun Nair scoring a Test fifty after 3149 days dreaming of it. His hopes of becoming a permanent fixture in this batting line-up are still alive, with his opponents lending him a helping hand.Josh Tongue could only create 13 false shots in 13 overs. Watching him bowl raised the suspicion that the stumps aren’t inanimate; that they can get up and move wherever they please. Otherwise why would a Test match bowler stray so far and so often. His first over produced 11 runs in wides. And yet this was the same man who eventually made England feel comfortable about their decision to bowl first when he found his radar – briefly – to dismiss B Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja in the space of four overs. India went from a respectable 101 for 3 to a shaky 123 for 5 and it was because Tongue wasn’t bowling line and length. He was bowling filth and jaffas.Karun Nair celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

Gill will take a portion of the blame as well. He was looking good in testing conditions, rendering England’s most experienced bowler – Chris Woakes – toothless by batting a foot and a half in front of his crease and exploiting the mistakes from the rest of the attack – who have 18 caps between them – by cutting and pulling handsomely. In doing so, he went past Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 732, against West Indies in 1978-79, to become the India captain with the most runs in a Test series.No batter who reaps such a big bounty does so without something special about him. In Gill’s case, it is the sound of bat hitting ball. Often times, it is deafening, a sign of shots well-chosen and perfectly executed. Ironically, though, his dismissal here was the result of a ball he middled. He thought he could get a run off a front-foot block but he hadn’t placed it wide enough of the bowler. Gus Atkinson had a head start thanks to his follow through; he picked the ball up comfortably, took aim at the keeper’s end, and broke the stumps. Gill wasn’t even in the frame. Five minutes later, rain swept the players off the field. It was as untimely as a wicket could be.Sai Sudharsan enhanced his reputation while he was out there on the ground he calls home in county cricket. He didn’t look quite so susceptible to being caught down the leg side, even though England kept targeting him there. There was a moment where a pigeon flew right across the pitch just as Atkinson let go of the ball. It was an inswinger. Nicely pitched up. Searching for lbw and bowled. But Sai Sudharsan, on instinct, prevented his front leg from going too far across and was able to bring down a lovely straight bat.That was the kind of delivery that was taking him out early on in the series. It raised the question that maybe this is the real him and that in Leeds and Manchester, he was just a mess of nerves because he was playing his first few Tests. It took an unplayable delivery from an unlikely source – Tongue – to dislodge him for 38 off 108.1:48

What will be a good score for India?

Nair took over from there, playing some gorgeous drives, particularly through the covers. He still appears vulnerable to the ball in the channel because his bat comes down in an angle and his front foot doesn’t move too far, but England didn’t test him there enough.Atkinson was their most reliable bowler. He only had a second XIs game to prove his readiness for Test cricket again after a hamstring injury and apparently that’s enough of a testing ground. His first spell was pristine 6-1-7-1, where he took down Yashasvi Jaiswal early and caused problems throughout. But the rest of the attack only got their act together in the final session.Tongue and Jamie Overton did point to some extenuating circumstances for their rhythm being awry. They kept slipping as they powered their weight through their bowling action because the landing spot for their front foot kept giving way. Sawdust came to the rescue but it still wasn’t ideal. When you’re running in worried you could twist your leg, you run in less hard.Nair and Washington Sundar saw India through to the close of a strange day’s play. Neither team will be disappointed with their efforts, though England will be mulling the injury that Woakes sustained. His efforts to stop a boundary late in the day might have led to a suspected dislocated left shoulder.

Curtis Jones said it best. However, it’s probably best to glaze over the exact details of the Liverpool star’s post-match thoughts, his team having been wrecked at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

But Liverpool are in the lurch, and this has formed into a crisis of unimaginable depths for Arne Slot, who believes he has the backing of FSG and the board, but with each miserable defeat is cashing in more credit from the bank of his Premier League title success last season.

Liverpool have lost their past three matches by an aggregate score of 10-1. Since the November international break, Anfield has hosted Nottingham Forest and now PSV, and the Reds have been turned over both times.

So deep is this malaise that Liverpool are beginning to become a team not just struggling to identify tactical answers but lacking any conviction or confidence in their performance. In many ways, they are victims of their own self-combustion.

And Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are, sadly, representations of that.

Liverpool's deteriorating defence

Across Liverpool’s past three matches in all competitions – three defeats – they have recorded an xG score of 6.59; their opponents have combined for a 5.39 total. As already mentioned, the aggregate score stands at 10-1 to the opposition.

As the boss, Slot has to shoulder the blame. However, he must be dumbfounded by the manner of Liverpool’s defending, the absence of coherence. There is an inability to perform the basics of football that has rattled this cage too hard.

Konate is a perfect example of this, with the French centre-back so shorn of belief that mistakes are becoming a part of his daily routine.

When Liverpool concede, Konate is at the heart of it. And Liverpool are conceding in droves.

But the typically unflappable Van Dijk is deteriorating too. He inexplicably shot his hand into the air like a curious schoolchild in the early stages against PSV, and that sealed a spot kick for the visitors. Moments into the game. Converted. Set-piece concession. Again.

He might be 34, but the skipper remains one of the best defenders in the world. Still, his leadership skills have been swept from under his feet, so disjointed is this Liverpool backline.

VAN DIJK KONATE GRAPHIC

Slot needs to fix this mess, and no mistake. But Liverpool’s problem stretch far wider than just the inconsistencies of centre-backs. Where to begin? Where is the end of this remarkable rut?

The boss was brought in for his cool-headedness and tactical ingenuity. But that’s not been on show this season, and the repeated hammering of two stars into a combination that just isn’t working is an illustration of this bitter situation.

Slot cannot start them together again.

Slot must never start Liverpool duo together again

Liverpool have so many tactical imbalances. It is quite incredible how Slot’s side have regressed so deeply after cantering to the Premier League title last term.

But this is the club’s reality, and Slot needs to prove he can find the answers, else his tenure will be cut painfully, regrettably, short.

To spark positive change, the Netherlands tactician has to end this partnership of Milos Kerkez and Cody Gakpo down the left flank. There is no harmony on show between the left-back and winger.

Kerkez is fast, and, when he’s firing on all cylinders, furious. Analyst Sam McGuire observed that “a potential break is nullified by our own players” when the Hungarian threw himself down the line, only for those around him to remain rooted to their spots.

Sure, Kerkez, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth for £40m this summer, is showing himself to be unintuitive defensively. But awareness and understanding can be worked on, and such flaws have been exacerbated by the squad’s wider issues.

Gakpo is a seasoned Liverpool star now, having joined from PSV in a deal rising to £45m in January 2023. He needs to play with more conviction and more maturity. He also needs to connect with Kerkez and help this young and talented left-back grow into his skin.

Liverpool 1-4 PSV – Kerkez & Gakpo’s Stats

Stats (* per game)

Kerkez

Gakpo

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

66

66

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

31/35 (89%)

28/35 (80%)

Crosses

1/5

3/9

Key passes

1

4

Dribbles

0/2

1/4

Tackles won

4/8

1/2

Clearances

2

0

Duels won

9/14

4/9

Data via Sofascore

Twice Kerkez and Gakpo have started together in the Champions League, and twice Liverpool have been beaten, first at Galatasaray, a miserable evening, and then this week, at Anfield against PSV.

It is unfair to heap all the criticism on these. The sum of Liverpool’s downfall is greater than its individual parts. Against Manchester City earlier this month, Slot lumped them on together with just over half an hour on the clock; they were already three goals down.

But they aren’t working together, not one bit. You can see why Liverpool are so interested in completing a winter deal for the electric Antoine Semenyo, Kerkez’s former teammate at the Vitality Stadium.

The 22-year-old was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season. He was immense at Bournemouth. But that player has not been found at Anfield this season, with content creator Mark Goldbridge remarking that he has been “such a bad signing” for the champions.

In fairness to Kerkez, he is being shoehorned into a role that does not suit him. It is hard to believe that he, a ferocious touchline full-back, moved to Merseyside on the premise of being utilised in a build-up-focused role.

Journalist Henry Winter said after the match that it’s “pointless writing him off”, and that he “shines most when overlapping a left winger who reads his movement”.

This is not Gakpo. Though the Dutch forward probably receives undue criticism at times, he is not an uncoded winger, given artistic license to roam and do as he pleases – to an extent. No, Gakpo is quite limited in what he does, but he does it well, and that offered a nice counterpoint to Luis Diaz last season, both forwards notching 25 goal involvements across all competitions for league-winning Liverpool.

With four goals and three assists this term, Gakpo isn’t providing the clinical output needed, and Kerkez’s woes behind him are certainly factoring into this tough equation.

The fact of the matter is Liverpool are in a mess of a situation, and Slot’s tenure teeters on the edge of a precipice.

The Dutch coach has just a handful of games to save his Liverpool tenure, and if he continues to persist with this Kerkez-Gakpo combination, he will only be writing his own dismissal note.

Related Slot must drop 3/10 Liverpool flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Mikel Arteta is now driving Arsenal’s move to sign Scott McTominay, with the manager of the belief the Scot would be the perfect addition to his midfield, and Napoli’s asking price has been revealed.

Arteta is already blessed with a wide array of options in central midfield, having signed Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi in the summer, while Declan Rice also continues to impress, receiving plaudits from Gary Neville after the recent 4-1 North London derby victory.

Neville said: “The only player you would be worried about losing for a period of time would be Declan Rice because you cannot replace that,”

“That is your Roy Keane, that is your Rodri, the player that holds you together. There is only one of them.”

However, despite strengthening considerably in the summer, the Gunners have struggled injury-wise this season, with Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being ruled out against Tottenham Hotspur, meaning Mikel Merino had to lead the line.

As such, it could be a wise idea to bring in another central midfielder in the transfer window, and Arteta is personally a fan of a Serie A star…

Arteta driving Arsenal move for Scott McTominay

According to a report from Spain, Arteta believes McTominay could be the ideal addition to his midfield, with Arsenal closely monitoring the Napoli star’s performances over the past few months.

The Spanish manager rates the Scotland international highly due to his ability and press forward, and there are signs that a deal could be possible, though Andrea Berta will have to stump up £60m.

The 28-year-old is under contract until 2029, meaning Napoli are in a strong negotiating position at present, but interest from elsewhere is growing, with Manchester United also joining the race to re-sign their former player.

The Napoli star has certainly taken his career to new heights since leaving Old Trafford, with football writer Mark Carruthers praising him for the part he played in the Serie A side winning the title last season.

The former Man United man displayed his attacking quality as Napoli went on to win the league, picking up 12 goals and six assists in 34 Serie A outings, and he recently scored a remarkable bicycle kick as Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for the World Cup.

It may be difficult for McTominay to force his way into the Arsenal starting XI ahead of Rice and Zubimendi, but he would certainly provide Arteta with fantastic depth in the middle of the park.

Scott McTominay has been named as one of the best midfielders in the world The Best 15 Midfielders in World Football Ranked (2025)

Some of the best players in the world do their stuff in the middle of the park, but who’s number one?

5 ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will be chewing on his pencil over the November international break as he works toward solutions that are so badly needed.

Fortunes have gone somewhat askew at St. James’ Park this season, with the club’s away form laying waste to Howe’s hopes of progress after a testing summer transfer window.

But it may be that the ramifications of that Alexander Isak-dominated summer are still being felt. However, tactically, things aren’t right, and the wider struggle of the summer market has led to the current issues which must be overcome if the Magpies hope to make it another positive campaign.

Where PIF have gone wrong in the transfer window

Newcastle have fallen by the wayside, but it’s hardly too late for them to pick themselves back up. But there’s no question that PIF have to learn from their recent transfer struggles, with those brilliant windows of Howe’s early reign something of a distant memory.

In 2024, Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward, a glaring gap in the squad. That has now been amended through the £55m addition of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but Elanga has blanked across 16 matches for the club, and with concerns over his form, questions must be raised over the extensive scouting that led to his signature being obtained.

Interestingly, Nick Woltemade’s fine form at centre-forward has eased the Isak blow, and before the season, that would have been viewed as the biggest issue. Newcastle’s attacking problems stretch more toward the creative side, with Anthony Gordon joining Elanga in having failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

For a team whose 97 big chances created were bettered only by Liverpool in 2023/24, this is a real concern. This year, United have only created 14 from 11 matches, placing them 12th for that statistic. Gordon and Elanga must be doing a lot more, with the recruitment having felt they had hit the jackpot when shaping this wide duo.

While Newcastle have added exciting talents to their ranks this summer, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey among those with plenty of scope for growth, this is frankly an ageing squad and one whose freshen-up needs to go a lot further.

Tactical issues this season have been suggestive of this, and considering the company Newcastle are keeping in regard to the average age of their starting 11, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that younger profiles are needed for balance and continuity.

Premier League 25/26 – Oldest Average Starting XIs

Team

Position

Av. Age

Everton

13th

28.0

Aston Villa

6th

27.9

Newcastle

14th

27.6

Fulham

15th

27.6

Burnley

17th

27.1

Data via Transfermarkt

The need for depth and quality on the defensive flanks is alarming. Kieran Trippier at right-back is 35 years old and out of contract at the end of the season, and Tino Livramento has been unfit at times and deployed as a makeshift left-back at others.

This is largely because of Lewis Hall’s own unavailability this season. But with the 22-year-old drawing strength and fitness once again, we are turned toward the situation of one of Howe’s mainstays.

The Newcastle star now on borrowed time

Newcastle comprise players of myriads shapes and sizes and skills. Some are renowned as being among the best in the world, but some are of a shrewder nature, like Dan Burn, who returned home from Brighton for around £12m at the start of the manager’s reign and has since become one of his mainstays.

After all, it is only the skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, who has featured more prominently for Howe’s Newcastle than him.

Howe’s Most-used Players at Newcastle

Rank

Player

Apps

1

Bruno Guimaraes

170

2

Dan Burn

165

3

Fabian Schar

163

4

Jacob Murphy

150

5

Joelinton

145

Data via Transfermarkt

The 32-year-old has done more than endear himself to the Toon fanbase since arriving, but he’s getting on a bit and has been guilty of some suspect performances at left-back this season.

Naturally a central defender, Burn ranks against Premier League full-backs this term among the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 29% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

In the first five matches of the season, he was in the centre. Six appearances since have seen the England international deployed as a left-back, and this is inhibiting Newcastle’s flow and overarching connectivity.

Quite simply, Burn is not a natural left-back, even though he has played ample football in the moonlit role. He is a centre-back. 6 foot 6 and cool and composed.

Hall is far more dynamic and energetic in his role, and this will not only widen and add a dimension to Newcastle’s backline, but it could revive the likes of Gordon up ahead.

The boy from Blyth has been a revelation at Newcastle, and, pound for pound, “one of Newcastle’s best signings” since Howe arrived, as has been said by reporter Andy Sixsmith. A small fee and an immortalising contribution at Wembley last season have made sure of that.

But Howe will be putting a spoke in his own wheel if he continues to persist with Burn on the flank, limiting his side’s progression and mobility and dynamism at the back.

With this in mind, the modern legend might find himself slipping into his obscurity over the coming months, and perhaps that will lead to a departure to make way for this new chapter on Tyneside.

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Decision was taken after a meeting between selection committee and white-ball coach Hesson

Danyal Rasool20-Oct-2025

Rizwan will hand over the reins of the Pakistan ODI side to Afridi•ICC/Getty Images

Mohammad Rizwan has been sacked as Pakistan ODI captain, with Shaheen Shah Afridi replacing him. The decision was announced by the PCB shortly after the first day of the ongoing Test match between Pakistan and South Africa in Rawalpindi, a Test both Rizwan, 33, and Afridi, 25, are currently playing.No reason was provided for replacing Rizwan; indeed, the wicketkeeper batter was not even mentioned in the official statement. The decision, according to the PCB, was taken after a meeting in Islamabad between the selection committee and the white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.Rizwan’s removal was all but inevitable when the PCB put out a statement over the weekend, pointedly declining to confirm him as ODI captain ahead of the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour. Instead, it said Hesson had asked PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to convene a meeting with the selection and advisory committee to appoint a new captain.ESPNcricinfo understands the desire to replace Rizwan was not specifically at the behest of the head coach, but enjoyed wider backing at the highest level of the PCB’s decision-making process.Afridi’s last foray into white-ball captaincy was an unhappy one, when he was tapped to lead the T20I team ahead of a series against New Zealand in January 2024. Pakistan ended up losing 4-1 before he was replaced in similar circumstances to Rizwan’s sacking right now, with chairman Naqvi pointedly declining to confirm he would continue in the role. Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam a week later.While Pakistan had different captains for all formats – a situation that will continue – Rizwan was until recently perceived to be the most secure of a group that includes Shan Masood and Salman Ali Agha. Since becoming captain of the ODI side last year, Rizwan is four runs short of the highest scorer for Pakistan, averaging just under 42. He led Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa in 2024, though results this year have dipped, most notably with an ignominious first-round exit at a home Champions Trophy.Afridi pulls on the armband in good form in the format; he was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker last year in ODI cricket, and central to their away wins in South Africa and Australia. Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, no fast bowler from a Full Member nation has more wickets than his 45, which have come at more than two wickets a game.Afridi’s first assignment as ODI captain is the white-ball series against South Africa, which comprises three ODIs in Faisalabad next month.