Sussex declined to set up a contest on the final day after Tom Alsop’s unbeaten 82
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Apr-2025
Tom Alsop scored an unbeaten 82 as Sussex batted their way to safety•Getty Images
Sussex 528 (Simpson 181*, Clark 140) and 313 for 7 dec (Alsop 82*) drew with Warwickshire 454 (Yates 115, Barnard 82, Davies 66, Mousley 63) and 104 for 2 (Yates 65*)Warwickshire and Sussex banked solid points from a draw after their high-scoring Rothesay County Championship Division One match drifted up the predictable cul-de-sac at Edgbaston.Sussex declined to set up a contest on the final day, batting themselves safe before finally declaring their second innings on 313 for 7 after Tom Alsop’s unbeaten 82 from 131 balls. That set the home side a notional target of 388 in a minimum of 44 overs.Warwickshire closed on 104 for 2, Rob Yates ending unbeaten on 65 to complete his excellent start to the season with 180 runs for once out, three wickets and a catch in the match.If the fourth day offered less than thrilling fare for the spectators, there was plenty of satisfaction from the match for both teams – Sussex on their return to Division One and Warwickshire having narrowly avoided relegation last year – at making a solid start to the season.After Sussex resumed on the final morning on 126 for 3, James Coles soon lifted Yates for a handsome straight six but the spinner hit back with his third wicket when nightwatcher Jack Carson scooped to Vishwa Fernando at short fine leg.Coles was on the threshold of his second half-century of the match when he became Fernando’s first victim for Warwickshire, caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Kai Smith.In the hour before lunch it became clear that the match was going nowhere as Alsop and John Simpson plodded through a partnership of 47 from 15 overs. Simpson fell lbw to Dan Mousley just before the interval, after which Alsop continued to put his first innings first-baller firmly behind him by moving to a compact 100-ball half-century.Alsop and Fynn Hudson-Prentice added 71 in 15 overs before their alliance ended in slapstick fashion. The batters were on different wavelengths over the merits of a third run and found themselves at the same end, the latter run out for 30 off 53 balls. The declaration soon followed.Warwickshire reached 27 without loss at tea at which point they faced the tempting challenge of scoring 361 from 36 overs in the last session. They resisted the temptation.Jayden Seales pinned Alex Davies lbw with the first ball of the evening session and Carson bowled Hamza Shaikh with a beauty for the second time in the match. Thereafter, Yates and Sam Hain saw out time as the match petered out in a similar way to Sussex’s first ever Championship visit to Edgbaston in 1905 (the famous match in which Bradford-born left-arm spinner Albert Cordingley made his 15th and last appearance for Sussex).
To be heralded as Arsenal’s signing of the summer takes some doing. After all, this was one of the best transfer windows we’ve ever seen in the club’s illustrious history.
It didn’t take Andrea Berta long to settle into his role, replacing Edu as the Gunners’ Sporting Director.
While his biggest project was to sign a new striker, notably welcoming Viktor Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium, the Italian transfer chief did not stop there.
What a window this was. Even when you thought they were done with the signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, Berta surprised us all by completing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie on Deadline Day. It wouldn’t be a transfer window at Arsenal without a hybrid defender arriving during the Mikel Arteta era.
Eze’s acquisition was exciting, as was Gyokeres’. In adding those two players, they’ve strengthened two of the big weak points in the side; goals and unpredictability from the left flank.
Yet, Berta made a number of underrated signings during his first window at the club.
Arsenal's most underrated signings of 2025
It remains to be seen how someone like Christian Norgaard settles in at Arsenal. While the Dane played a prominent part in pre-season, he’s not been seen in competitive action yet due to injury.
However, having captained Brentford under Thomas Frank, he will no doubt bring valuable experience to what is still a relatively young crop of players.
For those we have seen, two players immediately stand out. Noni Madueke is one of them.
When the winger arrived at Arsenal during pre-season, it’s safe to say fans were unhappy. Not another Chelsea reject, they cried. Quite. That being said, protests that were lodged disapproving of the deal were rather bizarre.
Since moving to the red side of London, it’s safe to say that Madueke has proven a number of supporters wrong. Against Liverpool prior to the international break, the 23-year-old looked like Arsenal’s best player.
Despite not scoring or assisting against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, he also arguably looked like the best player on the park.
The England international was relentless in his endeavours down the right flank, twisting Morato and Neco Williams inside and out. Madueke completed a whopping five dribbles and also completed five key passes.
Madueke vs Forest
Minutes played
78
Shots
0
Successful dribbles
5/8
Touches
65
Accurate passes
22/31
Key passes
5
Accurate crosses
4
Duels won
10
Tackles
3
Stats via Sofascore.
In previous years, when Arsenal have been without Bukayo Saka due to injury, they have struggled. However, with Madueke now in the squad, they look far better equipped to deal with a problem like that one.
Another hugely underrated signing is Cristhian Mosquera. Arriving from Valencia for just £13m in the summer, very few expected the Spaniard to play too many minutes this campaign.
Aware of the player’s potential, the 21-year-old has already exceeded all expectations, standing in for the injured William Saliba.
When the Frenchman hobbled off in the early exchanges of the clash at Anfield two weeks ago, everyone feared the worst. That said, Mosquera stood in with ease and looked at home next to Gabriel Magalhaes in Arsenal’s backline.
The same could be said of the youngster’s performance against Forest this weekend. Mosquera was phenomenal, notably making a last-man tackle in the second half to deny what looked like a certain goalscoring opportunity.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Described as “an incredible signing” by Gunners writer Dan Critchlow, the centre-back looks like he could dominate Premier League attackers for years to come.
Despite his impressive start to life in the English capital, he’s not quite the best signing Berta made during the summer months.
Arsenal's signing of the summer is emulating Xhaka
When Granit Xhaka left the Gunners behind in the summer of 2023, very few expected to see him back in the Premier League two years later.
Well, Xhaka left Bayer Leverkusen behind as a league champion and came back to England, moving to newly-promoted Sunderland.
Since returning, we’re seeing more of the Xhaka of old. A deeper-lying playmaker who breaks up the play.
Yet, that hasn’t always been the case, as his final season at the Emirates proved. That campaign was arguably the best of his career, scoring nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions.
Since then, Arteta has been searching for a replacement. He initially struggled to do so.
Kai Havertz was signed with the idea of filling the Swiss’ void in the left 8 position but ultimately ended up being better as a striker. Declan Rice has perhaps found the most success in that role, involved in 19 goals last term.
However, in £60m arrival Martin Zubimendi, they’ve signed another player capable of emulating the former club skipper.
Zubimendi isn’t the aggressive tackler that Xhaka is or was, but there are certain qualities that the Spaniard has offered and will offer that are reminiscent.
Like Xhaka, the 26-year-old controls and dictates the tempo of a game brilliantly. In fact, in that regard, he’s probably even better.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has already described him as “the second best” midfielder in the world behind Rodri. Speaking of Rodri, talking about his international colleague last week, he said: “He [Zubimendi] has the discipline and mentality that can lead him to become one of the best, if he isn’t already.”
The Spaniard is certainly more disciplined than Xhaka ever was but in their ability to break up the play and dictate, they are alike. Zubimendi showed during the 3-0 win over Forest that he can contribute in the final third like Xhaka too.
The Switzerland star has near immaculate technique and we all know how much of a rocket his left foot was. Well, the former Real Sociedad star emulated just that on Saturday, hammering home a volley from the edge of the area.
Not usually a goalscorer, Zubimendi rolled back the years at the Emirates with a Xhaka-like goalscoring display from the middle of the park.
It was the summer arrival who rounded off the scoring late on when he headed home Leandro Trossard’s cross. It was the first brace of his professional career and a 10/10 performance that cemented him as “the signing of the summer” in the words of club insider AFC Camden.
If he has an Arsenal career like Xhaka then we are in for quite the ride.
£115m Arsenal duo look like they could be the new Saka and Smith Rowe
Arsenal have unearthed another exciting duo at the Emirates duo.
Sciver-Brunt’s second consecutive fifty made sure Mumbai kept a perfect 5-0 record against Giants
Ashish Pant18-Feb-2025
Hayley Matthews starred with three wickets•BCCI
There was an air of inevitability right from the time a beaming Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl in Mumbai Indians’ second match of WPL 2025 against Gujarat Giants. Teams chasing had won every single game so far this season. Couple that with Mumbai’s 4-0 record against Giants coming into this match and odds were stacked heavily in Mumbai’s favour.And the game panned out accordingly.Hayley Matthews’ frugal three-wicket squeeze backed up by two-wicket hauls from Nat-Sciver Brunt and Amelia Kerr helped bowl out Giants for 120. Sciver-Brunt then continued her stellar run with the bat, scoring her second fifty on the bounce to shepherd Mumbai’s chase.She finished with 57 off 39 balls as Mumbai chased down the target by five wickets and 23 balls to spare. The win not only helped Mumbai open their account in WPL 2025, but also extended their lead over Giants to 5-0. Giants are now the only side in the tournament to not have a single win against a particular team.Giants’ powerplay malfunctionHarmanpreet spoke at the toss about capitalising in the first few overs before the dew set in. She went pace from both ends up top and the move paid dividend with Sciver-Brunt accounting for Beth Mooney, who sliced a simple catch to Sanskriti Gupta at backward point in the second over.Shabnim Ismail then got rid of Laura Woolvardt, whose lofted drive could only go as far as S Sajana stationed perfectly at deep cover. That reduced Giants to 14 for 2, which four balls later became 16 for 3 when Matthews sent back D Hemalatha whose across-the-line heave was caught wonderfully by Kerr sprinting to her left from deep midwicket.Ashleigh Gardner, Giants’ wrecker-in-chief in the first two matches, started fluently again striking a four and six but was undone by a Sciver-Brunt slower delivery which she mistimed to Sajana at deep midwicket.At 28 for 4 after six overs, Giants couldn’t have asked for a worse start. This was their third-lowest powerplay score in the WPL and comfortably the lowest for any team this season. What also hurt Giants were the sheer number of dot balls at the start. Twenty-six of the 36 balls in the powerplay were dots, the joint-most in WPL history.Nat Sciver-Brunt used the scoop again•BCCI
Deol fights, no one else doesIt might be a case of Giants worrying about the dew later on or just them not trusting their defence enough that despite the fall of wickets, the batters continued going for their shots. Deandra Dottin got going with a reverse sweep, but a wild mow across the line off Kerr brought about her downfall, with Yastika Bhatia executing a quick stumping.Kashvee Gautam, like many of her team-mates, started strong smashing debutant Parul Sisodia for two fours and then lifted Ismail for a six over long-on, but like the others, flattered to deceive edging Matthews behind.In all this, Harleen Deol stood tall. She played the waiting game, but did not let any scoring opportunities go. The sweep became her ally as she breached the gaps with consistency during her 31-ball 32.But the wickets continued to fall at the other end and when Deol departed with the score on 103 for 8 in the 17th over, the end was nigh. However, Sayali Satghare and Priya Mishra ensured that Giants played out their full quota of 20 overs.For Mumbai, Matthews was miserly in her four-over spell going for just 16. She bowled 16 dot balls in her spell, as did Sciver-Brunt while 19 of the 24 balls that Ismail bowled were dots.Sciver-Brunt’s flawless fifty in MI’s first winComing into the tournament, there were questions raised on Sciver-Brunt’s form considering she had a relatively quiet Ashes. In a matter of two innings, she’s brushed aside the doubters.A 121-chase was never going to be daunting. Matthews started fluently, striking three fours but ended up smashing a rank long-hop from Tanuja Kanwar straight to Deol at square leg. If Giants were entertaining any thoughts of a collapse, Sciver-Brunt shut that down quickly.She got going with a fierce pull first ball and it was one-way traffic thereon. Dottin was crashed through point before Priya Mishra was pulled through square leg twice in three balls. While Bhatia fell mistiming Mishra to long-on and Harmanpreet was trapped in front by Kashvee, Sciver-Brunt stood like an immovable force.It was not just power but also precision and the ability to find gaps at will that kept Sciver-Brunt going. She added a 45-run stand with Kerr off 38 balls to take Mumbai closer. She took 34 balls to collect her fifty before falling just seven runs shy of the target. G Kamalini, on debut, struck her first ball for four while Sajana finished the game by depositing Dottin over mid-off to give Mumbai their first win of WPL 2025.The win has taken Mumbai to second place on the points table while Giants’ NRR has taken a hit, though they are in third place.
Barcelona are reportedly planning a fresh approach for “wonderful” Liverpool star Luis Diaz, but the press in Spain believe he has agreed terms elsewhere.
Players who could leave Liverpool this summer
A busy summer transfer at Anfield has seen Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez join the Reds, but the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jarell Quansah have already departed, and a host of other names have been linked with exits before next season gets underway.
Jarell Quansah for Liverpool
Luis Diaz has continually been mentioned as an option for Barcelona, with his father even admitting that it would be a “dream” move for his son.
Elsewhere, Harvey Elliott’s future looks likely to lie away from Liverpool, and there are also rumours suggesting Andy Robertson and Darwin Nunez could move on.
Luis Diaz has agreed terms with Bayern Munich
According to a new update from Fabrizio Romano on X, Barcelona are now planning to make a “new approach” for Liverpool ace Diaz in the near future, with Spanish journalist Fernando Polo confirming the player is keen on the move.
However, Polo has since added a new twist, revealing sources in Germany believe Diaz has verbally agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich. The Germans lost Jamal Musiala to a serious injury over the weekend, and Polo reports if they bid for Diaz it is with the Colombian’s green light.
Luis Diaz
Liverpool’s stance on Diaz seemingly remains clear, with the Premier League champions not entertaining any offers.
While the Colombian may not be an absolutely world-class footballer, he is still an elite attacking player, scoring 17 goals for the Reds last season and flourishing as both a winger and a centre forward, being lauded by former midfielder Danny Murphy.
“I’ve picked out Diaz because I think he’s gone under the radar a little bit with all the plaudits a lot of the players are getting. He’s got a wonderful work ethic and attitude to the game wherever he’s asked to play.”
Liverpool in lead to sign £35m star who loves Arne Slot, he's keen on move
The Reds could land themselves a talent this summer.
BySean Markus Clifford Jul 6, 2025
Admittedly, a monstrous bid for the £55,000-a-week Diaz could make Liverpool think again, considering he is 28 now, but only an extortionate amount of money should lead to them accepting an offer this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans include the signing of another new winger, as chairman Daniel Levy looks to back Thomas Frank this summer with more fresh faces in preparation for their journey back to the Champions League.
Tottenham preparing bid for £30m colossus wanted by Napoli, Milan and Inter
Spurs could scupper Antonio Conte in the race for his signature.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025
Spurs, despite a torrid 2024/2025 domestically, where they lost a record-breaking 22 Premier League games, have suddenly found themselves among Europe’s most elite next term after their historic Europa League final triumph last month.
This has suddenly exacerbated the need for Levy and technical director Johan Lange to reinforce weaker areas of the squad.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Tottenham have already signed Mathys Tel in a £30 million permanent deal from Bayern Munich, whilst also sealing a £5 million agreement for Japanese sensation Kota Takai, but Frank may find himself in need of more wide attackers very soon.
Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig, combined with Son Heung-min’s potential move to Saudi Arabia, could leave their new manager pretty short of quality wingers, even when taking into account Tel’s stay.
Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are just some of the names to be linked with moves to N17 recently, with Frank also recommending Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen to the Spurs hierarchy.
Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also remains high on Tottenham’s radar, as per reports this week, but interest is also still firmly there when it comes to a possible swoop for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.
Tottenham plan bid for Mohammed Kudus after talks in the last week
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for TBR, the Ghanaian is a serious option, and West Ham would be prepared to sell their star winger for a fee north of £60 million.
Mohammed Kudus celebrates for West Ham
Tottenham have apparently held talks with Kudus in the last week, and Frank’s side are now thinking about making a bid for the ex-Ajax star after these discussions. His release clause is actually around £80 million, but given West Ham’s need to sell, they’ve reduced his asking price by a significant amount as they look to raise funds and reshape Graham Potter’s squad.
Chelsea are noted as contenders for Kudus too, but they’re yet to go back in with a bid after seeing their proposal for a player-exchange rejected earlier in the window.
The 24-year-old didn’t exactly hit the heights of his debut campaign in east London during his second season, but he still ranked as one of the best dribblers in the Premier League per 90, according to WhoScored.
Kudus can be a truly devastating player on his day, as echoed by his teammate, Aaron Cresswell, in 2024.
“I’ve just trained with him and you don’t want to go anywhere near him,” Cresswell told the Iron Cast.
“I’m up against him all the time and I’m like: ‘Mo, go on over to the left!’. He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet.
“I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming. You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”
Babar was reappointed before T20 World Cup and said he had not thought about his future in the role
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-20241:42
Rapid Fire Review: Imad, Amir’s Pakistan chapters ‘written and closed’
Under-fire Babar Azam’s future as the captain of Pakistan’s white-ball teams remains uncertain. In the wake of their early exit, Babar has come under pressure despite having just reassumed captaincy, but he said he was going to make any call only after meeting and reviewing the World Cup with the decision-makers at the PCB.”When I gave up the captaincy [in 2023], I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it and I announced it myself,” Babar said. “Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB. When I go back, we will discuss all that has happened here. And if I have to leave the captaincy, I will announce it openly. I will not hide behind anything. Whatever happens will happen in the open. But for now, I have not thought about it. It is eventually PCB’s decision.”Babar was asked if he took the responsibility for the early exit as the captain. “I told you that we did not lose this because of one particular person,” Babar said. “We win and lose as a team. You are pointing out that [I am] the captain, but I cannot play in every player’s place. There are 11 players, and each of them has a role. That’s why they came here to play the World Cup. I think we have not been able to play well as a team. We have to settle down and accept that we didn’t play well as a team.Related
Wahab and Razzaq sacked from PCB selection committee
Haris Rauf on confrontation video: 'When it comes to family, I will not hesitate to respond accordingly'
Pakistan must face up to hard truths of modern T20
Shaheen and Babar seal Pakistan's nervy win against Ireland
Imad: Pakistan have 'moved back' in T20 cricket, need to get rid of fear of failure
“We accept that we didn’t play according to the expectations. The kind of team we had, the experience we had, we haven’t been able to deliver at different times. As a player and as a captain, I am not going to single [anyone] out. The fault lies with all 15. We will sit and review. As a captain, my responsibility is to give my feedback to the decision-makers.”Babar was again asked who should be held responsible: captain, coach or selectors. “You can’t put the blame on one person,” Babar said. “We didn’t play well as a team. We did well in patches. Everybody is disappointed. We are as disappointed as the fans. It is not one individual’s fault.”
Tottenham Hotspur have now made an approach to sign a “superb” £34m player, who has already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer, according to a report.
Spurs eyeing new signings amid Frank pursuit
With Daniel Levy controversially dismissing Ange Postecoglou last week, the chairman has wasted no time searching for a replacement for the Australian, and widespread reports are suggesting that Thomas Frank has now agreed to take the job.
However, former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has admitted he is “worried” about what Levy’s objective for the new manager will be, given that Postecoglou was sacked after winning a trophy, and it must be noted Frank has never won a major honour, despite doing a stellar job at Brentford.
Should the Dane be appointed, he is likely to have a say in the recruitment this summer, but the Lilywhites are continuing to assess potential options without a permanent manager in place.
That is according to a report from RMC Sport, which states Tottenham have now made an approach over a deal for AS Roma’s Evan Ndicka, having submitted an enquiry, with Premier League rivals Manchester United doing the same.
Ndicka, who is valued at €40m (£34m) is in no rush to decide his next move, and will take time to consider the offers he receives, but one thing that is clear is that he will not be heading to the Emirates Stadium, having already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer.
"Superb" Ndicka could be solid Romero replacement
Postecoglou may not be the only key Spurs figure to leave this summer, as there have been doubts over Cristian Romero’s future for quite some time, with it previously being revealed that Levy is open to sanctioning the Argentina international’s departure this summer.
Tottenham now ready to hijack move for £60m star Frank called "incredible"
Spurs have joined the race for a forward, who has left top manager target Thomas Frank impressed in the past.
ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025
As such, one of Frank’s most important tasks, should he become the new manager, may be to bring in a new centre-back, and there are some signs the Roma defender could be a solid option, having previously been dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig.
The 6 foot 4 colossus is certainly an imposing presence, which means he is also a threat from set-pieces, as shown when he bagged his first goal for Roma against Tottenham in the Europa League last November.
Ndicka could be a solid signing for Spurs, but it is important they get the green light from Frank or any other potential new manager before pursuing a deal.
With the 2024/25 domestic season now behind us following the Champions League final, a big talking point is the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Paris Saint-Germain produced a stunning display against Inter Milan with a 5-0 victory, the biggest margin in a European final, which has resulted in numerous of their stars being tipped to lift the famous individual honour later this year, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in Paris on 22 September 2025.
The next 10 Ballon d'Or winners predicted by AI
Who could win the Ballon d’Or across the next ten years?
ByMatt Dawson May 31, 2025
However, Grok, the AI tool on X, has already predicted the top 10 standings for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, and there is one surprise inclusion.
AI 2025 Ballon d’Or top 10 in pictures:
2025 Ballon d’Or top 10 predicted by AI
Rank
Player
Age
Club
Nation
1
Ousmane Dembele
27
PSG
France
2
Lamine Yamal
17
Barcelona
Spain
3
Raphinha
28
Barcelona
Brazil
4
Mohamed Salah
32
Liverpool
Egypt
5
Lautaro Martinez
27
Inter Milan
Argentina
6
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
24
PSG
Georgia
7
Pedri
22
Barcelona
Spain
8
Kylian Mbappe
26
Real Madrid
France
9
Desire Doue
20
PSG
France
10
Gianluigi Donnarumma
26
PSG
Italy
10 Gianluigi Donnarumma PSG and Italy
One of four Paris Saint-Germain players on the list is Gianluigi Donnarumma. In fact, the Italian is the only goalkeeper in AI’s top 10 list, so he could quite easily take home the Yashin Trophy for the best keeper in the world.
Donnarumma kept his 12th clean sheet of the season in Munich against Inter, helping PSG to a treble as well as the French Super Cup at the beginning of the year.
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s 24/25 stats
Games
54
Clean sheets
12
Trophies
4
9 Desire Doue PSG and France
Someone who has really burst onto the scene in 2025 is Paris Saint-Germain winger Desire Doue, and he has deservedly snuck into AI’s top 10 prediction.
The 20-year-old was the star of the show in Munich, scoring two goals and getting an assist in the Champions League final. As a result of his impressive displays, he was named the 24/25 Champions League Young Player of the Season.
Desire Doue’s 24/25 stats
Games
54
Goals
15
Assists
16
Trophies
4
8 Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid and France
Despite not winning any major honours in his first season at the Bernabeu aside from the Super Cup, Kylian Mbappe still had a brilliant individual campaign with Real Madrid.
The French superstar actually scored more goals than any other Real Madrid player in their first season at the club (43), including two brilliant hat-tricks against Man City and Barcelona.
Kylian Mbappe’s 24/25 stats
Games
56
Goals
43
Assists
5
Trophies
1
7 Pedri Barcelona and Spain
With Barcelona lifting the Supercopa de Espana, Copa del Rey and La Liga in the 24/25 season, there was always going to be some Catalan stars on the list.
Pedri has been key to Barca’s success, playing just shy of 60 games in all competitions. He was also dubbed “the best midfielder in the world” by Thiago Alcantara, and it looks as if he’ll soon be entering the prime years of his career.
Pedri’s 24/25 stats
Games
59
Goals
6
Assists
8
Trophies
3
6 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia PSG and Georgia
Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was a machine in 24/25, starring on the flank with his speed and skill. In the first half of the season, he impressed for Napoli before joining Paris Saint-Germain in January, and he’d go on to help the French giants to a treble, scoring in the Champions League final.
Napoli also won Serie A, meaning Kvaratskhelia became just the second player in history after Alvaro Odriozola to win two league titles and a treble in the same season.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s 24/25 stats
Games
44
Goals
12
Assists
9
Trophies
4
5 Lautaro Martinez Inter Milan and Argentina
Despite not winning any major honours in 24/25, Inter Milan did come close in the Champions League, Italian Super Cup and Serie A title race.
Captain Lautaro Martinez was influential for his side and led them to Munich, scoring nine goals in 14 European appearances. However, with Inter not lifting any silverware, it is surprising to still see the Argentine’s name rank so highly.
Lautaro Martinez’s 24/25 stats
Games
49
Goals
22
Assists
7
4 Mohamed Salah Liverpool and Egypt
After setting a record for the most goals and assists in a 38-game Premier League season and lifting the title with Liverpool, Mohamed Salah was always going to be in AI’s top 10 list.
The winger also committed his future to the Reds in 24/25, but after exiting the Champions League to the hands of eventual winners PSG in the last 16, Salah’s wait for a Ballon d’Or could go on.
Mohamed Salah’s 24/25 stats
Games
52
Goals
34
Assists
23
Trophies
1
3 Raphinha Barcelona and Brazil
Many thought Raphinha was in pole position to win the Ballon d’Or for large parts of the 24/25 season, however, Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final exit to Inter Milan may have dented his hopes.
The Brazilian still enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, which was actually the best of his career to date. In total, Raphinha contributed to 59 goals in 57 games, winning the Supercopa de Espana, Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Raphinha’s 24/25 stats
Games
57
Goals
34
Assists
25
Trophies
3
2 Lamine Yamal Barcelona and Spain
On the other flank to Raphinha at Barcelona, Lamine Yamal continues to grow into a worldwide superstar at the age of 17. Interestingly, Yamal contributed to 16 fewer goals than Raphinha in 24/25 but is above him in AI’s predicted Ballon d’Or standings.
Cutting in from the right and scoring with his left has become a trademark move by the Spaniard, and it feels like a matter of time until the award is his. Yamal doesn’t lack belief, though, and has admitted he thinks he can win the Ballon d’Or this year.
Lamine Yamal’s 24/25 stats
Games
55
Goals
18
Assists
25
Trophies
3
1 Ousmane Dembele PSG and France
Leading the way as AI’s predicted 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is Ousmane Dembele. The French winger helped Paris Saint-Germain to a treble as well as the French Super Cup. The Ligue 1 and Champions Legaue Player of the Season also enjoyed the best year of his career in the final third with 33 goals and 15 assists.
Talking after the Champions League final, PSG boss Luis Enrique backed his star winger to lift the award, saying: “Everyone is talking about the Ballon d’Or, but I would give it to Ousmane Dembele just because if we think about how he defended today, he showed just what he was made of.
“He was a leader, he was humble, he got back down [the pitch] and he defended, and I think that without a shadow of a doubt he deserves this, not only for the goals that he scored but also for the pressing that was seen. We’ve seen such a season from him, but he was exceptional in this final.”
Liverpool are considering a move for a “sensational” attacking midfielder this summer, and he is now keen to hold talks about a move to Anfield, according to a report.
Reds eyeing Wirtz alternatives as race heats up
Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz could well be on the move this summer, and it is looking like the transfer saga could be one of the most talked-about of the summer, with a number of Europe’s top clubs lining up for the German.
Bayern Munich and Manchester City have also expressed an interest in Wirtz, although there have been suggestions that Pep Guardiola’s side have now cooled their interest, amid concerns a deal could be too expensive.
The Reds are pushing hard to sign the 22-year-old, but there are also some alternative options in mind, with River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons among the potential options, and Arne Slot is believed to be driving the deal for his compatriot.
Sky Sports: Liverpool may sell "amazing" £50m player after transfer twist
He played in the 3-2 defeat away to Brighton on Monday night.
ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025
A report from TEAMtalk has now provided a new update on Liverpool’s interest in Simons, stating they are considering a move for the attacking midfielder as a potential alternative to Wirtz, and there is a feeling he could be open to heading to Anfield.
The Leipzig star is keen to hold talks over joining the Reds, and he could be a more affordable option than the Leverkusen man, as the asking price is expected to be around £60m.
Leipzig are open to selling the Dutchman this summer, should they receive a suitable fee, which will come as welcome news to Slot, who is known to be an admirer of the 22-year-old’s technical quality and maturity.
Van Dijk lauds "very talented" Simons
Slot is not the only key Liverpool figure who is a big fan of the “sensational” Netherlands international, with Virgil van Dijk also taking the time to praise him last year, saying: “He is a very talented player who has so much to give,”
“He can still be so much better than he is already but he has a good mentality, so I am not worried that won’t happen. I am confident in him.”
The Amsterdam-born attacker’s quality is underlined by his output in Germany during the 2024-25 campaign, regularly chipping in with goals and assists despite a disappointing season for Leipzig, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Bundesliga
25
10
7
DFB-Pokal
3
1
1
Wirtz outperformed his Bundesliga rival numbers-wise, collecting six more assists, but it was recently suggested that a deal for the Germany international could amount to €300m (£253m) all-in, potentially making him unattainable for the Reds.
At just £60m, Simons has proven he could be a fantastic alternative to Wirtz, so it is promising news that he is keen on talks about a move to Anfield.
Celtic were hit with a devastating blow at the start of this month when it was revealed that Jota could be out of action for up to nine months with a knee injury.
The Hoops winger hobbled off during the 5-0 win over Dundee United away from home at the end of last month, the game that clinched the Scottish Premiership title, and is now set to be out of action until next year.
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that he will be out for between six and nine months after suffering cruciate ligament damage, which means that he will miss pre-season and the start of next season at a minimum.
It comes as a big blow for the Scottish giants because the winger had provided four goals and two assists in seven league matches after his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.
Celtic reportedly paid £8m to sign the Portuguese wizard from Rennes on a permanent deal, 18 months on from selling him to Al Ittihad for a fee of £25m.
How Celtic played a masterclass with Jota
Ange Postecoglou initially signed the forward on loan from Benfica in the summer of 2021 before a permanent deal was struck to bring him to Parkhead on a long-term contract in 2022.
The Hoops reportedly splashed out a fee of £6.5m to convert his loan into a permanent deal, as per the option to buy that was included in the initial move, and the exciting attacker justified that fee with his performances on the pitch in the Premiership.
Jota scored ten goals and provided ten assists in less than 30 appearances in the Scottish top-flight during his loan spell at Parkhead, which convinced the club to activate their £6.5m option to sign him permanently.
The dynamic forward instantly repaid their faith in him with another excellent campaign in the Premiership during the 2022/23 season under Postecoglou’s management, as he delivered goals and assists on a regular basis once again.
22/23 Premiership
Jota
Appearances
33
Goals
11
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
13
Key passes per game
1.9
Assists
11
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Jota scored more goals and provided more assists than he did in his first year at the club, which shows that he was heading in the right direction from a development perspective.
His impressive form for Celtic in those seasons, however, led to interest from elsewhere, and Al Ittihad eventually swooped in to sign him for a fee of £25m, representing a significant profit on the £6.5m that they paid for his services.
Jota
This shows that the Hoops played a masterclass with Jota because they snapped up a young talent from Benfica, initially on loan, and provided him with a platform to showcase his quality before selling him for a huge fee, only to re-sign the winger 18 months later.
Celtic could, now, repeat that masterclass by swooping to sign another talented young winger who has been linked with a move to Parkhead, Kwame Poku.
The latest on Celtic and Kwame Poku
GIVEMESPORT recently reported that Birmingham City are concerned that they could lose the race to sign Peterborough United forward Kwame Poku to Celtic or Rangers.
The outlet pointed out that the two Scottish giants would have to pay a significantly lower compensation fee for the winger, whose contract expires this summer, because of the UEFA cross-border compensation deals, than any English team would have to pay.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
GIVEMESPORT added that Peterborough’s director of football, Barry Fry, has already confirmed that Rangers and Celtic scouts have been at their games this season to watch the 23-year-old talent in the flesh.
The report revealed that Birmingham and Sheffield United, among other English sides, are also interested in the winger, though, and that means that there is likely to be plenty of competition for his signature.
Celtic must, now, push to win the race for his services because he could arrive at Parkhead with the potential to be the next version of Jota for the club.
Why Kwame Poku could be Celtic's next Jota
The Ghana international could be Jota 2.0 for the Hoops for several reasons, most notably that he is also an exciting winger who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis.
Whilst he is a left-footed forward who predominantly plays on the right, as opposed to a right-footer on the left like Jota, Poku is similar to the Portuguese talent in the way that he looks to make an impact in the final third.
Kwame Poku (League One)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
37
27
Goals
11
12
Big chances missed
11
3
Big chances created
10
9
Key passes per game
1.5
1.2
Assists
7
8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Poku has delivered 21 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in his last two seasons in League One with the Posh, which shows that he can offer a constant threat at the top end of the pitch.
Whilst he is yet to show that he can translate that to the top level in England, these statistics show that the potential is there for him to be a Jota-esque figure for Celtic with his quality on the wing.
Such is his potential, Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony believes that his next move could cost £30m: “He’s top drawer. He has everything, a great technique, pace and physicality. He will be a Premier League star in the future and that next move will probably cost £30m.”
At the age of 23, Poku still has plenty of time left to develop and improve, and he could use a transfer to Celtic as a platform to shine on the domestic and European stage whilst winning trophies to enhance his value, as Jota did under Postecoglou.
Not just Nawrocki: Exciting Celtic star just made himself unsellable
Maik Nawrocki was not the only rarely seen Celtic star who caught the eye against Aberdeen.
ByDan Emery May 15, 2025
Therefore, the Hoops could find Jota 2.0 by signing Poku because he is another exceptional wing talent who can provide goals and assists, whilst also having the potential to be worth millions more in the future if he hits his stride at Parkhead.