USMNT striker Damion Downs has yet to find his footing at Southampton, drawing criticism in the early weeks of his Championship debut.
Damion Downs doesn't particularly enjoy attention. He told GOAL as much earlier this month. With his hood pulled up, Downs spoke softly about what felt like a life-changing summer for club and country.
"I don't like the spotlight so much, you know what I mean?" Downs said from the U.S. men's national team hotel during the most recent international break. "I like my privacy. I don't really mind people not knowing too much about me. At the same time, I'm not that exciting anyway."
So, when Downs seemingly deleted social media earlier this week, it wasn't too out of character.
It came, unfortunately, as Downs did find himself in that spotlight, and not for the reasons he'd want to be. Just weeks into life as a Southampton player, the striker has already become a lightning rod for abuse and criticism as the 21-year-old has been unable to hit the ground running.
The criticism, for the most part, has been unfair. Very few players adapt to English football instantly, and even fewer do so before turning 22. Downs arrived at Southampton this summer with a reported $9.5 million price tag, which naturally brought high expectations. In the opening weeks of his first Championship season, those expectations haven’t yet been met. Unsurprisingly, social media has had its say, and with Southampton struggling, Downs has found himself singled out.
So what comes next for the young USMNT star? Just seven games into his first season with a new club, it seems that Downs is already at a turning point as the spotlight is fixed on him.
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The season so far
Downs's big move to Southampton was preceded by plenty of hype. He arrived fresh off a breakout season in the 2. Bundesliga with FC Koln, whom he helped lead to promotion with 10 league goals. Instead of helping lead Koln into Germany's top flight, he made the move to England's second division, taking a risk to join the Saints.
The keyword there is . Downs could have easily remained at Koln to play in a bigger league. Instead, he saw Southampton as an opportunity to both develop and, hopefully, get a crack at the Premier League.
“I think Southampton is a big club that should be in the Premier League, and that’s my goal – to help the team as much as I can to bring the club back to the Premier League," he told the club's official website after signing. "The Premier League is the best league you can possibly play in. Being able to promote the team and the whole club to the Premier League would be a big honour for me.
“Obviously promotion is the No. 1 [target], and for me personally I just want to score as many goals as possible, help the club and help the team.”
It started well enough. Downs scored a preseason goal against Espanyol, seemingly impressing USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, who happened to be in attendance. He assisted a goal in the league opener against Wrexham, too, announcing himself as a difference-maker early on in the Championship season. Now, six games later in all competitions, he remains scoreless as he searches for his first official Saints goal.
There's a caveat, of course. Downs has played just 151 Championship minutes, making just one start this season. In those games, he has generally struggled on the ball. This week, Southampton boss Will Still, who left Downs out of the squad for two fixtures this week, against Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, called for Downs to be more imposing and to use his 6-4 frame more effectively.
“We have to encourage him to pick a fight with someone and make it difficult, and then get into the game that way," Still said.
It is clear, though, that Downs is still in the adjustment phase.
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The realities of a move
Speaking to GOAL earlier this month, Downs was largely thankful to those who have helped him adjust to life in England. The move from Cologne to Southampton wasn't easy, but his family was helping more than he could explain.
"It's been very, very busy, but, thankfully, I have a good family around," he said. "They've been taking care of most of the things, so I don't have to take care of it, and I'm thankful for that. They've been helping me as much as possible."
The move was just one piece of Downs' summer of change. Prior to his Southampton transfer, Downs made his USMNT debut this summer, and he ended up playing a big part in the team's Gold Cup run. His penalty kick sealed a shootout win over Costa Rica in the quarterfinal round, helping the U.S. survive despite the presence of Keylor Navas on the other side.
In general, it was transition after transition for Downs. From the USMNT, he went straight to Europe for preseason. Just a few weeks into the season, he was back stateside with the U.S. to face South Korea and Japan. It's been a whirlwind, to put it lightly, which could explain some of the early-season difficulties for Southampton's summer signing.
Still, moves like this carry inherent uncertainty. Staying at Koln would have been the safer path, even with the chance to play in Germany’s top flight. Downs chose instead to challenge himself in England during a World Cup year, with no guarantee of immediate success, even if the long-term rewards could be significant.
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USMNT impact
Ahead of the season, American soccer's striker race centered around the Championship. It seemed that the top two spots on the depth chart were claimed by Folarin Balogun in France and Ricardo Pepi in the Netherlands. Behind them, though, were a group of Championship strikers that looked set to go goal-for-goal in pursuit of a World Cup spot. Downs, one of the newer members of the race, would be directly compared to Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, and Patrick Agyemang as they fought to be part of next summer's team.
Sargent, of course, started hot, scoring for fun before slowing down post-international break. Wright has shined for Coventry City, making his claim to be a part of the upcoming camps. Agyemang, meanwhile, started the season injured, but has already set up two goals for Derby County as he hunts down a goal of his own.
And then there's Downs. He's had chances to score, but so far, that first goal remains elusive. If Downs is to get into the World Cup picture, though, the goals will have to come. Same for Sargent, Wright, and Agyemang, too.
"Seven or eight months is a pretty long time," Downs said earlier this month when asked about the World Cup, "So I'm not too focused on it. I just want to be here and represent my country when I am here. I'm not one to focus on the future and not be there for the present and what's going on right now. I'm focused on the now because the work that I put in right now is what it will take for me to be there."
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Time on his side
The season is still young, and games come thick and fast in the Championship. The Saints face Agyemang's Derby County on Saturday. Fortunes can change quickly for a striker. Downs, given his pedigree, is a prime candidate for the ketchup theory – once the goals come, they may not stop.
Southampton, though, will need things to change quickly. Through seven games, , one of the relegated Premier League teams, have claimed just seven points. That leaves them 19th and fighting for survival, even this early in the season.
Still is keeping the faith, though, particularly in Downs. He believes that the club's big signing has a part to play, as long as everyone shows the patience needed for him to get there.
“It’s a work in progress," Still said last week. "Not all transfers are going to come in and hit the ground running and click and understand the culture of the league, the opposition, and our team itself. Damion started on Saturday and came on tonight, and played a good chunk of the second half. We just need to keep working with him and helping him."
Until then, the spotlight will remain on Downs. A goal or two will change the reason for that spotlight as Downs looks to finally make his mark on his new club.
O Palmeiras conta muito com a fase artilheira do atacante Artur para tentar bater o São Paulo no Morumbi neste próximo domingo (11), em jogo válido pela 10ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Artilheiro do Palmeiras desde que reestreou com a camisa alviverde, com sete gols, ninguém balançou mais as redes do que a Cria da Academia nos últimos dois meses.
Artur chegou a ter a sua contratação contestada por parte da torcida do Palmeiras e da imprensa, muito pelo valor que o clube teve que fazer para ter o seu retorno, mas com grandes atuações, gols e muita entrega tática, Artur já caiu nas graças da torcida do Verdão que hoje não tem nenhuma dúvida de que ele merece uma vaga como titular do poderoso ataque alviverde.
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E se tem um clube grande do estado que Artur gosta de castigar, esse clube é o São Paulo.
Defendendo o Red Bull Bragantino, Artur fez quatro gols em nove partidas diante do Tricolor, e muitos deles golaços, tanto que em 2020, pelo Paulistão, Artur fez uma pintura no Morumbi que o rendeu o prêmio de gol mais bonito do campeonato.
Com a camisa do Palmeiras, Artur disputou apenas dois clássicos, com uma boa apresentação e vitória diante do Corinthians e uma atuação tímida e um empate na Vila, diante do Santos, ambas as partidas já válidas por esse Brasileirão.
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Nos nove jogos em que enfrentou o São Paulo com a camisa do seu ex-clube, Artur tem seis vitórias, um empate e duas derrotas. Até hoje, o São Paulo é o time que Artur mais balançou as redes na carreira.
Será que amanhã vai sair o primeiro gol do rei Artur em clássicos com a camisa alviverde?
Shubman Gill, who made his debut in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG four years ago, was left out of this one, paying the price for being unable to make the most of his starts in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Gill missed the first Test in Perth with a finger injury. He came back for the next one – the day-night Test – in Adelaide, and though he looked solid in both innings he scored only 31 and 28. He fell for 1 chasing a wide half-volley in his only innings in the Brisbane Test.India decided to go into the MCG Test with their captain Rohit Sharma back as opener. KL Rahul has been their best batter on tour. The skill he has shown in negotiating the new ball meant he had to bat up the order. He’s slated to come in at No. 3. India could have moved Gill down to No. 6 but they decided to pack their XI with allrounders instead.”Well I think a lot of the decisions when they are made, and the process of it being made, the communication is always there, transparency is there,” India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar said after the first day’s play in Melbourne. “Rohit will come up in the order and more likely than not he will open the innings for us. So I think that was the thought process and unfortunately for him [Gill], just how things panned out. He had to miss out and sometimes I just feel for a young player in a position like that, a big day, he wants to make his mark, he understands it is a team’s requirement and it is unfortunate. I wouldn’t say that he has been dropped per se, it is just unfortunate that he couldn’t find his place in his team.”Related
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Nayar seemed to suggest the choice was between Gill, their second-highest scorer in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, and Washington Sundar, and they preferred having an offspinner bowing at Travis Head and Alex Carey when the ball gets older. There seemed to be no question over Nitish Kumar Reddy’s spot – he only bowled five overs on day one and is set to bat at No. 7.India’s desire for bowlers who can bat could also be because two of their most reliable sources for runs have run dry in this series: Rohit (19 runs at 6.33) and Virat Kohli (126 runs at 31.50) are still searching for their best form.”I always believe that it’s about confidence and a start. Once a player gets a start, their game looks different. So, I think Virat and Rohit are both such players. If they can play 25-30 balls, then you will see the same Virat and Rohit that you see earlier. But, this is a game of confidence. So, no matter how much you practise, no matter how much you talk, in the end, when you get into the match, it’s very important to play 20-25-30 balls.”Things looked precarious for India when 19-year old Australian debutant Sam Konstas took down all of their bowlers and set his team up for a big total. Jasprit Bumrah helped them fight back after tea to end the day with Australia on 311 for 6.”Well, I think a lot of credit to, you know, the way Sam played. I felt, you know, the intent that he showed in the first four sort of put us in the back foot. I felt it took a lot of character for our bowlers to stick in there,” Nayar said. “It wasn’t the best, I mean, the easiest conditions to bowl, we felt the conditions are good to bat on and at times like that, sometimes it’s important to stick to your guns, stick to the plans.”I felt post-lunch, we came back really strong, bowling [four] maidens [back-to-back], you know, putting the pressure on the opposition. I felt at times like that, you are taken by surprise when someone plays a knock like that, but I felt we responded really well and then through the day, sort of kept at it and towards the end, you reap the rewards of everything that you did through the day. So, I felt overall, you look at that day, we were happy with where we ended.”
“It was so good the first time we had to do it twice,” cried Chloe Kelly at full-time. Sarina Wiegman’s England Lionesses are Euro 2025 winners. For a successive continental competition, they are European champions.
It’s safe to say the women have put the nation through maximum levels of stress this summer, defeating Sweden on penalties, needing extra time against Italy, scoring in last-gasp fashion and then needing another shoot-out against Spain in the final.
Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey had given the World Cup winners the lead, though another Gunner in Alessia Russo hit back. Nothing could separate the two teams until two women who have already had plenty of clutch moments in this competition stood up to it.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly were the heroes in the shootout, with Kelly firing home the winning spot kick.
Cue mass celebrations, handshakes with Prince William and dancing on the podium. After victory in 2022, England had done it again.
Here are the best moments from the final…
3 Russo equalises for England
After Lauren James hobbled off in the first half with injury, it meant that woman of the hour Kelly was introduced on the left wing.
As usual, she made a phenomenal impact, not just scoring the winning penalty but supplying an inch-perfect cross for Russo to head home.
Speaking at full-time, Wiegman was utterly euphoric: “I can’t believe it. The word ‘team’ really describes who we are – a team. We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible. I just can’t believe it, but I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy.
“It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponents. From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.”
2 Spot-kick drama for England as Kelly wins it from the spot
It was Kelly who was entrusted with the late penalty against Italy in the semi-finals and although it was saved, she latched onto the rebound and found the net.
Up she stepped again for the winning moment in Basel on Sunday and she was never going to miss. Indeed, she didn’t, slamming the ball home.
Speaking after that moment, the Arsenal forward was on cloud nine. Kelly told the BBC: “I’m so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge and so proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed, I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don’t miss penalties twice.
“It’s unbelievable, it’s not just this team it’s the staff behind us. Twenty-three players and all the staff behind us. Sarina Wiegman has done it again. It’s unbelievable. It’s going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and show the love to all these girls because they deserve it.”
1 England players party hard into the night
Prince William, snow angels in the confetti, tears of joy, a dancing Kelly, it was all happening in the aftermath of England’s victory.
Hampton commented that “this team is just unbelievable” while captain Leah Williamson barely had the words, summing things up well; “it’s just total disbelief,” she said.
Quite. Two European Championship wins in four years is some going. Long live this Wiegman rein.
Kagiso Rabada has leapfrogged Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin and Josh Hazlewood to go top of the ICC men’s Test bowling rankings after his nine-wicket haul in South Africa’s first Test against Bangladesh.Rabada took three wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings, becoming the fastest to 300 Test wickets in the process, and then returned figures of 6 for 46 as South Africa won their first Test in Asia since 2014.Bumrah and Ashwin both had indifferent showings in India’s defeat to New Zealand in Pune, and the two also dropped below Hazlewood to sit third and fourth respectively in the latest rankings.Related
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Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali also saw a big jump, moving up nine places to go eighth after his nine wickets in Rawalpindi. This is the first time he has entered the top ten of the Test bowlers’ rankings.Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra and Saud Shakeel entered the top ten of the Test batting charts for the first time. Ravindra, who followed up his century in Bengaluru with a half-century in Pune, moved up eight spots to go tenth, while Shakeel shot up 20 places to reach seventh, following his 134 against England.
Full rankings tables
Click here for the full team rankings
Click here for the full player rankings
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who dropped behind Harry Brook temporarily, has moved back up to third place, after making 30 and 77 in Pune.Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who made a battling 97 in Bangladesh’s second innings in Mirpur, and claimed two wickets, moved up two slots to go third in the allrounder charts.
Newcastle United are at a bit of a crossroads this summer. The Magpies’ latest transfer target was clear: sign a right winger.
Yet, their reported number one target, Bryan Mbeumo, rejected Eddie Howe’s side, as well as North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, in favour of a move to Manchester United, as per David Ornstein.
The North East giants were forced to move on to their next target, Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. However, their bid for the Sweden international, worth a reported £45m according to Ornstein, was rejected by the City Ground side, although they could return with a new offer.
So, that leaves Newcastle somewhat in limbo, although they have been linked wth a few more players who could become their new right-winger.
The latest on Newcastle's pursuit for a winger
Finding a new right-sided attacker has certainly been a frustration for the Magpies. They have missed out on two primary targets and must now go back to the drawing board to figure out their next move.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has recently broken the news that they are ‘exploring other options’ with regards to wide options. Two of those include PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko and West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.
PSV Eindhoven's JohanBakayokoin action
If the Magpies are to move for Bakayoko this summer, it seems like it could be a bargain move. According to reports, the Eredivisie side could accept as little as £17m for their winger this summer.
He has just one year left on his contract, and a move seems inevitable, which could give Newcastle a perfect opportunity.
How Bakayoko compares to Kudus
At just 22 years of age, Bakayoko has already made a great impression across Europe. He is clearly deemed Premier League quality by some sides, after a move to Brentford fell through a couple of years ago.
Johan Bakayoko for PSV
Now, two years on from that potential move, he is still making waves in the top flight of the Netherlands. Last season for PSV, the Belgium international played 47 times across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and grabbing three assists.
However, that is not Bakayoko’s best season for PV, whose academy he is a graduate of. His quality was really on show in the 2023/24 campaign. The winger featured in 33 Eredivisie games that season, and scored 12 goals, whilst grabbing nine assists.
Of course, the Magpies might pursue a move for Kudus, but there is no guarantee that they will secure the services of the Ghanaian international. He has been offered to other clubs, including Chelsea, as recently as the 6th of June, according to Sky Sports.
He certainly has a good record in the Premier League for West Ham. The 24-year-old has made 65 appearances in the English top flight, scoring 13 goals and grabbing 12 assists in that time. His best season came in 2023/24, when he contributed eight goals and nine assists.
However, he hasn’t hit the heights for the Hammers that Bakayoko did for PSV a couple of years ago. This certainly suggests that the Belgian could be an excellent alternative to Kudus if the Magpies decide to move for him instead.
The underlying stats on FBref also suggest that it is the case, too. When looking at their numbers from 2023/24, Bakayoko averaged 0.76 goals and assists and 7.11 progressive carries per 90 minutes.
In comparison, Kudus averaged 0.54 goals and assists and 4.32 progressive carries each game.
Goals and assists
0.76
0.54
Key passes
2.45
1.08
Progressive passes
3.50
2.87
Shot-creating actions
5.20
3.75
Progressive carries
7.11
4.32
The stats are there to suggest that, if they bring Bakayoko in this summer, he would be an excellent alternative to Kudus. Not only is he a “clinical” goalscoring winger, as Antonio Mango described him, but he is a fantastic ball carrier too, as the stats show.
For just £17m, this could be one of the bargains of the summer for Newcastle. It hasn’t been an easy summer so far, with the rejections they have faced, but this could be a huge turning point and key addition.
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Liverpool kicked off their pre-season with a 3-1 win over Preston North End. The result didn’t matter. This was an occasion for Diogo Jota, with the two clubs coming together to celebrate and commemorate a wonderful man who will forever be woven into Liverpool’s history, forever a part of Anfield.
The football was secondary, but it was a chance for fans to see the fruits of sporting director Richard Hughes’ labours in the transfer market, with wide duo Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong catching the eye.
Kerkez, signed from Bournemouth for £40m, looks an absolute menace, so lively and sharp. Replacing Andy Robertson, 31, should have been a daunting thing, but the Reds have hit the jackpot here.
Jeremy Frimpong and Arne Slot
Frimpong, too, shone, using his blistering speed and underrated intelligence to great effect, winning three of four duels and completing his one attempted dribble, as per Sofascore.
Giorgi Mamardashvili also exuded control between the sticks, but it wasn’t just the new boys who caught the eye, with Cody Gakpo looking good to continue his rise under Arne Slot’s wing.
Cody Gakpo's performance vs Preston
Last season, pundit Peter Crouch noted that Gakpo had “gone up a level” with Slot at the helm, going from strength to strength as he performed in a fixed attacking role off the left flank, as opposed to the shuffle-about role he had for Jurgen Klopp.
Against Preston, Gakpo continued that impressive role, seeing plenty of the ball and converting a well-taken goal that led to an emotional celebration.
The 25-year-old will be desperate to prove to his manager that he deserves another season in a prominent position at Anfield, having scored 18 goals and provided seven assists across 49 matches last year.
Cody Gakpo celebrates for Liverpool
However, with Luis Diaz potentially being sold this summer, Bayern Munich reported to have agreed personal terms with the versatile Colombian forward, Slot is within his rights to want more depth out on the wing.
And the man the Dutch coach has in mind might just have the quality to supersede Gakpo.
Liverpool lining up new forward
According to reports from Spain, Liverpool are planning to make an offer for Real Madrid star Rodrygo this summer, potentially using the non-committal Ibrahima Konate as leverage in a potential one-in, one-out deal.
Rodrygo has been considered among the world’s leading forwards for several years, but he’s struggled of late with Real, having been pushed to the backbenches since Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti.
Another Spanish outlet, AS, have also chimed in, revealing that Rodrygo has a price tag of €100m (£86m). Los Blancos might be willing to sell their long-serving winger, but only on their terms.
Time will tell whether Hughes and Michael Edwards can engineer a deal that checks out for Liverpool. Arsenal are also keen, though, so swiftness is important here.
Why Liverpool want Rodrygo
Rodrygo would be the first to admit that he endured a frustrating 2024/25 campaign, but having chalked up 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, it’s clear he’s got a high bar, which leaves even poor seasons above that of many other forwards across Europe.
Rodrygo stats
His former teammate, Luka Modric, actually called him a “world-class superstar” once, and with a longing for a permanent place on the left wing, Rodrygo could find that Liverpool would be the perfect new home for him, should Diaz be sold in the coming weeks.
Given that the Brazil international was fielded out on the right for the majority of the 2024/25 campaign in spite of his preference to play on the opposite flank, maximising his potency, he did well.
Moreover, he’s a big-game star, something Liverpool will need as they challenge for the biggest prizes once more.
Rodrygo’s arrival wouldn’t prove detrimental for Gakpo; Diaz and the Dutchman cohabited in the Reds first team last year.
But there’s a sense that Liverpool would be signing an upgrade on the former PSV Eindhoven talent, one who could dynamise and expand Slot’s vision as the Reds chase down more success.
Matches (starts)
35 (23)
30 (22)
Goals
10
6
Assists
4
5
Touches*
27.7
48.1
Shots (on target)*
1.6 (0.7)
1.8 (0.7)
Big chances missed
6
1
Pass completion
84%
91%
Big chances created
11
5
Key passes*
1.1
1.6
Dribbles*
0.9
1.6
Tackles + interceptions*
1.1
1.1
Duels (won)*
3.1 (51%)
3.8 (53%)
Looking at how Gakpo in the Premier League and Rodrygo in La Liga compared last season, you’d have to say that the wide range of qualities leans toward the Brazilian’s favour, even though he flattered to deceive by his standards.
Moreover, he might have only scored six times, but the 24-year-old also missed only one big chance, underscoring his value as a prolific outlet.
Journalist Sam Tighe once backed this up when calling Rodrygo “terrifyingly good” in front of goal, so deadly when fit and on form.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
The fact that Rodrygo managed to score six goals and supply six assists from the left side of Real Madrid’s frontline probably tells you all you need to know, for Ancelotti actually gave him just 12 appearances from that flank.
A duo of Gakpo and Rodrygo contesting for the ascendancy in Slot’s system would only be a good thing. But if Rodrygo is given the grounds to grow his confidence, he might just find himself eclipsing Gakpo, bringing athletic completeness to marry into a natural-born bent for goalscoring which has perhaps yet to even be fully realised on the professional stage.
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Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.
Amazingly, despite not being instantly used to the ins and outs of English football, Regis Le Bris would heroically secure promotion to the Premier League for Sunderland during his debut campaign in the Stadium of Light dug-out.
This wild achievement alone will ensure the Frenchman is in the Black Cats’ history books down the line. Still, all the joy and ecstasy of promotion will be unfortunately short-lived if the Wearside underdogs then struggle to acclimatise to the huge step-up in quality.
This will likely be the case too, considering the last six teams promoted up to the big time have all immediately fallen back down to the comforts of the EFL, having found the Premier League to be a sobering beast.
Yet, with Enzo Le Fee already signing on permanently, the Black Cats will hope they can buck this trend as Le Bris and Co. begin to eye up even more notable signings to aid their difficult survival mission.
This is what Sunderland’s dream XI could potentially look like ahead of their Premier League adventure nervously getting underway, with a whole host of fresh signings entering through the door, away from just the boost of Le Fee…
1 GK – Anthony Patterson
Anthony Patterson had been linked with Liverpool in the past, but his first top-flight chance will now come about with boyhood employers Sunderland.
The 25-year-old has been a mainstay in between the sticks for many a season now, so he is deserving of his opportunity in the Premier League, with Patterson now up to 51 clean sheets for the Black Cats from a total of 188 contests.
2 RB – Trai Hume
Trai Hume
Whilst Sunderland will hope no more interest comes their way for their number one shot-stopper this summer, they will know already it will be a hard battle to keep Trai Hume around, considering the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers have already shown interest in the attack-minded right-back.
Still, Sunderland will have to remain firm when it comes to Hume, considering he could well take the Premier League by storm after collecting nine goal contributions across Sunderland’s promotion journey, on top of also valiantly picking up 17 clean sheets.
3 CB – Joe Gomez
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez
The first new signing through the door could well be Liverpool titan Joe Gomez, with a report from the Empire of the Kop revealing that Gomez could be allowed to leave Anfield this summer, amid interest from the Black Cats, among other suitors.
Whilst Luke O’Nien was a brave battler all season long for Sunderland, he might not be cut out for the step-up, having been an EFL regular across the course of his playing days.
On the contrary, whilst he does have recurring injury problems, the 28-year-old transfer target can boast 149 appearances at the level, with only 109 goals conceded.
4 CB – Daniel Ballard
Whilst Daniel Ballard could well be joined by a fresh centre-back partner, the ex-Arsenal defender will be hopeful his spot in the side is set in stone for the Premier League.
After all, without Ballard, Sunderland might have fallen at the semi-final stages in the playoffs, with this last-gasp header sealing their dramatic spot at Wembley.
Moreover, if he can wrestle free of his own injury issues, he should be cut out for the physical demands of the top-flight, with the playoff final itself seeing Ballard win an imposing ten aerial duels.
5 LB – Kyle Walker-Peters
Southampton'sKyleWalker-Petersapplauds their fans after the match
The second new addition in the back-line could well come in the form of Southampton star Kyle Walker-Peters joining, with the Saints man an in-demand body as his contract at St. Mary’s begins to wind down.
If he were to join, Walker-Peters might end up usurping Dennis Cirkin as Sunderland’s starting left-back, having collected 12 assists in the Premier League to date from either the right-back or left-back spot.
6 CM – Dan Neil
Much like Hume, Le Bris’ men will be hoping that Dan Neil stays put, regardless of outside noise linking him with a spectacular £15m switch to AS Roma.
Neil is deserving of such attention, with the in-demand Black Cats captain a perfect mix of skill and grit, as seen in his two goals and three assists in league action last season, alongside his average duels won count being a high 4.8 from 47 second-tier clashes.
7 CM – Jordan Henderson
Much like Gomez, the added experience of Jordan Henderson in the midfield ranks could help the Black Cats adjust to the step-up.
After all, the former Sunderland prodigy has a mammoth 431 top-flight appearances next to his name, with the top-flight veteran no doubt eager to add more to his collection if his hometown club swoop in for him imminently.
8 RM – Amad Diallo
Amad
The boldest of Sunderland’s new pick-ups would certainly come in the form of Amad Diallo amazingly returning to the Stadium of Light.
The “sensational” attacker – as he’s been previously lauded by football journalist Daniel Hussey – has been tentatively linked with an ambitious return to the Black Cats, after a magical loan spell back during the 2022/23 season saw him tally up 14 goals and four assists.
24/25
Man Utd
43
11
9
23/24
Man Utd
12
2
1
22/23
Sunderland
42
14
4
Amad is now valued at around the £40m mark off the back of finally proving himself in the top-flight with Manchester United – as can be seen looking at the table above – meaning this summer buy would be an almighty statement purchase.
9 CAM – Chris Rigg
Sunderland'sChrisRigg
Whilst Sunderland found themselves ultimately powerless regarding Tommy Watson’s exit and Jobe Bellingham’s likely departure, the Wearside underdogs will feel at least a sliver of positivity if Chris Rigg remains in the building for their top-flight ride.
It will be intriguing to see how the 17-year-old hotshot takes to the daunting division, but much like he managed to soar up to the senior ranks at his hometown side with ease by bagging four league strikes last season, this could be another hurdle he fearlessly manages to overcome.
10 LM – Enzo Le Fee
Alongside Rigg and the potential new face of Amad, Enzo Le Fee will likely take up the left wing spot for the Black Cats next season.
Le Bris does have Romaine Mundle up his sleeve down the left flank, but Le Fee might well just get the nod over the ex-Standard Liege attacker based on his wealth of top-flight experience in France, having made 132 Ligue 1 appearances primarily on the books of his manager’s former employers Lorient.
He also showed off his class for the newly promoted side by helping himself to one goal and three assists from 18 clashes, meaning he should take to the Premier League swimmingly.
Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has shared his verdict as Spurs reportedly close in on the appointment of a 52-year-old, with the ex-England international expressing his delight for chairman Daniel Levy.
Tottenham ponder new manager after 20 Premier League defeats
The Lilywhites set a dismal record over the weekend, surpassing their previous number of total Premier League defeats in a single season.
Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager enters pole position to replace Postecoglou
The Australian could still leave Spurs if they win the Europa League.
1 ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2025
Ange Postecoglou’s side have now lost 20 league games this term, following a 2-0 home defeat to FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace, and this torrid number is quite simply inexcusable for a ‘big six’ club.
Aston Villa (away)
May 16th
Brighton (home)
May 25th
Spurs also find themselves 17th in the table with no wins from their last five. The terrible form of relegated trio Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton has seemingly rescued them from flirting with a drop to the Championship, which makes for seriously grim reading from Postecoglou’s perspective.
Some reports suggest Postecoglou is set to leave Tottenham this summer, even if the Australian ends their 17-year wait for a trophy and qualifies for the Champions League by winning the Europa League final.
A host of tacticians have been tipped to potentially replace Postecoglou, with Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) all on Tottenham’s rumoured managerial shortlist, according to reports in the last month.
In the meantime, while none of these possible appointments appear close, one hire which is becoming more anticipated by the week is the return of ex-managing director Fabio Paratici.
The Italian’s worldwide ban by FIFA is due to end on June 30th, and this has prompted many reports linking him with a return to N17.
Corriere della Sera recently stated that Paratici will re-join Tottenham after talks with AC Milan broke down, and some media outlets closer to home claim that Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has been recommended to Spurs by the 52-year-old already.
Robinson thrilled by potential Paratici return to Tottenham
Speaking to Tottenham News, ex-Spurs keeper Robinson has shared exactly why he believes Paratici’s potentially imminent comeback is a welcome boost for the north Londoners.
“His recruitment has been excellent,” said the pundit, who regularly features on Sky Sports.
“Listen, he’s had an official ban, but I think his fingerprints have been all over a lot of Tottenham signings. You can’t work in an official capacity, but there’s nobody saying you can’t ring your mate up and make a phone call and recommend him a player.
Fabio Paratici attends Tottenham Hotpsur's away clash in the Premier League against Crystal Palace.
“Anyone can do that. You look at the signings that he’s had, you look at Kulusevski, Bentancur, Romero, Vicario. The signings that he’s brought to the club have been a success.
“I think from the outside looking in, it’s somebody that Daniel Levy trusts. So if he comes back in an official capacity, I think that’ll be a good thing for the club if he can work with whatever manager’s in charge next season and get the recruitment right for the style of play that the manager wants to achieve.
“It’s vitally important, as we’ve seen this season with Ange, you have to have a set of players that fit the system that the manager wants to play, or else it’s not going to work.”
Arne Slot has intimated multiple times this season his belief that Liverpool are conceding a disproportionate number of goals while failing to finish their chances off up top.
To a degree, this is true. Expected Goals Against (xGA) tell of the Anfield side’s struggles at the back, having conceded 20 times in the Premier League this season despite only conceding an xGA total of 15.5.
But that is only one dimension of a many-angled crisis for the Merseysiders, who have been sapped of strength and style and confidence after dispatching their rivals to storm to the Premier League title last season.
Liverpool are also joint-fifth for big chances created this season (35), while Chelsea are first with 39 created. Not exactly a world away, and when you consider that no team have had more possession than Liverpool this term (61.5%), you’d perhaps argue that Slot has all the ingredients to get his squad playing to his tune.
Football works in weird ways, though, and Liverpool have been shambolic. Something needs to give, and while defence and attack both share issues, it is a tough, physical presence in midfield that the Reds are lacking this season.
Liverpool need to sign a holding midfielder
Last season, Slot bounced back from the frustration of being rejected by Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi by converting Ryan Gravenberch into a robust, deep-lying midfielder. It paid dividends, with Liverpool lifting the Premier League title for the second time in five years.
Liverpool are such a far cry from the robust level of last year it almost beggars belief, with Gravenberch lacking the physicality and strength to give the Anfield side what they need to turn things around.
With Alexis Mac Allister also struggling, it could be that a robust new presence in the middle could turn the tide at Anfield, and sources from overseas suggest that that is what sporting director Richard Highes is focusing on right now.
Well, according to reports in Spain, Liverpool have made a staggering British record bid for Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, worth something in the region of €150m (equating to £132m).
Dissent is rife at the Santiago Bernabeu, with suggestions of breakdowns in the relationship between head coach Xabi Alonso and star players such as Vinicius Junior.
Liverpool are looking to capitalise, adding Uruguay international Valverde to their ranks and reinforcing their midfield with a combative presence and a leader of men.
What Valverde would offer Liverpool
Valverde, 27, has been at Real Madrid for the lion’s share of his senior career, having joined the Spaniard from Penarol in his homeland way back in 2015.
A dynamic and multi-functional player, Valverde has chalked up 339 senior appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 32 goals and supplying 35 assists. He was once described as a “monster in the making” with “world-class potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it’s fair to say Valverde has lived up to the hype on that account.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for switches (rekindling something of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing range, perhaps).
The data-led platform reveal Arsenal’s Declan Rice to be among his most statistically comparable players, to give a flavour of his style (though Liverpool fans are already well-acquainted with Valverde’s talent).
Moreover, Valverde’s steely defensive qualities could be the perfect way to reinforce Liverpool’s midfield while maintaining a kind of broadness of style that Slot is known to covet from his engine room workers.
Central midfield
282
19 + 27
Right-back
56
2 + 8
Right wing
33
11 + 4
Defensive midfield
15
1 + 0
Attacking midfield
14
1 + 0
Left-back
7
0 + 0
Centre-back
1
0 + 0
Given Valverde’s Real Madrid connection and his steeliness in the centre of the field – he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore – the South American could even be Liverpool’s next version of Fabinho, who cut his teeth in the Spanish capital before finding his footing in France with Monaco.
Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp’s all-inspiring midfield anchor for so many years, was also more than capable as a right-back, emphasising the athleticism and tactical intelligence that he shares with Valverde.
The Brazilian differed from Gravenberch in that he was more resilient in his play, less technically gifted, but more suited to a natural role in the six berth.
Valverde could be the perfect addition in this regard, still getting forward when the need arises but bringing a more focused defensive skillset from which Slot’s tactics could bloom once again.
You could argue that Liverpool have missed Fabinho’s presence ever since he left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. With the pendulum swinging within English football once again, and low blocks and more direct play back in fashion, Valverde could be a significant upgrade and a worthwhile addition in spite of the exorbitant cost.
Joe Cole waxed lyrical after one glittering Champions League performance, remarking that Valverde “is every bit as good as Jude Bellingham”.
Quite the praise, that. But Liverpool don’t need Bellingham. They need someone even grittier and more grounded. Fabinho-esque. They need Valverde.
Liverpool teenager who's 'like Pogba' could end Mac Allister's Anfield stay
Liverpool must start handing this prodigious academy talent more chances to impress.