Bayern Munich have struck a €75 million (£65.6m/$88.1m) deal with Liverpool to sign Luis Diaz, who is reportedly set to undergo a medical within 24 hours. The Colombian winger has been granted permission to leave the Reds’ pre-season tour in Tokyo and join Harry Kane’s side as Die Rekordmeister prepare for a fresh Bundesliga title charge.
Diaz set to leave Liverpool for Bayern in €75m transfer deal
Set to undergo medical with Bayern over next 24 hours
Liverpool eye Isak after signing Ekitike earlier this summer
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool have accepted Bayern’s €75m offer for Diaz, as per The Athletic, after having previously rejected a lower bid earlier this summer from the Bundesliga champions. The Colombian, currently in Tokyo with Liverpool’s pre-season squad, has been granted permission to leave and complete his medical with Der Rekordmeister and become Bayern’s latest high-profile signing under Kompany.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Diaz’s departure is part of a wider shake-up at Liverpool under Arne Slot this summer. The Merseyside club have already brought in Hugo Ekitike and are chasing Alexander Isak as a possible addition. With Darwin Nunez also potentially on the move, Liverpool’s attack could boast a very different look in 2025/26 as they prepare their Premier League title defence.
DID YOU KNOW?
Diaz made a total of 148 appearances for Liverpool after arriving from Porto in the summer of 2022 before playing a key role in the Reds' domestic cup double that season. During his time with the Merseyside club, he scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists.
AFP
WHAT NEXT FOR DIAZ?
The 28-year-old Colombian is expected to complete his medical and sign a long-term deal with Bayern Munich within the next 48 hours. Liverpool will turn their focus to finalising a move for Isak as they rebuild their frontline. More changes could follow as the transfer window progresses.
The triple century was scored with speed and vitality, supreme fitness, and outstanding concentration
Daniel Brettig in Adelaide30-Nov-2019How remarkable was David Warner’s 335 not out, the highest Test score at Adelaide Oval, and the second-highest score ever by an Australian in Test cricket?It was an innings big enough to take him past the iconic 334s of Sir Donald Bradman, whose name adorns the pavilion into which he walked at its end, and Mark Taylor, who applauded warmly from a radio commentary box at the achievement of his fellow left-handed opening batsman.It was scored with speed and vitality, supreme fitness, and outstanding concentration in conditions that, while not unpleasant for batting, were no picnic. Unpredictable enough that a batsman as well set as Marnus Labuschagne, on 162, was clean bowled between bat and pad, and helpful enough for Australia’s pacemen that Pakistan would slide to 6 for 96 by the close.Most remarkable, though, is the fact that this innings took place at all.ALSO READ: David Warner becomes seventh Australian in triple-ton clubOne of Justin Langer’s first – of innumerable – meetings after his appointment as Australian coach in May last year had a simple, vital premise: to hear all that he could hear about the Newlands scandal, and to ponder how Warner might be readmitted to the Australian team.Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft were not central subjects of this discussion, for there was little doubt that they would return to the fold once eligible. Warner, as has been the case so often in his career, was the wildcard, after he had been isolated by Cricket Australia as the figure on whom most blame was publicly placed. Fair or not, this focus had made the journey back so much harder, and the public attacks on Warner so much more intense.With time, and perspective, views of Warner have cooled from that pitch of desperation and assumption. Whatever the rights and wrongs of Cape Town, he had so often acquiesced to the Australian team’s demands in the past; he had always batted for team first; he was still one of the most gifted opening batsmen Australia have ever had. So he started on the road to selection and acceptance, keeping quiet when Smith and Bancroft made far more noise in exile, and wearing the fact that, in contrast to the other two, he was banned for life from any leadership role.It was around March 2019 that Warner began seriously preparing for his international return, having observed a summer in which it was patently obvious that Australian cricket was not so chock full of quality batsmen that it could discard him.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe was to arrive via an IPL in which he hammered the world’s best T20 bowlers and looked very much like his old self, only hungrier and leaner. Quite a return to major cricket, this was also something of a false dawn: Warner was unable to dominate the World Cup, though he scored plenty of runs at a more sedate tempo, and he was unable to have any impact at all on the Ashes, repeatedly confounded by Stuart Broad even as Smith turned in the finest series of his career.Worries and questions swirled, not exactly about Warner’s place in the Australian team, but about where his story might go next. Sponsors and broadcasters who had rushed back to Smith still kept their distance; the selection chairman Trevor Hohns openly queried how he might fare when asked questions from around the wicket by other international bowlers; journalists still wondered whether Warner might be received by more boos than cheers on home soil.Adelaide, as it happens, provided the first flash of promise for Warner this summer, as he hustled his way to a first-up century in a T20I against Sri Lanka. The confidence derived from this innings gradually built into a powerful wave of poise and performance as he recalled the sort of dominance he had previously enjoyed on home shores. It was building, steadily, towards something, somewhere. Unfortunately for Pakistan, Warner found the return visit to Adelaide Oval to be to his liking.Moment of history: David Warner brings up his triple century•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaLike most innings of this magnitude, Warner’s had a background (how he got there) and a foreground (how he did it). The foreground at Adelaide Oval was the way in which he called, ran, backed up and bullied Pakistan’s fielders, unrelentingly. Daring them to run him out, and ultimately defeating their will to do so. Having seen off the early attempts of Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Afridi to threaten him in similar areas to Broad, Warner grew progressively more confident and pugilistic in his pursuit of boundaries, yet he still scored only 162 of 335 runs by reaching or clearing the rope. Instead, he was all fitness and engine, batting as ironman race.And what could be more fitting than that, given the long and productive relationship with his wife Candice, a former ironwoman. The moment Warner started preparing for an innings of this kind dates back to the very first year of their union. In 2013, not too long after they got together, Warner was hitting balls with his longtime mentor Trent Woodhill.Tired and ready for a break after an hour, Warner and Woodhill started packing up, only to be asked by Candice why the session had been so short. No-one taught Warner more about the value of physical stamina and the diligence required to achieve it than Candice did, and there was every indication that, even in the darkest moments of 2018, this quality helped to keep Langer convinced that he should return to the national team.”I love the way he plays his cricket,” Langer had said back in May 2018. “The way he runs between the wickets, the way he fields, the way he bats – they’re things that for the less-trained eye, you might not respect as much. Has he got areas to get better at? Yep … we’ve all got areas we can get better at.”So it was entirely fitting that Candice would be in the crowd of 33,943 at Adelaide Oval to witness Warner march off towards the Sir Donald Bradman Pavilion with a higher Test score than its namesake, and with every indication that he could have batted long enough to double his 335 not out had Australia not been pressing for victory against an uncertain weather forecast.Warner was fresh enough, in fact, to walk straight back out after a ten-minute changeover with team-mates to take the first catch of Pakistan’s innings, ahead of a passage that underlined that this pitch was far from placid. He had played a remarkable innings all right, remarkable for its existence as much as for its conception.
da bwin： It may not come as a surprise to learn that Leeds United were the most creative team in the Championship last season.
da imperador bet： The 2024/25 winners, who gained promotion back to the Premier League with over 100 points, were a standout side across all areas of the game, particularly when it came to their creative numbers.
According to FBref, they topped the metric for the most key passes overall, with 562, and the most key passes per 90 minutes, averaging an impressive 12.2. Daniel Farke turned his side into a creative force, channelling the innovation of club legends like Pablo Hernandez.
It seems the Elland Road side are about to become even more deadly in the final third, if recent transfer reports are anything to go by.
Leeds enter race to sign attacking midfielder
It has already been a busy transfer window for the Whites. They have signed defender Jakob Bijol from Udinese and striker Lukas Nmecha from Wolfsburg on a free transfer. Next, it seems, Farke’s side will move onto attacking midfield.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That is according to a recent report from talkSPORT. Journalist Alex Crook has reported that Leeds are one of two sides who ‘hold an interest’ in signing young Anderlecht midfielder Mario Stroeykens this summer.
It will not be a straightforward deal to do for the Yorkshire outfit. West Ham United are also one of the teams showing a keen interest in the Belgian, as he fits their transfer policy of ‘targeting young up-and-coming players’.
Whichever side manages to sign the 20-year-old, the fee is already made clear; Stroeykens is valued at £17m by the Belgian giants.
Why Stroeykens would be a good signing
If Leeds do manage to sign the young attacking midfielder this summer, he would join an exciting crop of talent in the final third and add to the creativity already at Farke’s disposal. He has made an impressive start to his Anderlecht career.
Despite being just 20 years of age, Stroeykens has already notched up 132 appearances for Anderlecht, whose academy he graduated from. In that time, he’s managed to score 16 goals and register 15 assists, playing mainly as a number 10, but also on both flanks and as a striker.
The attacking midfielder, who was born in Zellik just outside of Brussels, impressed in the 2024/25 campaign. In 39 appearances, he bagged five goals and created seven chances, which included nine goal involvements in 13 league games to start the season. As football scout Antonio Mango said, he has an “elite profile” which is on show with those numbers
How Leeds would love for Stroeykens to have the same impact on the club as Hernandez had. A club legend, the Spaniard donned that famous White shirt for five seasons, helping the club return to the Premier League with promotion in 2019/20.
Altogether, Hernandez made 175 appearances for the Elland Road club, finding the back of the net 36 times and grabbing 41 assists.
In four Championship seasons, he assisted eight goals once, nine goals twice and an incredible 12 goals in 2018/19. As the numbers show, he was a creative genius, described as a “wizard” by Leeds’ official account on X.
Some of the underlying numbers on FBref behind Stroeykens’ good form last season are impressive. Indeed, they certainly suggest he has the talent to replicate what Hernandez did at Elland Road.
For example, compared to midfielders in the 14 leagues most similar to the Belgian top flight, he averaged 1.53 key passes and 0.77 goal-creating actions, which rank him in the top 16% and 1% respectively. Those numbers show just how creative he is, and the fact that he is constantly involved in his side’s goals, even if indirectly.
Stroeykens key stats from 2024/25 season vs. midfielders
Stat (per 90)
Stroeykens number
Percentile
Key passes
1.53
84th
Progressive passes
6.61
83rd
Expected assists
0.2xA
94th
Shot-creating actions
4.01
92nd
Goal-creating actions
0.77
99th
Take-ons completed
1.12
90th
Stats from FBref
They are certainly encouraging numbers from the 20-year-old. He would have a lot to do if he wants to become as good as Hernadez was at Leeds, but there is no doubt that the talent and data to back it up are already in place for Stroeykens.
FC Porto's Otavio in action with Anderlecht'sMarioStroeykens
For just £17m, this could be a bargain for Farke, and someone who will further increase the creativity and attacking threat of his side, which is much needed in the Premier League.
Nmecha upgrade: Leeds make contact to sign a star who "bullied" Van Dijk
Leeds are reportedly eyeing up a star who would come in as an immediate upgrade on Lukas Nmecha.
Might it be that the batsmen were just better than him at that place and time?
Iain O'Brien05-Feb-2020Indulge me, for a second.Take the hammer
Smash the glass
Take the glass
Cut the Mother Earth
Opens up
And sucks you down
It sucks your sorry ass into the groundAre you pressure man or prey?
Do you suffer through the gravity?
Are you predator or prey?
Will you suffer my reality?
Are you pressure man or prey?
Do you suffer through the gravity?
Are you pressure man or prey This 1998 New Zealand rock anthem from the Feelers, “Pressure Man” was the theme music for the precursor to T20, Cricket Max. You could say the first verse and chorus above are about short-form cricket. (Well, the song sums up a lot of life. Please replace with any non-gender-specific noun and sing along.)There is a photo of me from 2009, standing outside of a drink-break huddle. I had just dropped Gautam Gambhir at mid-off; it was day five, and it may have been the game changer.The song didn’t come to mind at the time, but for the rest of that Daniel Vettori over, I vividly remember carving out a long wound in the pristine McLean Park outfield with the smashed-glass spike of my boot and wanting it to open up and swallow me. In hindsight, the lyrics are as if I wrote them from that one experience.There are many of these moments in life and in sport. Except, in sport they are replayed and replayed and replayed. You suffer over and over.And it’s those who suffer over and over who either are or become legends and greats of the game.***A recent brief, innocent, and what seemed insignificant, back and forth on Twitter with the editor of allowed me to think about the “pressure man or prey” situation New Zealand were in recently while trying to overcome the India T20 team.”Why do they keep using Southee?” was the question I was posed after NZ Super Over loss.The demand of the question, the rhetorical, is that Southee shouldn’t be bowling that Super Over, ever. I don’t think it’s as black and white as that.Answer me these:Did Southee get the plan wrong and the execution right?Did Southee get the plan right and the execution wrong?Did Southee get the plan and the execution right and the batsman was just better?We, outside of the inner sanctum of the team, will probably never know.***In what turned out to be my fourth and last T20I, Scotland were our first opponents in the 2009 World T20. Rain cut the game short before it had even started. Seven overs each; a T7, if you like.ALSO READ: The glamorous life of a Test match bowler (2015)I bowled the first over. With The Oval Members End behind me, I ran in and delivered maybe my most perfect over. The plan locked in and every ball was perfect.The over went for 18, with two leg-byes. It was the best over I had ever bowled. It was the best I had ever kept to a plan. Ever! And I was ignominiously clubbed for four brutal fours.I do have to let you in on one thing, though. In the Scotland team, there was a Watts and a Watson. According to our scouting, Watts would open and Watson would bat about eight.I checked the plan for the opener and nailed it.Except, Watts wasn’t the opener. It was Watson, who normally batted eight. I missed the slight difference in name, which led to the massive difference in individual plans.I didn’t play another T20I. I admitted my mistake in the team debrief the next morning. I got the plan wrong but executed it right. Does that make me a bad bowler, or a good bowler who misread a name?I could have sat on that shame, that failure. I could have dwelled on the fact that no one on the park had thought to make sure I had the right plan after I was spanked for a couple of fours.
Players talk of ‘having a short memory’ when they’re asked how they deal with the massive lows of sport. But in reality, a lot have learnt to have the capacity to sit back and say, ‘I did my best, they were better’
I didn’t, though.Watts. Watson. Damn it!Some 11 years on from that game, I reflect with a greater knowledge of what I allowed myself then. It was probably the first time, and one of the very few times in my career, that I allowed myself some compassion.I failed many, many times. And almost every time I lived that failure. I endured the pain and allowed it to become more of me, more of my personality, than it should have been. All that self-loathing left me not knowing who I was and what I was. Putting on a mask to keep going, to keep being. Tired. Drained. Sleepless. Tears. Disgust.***Southee stepped up and took the ball. And failed in the third T20I against India, in the Super Over.And again in the fourth T20I, in the Super Over.But did he fail?ALSO READ: Martin Crowe: The masks we wear (2013)If we go back to the question of whether he nailed the plan and execution (and to the correct batsman – not like my stupid folly!), might it be that the batsmen were just better than him at that place and time?Fine lines. Very small margins.I think we need to give the opposition more credit than we strip credit from Southee. Or at least we need to consider doing so. And also consider that those piling onto the bowler here are adding to it their feelings and frustrations that New Zealand didn’t get over the line in regular time.You can succeed by failing. One such instance stands out in my mind – in a T20I at the SCG, against Australia, in the penultimate over.Cam White hit a straight, length delivery of mine to somewhere near the moon. Somehow, on its way down, it didn’t quite clear the rope and Vettori completed a special catch.Iain O’Brien: “I failed many, many times. And almost every time I lived that failure. I endured the pain and allowed it to become more of me”•John Walton/PA Photos/Getty ImagesWe celebrated the wicket – me, not quite so much. Vettori to me in the huddle: “Not quite your best ball, OB?” It certainly wasn’t, at all! Got lucky with the launch angle from White’s bat. Fine lines. Very small margins.But it was a success, right?***The more I study our stupid/bonkers/mad/brilliant human mind, the more I realise that in 2009 I had done something to myself that was just becoming a recognised form of mental healthcare.Compassion-focused therapy was just becoming a wholesome part of psychology. Being able to have compassion for oneself or another, as a way to deal with the emotions and outcomes of decisions and actions, whether good or bad, is an essential aspect of well-being.Imagine not being able to have compassion for yourself even if you have, to the best of your abilities, done what was required.Players hide behind the saying “having a short memory” when they’re asked how they deal with the massive lows of sport. But in reality, a lot have learnt to have the capacity to sit back, say, “I did my best, they were better,” shrug their shoulders, look for a lesson, let it all just wash over (like a kid would), and go again with the full backing of their team-mates.ALSO READ: Martin Crowe: How McCullum helped me let go (2014) That’s why I’d back Southee again. And again. That may be the definition of insanity (as in the quote attributed to Albert Einstein), but I’m backing that the plan and execution were right (or so damn close to right that no one in that line-up could have done better), and the opponent was just too good on that day. And the next.Michael Jordan once said: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”If the execution was poor, then, yes it may be right for someone else to bowl those overs that nobody really wants to bowl. But I’d still back Southee in this instance – why waste the investment?Some people carry scars of battle; some people carry a smile. Some people sleep at night; some don’t. I wish I could have shown myself more compassion when I was playing.Are you pressure man or prey?
With Thierno Barry signed and delivered, Everton have reportedly made their first approach to sign a fresh midfield star in a deal that could be worth £30m this summer.
Thierno Barry: "It's a dream to play in the Premier League"
Kicking off their summer business in style, Everton finally unveiled the arrival of Barry earlier this week. The talented striker has arrived in a deal worth around £27m and should put any concerns over Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure to rest. Alongside Beto, the former Villarreal star should provide David Moyes with more than enough firepower.
The new striker expressed his delight after putting pen to paper, telling Evertontv: “I’m very happy. It’s very exciting to be here. I just can’t wait to start and I hope to start very quickly.
“Everton is a big club in the Premier League. They have a good history and good players have played here, like Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku. When I was young I liked to watch these players, now I want to do like these players who have gone before.
“I had good conversations with the manager. He told me I have the quality to play in the Premier League. He wants to do good work with me. He wants to help me on my road and I felt the sincerity with him so that’s why I chose to come here as well.
The dream squad Everton can build: £88m quintet & "beast" sign after Barry
A look at how Everton’s dream squad could shape up next season
1 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 10, 2025
“For me, it is a dream to play in the Premier League. I think I proved in my career so far that I can adapt. For example, last season I went to LaLiga, which is a top league, and I think I had a good season for my first season. I’m not scared to play here and do the same.”
The Toffees aren’t waiting around to admire their new signing, however. Instead, it’s full steam ahead in pursuit of further arrivals and perhaps even a Premier League rival.
Everton make first £30m John McGinn enquiry
As reported by Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Everton have now made their first enquiry to sign John McGinn, telling Aston Villa that they’d be willing to pay £30m to welcome the midfielder this summer. Despite reports that the Scotland international is unhappy about his current role under Unai Emery, though, the Villans have swiftly rejected that approach.
Alas, this saga may be far from over. Everton are reportedly still optimistic that they can strike a deal to sign McGinn in the latter stages of the transfer window, especially if Aston Villa welcome a midfield reinforcement of their own.
If their optimism turns into a summer move, then McGinn will be bringing an end to an excellent seven-year spell in the Midlands, in which he has earned plenty of praise.
Emery, among those with plenty of positives to say about his captain, told reporters in 2023: “He is a very good example, of how he is consistent and trying to help and to be an example, a very good example for players. I really, really appreciate a lot as a person how he is, but as a professional, he is fantastic.”
LAFC GM John Thorrington says that the South Korean’s club jersey has become the world's best-seller
Son's jersey sales have exceeded all other athletesLAFC reports unprecedented demandClub's retailers scrambling to meet consumer interestGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Son Heung-Min’s jersey has become the highest-selling of any athlete in the world, according to LAFC co-president and GM John Thorrington. The recent LAFC signee's shirt sale dominance extends beyond soccer, currently outselling the likes of NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry and fellow MLS icon Lionel Messi.
Thorrington noted that those sales figures represent real-time data since Son's signing announcement.
"This is now the second week where we're not just talking about the highest-selling football jersey in the MLS," Thorrington told talkSPORT. "It is the highest-selling jersey of any sport in the world right now. I'm talking about Son. If you take from when he signed at LAFC to now, he has sold more jerseys than any athlete in the world."
AdvertisementWHAT THE LA DODGERS POSTED
The Los Angeles Dodgers also announced that Son will throw the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 27 when they host the San Diego Padres. LAFC invited supporters to attend the MLB game to witness their new player's introduction to another Los Angeles sporting institution.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Son's scheduled Dodgers appearance represents the latest example of MLS clubs leveraging mainstream American sports platforms to maximize the visibility of international signings.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
Following his MLS debut against the Chicago Fire, Son Heung-Min will likely be a part of LAFC’s next MLS fixture against the New England Revolution on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly opened talks with another target, as technical director Johan Lange begins work on their potential third summer signing after Mathys Tel and Kota Takai.
Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining
The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025
Spurs look ready to back new manager Thomas Frank with fresh squad upgrades ahead of his first full season in charge, and Tel’s £30 million permanent switch from Bayern Munich was reportedly approved by the Dane himself.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Frank will also soon welcome J League sensation Takai after chairman Daniel Levy green-lit a £5 million deal to sign the 20-year-old defender from Kawasaki Frontale, which stands as a record fee for any Japanese player from that division.
Tottenham signed Takai to compete as a first-team player, hoping that he’s set to follow a similar trajectory to the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr (Alasdair Gold), so supporters can expect to see him in and around the senior matchday squads next term.
Frank has a proven track record of developing young players into major talents, and the 51-year-old is excited to work with his “very talented” new roster.
“It’s a very talented squad, a very good squad and I’m very excited to start working with them,” said Frank in his first interview with the club.
“Of course, when you follow the Premier League, you see the other teams, you see Tottenham – you’ve seen some fantastic performances from the team over the last years. So, I think there’s big potential.
“But, of course, I’m looking from the outside, so I’m looking forward to getting to know them, to be around them, to feel them, understand them, work with them on the training pitch. That’s where you really get the big understanding, understand the relationships between players and how you can get the best out of them.
“I’ve got an idea already, my head is spinning [with] how can we play, how do I put them together, but I’m looking forward to that.”
Tottenham in talks with Kyle Walker-Peters
In the last week, Spurs have been repeatedly linked with a swoop for ex-defender Kyle Walker-Peters, who’s now officially leaving Southampton as a free agent at the end of this month.
The 28-year-old has made over 200 appearances for Southampton since leaving Spurs for St. Mary’s in 2020, and he’d bring some much-needed experience to Frank’s otherwise very youthful squad.
Tottenham also need more club-trained players to fill their Champions League quota, and Walker-Peters fits the bill considering he came through the Hotspur Way academy.
Now, as per Graeme Bailey in a piece for TBR Football, Lange has personally “started work” on bringing the Englishman back to N17.
It is believed Tottenham have opened talks with Walker-Peters over re-joining on a free, with the full-back keen on potentially making a return to his boyhood club as he looks to secure a move back to the Premier League, following his relegation on the south coast last season.
Interestingly, Walker-Peters employs the same agency as a host of current Spurs players – including James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Richarlison, Son Heung-min, Djed Spence and Sarr – so this could perhaps help to facilitate a deal given CAA Base’s already-productive relationship with the Lilywhites.
Ryan Mason currently has his West Bromwich Albion troops out at a pre-season camp in Austria ahead of the new Championship campaign getting underway next month.
A behind-closed-doors friendly match will take place between the Baggies and Dynamo Kyiv this coming Friday to officially get the second-tier side’s pre-season up and running, with Mason perhaps selecting brand-new £4.7m buy Aune Heggebo from the get-go to see what he’s made of in attack.
Mikey Johnston will also be linking up with the pre-season camp shortly, although this isn’t the planned-out route the ex-Celtic winger would have envisaged for himself this summer, as a move to Brazilian giants Flamengo, unfortunately, collapsed at the final hour.
The lowdown on Johnston's failed move to Flamengo
It was a deal that suddenly arrived from left field, but it had been reported that Johnston was going to move out to South America for a fee around the £5m region.
It’s stated that a move fell through – according to reports from Brazil – over concerns emerging over the Republic of Ireland international’s long-term availability fitness-wise, with Johnston prone to significant time out of the Baggies side through injury.
This will have come as a devastating blow to Johnston, considering it was rumoured that the 26-year-old was in line to earn a whopping £1.2m a year at his new Rio De Janeiro home, as opposed to banking £650k a year at the Hawthorns.
It remains to be seen whether the 5-foot-9 winger will be content with staying put at the Championship side after such an ordeal, with the potential loss of Johnston obviously hurting Mason and Co. after he fired home a promising three strikes in league action last season, even as West Brom’s promotion push fell to the wayside.
However, not all hope will be lost if Johnston does move on to another suitor down the line, especially if Mason can flex his past Tottenham Hotspur connections to land this rising North London talent to replace the outgoing Irishman.
Mason's dream Johnston replacement
West Brom has been a hotbed for some exciting, young talent from the Premier League in the not-so-distant past, with Romelu Lukaku once calling the Hawthorns his temporary sanctuary on loan away from parent side Chelsea.
Mikey Moore could be the next future star that gets his senior career up and running in style in the West Midlands, with reports last month speculating that the 17-year-old Spurs prodigy is being looked at by the new Baggies boss, having worked with the teenage sensation when coaching at the Premier League side.
He has already made a splash in the senior side at Thomas Frank’s men, with this sublime solo strike in Europa League action kickstarting his men’s career at Spurs, but he will be desperate for more long-standing first-team opportunities if a move to the Hawthorns is finalised.
Moore might well be ready to take over from Johnston down the left wing if given the chance to do so, with the 17-year-old’s main skills resting on his ability to play across a wide array of attacking positions – away from his blistering powers of picking up goals and assists for fun – including down the ex-Celtic man’s trusty left-hand side.
LW
18
4
6
AM
8
6
4
CF
7
11
4
RW
6
1
0
Indeed, when looking at the above table, it’s clear that Moore can shine all across the attacking positions. But, his preferred position does look to be on the left wing, with a stunning four goals and six assists coming his way here from 18 outings in the English capital.
Therefore, any gaping hole left behind by Johnston down the line could be effectively filled in by the “future superstar”, as he’s been referred to by football analyst Ben Mattinson previously.
After all, he has also been donned as “fearless” by Spurs teammate James Maddison recently, meaning he could take to the pressures of being one of West Brom’s main options here in his stride, with the troubling issue of Johnston wanting to move on resolved by this promising loan capture.
The new Brunt: West Brom eyeing EFL star with 119 Championship appearances
West Bromwich Albion could sign their next Chris Brunt by picking up this phenomenal EFL performer.
South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee was docked 50% of his match fee and handed a demerit point after being found to have shown dissent in the fourth T20I against India in Johannesburg on Friday.Coetzee was noted to have made an inappropriate comment to the umpire in the 15th over of India’s innings after one of his deliveries was deemed a wide. He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction, which also included an official reprimand. India had won the series 3-1.Netherlands captain Scott Edwards and Oman seamer Sufyan Mehmood also faced sanctions for breaching the ICC code of conduct during the third T20I between the two teams in Al Amerat on Saturday.Edwards was found guilty of two breaches – Article 2.8 and 2.2, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”.After being given out lbw, he showed his bat to the umpire. Then, while returning to the dugout, he threw his bat and gloves on the field, copping two demerit points in all. He was also fined 10% of his match fee.Mehmood was also fined 10% of his match fee and given one demerit point for giving a send-off to Netherlands batter Teja Nidamanuru. Since both players admitted to their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Neeyamur Rashid, there was no need for a formal hearing.Netherlands went on to win the series 2-1.