Akash Deep’s early double strike and Washington Sundar’s dismissal of England skipper Ben Stokes on the stroke of lunch have India on the verge of a series-squaring victory in this second Test at Edgbaston. England, trailing by 455, having not quashed talk of a potential record chase last night, will be up against it to even draw this match to preserve their 1-0 lead.Akash’s removal of Ollie Pope and Harry Brook inside the first 25 minutes of the first session gave way for a stand of 70 between Stokes and Jamie Smith. But midway through Washington’s second over, a gorgeous amount of drift and enough turn clipped the left-hander’s front pad ahead of the bat. Stokes’ review was in vain.Akash picked up where he left off on Saturday evening, pocketing another two wickets in a six-over morning spell. Pope was undone by steep bounce from a delivery full of a length, which reared up and forced the No.3 to defend into the ground and onto his own stumps. And then, Brook was left hobbling – and trapped in front – with a wicket delivery that seamed in and caught him on the inside of his right knee.Akash could have had more – and thus a maiden five-wicket haul – when another big seaming delivery cut through Smith (on 9 at the time) only to miss leg stump. Smith had arrived on 83 for 5, a run shy of the score when he came to the crease in the first innings before unfurling a stunning 184 not out. He remains unbeaten on 32.Shubman Gill seemed to be targeting Stokes’ wicket more keenly, particularly with Ravindra Jadeja operating from the City End, replacing Akash after the drinks break. The England captain looked to have been given a life on 18, as he turned the left-arm spinner around the corner, only for the catch to drop shot of Gill at leg slip.But Stokes was soon undone by Washington, given a cursory couple of overs in the lead-up to the break.On the evening of day four, England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick had ceded that, of course, a draw would be regarded as a positive result for England. That became a lot more attractive to the hosts following the morning showers which took 10 overs out of the day, even if the required rate to clear the remaining 536 runs was “only” 6.7 an over. Now, a third 400-plus defeat for Stokes and McCullum’s England looms.
After another disappointing start to the season, Manchester United and INEOS have reportedly joined the race against Atletico Madrid to sign a La Liga defender.
Ratcliffe reiterates patience in Amorim project
Despite failing to win back-to-back Premier League games once in almost 12 months and struggling to take the Red Devils into European football, Ruben Amorim still has the backing of INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The minority owner has reiterated the need for patience, drawing comparisons with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, who are now reaping the rewards for sticking with their man.
That suggests that even defeat against Sunderland would not have put Amorim’s job at risk and the former Sporting Club boss must now repay that faith.
The manager, himself, has remained just as stubborn in his decisions – refusing to change what many believe to be a broken system. He told reporters earlier this season: “So it’s not the system. It’s the small details, the way we play the game.
“And I understand what people think. ‘What would this team be in a different system?’ I don’t know. Maybe this team would win more games. But if we don’t change certain things, we are not going to win titles whether we change to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.”
The task for INEOS in the face of Amorim’s stubborness is handing the United boss the reinforcements he needs to get his system going and that should make 2026 interesting. Reports are already suggesting that they could go for one La Liga star.
Man Utd join David Affengruber race
According to reports in Spain, Man United are now battling Atletico Madrid to sign David Affengruber. The Elche centre-back has become an unexpected star in Spain’s top flight so far this season, helping his side rise to as high as seventh. Now, INEOS are reportedly fans of his ability and have eyed a 2026 move to secure his signature.
Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd's £42m flop is now on borrowed time under Amorim
Manchester United’s lack of success in the transfer market has been highlighted by the failures of two players.
ByEthan Lamb Oct 9, 2025
The Man United owners could land a fairly cheap deal, too. Although Elche are set to demand over €25m (£22m) to sell their defender next year, their final price is unlikely to reach an absurd amount given their place in the football food chain.
Minutes
663
630
Progressive Passes
22
14
Ball Recoveries
49
23
Tackles Won
12
12
When compared to Matthijs de Ligt, Affengruber’s quality becomes even clearer. The 24-year-old has been excellent both in and out of possession this season and should represent a serious option for Man United if he continues his current form.
De Ligt, meanwhile, represents another big-money player who’s struggling to impress at Old Trafford and getting him back to his best form should be among Amorim’s top priorities.
In what would hand their promotion hopes a major boost, Southampton are now plotting a January move to sign a Premier League star who’s been told to leave his current club.
Will Still "delighted" after much-needed Sheffield United win
Prior to their 2-1 victory over a struggling Sheffield United side, Southampton had gone as many as six Championship games without a win. It’s a run that included frustrating draws against Watford and Portsmouth and one that could have quite easily led to several questions about Will Still’s position. But, at long last, it is now a run that has come to an end courtesy of Sheffield United.
In the end, it was Ross Stewart who was the hero of the hour as his brace secured the Saints’ 2-1 victory against Chris Wilder’s side in what Still described as the “ultimate Championship game”.
Asked if Southampton deserved all three points, the manager told reporters: “Overall, yes. I think we’ve been in control of large parts of it. We probably conceded another one of those annoying goals.
“You then miss a penalty and think, ‘Jesus, it’s going to happen again’, but we’ve not done that at all. We’ve made a few tweaks. We bought a bit of energy on the pitch and managed to turn it around. Getting back into the game is always tough when you’re away here.
“Then we’ve just kept at it and not felt sorry for ourselves. We’ve dug deep and got a brilliant win from Roscoe. It was the ultimate Championship game.”
Even after getting back to winning ways, however, there’s still work to be done at St Mary’s and the January transfer window will present Southampton with the perfect opportunity to welcome one particular upgrade.
Southampton plotting Ward-Prowse return
As reported by GiveMeSport, Southampton are now plotting a move to sign James Ward-Prowse in the January transfer window. The West Ham United midfielder has been told that he’s not in new manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans and could now return to the Saints less than three years on from sealing a £30m exit.
It would be a sensational return for the Southampton academy graduate, who could certainly do with a return to where it all started. Already dropped by Nuno, Ward-Prowse arguably needs the Saints just as much as they need him.
Whilst it’s been a frustrating couple of years, Ward-Prowse is still capable of taking Southampton to promotion if he completes his return in January. The 30-year-old could instantly partner Shea Charles at the heart of Still’s midfield and suddenly take the Saints from play-off hopefuls into automatic promotion contenders.
There will, of course, be question marks over their ability to afford such a player but West Ham could yet set a cut-price amid Nuno’s desire to show the midfielder the door. If that proves to be the case, then Southampton should take full advantage.
Tottenham added much-needed quality to their squad in certain areas, but there are a few key targets that Spurs’ recruitment team missed out on.
Lilywhites boss Thomas Frank was backed by the arrivals of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani before Monday’s 7pm deadline, but partly due to complications with their locally trained quota, some were forced to miss out on their 22-man Champions League squad for the league phase.
Tottenham’s Champions League fixtures – League phase
Date
Villarreal (home)
September 16
Bodo/Glimt (away)
September 30
Monaco (away)
October 22
FC Copenhagen (home)
November 4
PSG (away)
November 26
Slavia Prague (home)
December 9
Borussia Dortmund (home)
January 20
Eintracht Frankfurt (away)
January 28
Both Tel and Takai won’t be playing Champions League football for Spurs this season, at least until they’re allowed to amend their selections past the league phase, if Frank’s side do indeed make it that far.
Nevertheless, whilst Tel and Takai will feel hard done by as absentees from Europe, both men are likely to play a key role in the Premier League.
A high-ranking recruitment team of chairman Daniel Levy — who’s now resigned after a shock announcement — CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici eventually managed to navigate what was a notoriously tricky window, with plenty of bumps along the way.
Tottenham were involved in two of the most dramatic transfer soap operas of the summer, and ultimately felt a devastating effect from both of them.
Morgan Gibbs-White was on the verge of joining Spurs for around £60 million before Nottingham Forest blocked the deal, threatened legal action and convinced the 25-year-old to sign a club-record contract – humiliating Levy in the process – while Arsenal sensationally hijacked their rivals for Eberechi Eze at the eleventh hour in very public fashion.
Eventually, Frank got his hands on a much-needed playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison by signing Simons from RB Leipzig for £52 million – mounting a hijack of their own on Chelsea and restoring some pride.
In the final hours of the window, Tottenham also sealed an “un-Spurs-like” straight loan deal for PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani, perhaps in reaction to Dominic Solanke’s latest injury, but it is worth nothing that the Frenchman can also play out wide.
In terms of their other transfer pursuits, Spurs were targeting a left-winger and centre-back in the final weeks of the window (Sky Sports), but to no avail.
Manuel Akanji, before his move from Man City to Inter Milan, and Brentford captain Nathan Collins were among the names linked with moves to N17 before the deadline, but neither came through the door.
Nathan Collins in action for Brentford
The same can be said for Akanji’s former teammate, Nathan Ake.
Tottenham plan Nathan Ake talks in January after Thomas Frank request
Tottenham reportedly held discussions over a late summer swoop for Ake, but the £160,000-per-week centre-back ultimately stayed at Eastlands despite his struggle for game time ahead of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Josko Gvardiol.
Manchester City's Nathan Ake
Now, as per CaughtOffside, it is believed that Spurs are planning to reopen talks for Ake in January, as Frank wants to add more experience to his squad.
Their interest in the Netherlands international stems from wanting an alternative to Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie on the left, with Ake versatile enough and capable of playing both roles.
City value Ake at a minimum £15 million with just two years left on his contract, which could be seen as great value for a prestigious player who Virgil van Dijk called “underrated”.
Ake also played an under the radar role in helping the Sky Blues win their historic 2023 treble, with Pep Guardiola calling him a “proper defender”.
Manchester United were swept aside by their neighbours in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
There’s no sugarcoating it: Ruben Amorim has some serious issues to overcome, and the whispers of yet another managerial change at Old Trafford are getting louder.
The Etihad Stadium is a tough ground for any club across the globe, and United have a good record on their rivals’ patch, but the manner of the 3-0 defeat to keep Amorim shackled to the lower levels of the Premier League has increased the pressure and then some. Chelsea, you will need no reminder, travel to the Theatre next weekend.
Benjamin Sesko blanked, but the blame cannot be placed solely upon the new striker, devoid of service and limited to seven touches. Sofascore record the Slovenian’s heat map to actually be rather deep, evidence of struggles within a barren final third.
But INEOS spent big on the 23-year-old goalscorer this summer, and the fact that thus far Amorim is failing to get a tune out of him and indeed the wider United system is hugely concerning.
Benjamin Sesko's performance vs City
Amorim doubled down post-match on his plan to maintain the tactical set-up which has proved such a troubling talking point over the turbulent duration of the Portuguese’s reign.
While Sesko was completely anonymous against Pep Guardiola’s outfit, he was indeed starved of support. Hemmed in United were not, but they were inefficient on the counter and struggled for purchase in the final third.
This was a tough maiden starting berth in the Premier League for a young and talented striker, one who opted for Old Trafford in spite of the vested interests of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United last month.
Sesko wasn’t blameless. The former RB Leipzig man made a couple of heavy touches and should have made more of his chance against Gigi Donnarumma, chipping tamely toward the debutant goalkeeper.
Bought over from Germany for a £74m fee this summer to replace Rasmus Hojlund, there are perhaps concerns from some on the red side of Manchester that INEOS have just repeated the same mistake.
But it’s early days yet. And, in fact, there was another starting star on Sunday who might actually be shaping into Amorim’s next version of the Denmark centre-forward, who joined Napoli on loan before the transfer deadline several weeks back.
Amorim's new Hojlund at Man United
Without a doubt, Hojlund fell by the wayside at Manchester United. It was only two years ago that Erik ten Hag welcomed the young forward to England, signing him from Atalanta on a £72m deal.
The 22-year-old’s first term was solid if unspectacular, but he fell to a new low last year, ridiculed for his anonymity at number nine, scoring just four Premier League goals all season.
Sesko will be directly tied to his predecessor all year long, but it’s actually Patrick Dorgu who might be shaping into the new Hojlund.
Dorgu, 20, has been spun into a wing-back role in Amorim’s 3-5-2-1 formation, and it’s not working. For one, his crosses leave plenty to be desired, and he is proving ineffective despite operating within the exact tactical parameters Amorim demands of him.
To put that another way, the Danish wideman might not be the solution, which is rather damning given Amorim championed the £25m signing of the Lecce talent last January to help define the system he so firmly stresses will shape United for the duration of his tenure.
It wasn’t all bad in the derby; Dorgu was right in the thick of the action, but his crossing was woeful, and the Manchester Evening News branded him with a 4/10 match rating.
Patrick Dorgu
Man City
12
Bryan Mbeumo
Burnley
9
Joshua Zirkzee
Burnley
9
Bryan Mbeumo
Man City
9
Amad Diallo
Burnley
7
According to data platform Sofascore, Dorgu won 11 duels, created three key passes and won four tackles against Man City, but this wasn’t enough to disguise a pitiful attempt to inject creativity into Amorim’s ranks, with analyst Dharnish Iqbal remarking that he “hasn’t provided the crosses” despite being funnelled the ball with regularity.
Dorgu, let’s be clear, is a talented young player with the potential to succeed in the Premier League. Hojlund was the same, both arriving from Italian shores. But he seems to have taken on a talismanic role in Amorim’s system that he is unfit for, and so the Portuguese tactician falls ever closer toward the exit.
Given the seeming importance of Dorgu’s role – much like Hojlund’s limp displays last season came to the direct detriment of United’s wider system – it’s rather concerning that he doesn’t appear fit for the role, only completing one of five attempted dribbles against the Citizens as a further underscoring of that argument.
Sesko will often be scapegoated; this is the life of a forward. However, he’s a tall striker and won three aerial battles against City. Even so, Dorgu struggled to provide accurate crosses having been played into space, and that is an issue.
Hojlund, similarly, suffered more criticism than most last term, but he didn’t miss that many big chances, and United were culpable of a dried well of support toward the young man.
Dorgu has already shown this season an aptitude for the attacking side of the game, but so too has he proven himself unworthy of a nailed-on starting berth, and that is exactly what Amorim has entrusted him with, with this being the Dane’s third full 90 of the Premier League campaign already.
Might Amorim need to make an alteration? Wing-backs are instrumental in the manager’s machine working at full capacity, and so his reliance on Dorgu is understandable.
But it doesn’t appear to be working well enough, and if that is the case, and Amorim is unwilling to change, as has been his own declaration, then where do the Red Devils go from here?
Man Utd have two players to blame for Sesko's nightmare first start
Benjamin Sesko was an isolated figure during his first start for Manchester United.
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will be hoping for more additions to the playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window next week.
Lukas Nmecha, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Noah Okafor have been added to the group to bolster his options in the final third, but the former Norwich City manager wants more.
Earlier this month, the boss said: “There is no doubt we need reinforcements, especially in the offence. Dominic can’t be the only step. We are on a good path, prepared for the first games and I hope when the transfer window is over we have a squad who is capable of fighting because we have one clear target – to stay in this league.”
It is hard to blame Farke for having that stance when you consider that the West Yorkshire outfit have only scored two goals in their first three competitive games: a penalty and a Jayden Bogle goal against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
Another winger, on top of the signing of Okafor from AC Milan, is on the agenda and it will be interesting to see who they go for before next Monday’s deadline.
One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road before the end of the window is Tottenham Hotspur forward Manor Solomon, who spent last season on loan in West Yorkshire.
Manor Solomon's impact at Leeds last season
The 26-year-old attacker spent the season on loan to help the Whites win the Championship and earn promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.
Wilfried Gnonto and Dan James were already in the building as wide options for Farke to call upon on the left and the right flanks, but he was able to break into the team and establish himself as a key player for the German boss.
Solomon went on to start 30 of his 39 appearances in the Championship, per Sofascore, on the club’s way to hitting a staggering 100 points in the second tier last term.
24/25 Championship
Manor Solomon
Percentile rank vs wingers
xG
8.14
Top 8%
Goals
10
Top 6%
Shots on target
25
Top 12%
xA
10.30
Top 1%
Chances created
67
Top 5%
Assists
12
Top 3%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Israel international made a huge impact in the final third in those 39 appearances, scoring or creating 22 goals in 30 starts.
These statistics show that he performed consistently in front of goal to win vital points for the Whites with goals and assists that changed and won games in the Championship.
Leeds United'sManorSolomoncelebrates scoring their first goal
Whilst the club may yet look to bring him back before the deadline, the Whites are reportedly looking at another player who could be the new Solomon at Elland Road.
Leeds eyeing move for Nottingham Forest winger
Former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers chief scout Mick Brown has revealed that the 49ers are eyeing a last-gasp move for Nottingham Forest forward Jota Silva.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said: “I hear Leeds are interested in signing Jota Silva. They need new wingers, and he is one of the names on their list of targets.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
“When he’s been involved for Forest, he looks busy and bright, always looking to make things happen and not afraid to get on the ball. He likes to get at people and he’s capable of producing in the final third as well.
“He’s a bit of a maverick, and those types of players are always welcome at Leeds. Forest have signed a number of wide players, and spent a significant amount of money on him, so I hear he is questioning where he fits in.”
Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva celebrates with Chris Wood.
It was reported by O’Jogo earlier this summer that Sporting were hoping to land him for a fee of around £10m including add-ons, and it remains to be seen if Leeds are prepared to pay that kind of money for his services.
Why Leeds should sign Jota Silva
Leeds should swoop to sign Jota Silva from the Tricky Trees because he could be a more affordable option on the flank, given that Solomon reportedly has a price tag of £20m over his head.
The Whites save £10m and land their next Solomon by signing the Portuguese star, as another winger who has become surplus to requirements at a Premier League side, just as was the case with the Israel international last summer.
Jota Silva only started five of his 31 appearances in the Premier League for Forest last season, per Sofascore, but showed glimpses of the kind of quality that he has the potential to provide on a regular basis at that level.
The 26-year-old ace scored three goals and created eight ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 891 minutes of action, which shows that he was an effective contributor in the final third despite limited minutes on the pitch.
Jota Silva’s form for Vitoria in Portugal in the 2023/24 campaign, before his move to England, shows that he can deliver consistent quality on the flank when starting regularly.
23/24 Liga Portugal
Jota Silva
Appearances
33
xG
7.99
Goals
11
Big chances created
8
Key passes per game
1.0
Assists
5
Dribbles completed per game
1.3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Portugal international caught the eye with 19 goals and ‘big chances’ created in the top division in his country.
These statistics show that he can be an efficient finisher who also looks to create chances for his teammates on a regular basis at the top level, when playing week-in-week-out, which is why he could be an exciting signing for Leeds.
The versatile forward, who can play on the right or the left as a winger, could be the new Solomon at Elland Road by arriving from a Premier League team to light up the flanks in West Yorkshire with his quality in the final third.
Given the difference in price between the two players, Jota Silva may even be a better option than signing Solomon permanently because he has shown that he can deliver in the English top-flight as recently as last season.
Better than El Khannouss: Leeds prepared to make move for magic £30m star
Leeds United are reportedly considering a move to sign a star who is even better than Bilal El Khannouss.
This summer is shaping up to be one to remember for Arsenal.
The Premier League season is still over a week away from getting back underway, and Mikel Arteta has already got most of the players he would’ve wanted through the door.
Crucially, Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres are now with the team and getting to grips with what the manager wants them to do, as the former’s control and the latter’s goals could play a massive part in the Gunners’ fortunes next season.
With that said, there is still time for the club to go out and make another statement signing, and while Eberechi Eze has been the name in the headlines for the North Londoners, they might be better off going for another star they’ve been linked with, a star who’d be an Alexander Isak-level acquisition.
Arsenal's pursuit of Eze
There are still plenty of options on the market for Arsenal to bolster and improve their squad this summer, but it would be fair to say Eze seems to be the player Arteta and Co are most interested in.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
There were links to the Englishman as far back as last summer, but they really began to pick up steam earlier this window.
It was several weeks ago that we learned the North Londoners had been in contact with the player and his camp. Shortly after, it was revealed that he was set on moving to the Emirates.
However, the Crystal Palace star has a release clause worth around £67.5m in his current contract, and according to reports from late last month, the Eagles want at least £30m of it in an upfront payment.
Understandably, the Gunners aren’t particularly keen on spending such a sum of money in one go this summer, and are now waiting until the release clause expires on August 15th to make their move.
It could end up being quite the complicated transfer to get over the line, so instead, Arsenal might be better off going all out for Morgan Rogers in an Isak-esque deal.
Why Rogers would be an Isak-level transfer
Now, while Rogers is not being heavily linked with Arsenal at this moment in time, he has been touted for a move to the Emirates multiple times already this summer.
England'sEberechiEzecelebrates scoring their third goal with England's Morgan Rogers
In fact, the Aston Villa star has been touted for moves to several sides since the window opened, although with a price tag of potentially up to £100m, it would be a difficult transfer to get over the line.
Moreover, this lofty price is one of the many reasons Rogers’ potential move could be described as being Isak-like, as at the moment, it does feel like the Newcastle United star could be on his way to Liverpool for anything from £120m all the way up to £150m.
Another key similarity is that, like the Magpies’ superstar striker, the former Middlesbrough gem is undoubtedly one of Villa’s most important players, and just as his exit would seriously damage their team, his arrival would massively bolster the Gunners.
For example, in 54 appearances last season, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, put the ball in the back of the net 14 times and provided 15 assists for good measure.
Rogers in 24/25
Appearances
54
Minutes
4496′
Goals
14
Assists
15
Goal Involvements per Match
0.53
Minutes per Goal Involvement
155.03′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That means the 23-year-old game-changer was able to maintain a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 155.03 minutes, which is a supremely impressive effort, especially as just a couple of years ago he was plying his trade in the Championship.
Finally, while he’s not won anywhere near as many caps as the Swedish international, the phenomenal Villa star is starting to become a regular in senior English squads and has already won six caps, with plenty more on the horizon.
Ollie Watkins celebrates with Morgan Rogers for Aston Villa.
Ultimately, it would be a seriously difficult and costly transfer to get over the line this summer, but if the Reds are able to sign Isak, then we see no reason why Arsenal couldn’t pull off a comparative deal for Rogers.
Saka & Rodrygo hybrid: Arsenal in contact to sign "amazing" £61m sensation
The talented international would add some real class to Arsenal’s squad.
Birmingham City would surely jot down this summer transfer window as a resounding success.
Chris Davies’ Blues have continued to flex their muscles after emphatically securing promotion out of League One, as seen in 11 brand new signings joining the building so far, with £10m solely splashed out on the potent services of ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi.
Splashing this excessive amount on Kyogo to join hasn’t stopped them from adding in more lethal attackers, however, as Marvin Ducksch now attempts to make a name for himself in England, after becoming well-known as a goalscoring menace with Werder Bremen.
Ducksch's reputation at Bremen
With Jay Stansfield also at their disposal, Birmingham have quite the attacking arsenal as they prepare to be in and around the promotion spots in the Championship come next May.
This unbelievable attacking firepower was on full show last time out in the second-tier, as both the aforementioned Stansfield – and reserve figure Lyndon Dykes – scored late on to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory on the road at Blackburn Rovers.
Ducksch is quite the steal too – even if he was nowhere to be found at Ewood Park – when you weigh up his blistering exploits in the Bundesliga and beyond, with a ridiculous 220 goals coming his way from 459 appearances up and down the various German leagues.
With 110 assists also next to his name, it’s clear that the Dortmund-born star will be a team player for the cause, with Davies hopeful his new number 33 will soon be fit and firing, despite a delayed start to injury.
Marvin Duckschin action for Werder Bremen.
Of course, there will be a worry in the air about whether their new £1.7m recruit will be able to show off this same clinical edge in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, with Ducksch only ever plying his trade in his native Germany, before this daring next step.
To lessen that worry, perhaps, Davies and Co. could still be prepared to explore a move for this EFL-ready marksman before deadline day comes around.
Why Che Adams would be an upgrade in Ducksch
Birmingham fans are always kept on their toes when it comes to who their side is looking to bring in.
Ducksch signing for the club was only ever made public knowledge after the Blues lost out on the coveted signature of Chuba Akpom, meaning there must surely be other transfer targets tucked up the second-tier side’s sleeve.
Che Adams might well be one name they have at their back of their head, still, with Football League World revealing earlier this week that Birmingham still held an interest in their former attacker, right up until Ducksch putting pen to paper on a move.
He likely wouldn’t come cheap, considering his £13m market valuation, as per Football Transfers, but if Davies wants a last-minute roll of the dice that enables him to win a Championship-calibre attacker, going back in for the ex-Southampton forward could be an ingenious late move.
Adams vs Ducksch – 24/25 League stats
Stat (per game)
Adams
Ducksch
Games
36
32
Goals
9
8
xG
8.92
10.11
Goal frequency
295min
304min
Goals per game
0.3
0.3
Big chances missed
13
11
Goal conversion
14%
11%
Sourced by Sofascore
After all, if Adams is capable of picking up from where he last left off in the second tier with Birmingham, he would surely be more of an immediate rip-roaring success than Ducksch, with a deadly 22 league strikes registered across his final Blues season.
Even last term, as indicated in the table above, he shone in his debut campaign for Torino, having outscored his German counterpart concerning league goals, while totalling 14 goals and assists in all competitions.
The Scotland international also dazzled during his last campaign at Championship level, too, with the “terrific” – as he was once labelled by Scottish legend Ally McCoist – forward’s electric 15 strikes helping the South Coast side clinch promotion.
Former Birmingham striker Che Adams.
With the upward trajectory Birmingham look to be on, Adams might well feel he can secure another promotion if he returns to St. Andrew’s imminently, as his goalscoring magic potentially rips up the Championship once more.
Ducksch will also likely chip in with the goals to try and make back-to-back promotions an unbelievable reality, but he could be unfortunately moved to the background if the ex-Blues youngster does return home to be Davies’ leading man up top.
Further lauded as being “amazing” by former Saints boss Russell Martin to work with, landing the services of Adams would really show the rest of the division how serious Birmingham believes they can jump up to the Premier League.
It does feel like a tall order to pull off so deep into the window, but never rule out the audacious from happening at St. Andrew’s.
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Bayern Munich chief Uli Hoeness has admitted the club were priced out of a deal for Florian Wirtz after Liverpool sealed a £116 million ($157m) swoop for the Germany star. Hoeness claimed Der Rekordmeister would never pay such a fee for a player, insisting that the Reds’ spending spree showed a transfer market resembling 'Monopoly' this summer.
Bayern priced out of Wirtz as Liverpool spent £116mHoeness claims transfer rivals are “playing Monopoly”Bundesliga champions confident with Kompany’s squadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Wirtz joined Liverpool in a record-breaking deal after shining at Bayer Leverkusen, with Bayern and Real Madrid also exploring moves. Bayern eventually pulled out as they refused to meet the £116m asking price, turning instead to other deals. Hoeness has now slammed Liverpool and, in turn, the Premier League's spending power in the transfer market by also highlighting Newcastle's big-money move for Nick Woltemade.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT HOENESS SAID
Hoeness told German media: “We’re very satisfied at FC Bayern. We are the real winners of the summer transfer window. We have a strong team and didn’t need to strengthen it much. Of course, we would have liked to have Florian Wirtz, but we’d never have bought him for €150 million (£130 million).”
He then added: “Other clubs are playing Monopoly. Newcastle paid big for Nick Woltemade when we were interested. That’s not how Bayern work – we won’t be dragged into that kind of game.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Bayern missed out on both Wirtz and Woltemade, with Premier League clubs flexing their financial muscle. Despite that, the Bundesliga champions kept their spending at a modest £75m while raising funds through major sales. Hoeness believes that Bayern's squad remains strong enough to compete across all fronts.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?
Liverpool will hope Wirtz can justify his price tag after a slow but promising start under Arne Slot. Bayern, meanwhile, will count on their balanced squad and Kompany’s leadership to chase silverware. The contrasting strategies highlight the widening gulf between German and English transfer markets.
Celtic have not made a big splash in the summer transfer window as of yet, with over a month left to go before it slams shut, as they have not spent more than £2m on a single player.
Benjamin Nygren
The £2m that they shelled out for versatile midfielder Benjamin Nygren is the most money that they have spent on a single signing so far, which means that there could be bigger deals to come in the next few weeks.
Brendan Rodgers recently made it very clear that the Hoops need to “improve the squad” further if they want to be ambitious and progress as a club.
This means that the Scottish Premiership champions may have to look at higher-profile signings before the end of the window, in an attempt to replicate the success they had with Arne Engels last summer.
Celtic hit the jackpot with Arne Engels
Celtic reportedly smashed their club-record transfer fee to sign the Belgium international from Bundesliga side Augsburg for £11m, which was an ambitious move that paid off on the pitch.
Engels ended his first season at Parkhead with a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he offered quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Although you could also put it down to the change in format, the Belgian star also helped Celtic to get past the group/league phase of the Champions League for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign, as they lost to Bayern Munich in the play-off stage.
Engels produced one goal and three assists in ten games in the competition, and Celtic could find a similarly effective midfield star by signing Salvatore Esposito.
Why Celtic should sign Salvatore Esposito
The Hoops have been linked with an interest in the Spezia star, who is valued at around £5m by the Italian side, and he could arrive as their next Engels-esque deal.
Although he would not be as expensive, a fee of £5m would still be more than double what Celtic have paid for any other player this summer, and he would come in as a potentially game-changing signing.
Esposito, who has been hailed as “elegant” and an “orchestrator” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, caught the eye with his brilliant performances in the Serie B for Spezia last term.
His form in the second division in Italy suggests that the potential is there for the 24-year-old star to have a similar impact to Engels at Parkhead.
24/25 season
Engels (Premiership)
Esposito (Serie B)
Appearances
34
34
Goals
9
7
Big chances created
11
18
Assists
6
9
Duels won per game
2.5
7.3
Ground duel success rate
49%
68%
Aerial duel success rate
49%
51%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, their respective performances at league level last term even suggest that Esposito could offer more to the team as a creator and in terms of what he can offer out of possession, by creating more high-quality chances and winning more duels with greater efficiency.
Therefore, the Italy international could have a significant impact on the team if he is able to translate these performances over to Scottish football and the Champions League, potentially pushing Celtic on to reach the next level on the European stage, by being a fantastic box-to-box midfield presence.
Salvatore Esposito for Italy vs England.
Celtic have won the Premiership title in each of the last four years, which means that the Champions League is where they should be targeting progress, and Esposito’s form in comparison to Engels suggests that he can help them to push on once more.
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Therefore, the Hoops should consider pushing the boat out to splash £5m on a new midfield signing to play alongside the likes of Engels and Reo Hatate next season.