Bringing in new midfielders, a young defender and even another goalkeeper is great, but what Arsenal fans really want to see this summer is for some attackers to make their way to the Emirates.

While the team remains one of the best in the country, it’s become increasingly evident over the years that the frontline is the area of Mikel Arteta’s side in most need of reinforcing.

For example, despite coming second in the Premier League last season, the Gunners produced the best defence, but only the third-best attack, scoring 17 goals fewer than champions Liverpool.

Fortunately, Andrea Berta and Co seem well aware of this need to improve the club’s firepower as they appear closer to landing goalscorer extraordinaire Viktor Gyokeres and have now been linked with another forward who’d be a perfect teammate for the Swedish international.

Arsenal target dream Gyokeres teammate

There has been talk of Arsenal needing a new number nine for well over a year now, and reports linking them with Gyokeres as far back as last summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Those links then persisted into the winter window, and while it looked like Benjamin Sesko was going to be the forward the Gunners went for earlier this summer, the odds seem to have moved back towards the Sporting CP star.

In fact, according to reports from earlier this week, the Gunners have already agreed personal terms with the 27-year-old on a five-year deal and are now in advanced talks with the Lisbon-based outfit over his potential transfer.

If that wasn’t exciting enough, it now appears that the North Londoners are preparing to pursue another talented attacker who could be the perfect teammate for Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Italy, as relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in Atalanta star Ademola Lookman, and are now preparing to make an offer for him.

The report claims that the Gunners want to sign him for €50m, which is approximately £43m plus bonuses, although the Bergamo outfit value their star at €60m, equivalent to around £52m.

It could be a costly and difficult deal to get over the line, but given Lookman’s immense ability, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he’d be an incredible teammate for Gyokeres.

Why Gyokeres would love playing with Lookman

The first reason Gyokeres would love playing with Lookman at Arsenal, and undoubtedly the one that carries the most weight, is that the Nigerian is an output machine.

For example, in 45 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes in the 23/24 season, he scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or one every 104.03 minutes.

Then, last season, the 27-year-old showcased exactly why Gian Piero Gasperini thinks he’s “among the best in Europe and the world”, scoring 20 goals and providing seven assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2871 minutes, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games, or every 106.33 minutes.

Appearances

118

Starts

88

Minutes

7538′

Goals

52

Assists

25

Goal Involvements per Match

0.65

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.89′

Now, just imagine the sort of carnage the Sporting striker, who amassed 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 games last season, could get up to with a teammate as productive as Lookman playing alongside him.

Moreover, the former Toffees ace can and has played all across the frontline, in attacking midfield and even as a second-striker, so there should be plenty of opportunities for him to start alongside and develop a partnership with the former Coventry City star.

Additionally, as he’s more than adept at playing up top, he could also act as cover for the Stockholm-born titan, ensuring he isn’t overplayed and that he has good enough competition to push him forward.

Ultimately, Arsenal need more goals in their team next season, and Gyokeres and Lookman would provide that in spades, so even if he’s somewhat expensive, Berta and Co should do what they can to secure the Nigerian international alongside the Swede.

He's a lot like Saka: Arsenal "working on" signing £50m star – Ornstein

The international attacker could add some more flair to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 3, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for another proven winger to complement Thomas Frank’s current squad, following Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig and reports that Son Heung-min may have played his last competitive game for Spurs.

Tottenham to pay asking price for Brazil international after Barcelona call

They’re “best placed” to do a deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Despite a fairly promising first six months in north London, Werner ultimately proved to be a flop after chairman Daniel Levy decided to extend his loan spell by a further season, with former boss Ange Postecoglou publicly criticising the German for lacklustre displays.

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” said Postecoglou after Spurs’ draw with Rangers in the Europa League.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [playing], it’s not acceptable to me and I said that to Timo. He’s a senior German international.

“The moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

With the ex-Chelsea forward ending his brief Spurs stay, Frank could be left even more short in the wide area if Son does leave N17 after 10 years.

Saudi sides are expressing a keen interest in the South Korean star, and the Lilywhites may well decide that now is the right time to cash-in on him, taking into account his age and the fact he’s about to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

Spurs did seal a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, who put pen to paper on a £30 million move from Bayern Munich, but the club cannot afford to leave their new manager short of attacking options given their status as a Champions League club next term.

They’ve been linked with a host of big-name forwards in the last week, including Man City’s Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Frank’s former star at Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo.

All of these players are likely to command a marquee price tag, alongside fellow reported target Mohammed Kudus.

The West Ham winger has an £85 million release clause in his contract, which becomes active in July, but Graham Potter’s side could sell for around £65 million.

Tottenham initiate talks to sign West Ham star Mohammed Kudus

That is according to GOAL, who also report that Tottenham have “initiated” talks with West Ham over signing Kudus.

Frank’s side have apparently told the Hammers that they’re keen on striking a deal for the Ghanaian, but both clubs haven’t dealt with eachother when it comes to transfers since Scott Parker’s move to Spurs in 2011.

Both clubs most commonly refuse to do business, and for this reason, it is believed that West Ham would much rather Kudus join Chelsea instead, who are also keen on the African winger.

There is also some negotiating left to do, as Daniel Levy only wants to pay £50 million for Kudus as things stand, so they’re some way short of West Ham’s current asking price.

Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League than Kudus last season, highlighting his devastating dribbling ability, with the former Ajax star also attempting more shots at goal than Dominic Solanke on average (WhoScored).

He would be a truly excellent addition, but Levy will still need to invest significantly here.

The close relative of a “great” Liverpool transfer target has claimed that his move to Anfield this summer is now “basically a done deal”, in an exciting new update.

Florian Wirtz week at Liverpool

The Reds have already brought in Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen since the end of last season, but this week has the potential to be a particularly memorable one at Anfield.

Liverpool appear to be edging closer to the stunning signing of Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz all the time, with fresh reports claiming that he will be in England on Thursday, with his medical and official unveiling taking place on Friday.

While much focus is on Wirtz currently, which is no surprise considering he is seen as one of Europe’s best players currently, a move for Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth is also close to happening.

The 21-year-old has emerged as the perfect left-back to come in and be Andy Robertson’s long-term successor at Liverpool, and now a new update suggests that the transfer is closer to happening than ever.

Liverpool signing Kerkez "basically a done deal"

Speaking to Super Indirektno [via The Mirror], Kerkez’s father, Sebastijan Kerkez, claimed that his son’s move to Liverpool is “basically a done deal”, also discussing the huge influence of sporting director Richard Hughes.

“It’s only Liverpool for us and we’re not going anywhere else and we won’t talk to other clubs. Everything is done between us (personal terms) we just need to sort out some details but it’s basically a done deal. Richard Hughes brought us to Bournemouth, if he said we go to India, then we go to India, everything is agreed, just some little things.”

This is fantastic news for anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, with Kerkez looking tailor-made to thrive in this Premier League-winning team under Arne Slot.

Milos Kerkez’s 2024/25 Premier League stats	Total
Appearances	38
Starts	38
Minutes played	3341
Goals	2
Assists	5
Clearances per game	2.6
Tackles per game	1.4
Interceptions per game	1.2

The Hungarian caught the eye so often with his performances for Bournemouth in 2024/25, standing out as one of the best left-backs in the country and being hailed by manager Andoni Iraola.

“Milos has improved a lot from past season. He has done a great job defensively. I think he’s a player that because of his physical condition arrives so many times to the last third with the ball under control to put good crosses that the number of assists, of good balls he was having, was quite low past season, but this season I think he’s deciding much better. He’s adding quality to his deliveries.”

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2

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 17, 2025

There is always a risk that any move won’t work out, but assuming he avoids serious injury, the £40m-rated Kerkez looks primed to be a massive player for Liverpool for many years to come.

Wan Julia’s maiden half-century for Malaysia went in vain

S Sudarshanan20-Jul-2024It was not the perfect game but Thailand got their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign off to a winning start, keeping their perfect record over Malaysia in T20Is intact.Thailand missed a couple of key batters due to injuries, and were being led by a new, young captain Thipatcha Putthawong. But thanks to wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai’s 35-ball 40, they managed to post a challenging 133 for 6 after opting to bat. And then, despite a 68-run opening partnership by Malaysia, they beat them by 22 runs.Despite the win, it was a day to forget for Thailand in the field as they spilled two catches and were a tad sloppy overall.Thailand’s attacking ways pay offUnder the previous coach Harshal Pathak, Thailand developed an attacking game, packing their side with strokemakers. In their first Asia Cup game under new head coach Nitish Salekar, they continued in a similar vein even if the personnel were slightly different. In the absence of Natthakan Chantham, out with an ACL injury, the other regular opener Nattaya Boochatham set the tone early. She got going with three fours in the opening over. No. 4 Putthawong also struck one off the second ball she faced. This was when Malaysia’s seamers were getting plenty of swing.Koncharoenkai also found the gaps regularly, hitting two fours in three balls off Suabika Manivannan to keep the momentum going. Even though Thailand lost two wickets in the powerplay, they managed to hit eight fours and score 44 in that phase. In comparison, Malaysia scored 36 for 0 and hit only five fours in their batting powerplay.Koncharoenkai never let her intent dip, even when offspinner Mahirah Izzati Ismail was bowling in excellent rhythm. That confidence rubbed off on Phannita Maya, who also kept the scorecard moving. Koncharoenkai’s 48-run fourth-wicket partnership with Maya set the platform for Thailand’s score that proved enough.Ismail impacts the middle oversIsmail was introduced right after the powerplay and she struck immediately by deceiving Putthawong in flight. Putthawong went for the sweep but the ball was too full to do so, and was trapped lbw.Wan Julia’s maiden half-century went in vain•ACCIn her third over, Ismail struck twice in three balls. She got the set Koncharoenkai to mistime a cut to backward point, and then flighted the ball to Chanida Sutthiruang, who chipped it straight to cover. Despite Thailand’s attacking ways, Ismail managed to hold her own. She conceded just one boundary in her four overs and finished with 3 for 16.Julia, Duraisingam and Malaysia flatter to deceiveMalaysia had never beaten Thailand in four T20Is before Saturday. And without Mas Elysa, one of only two Malaysia batters with 1000-plus runs in the format, in the side, their hopes rested on their experienced openers Wan Julia and captain Winifred Duraisingam. They did their bit, stitching together a steady partnership.Duraisingam used the crease well to pierce the gaps in the powerplay. Julia used her power more, using the cuts and slashes. But with the Thailand bowlers not offering a lot of boundary opportunities, the pair had to rely on the running between the wickets. They took Malaysia to 59 for no loss after ten overs.But Duraisingam fell in the 12th over in a bid to attack offspinner Onnicha Kamchomphu. In the following over, Elsa Hunter also fell trying to attack legspinner Suleeporn Laomi. Even though Julia brought up her maiden T20I fifty – becoming Malaysia’s first half-centurion at the Asia Cup – Malaysia were waging a lost battle. Apart from their openers, no one else entered the double digits and Thailand flexed their bowling muscles aplenty to walk away with a win.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is tasked with signing a new number nine to lead Mikel Arteta’s next assault on the Premier League title, but which target would be most succesful for the Gunners?

Renowned for his methodical approach to squad building during his years with Atletico Madrid, new Arsenal transfer guru Berta has a different task at the Emirates – put the finishing touches on a sqaud teetering on the brink of the ultimate success.

To do so, the Italian simply must get his choice right in the striker market this summer, with injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz decimating the Gunners’ title chances in 2024/25.

£140m signings start alongside Zubimendi: AI predicts Arsenal's 2025/26 line-up

It could be a productive transfer market for the Gunners.

4

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 28, 2025

With that in mind, we’ve asked AI tool Grok to predict which of Berta’s targets would score the most goals in an Arsenal shirt next season, assuming they all stay fit and play a reasonable amount of minutes.

3

Benjamin Sesko – 15-20 Premier League goals

The latest update on Arsenal’s interest in RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko is an extremely positive one, with Berta reportedly locked in talks over a deal which could even go over the Slovenian’s £70m release clause. The player himself is said to be very keen on the move, and Grok’s prediction for his debut campaign in North London might explain why.

AI predicts Sesko’s “6 foot 5 frame, pace and aerial ability” would create a lethal combination with Arsenal’s chance creators, particularly Bukayo Saka’s left-footed crosses after cutting in from his role on the right wing.

However, while it predicts Sesko could cross the 25-goal mark in all competitions, he rates below the other options due to his “history of missing big chances in the Bundesliga”.

2

Viktor Gyokeres – 20-25 Premier League goals

Gyokeres’ links to Arsenal have taken many twists and turns, with the latest update revealing the Sporting CP superstar has actually threatened the Portuguese club that he will go public about his situation if they do not find a solution with his sutiors.

The Swede’s price has been a point of much controversy, with rumours of a broken gentleman’s agreement leading to Sporting demanding £68m for his signature.

AI predicts the former Coventry man, now bang in his prime at the age of 27, will score more than Sesko and could even reach 35 in all competitions owing to his “physicality, direct style, and ruthless finishing”, which would help him adapt quickly despite never playing in the English top flight.

1

Alexander Isak – 22-25 Premier League goals

Finally, Grok predicts Newcastle United star Alexander Isak would be the best option from a pure goals standpoint, setting the same ceiling as his countryman Gyokeres but with a higher floor of 22, perhaps thanks to his experience in the Premier League already.

Isak in the Premier League	22/23	23/24	24/25
Starts	17	27	34
Goals	10	21	23
Assists	1	2	6
Shots per game	2.3	2.6	2.9
Dribbles per game	1.5	1.4	1.2

Interestingly, the only major statistic which has declinded throughout the 25 year-old’s time in England is his dribbling, indicating the elevation in his movement and football IQ to put himself in better positions to finish Newcastle’s attacks, rather than help start them.

Recent reports claims Arsenal may move on from their interest in Isak, but Grok suggests his “elite finishing” would create a lethal combination in Arteta’s system, reaching around 33 goals in all competitions, assuming he is rested in certain domestic cup matches.

حقق فريق طلائع الجيش، الفوز على نظيره مودرن سبورت، بهدف دون رد، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طلائع الجيش واجه مودرن سبورت، في الجولة السادسة من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد الرياضة العسكري.

وسجل هدف فوز طلائع الجيش، اللاعب التوجولي، إسماعيل أجورو، في الدقيقة 32 من عمر اللقاء، وذلك من ركلة جزاء نجح في تنفيذها. هدف فوز طلائع الجيش أمام مودرن سبورت اليوم في الدوري المصري

وبتلك النتيجة، يتواجد فريق طلائع الجيش في المركز الحادي عشر، في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، برصيد 8 نقاط.

طالع | “يمتلك أكثر من عرض”.. ميكالي يحسم موقفه من التدريب في الدوري المصري

بينما على الجانب الآخر، يحتل فريق مودرن سبورت المركز الرابع في ترتيب الدوري، برصيد 10 نقاط.

You can imagine the frustration Ruben Amorim has had to endure during his time as Manchester United manager, so far being unable to change the club’s fortunes in the Premier League.

However, there’s only so much the 40-year-old can change, especially given the lack of talent he’s had at his disposal in numerous key areas of the pitch at Old Trafford.

He’s gone from having Viktor Gyokeres as his main talisman to having to rely on Rasmus Hojlund, with the Dane scoring 44 fewer goals across all competitions in 2024/25.

Undoubtedly, Amorim must wish he could rekindle such a partnership with the Swede this summer, but the 27-year-old has already expressed his desire to join fellow top-flight side Arsenal this window.

As a result, he’s had to turn his attention to other forwards to try and improve the situation, with numerous names on their radar between now and the end of the summer market.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Moise Kean is a player who’s firmly been on their radar over the last couple of weeks, but United will have to act quickly to secure a deal with the Italian’s £44m release clause expiring on Tuesday.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is another talent who’s in their sights, after the Englishman was released at the end of his contract with Everton, leading to a pay-as-you-play contract with the Red Devils being mooted.

However, he’s not the only Premier League talisman on their shortlist this summer, with Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins a player they’re monitoring, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report claims that Amorim has made the 29-year-old his top target for the current window, after he registered 17 goals and 14 assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that Unai Emery’s side don’t want to part ways with their top goalscorer during the off-season, demanding a fee in the region of £60m if he were to depart the Villans.

Why United’s £60m target would be Amorim’s answer to Haaland

Striker Erling Haaland has been a player who has been a constant nuisance to countless backlines in the Premier League, undoubtedly being one of the most feared talents in the division.

The Norwegian has managed to find the net 85 times in his 97 league appearances in his three years across the city under Pep Guardiola’s guidance.

Such a record has seen him claim the Golden Boot award in two of his three years in England, with United supporters undoubtedly wishing they had their own version of the talisman.

However, talents such as Haaland are extremely hard to come by in the modern game, potentially costing a pretty penny in the process, with the club struggling to convince such talents to join given their recent decline.

That could be about to change this summer with a move for Watkins, with the Villa talent labelled as a similar player to the Manchester City talisman by FBref.

When comparing the pair’s stats from the most recent league campaign, the Villa star has outperformed Haaland in numerous key areas – showcasing the talent he possesses in forward areas.

Watkins, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by journalist John Townley, posted a better goal per shot on target rate, with such a record handing Amorim the clinical edge his side have hugely lacked in recent months.

How Watkins & Haaland compare in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Watkins

Haaland

Games played

38

31

Goals & assists

24

25

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Progressive passes

1.1

0.5

Pass accuracy

72%

66%

Progressive carries

1.9

0.7

Carries into final third

1.3

0.6

Aerials won

1.9

1.8

Fouls won

1.2

0.4

Stats via FBref

The England international also completed more passes whilst posting a higher tally of progressive passes per 90, having the skillset to provide the other forwards around him with added chances in front of goal.

His dominance over the Norwegian is further reflected by his tally of aerials won per 90 and carries into the opposition box, subsequently being an all-round threat that can cause problems in multiple different ways for the opposition.

£60m may appear to be a hefty sum for Watkins, but he’s showcased in recent times that he’s a readymade talent who can hand the Red Devils the goal threat they crave this summer.

If he can transfer his talents over with him to Old Trafford, it would be a sensational piece of business, handing the manager his very own version of Haaland in the process.

Related Amorim's answer to Kane: Man Utd in talks to sign "world-class" striker

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 11, 2025

Shubman Gill has said working on his “defensive game” helped him turn his Test fortunes around against England earlier this year.Before heading into the home series against England, Gill’s average in Tests was 30.59. But batting at No. 3 across the five games, he hit 452 runs in nine innings, at an average of 56.50. That included two centuries and half-centuries each, as he overturned a run of low scores in the format. Returning to first-class cricket for the first time since then, Gill will be leading India A at the Duleep Trophy opener on Thursday.”I worked on my defence a little bit more, especially against the spinners,” Gill said at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where his side will face India B in the Duleep Trophy. “Playing on turning tracks, if you are not able to have that confidence in your defence [then it disturbs your game]. If you’re playing on a turning track, you should be able to defend a lot more. [It is] then you play scoring shots.Related

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“And with more T20 [cricket], and playing on, I wouldn’t say flat tracks, but [on] batting-friendly tracks – [and] more in the white-ball [games] – I feel it takes away a little bit of your defensive game over a period of time. So that was my focus in the England series.”After scoring 104 in the second innings of the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam, he revealed he had asked the team management to push him down to No. 3 instead of playing as an opener, a position where he had batted 29 times.Despite the returns against England, Gill acknowledged that he is not quite there yet as a Test player, and that he intended to make up for it. India play ten Tests over the next four months, starting with two against Bangladesh from September 19.”Yes, definitely, I haven’t reached my expectations yet,” he said. “But we have ten Test matches ahead of us back-to-back. So hopefully after these ten Test matches, I will be able to meet my expectations.”

Gill: As captain, ‘you should understand your players a lot more’

Gill said that he never felt any “extra pressure” being part of the India leadership group, as the added responsibility required him to know more about his team-mates.Over the last few months, Gill has had plenty of leadership opportunities. That run started when he captained Gujarat Titans in the IPL after Hardik Pandya went back to Mumbai Indians. Gill then led India in five T20Is against Zimbabwe, after Rohit Sharma had retired from the format and several other senior players were rested.India reversed a 0-1 scoreline to beat the hosts 4-1, after which Gill had said that captaincy “brings out the best in me”. He was even named vice-captain for the T20Is and ODIs against Sri Lanka that followed.”My role as a batsman doesn’t really change,” Gill said. “Even if I am the captain or the vice-captain, the aim is to get runs and make my team win, [and] contribute in any way possible.”If you are the captain or the vice-captain, then you should be able to understand your players a lot more rather than when you are just a player. Sometimes, it happens that you have played with a lot of [these] players since childhood. You have played a lot of age-group cricket [together]. So, obviously, you are already connected, and so it is more fun to play with them.”And if you are enjoying your role in the captaincy, it is very important to lead with performance. So if you are getting all these things, then you enjoy everything.”

Every passing day at St. Andrew’s seems to throw up another gigantic transfer rumour involving Birmingham City.

This time, Bright Osayi-Samuel is the main name being linked with an ambitious switch to the West Midlands. The Blues are allegedly closing in on a deal to land the ex-Fenerbahce man on a free transfer, as per journalist Mike McGrath.

The non-stop rumour mill is unlikely to grind to a halt here when it comes to dishing out notable figures who could soon call Chris Davies’ side home, with plenty of other EFL-ready stars tipped to relocate to the Blues very soon.

Latest on Birmingham's transfer search

Having spent £15m just on Jay Stansfield alone last season when plying their trade in League One, it’s not the greatest shock in the world to see Birmingham flexing their muscles once more in terms of incoming signings.

Indeed, the mega-rich Blues are reportedly close to adding both Tommy Doyle and Demarai Gray to their expanding camp, with reports even suggesting that the Birmingham-born winger could cost around £8m to obtain.

Joining the aforementioned trio through the door very shortly could also be Kieran Dowell, with an exclusive report from GIVEMESPORT stating that a proposal has been made on the end of the newly promoted side to bring their former loanee back to St. Andrew’s.

However, it’s stated that this proposal is up in the air at the moment as new Rangers boss Russell Martin continues to assess whether Dowell is part of his long-term Ibrox plans or not.

With Ben Davies also on their agenda, according to GIVEMESPORT, it’s clear that adding in Championship experience by the bucket load is a huge priority, as Birmingham navigate the treacherous, but thrilling step back up to the second tier.

In Dowell, the Blues might well be winning themselves another adaptable and exciting presence at the level that’s very similar to Osayi-Samuel, as both potential new signings aim to help Birmingham soar to even greater heights in their fresh surroundings.

Why Dowell can be another Osayi-Samuel

Last season was a clear example for all those watching on at St. Andrew’s that the 27-year-old attacking midfielder is an accomplished performer in the EFL, as seen in his five goals and four assists from just 19 League One runouts.

Amazingly, he should only up his performance standards if he sticks it out for Birmingham’s move up to the Championship, with fans of clubs such as Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, and Wigan Athletic knowing all too well what the former England U21 international is about at the intimidating level.

In total, playing for those myriad clubs in the Championship, Dowell has managed to tally up a mightily impressive 26 goals and 12 assists from 123 clashes, with Osayi-Samuel not lagging too far behind with his own hefty output.

Indeed, the soon-to-be Birmingham presence can boast his own healthy total of 23 goals and assists across 109 Championship games, with the correlations between the seasoned pair not just ending there, as seen in their similar abilities to line up for their team across various positions if needed.

AM

120

31

12

RM

50

9

10

CM

25

2

1

RW

19

7

5

LM

17

2

1

SS

2

0

0

LW

1

0

0

DM

1

0

0

Across the ex-Queens Park Rangers man’s varied career to date, he has staggeringly lined up in ten different spots on the field, with a makeshift striker role even being taken up by the Nigeria international on occasion.

Dowell can show off the same levels of flexibility when looking at the table above, with the one-time Championship title winner more than capable of playing down the left or right wing, away from excelling as a number ten.

Even hailed as a “high-quality” performer by Davies last season, it does feel as if Dowell would jump at the opportunity to return to such a familiar stomping ground in the second tier, particularly after a challenging Rangers spell.

Both Dowell and Osayi-Samuel joining the Blues camp would show that the newly promoted side means business heading up a league, with another promotion not the craziest shout if everything clicks into place.

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He last played four-day domestic cricket in 2021 and is looking to ensure he balances his build-up with staying fresh

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-20241:38

Cummins explains why he will miss the September tour to England

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins is eyeing a brief return to the Sheffield Shield to tune up for the series against India which starts in late November.Cummins, who recently completed an MLC stint in the USA, has been rested from Australia’s white-ball tour of Scotland and England next month. He will spend the time focusing on strength and conditioning ahead of the home summer with the five Tests against India taking a little over seven weeks which will be followed shortly after by two more games in Sri Lanka.Related

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Those seven Tests will decide whether Australia will have the chance to defend their World Test Championship title at Lord’s next June. They are currently second in the table behind India.Cummins last played Sheffield Shield for New South Wales in February 2021 and has only made nine appearances in his career. There is also an ODI series against Pakistan in early November which could be used as part of the build-up to the Test matches.”Ronnie [coach Andrew McDonald] called me the other day and said we need to talk about this,” Cummins told News Corp. “I prefer to go a little bit fresher but definitely play some cricket going in.”So I’d say it’s either two or three ODIs, plus a Shield [game] or maybe just some Shield, maybe some NSW one-day stuff. I imagine kind of late October/early November will be when I start playing building up for the Tests.”Pat Cummins faces another intense period of Test cricket from late November•AFP/Getty ImagesNew South Wales have a Shield game against Victoria from October 20 then face Queensland from November 1, although the latter overlaps with the start of the ODI series against Pakistan.Cummins previously told ESPNcricinfo that missing the England tour had been long-planned and that the next few months were about ensuring his body was right for the upcoming workload which will also include the Champions Trophy next February in Pakistan.”I’ll have a good six or eight weeks off bowling where I’ll get in the gym every day, do some running, and get some strength back into my body,” he said.Mitchell Starc, who will play the ODI series against England after resting from the T20Is, and Josh Hazlewood, who will feature in the whole tour, could also be available for New South Wales ahead of the international season. Nathan Lyon is expected to play at least two matches before facing India.Most of the batters are expected to be available for the Sheffield Shield in October which features two rounds while those who aren’t part of the ODI side against Pakistan could get another outing. There are also two Australia A four-day matches against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.