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The cogs are whirring away down Anfield Road, and Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes must be pretty pleased with Liverpool’s progress in the transfer market.

But they have more work still to do. In spite of signing Hugo Ekitike for £79m, Liverpool are mooted to remain in the market for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, who has informed his club that he wishes to explore a move away this summer.

And though the Sweden international has many admirers, it is the Reds who lead the race.

They couldn’t, could they? Unfortunately for those not of a Liverpool persuasion, they could. FSG have run the club expertly in recent years, managing the finances with a deft touch to be in a position for big-money moves across the summer.

And while the Premier League champions have already broken their transfer record by signing through the addition of Florian Wirtz, the £100m figure potentially stretching to a British-record £116m, they are primed to break it once more here.

However, a few outgoings may be needed.

The players who might be leaving Liverpool

With Trent Alexander-Arnold having already left Liverpool for Real Madrid, there’s a chance that Ibrahima Konate might follow. The French defender has entered the final year of his contract, and negotiations over a renewal have yielded little fruit thus far.

From an attacking standpoint, the signing of Ekitike and the potential arrival of Isak would surely see Darwin Nunez leave. The 25-year-old has fallen down the pecking order in Arne Slot’s system and is being chased by Saudi Arabian suitors.

Liverpool seem happy to let him leave, but are less inclined to accept Bayern Munich’s advances for Luis Diaz, having rejected a £58.5m offer. The Bundesliga champions are expected to return for the versatile forward, who was so important for Slot’s title-winning side.

While Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon has been touted as a possible replacement for the Colombian, he’s been priced at £100m.

And when a cheaper and exciting alternative is available, the track to head down becomes clear.

Liverpool lining up Diaz replacement

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lyon’s Malick Fofana is one of the names on FSG’s list as they consider replacements for Diaz, who may indeed have played his last competitive game for the Reds.

The 20-year-old has put his name on the map over the past 18 months in France, and is also courted by Bayern, though their curiosity will fade away in the case they do sign Diaz.

Fofana might be young, but his talent is clear. Lyon recognise this, and as such have priced him at €60m (£51m).

Why Liverpool want Malick Fofana

Hailed for his “explosive” athleticism by analyst Ben Mattinson, Fofana has established himself over the past few years, leaving his Belgian homeland in January 2024 when joining Lyon from Genk for a €22m (£19m).

That figure made an interesting comment from the off regarding Fofana’s skill set, and having now featured 62 times for the Ligue 1 side, scoring 15 goals and supplying eight assists, he’s shaping into quite the interesting winger.

While Isak would be replacing Diaz at centre-forward, the 28-year-old is typically a winger, and someone like Fofana would be a more direct heir.

And given that he might end up costing around half of what has been demanded for the Prem-proven Gordon, FSG may well opt to sign the lesser-known talent, especially since the likes of Wirtz and Cody Gakpo already reside in the Liverpool ranks.

Matches (starts)

29 (16)

34 (28)

Goals

5

6

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

1.7 (0.6)

Big chances missed

4

10

Pass completion

84%

81%

Big chances created

6

6

Key passes*

0.9

1.5

Dribbles*

0.8

1.1

Tackles*

1.1

0.9

Duels won*

2.9

4.4

Sure, Gordon rode the crest of a wave after the 2023/24 season, awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year, having notched 22 goal involvements in the Premier League, but that year was followed by a regression in output and confidence.

His creativity and tenacious style were still clear, but Fofana is showing himself to have the making of a clinical winger beyond the goalscoring level of Gordon.

Does Gordon’s progress warrant the £100m fee? He’s a fine player, to be sure, with a Merseyside connection besides, but there’s little sense in forking out such a sum when there’s a player like Fofana waiting for his breakout move.

While Gordon has forged a slick partnership with Isak over the past few years, Fofana is considered by data-driven site FBref to be a statistically similar player to the England international, so he has the athletic, snappy style to thrive alongside the Swede.

It’s chalked down that the Belgian ranked among the top 10% of positional peers last term for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

Isak’s quality is such that he could elevate the level of any winger worth their salt, but Gordon is indeed tactically aligned with the number nine to a higher degree.

By signing Fofana as Diaz’s replacement this summer, Slot could capture that synergy and use it to Liverpool’s gain, fashioning another angle out of his burgeoning superpower.

Gakpo 2.0: Liverpool now eyeing "one of the best young talents in football"

Liverpool still have a few more transfer targets in their sights this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2025

Having already won the series, India could give a chance to Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Verma, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana

Mohammad Isam11-Oct-2024Big picture: Bangladesh’s last chance to salvage prideAfter winning the Test series 2-0, India will be keen to stretch their dominance against Bangladesh to the absolute by carrying their T20I form from Gwalior and Delhi into Hyderabad, in the third T20I. It is the final match of a tour where Bangladesh have batted woefully, and bowled well only in certain periods. That was not good enough as India displayed their heightened T20 skills.In the second T20I, the home side posted their highest total against Bangladesh even after losing three wickets in the powerplay. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh added 108 for the fourth wicket before Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag struck meaty blows at the death. A target of 222 was overbearing on the visitors who could manage only 135 for 9. India now have the option to test the rest of the squad after going unchanged in the first two games.The only solace for Bangladesh in the series so far has been that their seamers have performed satisfactorily. Taskin Ahmed took 2 for 16 in Delhi while Mustafizur Rahman was wily as usual and Tanzim Hasan Sakib showed his growing skills. The spinners, though, couldn’t find their right lengths and let them down.Related

Taskin urges BCB to prepare better pitches at home

Reddy arrives with a bang and a 'promise of more'

Bangladesh’s top order, too, hasn’t given them the best of starts. Litton Das and newcomer Parvez Hossain Emon went too hard at the bowling without the desired results, while captain Najmul Hossain Shanto looked good in patches before caving in quickly. Top order and spinners must get their act together for the visitors to have one last chance to at least threaten the hosts on this tour.Form guideIndia WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLLLIn the spotlight: Nitish Kumar Reddy and MahmudullahNitish Kumar Reddy has slotted right into India’s template of being an attacking batting unit. During the second T20I in Delhi, he struck seven sixes in his 34-ball 74 after his side had slipped to 41 for 3 in the sixth over. Even Rinku, a big-hitter himself, played second fiddle to Reddy for most of their partnership. Reddy has plenty of shots in his arsenal, including the ability to rotate strike. India will be equally interested in how he develops his medium-pace bowling in the long run.Nitish Kumar Reddy showed a lot of promise during the second T20I•BCCIWhile Reddy is just starting out, Mahmudullah will be playing his last T20I for Bangladesh. The veteran of 140 matches announced his retirement from the format before the Delhi game. It wasn’t a huge surprise, given Mahmudullah’s age and lack of form of late. Although he top-scored with 41 for Bangladesh in Delhi, it was yet another example of a fire fighting than taking the attack to the opposition. Bangladesh have a long discussion ahead of them to replace Mahmudullah in the T20I side, but Hyderabad will be the occasion to bid him goodbye.Team news: India to test bench strength?Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Verma, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana warmed the bench in the first two T20Is but could get a run in Hyderabad, especially with the series already decided.India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Riyan Parag, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Varun Chakravarthy/Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mayank Yadav/Harshit RanaBangladesh may bring in Mahedi Hasan in place of Jaker Ali.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Parvez Hossain Emon, 2 Litton Das (wk), 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditions: Rain could interrupt playIn IPL 2024, the three sides who made 200-plus batting first at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium won the game. However, there’s a forecast of rain in Hyderabad on Saturday.Stats and trivia: India extends home domination India stretched their unbeaten run in the bilateral T20I series at home to 16 after beating Bangladesh by 86 runs in Delhi. In a streak that goes back to September 2019, they have won 14 series and drawn two. In IPL 2024, Abhishek Sharma struck 284 runs, including three fifties, at a strike rate of 249.12 in Hyderabad. In Delhi, India used seven bowlers and each took at least one wicket. Bangladesh’s spinners conceded 14.75 runs per over in Delhi, their most expensive collective performance in a T20I when they bowled a minimum of five overs.

Celtic appear to be in fine shape heading into the new season under Brendan Rodgers, but not everyone will make the cut as he continues to assess his squad.

Celtic hammer Newcastle United in first home pre-season encounter

Despite the fact that Celtic are several weeks ahead of Newcastle United in their pre-season preparations, there was an air of class about the way they brushed aside Premier League opposition at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.

The Scottish Premiership champions officially unveiled Shin Yamada as their latest signing before the match before goals from Arne Engels, Johnny Kenny, Hyunjun Yang and Liam Scales sealed a comfortable victory on home soil.

Post-match, Rodgers made it clear Celtic have work to do in the transfer market after showing their quality against a high-calibre outfit, stating: “We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but the guys that are training and working with us are doing so well.

“I would expect us, by the end of the window, to have brought in players in certain areas of the pitch that we need to go through a really long season.”

Rumours are swirling that Daizen Maeda could sign a new contract, albeit there is no confirmation on that front, leaving the Bhoys searching for attacking reinforcements across their front four positions.

Celtic see £6.9m bid rejected for 25-goal star as club set lofty valuation

The Bhoys want some extra firepower under Brendan Rodgers…

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 18, 2025

Wycombe Wanderers forward Richard Kone is thought to be on the Hoops’ radar as a contingency, though the Ivorian may only be brought in if departures are to occur in Glasgow between now and the close of play.

Fringe players moving out on loan or permanently will be key to progress on incomings, so it will come as no surprise to hear that Celtic are closing in on another opportunity to cut their wage bill.

Celtic ace Marco Tilio set to join Rapid Vienna

According to Sky Sport Austria reporter Eric Niederseer, a “basic agreement” has been reached between Celtic and Rapid Vienna that could see Marco Tilio head to the Allianz Stadion on a loan deal with an option to buy.

Brought in two years ago from Melbourne City, the 23-year-old has only made a couple of competitive appearances for Celtic and moved back on loan to his former club to find his feet from January 2024 until the tail end of last season.

Florian Plettenberg has now added a move is considered a “done deal” with Tilio set to join Vienna on loan with an obligation to buy next year, should he start 20 games.

Reported to be earning £4,400 per week at Celtic, Tilio has been involved during pre-season, albeit his presence is more down to the fact Rodgers has a shortage of wingers to work with after selling Nicolas Kuhn to Como.

With an exit now lined up, the Bhoys will hope to recoup some of the £1.5 million they shelled out for the Australia international once his departure is finalised.

Chelsea appear to be closing in on a deal for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons as widespread reports indicate that talks are seriously progressing, but key issues surrounding the Dutchman are now being brought to the surface.

£40m star drops Chelsea transfer hint on Instagram amid Xavi Simons talks

The west Londoners are set to be even more busy.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 5, 2025

Despite having already spent an estimated £277 million on incomings this summer, Chelsea have done extremely well to balance the books through outgoings, which will be imperative amid their pact with UEFA to produce a ‘positive transfer balance’.

If Carney Chukwuemeka seals his long-awaited return to Borussia Dortmund on a permanent deal, which could yield around £22 million, Chelsea’s money raised through outgoings will near the £250 million mark.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Given Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Alfie Gilchrist and Nicolas Jackson, among others, could also depart in the coming weeks, Chelsea are in a pretty healthy position to add Simons to their squad.

In what is a very exciting prospect for Enzo Maresca, a move for the 22-year-old is a separate topic to that of Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho, and Sky Sports reported earlier this week that Chelsea are in talks to sign both players.

Their move for Simons is believed to be the furthest along, though, with negotiations described as advanced by Fabrizio Romano and the player “clear” in his desire to leave Leipzig for Stamford Bridge.

As Chelsea attempt to make room for Simons, who’s racked up 21 goals and 23 assists in all competitions for Leipzig since the start of 2023/2024, Maresca has been sent an intriguing warning over the ex-PSG sensation.

Chelsea sent Xavi Simons warning as talks advance

Speaking on talkSPORT’s Trans Euro Express podcast, Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard has shared rumours he’s heard of potential attitude problems.

“He scores goals, he makes goals, he’s always trying to affect the game. He’s a real puzzle, Xavi, because I like watching him play. I like what he brings to a game. He’s got really silky skills,” said Hatchard.

“The debate in Germany has been: Is he a team player? Does he have attitude problems? All of that.

“Now, that might be paper talk. That might be just media noise, and it just isn’t true, because there are some coaches that speak up for him. But there are also coaches that have alluded to, he could be more of a team player, his attitude could be different, etc.”

The pundit also questioned how Simons would cope behind Cole Palmer in Maresca’s pecking order, as both men play in the same position.

“What I’m fascinated by is if he does go to Chelsea, how does he deal with not being the main man? Because he won’t be, because Cole Palmer’s the main man.

“He plays in Cole Palmer’s position. So he’s not going to be the main man. They might play him off the left, because he naturally gravitates to the left anyway.

“But I’m just fascinated to see how he deals with it, because it’s not a work-rate thing. The work rate’s there, because you don’t play for Leipzig if you don’t work without the ball. It’s not that.”

Leipzig’s demand for Simons is rumoured to be around £60 million, so the cost of a transfer mistake for BlueCo could be huge here if they get it wrong.

The last thing Maresca needs is another ‘Joao Felix-type’ scenario on his hands, so it will be very intriguing to see how Simons may fare in London.

The T20I series ends 1-1 with Glenn Phillips also playing an important role

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Nov-2024Roughly 20 days after the women’s team won the T20 World Cup, and about a week after the men’s Test team completed a whitewash of India at home, New Zealand’s cricketers continue to do the near-impossible.On this occasion they defended 108 all out on a tricky – but far from unplayable – Dambulla surface. Lockie Ferguson bowled only two overs before having to leave the field because of a calf injury, but he claimed a hat-trick to rip out Sri Lanka’s top order, as he collected figures of 3 for 7.As has often been the case on this long South Asian sojourn, Glenn Phillips was vital to New Zealand’s victory too. He’d been out for 4 off 9, but took three wickets in the final over – which he had only had to bowl because of Ferguson’s absence. The most prized of those wickets was that of Pathum Nissanka, who had been Sri Lanka’s backbone, making 52 off 50, until he tried to smash Phillips over long-on, but could not clear the fielder.He was the last recognised batter to be dismissed, however. Zakary Foulkes, Mitchell Santner, and Michael Bracewell had all been effective in keeping Sri Lanka on a leash, as they squeezed wickets out of the batters’ frustrations. New Zealand have never defended a lower total in T20Is. Only twice have Full Members failed to finish off a chase of such modest proportions. (Zim vs Nam in 2023 and WI vs Zim in 2010)Sri Lanka would have thought themselves almost certain to win, when they earlier had the opposition 52 for 6 in the 11th over. But New Zealand cobbled together what looked an unimpressive total between Will Young’s 30, Santner’s 19, and Josh Clarkson’s 24. All of those innings came at less than a run-a-ball.This result ties the series 1-1, Sri Lanka having eased to victory on Saturday.Ferguson takes out 3, 4, and 5Although Ferguson only bowled half his overs (he’d only just recovered from a right hamstring complaint to make it into this XI), he essentially broke the game open in overs six and eight. Having allowed only three singles off his first five balls, he delivered a spectacular, swinging almost-yorker just on off stump, to take Kusal Perera’s outside edge, nicely caught by a diving Mitchell Hay.Next over, he nailed Kamindu Mendis in front of the stumps with a rapid yorker the batter was way to late on, and for his hat-trick wicket got a little luck. He pushed the ball – another attempted yorker – to Charith Asalanka a little far down leg. But Asalanka, in good form, got a little edge to that ball, which Hay received, low to the ground.Sri Lanka, suddenly were 34 for 4.Wanindu Hasaranga picked up four wickets while playing through an injury•AFP/Getty ImagesPhillips puts in a death-bowling shiftWith Ferguson unavailable through the back end of the innings, and Santner choosing to keep the pressure on Sri Lanka by bowling his frontliners relatively early, it fell to Phillips to bowl the big-pressure final over.Sri Lanka needed eight from it, which is not a huge amount when you have a top-order player batting on a half-century at the crease. Phillips found a way.When Nissanka got on strike for the second ball, he went down low and tried to slog-sweep it, only to find the long-on fielder. Next ball, Phillips slid a ball past the outside edge of Matheesha Pathirana, who stumbled forward, and was duly stumped.Sri Lanka could have still won – or at least tied – the game going into the final two deliveries. Maheesh Theekshana, who can occasionally produce boundaries, was on strike. But Phillips bowled bravely, slowing up a big offbreak outside off, with a little extra top spin. Theekshana swung, and only got a top edge, that Hay tracked down with his gloves to spark New Zealand jubilation.Hasaranga bosses the first innings on one legIt was clear there was big turn on this track from the outset. On top of which, Wanindu Hasaranga was in especially devastating touch. First ball, he bowled Phillips attempting what may have been a pre-meditated reverse slap. It was the googly that did that damage. Later in the over, he ripped a big legbreak, bowled slow through the air, beat Bracewell’s outside edge and took the top of his offstump – a classical legspinner’s dismissal.Hay was dismissed similarly next over, before getting Young overbalanced attempting a sweep, with Kusal Mendis collecting the ball down the leg side and flinging down the stumps while Young was out of the crease – an especially sharp piece of wicketkeeping after Mendis had been struck on the knee the previous over.That Wanindu did all this with a leg injury he’d picked up early in the game, made it even more impressive. He was hobbling through many of his deliveries.

Chelsea have been told they have a "world top player" on their hands in Estevao Willian, with the baby-faced Brazilian boasting "amazing skills".

Talented teenager moved to England over the summerExciting those in west London with undoubted potentialWill help Blues challenge for trophies on multiple frontsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The South American wonderkid, who is fondly known as Messinho (Little Messi) in his homeland, completed a transfer to Stamford Bridge over the summer. Said switch was made after turning 18 and facing the Blues in FIFA Club World Cup competition with Palmeiras.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Estevao has been thrown in at the Premier League deep end, but the youngster has made an impressive start to life in west London and is considered to boast the potential that could allow him to become the next Brazilian superstar.

WHAT DI MATTEO SAID

Quizzed on whether such a standing can be achieved, Chelsea legend Roberto Di Matteo – speaking in association with – told GOAL: "Let’s not overwhelm him with pressure, but he’s going to be a top player! You can see that he is so advanced in his football development.

"I saw him before the international break and he looks like a 15-year-old! You look at him and think ‘you are playing already?’ Amazing skills, technically, he’s fast, unpredictable, can go outside and inside. Very good attitude. He’s quite advanced for his age. Ancelotti loves him in the Brazil national team.

"He’s got a very good family around him as well, his parents have moved over with him. He’s got good management around him so I have no doubt that he’s going to grow and become a top player, a world top player."

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Estevao forms part of a squad that captured Conference and Club World Cup crowns last season. He is expected to help Enzo Maresca’s side compete on multiple fronts this term, with Di Matteo adding on what success looks like for the big-spending Blues: "They will aim to be title contenders. They have a good squad and can aim for it.

"Retaining Champions League football is vital for a club like Chelsea. Going through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, let’s see how you can challenge. Maybe win another cup – FA Cup or Carabao Cup or the Premier League. Add a trophy to it. Last season was great with two trophies. That would be a successful season.

"Last season, they started off really well and then had a dip towards November/December. That coincided with [Cole] Palmer not always playing and wasn’t firing how we are used to. I think this year they have signed some players that can add that little bit of spark and the team doesn’t need to become overly reliant on one player – Estevao, Joao Pedro, [Liam] Delap, [Jamie] Gittens, players that can help the team in crucial moments."

An emergency meeting of the ICC Board will be convened to discuss this matter, with fewer than 100 days left to the expected start of the tournament

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Nov-2024The ICC Board will convene next week for an emergency meeting to discuss the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the single-point agenda for the meeting, which is likely to be held on November 26, is to reach a consensus on whether a hybrid model should be adopted for the tournament with matches being spread between Pakistan, the host country, and a second overseas venue, which is yet to be confirmed.While several people privy to discussions confirmed the development to ESPNcricinfo, an ICC spokesperson said there had been no official communication confirming the meeting next week. It is not clear how many boards have been informed of the meeting at this point. A PCB official also said they had received no such information at the moment.The ICC Board comprises representatives from the 12 Full Member countries, three representatives from Associates, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO.The meeting has been called for after the BCCI told the ICC that the Indian government has denied Rohit Sharma’s team permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision only came a fortnight ago; the PCB was awarded hosting rights for the eight-team ODI tournament three years ago, in November 2021, and has been steadfast about conducting the entire event in Pakistan, at three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.Related

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The impasse has meant that with under 100 days to the expected start of the tournament – as hosts, the PCB have penciled it in to run from February 19 to March 9 – there is still no official schedule from the ICC for the event.Speaking to media in Pakistan this week, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he retained “positive expectations” about the Champions Trophy taking place in the country. Naqvi, who is also the head of the Interior Ministry of the Pakistan government, said he was willing to have a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock, even while the PCB awaits a response from the ICC to a set of questions about why India cannot travel to Pakistan for the tournament.This is the second time in successive years the PCB has been confronted with the hybrid model to host a multi-national tournament to accommodate India. The 2023 Asia Cup was played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka after the Indian team was refused permission to travel to Pakistan. It was Pakistan that travelled between their country and Sri Lanka where the tournament final was played. Pakistan travelled to India for the ODI World Cup soon after that tournament, a decision the PCB has said it expected to be reciprocated for the Champions Trophy.Earlier this week the India team was also forced to withdraw from the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held in Pakistan, after failing to secure the Indian government’s clearance for the squad to travel to Pakistan.

John Cena is one of the most recognisable names in the world, whether it be for his wrestling or acting.

A WWE icon, Cena is set to retire from the sports entertainment business at the end of 2025, more than 23 years on from making his Smackdown debut. The American has had 17 separate WWE championship reigns, more than any other wrestler in the history of the business.

WWE Champion

14

WWE World Heavyweight Champion

3

WWE United States Championship

5

WWE Tag Team Championship

4

Money in the Bank winner

2012

Royal Rumble winner

2008, 2013

Due to his status, he has regularly been at the centre of numerous interviews away from the ring throughout his career, being asked questions not focused on wrestling.

Previously, when speaking to the BBC, Cena was quizzed on all things football, from his favourite player and Premier League team, to what role he would like if he was involved in the sport.

John Cena names Ronaldo the football 'GOAT'

When asked who his favourite player was, Cena chose Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is still going strong in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr and is showing no signs of slowing up in front of goal.

Ronaldo, who was won five Ballon d’Or awards, holds the record for the most international appearances and international goals with Portugal.

John Cena names favourite Premier League team

When asked who his preferred team is in England, Cena name-checked Tottenham Hotspur, citing a time when he visited White Hart Lane back in 2008 during a tour of the UK with the WWE.

With Spurs seemingly Cena’s favourite team and Ronaldo his best-ever player, Cena was then asked where he would play if he was a footballer. Instead of giving a position, the wrestling star fancied himself on the sidelines.

“If I were to play myself, I would be on the bench because I have watched a few games, and it is a lot of running – I don’t run very well, or very far. I could maybe go in goal but there is a lot of pressure on the goalie, because the net is so big and the goalies are so small, so it is tough to block the shots. So, I think being an inspirational coach might be my best role.”

In the world of football, the threshold for what constitutes as ‘young’ seems to be constantly evolving. As the sport progresses, the age at which players are making their senior debuts is getting significantly younger.

Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha is the latest teenage star to burst onto the scene, and his dramatic late winner for the Reds on debut will go down in history.

But where does he rank for youngest ever scorers? Fortunately, when it comes to ranking the top 10 youngest Premier League goalscorers, there’s no ambiguity – the facts and figures are all at our disposal. So, without further ado, here are the 10 youngest scorers in Premier League history.

Rank

Player

Age

Date & Opponent

1

James Vaughan (Everton)

16 yrs, 270 days

Apr 2005 v Crystal Palace

2

James Milner (Leeds)

16 yrs, 356 days

Dec 2002 v Sunderland

3

Wayne Rooney (Everton)

16 yrs, 360 days

Oct 2002 v Arsenal

4

Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool)

16 yrs, 361 days

Aug 2025 v Newcastle

5

Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

17 yrs, 113 days

Aug 2004 v Blackburn

6

Michael Owen (Liverpool)

17 yrs, 143 days

May 1997 v Wimbledon

7

Andy Turner (Tottenham)

17 yrs, 166 days

Sep 1992 v Everton

8

Federico Macheda (Man Utd)

17 yrs, 226 days

Apr 2009 v Aston Villa

9

Lewis Miley (Newcastle)

17 yrs, 229 days

Dec 2023 v Fulham

10

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)

17 yrs, 247 days

Nov 2024 v Nottingham Forest

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ByLewis Thompson Jun 15, 2024 10 Ethan Nwaneri 17 years, 247 days v Nottingham Forest (2024)

Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri announced himself on the Premier League stage when grabbing his first goal in the competition four months shy of his 18th birthday.

Incredibly, Nwaneri had made his debut over two years prior to this, coming on as a late substitute during a Gunners win at Brentford in September 2022.

Now a part of the first team at the Emirates Stadium, Nwaneri has already shown a knack for goalscoring, with cutting inside onto his left turning into something of a trademark already.

Nwaneri’s first-time finish against Nottingham Forest was his fourth of the 2024/25 season for Arsenal, with three coming in the EFL Cup before breaking his Premier League duck.

9 Lewis Miley 17 years, 229 days v Fulham (2023)

Lewis Miley quickly emerged as a fan favourite on Tyneside after signing his first professional contract for Newcastle United in February 2023.

The technical midfielder became Newcastle’s youngest Premier League debutant when he appeared as a substitute in his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on the 2022/23 season’s final day.

Over the course of the following campaign, Miley would go on to play 26 times for the Magpies, including two away games in the Champions League against PSG and Borussia Dortmund, plus a home tie versus AC Milan.

His first professional goal came in December 2023 in a 3-0 win over Fulham at St James’ Park. That knee slide in front of the Gallowgate End must have felt pretty sweet!

8 Federico Macheda 17 years, 226 days v Aston Villa (2009)

Once hailed as being Manchester United’s future star at Old Trafford, Federico Macheda burst onto the scene with a goal on his debut against Aston Villa in April 2009.

He was just three days younger than Miley when his two-touch strike made it 3-2 for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side after Cristiano Ronaldo had already bagged a brace.

Macheda’s goal essentially sealed the Premier League title for Man United on that day and he would go on to score the winner against Sunderland a week later. However, the Italian striker would only score five more goals for United.

Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City were among a host of clubs who would welcome Macheda on loan from United, until his permanent transfer to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Cardiff City in 2014.

Since then, Macheda has played most of his football in Greece for Panathinaikos, scoring 36 goals in 106 appearances.

7 Andy Turner 17 years, 166 days v Everton (1992)

From one slightly unknown to an even lesser-known one:

Andy Turner became the youngest player to score a goal in the Premier League during its inaugural season in September 1992. The overall record, which has only been surpassed four times, stood for five years until a more recognisable 17-year-old named Michael Owen broke it.

The London-born Irishman’s goal came late in a 2-1 home win for Tottenham Hotspur against Everton. Throughout his 16-year career, Turner played for over 15 clubs. The attacking midfielder had loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Huddersfield Town and Southend United, along with stints at Crystal Palace and Wolves.

In a 2018 interview with Spurs, Turner mentioned that he runs a non-league academy in the Midlands. He also leads an educational academy under the Pro Direct Academy banner in Birmingham and was once the Under-13 academy coach at Port Vale.

6 Michael Owen 17 years, 143 days v Wimbledon (1997)

Like Turner, Michael Owen was once the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer for a period of five years.

Owen rose through Liverpool’s academy and the FA’s School of Excellence, where he broke numerous England youth goalscoring records. He played a key role in Liverpool winning their first FA Youth Cup in 1996 before joining the first team under Roy Evans and then Gerard Houllier.

In the penultimate game of the 1996/97 season, Owen scored on his debut as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Wimbledon, cementing his name in top-flight history.

The following season, the English forward was named PFA Young Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season. Owen also became the first Liverpool player and only the fourth Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or in 2001. He scored 158 goals in 297 appearances for Liverpool before moving to Real Madrid in 2004.

Injuries plagued Owen’s career, limiting him to one season at Real Madrid, where he scored 13 goals in 36 appearances. He later played for Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City before retiring in 2013.

5 Cesc Fabregas 17 years, 113 days v Blackburn (2004)

One of the greatest, most technical midfielders to ever grace the Premier League is also one of its youngest-ever goalscorers.

Cesc Fabregas moved from Barcelona to Arsenal in September 2003 for just shy of £3 million. He made over 200 appearances for the north London club before returning to his beloved Barcelona.

Shortly after becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever first-team player at the age of 16, Fabregas scored his first Premier League goal in a 3-0 win over Blackburn in August 2004, poking home from a Gilberto Silva header in a game that saw Arsenal go a record 43rd top-flight match unbeaten.

The Spaniard had further success at Chelsea and Monaco before retiring at Como, the side he now manages in Italy’s Serie A.

4 Rio Ngumoha 16 yrs, 361 days v Newcastle (2025)

After signing for Liverpool from Chelsea’s academy in the summer of 2024, Rio Ngumoha quickly impressed those on Merseyside, beocming the second-youngest appearance-maker in the Reds’ history at the beginning of 2025.

He had to wait for his Premier League debut, though, but when it came against Newcastle United, Ngumoha made an instant impact. Sent on in injury time by Arne Slot after Liverpool surrendered a two-goal lead with a player advantage, the teenager calmy slotted home the winner ahead of his 17th birthday.

3 Wayne Rooney 16 years, 360 days v Arsenal (2002)

A name that needs no real explanation to emphasise his prolific goalscoring rate as a youngster.

Wayne Rooney captured headlines worldwide when his 25-yard stunner for Everton in October 2002 ended Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run in the Premier League. At just 16 years old, Rooney’s iconic goal marked the beginning of arguably the greatest-ever Premier League legacy.

Rooney moved to Manchester United after just two seasons with the Toffees. He scored over 200 Premier League goals during his illustrious career before transitioning to management. He is the current manager of Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.

2 James Milner 16 years, 356 days v Sunderland (2002)

James Milner was just four days younger than Rooney when he scored his first Premier League goal against Sunderland in December 2002.

As a childhood fan of Leeds United, Milner began his career as a teenager there, making 48 appearances over two seasons.

Known as one of the most versatile footballers in Premier League history, Milner has excelled for multiple clubs, including Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, Milner only needs 20 more top-flight appearances to equal Gareth Barry’s record of 653. He has played in 22 seasons, 46 different stadiums and had 280 teammates during his Premier League career.

He has also won every English domestic trophy, as well as the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup with Liverpool.

1 James Vaughan 16 years, 270 days v Crystal Palace (2005)

James Vaughan is the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer, but couldn’t quite follow in the footsteps of those who had gone before him.

Vaughan made history on his debut when he scored Everton’s fourth goal in a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in April 2005. The result moved Everton four points clear of Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification.

Everton reached the third qualifying round of the Champions League the following season but lost out to Villarreal. Ironically, Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph meant they made it to the group stages for the following season’s competition via the qualifiers, where they reached the round of 16 before losing out to Benfica.

As for Vaughan, his record-breaking goal at the age of 16 was a highlight in a career that promised much but was hampered by injuries. He made just six appearances for Norwich City before joining Huddersfield in 2013. Vaughan also represented Sunderland, Wigan, Bradford and Tranmere before transitioning into a role off the pitch.

In March 2024, Vaughan was made the head of academy recruitment and player pathways at Everton. It seems likely that his record won’t stand forever in this day and age, but for now, it remains a remarkable achievement.

Diego Simeone freely admitted that he felt an overriding sense of relief after Atletico Madrid picked up their first win of the new Liga season on Saturday. As the Rojiblancos boss admitted after the 2-0 victory over Villarreal, "It wasn't just another day, after only two points from three matches."

Of course, while attention has now switched to Atleti's Champions League opener against Liverpool at Anfield, speculation over Simeone's future is unlikely to die down anytime soon. His status as a club legend is already set in stone but there has been a gradual erosion of his influence at the Metropolitano over the past year or so.

A second successive summer spending spree has also ramped up the pressure on Simeone to deliver to win a first major trophy since the sensational 2020-21 Liga title triumph. In that context, this feels like a make-or-break campaign for the club's iconic coach.

But if he were to stand down at some point between now and next season, who could possibly fill the void? According to Simeone's former assistant coach German Burgos, there's only one possible choice. "Fernando Torres," the Argentine told only last week, "he's ready to do it."

That may seem like a bold claim, given Torres has yet to manage at the very highest level, but the former Spain striker is held in the highest esteem at Atleti – and not just because of his past exploits as a player…

An unexpected move into management

On July 25, 2021, Atletico Madrid jubilantly proclaimed: 'El Nino has come home'.

After two stints with the capital club during his playing days, the retired striker had agreed to take charge of the Rojiblancos' Under-19s (although he was initially listed as the assistant as he had yet to obtain all of the requisite badges from UEFA).

Torres was one of Atleti's most famous and successful sons, an academy graduate who had developed into one of the most feared forwards in world football.

But even though he had spent the previous season working within the youth sector, his formal entry into the world of coaching came as a surprise to many.

"If you'd ask me if I ever imagined Fernando becoming a manager, I'd have said, 'Don't even think about it – there's just no way,'" former agent Jose Antonio Martin Peton told at the time.

Even Torres himself admitted that he wasn't one of those players that always planned to go into coaching. As a youngster, he never thought much about what he had learned during the training sessions.

It was only as he got older that he felt compelled to pay more attention to what he was being instructed to do – and why.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'An exciting challenge'

Torres still seemed more likely to become a behemoth in the world of fitness, as he founded a gym franchise called 'Nine Fitness' after doing various business courses following his retirement from professional football in August 2019.

However, the chance to return to Atletico proved impossible to resist – particularly as he'd be working in tandem with his former youth team colleague Ricardo Ortega.

"It's an exciting challenge I've got in front of me," Torres said, "and we'll give everything we can to continue to serve our club."

Their hard work yielded impressive results, with Atletico Juvenil winning two league titles and a Copa de Campeones, as well as reaching the 2021-22 Youth League Final Four.

Consequently, Torres' appointment as Atleti's B team coach in 2024 came as much less of a surprise than his return to the club three years previously.

'The club of my life'

Torres knew that running the Rojiblancos' reserves represented a tougher task than looking after the Under-19s. It meant more responsibility and, thus, more pressure.

However, while Atletico Madrileno missed out on the Primera Federacion – Group 2 play-offs on the final day of the season, Torres' employers were sufficiently satisfied with the progress made in terms of points and performances to hand him a new, two-year contract on May 30.

"I'm very happy to be able to continue my progression and development as a coach at the club of my life," Torres said after signing on until 2027. "I'm grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to starting this new stage.

"Regardless of the results, there's a lot of self-criticism. I want to continue bringing the team closer to the kind of football I believe in."

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'He's got a bit of everything'

Torres' preferred style of play is a little difficult to define, as the emphasis is very much on tactical fluidity  – which is hardly a shock given he played under a variety of coaches with very different footballing philosophies.

As a source close to Torres told GOAL, "He's got a bit of everything. He's got a bit motivation that Simeone has, a bit of the relationship with the players that [Luis] Aragones had, a bit of the [Rafa] Benitez tactical mindset, and the push that you have to give a team that [Jose] Mourinho had."

From a tactical perspective, he's certainly more Mourinho than Guardiola – to compare him to one particular coach would be a mistake.

Like most modern managers, he instructs his players to try to win the ball back as quickly as possible and as high up the pitch as possible but if the initial press fails, his favoured 3-5-2 formation quickly transforms into a 5-3-2.

However, Torres' teams have been known to change shape multiple times in the same game as he's not bound to one particular system.

The only pre-requisite that his players are aggressive and play at pace, trying to get the ball forward as quickly as possible.

It, thus, won't come as a surprise to learn that Torres was a massive admirer of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, which throws up the rather exciting prospect of him one day coaching the club that he scored 65 times for during a three and a half-year spell at Anfield.