Manchester City look to be going all guns blazing as they endeavour to reclaim the Premier League title this season, and could now be set to hijack Premier League rivals Chelsea in pursuit of a creative midfield force, per reports.

Manchester City seek incomings due to injuries and potential exits

The Citizens have made a strong start to the transfer window and appear primed to continue dealings right up until the close of play amid recent events involving their squad.

Recently, news that Manchester City pair Rodri and Phil Foden have suffered injury setbacks has put the cat among the pigeons, with Pep Guardiola claiming the former may not reach full fitness until the international break.

Rodri Pep Guardiola Manchester City

He stated: “Phil was doing really good but he had a problem with a knock on his ankle that’s why as a precaution we did it. Rodri’s getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal and for the last five or six weeks. He’s training right now and in the last two or three days is better. Hopefully maybe the international break is when he will be really really fit.”

With Jack Grealish agreeing to join Everton on loan in a money-spinning temporary deal, there could also soon be news on another one of their wingers heading elsewhere amid Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in a permanent swoop for Savinho.

Leaving Manchester City light on creativity, West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta continues to be linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium as they pull out all the stops to reduce his £50 million price tag.

Man City’s depth out wide if Savinho and Grealish leave

Jeremy Doku

Phil Foden (potential injury setback)

Rayan Cherki

Oscar Bobb

Omar Marmoush (capable of featuring on either flank)

While Paqueta is versatile by nature, the Citizens could find a more natural replacement for either Grealish or Savinho if recent reports come to fruition.

Man City look to hijack Chelsea's Xavi Simons pursuit

Amid plates starting to spin that could leave space for incomings, Manchester City have contacted super agent Ali Barat to try and hijack Chelsea’s move to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons, according to Sacha Tavolieri.

The Netherlands international is viewed as a potential replacement for Savinho and put up some excellent numbers in Germany last season, registering 11 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances across all competitions.

Labelled “amazing” by Dani Olmo, Simons has featured predominantly as a left winger for Leipzig in recent times, albeit he is also naturally adept at excelling in attacking midfield.

With the Premier League title on the line, Manchester City could now be set to ramp up their hunt for quality out wide after Grealish and Savinho’s collective struggle to claim goal contributions at the Etihad Stadium, something their potential successor will hope to remedy.

Conclusion of West Indies tour marks end of long-standing associations for back-room pair

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2024

Carl Hopkinson was involved in both of England’s World Cup victories in 2019 and 2022•Getty Images

Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson, two key members of England’s white-ball backroom staff, will leave their roles at the end of the current tour of the Caribbean, in preparation for Brendon McCullum’s arrival as the new head coach across all three formats.Hopkinson, England’s long-standing fielding coach, joined the men’s set-up in 2018 and was involved in each of England’s most recent victories in ICC global events; the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2019, and the T20 World Cup in Australia in November 2022.Dawson, who played seven Tests as an offspinner between 2001 and 2003, was head coach of the Young Lions team that reached the Under-19 World Cup final in 2022, and joined the senior coaching team ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup.Hopkinson said: “It has been a career highlight not only to be part of the England coaching set-up for the past seven years but also to be involved in two historic World Cup victories, which is something I’ll always cherish.”After starting as National Lead Fielding coach I worked alongside Richard Dawson to help the England Men U19s reach their first World Cup final for 24 years. It has been exciting to see young players we worked with at the World Cup grow into full England internationals as well as more recently helping some of the best white-ball players in the world continue to develop.”Dawson said: “I have enjoyed every minute in the England environment and working with some of the best white-ball players in the world as well as great people in the coaching team and backroom staff from the U19s to senior team.”Being head coach of the England U19 team that reached the World Cup final was a career highlight while it has been a pleasure working with some of the top spinners in the world while also developing the strength and depth of spin bowling talent from across the country. I look forward to seeing the white-ball team continue to progress and hopefully win more trophies.”Rob Key, England Men’s managing director, said: “Hoppo and Daws are two outstanding coaches who have played important roles in the success of our white-ball teams.”In addition to their coaching expertise with our senior teams they have also developed young players through the age groups to help set up the next era of our white-ball teams. England Cricket is in a better place because of them and I wish them well in the next chapter of their careers.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans had the first opportunity to see new signing Mohammed Kudus in competitive action during the UEFA Super Cup final against PSG on Wednesday night.

The Ghanaian, who joined the Lilywhites in a £55m deal from West Ham United, featured for 79 minutes, arguably being one of the shining lights despite the penalty defeat.

At just 24, he has the ability to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London, looking to be a key player in any success endured under new boss Thomas Frank.

However, despite the big-money addition made for the former Hammers star’s signature, other key attackers are still being targeted by the Dane ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Numerous names have been mentioned in recent days, which has seen huge progress being made in an attempt to further bolster the club’s attacking department.

Spurs preparing bid for Mohammed Kudus upgrade

Eberechi Eze has been one of the names hugely mentionedwith Spurs in recent days, even preparing a bid for the Crystal Palace star after their demotion to the Europa Conference League.

The Englishman is said to have a £60m release clause in his current deal at Selhurst Park which could make a deal a formality – potentially avoiding a repeat of the Morgan Gibbs-White saga.

However, he’s not the only Premier League star currently in their sights, with Manchester City forward Savinho a player they’re targeting, according to the Daily Mail.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites are preparing an offer to sign the 21-year-old, who only moved to the Etihad from Girona less than 12 months ago.

It’s also been reported that the Brazilian would be open to a move to join Frank’s side before the current deadline, with Pep Guardiola’s side demanding £60m to offload him this window.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Kudus

A deal for Kudus was always going to be excellent business, but his showing against the Champions League winners has handed the fanbase another reason to be positive.

His tally of 100% crosses completed, and three chances created – the most of any player on the pitch – highlights the threat he possesses when in attacking areas.

He also holds a versatile skillset that could allow him to operate in the number ten role, off either flank or even as a centre-forward – as seen in his first competitive outing.

If he can add further goal contributions to his game, it would be a great addition, adding the quality the side have craved in forward areas in recent months.

However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he could be trumped by Savinho, that’s if the Brazilian completes his own move to North London this summer.

He managed to notch more combined goals and assists last campaign, but his underlying stats were also just as impressive, managing to outperform Kudus in various key areas.

Savinho, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by journalist Adam Keys, achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate, subsequently being able to finish more of the chances he’s presented with in front of goal.

Games played

29

32

Goals & assists

9

8

Shot on target accuracy

38%

28%

Progressive carries

7.1

3.4

Progressive passes

3.4

2.7

Key passes made

2.4

1.1

Take-ons completed

46%

44%

Carries into the 18-yard box

3.8

1.4

Crosses completed

4.3

2.8

Passes into the 18-yard box

2.4

1.1

However, when driving with the ball, the City ace also dominated, completing more of the take-ons he attempted, with more being made into the opposition box – which would hand the side the added presence they’ve crave in the final third.

Besides scoring, the youngster has also been able to provide for others in the opposition’s defensive area, picking out a teammate from more crosses per 90 than Kudus – able to offer a more all-rounded talent for Frank in 2025/26.

After already spending £55m on the Ghanaian, there’s no denying that a £60m move for Savinho would be another mammoth investment from the board in the hunt for Premier League glory.

However, if they are to stand any chance of rising up the table and ending their years of disappointment in England’s top-flight, it’s a move that needs to be made before the September 1st deadline.

Dream Maddison replacement: Spurs chasing incredible £30m Eze alternative

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be eyeing up another Premier League star instead of Eberechi Eze.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 13, 2025

أوضح آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول سبب قراره ببقاء النجم المصري محمد صلاح على دكة البدلاء، ضد جالطة سراي في الجولة الثانية بمرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويبدأ محمد صلاح وألكسندر إيزاك على مقاعد البدلاء بينما يعود هوجو إيكتيكي ليشارك مع ليفربول ضد جالطة سراي في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وعاد الدولي الفرنسي إلى الفريق بعد انتهاء إيقافه لمباراة محلية واحدة.

وقال آرني سلوت في تصريحات نشرها الصحفي “ديفيد أوكوب”: “في الواقع، جيريمي لا يلعب كظهير أيمن بل يلعب على الجنب الأيمن”.

وأضاف مدرب ليفربول:”أيضاً أمامنا العديد من المباريات، خلال أيام قليلة هناك مباراة كبيرة أخرى قادمة”.

وواصل :”علينا الاستفادة من تشكيلتنا والاستفادة لا تعني دائماً من البداية إذ يمكن للاعبين أيضاً المشاركة في العديد من المباريات وأن يتركوا أثرهم من مقاعد البدلاء”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. محلل إنجليزي عن قرار سلوت باستبعاد محمد صلاح من تشكيل ليفربول: لا يزال رجل المباريات الكبرى

وتابع عن محمد صلاح :”كانوا يتحدثون عن آخر مرة سجل فيها محمد صلاح ثلاث أهداف من مقاعد البدلاء ضد رينجرز وأنا أعرف من كان مدرب رينجرز آنذاك، هذا هو مساعدي الحالي جيو فان برونكوهوست لذا فقد تحدثوا عن هذا بالفعل”.

وبرر سلوت قراره:” لقد خسرنا الكثير من اللاعبين بالإضافة إلى لاعبين جدد، يستغرق الأمر وقتاً للانسجام، ربما يعرف الآن أفضل مني كيف تدرب إيزاك في الأيام الأخيرة في نيوكاسل، إذا لعبت كل ثلاث أيام، لا يمكنك اللعب بنفس الفريق دائماً”.

وختم: “إذا لعبت مع ليفربول، عليك الفوز بالمباريات، كل لاعب في الفريق يدرك ذلك، على أن أدير التشكيل بشكل جيد، لأن الكسندر إيزاك لم يخض فترة تحضيرية كاملة للموسم الحالي”.

Big picture: Threat of 3-0 overshadows Southee fanfare

From whitewash to whitewash? It would be quite a humbling for New Zealand, after their exploits in India – though there is still time to salvage some pride. While they have been blanked at home by Australia on several recent occasions, those have tended to be two-Test series. Only twice have they lost three out of three in New Zealand: against Australia in 1999-2000, and England in 1962-63.We are not there yet, but it has been a lacklustre series for Tom Latham’s side, their performance marred by dropped catches in Christchurch and a tentativeness that allowed England to run away with the game in Wellington, despite being inserted in ideal seam-bowling conditions. As is the New Zealand way, the response has been measured ahead of the third Test, with a return for Will Young, not a result of selectorial axe-wielding, but to allow Devon Conway time off for the birth of his first child.Young was Player of the Series in India and perhaps he can help them rediscover their mojo from that tour. While their shock 3-0 win kept alive hopes of another World Test Championship appearance, those have now been extinguished, and the sense of a team in transition is likely to continue. Of the XI that beat India in the 2021 WTC final, only Latham, Conway, Kane Williamson and Tim Southee have been involved against England. Conway may return, despite only averaging 21.44 in Tests this year, but Southee is already in the departure lounge after signalling that this series would be his last.It has not been the farewell Southee would have hoped for, despite the romantic notion of bowing out against the same opposition as when he started. His debut in Napier almost 17 years ago coincided with England’s last Test series win in New Zealand, but there was no doubting that Southee was a talent to watch after claiming a five-for then hammering 77 off 40 in a doomed run-chase. Plenty of neutrals will hope that he can summon something fittingly impactful on his last appearance at his home ground, Seddon Park, where the Pavilion End has been temporarily renamed the Tim Southee End for this match.Tim Southee prepares for his farewell match at Seddon Park•Getty Images

For England, while there may be a sense of “job done”, having taken the series with one to play, there is the clear incentive to finish an up-and-down year in Tests with a 10th win from 17. Much of the discussion around the team has been about rebooting and retooling for the challenges ahead – namely India at home next year followed by the Ashes in Australia – but they go into this game with Ben Stokes emphasising the need to take each challenge as it comes.And with more than five months until their next assignment, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, England’s final outing of 2024 has the potential to linger in the memory. Can Zak Crawley end his bizarre hoodoo against New Zealand? Will Jacob Bethell produce the definitive performance that says he is here to stay in the Test side? Is Chris Woakes quietly becoming a reliable overseas option at the grand old age of 35? This may be a dead rubber in the old sense, where even WTC points will be inconsequential, but there are still points to prove on both sides.

Form guide

New Zealand LLWWW
England WWLLW

In the spotlight: Tim Southee and Zak Crawley

Tim Southee‘s record this year (15 wickets at 61.66) certainly suggests that the time has come, but perhaps the announcement should have been saved for nearer the curtain call. He has been a passenger in the series, repeatedly coming under attack from England’s batters and relegated to batting at No. 11 at Basin Reserve, where he suffered the added ignominy of being the concluding wicket in Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick. Southee’s record for New Zealand speaks for itself but he probably wouldn’t mind his numbers doing the talking (in a good way) one last time.Zak Crawley has experienced more ups and downs than a toaster in an elevator during his time as an England player, and has long since learned to stay level. Whether he is even aware that he averages 10.15 from 10 Tests against New Zealand, across five separate series dating back to his debut at Seddon Park in 2019, is up for debate – and doubtless England won’t factor it into their thinking at all next summer. But just for his own satisfaction, he would surely like to lay a glove on Matt Henry, who has dismissed him four times in 19 deliveries without conceding a run this series.

Team news: Young in for Conway

Young will slot in at opener – having most recently batted at No. 3 – while New Zealand could also opt to bring in Mitchell Santner as a frontline spin option in place of Nathan Smith.New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Mitchell Santner/Nathan Smith, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’RourkeEngland’s players filtered into Hamilton under their own steam on Wednesday and were not due to train until Friday. Woakes has been spared a third Test back to back, with Matt Potts coming in for his second appearance of the winter.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ollie Pope (wk), 7 Ben Stokes (capt), 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Matt Potts, 11 Shoaib Bashir

Pitch and conditions: Green from the outset

There has been plenty of rain in the build-up – New Zealand’s training was cut short after 30 minutes on Thursday – and the pitch has largely been under covers. But a glorious Friday meant the pitch was opened up to bright blue skies, and with a balmy weekend forecast, the pitch is likely to get baked. Seddon Park has been something of a stronghold for New Zealand, who have won seven of their last nine Tests there. Most recently, against South Africa in February, the ground saw three scores of under 250 before flattening out for the hosts to comfortably chase 267 three down in the fourth innings. The weather could play a part through the Test, with showers forecast on day three.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand haven’t lost a Test at Seddon Park since South Africa beat them by nine wickets in 2012.
• Kane Williamson averages 94.26 at the ground, with six hundreds – including a career-best 251 against West Indies in 2020.
• England have played two Tests in Hamilton: a high-scoring draw in 2019 and defeat by 189 runs in 2008, which precipitated the dropping of Steven Harmison and Matthew Hoggard for James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
• Having lost 2-0 to Australia earlier in the year, New Zealand could equal their worst losing sequence of five in a row at home, set in 1955-56.
• Joe Root needs 114 runs to become the fifth man to 13,000 in Tests. Gus Atkinson is two wickets shy of 50.

Quotes

“Any Test match you play for New Zealand, it’s another opportunity to perform your skills as best you can. We certainly don’t need any motivation for what we’re trying to do. The crowds that we’ve had, we know we haven’t played to our potential the last couple of games, but hopefully we can put a good show on for the fans. We really appreciate their support.”
“Seventeen [Tests] in a year is a lot when you add the other cricket, long tough slog but a really good year. Played some good cricket, found some extraordinarily talented players who have shown they’re capable of delivering big performances on the biggest stage, which is playing for your country. So overall, really happy.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s attack has already been subject to improvement this summer, with Thomas Frank evidently wanting added reinforcements in such a department.

It may come as a surprise to many, especially considering the side registered 64 league goals last season – the seventh-highest tally of any side in the Premier League.

However, Mohammed Kudus has already been signed to add further depth to such an area, but their business has shown no signs of slowing down as of late.

Countless players have emerged on their radar in an attempt to aid the new boss during his first year in charge, with the hierarchy backing him after taking the reins.

It remains to be seen how much more money the Dane will have at his disposal, but it’s clear that he’s already made up his mind on who he wants to bring to North London.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this summer

In their ambitions of adding to the front line, Real Madrid star Rodrygo has emerged as a surprise option after he was told he’s free to leave the Spanish giants this summer.

The Brazilian would undoubtedly be a marquee signing for Frank this summer, with a fee in the region of £86m mooted – a figure that might be out of reach for the Lilywhites.

As a result, many other players are being lined up by the board, which has seen Stade Rennais talent Arnaud Kalimuendo touted by TEAMtalk for a move to North London.

Their report claims that the hierarchy have already started talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a move for the 23-year-old, who scored 18 times across all competitions last campaign.

It also states that he could be available for a fee in the region of £30m this window, but could face competition for his signature from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

Why Spurs’ £30m target would be Frank’s answer to Kalimuendo

Kylian Mbappé is a player who has been one of Europe’s most-feared talents in recent years, understandably so given his clinical record in front of goal with multiple sides.

The Frenchman netted 256 goals in 308 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain over a seven-year spell, before making a huge move to join Real Madrid last summer.

Such a move has allowed the 26-year-old to reach new heights in his career, finding the net 44 times in his 59 appearances, ending his first season in Spain as the division’s top scorer.

His goalscoring prowess has made him such a threat to countless sides across the continent, already winning 18 major honours during his time at the top level.

However, whilst the Lilywhites will be unable to land Mbappé himself, they could be about to sign their answer to the forward with a summer move for Kalimuendo.

The 23-year-old has a long way to go until he matches the levels produced by his compatriot, but he’s already showcased his talents during the early stages of his own career.

FBref have labelled him as a similar player to Mbappé, showcasing the talent he possesses, even outperforming the Madrid star in multiple areas last season.

Games played

33

34

Goals & assists

20

34

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Passes into final third

2.4

2.3

Fouls won

1.4

1.2

Aerials won

0.8

0.1

Aerial success rate

47%

40%

Pass accuracy

83%

82%

Kalimuendo, who’s been labelled “one of the most prolific” talents by talent scout Jacek Kulig, posted a better goal per shot on target rate, highlighting the clinical edge he possesses based on the chance he was presented with last season.

His creativity is also reflected in his higher tally of passes completed and passes made into the final third, having the tools to provide others around him with the chance to thrive in North London.

The youngster’s all-round brilliance is further demonstrated by his aerial ability, with his versatility and varied skill set making him a talent who Spurs need to get their hands on.

£30m for a player of his calibre in today’s market would certainly be a bargain and offer an addition that would hand Frank the attacking quality he craves this summer.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t be one of Europe’s leading talents, potentially leading the Lilywhites to Premier League glory in the near future.

Their best forward since Kane: Spurs in talks to sign "world-class" star

Tottenham Hotspur have the opportunity to land one of their biggest ever transfers this summer.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 30, 2025

Nuno Espírito Santo publicly expressed his disappointment about the lack of new signings Nottingham Forest had made and, well, this appears to have had the desired effect.

In the last week, they have signed Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, both presented to the City Ground crowd before Sunday’s demolition of Brentford, before Arnaud Kalimuendo then also joined on Monday.

Nevertheless, as the Garibaldi Reds prepare for a first European campaign in 30 years, eagerly awaiting next Friday’s Europa League draw, they are far from finished in the transfer market yet, so will two familiar faces soon arrive at the City Ground?

Nottingham Forest's busy transfer activity

Confirmed by the club on Thursday evening, Nottingham Forest have now signed Douglas Luiz from Juventus.

The deal is a season-long loan containing a €30m (around £26m) option to buy, which becomes an obligation should he feature in a certain number of Premier League fixtures.

During his time at Aston Villa, the Brazilian international became one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, but endured a nightmare year at Juventus, accumulating a miserly 877 minutes in a Bianconeri shirt; that’s only 17.6% of their total minutes!

Transfer Focus

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

However, he is not the only player on his way to Nottingham because, according to a report by the Guardian, Forest are ‘working on a deal’ to re-sign Matty Cash from Aston Villa.

The right-back joined the Tricky Trees’ academy as a 17-year-old, making 141 first-team appearances, before being sold to Aston Villa for £14m in 2020, the Villans’ first-choice in that position from the day he arrived until now.

The aforementioned Guardian report notes that, due to PSR concerns, Villa will sell ‘if his valuation is met’, while The Athletic add that the Poland international is now Forest’s primary target, having failed in the pursuit of Rico Lewis from Manchester City.

Thus, could Aston Villa cash in, so to speak, with Matty, potentially, nearing a return to the River Trent?

What Matty Cash would bring to Nottingham Forest

Cash has been a key figure during Aston Villa’s rise in recent seasons, making 181 appearances for the Claret and Blue Army to date, including starting their Premier League opener against Newcastle last weekend.

Manager Unai Emery labelled him “versatile”, adding that he is continuing to improve both going forward and defensively, while Gregg Evans of the Athletic claims that he is ‘one of the Premier League’s best right-backs’, so let’s test that assertion.

Tackles

56

25th

% of dribblers tackled

72.1%

8th

Interceptions

79

50th

Ground duels won

95

26th

Successful dribbles

19

15th

Big chances created

3

31st

Note: all rankings are among defenders only.

As the table outlines, Cash ranked highly for a wide variety of metrics in the Premier League last season, despite seeing only a little over 2,000 minutes, out of a possible 3,420.

The most eye-catching statistic is his percentage of dribblers tackled, with Toti of Wolverhampton Wanderers the only player to attempt 30 or more tackles who boasted a better figure.

So, why would he be such a shrewd addition for Forest?

Well, simply, they need full-back depth. Ola Aina and Neco Williams are the first-choice duo but beyond them, there isn’t much else.

Àlex Moreno provided left-back cover last season, but his loan from, coincidentally, Aston Villa is now over, while Nuno had such a scarcity of options that teenager Zach Abbott, a centre-back by trade, started the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley in April, just his second-ever senior start.

Going forward, as the Tricky Trees attempt to balance both domestic and Europa League commitments, Cash would get plenty of minutes, even if full-back is not an obvious position of weakness.

In midfield meanwhile, Luiz is going to have to work hard to earn his place.

The always impressive Elliot Anderson partnered Ibrahim Sangaré at the weekend, while Forest also have club captain Ryan Yates and Nicolás Domínguez in their squad.

During his final season at Villa, Luiz really flourished when deployed further forward, but that surely isn’t going to happen at the City Ground, considering they kept hold of talisman Morgan Gibbs-White, despite Tottenham triggering his £60m release clause, and have just signed Hutchinson and McAtee for a combined £67.5m.

So, while Luiz is an excellent player, he faces plenty of competition for minutes, while Cash fills a need for greater full-back depth.

More prolific than Wood: Nottingham Forest chasing £25m "physical beast"

As Nottingham Forest seek to add even more attacking firepower, could they sign a “physical beast” worth £25m who outscored Chris Wood last season?

ByBen Gray Aug 19, 2025

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.

Where will Newcastle United’s striker search take them next?

The Magpies were in the race to sign Benjamin Šeško, even agreeing a £70m fee with RB Leipzig, but the Slovenian chose to move to Manchester United instead, a transfer that was officially announced on Saturday morning.

So now, has Eddie Howe identified his latest top target?

Newcastle's striker search

It’s been a busy summer in terms of Newcastle United strikers, both in terms of players at the club, as well as ones they’d like to bring to Tyneside.

Callum Wilson was released earlier this summer, while Alexander Isak is yet to feature in pre-season, as he aims to force through a move to Liverpool although, as reported by Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, the Swede has been informed he ‘will not be allowed’ to move this summer, the latest twist to this saga that is drawing no closer to a conclusion.

Meantime, on top of Šeško, the Magpies have failed in their attempts to sign fellow strikers João Pedro, Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitiké and Matheus Cunha, all of whom have joined Premier League rivals, while they’ve also seen a £25m bid for Yoane Wissa rejected by Brentford.

Sam Tabuteau of the Evening Standard believes that the Magpies are ‘preparing a fresh bid’ for the DR Congo international, but should they go for a different striker from within the Premier League?

Well, according to Ed Aarons of the Guardian, Newcastle currently lead the race to sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, adding that the Senegalese striker has informed the Blues of his desire to leave, falling down the pecking order following the arrivals of the aforementioned Pedro and Delap.

Transfer Focus

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Aarons adds that Jackson has ‘trained alone’ at Cobham, valued at around £80m by Chelsea, albeit the Blues are ready to ‘accept’ a fee closer to £65m.

So, could Jackson soon swap West London for the North East?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Newcastle

Despite often being widely ridiculed, Jackson’s statistics since arriving at Chelsea two summers ago are largely impressive.

He scored 17 goals during his debut campaign in England, before adding a further 13 goals to his tally last time round, despite sitting out around three months of the campaign due to a hamstring injury.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him an “extraordinary” talent, while Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines praises his work rate and ‘ability to get into goal-scoring positions’, projecting he will become a ‘top striker’.

Liam Twomey and Mark Carey of the Athletic agree, outlining his ‘excellent’ pressing, with Ed Dove of ESPN documenting how Chelsea’s form nosedived during his injury last season, describing his ‘broader contribution… without the ball’ as invaluable.

So, would Jackson be a better signing than Newcastle’s other target, Wissa?

Let’s compare the pair to find out.

Nicolas Jackson vs Yoane Wissa 23/24 & 24/25 PL comparison
Statistics	Jackson	Wissa
Appearances	65	69
Minutes	5,050	5,437
Goals	24	31
Assists	10	9
All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:
Shots	2.8	2.61
Shots on target %	46.2%	41.4%
Goals – xG	-7	+1.9
Shot-creating actions	164	133
Touches	30	28
% of touches in the box	17%	17%
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBref.com

As the table documents, Jackson and Wissa are stylistically very similar players, emphasised by the fact they accumulate a very similar number of touches per-90, registering an identical percentage of these touches in the opposition’s penalty area.

Jackson’s most eye-catching statistic is the fast he has underperformed his expected goals by seven across the last two Premier League seasons, missing a whopping 43 Opta-defined big chances, which is significantly more than anybody else.

Flipping that into a positive, it proves that the Senegal international is getting into good positions but just not taking these chances, a skillset he could improve in the future.

Still only 24 years old, while Wissa’s 29th birthday is coming up next month, Jackson would represent the more shrewd investment from Newcastle, given that the pair are pretty similar in quality at this very moment, but the current Chelsea forward has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the Premier League in the longer terms.

Jackson upgrade: Newcastle line up "proper No.9" as £60m Samu alternative

Newcastle need to sign a centre-forward in the summer transfer market.

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 8, 2025

WI assistant coach James Franklin, meanwhile, wants his batters “to look at small milestones”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2025

Noman Ali became the first Pakistan spinner to take a Test hat-trick•PCB

In their quest to spin oppositions out, Pakistan ended up with a pitch that produced 20 wickets on day one. Against West Indies in the second Test in Multan, Noman Ali bagged 6 for 41 and on the way became the first Pakistan spinner to bag a Test hat-trick. West Indies were bowled out for 163, and in reply, Jomel Warrican and Gudakesh Motie shared seven wickets to roll Pakistan for 154.Speaking after play on Saturday, Noman said “such a match was bound to happen”, given the extreme conditions that were on offer.”We will try our best [to bowl West Indies out quickly] because it is [now] a one-innings match,” Noman said after Pakistan fell nine runs short of the visitors’ total. “In the first innings, for their last-wicket partnership, the runs that we gave away were a little extra. So we will try not to give such runs again.”Related

Brathwaite: West Indies had to be 'brave' on pitch where 'you are going to get out'

Brave Brathwaite and West Indies stand up to Multan demons

Stats – Noman Ali first Pakistan spinner to take a hat-trick in Tests

Spin runs riot again as Noman, Warrican lead way on 20-wicket day

The pitches have been in focus, with Pakistan making it a point to go spin-first in every home Test since losing the first Test to England last October. The first Test against West Indies also lasted only three days despite fog eating into the first day’s play. Pakistan ended up winning by 127 runs.Noman said this is not something on the team’s mind, since it faced criticism even when Tests went all the way. “Even when we used to have a full five-day match before, fans criticised us a lot,” he said. “We were criticised saying the results are not coming. [But] now the results are coming. If the results are coming in two or three days, then I think [it is fine]. The results have been positive so far, and we’ll try that this match also has a positive result.”Pakistan had West Indies at 54 for 8, before the tailenders pushed them to 163. In the first innings of the first Test, West Indies had recovered from 66 for 8 to 137. Noman said Pakistan “made some mistakes”, which they will try to avoid in the second gig.”There’s a lot of spin, [and] a lot of bounce – sometimes it’s inconsistent as well” – James Franklin•PCB

Franklin: Both batting orders finding it difficultWest Indies assistant coach James Franklin pointed out that it’s been a challenge batting for both teams this series. In the first game, only once did a team breach 200, with Pakistan making 230 in the first innings. And today, 20 wickets…”I don’t think it’s just the West Indies top order; I think both batting orders are finding it very difficult on this pitch,” Franklin said. “There’s a lot of spin, [and] a lot of bounce – sometimes it’s inconsistent as well. So when you go out there as a batter, I think the first 20-30 balls are very challenging to adapt to the wicket. I think you’ve seen batters that can get through the initial 20-30 balls and get 15-20 runs under their belts in their innings, the game all of a sudden looks a bit more comfortable from a batting point of view.””We’ve seen that a bit from [Mohammad] Rizwan over both Test matches, we’ve seen that a little bit from Saud Shakeel, [and] we’ve seen it from some of our bottom-order batters being able to do that. We saw that from Alick Athanaze in the first Test.”Franklin is looking to set small targets for his batters, as they go into their second innings with a slender lead. He said it would be “very competitive” if West Indies end up posting a score in the “high hundreds, 200, [or] 200-plus”. Franklin just wanted his batters “to look at small milestones”.”You know 30, 40-run partnerships can be quite significant in these Test matches here in Multan,” Franklin said. “We saw that in the first Test, we’re seeing that today. I think if we reflect over the three-and-a-bit days of this Test series so far, there’s only been one huge difference – and that was a 100-run [141] partnership on day one of Test one. Apart from that, it’s been very even-stevens between both sides.”