كشفت كاميرا موفيستار خلال الساعات الماضية، عن صدام جديد حدث بين نجم نادي ريال مدريد، فينيسيوس جونيور، وأحد لاعبي برشلونة خلال لقاء الكلاسيكو يوم أمس الأحد بالدوري الإسباني.
ريال مدريد تمكن من تحقيق الفوز على برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد، في قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى والمعروفة باسم الكلاسيكو.
وقدم فينيسيوس مباراة كبيرة وساعد ريال مدريد في تحقيق الفوز على برشلونة، ليوسع الفريق الملكي الفارق مع البارسا إلى خمس نقاط في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني.
لكن فينيسيوس كعادته أثار الجدل بدخوله في خلاف مع لاعبي الفريق المنافس ومع التحكيم، حيث دخل اللاعب في مشادة كلامية مع لامين يامال، جناح برشلونة، عقب نهاية المباراة.
اقرأ أيضًا .. “من الأفضل أن أرحل”.. تفاصيل صادمة في واقعة غضب فينيسيوس بـ الكلاسيكو
ولم يكتفي فينيسيوس بيامال فقط، وإنما دخل كذلك في صدام مع لاعب خط وسط برشلونة، بيدري.
والتطقت عدسات موفيستار، فينيسيوس وهو يتحدث إلى حكم المباراة، سيزار سوتو جرادو، حيث قال له: ”بيدري ليس القائد، ليس من حقه الاعتراض أو يمكنني الاعتراض أيضًا”.
وتحدث فينيسيوس مرة أخرى للحكم وأضاف: “هو ليس القائد، هل يمكنني التحدث؟ هو دائمًا يتحدث، تحدث معي هنا”.
وأعاق بيدري فينيسيوس في شوط المباراة الثاني ليحصل على بطاقة صفراء، قبل أن يتعرض الدولي الإسباني لإنذار ثان ويطرد في نهاية اللقاء.
واعترض فينيسيوس كذلك بشدة على استبداله في شوط المباراة الثاني ولم يصافح مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، حيث دخل رودريجو بدلًا من ابن الـ25 عامًا في آخر 20 دقيقة من اللقاء.
Washington Sundar, meanwhile, dropped onto GT’s subs bench even though they were batting first
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Apr-2025
Wanindu Hasaranga has withdrawn from the match for personal reasons•BCCI
Toss Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson won the toss and opted to bowl against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad. He cited dew as the reason behind his decision.RR were without Wanindu Hasaranga, who missed out because of personal reasons. Fazalhaq Farooqi replaced him.While Shubman Gill said GT were fielding an unchanged XI, there was no Washington Sundar in their bat-first XI; he was one of their five Impact Player options. Instead, Arshad Khan was part of their starting XI.GT named only three overseas players in their XI and none among their Impact Player options. That means Glenn Phillips, who hurt himself in the field in their last game, will not be available even as a substitute.Both sides have momentum on their side. GT are on a three-match winning streak, while RR, after two losses at the start of the season, have two wins in their last two games.The match is being played on a red-soil surface, which is expected to offer good pace and bounce. One square boundary is much shorter than the other, 60m as compared to 71m from the pitch. The straight boundary measures 73m.Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Arshad Khan, 9 Sai Kishore, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna.Impact Player options: Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Anuj Rawat, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Jofra Archer, 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Tushar Deshpande.Impact Player options: Kumar Kartikeya, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Akash Madhwal, Kunal Singh Rathore.
“It’s a shift from advertisers saying we are subsidising women’s cricket to saying we are genuinely investing in it,” says ICC’s chief commercial officer
Firdose Moonda08-Mar-2025ICC’s women’s events from 2025 will have standalone sponsors, in a move that is expected to give the women’s tournaments greater prominence and make them distinct from that of the men. This should take effect from the 2025 ODI World Cup and include the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 Champions Trophy, for which the ICC has partnered with Unilever with a view to expansion in the future.”It is the first time we’ve offered commercial opportunities specifically for our women’s cricket events and we see this partnership as a significant marker of confidence in the standalone value of women’s cricket,” Anurag Dahiya, the ICC’s chief commercial officer, told ESPNcricinfo. “The decoupling signals that women’s cricket is no longer an add-on or a freebie that’s attached to men’s games, but a distinct high-potential commercial product.”It’s a shift from advertisers saying we are subsidising women’s cricket to saying we are genuinely investing in it, and that’s because we believe that it can drive revenue, audiences, and relevance.”Dahiya pointed to the increased interest in the women’s game over the last few years as a key driver for the decision. “We see an acceleration of growth across metrics, whether it’s in stadia or on broadcast and digital platforms. We’ve broken audience records steadily over the last few years.”
“We are quite fortunate that we’re not having to go and promote women’s cricket to an entirely new cohort of audiences. Our core men’s fans are just as interested in women’s cricket as well”Anurag Dahiya, ICC’s chief commercial officer
At last year’s T20 World Cup, 15,935 people watched the group-stage match between India and Pakistan – a record crowd for a pool match at a women’s event – and the final, between New Zealand and South Africa, was sold out. That marked the third successive time that a women’s T20 final had been fully attended after Newlands in 2023 and the MCG in 2020, with the latter breaking the record for the largest in-stadia audience at a women’s cricket game – 86,174. In 2023, the ICC produced their most-watched T20 women’s World Cup with viewership figures increasing by 790% compared to 2020, and the body expects this trend to continue as the tournament begins to include more teams.From 2026, 12 teams will contest the T20 World Cup, up from ten since 2016, while the addition of a T20 Champions Trophy from 2027 ensures there is a women’s ICC event every year.”The expansion of events has also been giving us a lot of momentum,” Dahiya said. “Our calendar has introduced new events such as the Under-19 women’s T20 World Cup, the women’s Champions Trophy, and upcoming editions of the existing events, which will see more participating teams as well. There are more opportunities for players and more opportunities for our fans to enjoy the content from these apex events.”Australia won the 2020 T20 World Cup final in front of 86,174 people at the MCG•Getty ImagesAlthough Dahiya noted that women’s cricket had its “own identity, own rhythms, and own audience and fan profiles”, he said it also benefitted from an already existing spectator base in the men’s game, who have often transferred their interest across to the women’s game. “We are quite fortunate that we’re not having to go and promote women’s cricket to an entirely new cohort of audiences. Our core men’s fans are just as interested in women’s cricket as well.”But there are also newer viewers, particularly in places like the United Kingdom, where women’s sport has been promoted as family-oriented while research from the Women’s Sport Trust showed that it is particularly appealing to young female fans.Unilever runs what it calls a “positive beauty” campaign, and promotes its products through a diverse range of women of different races, ages, sizes and body shapes. “They have done some amazing work in breaking stereotypes and promoting an inclusive, authentic representation of women,” Dahiya said. “Challenging those stereotypes in the representation of women in sports, specifically in cricket, is core to our strategy but we also want the participants to be acknowledged for what they are first and foremost, which is high-performing athletes. That’s regardless of their diverse background, body types or personal stories. We want to promote the fantastic performances they give on the playing field.”
أشاد لاعب نادي مانشستر سيتي بقدرات محمد صلاح، نجم نادي ليفربول، واختار الدولي المصري كأصعب لاعب واجهه على مدار مسيرته الكروية بالكامل.
ويعتبر محمد صلاح من بين أبرز اللاعبين على مستوى العالم خلال السنوات الأخيرة، وقدم ابن الـ33 عامًا مستويات ولا أروع مع ليفربو، وقاد الريدز للفوز بلقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مرتين، عامي 2020 و2025.
وواجه محمد صلاح، مانشستر سيتي، خلال السنوات الماضية مرات عديدة، واستطاع الملك المصري تسجيل العديد من الأهداف في مرمى الفريق السماوي.
اقرأ أيضًا .. كاراجر يتغنى بـ هالاند: أعظم هداف في تاريخ الكرة الإنجليزية
ويرى جوسكو جفارديول، مدافع نادي مانشستر سيتي، أن محمد صلاح هو أصعب لاعب واجهه في مسيرته الكروية، وذلك في مقابلة مع شبكة “إي إس بي إن”.
وقال جفارديول عند سؤاله حول أصعب اللاعبين الذين واجههم في مسيرته: ”حسنًا ، سأقول ليونيل ميسي ومحمد صلاح، وإيرلينج هالاند كذلك في التدريبات”.
وعن أفضل قلوب دفاع في العالم بالنسبة له، اختار جفارديول الثلاثي مانويل أكانجي وجون ستونز ، إلى جانب روبن دياس، رفاقه في مانشستر سيتي.
وعن أفضل اللاعبين في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي أجاب جفارديول: ”سأذهب إلى اختيار كيفن دي بروين، ليس هناك ما يمكنني أن أقوله عنه، نفتقده كثيرًا”.
وأوضح: ”عندما كنت صغيرًا كنت اعتاد على مشاهدة واين روني كثيرًا، هناك سيرجيو أجويرو أيضًا”.
واختار جفارديول كلًا من ماتيو كوفاسيتش وماتيوس نونيس، زملائه في مانشستر سيتي، إلى جانب مواطنه كريستيان ياكيتش، لاعب نادي أوجسبورج الألماني، كأقرب اللاعبين له خارج المستطيل الأخضر.
واختار جفارديول ميسي وكريستيانو رونالدو، نجم البرتغال والنصر السعودي، إلى جانب أسطورة إنجلترا المعتزل، دافيد بيكهام، كأشهر اللاعبين في العالم.
These world class forwards gave Joško Gvardiol a tough time 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/GDjojVNMp7 — ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 5, 2025
Wolves’ Premier League campaign got off to a rough start after they were defeated 4-0 by Manchester City on Saturday evening.
Despite the scoreline, Wolves boss Vitor Pereira had admiration for the way his side played, saying: “We played with bravery, tried to score goals, and we had our chances to score. In the end, each time we committed a mistake they punished us with a goal.”
Wolves only had one shot on target, fewer than City, but a poor day in the office for goalkeeper Jose Sa saw him underperform his xG faced by -1.73 meaning he conceded chances that he should have saved. Sa’s performance was compounded by a defensive error from Emmanuel Agbadou that saw his misplaced pass reach City’s Oscar Bobb, who proceeded to assist Tijani Reijnders.
Agbadou’s place in the starting 11 may now be under threat as Wolves close in on a deal for a new centre-back.
Wolves' interest in Arsenal's Kiwior
Caught Offside have revealed that Wolves are one of the sides “showing interest” in signing Arsenal’s Polish defender, Jakub Kiwior.
The centre-back received a long run in the team in the back half of last season when Gabriel was injured, and during this time, his performances were labeled as “impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, possibly where his increased interest started.
The player isn’t one that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants to sell, but after already being behind William Saliba and Gabriel in the first-team pecking order and with new arrival Cristhian Mosquera also likely to start ahead of him, Kiwior is open to a move somewhere he can receive more game time.
If Wolves want to sign Kiwior, then they will face significant Premier League opposition, as both Crystal Palace and Everton are rumored to be interested. They’ll face additional competition on the continent with Serie A sides Juventus and AC Milan, as well as Portugal’s Porto.
Kiwior won’t come cheap and is valued at more than £30 million, which would make him the most expensive defender in the club’s history, ahead of Nathan Collins and Nélson Semedo.
Wolves' formation suits Kiwior's play style
While Kiwior impressed in the back half of last season, there is a reason he’s not a regular starter for Arsenal, and that is his defensive success rate.
24/25 Premier League Stats
Success Rate
Percentile of CBs
Tackles Won
36.4%
9.3%
Duels Won
56.3%
39.2%
Aerial Duels Won
45.8%
11.3%
These stats are pretty damning for a defender. 90% of Premier League centre-backs won a higher percentage of their attempted tackles last season, and even his best defensive attribute, which is his duels, puts 60% of centre-backs ahead of him.
However, what Kiwior lacks in defensive attributes, he makes up for in his passing ability. Last season, the Polish international registered a 91.9% pass success rate, which put him in the top 15% of players. Additionally, his long ball success rate was equally impressive, with his long balls reaching their target more than half the time, which once again put him in the top 15% of players.
Reliable passing is where Wolves went wrong for the second goal they conceded against City, and having someone with Kiwior’s distribution in that back line will make mistakes like that less frequent.
Pereira’s defensive set-up will also cover for some of Kiwior’s shortcomings as the Wolves boss likes to play three centre-backs compared to Arteta, who plays two. This means that Kiwior will always have two players with him (as well as the wing-backs tucking in and midfielders dropping back) to help pick up his defensive load, allowing him to be the main distributor forward in the back three.
Based on this, when Kiwior ways up his transfer options, he may prioritise Wolves as it’s not only somewhere where he can play but where the system suits him.
Tottenham Hotspur are now very keen on signing an “incredible” £50m forward who’s been likened to Chelsea star Cole Palmer, according to a report.
Spurs eyeing new forward amid Son uncertainty
Thomas Frank has recently implied that Tottenham will soon have to make a big decision about Son Heung-min’s future, with the manager saying: “Right now I have a player that is fully committed and training well, and will play tomorrow. If a player has been at a club a long time, then there will always be a decision for the club to take, of course.
“Because, there is something in it if someone wants to leave at a certain stage. But the club will always decide in the end, of course.”
It doesn’t appear that a move will be on the cards in the near future, with Son clearly still a part of Frank’s plans, but given that the South Korean is now 33-years-old, it could make sense to bring in a long-term replacement this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur'sSonHeung-minreacts
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Spurs are in talks for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who could be a like-for-like replacement for Son, given that he is able to play at both left-wing and through the middle.
However, Wissa is not the only winger of interest to the Lilywhites, with a report from EFL Analysis revealing that Tottenham are very keen on signing Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, but a deal will be on the expensive side.
Despite suffering relegation from the Premier League last season, the Saints are set to hold out for a fee of £50m, showcasing just how highly Dibling is rated at St. Mary’s.
£56m Gibbs-White alternative has "begun talks" to join Tottenham via agents
Spurs have other options alongside the England international.
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Emilio Galantini
Jul 20, 2025
There may be fierce competition for the winger’s signature, with Manchester United, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest also named as potential suitors, while the 19-year-old could be tempted to remain at Southampton if he believes promotion is possible.
"Incredible" Dibling likened to Palmer
The Saints were relegated without putting up much of a fight last season, but the youngster still managed to catch the eye, with Dion Dublin even comparing him to Chelsea star Palmer.
Dublin said: “Do you know what it is? I don’t want to put any pressure on him, but he plays his game like Cole Palmer, doesn’t he?He plays free and easy, and he gets himself into good positions, rolls players and takes the ball well.”
Reporter Alfie House was also left impressed by the teenager’s displays, describing him as “incredible” last November, indicating the winger could make a real impact at N17.
£50m is a large fee to shell out for a player who is yet to establish himself at the top level, but Dibling enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season in the Premier League, and a move to north London could be of great appeal, with Champions League football on offer.
You win the toss, you bat. When it comes to playing a Test in Galle, that is not so much as received wisdom as it as an etched in stone eleventh commandment. While this might on the face of it seem a ploy to get the best of the batting conditions, in actuality, it’s more down to not wanting to get the worst of it.In the first Test, Sri Lanka won the toss and obviously batted, but while the notable turn on day one signified a raging turner from the outset, Sri Lanka still managed to run up 305 in the first innings – even accounting for them losing their last four wickets for just 24 runs.And after that, it was in fact New Zealand’s batters that got to utilise the most batter friendly of conditions across the Test – on day two, when the turn had slowed down and Sri Lanka’s spinners struggled for control. But their innings, too, was hampered by a late collapse, going from a pretty strong 269 for 5 to 340 all out.Related
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But as the Test wore on, particularly on the fourth and fifth day, batting became the chore Galle is more commonly renowned for, with 14 wickets falling on day four and two wickets within 15 minutes on day five to wrap up the game.”The pitch can change quite quickly and we saw that,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead noted on the eve of the second Test. “From being relatively good off the straight areas, to then spinning, quite a bit on that fourth day. The conditions can change very quickly.”So I think every run you get in the first innings is very important. And making sure you can post a as large a total as possible, as that means it’s just less runs you have to score in the second innings.”Stead’s sentiment was something shared by Sri Lanka batting coach Thilina Kandamby, who spoke towards the importance of setting the tone early on, be it with the bat or ball.”Setting the tone is key in Test cricket, even with the ball. In Manchester also, if you remember, we had a really bad day starting with the bowling. Then we recovered really well. That’s the positive part of it, whether it comes to bowling or batting our recovery is really good. But setting the tone is really important, and all the players know that.”Both teams are also acutely aware of the areas in which they need to improve, primarily in pressing home hard-fought advantages. With five wickets in hand, 50 runs adrift of Sri Lanka’s first innings total, and a set pair of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips at the crease at the start of day three, New Zealand might have been eyeing a hefty first-innings lead – particularly taking into account the confidence with which they had approached their batting the previous day.As it turned out, they would lose their remaining five wickets for 86 runs on the third morning, and in the process relinquish the grip they had on the game. With 63 runs the final margin of defeat it’s pivotal passages such as these, that Stead knows proved the difference in the end.”I actually think we had a really good Test match and for the most part it was very evenly contested. I thought that it was just some small moments that we could have done better,” he explained. “We probably should have got more run in terms of that first innings, and the lead from the position we were in.”And then the second session, I think it was of the third day, where we didn’t take a wicket. [Dinesh] Chandimal and [Dimuth] Karunaratne batted very well, but we maybe were just a little bit slow to adjust and adapt to that situation.””We probably should have got more run in terms of that first innings, and the lead from the position we were in” – Stead•AFP/Getty Images
Kandamby had similar grievances with his own side. Sri Lanka lost five of their top six batters (including Angelo Mathews who retired hurt) inside the first 35 overs of day one, before a century from Kamindu Mendis and a Kusal Mendis fifty revived their innings. In the second innings, having got to 153 for the loss of just one wicket, Sri Lanka stumbled to 178 for 4. And then again went from 286 for 6 to 309 all out.”Mindset will be the same [going into the game], but we have discussed where we went wrong, especially in the batting,” revealed Kandamby. “We had a collapse in the third or fourth day, it had happened a couple of times earlier also. The senior players need to take the responsibility because they have played a lot of cricket in Galle. We all knew the wicket would be helpful for spinners.”When we see the stats, I think they swept more than us, which is a concern. We played some good sweep shots as well, but you can’t always trust the defence on a wicket like this. So you’re better always to be in a positive mindset to score runs.”One other area of concern has been the contribution from Sri Lanka’s tail. In terms of batting contributions from those batting at 9, 10 and 11, Sri Lanka know they could be doing better. Across both innings they contributed a total of 13 runs, while Ramesh Mendis batting at eight offered not much more.This has partly been reason for Sri Lanka bringing in Milan Rathnayake – following his impressive showing with the bat in England – in place of Lahiru Kumara, but Kandamby said it was nevertheless an area they were actively looking at improving on.”Yes we’re looking for runs from them [the tail], but more than that it’s about supporting the batter at the other end. It’s only after the recognised batter gets out that we start thinking about how to put the pressure back on the bowlers and get some runs. So honestly if they can get about 30-40 runs, that would be good. Because if you look at it compared the rest of the Test playing nations, our batters at 9, 10, 11, are quite low down.”Whenever we have practice, batting is compulsory for them. And when we’re not playing in a series, they will work the coaches at the HPC (high performance centre) to work on their technical errors.”
Zaheer Khan is in talks with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a mentorship role, with the franchise keen on bringing in a top former India player well-versed with T20 cricket to have a strong presence within their coaching setup following the departure of Gautam Gambhir.Two other franchises are understood to have been keen on bringing on board Zaheer, who was until recently head of global development at Mumbai Indians (MI) – prior to that, he was director of cricket for the franchise from 2018-2022.LSG have been without a mentor since Gambhir’s departure late last year. Gambhir, who was part of the support group that helped Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024, has since taken over as India head coach. Morne Morkel, the former South Africa pacer who was LSG’s bowling coach, has now joined Gambhir’s lineup in the India men’s team in the same role.Related
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Apart from the role of mentor, LSG are also keen on giving Zaheer a wider profile that will mean involvement with the scouting and player-development programmes during the off season.LSG’s backroom is currently led by Justin Langer, who replaced Andy Flower as head coach ahead of IPL 2024, with Lance Klusener and Adam Voges as his assistants. After securing playoff berths in their first two seasons, the KL Rahul-led side was pipped on net run-rate for a spot in the top four in 2024.Zaheer’s possible return to the IPL fold comes at a time when teams are preparing for a mega auction. The IPL is likely to announce the retention rules by early September.Zaheer was part of three franchises – MI, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils – during his playing career. In all, he featured in 100 games for the three teams across ten seasons, picking up 102 wickets at an economy of 7.59. He last featured in the tournament in 2017, when he led Daredevils, before retiring from all forms of cricket.Elsewhere, Punjab Kings are also on the lookout for an Indian head coach to replace Trevor Bayliss. They had reportedly been keen on bringing in VVS Laxman, but that is off the table with Laxman extending his term as head of the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy. They currently have Sanjay Bangar on their roster as head of cricket development.
Picture this: It’s January 2024, and Liverpool’s collective consciousness is reeling from the news that Jurgen Klopp has provided through the club’s social media channels.
It came out of nowhere. After nearly nine years of thrilling service as Liverpool manager, Klopp announced he was finally sapped of his strength, that larger-than-life engine depleted at last.
It felt like the end of an era, and it was, but in Arne Slot, Liverpool found a new leader to guide them back to the forefront of English football, winning the Premier League only 11 months after his predecessor bowed out with a third-place finish and a Carabao Cup claimed a few months before.
To think that that triumph was achieved with such little first-team investment, Federico Chiesa being the only arrival (before this summer) since Ryan Gravenberch joined in August 2023.
Now, though, the fresh faces are spilling through the gates, with a new centre-forward perhaps next on the agenda. There are plenty of targets out there, but Alexander Isak is the dream.
Liverpool's pursuit of Alexander Isak
Liverpool have a long-standing interest in Isak, and he’s considered Slot’s dream target this summer, but Newcastle United are in no mood to sell after qualifying for the Champions League and have set an asking price of £200m.
The 25-year-old is unquestionably a brilliant player, even hailed as “the best striker in the Premier League” last season by Jamie Carragher, but he’d cost too much money for a Liverpool side already approaching the £200m mark this summer.
Mohamed Salah was the only man to outscore Isak in the Premier League last season, but does 23 goals from 34 matches warrant a £200m fee?
Liverpool need a number nine, in any case, and given the plentiful spending FSG have green-lit this summer, there may be a shrewder option on the market who would still bring the promise of goals.
Liverpool line up Isak alternative
According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are doing extensive work on various striker targets this summer as they look to upgrade on Nunez.
And while Isak remains the dream target, Liverpool continue to keep their name in the hat for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to leave the Liga Portugal champions this summer.
Saying that, tensions are high between player and club, with Arsenal also keen on the Sweden striker but dissuaded by his €100m (£84m) release clause, which Sporting hope will be met.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
However, it won’t. Instead, a figure in the region of £60m could prove the ultimate payment, which is certainly an affordable figure for Liverpool to cap their summer spending off with a flourish.
Why Liverpool should sign Viktor Gyokeres
Liverpool might be dreaming of Isak, but they can perhaps sign his international teammate Gyokeres to a similarly emphatic effect.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Having joined Sporting Lisbon from Coventry City in the English Championship two years ago, the 27-year-old has arguably been “the best finisher in the world” – in the words of analyst Spencer Mossman – scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists across 102 matches and winning the league title in each of his two campaigns.
And yet, the powerful goalscorer has his dissenters, those who feel his qualities would not translate so well to the English game. This simply isn’t the case; he’s not Isak, but the right-footer could certainly play an important part at the front of Slot’s system.
Gyokeres’ doubters must turn toward his hat-trick performance against Manchester City in the Champions League last year before making an opinion on his ability.
This is a centre-forward who knows how to find the back of the net, and has a robust physicality and electric mobility that emphasises his quality as more than just a focal point in the final third.
As per FBref, Gyokeres ranked among the top 12% of strikers in the 2024/24 Champions League for goals scored, the top 18% for pass completion, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting the man’s tactical wideness.
The data-driven site even regarded Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Vinicius Junior as his three most comparable players, which offers a taste of the kind of flavour he could add to Slot’s attack.
These are all high-level goalscorers and dynamic forwards besides. True, the attacker has been hailed as a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, but the journalist isn’t denouncing him as a brute; rather, highlighting a physical sheen to his skill set that would be perfect for Premier League football.
Such robustness has allowed him to foster that incredible goalscoring record, with no footballer – including Salah and Isak – scoring more goals across the game’s top ten divisions in 2024/25, which speaks to how ruthless he is in front of goal.
Top Scorers – Top 10 Leagues (24/25)
#
Player
Apps
Goals
1.
Viktor Gyokeres
33
39
2.
Kylian Mbappe
34
31
3.
Mohamed Salah
38
29
4.
Robert Lewandowski
34
27
5.
Harry Kane
31
26
Data via Transfermarkt
It’s clear that Gyokeres has the potential to play at the front of a Liverpool side consisting of some of football’s most exciting attacking players, as illustrated by his exceptional goalscoring record in the table above.
While he’s not on the same level as his Swedish compatriot, there’s no reason Gyokeres couldn’t match Nunez’s 25-goal tally in the Premier League. Of course, that’s across three campaigns, whereas Sporting’s man would have his sights set on reaching the target before the end of next season.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
Picture this: Liverpool have completed the most extraordinary summer transfer window, are looking to defend their Premier League title, and expand on Slot’s initial success. With Gyokeres fronting the team, it might just happen.
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Talks have been held with the Bundesliga side over a move for their talismanic forward, who scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, with Arsenal and Leipzig reportedly negotiating to find middle ground on the fee.
While reliable reports suggest that Saudi sides are now expressing a keen interest in Sesko to rival Arsenal, the player’s priority is to remain in Europe, and it is believed by some media sources that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms (CaughtOffside).
There appears to be cautious optimism that a move can eventually be struck for the Slovenia international, but in case a deal falls through, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres remains on their shortlist (Fabrizio Romano).
The Swede is fresh off an excellent campaign, where he bagged 54 goals in all competitions, helping Sporting to their first domestic double in 20 years.
Gyokeres’ ruthless finishing has attracted interest from across the continent, with Man United also rumoured to be contending for his services. However, he definitely won’t be leaving for £59 million, as Sporting president Frederico Varandas confirmed to the media this week.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”
Viktor Gyokeres prioritising move to Arsenal with meeting held
While a lot of negotiation still needs to be done over a potential fee, if Arsenal decide to go there in the event they cannot agree a Sesko deal, they can be encouraged by the 27-year-old’s stance on a move to the Emirates Stadium.
According to CNN journalist Nuno Farinha, speaking on CNN Portugal, Gyokeres’ agent held a meeting with Arsenal chiefs on Wednesday to lay groundwork over a potential transfer.
Farinha also says that Arsenal has always been Gyokeres’ preferred landing spot, with the ex-Coventry City star seemingly prioritising a move to north London over Man United.
While a lot of debate is surrounding Gyokeres’ price tag, especially after Varandas’ comments, Portuguese newspaper Record recently stated that Sporting have been demanding around £67 million.
“His overall game is good. He is big and strong, he can play on the ball and his finishing is ridiculously good,” said pundit John Wenham to Tottenham News.