Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz and Liverpool controlled the noise from the summer transfer window on Merseyside, but David Moyes’ Everton have quietly assembled a team more capable of competing on higher ground than in recent years.

Whether the Toffees will make it a successful one is, of course, anyone’s guess, but the signs certainly suggest that improvements have been made under Moyes’ wing.

But then, what to define as success? Everton sit sixth in the Premier League after four games, two wins tallied and three games unbeaten. The Farhad Moshiri era fizzled out rather quickly, and staving off the threat of relegation was the aim.

But now, Everton want more, and understandably so. There have been some good signings in recent years, but maybe this current crop feel a little different.

Everton's best signings of recent years

Everton’s men’s side bid farewell to Goodison Park at the end of the 2024/25 season, but the change afoot was to be more than just the scenery.

A host of first-teamers left at the end of their contracts, and many needed to be shipped out if Everton wished to segue into a new, finer form.

Abdoulaye Doucoure was among those to leave at the end of their contracts, but the Malian midfielder’s departure was a more poignant one than most. 32 years old, he was still an industrious and effective part of the team, but he was also the highest earner on the books, taking home £130k per week.

His departure was necessary, especially with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Charly Alcaraz added to the central midfield ranks, the latter permanently.

The three years after Doucoure’s £20m move from Watford to Everton in 2020 were sparse in regard to jackpot signings, although Dwight McNeil has been a fantastic player when fit, and Amadou Onana did well before being turned for a healthy profit when sold to Aston Villa for £50m in July 2024.

It was one year ago, though, that Everton signed Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille for £15m. The Senegalese winger is among the most electric to play in England, and he has been described as being capable of “magic” moments by Sky Sports commentator Seb Hutchinson.

His ten-goal return in 2024/25 was eclipsed by no Toffees member, and he was the cream of the crop.

Perhaps he’s not anymore. At no disrespect to the fleet-footed winger, Jack Grealish has arrived at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and looks eager to step up as the club’s talisman this term.

Moyes has hit the jackpot on Jack Grealish

This summer, Everton handed Grealish a lifeline. The England international was a Three Lion no more, kept from duty for his country across Thomas Tuchel’s first three camps. Sir Gareth Southgate opted against picking the Manchester City man for the 2024 Euros.

In fairness, Grealish had fallen from grace under Pep Guardiola’s wing. Joining the Premier League giants for a British record £110m fee in 2021, Aston Villa’s beloved maverick never quite captured the same effortless flair that defined his time at Villa Park, even if he has decorated his cabinet with a wealth of silverware.

It was time for a change, and Moyes offered him a platform to reinvent himself this summer, signing the 30-year-old on loan in August.

Grealish has been in fine fettle since joining, posting four assists from as many games and winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for August.

Grealish – PL stats
Stats (* per game)	24/25	25/26
Matches (starts)	20 (7)	4 (3)
Goals	1	0
Assists	1	4
Touches*	28.5	48.3
Accurate passes*	18.8 (91%)	24.8 (88%)
Big chances created	2	3
Key passes*	1.2	2.8
Dribbles*	0.7	2.0
Ball recoveries*	1.3	4.5
Tackles*	0.5	1.8
Duels (won)*	2.4 (55%)	6.8 (54%)
Data via Sofascore

While the data pool is shallow at this stage of the season, Grealish is already demonstrating an ability beyond what was seen across his last two years at the Etihad Stadium, more confident and creative.

He’s already shaping into the Merseysiders’ attacking talisman, especially given the profligacy of the centre-forwards, and with that in mind, maybe Grealish could prove to be Everton’s own version of the aforementioned Isak, who joined Liverpool in a British record £125m move on transfer deadline day.

Isak, 25, has established himself as one of the best strikers in the world over his three terms on Tyneside, with pundit Alan Shearer even hailing him as “world-class” last season, scoring against Liverpool at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup, and hurling constant daggers into the net to propel Newcastle back into the Champions League.

There’s no question that he was the attacking leader for the Toon, and he will be for Liverpool too, especially as the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah approaches the autumn of his career in England.

Grealish is not a striker, and he’s never been a particularly reliable goalscorer, but he could be Everton’s new hero in a different way, inspiring and galvanising and making things happen in a way that none of his peers, even Ndiaye, can match.

Both Ndiaye and Grealish are players who stand out as among Everton’s finest signings in many years. It’s not a particularly high bar, but there are many teams across the Premier League and across Europe who would jump at the chance to welcome such stars to their ranks.

Who knows if Everton will turn Grealish’s loan spell into a permanent deal? The opening weeks of the campaign suggest that it should be so. Last term, Theo Walcott remarked that he is a player of “incredible talent”, but that his spark had been “coached out of him”. Moyes is instilling that joy and wonder once more.

The playmaker’s wage demands would need redress: the attacking midfielder cannot take permanent residence in Moyes’ squad without agreeing to a pay cut.

But if some agreement could be engineered, Everton would land themselves one of the most talented players in the Premier League, a player who has already shown himself capable of standing out in a rising team and with a smile on his face too.

Just like Isak over at Anfield, Grealish has the chance to be a superstar in a new setting, and TFG must ensure they get his signature scribbled in permanent ink.

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O astro Diego Costa não precisou de muito tempo para fazer sua estreia com a camisa do Botafogo. Nos 16 minutos em campo no sábado (19), no 0 a 0 com o São Paulo, no Morumbi, o atacante sinalizou que pode ser uma opção de qualidade a Tiquinho Soares.

Além de demonstrar disposição, o jogador de 34 anos se apresentou para tentar jogadas. Porém, a falta de ritmo o atrapalhou neste início de trajetória no Glorioso. O atacante não atuava desde maio, quando defendeu o Wolverhampton.

+ Confira a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Lançado no lugar de Janderson, o camisa 19 foi acionado por Matías Segovia. No entanto, a bola não veio à feição para ele caprichar.

Posteriormente, foi a vez de JP Galvão procurar o atacante. Desta vez, a defesa são-paulina chegou primeiro.

Mesmo em uma partida difícil, na qual o Glorioso pouco criou, o jogador de 34 anos tentou investidas e chegou a passar por um momento inusitado. Diego Costa driblou seu “xará” Diego Costa, defensor são-paulino, e foi parado com falta. A cobrança do meia Eduardo, porém, não funcionou.

Apesar da falta de ritmo de jogo, a atuação do atacante chamou atenção do técnico Bruno Lage.

– Nós falamos com ele, ele até ficou um pouco surpreso de ter vindo logo. Mas eu senti pela experiência dele e por aquilo que ele fez em apenas um treino, porque praticamente ontem não treinamos, senti que ele podia fazer boa entrada e fez. É um jogador experiente, que segurou a bola, que tentou ligar os pontas e com a meia . Teve ali uma situação em que ele foi travado em falta – e detalhou:

– Também não vamos dar essa responsabilidade a ele, apesar de ser um homem experiente e dele vir e imediatamente ter que fazer o que o Tiquinho está a fazer. Ele chegou com um espírito muito bom, eu até quero realçar isso, porque as palavras são essas, ele tem dito que está aqui para ajudar e para se marcar e referenciar principalmente a grande temporada do Tiquinho (Soares). – completou.

A luta agora é por abrir caminhos e cair nas graças da torcida para deslanchar na reta final do Brasileiro do Botafogo.

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they prepare to welcome Hibernian to Parkhead after their Europa League clash in midweek.

The Hoops were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Star Belgrade in Serbia on Wednesday night, as Marko Arnautovic cancelled out Kelechi Iheanacho’s opener.

Brendan Rodgers may look to make some changes to his starting line-up for this clash with Hibs in Glasgow, starting by dropping Hyun-jun Yang back down to the bench.

Why Hyun-jun Yang should be dropped

The South Korea international failed to register a shot on goal and did not create a single chance for his teammates in 68 minutes on the pitch against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night, per Sofascore.

Yang did find the back of the net in a 4-0 win over Championship side Partick Thistle, but his performances in the Premiership so far this season have not been good enough.

The 23-year-old forward has not scored or created a goal in his three appearances, including two starts, in the division this season, per Sofascore, and has only created one chance for the side in that time.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With James Forrest, who has scored one league goal since the start of last season, being the only other natural right winger in the squad, Rodgers should get creative and unleash Luke McCowan in a brand-new role against Hibs.

The position Luke McCowan should play in against Hibernian

Per Transfermarkt, the Scottish midfielder has played centrally in every single one of his starts for the first-team since his move from Dundee last year.

However, unleashing the left-footed star on the right of the front three could be a move that makes a lot of sense for Celtic and for the player himself, given Yang and Forrest’s lack of consistent impact in that position.

McCowan, who was described as a “game winner” by Marvin Bartley, is a proven Premiership performer who knows how to make an impact at the top end of the pitch, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

xG

0.31

Top 3%

Goals

0.46

Top 4%

Shots on target

1.26

Top 3%

xA

0.40

Top 3%

Assists

0.46

Top 5%

Chances created

2.51

Top 5%

As you can see in the table above, the experienced operator was an outstanding performer among central midfielders in the league last season when you take his per 90 statistics into account.

McCowan delivered eight goals and eight assists, despite starting 16 of his 36 appearances, which shows that he has the quality to consistently contribute with goals and assists, unlike Yang and Forrest.

As a natural central midfielder, the Scottish whiz is composed and assured on the ball, having completed 85% of his passes in the league this season, which means that he could take the ball under pressure in wide positions.

What could make this positional tweak so impactful, though, is that it would allow McCowan to drift infield to support the other midfielders and move closer to Kelechi Iheanacho, whilst creating the space for Colby Donovan to advance into the last line out wide.

This would create more options in possession in the final third for Celtic without play becoming too congested out wide with Forrest or Yang next to Donovan out wide, as both wingers are right-footed and want to go down the line.

Whereas, McCowan can move inside to give the full-back the freedom of the flank, whilst creating favourable angles for him to play bounce passes into Iheanacho or to link up with the likes of Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate.

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Therefore, Rodgers must unleash McCowan in a brand-new role on the right wing because it could improve the potency of Celtic’s attack against Hibernian, both because of the quality of the midfielder and the tactical advantage that it could provide.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has called for calm after watching his side slump to a worrying fourth consecutive loss at the weekend, in the form of the damaging 2-1 home defeat by arch-rivals Manchester United. The Dutchman has urged players and fans to focus on the coming matches and not dwell on woeful recent run as the Reds look to get back on track.

• Champions endure worrying dip in form

  After a strong start to the season, Slot’s side has suffered a significant slump following four straight losses across all competitions. In the league, they’ve surrendered top spot to title rivals Arsenal and have fallen behind Manchester City. Despite picking up wins earlier in the season, most were unconvincing, and performances have steadily worsened. Slot's biggest challenge is integrating expensive new signings like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, which has disrupted the squad's balance. The team has also struggled defensively, particularly against set pieces, an area that was previously a strength. Amid mounting pressure, Slot insists his squad must find an "extra edge".

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Superstars struggle at Anfield

  Sweden star Isak and Germany international Wirtz have struggled mainly due to a lack of end product, a difficult adjustment period to a new system and league. Isak has just one goal and one assist in seven appearances this season. Joining for a British-record £125 million ($167m), he had missed pre-season due to a dispute with former club Newcastle and arrived at Anfield short of match fitness. His work rate has been criticised, becoming a problem when combined with his lack of goals. Wirtz is yet to register a league goal this season and while still showing flashes of brilliance, he is still adjusting to the pace and physicality in England, and Slot's new 4-2-3-1 system. Hugo Ekitike started strongly with goals in his first five league matches but has since fallen behind Isak in the pecking order and was sent off for removing his shirt in a recent game. The arrival of Isak has inevitably intensified the competition for a starting spot, affecting his opportunities. All three players are adapting to Slot's tactical changes, which have altered how the attack operates and contributed to a lack of cohesion. The significant transfer fees for Isak and Wirtz have also magnified expectations and amplified criticism during their bedding-in period.

• Slot keen to focus on future

  Speaking to , Slot said: "It should not matter if we win or lose a game of football for the next one. The aim is if you play for Liverpool if you wear this shirt, the aim is to win every single game. So if we win seven in a row how we started this season, then we want to win the next three. And we didn’t, now we’ve lost the last four, so now of course we want to see Liverpool winning again. But like I said, that is not different than when you’ve lost four in a row or won four in a row."

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  More woe for floundering Reds

  Liverpool were dealt another blow in their preparations for the Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, after the aircraft taking them to Germany was hit with a "technical issue", resulting in a four-hour delay and meaning that Slot was not able to conduct a press conference before the encounter in midweek. Failing to fulfil media commitments normally lands the offending club with a hefty fine from UEFA, but with the Reds blameless for the technical difficulties, it's unlikely there will be any consequences. The Reds boss insists the hitch has not caused any problems. He said: "No, it will not impact the build-up to tomorrow's game. We have trained over here at the AXA (Training Centre). Normally we would have gone to Frankfurt a few hours earlier, now we are a few hours later. But, no, that can never be an excuse for the game tomorrow."

New West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo turned a few heads with one of his first acts at the London Stadium, axing previous Graham Potter mainstay James Ward-Prowse from the squad.

Nuno Espírito Santo drops Ward-Prowse with West Ham exit on the cards

Almost immediately after being appointed, Nuno made the ruthless decision to exclude Ward-Prowse.

The 30-year-old, named vice-captain by Potter and was a key figure under the Englishman, doesn’t feature anywhere near as prominently for Nuno, with the Portuguese completely dropping Ward-Prowse from his matchday squads to face Everton and Arsenal.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

The move comes very quickly, perhaps surprisingly so, as Nuno assesses the squad and begins to implement his own plans.

Ward-Prowse’s omission marks a clear shift in the club’s approach, signaling Nuno’s intent to reshape the midfield and prioritize different players, despite the player’s leadership role and experience.

The call sparked considerable attention and discussion among fans and pundits, given Ward-Prowse’s status at the club. However, Nuno has remained firm in his choice to leave him out, preferring summer signing Soungoutou Magassa, who’s jumped right into the ex-Southampton star’s place.

In the aftermath of Ward-Prowse’s axe, reports have suggested that the midfielder is now resigned to leaving in January (GiveMeSport), and a return to his former club at St. Mary’s is believed to be on the cards.

The 11-cap England international is apparently just one free-kick goal away from matching David Beckham’s Premier League record of 18, but he’s now very unlikely to achieve that feat in East London barring a late surprise.

Why Nuno has really axed James Ward-Prowse from the West Ham squad

Now, former West Ham scout Mick Brown has shared some insight into why Nuno doesn’t favour Ward-Prowse at West Ham.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown says that Nuno prefers his midfield men to be more combative and aggressive, explaining that his lack of tenacity is a key reason why Ward-Prowse is no longer fancied.

This isn’t the first time Nuno has decided to part company with Ward-Prowse, having cut his loan spell at Nottingham Forest short midway through 2024/2025 after barely playing him at the City Ground.

Nuno doesn’t appear to have changed his mind on Ward-Prowse since last season, with it now appearing inevitable that he has no long-term future at the London Stadium.

GOAL US unpacks the main weekend storylines from the Premier League, La Liga and other top competitions in The Euro XI

Well that was a weekend. El Clasico hasn't been this testy in years. In truth, it's a weird fixture these days, a game that has lost a sense of gravitas since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo left the league. Back then, it was a forum where the world's best would clash. Now, it seems more like a petty rivalry between sides that haven't been equals in a while.

This league needs another classic title race, and with Madrid beating Barca, 2-1, we might just have the makings of one.

Elsewhere in Europe, the Premier League decided to go as mad as possible. Liverpool lost to Brentford, a shocking result – yet entirely predictable. Arsenal needed a set piece to beat Crystal Palace. And we can now say that Man United were geniuses to hire Ruben Amorim and keep Bruno Fernandes, because they have won three in a row – and that's probably a good thing.

Football, eh?

GOAL US presents The Euro XI, with 11 key observations from the weekend.

Getty Images Sport1Clasico glory for Madrid

Real Madrid's first big game of the year was a 5-2 battering at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Xabi Alonso's side were miserable that day, and thoroughly deserved the loss to their crosstown rivals. But for Barcelona, they had a plan.

Alonso got tactically groovy, used left-footed Eduyardo Camavinga as a right midfielder, and coaxed an excellent performance out of Jude Bellingham. The result? A 2-1 win that could have been 5-0 – with some bonus chaos at the end.

And just like that, Alonso is a good manager again.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport2Man United are legit …

So, this is the world we live in now. Manchester United are a proper soccer team. Well done, Ruben Amorim. Football nerds will tell you that their underlying numbers – the moneyball stuff – has been looking pretty good for a while now.

They are, statistically, to good to be in the bottom half of the table. But the nerdy bits don't always align with the actual results. They have now. United have won 3(!!) in a row, highlighted by an impressive yet immensely uncomfortable 3-2 beating of Brighton. Is there hope?

AFP3… Liverpool are not

This is how soccer works. There must always be a crisis club. Even clubs that are probably only underperforming a little bit are in crisis. It's usually an act of hyperbole. "Crisis" is a bit much, especially considering this is just a game in which 22 people kick a ball.

Well, sound the actual klaxon for Liverpool, who are in truly miserable form of late. They have now lost four straight, highlighted by a miserable 3-2 defeat against Brentford. This feels like rock bottom. The question: Do they stay there?

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Getty Images Sport4Boring, boring Arsenal get it done

Here's a fun fact. Arsenal are 19th in the Premier League in goals from open play. That's a relegation number. Here's another fun fact. Arsenal have allowed just one goal from open play. That's title winning form.

They did the business against Crystal Palace on Sunday to the tune of a 1-0 win (yes, their goal came from a set piece). They are now four points clear atop the Prem. Yes, there are the "early days" caveats here, but the Gunners look like title faves.

It feels like it’s a bit late to say the wheels have come off for West Ham United.

The Hammers were knocked out of the League Cup in the second round and have lost four of their five Premier League games, by a combined score of 5-13.

It felt like it was more a matter of when, rather than if, Graham Potter was replaced in the London Stadium dugout.

Lo and behold, despite being put in front of the press on Friday afternoon ahead of their clash with Everton on Monday, he was given the boot on Saturday morning.

Nuno Santo was quickly announced as his replacement but with only a couple of days of training before the clash with the Toffees, it will be interesting to see if the Portuguese makes many widespread changes.

James Ward-Prowse could be one player who drops out as Nuno chases a debut win.

Why Ward-Prowse has to be dropped

West Ham spent around £30m to bring Ward-Prowse to the London Stadium in the summer of 2023, and considering he was sent on an unsuccessful short-term loan to Nottingham Forest last year, it’s been a failure of a move.

However, while the fans were desperate for Potter to drop the former Southampton star from the lineup, he continued to persist with the Englishman, something that arguably played a hand in his sacking.

The 11-capped Englishman has had a brilliant career in the top-flight, and there was a point at which his deadball abilities made him a genuine threat for the Saints, but those days are long gone.

Instead, the 30-year-old is now more of a hindrance in the middle of the park than anything else, unable to offer much in attack and not being anywhere near mobile enough to help out in defence.

We saw this duel problem on full display against Crystal Palace, as even though he took 61 touches and completed 41 passes, he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.25.

Ward-Prowse’s game vs Palace
Minutes	90′
Goals	0
Assists	0
Touches	61
Accurate Passes	41/48 (85%)
Crosses (Accurate)	5 (1)
Shots on Target	0
Ground Duels (Won)	6 (1)
Aerial Duels (Won)	3 (0)
Lost Possession	14
Fouls	3
Dribbled Past	2
All Stats via Sofascore

On top of that, he lost five out of six ground duels, all three aerial duels, was dribbled past twice, lost possession 14 times and gave away three fouls.

It was a horror show, and one that should see him nowhere near the starting lineup for quite some time, especially as West Ham have a new midfielder who could come in and surely do a better job.

West Ham's ideal Ward-Prowse replacement

While there are a few options Nuno could go with on Monday evening, he has to start Soungoutou Magassa in place of Ward-Prowse.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The former AS Monaco ace is certainly still young and somewhat inexperienced compared to the Englishman, but he deserves a chance to show the fans what he can do tonight.

More importantly, though, he offers something the former Saints star no longer can: dynamism and quality.

According to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, the 21-year-old is blessed with a combination of “pure athleticism” and an ability to “spray passes wide out to the wings” because his “passing range is top.”

Moreover, Mattinson has claimed that “defensively there’s a high potential” in the youngster, which is borne out in his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 1% of midfielders in Ligue 1 last season for dribblers tackled, tackles plus interceptions, and ball recoveries, as well as the top 5% for tackles won and more, all per 90 minutes.

He also put up some promising attacking numbers as well, ranking in the top 9% for successful take-on percentage and the top 17% for passes into the final third, also per 90.

Magassa’s Scout Report
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Tackles (Mid 3rd)	2.37	Top 1%
Dribblers Tackled	2.20	Top 1%
Dribbles Challenged	4.04	Top 1%
Tkl+Int	5.97	Top 1%
Ball Recoveries	7.90	Top 1%
Tackles	4.13	Top 2%
Interceptions	1.84	Top 4%
Tackles Won	2.20	Top 5%
Successful Take-On %	65.2%	Top 9%
Touches (Mid 3rd)	45.57	Top 12%
Tackles (Att 3rd)	0.53	Top 16%
Passes into Final Third	5.88	Top 17%
Switches	0.61	Top 17%
Aerials Won	1.14	Top 12%
All Stats via FBref

In short, while he is nowhere near the finished product, the “elegant” Frenchman, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, already appears to be a better player than Ward-Prowse.

Therefore, for Nuno to elevate the chances of claiming all three points, he should drop the 30-year-old and start Magassa.

It has been a frustrating start to the 2025/26 campaign for Celtic central midfielder Arne Engels, who has failed to kick on after his debut season at the club.

The Hoops signed him for a club-record fee of £11m from Augsburg last summer, creating excitement over the Belgian ace, and his first year at Parkhead was fairly impressive.

Engels delivered ten goals, including eight from the penalty spot, and 13 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, for the Scottish giants.

Unfortunately, his output at the top end of the pitch has fallen off in the current campaign, with no goals and one assist in 12 appearances for the Hoops.

Brendan Rodgers has only started the Belgium international in three of the club’s nine games in the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League this term, which shows that the manager has not put much trust in him because of his recent performances.

The 22-year-old star’s struggles this season are particularly frustrating when you consider that Reo Hatate has not been at his best in the middle of the park.

Why Celtic may need to replace Reo Hatate

Benjamin Nygren has locked down a position in midfield, with four goals in the Premiership, alongside the captain Callum McGregor, and Hatate has been the third starter in the midfield three.

The Japan international has started all five of his appearances in the Scottish top-flight, per Sofascore, but his performances have not quite reached the levels that he hit in the 2024/25 campaign.

Hatate has scored one goal, which came against Aberdeen in the Premiership in August, and has failed to register any assists for his teammates in ten outings in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The Japanese star, whose goal against Aberdeen in the clip above was stunning, has been unable to kick on after his impressive output at the top end of the pitch in the 2024/25 campaign.

Reo Hatate (Premiership)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

37

5

Goals

10

1

Minutes per goal

241

373

Key passes per game

1.2

0.6

Big chances created

14

0

Assists

4

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hatate has not been as effective, as a scorer or a creator goals, in the middle of the park in the Premiership this season.

These statistics suggest that the 27-year-old star has not been at his best for the Hoops in midfield in the league, as he has struggled to influence matches in the way that he did last year.

This is why Rodgers may have to start thinking about how his midfield could look without Hatate in the team, unless the Japan international can turn his form around and get back to what he produced on a consistent basis in the 2024/25 campaign.

However, the aforementioned dip in form from Engels suggests that Celtic may have to look elsewhere for a replacement for Hatate, because the Belgian flop has not stepped up this season.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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Rodgers, as he did with Colby Donovan’s emergence, could turn to the B team to bring an academy talent into the first-team to compete for a spot in central midfield.

19-year-old academy star Francis Turley made his first-team debut for the Scottish giants as a substitute against St Mirren in the Premiership in August of last year, and he could emerge as Hatate’s replacement.

Why Francis Turley could be Reo Hatate's replacement at Celtic

If the Japan international is unable to recapture his best form in Glasgow and Engels cannot get back to his best in a Celtic shirt, there could be an opening for the teenage talent to break into the team.

The Northern Ireland U21 international clearly impressed enough to earn a senior bow last year against St Mirren, which shows that Rodgers is well aware of his talent and believes that he has the potential to be a future star for the Hoops.

Speaking after that game, the Celtic manager said: “He (Turley) was very, very good over the course of pre-season, he’s got a lot of work to do physically in his development, and that will come with both him working and natural maturation.

“But at 18 he’s got a great football brain, and that’s a nice reward for him and his family, and he can now keep pushing to get more appearances.”

Those comments show that Rodgers was impressed with the youngster’s performances at that point, which is why he should also be impressed by his form in the current campaign.

25/26 season

Reo Hatate (all comps)

Francis Turley (Lowland League)

Appearances

10

10

Minutes played

728

900

Goals

1

2

Minutes per goal

728

450

Assists

0

2

Minutes per assist

N/A

450

Minutes per goal contribution

728

225

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Turley has scored two goals and provided two assists in ten appearances in the Lowland League for the B team this term, whilst Hatate only has one goal contribution in all competitions.

The 19-year-old starlet, who has scored seven goals in his last 57 matches at academy level (Transfermarkt), has shown that he can provide quality as an attacking threat from a central midfield position, which is what Engels and Hatate have struggled with of late.

Turley, poetically in this context, replaced Hatate to make his debut against St Mirren last year, and it could be the Japan international who loses his place in the side to make way for the teenager to establish himself in the senior team.

It is now down to Rodgers to provide the Northern Irish talent with an opportunity to shine in the first-team if Hatate and Engels both continue to struggle in the Premiership and in European competitions this season.

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Hopefully, Turley will be able to grasp his chance and make a name for himself at senior level for the Scottish giants if that opportunity does come his way.

Half-centuries from KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran following Khaleel Ahmed’s four-wicket haul helped India A pull ahead against England Lions on the third day of the second unofficial Test. India A ended the penultimate day in Northampton with a lead of 184. For Lions, Woakes picked up two of the four wickets that fell.In what could be a concern for England ahead of the five-Test series against India starting June 20, fast bowler Josh Tongue hobbled off after bowling just four overs for 27 runs in the second innings. The nature and extent of his injury is yet to be determined. He is part of the England squad for the first Test.Having claimed a first-innings lead of 21 runs, India A came out with an intent to produce a result from the game. While Yashasvi Jaiswal’s tentativeness cost him – he nicked one behind off George Hill – Rahul and Abhimanyu were fluent during their partnership. Rahul, in particular, picked lengths early, and was severe on Tongue, whenever he offered width. The back-foot punch through backward point was one of the highlights of his knock in which he got to fifty off 61 balls. He fell for 51 when Eddie Jack got one to rear up at him from a slightly back of a length, which Rahul miscued to deep mid-on.Abhimanyu and Karun Nair then amplified India’s intent with a 38-run partnership off 36 balls. Abhimanyu took a liking to Jack, scoring 23 off 24 balls from him with four fours. He also employed the sweep to good effect against the offspin of Farhan Ahmed as he notched up his half-century off 68 balls. But he couldn’t see off Chris Woakes’ second spell, nicking one to slip for 80 off 92 balls.While the second half of the day belonged to India A batters, the morning was Khaleel’s. Jordan Cox looked to stamp his authority early in the day with a heave over midwicket but Khaleel got one to jump from a length, which the set batter only nicked behind. A few overs later, Khaleel had Lions captain James Rew caught at first slip before cleaning up Hill with a corker of a yorker for a first-ball duck. Woakes did not last long as Lions lost 4 for 10 in under six overs. But the lower order led by Farhan, Tongue and Jack frustrated India A as the last two wickets held fort for more than 150 balls.Rahul dropping Farhan three overs after lunch, off Nitish Kumar Reddy, did not help India A’s cause. Rahul made amends after Reddy induced the outside edge of Farhan once again in his next over. By the time Anshul Kamboj dismissed Jack, the last batter, Lions had managed to reduce the first-innings deficit to 21. There were two stoppages – for about 20 minutes each – in the second and third session that saw play go till about 7:20pm local time.

Hard-hitting batter is likely to make his international debut against South Africa, his country of birth, in Zimbabwe

Deivarayan Muthu27-Jun-2025

Bevon Jacobs was with Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025•BCCI

A lot has happened in Bevon Jacobs’ life since he earned his maiden New Zealand call-up for the home T20I series against Sri Lanka in December last year. A maiden Plunket Shield century, debut in the UAE’s ILT20 league, working with Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah in the IPL, and most recently a CPL deal.During this period, especially at IPL 2025, where Jacobs didn’t get a game at Mumbai Indians (MI), he often had to make do as the outsider looking in. As he prepares to make his international debut for New Zealand in the upcoming tri-series in Zimbabwe next month, also involving South Africa, Jacobs hopes to harness his IPL experience and put his name up for the 2026 T20 World Cup.”The IPL was an amazing experience, and I got three months there to learn new facets of my game,” Jacobs said. “And I definitely think I’ve made those learnings and improvements. Obviously, implementing into my game is going to be a longer work in progress.Related

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“But taking away from the technical stuff, there’s also a lot of mental learnings that I’ve got from it as well, which I know will change me just for the time being. So, hopefully, I can bring what I’ve learnt from there into the series.”I mean, that (playing the T20 World Cup) is a massive goal for me. It would be a dream come true to go to that. And I guess for me, it’s just about controlling what I can control. And if that opportunity comes again, that would be pretty special to me.”The first step towards that goal will be a potential debut against his country of birth, South Africa. Jacobs was born in Pretoria before his family emigrated to New Zealand when he was around three years old. He emerged through the Auckland pathway system before he shifted to Canterbury, where he made his senior T20 and List A debuts. Ahead of the 2024-25 domestic season, Jacobs, however, returned to Auckland.”I still like to see myself as a Kiwi,” Jacobs said. “I’ve been here for a very long time. But, yeah, I guess that part of it would be pretty cool if that was to be my debut against South Africa.”I’m sure a lot of family who are over in South Africa and just my family that are here would find that pretty cool.”At over six feet tall, Jacobs has the levers and power to clear any boundary, traits which earned him a surprise IPL call-up. Jacobs’ height and reach enable him to mess with the length of bowlers and provide his team with a potent point of difference. For instance, on ILT20 debut in January in Dubai, when Blessing Muzarabani dug in a hard-length delivery from his six-feet-eight-inch frame, Jacobs stood tall, got on top of the ball, and pumped it over extra-cover for four.Lasith Malinga has a chat with Bevon Jacobs at Mumbai Indians in the IPL•Mumbai Indians

While Jacobs had slotted in at No. 4 in his most recent innings for Auckland in the Plunket Shield, New Zealand perhaps see him as a finisher in T20 cricket, as do franchises around the world.”I guess my experience in my career is short, but I’ve had almost two different roles, obviously, starting off in that finisher role,” Jacobs said. “I guess that’s where Mumbai picked up a point of difference for me, which I find really cool. And then, obviously, when I came to Auckland, a little bit more moving up into the middle order.”Either way, I think for me, maybe that skill set, what’s seen at the moment, is trying to finish off in innings. And I guess I’m just going to try and get better at that step by step, and hopefully that’s what gets me into the side.”Jacobs believes that a strong international season could boost his stocks in leagues around the world. He has played just 20 T20s so far but teams see potential and a high ceiling.”Yeah, 100% [hoping to return to the IPL],” he said. “I mean, obviously, with Mumbai and just with the Sri Lankan experience, both were really cool for me. I think there’s a lot to learn.”There’s players with a crazy amount of knowledge there. For me to be able to pick their brains and to bring what they’ve learnt in their careers into my game is really cool for me. So, I think I took both opportunities when I could. Hopefully, if this means a game time this time around, that would be awesome.”Despite the absence of Kane Williamson (currently with Middlesex), Lockie Ferguson (load management), Ben Sears (side injury), Devon Conway (dropped), Kyle Jamieson (personal break), New Zealand have depth in their side and Jacobs’ rise is an example of it.”Yeah, the squad looks really strong. I’m just grateful to be part of it,” Jacobs said. “They’ve got some really experienced names in there. So, for me to just be there is going to be pretty special.”I’ve spent a little bit of time with him (Rob Walter, the new coach). And just from the conversations we’ve had, it all sounds pretty positive.”