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The Juan Soto free agency saga of this offseason has finally ended.

On Sunday, Soto and the New York Mets agreed to a massive 15-year, $765 million contract, according to multiple reports. It marks the largest deal in professional sports history.

The superstar outfielder received interest from the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, but the Mets ultimately emerged victorious in the bidding war.

Soto, 26, joined the Yankees in December 2023 and enjoyed a dominant season in which he slashed .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 home runs. 

The four-time All Star will now leave the Bronx to team up with NL MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor in Queens. The Mets went 89-73 in 2024 and made a surprising run to the National League Championship Series, where they were eliminated by the Dodgers in six games. They'll now get Soto to hopefully make many more postseason runs for the next decade and a half.

One of Europe’s hottest strikers is drawing interest from Newcastle United, but his release clause stands at a whopping £87m.

Champions League football affecting Newcastle

The Magpies are still waiting to fully fire this season, grinding their way to a vital late 2-1 win at home to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, securing a much-needed three points at St James’ Park.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football, club legend and record scorer Alan Shearer said that the addition of Champions League football is playing a part in Eddie Howe’s side failing to fire domestically.

“Yeah, I think it is. I think even if you’ve got the biggest of squads, to play European football with the emotion, how draining it is and everything else. Yeah, it does [have an impact]. There’s no doubt about it.

“The game after a European week, you’ve just got to get the result no matter how you get it. You’ve just got to get it. So Newcastle did that. So it was a big three points and hopefully they can get their league season going now.”

Newcastle would love to add more attacking firepower to their squad, even though Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have come in for Alexander Isak, and a huge talent has now been mentioned as a transfer target for 2026.

Newcastle eyeing "one of Europe's most prolific players"

According to a report from Caught Offside, Newcastle United are in the mix to sign Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who has a reported £87m release clause in his current contract. Sources in the agents industry have confirmed the 21-year-old is wanted by the Magpies, as well as rival Premier League sides Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.

Aghehowa is a player with a massive future in the game, so Newcastle signing him in 2026 would feel like a major statement of intent by the club.

Still only 21, the Porto star has already scored 35 goals in just 55 appearances for his current club, which is stunning return, and he has won three caps for reigning European champions Spain, so could be pushing to lead the line for them at next summer’s World Cup.

In fact, such is Aghehowa’s brilliance, scout Jacek Kulig has even described him as “one of Europe’s most prolific players”, highlighting the level he is playing at.

Move over Woltemade: Howe has unearthed a new “game-changer” at Newcastle

Newcastle United have unearthed a new game-changer, and it’s not Nick Woltemade.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

While a new striker isn’t necessarily essential for Newcastle, given Woltemade and Wissa coming in during the summer transfer window, the latter is now pushing 30 years of age, so the Spaniard could be considered a long-term option alongside Woltemade at St James’ Park.

تحدث محمد شريف، مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن التتويج ببطولة كأس السوبر المصري 2025، بعد الفوز على الزمالك في المباراة النهائية، بهدفين نظيفين.

وقال محمد شريف، عبر قناة أبو ظبي الرياضية: “هذا السوبر الثالث لي مع الأهلي، الفترة الماضية لم تكن أفضل شيء ونعد الجماهير الفترة المقبلة ستكون أفضل ونحصد كل الألقاب، نحاول أن نعود لمستوانا مع المدرب الجديد وهو يسير بشكل جيد”.

وتابع: “عندما تلعب مباراة أمام جماهير هو رائع، هم روح الكرة ونعدهم أن الفترة المقبلة سنكون أفضل”.

طالع.. الإعلان عن أفضل لاعب وحارس في كأس السوبر المصري 2025

ومن جانبه، قال مروان عطية: “اللاعيبن هم من حققوا جائزة أفضل لاعب في المباراة، كانوا رجالًا في الملعب، واستطعنا دخول البطولة بشكل جيد، قدمنا مباراة كبيرة أمام سيراميكا واستطعنا أن نكلل مجهودنا بالفوز أمام الزمالك”.

وواصل: “سر الفوز الأهلي هذه البطولة هو التنظيم في الإمارات، ملعب الجزيرة دائمًا نحصد فيه بطولات، وجماهير الفريقين كان شكلها جيدًا، والإدارة توفر لنا كل شيء”.

وأتم: “اللاعبون في الوقت الصعب تظهر رجولتهم في الملعب، وأقول لجمهور الأهلي كله شكرًا، أشكر اللاعيبن بالأخص كانوا رجالاً وعلى قلب رجل واحد، ونظهر وقت الشدة”.

West Ham’s hierarchy are reportedly standing firm behind Nuno Espirito Santo amid mounting pressure and protests. Despite a dismal start that has left the club battling relegation, the Hammers are prepared to support their manager in the January transfer window rather than repeat Nottingham Forest’s managerial merry-go-round, signalling their faith that the Portuguese coach can turn their fortunes around.

• Expand on the teaser text

  West Ham are enduring one of their worst starts to a Premier League campaign in decades, but club chiefs are determined not to pull the trigger on Espirito Santo, as per The Sun. The Portuguese manager, appointed last month to replace Graham Potter, has collected just one point from four games in charge. Friday’s 2-1 defeat at Leeds United compounded an already dire run of form, leaving the Hammers rooted in 19th, with four points from nine games.

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  Dire straits

  The situation at West Ham has grown increasingly dire. After eight games, the club sits perilously close to the bottom of the Premier League, having collected just four points and endured five consecutive home defeats — their worst start to a top-flight season since 1988-89, which ended in relegation. The poor form has ignited fan anger, with large-scale protests against the board planned for the upcoming home fixture against Newcastle.

  Beyond the immediate threat of relegation, the financial implications are enormous. Experts warn that dropping to the Championship could cost the club up to £120 million in lost television revenue, ticket sales, and sponsorships. With most senior players on reduced-relegation wage clauses, the club would face the prospect of selling prized assets such as Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta to mitigate the financial blow.

  Off the pitch, the relationship between the supporters and ownership is at breaking point. Fan groups such as Hammers United claim tens of thousands boycotted the Brentford defeat, accusing co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady of poor communication and mismanagement. The board’s decision to stand by Nuno is seen as an attempt to stabilise a volatile environment and avoid the managerial chaos that has plagued their relegation rivals.

• Irons eyeing reinforcements

  While results have been bleak, Nuno remains adamant that the team can find an identity and rebuild confidence with the right additions. He admitted after the Brentford defeat that West Ham were “very far from being the team we want to be,” conceding there was “a problem” with both intensity and organisation. His comments reflect a manager aware of the scale of the task but determined to steer the team back on course.

  The Hammers’ hierarchy have also recognised their errors in the summer transfer market, particularly their failure to recruit adequately in attack. Callum Wilson, signed as a free agent, remains the only forward addition, and his single goal this season has highlighted the lack of cutting edge up front. Defensively, things have been just as grim — deadline-day arrival Igor Julio has barely featured, while Konstantinos Mavropanos’ injury has further exposed their vulnerability.

  Nevertheless, the Hammers insists reinforcements are coming. Plans are already being drawn up to add both a new striker and a central defender, with scouting underway across Europe and South America. The aim is to inject quality, experience, and leadership into a squad that has looked disjointed and fragile in recent weeks.

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  What comes next?

  West Ham’s immediate priority is survival, and the upcoming fixtures against Leeds, Newcastle and Burnley could determine the direction of their season.

  Fan discontent, however, continues to cast a long shadow. The planned sit-in protest after the Newcastle game signals the depth of frustration among supporters who have grown weary of repeated false promises.

  With reinforcements expected in January and Nuno’s future secured for now, all eyes are on how the Hammers respond on the pitch. Survival remains in their hands — but failure to turn the tide soon could plunge the club into a financial and sporting crisis from which recovery may not come easily.

Legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is in stunning form and could now extend his stay at Bayern Munich beyond his 40th birthday. With contract talks planned for December and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen injured, speculation is also mounting over a sensational return to the Germany squad for the 2026 World Cup despite the shot stopper having retired from international duty.

Bayern planning December talks over new deal

Bayern are preparing to open contract talks with Neuer in December over a new deal that could see him play beyond his 40th birthday, according to a report from . The veteran goalkeeper, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, has been in imperious form of late, prompting the club to consider extending his stay into the 2026-27 campaign.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesExtension impact on Alexander Nubel's future

A new contract for Neuer would have significant consequences for Alexander Nubel's future at the club. Should the Bayern captain extend, a permanent sale of Nubel next summer is considered highly likely. The 29-year-old, currently on a long-term loan at Stuttgart, has a contract with Bayern until 2029. However, the report states that another loan move is out of the question, and Stuttgart do not have the financial means to secure him permanently.

Renewed speculation over Germany World Cup role

Neuer's outstanding performances have also reignited public debate about a potential return to the German national team for the 2026 World Cup, particularly with current No. 1 Ter Stegen facing a lengthy injury spell. Former Bayern and German Football Association (DFB) director Matthias Sammer recently added fuel to the speculation, telling : "If we can afford to do without our best players, then we shouldn't throw away the World Cup title."

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Neuer and Bayern?

While a return to the national team remains speculative, Neuer's immediate future at club level is becoming clearer. The upcoming talks in December will be decisive in mapping out the final years of his illustrious career. For now, he remains the undisputed No.1 for Vincent Kompany's side as they compete in the Bundesliga and Champions League. An extension would cement his legendary status and solve Bayern’s short-term goalkeeping plans, while forcing a definitive decision on the future of his long-term heir apparent, Nubel.

Leeds United may have seen the transfer window slam shut, but they are still in the race to bring in a former Premier League star who is on the free agent market, according to a report.

Leeds United miss out on Josh Brownhill

Despite the Whites showing an interest in Josh Brownhill, the former Burnley midfielder won’t be moving to Elland Road after leaving Turf Moor for a new challenge elsewhere. Instead, the Warrington-born man is set for a surprise move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Shabab, with Graeme Bailey detailing on X that he has knocked back advances from several Premier League clubs to sign a lucrative deal in the Middle East.

He stated: “Josh Brownhill has agreed terms on his move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Shabab. Brownhill shunned interest from Wolves, Everton and Leeds whilst also rebuffing a late approach from Brentford. He is now due for his medical ahead of penning a two-year-deal worth £100,000-a-week.”

Injuries to Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu have left Leeds light in midfield. At the same time, Joe Rodon recently pulled out of Wales’ double header against Kazakhstan and Canada, albeit he is expected to recover in time to face Fulham.

Nevertheless, a disappointing end to the window has left Leeds a body or two short from middle to front, factoring in circumstances, something that Chelsea’s late hijack of their move for Facundo Buonanotte didn’t help.

Leeds had deal agreed to sign "important" ace who once silenced Elland Road

It was a day to forget for the Yorkshire club…

2 ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

Senne Lammens was also approached by Leeds before choosing to move to Manchester United, capping off a frustrating final few hours of the market.

Nevertheless, there could still be some out-of-window action at the Whites, with Daniel Farke set to fight to strengthen their engine room with the arrival of a renowned free agent.

Leeds United battling to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

According to Football Insider, Leeds United are looking to sign former Premier League midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer after he was released by Besiktas.

Pete O’Rourke explained the situation: “Now that he’s left Besiktas, clubs have been put on alert by his availability. There’s interest from clubs in the Premier League, Championship and across Europe as well, with Leeds and Birmingham among them. So I’m sure he’d be ready to return to England after a couple of years away, and I expect there will be some movement on his future soon.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Premier League record

Appearances

235

Goals

20

Assists

24

Titles

PL winner in 2019/20

Praised by Jurgen Klopp for his double against Genk in the Champions League back in 2019, the former England international is now 32 years of age and scored once in 20 appearances across all competitions last season.

Now looking to get back to familiar surroundings, he may find a home at Elland Road due to Farke’s shortage of midfielders, offering leadership and experience if the Whites can beat Birmingham City to his signature.

Eight-week exclusivity period extended until end of April as contract negotiations continue

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2025

The exclusivity period for the eight prospective buyers of stakes in the Hundred has been extended until the end of April, after concerns were raised about the terms of the agreement, in particular those relating to future broadcasting rights.The ECB’s landmark equity sale concluded in mid-February and is expected to result in a cash injection of approximately £520 million into English cricket, following the sales of at least 49% stakes in each of the eight existing teams.However, as reported by the Daily Telegraph, the ECB has received pushback on the terms of the agreement from four of the interested parties, including the investors in both London Spirit and Oval Invincibles, the two London-based teams that received the highest valuations in the sales process.Reliance Industries, owned by India’s Ambani family, is set to pay £60 million for its 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, while Cricket Investor Holdings, the American tech consortium in negotiations with MCC, valued its own 49% stake in London Spirit at £145 million.Related

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The Indian owners of Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers are also understood to have reservations about the ECB’s participation agreement, a key legal document which will determine how the tournament’s television rights are sold in the future.The Hundred is currently part of the ECB’s exclusive domestic rights deal with Sky Sports, which also covers international cricket and is up for renewal for the 2028 to 2032 cycle. The new owners are understood to have queried this model, arguing that the competition ought to be available as a separate entity to the highest bidder.None of the eight franchises are planning to sign their agreements until all of the new owners are satisfied with the arrangements. ESPNcricinfo understands that an extension to the eight-week exclusivity period had always been likely given the complexity of the negotiations.No major changes are anticipated for the 2025 edition of the tournament, which commences on August 5, when London Spirit host Oval Invincibles at Lord’s.

There will be a player draft as well as a round of pre-draft signings ahead of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2025The 13th edition of the men’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be held from August 14 to September 21 this year, Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the CPL announced on Friday. “Once again there will be no clash with West Indies international matches,” a CPL statement said.”We are pleased to have once again worked with Cricket West Indies to find a window that allows the very best players from across the region to take part in the CPL,” Pete Russell, the CPL chief executive, said. “The 2024 season was our most successful to date and we are looking forward to building on that success in 2025.”As has been the case since 2022, there will be 30 league-stage matches featuring the six teams, followed by four playoffs – the eliminator, two qualifiers, and the final. St Lucia Kings are the defending champions, and the tournament will feature losing 2024 finalists Guyana Amazon Warriors, Barbados Royals, Trinbago Knight Riders, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, who replaced Jamaica Tallawahs before the 2024 edition.Lynford Inverary, acting chief executive and chief operating officer of CWI, said, “While CWI continues to take a leading role in shaping our overall cricket calendar, the CPL remains a key part of our cricketing ecosystem, playing an important role in the development and promotion of the game throughout the Caribbean.”Specifics in terms of venues, fixtures, etc will be announced later. There will be a draft as well as a round of pre-draft signings for the teams to get their squads in place.

Next season feels like it’s going to be a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are coming off a brilliant campaign in which they secured Champions League football, won the Conference League and even beat Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup.

Add to that the brilliant work the club have been doing in the transfer market by signing players like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens, and it’s hard not to see them taking another step forward.

Moreover, the West Londoners appear to be looking to do even more in the market, with links to Xavi Simons heating up in recent days.

However, to bring him in, they may need to offload another attacker first, or simultaneously.

Why Chelsea would want to sign Simons

Chelsea have been linked with Simons for what feels like a couple of weeks now, but it’s been in the last few days that things have started to heat up, with some reports claiming personal terms have already been agreed, and that RB Leipzig are holding out for a fee of around £61m.

Now, that is most certainly a lot of money, but with how well the Dutchman has played in recent seasons, and the potential so many believe him to possess, that could be a fee that looks like fair value a few years from now.

For example, in just 33 games last season, totalling just 2763 minutes, the 22-year-old “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

That means the 22-year-old phenom managed to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 144 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that Leipzig struggled massively and ended up finishing in seventh place, outside all European places.

Another reason the Blues should be looking to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect is his positional versatility.

For example, while one analyst recently described him as “one of the best 10s in the world,” the Amsterdam-born dynamo is more than capable of playing on either flank, and has even made several appearances up top.

In all, Simons is worth splashing the cash on, but to make room for him in the squad and to help with the financial side of things, Chelsea might need to move someone on first, and it looks like they may well do so.

The star Chelsea could move on

Chelsea have already made several sales this summer, with Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga making the increasingly common move to Arsenal, and most recently, João Félix moving to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

Transfer Focus

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

However, it now looks like they could be making even more room for new attacking signings by potentially moving on Christopher Nkunku.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which has revealed that during talks about Simons, Leipzig have expressed “genuine interest” in re-signing the French forward.

The 27-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge for £52m in the summer of 2023, and it’s not entirely clear whether he’d go back to Germany for a fee or as part of a swap deal, but this feels like an exit the Blues should facilitate.

It’s not that the previously “unstoppable” attacker, as journalist Zach Lowy described him during his time with Leipzig, has been terrible for the West Londoners, but he has been undeniably underwhelming.

Yet, while his tally of 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances isn’t dreadful, it’s important to note the competitions in which the vast majority of those goal involvements came.

For example, of his 18 goals, five came in the Conference League, two in the qualifiers and three in the League Cup – in other words, he’s been a second-string player at best.

What makes that somewhat of a problem is the fact he’s not earning the wage of a second-string player; instead, he’s taking home a hefty £195k-per-week, which made him the fourth-highest earner last season.

Ultimately, if Chelsea can move on Nkunku this summer and get his wages off the books, that would be great, and it’d be even better if his exit helped facilitate a move for Simons.

A better signing than Garnacho: Chelsea make contact for £43m PL "monster"

The international star might be just the player Chelsea need.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 1, 2025

Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird is in no rush to appoint Nick Hockley’s successor, with the outgoing CEO’s March exit still a flexible date.Hockley addressed his last AGM as the sport’s boss on Thursday, as Cricket Australia delivered a better-than-expected AU$31.9 million loss for the financial year.Officials have launched a global search for Hockley’s replacement, after the chief executive announced his impending exit last August.Related

• ICC could introduce dedicated fund to reinforce Test cricket outside Big Three

• Nick Hockley to step down as Cricket Australia chief executive

Players’ union boss and former NRL CEO Todd Greenberg remains the front-runner for the role, while AAP is aware of interest from other CA executives.Hockley had flagged a March exit when he announced his decision to move on, but remains open to staying beyond that if a replacement is not readily available.”The process is under way,” Baird said. “There is not surprisingly a huge amount of interest in the role. We will run through that in a considered way as a board, there is no rush.”We want to make sure we get the right person for the next phase. Nick remains here and has a huge amount to do. We expect to be able to meet the timeline, but we’re very relaxed.”CA’s annual loss came in what was always expected to be a down year for the organisation, with neither England or India touring last summer.The deficit was also greater than in the 2022-23 season, given that year’s finances were propped up by hosting the men’s T20 World Cup.The annual result left the sport’s cash reserves at $25.7 million amid estimations of the Covid pandemic leaving the sport with a $100 million hit.”The expectation is at the end of these two years we will have reserves in excess of $70 million,” Baird said. “It’s obviously a huge uplift relative to where we have been … we’re very bullish about the next two [summers] and it’s reflected in the forecast.”Hockley insisted moves had been made to make CA’s budget more resilient against summers without India or England, through new content, investments, cost-efficiency moves and greater digital assets.Baird also indicated Australia were pushing ahead with plans for a Test fund with the ICC, in a bid to support nations outside of the big three and safeguard the red-ball game.Meanwhile, CA directors Lachlan Henderson, Greg Rowell and Clea Smith were all re-elected at Thursday’s meeting. Fellow director Paul Green announced he would soon step down.