فجّر أحمد حسام ميدو نجم الزمالك السابق مفاجآت مدوية حول المدير الفني السابق للفريق يانيك فيريرا، مؤكدًا أن المدرب البلجيكي يحاول ابتزاز إدارة القلعة البيضاء عبر تصريحات مسيئة، رغم أن اسمه نفسه ارتبط سابقًا بأكبر ملف تلاعب بنتائج المباريات في تاريخ بلجيكا.

وقال ميدو في برنامجه “أوضة اللبس” على قناة النهار: “فيريرا خرج بالأمس وقال إن الزمالك بلا إمكانيات، وإن الملعب وغرف الملابس في حالة سيئة، وإن اشتراك جهاز تحليل الأداء انتهى قبل مباراة الأهلي، مما سبب ارتباكًا كبيرًا. لو كان تمّ تسوية مستحقاته من البداية، ما كان ليخرج بهذا الشكل”.

وأضاف: “هذا أكبر دليل أن الهدف من كلامه هو الضغط وابتزاز إدارة الزمالك للحصول على كامل مستحقاته، هذا ليس أسلوب مدربين محترمين، أهم شيء حدث لفيريرا في حياته هو أن اسم الزمالك ارتبط به، وخروجه بهذا الشكل يوضح شخصيته”.

طالع أيضًا | فيريرا: صفقة وحيدة جاءت بموافقتي في الزمالك.. ويرد على أنباء تدخل جون إدوارد في التشكيل

وتابع: “من أكبر الأخطاء التي حدثت بالفترة الماضية هو توليه القيادة الفنية للفريق، فقد حاول بكل الطرق الحصول على أكبر قدر من المكاسب”.

ثم فجّر ميدو مفاجأة مدوية بقوله: “أكبر قضية تلاعب بنتائج المباريات في تاريخ بلجيكا، المعروفة بـ(القضية صفر)، والتي هزّت الكرة الأوروبية بالكامل، تم توجيه الاتهام فيها لـ58 شخصًا بين رؤساء أندية وحكام. وواحد من المتهمين في القضية كان هو يانيك فيريرا أثناء تدريبه لنادي ميخلين البلجيكي”.

واختتم: “واحدة من أسباب رحيل فيريرا المبكر عن الزمالك قبل السوبر، هي معرفة مجلس الإدارة بهذه القضية، وأنه أحد الأشخاص الذين وُجّهت لهم اتهامات رسمية”.

Arsenal have now joined the race to sign Marseille striker Robinio Vaz, who they could be a perfect fit for their attack, but there is set to be competition from a Premier League rival.

Despite bringing in Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window, the Gunners have still been left a little light on options at centre-forward this season, with the Sweden international missing the last two Premier League games, alongside long-term absentee Kai Havertz.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side didn’t look like they were missing their star strikers one jot on Sunday afternoon, making a real statement with a 4-1 victory against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, with Eberechi Eze bagging a hat-trick.

Despite not scoring, Mikel Merino managed to impress in the absence of Gyokeres and Havertz, setting up Leandro Trossard’s opening goal, which suggests the north Londoners now have a deep enough squad to cope with any injury setbacks.

However, that hasn’t stopped Arteta & co identifying a new striker as a target…

Arsenal join race to sign Marseille striker Robinio Vaz

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal have now joined the race to sign Marseille striker Vaz, with scouts of the belief he would be a perfect fit in their forward line, but there could be competition for the 18-year-old’s signature.

Chelsea have now taken the lead in the race for the striker, having already made contact with his representatives, while the Gunners are being more patient, given that the youngster is regarded as a long-term addition to the squad, rather than someone capable of making an instant impact.

The Ligue 1 side are reluctant to cash-in, but a deal could be relatively affordable for the two London giants if they choose to step up their interest, given that the Frenchman’s asking price is around the €20m – €30m (£18m – £26m) mark.

The teenager, who has made two Champions League appearances this season, has been described as “pure quality” by scout Jacek Kulig, and there have been signs he could be a difference-maker in Marseille’s push to win the Ligue 1 title.

The centre-forward has managed to impress when coming off the bench this season, and he already has four goals to his name in the league, while also registering two assists.

That said, while Vaz may have the potential to become a top-level striker, it would not be the end of the world if Arsenal miss out, considering Arteta already has Gyokeres and Havertz at his disposal, while Gabriel Jesus has now returned to first-team training.

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Ellyse Perry keen to get started under new head coach Ali Maiden, who steered Bears Women to Blast runners-up spot

Alan Gardner06-Aug-2025Ellyse Perry says Birmingham Phoenix will be approaching the new women’s Hundred season with “very much a clean slate” as they look to make significant improvement on last year’s seventh-place finish and reach the knockouts for the first time since the competition began in 2021.Perry is back for a third campaign in Phoenix orange, and second as captain, but there have been extensive changes throughout the set-up at Edgbaston, with a new head coach – Ali Maiden replacing Ben Sawyer – and significant turnover among the playing group.Perry’s Australia compatriots, Megan Schutt and Georgia Voll – the latter a £65,000 (US$86,350) signing in March’s draft after her stellar rise – will help fill the overseas slots, with former Phoenix captain Sophie Devine having moved to Southern Brave, while the core of the squad that Maiden, who was on the coaching staff of title-winners London Spirit last year, has assembled features an increased number of the players that he works with in his joint role in charge of Bears Women.Stir in another international recruit in Emma Lamb, who arrives from Manchester Originals having returned to England colours in recent weeks, and with Sterre Kalis, the Netherlands batter who was a key cog of the Bears side that reached the final of the women’s T20 Blast last month, leading the social side of things and Phoenix will hope to begin their season on Friday against Trent Rockets in buoyant mood.Related

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“I’ve chatted to Ali for the last six months or so, since he has come into the role, and he’s obviously also taken on Warwickshire over the summer, and I think it was really clear the way that they wanted to play, especially in the Vitality Blast,” Perry said at a KP Snacks event in Charlton Park, helping to celebrate their achievement of installing 100 all-weather, grassroots community cricket pitches across England and Wales.”It’s a really positive brand of cricket, which I know is spoken about all the time in the shorter format, but I think he’s got a real emphasis on athleticism, and creating opportunities with bat and ball through that. So that’s really exciting for us. He’s obviously had some really great success with Warwickshire in the first season of the new competition, and he just brings some great energy and enthusiasm to the group. I know the girls are really excited to play under him.”Perry led both the batting and bowling averages in 2024 but lacked support, notably in run-scoring, with Kalis, Devine and Amy Jones the only other Phoenix players to aggregate more than 100. Although the team finished second from bottom, their tally of three wins was three more than the season before, when they came last in the group.Perry said that recruitment for the upcoming campaign had focused on building “some really strong batting depth, which is something we’ve spoken about a lot in terms of being able to take the game on earlier, probably something that we struggled with last year”.”When you build depth, it gives you a little bit more leeway to do that [bat aggressively] and confidence and sort of buy in from the entire group, knowing that we’ve got a lot of weaponry in the cupboard to do that right throughout. So yeah, it will definitely be a focus for us, and I think we’ve got the blend to do that.”Joining Kalis in the squad are fellow Bears, Em Arlott, Hannah Baker, Phoebe Brett, Bethan Ellis and Miller Taylor. Alongside confidence built from the team’s Blast form, as they narrowly lost out to Surrey in the final, Perry said the group would benefit from Maiden’s “clarity” in the way he wants to play.”Ali is quite distinct and prescriptive about how he wants us to play in some respects, which is a really nice thing with when you see that be effective. And, yeah, I thought the Bears played some really great cricket across the Vitality Blast, and got some girls in some really good form. But equally someone like Emma Lamb’s had a great summer so far. It’s just nice to have that real clarity and confidence in the way that you want to play and know that it can be effective.”I guess every season in a franchise competition is really very much a clean slate. You look at how much changes across the board, whether that’s personnel or, in particular in women’s cricket, the depth of the competition and just and how close teams are now becoming in terms of lists.”So we’ve got a really fresh team this year, new staff, right across the board. So I think it’s probably just a really great opportunity to lay a new foundation, play a style of cricket that we’re really keen on playing. In terms of results, the things that you can control are really just the effort that you put in and how you want to play. The rest of it is kind of a bit of madness in franchise cricket, and to see how that pans out.”Perry was able to observe Maiden’s Bears at reasonably close quarters, having spent the last month playing for Hampshire; she made 58 off 44 balls before falling to Phoenix team-mate Baker when the Hawks were beaten at Utilita Bowl. The switch to lining up alongside those same players is one that regulars on the franchise circuit such as Perry are used to.”In this day and age, that’s not really a foreign concept. You play against and with team-mates all the time across various competitions. I had an absolutely amazing time at Hampshire. Was a really great experience, and a wonderful group of people. And just really lovely to be able to make new friends.”In terms of the Phoenix girls, we’ve got a pretty fresh group, not too many players from last year. So there’s quite an air of excitement around the group, some nerves, but in a good way, and just lots of energy, which is really cool. I know some of the girls from various instances, and then there’s some girls I don’t know as well. So it’ll be really cool to bring all that together.”KP Snacks, the Official Team Partner of the Hundred, are celebrating the installation of 100 new community cricket pitches across England and Wales. To find out more and search for your nearest pitch, visit: www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder

If you were to ask Chelsea fans which position of the team is the weakest, a good number would point to the defence.

After all, Enzo Maresca’s side have scored the second most goals in the Premier League this season, but six teams have conceded fewer goals.

However, to be more specific, the issue is not with the club’s world-class full-back options, but at centre-back, where the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah have underwhelmed.

It seems the board are also dissatisfied with the work of their centre-backs, as reports have linked Chelsea with an international icon who could outright replace both of them by next season.

Chelsea target Tosin & Chalobah upgrade

With the transfer window starting to come back into view, more and more reports are linking Chelsea with potential signings.

Transfer Focus

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

The likes of the in-form Marcus Rashford and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have been touted for moves to West London in the last week or so.

However, while the pair of them would certainly improve Maresca’s squad, they wouldn’t be upgrades on Tosin or Chalobah, unlike Antonio Rüdiger.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing their former defender, who left the club for Real Madrid in 2022.

More than that, the report has revealed that the Blues have already made an offer of around €8m, which is about £7m.

However, while Los Blancos are open to the German leaving as soon as January, they have turned down the offer, deeming it to be too low.

Fortunately, as the 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire in the summer, there is a good chance the two sides will be able to come to a reasonable agreement.

It would be a surprising move, but one Chelsea should follow through with, even if Rüdiger’s return would likely be bad news for Tosin and Chalobah.

Why Rüdiger would spell the end for Tosin and Chalobah

So the first thing to say is that neither Tosin nor Chalobah is a bad defender. In fact, the pair of them are more than serviceable Premier League players who have the track record to prove it.

However, while that might make them perfect players for sides like Fulham, Crystal Palace or even Everton, it’s not enough to see them start regularly for a club the size of Chelsea.

Playing for the Blues means every little mistake, misplaced pass, lapse in concentration is magnified tenfold and can be particularly costly in the pursuit of titles and trophies.

This is why Maresca needs a player like Rüdiger in his squad and why he would ultimately spell the end for the pair of them, as he is a centre-back who has been there, done it and won practically all there is to win.

During his time in West London, for example, he started ten of the club’s 12 games in their triumphant Champions League campaign in 20/21, and just a few years before that was just as vital in their FA Cup victory.

Since then, he has won another UCL title with Real, a La Liga title and a Copa Del Rey, while being called “the best defender in the world” by former teammate Mesut Özil.

Moreover, while he’s barely played this season, that is mostly down to injury, as across all competitions last year, he made 55 appearances, totalling 4539 minutes.

The Berlin-born titan is also still an important part of the national team, amassing 81 senior caps, in which he’s even scored three goals and provided five assists.

Appearances

55

Starts

50

Minutes

4539′

Goals

3

Assists

1

Points per Game

2.11

Finally, another important reason the 6 foot 3 monster would be an excellent signing for the Blues is that he’d be an incredible mentor for both Levi Colwill and Josh Acheampong.

In other words, the former Chelsea star could come back and help create the club’s future centre-back partnership.

Ultimately, if Rüdiger returns to Stamford Bridge in January, it would be brilliant for the club, but it would likely signal the end of both Chalobah and Tosin’s time getting regular minutes.

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Callum McGregor’s stunning winner for Celtic against St Mirren on Saturday night in the Scottish Premiership looks even more important with the benefit of hindsight.

Hearts went on to lose to Aberdeen on Sunday in their match, which means that the Hoops are only four points adrift of the Jam Tarts and have a game in hand over them.

Martin O’Neill has done a terrific job in interim charge, winning all of his Premiership matches so far, but some of the players who struggled under Brendan Rodgers have also struggled under him, including Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

Why Balikwisha looks like a misjudged signing by Celtic

The Hoops signed the Belgian forward from Royal Antwerp in a deal worth up to £5m during the summer transfer window, but it was an odd piece of business because Sebastian Tounekti, who plays in the same position, was also brought in from Hammarby.

Tounekti has since started all 12 of his appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League, per Sofascore, whilst Balikwisha has started twice in the Premiership and is yet to start in Europe.

In fact, the former Antwerp star has been an unused substitute for O’Neill in the last two league games against Kilmarnock and St Mirren, which suggests that he has failed to impress the Northern Irishman in training.

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Balikwisha has, therefore, been a bad signing for the Hoops because he has failed to earn a place in the team on a regular basis, and it was an odd move by the club given the deal they then clinched for Tounekti in the same area of the pitch.

The 24-year-old flop was not the worst attacking signing made by the Scottish giants in the summer, though, as that award may go to centre-forward Shin Yamada.

Why Shin Yamada was a worse signing for Celtic than Michel-Ange Balikwisha

He was a curious signing by Celtic in the summer transfer window because the Japanese forward only scored two goals in 21 J1 League matches in the 2025 campaign for his previous club, after a return of 19 goals in 38 matches in 2024, per Sofascore.

This suggests that the Hoops were signing a player who was on the decline, given his poor goalscoring record this year, and that made it a slightly puzzling move.

His time at Parkhead so far this season has done little to answer any questions around why the club decided to sign him on a permanent deal, as he has rarely featured or made an impact when given the opportunity.

Appearances

4

7

Minutes played

137

236

Goals

0

0

Big chances missed

2

0

Big chances created

0

1

Assists

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha has played more matches and more minutes in the league, delivering one assist, than the former J1 League marksman.

Shin was also left out of the squad for the league phase of the Europa League, as Johnny Kenny, Kelechi Iheanacho, Daizen Maeda, and Callum Osmand were picked ahead of him in his position, whilst Balikwisha has made three appearances in that competition.

Brendan Rodgers said that Shin was a “strong player who can score goals and create for others” in his unveiling, but a return of two goals and one assist in 27 games for Kawasaki Frontale and Celtic combined, per Sofascore, in 2025 does not back that up.

The 25-year-old striker is yet to deliver a goal or an assist for the Hoops in six appearances in his first three months at the club, and appears to be well down the pecking order after being left as an unused substitute against St Mirren last time out.

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Therefore, as it stands, Shin is looking like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants than Balikwisha, who has at least provided an assist in the league and been included in the European squad list.

After India A posted 413, they dismissed Australia A for 242 in 33.1 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025
Hundreds from opener Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer set up India A’s demolition of Australia A in the first unofficial ODI in Kanpur on Wednesday. After rain allowed no play on Tuesday, the weather cleared for the series to get underway on the reserve day.After being asked to bat, India A posted 413 for 6 on the back of Arya’s 101 and Iyer’s 110. In response, Australia A were dismissed for 242 in 33.1 overs.Each of India’s top six had a strike rate of over 100, and five of their top six scored at least 50. Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who had combined powerfully for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025, were reunited at the top for India A, putting on 135 for the opening stand in 20.3 overs. Iyer then took charge of the innings, hitting 12 fours and four sixes in his first List A match since the Champions Trophy in March earlier this year.Related

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Rajat Patidar was originally named captain for the 50-over series against Australia A but Iyer replaced him, with Patidar taking charge of the Rest of India side in the ongoing Irani Cup in Nagpur. Iyer is on a break from red-ball cricket due to concerns about his back, but continues to be available for white-ball cricket.Riyan Parag (67) and Ayush Badoni (50) also hit half-centuries to propel India A to a mammoth total. Iyer’s dismissal in the 47th over left India A at 380 for 4, but Badoni and allrounder Nishant Sindhu took them past 400.Australia A used seven bowlers, with only Liam Scott going at less than seven an over.Chasing 414, Australia A had a good start: they were 116 for 1 in the 13th over, but Cooper Connolly’s wicket triggered a slide. They lost their last nine wickets for 126 and left almost 17 overs unused in their chase.Opener McKenzie Harvey top-scored for the visitors with 68 off 62 balls while captain Sutherland made 50 off 33 balls. Spinners Sindhu, Bishnoi and Badoni shared seven wickets among them.Gurjapneet Singh, who was making his List A debut, having been fast-tracked into the India A side, came away with 1 for 40 in five overs.India A will be bolstered by the arrival of Asia Cup hero Tilak Varma for the remaining two one-dayers.

There has been a major update on the future of Nottingham Forest’s Arnaud Kalimuendo, with three clubs now keen on securing his signature in the January transfer window.

The forward has featured just twice since the arrival of Sean Dyche, being brought on as a late substitute in the 2-0 Premier League defeat at AFC Bournemouth at the end of October, before going to start in the 0-0 draw against Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

It would be fair to say the 23-year-old struggled to make an impact against the Austrian side, however, recording an xG of just 0.16 and touching the ball 22 times, the lowest of any Forest player that started the match.

The summer signing was also uninvolved in the statement 3-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday, failing to make it off the bench as the Tricky Trees romped home to an easy win, and there has now been a new update on his future at the City Ground…

Update on Arnaud Kalimuendo's future at Nottingham Forest

According to a report from France (via Sport Witness), Kalimuendo’s time at Nottingham Forest is now coming to an ‘abrupt end’, with an ‘abrupt’ exit on the cards, amid interest from the likes of Paris FC, Stuttgart and AS Roma.

The three clubs from across Europe are queuing up for the striker’s signature, with his lack of game time sparking widespread interest from elsewhere, having not yet started a single game in the Premier League so far this season.

The Frenchman may be set to receive even fewer minutes going forward, given that Dyche recently offered a promising update on when a fellow striker could return from injury, saying: “Chris Wood is getting re-scanned, so we are checking up on that. But it is good news so far. Being re-scanned is just part of the process,

“There is nothing untoward about it — it is just a check-up.”

The Forest boss will no doubt be hoping the New Zealand international is able to make a comeback soon, given that Igor Jesus hasn’t exactly set the world alight as of late, having failed to score in his opening 11 Premier League matches this season.

Ultimately, Kalimuendo’s move to the City Ground hasn’t worked out, with Nuno, Ange Postecoglou and now Dyche deciding against giving the centre-forward a run in the side, which suggests he hasn’t been doing enough in training to merit a start.

As such, it may be a wise move to cash-in on the £60k-a-week forward in the January transfer window, in order to reinvest the money into other areas of the squad, with Forest still not out of the woods in the relegation battle, despite moving up to 16th place with the victory over Liverpool.

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Fulham are now planning to make a move for Brendan Rodgers, amid a new update on Marco Silva’s future at Craven Cottage.

Silva is going through a tricky period in the Premier League, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Everton prior to the international break, which leaves his side in 15th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

With the 48-year-old’s contract coming to an end in the summer, there has been speculation about his future, but it seems as though the club hierarchy is keen to keep hold of him, having recently tabled a new contract offer.

However, with the former Everton boss still yet to put pen to paper, there could still be a twist in the tale, and it has now been revealed that an ex-Premier League manager is set to be approached, having recently resigned from his previous role.

Fulham set to sound out Brendan Rodgers amid Marco Silva uncertainty

According to a report from Football Insider, Silva’s future in west London is still in major doubt, which means Fulham are now set to sound out Rodgers over a move to Craven Cottage, with the Northern Irishman still out of work after leaving Celtic last month.

The Cottagers are planning to hold talks with the 52-year-old, who is vastly experienced in the top flight, having managed Swansea City, Leicester City and Liverpool in the past.

Having offered Silva a new deal, there is still a chance he remains in west London, but there are some issues to iron out, with the manager eager to be backed in the transfer window, following a quiet summer, during which Kevin was the only major addition.

It would be a shame to see the Portuguese manager move on, given the fantastic job he has done at Craven Cottage, stabilising Fulham as a top-flight club after guiding them to promotion from the Championship.

Marco Silva’s Fulham record

Games

198

Wins

90

Draws

37

Losses

71

Points per game

1.55

That said, should Silva decide to leave, Rodgers could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “unbelievable” manager by Jamie O’Hara as a result of the work he did during his time at Leicester.

The ex-Foxes boss won the FA Cup and the Community Shield during his time at the King Power Stadium, two of 13 trophies he has lifted as a manager, having also been extremely successful at Celtic.

However, while the Cottagers’ current league position is concerning, their current manager has proven time and time again that he is capable of keeping them in the top flight, so it would be a risk to replace him.

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Former Manchester City forward Shaun Wright-Phillips has urged Harry Kane to team up with Erling Haaland at Manchester City next season, should he decide to call curtains on his Bayern Munich career. The talismanic English striker's contract with the Bavarians runs until June 2027, but reports have claimed that he could depart Allianz Arena at the end of this season.

Kane and Haaland vying for the 2025-26 European Golden Shoe

The duo have made a blistering start to the 2025-26 season, scoring crucial – and plenty of – goals for their respective sides. Kane has beautifully led Bayern Munich's charge in the opening three months of the ongoing campaign, having already netted a staggering 24 goals in just 18 games for Die Roten across all competitions.   

In September, he became the quickest man in the history of Europe's top five leagues to reach the milestone of a century of goals for a single club, taking 104 games to achieve the feat. In the process, he toppled Cristiano Ronaldo and Haaland, both taking 105 games for Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively.  

Kane's ridiculous form in front of goal has played a big part in Vincent Kompany's side breaking AC Milan's record of 13 consecutive wins at the start of the 1992-93 season, as Bayern went on to win 16 in a row before being halted by Union Berlin following a 2-2 draw.  

On the other hand, Haaland's importance to this City side cannot be understated. The Norwegian has already breached the 30-goal mark for both club and country, 19 of those coming under the orders of Pep Guardiola in the sky blue of City. His absence was sorely felt against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, as the German outfit pulled off a shock 2-0 win against a City side that didn't have the services of Haaland and several other regulars from the beginning. 

That said, the form of both Kane and Haaland has been imperious since the season kicked off. They, along with Kylian Mbappe, have become the early frontrunners in the race for the 2025-26 European Golden Shoe, scoring 14 league goals each. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKane urged to team-up with Haaland

Former Premier League winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who spent nine years with City, believes that Kane and Haaland could coexist at the Etihad Stadium next season and beyond, thus urging the former to return to the Premier League instead of the speculated move to Barcelona in Spain.   

"If you were Harry Kane you could win more silverware at Barcelona, or Real Madrid, why would you turn that down?" he told

"But if he wants that record in the Premier League, then I think Manchester City would welcome him with open arms. I think even if they only play with one striker, they can rotate with Erling Haaland. I think both players would accept that as long as they were winning trophies.   

"More than that, I think they can play together, because Kane is an exceptional No.10 too, and it would free Haaland up. As soon as Kane has the ball and turns. Haaland would be running in behind and Kane would find him." 

Kane has no interest in leaving Bayern Munich

Earlier this season, dropped a bombshell by claiming that Kane has a 'secret' €65 million (£57m/$76m) release clause inserted into his Bayern contract, which runs until June 2027. For the clause to take effect, though, the 32-year-old is required to inform the club’s executives at Sabener Straße of his desire to depart by the end of January 2026.

Despite the reports, Kane seems to be pretty relaxed, even admitting that he is open to considering extending his stay at the Allianz Arena beyond 2027. "I have almost two years left. It’s not like I’m in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking," he told reporters in September. "I’m fine. The club is fine. I think they’re happy with me, and I’m happy with them. Those discussions can take place.”

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AFPBarcelona consider Kane to be the ideal Lewandowski replacement

Barcelona are set to undergo a big summer of squad changes at the end of the season. Robert Lewandowski, whose contract with the Catalans will end next summer, has one foot out of the Camp Nou as things stand. 

The prevailing speculation, then, is that the reigning La Liga champions are determined to pull out all the stops in their pursuit of Kane, whom they view as the ideal successor to the ageing Pole. Moreover, his €65m release clause is believed to fall within the financial reach of a club carrying one of the largest debt burdens in world football. 

As for Kane, he isn't entertaining any suggestions of a potential move to Barcelona or elsewhere. "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me," he told recently. "I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. 

"There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

On whether Bayern fans should be worried about his future at the club, he responded: "I don't think so."

The Mets were dealt a major blow to their offseason plans after slugging first baseman Pete Alonso agreed to spurn New York and sign a five-year contract with the Orioles in free agency.

The contract will pay Alonso $155 million, $31 million per season, and runs through the 2030 campaign. It’s the second time in as many days that the Mets lost out on one of their own free agents, following Edwin Díaz’s decision to join the Dodgers instead of returning to Queens.

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. If you’re a Mets fan, losing Alonso stings. Badly.

But that’s baseball, and now Steve Cohen & Co. will need to scour the market for a replacement, whether it be via a free agency signing of their own or potentially swinging a trade to find a new everyday first baseman. With that in mind, let’s explore some potential fits for the Mets at first base following Alonso’s departure.

Pete Alonso replacements for Mets this offseasonSign Cody Bellinger

Bellinger has played more outfield than first base in his career, but he’s still played 350 games at first in his career. And in terms of prowess at the plate, he may be the closest available option to Alonso that the Mets can realistically pursue. He doesn’t boast the same power stroke, but he’s an excellent hitter who is more than capable of handling first base duties.

Last year with the Yankees, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. Could he be the next player to shed his pinstripes and make the cross-city move to Queens?

Trade for Yandy Díaz

If the Rays opt to move on from Yandy Díaz, the Mets could suddenly find themselves as a logical destination. Díaz and Alonso are pretty different in terms of what they provide. While Alonso swings for the fences, Díaz excels at getting on base and hitting for contact. He slashed .300/.386/.482 last season and launched a career-high 25 home runs to go with 83 RBIs. Díaz has recorded a bWAR of 3.4 or higher in three of the last four seasons.

Díaz, 34, is due $12 million in 2026 and has a conditional club option worth $10 million for the 2027 season. It’s an inexpensive deal, considering his production, and if New York is willing to move some pieces to land him, they’d have another quality hitter in the lineup.

Sign Munetaka Murakami

Munetaka Murakami, 25, is heading to MLB from the NPB, and he could be an intriguing option for teams looking to beef up their lineup with some power. He plays third base and first base primarily, and is coming off a strong season for the Yakult Swallows in which he had an OPS of 1.051 and 25 home runs in 69 games.

It’s unclear how he’ll fare against the superior pitching in MLB, but if he’s able to provide even half of that power at the plate in the U.S., he would be a great addition for any team. After losing out on Alonso, Murakami could be a viable fit in Queens.

Sign Ryan O’Hearn

O’Hearn had a solid season last year, splitting time between the Padres and Orioles. In 144 games, he had 17 home runs and a .803 OPS, doing enough to make his first-ever trip to the All-Star Game. O’Hearn, 32, is a talented left-handed hitter who can shuffle between right field and first base. While he’s not as gifted a power hitter as Alonso, he’s a good all-around batter who’s recorded a batting average of .280 or higher in two of the last three seasons.

Trade for Christian Walker

Christian Walker’s first year with the Astros was not too successful. He recorded a career-low batting average (.238) and had his second-worst OPS (.717), despite hitting 27 home runs and driving in 88 RBIs. His 0.2 bWAR was the worst mark of his career in any season in which he played more than 57 games, and his strikeout rate went way up to 27.7%.

In the three previous seasons before ‘25, Walker had a .813 OPS with 95 home runs and 281 RBIs across 447 games. The talent is there, even if he didn’t put his best foot forward in Houston. Could the Mets swing a trade for the remaining two years and $40 million left on his contract? A change of scenery could be exactly what Walker needs to return to form, and if he can produce like he did from 2022 to ‘24, he’d be a great addition to the Mets’ lineup.

Sign Paul Goldschmidt

Another player—and former Yankee—the Mets could potentially entertain signing as a replacement for Alonso would be the veteran Paul Goldschmidt. The 38-year-old is back on the open market after a one-year stint in the Bronx, during which he logged a .731 OPS and hit 10 home runs across 146 games.

Goldschmidt, at this stage of his career, wouldn’t be the flashiest addition. He plays about league-average defense and no longer possesses the same power at the plate he previously did, but he’s as experienced as they come and could still be a regular contributor in the back-end of the Mets’ lineup. The team has reportedly looked into Goldschmidt as a potential replacement for Alonso, though he’d certainly be a stopgap option at best, considering he’s at the tail end of his career.