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Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a move in the January transfer window for Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo.

The Lowdown: Champions League stunner

The 26-year-old scored a stunning goal in the Champions League group stages in midweek, unleashing a thunderbolt from outside of the box which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

It put Benfica 2-0 up on the night against their opponents Maccabi Haifa, and it is an early contender for goal of the tournament.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Tutto Juve, Newcastle – along with Premier League rivals Arsenal – are interested in signing Grimaldo in January.

Despite his Champions League heroics, he could still be sold for less than €10m (£8.7m).

The Verdict: Bargain

If Newcastle club can sign Grimaldo at that kind of price, then it would be an absolute bargain.

At 26 years of age, the Spaniard has already played more than 250 times for Portuguese giants Benfica, and more than 30 games in the prestigious Champions League (Transfermarkt).

The Magpies would likely have to sell either or both of Jamal Lewis and Paul Dummett to make room for Grimaldo, as they would have too many left-backs in the squad, but it is a deal which would surely be worth it in the long-term.

Incidentally, the Benfica defender shares the same agent as Eddie Howe, so this could also give the Toon an advantage when it comes to January.

Fulham have been handed a double injury boost ahead of this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Brentford.

What’s the news?

During his recent press conference, their manager Marco Silva revealed that his squad’s current fitness status is the same as it was prior to last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Wolves.

In a recent tweet following Silva’s press conference, injury analyst Ben Dinnery said that Andreas Pereira and Bobby Decordova-Reid are fine after the duo picked up knocks at Molineux last weekend.

Pereira currently has the second-highest number of shot-creating actions (five) in the Fulham squad and made the joint-highest number of key passes (two) in the draw against Wolves, in addition to having the joint-highest average for key passes per game (1.5) at Craven Cottage so far this season.

This shows just how significant he is for the team in terms of creating and setting up goalscoring chances.

Bearing in mind how only two clubs have made more interceptions than Brentford (36) so far in the 2022/23 Premier League, having a player like the Brazilian pulling the strings and playing key passes which can make the Bees susceptible to goalscoring opportunities would be a big boost for Fulham.

As for Decordova-Reid, only Aleksandar Mitrovic (3.5) has a higher average for shots per game than him (1.5) in Silva’s squad, showing that while his attributes may lie more in being a danger to goalkeepers, he is still just as crucial an attacking player for the Cottagers as Pereira.

In fact, he was one of only three Fulham players to actually get a shot at goal last weekend against Bruno Lage’s side.

Taking all this into account, having the duo available for today’s showdown against Brentford – who showed last weekend how dangerous they can be as they smashed Manchester United 4-0 – will surely be a boost for Fulham and have Silva thrilled that the duo have not been struck down with serious injuries.

With the Cottagers looking to secure their first league win of the season, if Pereira and Decordova-Reid are both fit enough to play this afternoon, they could give their side a great chance of picking up three points against their west London neighbours.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United target Memphis Depay and his future at Barcelona in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the attacker is in talks with his club to become a free agent in the coming weeks.

He Tweeted: “Excl: Barcelona and Memphis Depay lawyers are in negotiations to reach an agreement on free agency. No way for €20m fee. Depay will accept to leave Barça only in case he’ll find the right option for his future. #FCB Memphis Depay will only consider top clubs.”

90min reported last month that the striker was offered to the Magpies as the club look at strengthening their attacking options before the end of the window.

Chris Wood upgrade

Newcastle could now land the Netherlands international without having to pay a penny in transfer fees if this agreement between him and Barcelona goes through.

By bringing in the forward for nothing, PIF could land Eddie Howe a big upgrade on misfiring striker Chris Wood for the 2022/23 campaign.

The Magpies signed the New Zealand international from Burnley in the January window but he struggled to prove his worth for the club in the second half of the season.

He was given plenty of opportunities to catch the eye of Howe as he played 17 matches in the Premier League. However, he ended that run with two goals and zero assists to his name – with one of his strikes coming from open play.

Meanwhile, Memphis produced 12 goals and two assists in 20 starts in La Liga for Barcelona. His former manager at international level, Ronald Koeman, previously hailed his quality at the top end of the pitch, saying:

“He has freedom here, that’s what he needs to be the best Memphis. He can do that in this team. When he’s a lone striker he tends to drift back too much, so we have a hole up front.

“But when he plays between the lines, like in the last part, he was so strong. He’s turning, attacking, he’s a joy to watch.”

The gem also caught the eye when he was playing in France for Lyon. In his last two campaigns in Ligue 1, he managed to rack up 29 goals and 14 assists, which shows that he has the ability to make a huge impact in the final third – having proven himself in two major European leagues.

He would, therefore, be a considerable upgrade on Wood as his statistics suggest that he would offer far more to the team both in terms of finding the back of the net and setting up teammates.

Glasgow Rangers are closing in on a huge announcement over the future of Alfredo Morelos at the Premiership club… 

What’s the talk?

According to the Glasgow Times, the Light Blues are close to having a deal in place to keep the Colombian at the club beyond next summer.

His current contract expires in 2023 and talks are ongoing with the player’s agents as Ross Wilson looks set to pin him down to fresh terms.

The article goes on to quote Gio van Bronckhorst as saying: “I am only looking at his physical fitness at the moment. He has been out for a long time but is working really hard to get back to the levels that he has to be to perform in games.

“Of course the other issue is the contract he has. He is very positive about signing a new contract, we are doing our best to get Morelos to sign a new contract as well.

“Hopefully in the next coming weeks we will sort it out but the talks are going.”

Van Bronckhorst will be elated

The Ibrox head coach will be left feeling elated by this news, as it suggests that the attacker has decided to commit his future to the club.

Without signing a new deal, Rangers would be running the risk of losing Morelos on a pre-contract in January to foreign clubs or on a free transfer next summer. The prospect of getting nothing back in return for his services may have forced Wilson to consider cashing in on him in this summer in order to avoid a lack of compensation.

Instead, the striker is now set to put pen to paper on a fresh contract and could lead the line once again for the Light Blues next term.

The Colombia international is a proven performer for the club, with 113 goals in 224 appearances, and Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing that he appears likely to again have the 26-year-old as an option for the 2022/23 campaign.

Last season, Morelos caught the eye in the Premiership with 11 goals and seven assists for Rangers, whilst also finding the net four times in eight starts in the Europa League. These statistics show that he is a player capable of making a big impact in the final third.

He is a match-winner and Van Bronckhorst will now be looking forward to him winning many valuable points for the Light Blues in the upcoming season.

AND in other news, Wilson could form a “massive” duo after Rangers given green light for £3.1k-p/w target…

Arsenal are readying an offer to sign Benfica defender Alejandro Grimaldo this summer, according to a report from Portuguese outlet A Bola. 

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed by Barcelona from his hometown club Valencia as a youngster, the 26-year-old came through the academy ranks at the Catalan giants before making the switch to Benfica in 2016 for €1.5m (£1.2m).

The former Spain youth international has since amassed 246 appearances for the Primeira Liga outfit, winning the Portuguese top-flight title on three occasions during his time in Lisbon.

Now into the final 12 months of his contract at Benfica (Transfermarkt), the Gunners could be set to bring Grimaldo to the Premier League…

The latest: Arsenal preparing Grimaldo offer

As per A Bola, Arsenal are believed to be ‘preparing for a new attack’ to sign the Spanish left-back.

It’s claimed that the north London club could look to ‘secure the signing of the Spaniard’ over the coming days as Mikel Arteta attempts to bolster the defensive ranks at the Emirates Stadium.

The report also states that a ‘proposal’ of around €7m (£5.9million) is expected for the man described as being ‘good enough to play for any side’ by Benfica sporting director Tiago Pinto last year.

The verdict: One out, one in

All of this comes as Nuno Tavares stares down the barrel of an early exit from the Gunners, having endured a difficult debut season in north London. Reportedly a target for Ligue 1 club Marseille, the 22-year-old full-back – himself signed from Benfica – could be on his way out of the Emirates after just 28 outings for Arsenal.

If that departure does indeed materialise, given the injury issues suffered by Kieran Tierney, signing Grimaldo would be a smart move from Edu and Arteta in order to ensure that there is sufficient positional backup in place to compete for a top-four finish next season.

During 2021/22, the Spanish defender scored six times and provided nine assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, earning a stellar 7.33 Sofascore rating. He won 4.1 duels and made one clearance and one interception per league game to highlight a top-class defensive acumen to complement his attacking exploits.

Still holding a perceived market value of £18m despite his dwindling contract, signing Grimaldo for anything close to the suggested fee would be a superb piece of transfer business by Arsenal.

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s plans for the summer transfer window after agreeing a deal to sign Nick Pope… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Magpies have made an official move to sign Sven Botman ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking on the Qué Golazo Podcast, the reporter has claimed that the Tyneisde club submitted a €36m (£31m) “proposal” to Lille for the Dutch defender.

Romano stated that Newcastle are in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the centre-back, although he did not say how much the Italian champions are willing to put on the table.

Howe will be buzzing

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, he will be delighted with the pace at which Newcastle are moving to land their targets this summer. Matt Targett has already joined on a permanent deal from Aston Villa after his loan spell last term, while Pope is now set to follow him in a move from Burnley.

Whilst the latter is yet to be officially completed, Newcastle have now submitted a bid to land another addition to the squad in the form of Botman.

If they are successful with those swoops, then Howe will have three new additions with which to work for the start of pre-season. This will give the newcomers plenty of time to get to know their new team-mates and adjust to the club, giving them the best possible chance to hit the ground running once the campaign gets underway.

The Magpies manager will also be buzzing because Botman has the potential to be a sublime signing. In the last two Ligue 1  campaigns, the former Ajax man has shown that he has the maturity – despite being just 22 – and the quality to be a top performer.

He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he made 37 appearances in his debut season in France before averaging a score of 7.10 in 2021/22 across 25 starts. Meanwhile, no Newcastle centre-back averaged a rating of higher than 6.98 in the Premier League last term.

These statistics suggest that the Dutchman would be an upgrade on the current options in his position at St James’ Park, whilst also holding the potential to improve and develop even further over time as he is still in the early stages of his career at first-team level.

Therefore, Howe will be over the moon with the club’s efforts to land Botman and will be hoping that they can get a deal over the line in the coming days.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

Everton have recently been tipped to make a move for Udinese defender Rodrigo Becao, but the statistics suggest that he would be no better than Michael Keane in Frank Lampard’s side next season.

According to Mirror journalist Rich Jones, the Toffees are considering a move for the Brazilian centre-back this summer as they look to amend some of their defensive frailties ahead of next season.

Lampard’s side shipped 66 goals in the top-flight last term, the fifth-worst of any team in the Premier League, so defensive improvements must be made if the Toffees are to avoid another relegation battle next time around.

However, they might be better off looking elsewhere for new defensive options, as Becao’s form in recent seasons does little to support any claims that he would be a success in the Premier League.

Last season saw the Brazilian make 35 appearances in Serie A, in which he contributed two goals and one assist, averaging a disappointing 6.65 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Despite some horrible displays from Keane last term, with the red card against West Ham and his own-goal-stained performance in the 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur springing to mind, he still managed more goals and assists and a better WhoScored rating in the Premier League than Becao in Serie A.

Keane also contributed more interceptions, blocks, clearances and successful headers per game than Becao, so it seems strange that Everton are reportedly keen on signing the 26-year-old.

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Considering that the Toffees have reportedly secured the signing of James Tarkowski on a free transfer from Burnley, they would surely be better off strengthening in other positions, rather than arguably wasting money on the £5.4m-rated Becao.

It is difficult to see what the Udinese man, who has been labelled “insurmountable” in the past by Brazilian journalist Bruno Queiroz, would offer Lampard next season if the Everton boss wants to make improvements in defence, as all the statistics suggest that the 43-year-old would be better off persevering with Keane.

In other news… Dele Alli 2.0: Everton plotting swoop for “average” £20m dud, supporters will be fuming

Everton are due a complete overhaul at Goodison Park following a disappointing season that saw the side battling Premier League relegation, and as a new update emerges it seems the club is wasting no time in making changes.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Lazio have been offered the opportunity to sign Everton midfielder Allan this summer.

As per the report, Allan is an option for the Serie A club to reunite with his former Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri but if he is looking for a deal similar to his current wages at €4m (£3.4m) it would be a struggle for Lazio to offer.

Lampard must finally axe Allan

Although Allan has offered glimpses of good performances this season, when it really mattered in the final stages of the season the Brazilian made numerous mistakes and put in awful performances that could’ve cost Everton dearly if it wasn’t for the efforts of his team-mates.

Two of his most notable poor performances in the last few months came from the Merseyside derby and the game against Newcastle United.

In the Merseyside Derby, Allan completed just one pass in his entire 73 minutes of play guiding them to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, which is an astonishing statistic for a midfielder.

The second notable incident came from a controversial red card decision in the victory over Newcastle United, despite two appeals the midfielder missed out on three important relegation challenging Premier League games following the suspension.

The £120k-per-week player who was dubbed an “imposter” by BBC Radio 5 Live’s Dave Downie, has been ineffective in defensive play this season from the centre of the pitch, losing the majority of his ground and aerial duels combined (46%), has been dribbled past 2.5 times and lost possession of the ball every 4.7 touches on average per game.

With that being said, Lampard must finally axe Allan by identifying players this summer that can improve the midfield and defensive transition that has cost Everton on numerous occasions leading them into a relegation battle and conceding the fifth most goals in the Premier League this season.

AND in other news: “I’m told..”: Journo delivers major Everton transfer claim that’ll delight supporters

Celtic are closing in on securing the SPFL title for the first time under the management of Ange Postecoglou.

After having a significant overhaul of players during the previous summer transfer window, it seems as though a behind the scenes development has emerged that could present the Hoops with the opportunity to secure another new figure to the Parkhead club this time around.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report from the Scottish Sun, Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze has potentially opened the door for a move away from the Swedish club this summer amid recent links to Celtic.

When asked about a potential summer transfer exit, he said: “I can’t say much about that. I’ve always been very clear. If I am going to leave Hammarby it will be for something better than Hammarby. I love it here in Hammarby.”

Great news for Postecoglou

The full-back joined his current club back in the 2020 summer transfer window from fellow Swedish side Mjallby AIF.

Since then, the 25-year-old has made 55 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing 12 assists in the process.

This highlights just how much of a useful attacking figure he can be on the pitch, which could be why he’s on Celtic’s radar for a potential summer transfer.

Taking into account how the likes of Josip Juranovic, Anthony Ralston and Greg Taylor have all provided some goal contributions for the Bhoys in the SPFL this season from the full-back positions, Jeahze could be an ideal addition to their squad.

From a defensive point of view, the left-back has made won more tackles (9) and interceptions (13) than any other player in the Hammarby squad this season.

This shows just how capable he is off the ball and as a defensive unit for his side.

Now that Jeahze has not shut the door for a potential move away from his current club in the summer, this will be great news for Postecoglou if he thinks the full-back would be an ideal signing for the Hoops.

If the opportunity to secure a deal for the Iraq international arises during the upcoming summer transfer window, the Parkhead club should do all they can to get him in their squad and ready to take on the next campaign ahead of them.

In other news: Forget Doak: Celtic must unleash rarely-seen 19y/o who can become a “physical monster”

India conquering Gabba, or the Ben Stokes one-man show at Headingley, or India felling Australia at Eden Gardens – which one is your pick?

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2001 Kolkata Test has been voted by fans as the greatest Test of the 21st century so far.

India crush Australia’s dreams, Kolkata, 2001

Australia had won the first Test of the series Steve Waugh had famously called the “final frontier” in Australia’s charge towards world domination. This, the second, started with Waugh winning the toss and choosing to bat. Batting last was going to be tough, after all. And they did everything right for the first two-and-a-bit days, scoring 445 and then bowling India out for 171 for a 274-run lead.Harbhajan Singh had picked up seven wickets – including a hat-trick – in that first innings, so Australia knew what they were risking when they enforced the follow-on. But how much of a risk was it? They were 274 ahead. How much would India score: 200? 300? 400? The answer was 657 for 7 declared. All courtesy one of the greatest partnerships in Test history, between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.They came together late on the third day, when India were 232 for 4, still behind. They batted, and they batted, and they batted, all the way into the final day. And Australia, ragged by then, had 384 to chase. In the time left, there wasn’t much hope of winning. But they could still draw it. Not with Harbhajan, again, and Sachin Tendulkar whipping up some magic. Harbhajan took six, taking his match tally to 13, while Tendulkar got three – including Shane Warne with a googly – and India were celebrating, at Eden Gardens, outside Eden Gardens, and everywhere they could.

Stokes’ one-man show, Leeds, 2019

England, 286 for 9 in a chase of 359. Against Australia. Against Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon and James Pattinson. All over?But two men believed. One believed that he could smash the 63 runs that were left. The other that he could just hang in there, keep an eye on what the other man does. And between them, Ben Stokes and Jack Leach pulled off one of the great miracles in Test history.And to think that it had come after England had rolled over for 67 in the first innings.Australia took a lead of 112 and bolstered it with a second-innings total of 246 to set a steep target. Three-fifty-nine looked steeper when England went from 141 for 2 to 159 for 4, and then 245 for 4 to 286 for 9.Then Stokes and Leach came together. At the time, Stokes, the No. 5, was on 61. Off 174 balls. He then hit four fours and seven sixes, keeping Leach away from the strike as much as possible, before finishing it off with a flay through the covers off Cummins. Leach contributed 1 from 17 balls – the greatest ‘1’ in England’s Test history, perhaps?

India conquer Gabba, Brisbane, 2021

When Mayank Agarwal became the fifth India batter out, they were still 63 away from victory. Against Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, on a fifth-day pitch, albeit in Brisbane, and Rishabh Pant as the only recognised batter left, it was Australia’s game to lose. But that’s what they did. As Pant, batting with Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini – some of those, like some others in the series, not meant to be in India’s starting XI at all but forced to because of injuries – knocked off the runs. Pant’s 89 not out, included a six and nine fours, the last of which brought up victory, giving India a 2-1 series win.It didn’t look likely when Australia, opted to bat and took a 33-run first-innings lead. That feeling stayed as Australia then put up 294 in their second to set India a daunting 328 for the win. There was no Virat Kohli – as was the case after the first Test – and the batting, as the side on the whole, wore an inexperienced look.India pulled it off, though. First, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara put up 114 runs for the second wicket, and it was game on. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, scored a quick 24, but Agarwal fell cheaply, and then it was five down with a lot to get. Not for Pant, though, not on the day, and not for Washington, who chipped in with a 29-ball 22.