Newcastle United will now be hoping, with a depressing transfer window thankfully out of the way, that they can kick into gear in the Premier League when the international break is over.

The expected departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool was, unfortunately, confirmed at the final hour of an action-packed deadline day.

Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom at St James’ Park, as the Magpies did manage to finally welcome in Yoane Wissa from Brentford to bolster up top, away from also securing the services of Nick Woltemade for a whopping £64m.

On top of that, they did at least manage to get £125m out of Arne Slot’s Reds to part ways with their prized Swede, with Newcastle not always driving the hardest bargain when it comes to the many twists and turns of incomings and outgoings…

Newcastle's disastrous sale of Elliot Anderson

It’s hard to picture Elliot Anderson back in the famous black and white stripes of Newcastle, with the 22-year-old midfield engine now synonymous with Nottingham Forest, ever since clinching a move to the City Ground last year.

In another reality, the Toon would have surely kept a firmer grip on their homegrown gem, but to appropriately balance the books amid PSR concerns, the Tyneside outfit had to surrender and gift Forest the 5-foot-10 star for what looks like now to be a very cheap £35m.

He has since gone on to be a rip-roaring success for the Tricky Trees after lining up for 55 senior games for his boyhood employers, with two goals and seven assists falling into his lap from 45 clashes for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, leading to an England call-up under Thomas Tuchel for the very first time.

It’s safe to say Anderson shone on debut against Andorra on Saturday evening, taking home the Man of the Match award.

Once dubbed a “phenomenal” talent by ex-Bristol Rovers teammate Alex Rodman when first making waves in the senior game, it’s safe to say the well-rounded midfielder has soared to some unbelievable heights ever since waving goodbye to Tyneside.

He isn’t the only exit from the Newcastle midfield ranks that feels premature with hindsight on side, with the previous regime guilty of selling their original version of Anderson for just £10m all the way back in 2018.

Newcastle's original Anderson sold too early

Thankfully, Howe does have a lot of quality brimming in his midfield department, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali the first names on the 47-year-old’s teamsheet.

Still, for even more depth and competition, having Anderson around would be a luxury he wouldn’t turn down, alongside the prospect of having Mikel Merino back on the Magpies’ books for a second chance at the club.

Before becoming a well-known goal threat back on English shores with Arsenal, Merino was a one-season flop at St James’ Park, with only 14 league starts handed to the adaptable Spaniard before he was shipped back off to La Liga with Real Sociedad for £10m.

This has proven to be a costly mistake in the same realm as Anderson’s disastrous departure, with the “exceptional” midfielder – as he has been previously labelled by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente – going on to prove himself as a Premier League-calibre talent under Mikel Arteta.

Games played

28

37

Goals scored

7

2

Assists

2

6

Touches*

30.2

54.2

Accurate passes*

15.9 (80%)

28.7 (82%)

Ball recoveries*

3.1

5.6

Total duels won*

4.9

6.5

Away from his standout nine-goal contributions last season in the hustle and bustle of league action, Merino also stood out as a combative and energetic option for Arteta, much like Anderson at Forest, with 4.9 duels won per game, not too far off his counterpart’s heftier total.

To further add to the anguish, Merino has also managed to excel for his nation to bring more similarities into view, with a goal picked up for Spain on the same international break Anderson won his first Three Lions cap.

With the Pamplona-born warrior now worth around the £30m mark, according to Transfermarkt, this feels like another major blunder on Newcastle’s end, away from focusing on just the much-talked-about disappointment of Anderson leaving.

Newcastle hit the jackpot on “outstanding” star worth more than Anderson

While Elliot Anderson thrives at Forest after his £35m transfer, Newcastle have a rising star of their own

ByWill Miller Sep 6, 2025

Australia fast bowler given downtime after South Australia’s qualification for Sheffield Shield final

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2025Kashif Ali, the Pakistan Test seamer, and South African fast bowler Keith Dudgeon have agreed terms for short-term deals at Kent, to cover for Wes Agar’s absence on domestic duty in Australia.Both Dudgeon and Ali will arrive in time for the start of the 2025 Rothesay County Championship, with Kent’s first game coming at Northampton from April 4, and will stay with the club until the conclusion of their match away to Derbyshire on May 23-26.The deals have been struck to allow Agar to manage his workloads following South Australia’s qualification for this week’s Sheffield Shield final against Queensland in Adelaide. He is now due to begin his third season at Kent when the Vitality Blast commences at the end of May, and will be available for first-class cricket until the end of July.Dudgeon, who has yet to play international cricket, has taken 224 first-class wickets in his career to date, at an average of 25.79. Ali, meanwhile, played his first Test against West Indies in Multan in January, in which he dismissed Mikyle Louis in his first over, and has claimed a total of 110 first-class wickets at 28.01.”We’re delighted to welcome Keith and Kashif to Canterbury for the start of the season,” Simon Cook, Kent’s director of cricket, said. “They are both good bowlers, and both will, we feel, complement our existing bowling unit well during their time here. We acted quickly to identify and secure their signatures as soon as it became clear that Wes Agar would only be available for June and July.”Keith is a proven wicket-taker in South African domestic cricket and has the ability to make a difference. Kashif is a slightly more patient operator and will give us the ability to limit opposition runs and build pressure that hopefully our other bowlers can capitalise on.”We’re looking forward to welcoming Wes back to Canterbury, albeit slightly later than anticipated. He is a big part of our dressing room and has already proven his ability with both the red and white ball.”On joining Kent, Dudgeon said: “I’m extremely excited to be joining Kent and help the side win matches. It’s a county with such a rich history I’m looking to make a big impression.”Playing county cricket is such a big deal for South Africans and I’m looking to take this opportunity with both hands. I’d like to thank the Club for showing faith in me and to the supporters; you will get every inch out of me every day.”Ali added: “I’d like to thank Kent for putting faith in me and giving me the opportunity to play county cricket.”I’m excited to play for this great team and I will always do my best every time I wear a Kent shirt.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has issued a worrying update on Declan Rice after he was forced off during the 2-1 victory over London rivals West Ham. Rice was forced off in the 79th minute of the match at the Emirates and will now be assessed by Gunners medical staff.

• Rice shone against Hammers

  A goal in each half from Rice and Bukayo Saka secured a 2-0 victory for Arsenal over West Ham at the Emirates Stadium, a win which sent the Gunners to the top of the Premier League table after seven matches. The home side dominated proceedings, with Rice scoring against his former club in the 38th minute, tucking home a rebound after Eberechi Eze's shot was saved by Alphonse Areola. Arsenal's dominance was further reflected in the match statistics, including their possession advantage, which was double the visitors'. Saka doubled Arsenal's lead midway through the second-half, converting a penalty after Jurrien Timber was fouled by El Hadji Malick Diouf. The penalty marked Saka's 100th Premier League goal involvement in his 200th appearance. 

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Injury woes mar comfortable win

  The only concerns for Arsenal were injury to Odegaard, who was forced off in the first half after a knee-on-knee collision and Rice, who asked to be substituted. Despite the injury, the victory saw Mikel Arteta celebrate his 300th game in charge of Arsenal with a comfortable win against a West Ham side that struggled to create opportunities and sit second-bottom of the table.

• Arteta reveals double-concern

  After the match, Arteta spoke about the circumstances surrounding Rice's substitution, he said: "Well, he's not alright because he asked me to come off, so that's a shame. So, he had pain in his back and he could not carry on, which is something very unusual for Declan, so we'll have to assess him and see how he is." And there were worries for his captain Odegaard, too: "I think he had a clash knee-to-knee, and immediately he was uncomfortable, I just spoke to him, he's not positive about it, he's got a brace on. We'll have to wait and see from the doctors, but we haven't been very unlucky with that either.

  "We haven't had him since the start of the season for one reason or the other, the shoulder twice and then this injury. So we have to wait and see the extent of that injury. We will find solutions but obviously our captain is a player who gives us a completely different dimension with the things that he can do, especially in attack. Let's wait and hopefully it's not that bad."

  In terms of his side's win, he added: "The last two games have been very special. Newcastle, because we had a history there, a lot of scars and a lot of learnings to take, we put that right. Then we had West Ham, losing two games at home in the previous two seasons. I told them it was a big opportunity, we’ve had very difficult fixtures since the start of the season, and some very bad injuries as well not helping. Still, the team is performing, playing well, winning today with absolute dominance and without conceding a goal. So, good to get to the international break in this spirit."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Will England rest Rice?

  Rice has been a central figure for England, featuring prominently in their runs to the Euro 2020 final and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals. He captained England for the first time in March 2024 and was ever-present in their Euro 2024 campaign, where they finished as runners-up. His performances have consistently drawn praise, cementing his reputation as a world-class midfielder. But Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel may be tempted to rest Rice, with England on the verge of qualifying for next year’s World Cup. They need a maximum of five more points from their remaining three games, a win in their next qualifier away to Latvia on October 14, followed by a win at home against Serbia on November 13, would guarantee qualification by winning Group K. But, if England defeat Latvia and Serbia fail to beat Albania on October 11, England would also secure qualification.

Nottingham Forest are probing in their hunt for some late transfer additions and are now preparing a bid to bring a talented midfielder to the City Ground, according to a report.

Nuno Espirito Santo situation still uncertain at Nottingham Forest

Despite a fantastic campaign for all involved last term, Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has come under the microscope in recent days after publically calling for more reinforcements before the window closes.

With the power struggle at the City Ground rumbling on, European football expert Julien Laurens believes the former Tottenham Hotspur boss won’t win a battle of wits with Evangelos Marinakis, but it remains to be seen whether speculation over his future will begin to subside.

He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is a battle that Nuno will lose. We all know that once you start questioning your owner, it’s done. For him to come out with this unprompted – he offered it to the whole world – he knows that it is coming and that he can’t win this battle.”

Either way, Nottingham Forest are pushing for signings and Aston Villa star Matty Cash is a key target to offer competition for Ola Aina at right-back.

Furthermore, the Tricky Trees want to bring in Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to battle with Matz Sels and Angus Gunn, given their busy schedule that will involve juggling both domestic football and their Europa League adventure.

Earning a surprise upgrade on European competition at the expense of Crystal Palace has offered greater recognition for Forest’s excellent 2024/25 campaign.

Nevertheless, their Premier League rivals are beginning to make tracks on the recruitment front, so it will come as no surprise to hear that they are now set to make a beeline for a talented midfielder who could be on the move.

Nottingham Forest preparing bid for Mads Bidstrup

According to Salzburger Nachrichten via Nottingham Forest News, Nottingham Forest are preparing a £17 million offer for RB Salzburg star Mads Bidstrup, though his current employers are set to boot out the bid despite being tempted to cash in.

Encouragingly, the Koge-born man is said to be open to a move to the City Ground, meaning that if a higher proposal is submitted, he may edge closer to pitching up on the River Trent ahead of the transfer deadline.

Nottingham Forest now submit higher bid than West Ham for £15m midfielder

The Tricky Trees are looking to move ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race for a midfielder.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 24, 2025

Labelled “silky” and “outstanding” by AnalyticsForest, the 24-year-old is Salzburg’s club captain and has made eight appearances already this season, featuring either in central midfield or a deeper-lying role.

Cementing his reputation as a tough tackler, he has won 21 duels on league duty this term, via Fotmob, and has previously spent time at Brentford before joining the Austrian giants.

With some experience of English football already under his belt, Bidstrup will hope he can show his maturity to claim a place in Espirito Santo’s engine room.

كشف مصدر داخل النادي الأهلي عن تفاصيل إصابة محمد شريف مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، ومدة غيابه المتوقعة، بعد تعرضه لإصابة خلال مواجهة فريق إيجل نوار البوروندي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وكان الأهلي قد حل ضيفًا على إيجل نوار في ذهاب الدور التمهيدي (دور الـ32) من البطولة القارية، ونجح في تحقيق الفوز بهدف دون رد خارج الديار.

طالع أيضًا | مدرب إيجل نوار لـ”بطولات”: لم نستحق الخسارة أمام الأهلي.. وسنذهب إلى القاهرة من أجل التأهل

وأوضح المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، أن محمد شريف تعرض لإصابة بشد في العضلة الضامة، وسيغيب على إثرها لمدة تقارب ثلاثة أسابيع، مؤكدًا أن اللاعب بدأ بالفعل برنامجًا علاجيًا وتأهيليًا تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي للفريق.

ومن المقرر أن تُقام مباراة الإياب بين الأهلي وإيجل نوار يوم السبت المقبل في القاهرة، حيث يكفي المارد الأحمر التعادل أو الفوز بأي نتيجة لحسم التأهل إلى دور المجموعات.

يُذكر أن بطولة السوبر المصري ستنطلق في 6 نوفمبر المقبل بدولة الإمارات، وأصبح من الوارد عدم لحاق محمد شريف بالمشاركة في البطولة بسبب الإصابة وفترة الغياب المحددة له.

Samson’s injured finger is still healing after surgery last month

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2025

Riyan Parag will lead Rajasthan Royals (RR) for their first three matches in IPL 2025 with regular captain Sanju Samson, who is recuperating from a finger injury, set to play as a batter till he gets cleared for wicketkeeping and fielding duties.Samson, who had finger surgery last month, joined the RR squad on Monday following his rehab at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He is likely to play as an Impact Sub in the IPL, with Dhruv Jurel an option to keep wicket. Jurel had also kept wicket in place of Samson in the fifth T20I against England in February after he was hit on the finger by a Jofra Archer delivery while batting. Samson will return as captain once fully fit, an RR release said.”I’m not completely fit for three or more games,” Samson said in a video posted by the official RR handle on Instagram. “I think there are a lot of leaders from this group. From the last few years, there have been great people who have taken care of this environment really nicely. But for the three games, Riyan will be leading. He is well capable to do it and I expect everyone to be with him and support him.”Related

Samson to return as RR captain after being cleared to keep wicket

'We have to let go of the past' – Samson keen to work out strengths of new-look Royals

Can Parag's Royals rein in sixy Sunrisers?

Samson: 'Letting Buttler go one of the most challenging decisions for me'

Can revamped Royals cope with dearth of overseas batters?

Parag, meanwhile, will be captaining in the IPL for the first time and will be the fifth youngest to lead a team in the tournament. He has been part of RR since 2019 and was retained by the franchise for INR 14 crore ahead of the mega auction last year. In the 2024 IPL, he finished with 573 runs, the most by an RR batter and third-highest overall, and hit four half-centuries which even helped him earn a T20I and an ODI debut for India.”Rajasthan Royals’ decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise’s confidence in his leadership, a skill he has demonstrated through his tenure as Assam’s domestic captain,” a statement from the franchise said. “Having been a crucial member of the Royals setup over the years, his understanding of the team’s dynamic makes him well-equipped to step into this role for the initial phase of the tournament.”Parag will take charge in the opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, followed by home games in Guwahati against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30. Parag won 10 of 17 matches leading Assam in T20 cricket between 2021 and 2023, averaging 67.09 and striking at 167.72.

Jurgen Klopp has explained why he believes Liverpool are at "risk of being exposed" under Arne Slot. The Dutchman's reign has been almost dreamlike since he arrived in England. He guided Liverpool to the Premier League crown last season and opened this campaign with a perfect run of seven straight wins in all competitions. But the first cracks showed at Selhurst Park on Saturday as Crystal Palace beat the Reds 2-1, and Klopp has raised the alarm bell with his observations.

Smooth sailing turns shaky in London

The Reds’ flawless streak hit the buffers on Saturday against Crystal Palace, who delivered a bruising reality check. Ismaila Sarr fired the hosts ahead from a corner after Palace dominated the early exchanges. Liverpool clung on thanks to Alisson’s world-class saves before Federico Chiesa looked to have rescued a point, slotting home after VAR waved away a Mohamed Salah handball shout. But the drama in the Premier League clash wasn’t done. With minutes left, Will Hughes hurled in a long throw that was flicked back into danger, which allowed Eddie Nketiah to control and lash past Alisson. The home crowd erupted, and Liverpool trudged off with their first defeat of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKlopp’s stark assessment

Klopp, now watching on from the outside, stopped short of outright criticism but made it clear that the high-octane approach under Slot leaves open doors for opponents to exploit.

In an interview with he said: "[Man] City is on the way back, they change a little bit. Managers need that as well… a new way of looking at things to keep it fresh. Liverpool is playing a specific (style), so really, really good. Very offensive oriented. Do they take the risk a little bit of being exposed? Different ways to go, let me say it like that. I’m not the pope of football who tells people what to do. At least not outside the Red Bull world.”

Warning signs for the champions

Seven wins from seven in 2025-26, plus last season’s title, prove Slot has got plenty right. However, opponents will smell blood if they believe Liverpool are vulnerable during set pieces. Selhurst Park was the first real glimpse of that weakness.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty imagesAll eyes on Galatasaray clash

Liverpool travel to Turkey on Tuesday night to face Galatasaray in a Champions League clash that suddenly feels like a test of Slot’s resilience. However, one thing is certain: Klopp’s comments will echo loudly if Liverpool show the same soft underbelly in Istanbul during dead-ball situations.

John Turner, the Hampshire and England fast bowler, has joined Lancashire on a short-term loan for the next two Rothesay County Championship matches, as cover for the injured James Anderson and Saqib Mahmood.Turner, who turned 24 on Thursday, is considered one of the most promising fast bowlers in the country, and last year made his England white-ball debut on the tour of West Indies in November, having been named in a number of squads since his breakthrough season in 2023.However, his opportunities at first-class level have been limited to date, partially through injury and partially due to the established quality of Hampshire’s pace attack, which continues to be led by Kyle Abbott, and had included Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas until his departure for Nottinghamshire this season.Last week, Hampshire handed a Championship debut to another rising fast bowler, Sonny Baker, 22, who had impressed in his maiden first-class appearance for England Lions against Australia A in Sydney in January.Turner himself has featured in five first-class matches to date, most recently in August 2024, in which he has claimed 14 wickets at 19.85. He will join Lancashire on an initial 14-day loan, covering the next two Championship fixtures including the visit of Northamptonshire on Friday.”I haven’t played a lot of first-class or red-ball cricket, particularly recently,” Turner told Lancs TV. “It’ll be a good opportunity to gain some experience, get a bit of a run out and contribute to Lancs winning some games hopefully, and just put some performances together.”At the club, Turner will also be re-united with Hampshire’s former head coach, Dale Benkenstein, who has been in charge at Lancashire since 2023.”He was my school coach in South Africa and he was the one who gave me the opportunity to come over to the UK,” Turner said. “That was with Hampshire and now we reconnect at Lancs.”Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket Performance, said: “John is an exciting young bowler who is well regarded both domestically and by England at international level.”With Jimmy (Anderson) recovering from injury and Saqib (Mahmood) sticking to an agreed plan ahead of his return to red-ball cricket, John’s loan signing and immediate availability provides us with another bowling option for the next couple of matches in the Rothesay County Championship.”We are looking forward to seeing what he can bring to our side, and we hope that he can get some valuable red ball playing time and enjoy his spell with us here at Emirates Old Trafford.”

With the frantic transfer window now over and done with, and the opening set of Premier League fixtures finished, Sunderland will appreciate this downtime for the international break.

Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have headed into this mini break with a promising two top-flight victories already picked up, as the whole host of new signings gifted to the Frenchman over a lengthy summer largely impressed.

Therefore, a moment of rest could do the Wearside outfit the world of good, ahead of the fixtures coming thick and fast again, with a trip to Crystal Palace awaiting them next weekend.

Brian Brobbey will no doubt be clamouring for some action at Selhurst Park, having sealed a deadline day move from Ajax to the Stadium of Light to bolster the Black Cats up top, and steal the limelight momentarily as another statement buy at the £21.6m mark.

Brobbey & Diarra: Sunderland's standout summer purchases

In a window that saw Sunderland regularly splash cash excessively, deadline day was no exception for the ambitious Premier League new boys.

Brobbey would go down as the Black Cats’ second most costly purchase of the summer, with pressure now on the Dutchman’s shoulders to live up to the hype that once saw him be dubbed a “goal machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.

From 284 career appearances both in the senior side at the Johan Cruyff Arena and on the youth pitches, the lively 23-year-old has a ridiculous 141 strikes next to his name, with Marc Guiu’s surprise return to Chelsea in the final few days of the window not hurting so much after the late capture of Brobbey was unveiled.

He wasn’t the most expensive capture, however, with that crown being handed to Habib Diarra far earlier in the summer, when he broke Sunderland’s transfer record at the £30m region.

The ex-RC Strasbourg ace has since featured in all four of Sunderland’s competitive games so far this season, with a calm 83% pass accuracy averaged in the Premier League.

Diarra will be hoping he can pick up goals and assists for fun soon, as he grows more used to the testing environment of the English top-flight.

On top of that, one of the Senegal international’s new teammates in the middle will also be praying for more first-team opportunities to come his way, as he staggeringly boasts an even heftier price tag than both the expensive 21-year-old and Brobbey.

Sunderland star looking to outshine Brobbey & Diarra

Le Bris will have plenty of selection headaches to contend with over the course of the season, off the back of a mammoth 15 fresh signings entering the swollen Sunderland ranks this summer.

With the arrival of the £30m-rated Diarra to the building, it has seen the likes of Chris Rigg struggle for gametime early on this campaign, despite the 18-year-old being heralded as a presence that will “obviously play in the Premier League” by commentator Ian Darke last year, after consistently shining bright for Le Bris and Co in their hunt for promotion glory.

Having made his senior debut at just 15, the wide-eyed Rigg has always punched above his weight and shown that he belongs in the taxing environments sprung onto him, with four goals and one assist coming his way last season to help his side achieve promotion.

Unfortunately, with the wide array of talent at Le Bris’ disposal now, the teenage sensation has only been limited to one meagre minute of Premier League action to date.

However, Sunderland will still be very aware of how much a prized asset Rigg is, having tied him down to a new contract until 2030 recently, amid previous interest in his services from the likes of Manchester United.

Even Real Madrid are allegedly keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old, with the big bucks needing to be splashed to obtain such a “phenomenal” talent, as he has been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Games played

106

Goals scored

10

Assists

5

Positions played

7

Value

£40m

While Black Cats fans far and wide will no doubt bask in the number of standout signings their side has made this summer, they will gain even more joy from Rigg’s sharp rise from academy prospect to first-team regular, with the England U19 international now rumoured to be valued around the £40m mark.

That’s amazingly more than Brobbey’s £21.6m valuation, on top of trumping Diarra’s much-talked-about £30m price by £10m.

For the Wearside outfit’s sake, they will hope they don’t fall victim to another Jobe Bellingham-style sale anytime soon, though, with Rigg surely only getting better at his hometown club if more minutes are afforded to him across the 35-game league marathon to follow.

Sunderland's most expensive signings of all time

Who is the Black Cats’ record addition?

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

It’s incredible how quickly the mood can change in football, and West Ham United are a great example.

Following their third defeat in as many games at the start of the week, it felt like the club were destined for a dreadful season, but now, after a few brilliant signings, there is a sense of renewed optimism in some areas of the fanbase.

Now, there is still a lot of work for Graham Potter and Co to do before fans can get ahead of themselves, but the additions of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa certainly help.

Moreover, if reports are to be believed, the club are in the market for more signings, including an international compared to Jude Bellingham.

West Ham target Bellingham-esque star

Even though the transfer window comes to a close on Monday evening, West Ham continue to be linked with a host of talented players.

Transfer Focus

For example, Feyenoord’s captain Quintien Timber could be available for just £25m and would add some steel to the middle of the park, and Conor Gallagher is now being touted for a return to the capital.

However, neither one of these brilliant players has been compared to the world-class Bellingham, unlike another international the Hammers are keen to sign.

At least that is according to a recent report from German publication BILD, which claims West Ham are very interested in Patrick Wimmer.

In exciting news, the report has revealed that the East Londoners are now expected to bid for the Wolfsburg player before the window closes.

It would certainly be a surprise move, but the £33k-per-week dynamo would be an excellent addition to Potter’s squad, especially as he’s been compared to Bellingham.

How Wimmer compares to Bellingham

Before exploring some of the other reasons West Ham should sign Wimmer this summer, it’s essential to examine this remarkable comparison to Bellingham and where it comes from.

In this instance, the analysis stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League.

In this case, FBref has concluded that the Real Madrid star is the second most similar midfielder to the Wolfsburg ace.

Progressive Carries

2.34

2.68

Shots

2.08

2.17

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.17

1.12

Expected Assists

0.17

0.16

Key Passes

1.22

1.52

Shot-Creating Actions

3.61

3.80

Goal-Creating Actions

0.61

0.47

Successful Take-On %

53.6%

54.7%

The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.

These include metrics such as progressive carries, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-on percentage, key passes and more, all per 90.

These numbers paint the picture of an all-action player who can be a goal threat in his own right, but is also an effective creator for his team.

In addition to this incredibly encouraging comparison to one of the best players in the world, the “wonderful” Austrian international, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is also an entertainer.

This is evident when watching his highlights, and while output is always going to be the most important thing, having a player in the side who can get the stadium on its feet is also hugely important.

Ultimately, it would be a surprise deal, but West Ham should do all they can to sign Wimmer before Monday evening, as he could provide the side with that bit more x-factor.

Fernandes upgrade: West Ham to submit bid for another big-money midfielder

The experienced international would be an excellent signing for Graham Potter and West Ham.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 29, 2025