Eddie Howe didn’t rip things up ahead of Newcastle United’s crunch Premier League clash against Manchester City, but instead opted for smaller tweaks to arrest the slide in form that had cast an air of frustration across Tyneside.

Hope reigned across the November international break that the Toon would undergo a systematic reset, with three defeats from four leaving the club down in the bottom half. But Howe got it right, and Pep Guardiola was sent packing with none of the spoils.

With Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, ostensibly the Magpies’ two most talented wide forwards, out of sorts, it was crucial that Howe saw some other attacking stars step up.

Newcastle's evolving frontline

When Newcastle sold Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a British record fee, it was a poignant moment. But Newcastle have evolved, and Nick Woltemade has proved by this stage his potential to be a star in the Premier League.

Theoretically, the 23-year-old German’s technical quality on the ball and his willingness to roam, dropping deep and aiding the pacy wingers either side of him, should give rise to Gordon and Elanga’s qualities, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Harvey Barnes is thriving, though. The prolific left winger scored twice to sink City, and that’s three in two Premier League matches for him.

Then, of course, Jacob Murphy continues to add flair and industriousness down the right flank. This is important, given Elanga’s own woes. Murphy, 30, worked so hard against his tide of the opposition, and he still managed to showcase his creativity, creating three chances and completing four of six attempted crosses, as per Sofascore.

We haven’t even mentioned Yoane Wissa, who was involved in Saturday’s celebrations but remains sidelined after joining from Brentford this summer. The DR Congo striker will add a new dimension to Howe’s frontline and offer a more traditional take than Woltemade, an interesting counterpoint.

These are all influential forwards, but it might be that Newcastle are developing another more influential member of their squad. This player offers shades of Erling Haaland, and yet he’s anything but a striker.

Newcastle's own version of Haaland

Haaland is one of the best players in the world, and, at Manchester City, his influence is unmatched.

Newcastle might not have anyone in their side who comes close to the Norwegian in terms of attacking output, but Malick Thiaw is beginning to single-handedly define his side’s defensive strength, and in this, he could curiously become United’s own version of the free-scoring machine.

Newcastle completed a £35m move for Thiaw in August, reinforcing a backline that was crying out for some extra depth last season.

Hailed as an “absolute steal” of a signing by one United content creator, who lauded Thiaw’s “Saliba-esque” presence in central defence, this is a defender who has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, and this was underscored and then some upon keeping Haaland at bay on Saturday.

Haaland failed to score, but his physicality and the scare factor that comes into play when he’s involved were both negated by the Germany international, whose willingness to go one-on-one and engage with crisp and combative challenges emphasise the level of player Newcastle have reeled in. One podcast host actually marvelled at the display and said, “he might be the Premier League’s next elite centre-back.”

Mentality is just as important as technical mastery, and luckily, the £75k-per-week Thiaw offers both elements in bucketloads.

Sofascore record that he made seven clearances and six ball recoveries against City, timing a last-man challenge just right.

Moreover, Thiaw is already sitting pretty across some intriguing statistical metrics. In the Premier League this season, for example, the 24-year-old ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs for interceptions, the top 13% for blocks, the top 9% for ball recoveries, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90 (data provided by FBref).

Couple that with his remarkable success rate in the duel, both in the Premier League and out on the continent this season, and you begin to see why so many Newcastle supporters are boarding the hype train at this early stage of his English career.

Matches (starts)

9 (8)

4 (3)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

52.7

57.0

Accurate passes*

35.1 (86%)

43.8 (91%)

Recoveries*

4.1

4.8

Tackles + interceptions*

2.4

1.8

Clearances*

5.0

3.3

Ground duels*

1.4 (68%)

1.5 (55%)

Aerial duels*

3.1 (72%)

3.3 (76%)

Errors made

0

0

Error-free, confident on the ball and commanding in defensive phases, Thiaw is a “monster” of a centre-half, in the words of journalist Martino Puccio, and he’s only going to keep getting better as he settles into his role on Tyneside.

Given the current struggles of Sven Botman – who started from the bench at St. James’ Park at the weekend – and the ageing legs of Dan Burn and Fabian Schar – Newcastle’s new central defender may well far outstrip his positional competition and enter a league of his own.

In this way, he could emulate Haaland’s own matchless presence at the Etihad Stadium and establish himself as a one-of-a-kind talent on Tyneside, becoming not just one of the best players in Newcastle’s first team but a figure to be feared across the entire continent, just as Haaland is right now.

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Newcastle are proving themselves to be a team in transition this season.

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Harsh Dubey, the left-arm spinner who has been at the centre of Vidarbha’s strong red-ball campaigns over the last two seasons, feels it is the the team’s discipline that makes them stand out from other Indian sides.Last season, Dubey’s 69 wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season were the most for any bowler in the competition’s history. Part of Vidarbha’s age-group set-up before graduating into the senior team, he also said the closeness of the squad and the structure in place has helped Vidarbha become successful.”I will not say [Vidarbha are the] strongest, because I feel that more than being the strongest, we have the most disciplined cricketers overall in India, because of our structure, our team bonding,” Dubey said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai. “So, I feel that because of the unity we play with, we defeat the strongest teams. This is my observation.”Related

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Vidarbha have been on a roll over the last two seasons in red-ball competitions. They reached the Ranji Trophy final in 2023-24, won it in 2024-25 and have started the 2025-26 domestic season by securing their third Irani Cup title. They also won back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19.”See, honestly, the current lot that’s playing now, we have won at least 2-3 trophies in age group cricket. So, we know that winning habit,” Dubey said. “And even the structure of our off-season camps in the VCA, it makes a lot of difference as to how strong your basics are.”Because our coach, Usman Ghani, he was most of our players’ coach in U-14 or U-19. So, I think he has a very good understanding of the players – ‘who can be useful to me and when’.”And even the role of of our backroom team, our trainers, our physios, their role is very important. So, I think we are getting the result of their hard work in the last 7-8 years.”Despite Vidarbha’s successes, very few players from the team have made the national side. Karun Nair, who has now moved to Karnataka between seasons, made a comeback in England, while Jitesh Sharma’s white-ball credentials have made him a regular in the T20I team. However, the list is sparse, with Umesh Yadav being the standout from the team over the past two decades.When asked if players from Vidarbha not getting picked for India can demoralise the team, Dubey said it was all a matter of perspective.”I think it’s a matter of motivation,” Dubey said. “That just ‘this much’ won’t do. You have to do more. So, if you think positively about this negative point, then I think you will have a mindset that will help you do even better.Akshay Wadkar’s leadership has been a standout in Vidarbha’s recent successes•PTI

“So, I think the players who are doing well – like Yash Rathod is doing well, Danish Malewar is doing well, our skipper [Akshay Wadkar] is doing well – there are a lot of such players. So, if you keep doing well consistently. You will get an opportunity at some point.”Vidarbha have replaced Nair in the squad by signing up ex-Karnataka batter R Samarth for this season, who has made the switch from Uttarakhand. It leaves a big gap in their middle-order, but Dubey said the Irani Cup performance of beating a strong Rest of India team showed there’s no void.”I read this in another place that if Karun Nair is not here, how will Vidarbha win Irani Trophy?,” Dubey said. “We won the Irani Trophy. We won without Karun Nair, and even Samarth didn’t even play this time.”So it’s not that if a player leaves, it will leave a gap. I think we have enough good players and even if we don’t have professionals, we can still do well. But yes, having a professional is an additional benefit because they bring experience with them and you get to learn new things many times. I don’t think if anyone leaves Vidarbha, there will be a gap.”On Wednesday, Vidarbha began their Ranji Trophy title defence against Nagaland in Bengaluru. They are in a tough Elite Group A alongside Jharkhand, Andhra, Baroda, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Nagaland.

In what could be their last outing together down under, the duo produced a vintage partnership to seal India’s win

Sidharth Monga25-Oct-20252:03

Chopra: Kohli and Rohit keep adding confidence

For likely one final time in Australia, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli turned the clock back with an unbroken 168-run partnership to take India to a win in front of a full house SCG, comprised primarily of Indian fans. Then the highest and third-highest centurions of the format signed off with emotional words.It was at the SCG back in 2008, in the first final of the CB Series, that Rohit first announced himself on the international scene with a half-century as he and Sachin Tendulkar chased down 240. Rohit scored his 33rd ODI century at the same venue to end his love affair with Australia as the player of the match and the player of the series.”I’ve always loved coming here,” Rohit told the broadcasters after the match. “I enjoy playing cricket here in Australia. Fond memories of 2008, and nice way to finish, getting that knock and getting that win as well. I don’t know if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but it was fun all these years that we played here. A lot of good memories, bad memories, but all in all, I’ll take the cricket that I played here.”Related

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Rohit and Kohli now play one format of the three, which can leave them short on game time as India plan for the 2027 ODI World Cup, but Rohit spoke for both of them when he said they are loving what they are doing. “Looks like it, yes,” Rohit said when asked if the “two old dogs still had sting in the tail”.”We enjoy our cricket, most importantly, no matter what. Accolades we’ve achieved, but it’s important that whenever you get an opportunity to play, you’ve got to come and start fresh, and that’s what we did. When we arrived in Perth, forget what has happened in the last 15-17 years, wanted to start fresh, and that’s how I personally look at all the games that I’ve played. I’m sure it’ll be the same for Virat as well, but enjoyed playing these three games.”Kohli didn’t have the greatest of times as he scored consecutive ducks for the first time in his ODI career, but turned it around with a vintage half-century to see the chase through, in the company of his old partner in crime.”Good to be out of the pond, honestly,” Kohli said to huge cheers from the crowd that hung on to every word. “You’ve scored so many runs in international cricket, but then the game shows you everything. Even at this stage, almost 37 in not many days, and still can feel like I don’t know how to get a run. I mean this game is amazing.Virat Kohli congratulates centurion Rohit Sharma•Cricket Australia/Getty Images”That’s why we love batting, we love batsmanship, and it’s so challenging when it’s not going your way and just to find your rhythm again. Go out there, having a situation to play in always is something that always brings out the best in me. And yeah, when Rohit’s already batting there, it’s pretty easy to kind of keep rotating strike. We understand each other’s game pretty well. So again, really good to have a big partnership and another match-finishing partnership for us.”During the course of this win, the duo reached 5483 partnership runs and went past the alliance of Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan to No. 3 on the most prolific ODI partners. They are nearly 3000 behind Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who had the advantage of opening together and thus batting together more often, but they can still go past Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who added 5992 runs in each other’s company.

“It’s important that whenever you get an opportunity to play, you’ve got to come and start fresh, and that’s what we did.”Rohit Sharma

“I think from very early on, it was pretty clear that we both understood the game pretty well,” Kohli said. “That’s the only reason you can play for so long. When you have an understanding of the situation, your own game, and how to apply it in different situations. That’s something that we’ve always taken a lot of pride in.”And when we’re back together, of course, we understand we’re probably the most experienced players now, but even back in the day, we used to think if we have a big partnership, the kind of strokes we can play, we can really take the game away from the opposition. And it was just about communication, staying in the game.”I think it all started from that 2013 series against Australia at home, when we really started getting those big partnerships together and really taking the game on. From then on, it was pretty clear the opposition also knew if these guys are in for 20 overs together, any total is chaseable, and the game’s never done in the opposition’s favour. I’ve really enjoyed batting with Rohit, and, yeah, good to know we’ve scored a few together.”

Closing in on his arrival, Kim Hellberg has already reportedly made the decision to overhaul Middlesbrough’s backroom staff and hand interim manager Adi Viveash a new role at the club.

The Swedish manager has already caused plenty of controversy around the Championship after he rejected Swansea City in favour of Boro in a late twist, and is now set to arrive in Teesside with the task of picking up where Rob Edwards left off.

Having reportedly paid £250k to secure his services, Boro will be hoping to see Hellberg get off to the perfect start, but to say he doesn’t have an easy start would be an understatement.

With Viveash set to remain in charge against Oxford United this Saturday, Hellberg’s first game in charge is likely to come against Championship leaders Coventry City. If nothing changes between now and that game, then Middlesbrough will be able to go within a point of the league leaders with victory on their manager’s debut.

It will be interesting to see how the 37-year-old sets his side up for that game. His preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, which Boro played so often under Edwards and will now look to use to their advantage under a new manager. This should at least help ease any period of adjustment for all involved.

The Swede isn’t wasting any time before implementing other changes, however. Reports are now claiming that he’s already made an immediate staff overhaul involving interim boss Viveash.

Hellberg makes instant Viveash decision at Middlesbrough

According to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Hellberg has already appointed David Selini as his assistant manager and made the decision to keep Viveash on as a technical coach as part of a staff overhaul. The young coach has instantly got to work to make changes in an attempt to hit the ground running in Riverside.

It’s a new role that Viveash has more than earned. The Boro coach stepped up for the club when Edwards departed, leading them to a 2-1 victory over Birmingham City and there’s no doubt his presence will help to welcome Hellberg to the job.

Meanwhile, Selini is also an interesting appointment. The Hammarby assistant has only worked with Hellberg for over a year, but is now set to join him in the Championship at just 31 years old.

In Hellberg and his assistant, Selini, Boro have placed their trust in a young management team and must now hope that their gamble ends in the pay out of promotion.

“The BCCI medical team, along with specialists in Sydney and India, are pleased with his recovery,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia says

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2025

Shreyas Iyer clutches his side after taking a tumbling catch•Getty Images

Shreyas Iyer has been discharged from the Sydney hospital he had been admitted to for the spleen laceration, with internal bleeding, he suffered during India’s third ODI against Australia on October 25, and “is now stable and recovering well”, the BCCI said in a statement on Saturday morning.”The injury was promptly identified, and the bleeding was immediately arrested following a minor procedure. He has undergone appropriate medical management for the same,” the statement, quoting secretary Devajit Saikia, said. “He is now stable and recovering well. The BCCI medical team, along with specialists in Sydney and India, are pleased with his recovery, and he has been discharged from the hospital today.”Iyer was treated by Dr Koroush Haghighi and his team in Sydney with help from Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala in India. The BCCI added, “Shreyas will continue to stay in Sydney for his follow-up consultations and will return to India once he is deemed fit to fly.”The injury took place when Iyer took a catch running backwards from point to dismiss Alex Carey in the Sydney ODI. He immediately clutched his rib cage and signalled for medical attention. He was taken off the field and did not return for the remainder of Australia’s innings.India won the third ODI by nine wickets, but lost the three-match series 2-1 after going down in the first two games in Perth and Adelaide. They are currently 1-0 down after two matches in the T20I series that has followed the ODIs.

Bangladesh have faced England only once in the format, at the 2022 World Cup

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Big picture – a rare meeting

England take on Bangladesh in an ODI World Cup match.The sentence itself is an event. Despite qualifying for back-to-back ODI World Cups – in 2022 and now in 2025 – Bangladesh have faced England only once in the format, and that too in the previous edition.”This is the stage where we show our capabilities so that teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana said on match eve.Related

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As per the new future tours programme which will run from 2025-29, Bangladesh are scheduled to tour England for three ODIs and as many T20Is in September 2027. That is perhaps when the fixture will stop being an event.On the field, both teams are coming on the back of comfortable wins. England’s multi-pronged attack could pose a tough challenge for Bangladesh, whose batters often struggle to force the pace. Conversely, if the track assists spin, Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack led by Nahida Akter could be more than just a handful for England. Their batters were hardly challenged in the opening game.

Form guide

England WLWLW (last five matches, most recent first)

Bangladesh WLLWW

In the spotlight: Lamb and Marufa

She is just 21 ODIs old, but Emma Lamb is already adapting to a second role in England’s batting unit. A natural opener, she scored her only century at the top of the order and was the leading run-scorer in the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup while opening for champions Lancashire. At the start of this English summer, though, Amy Jones was promoted to open, and Lamb was moved to No. 3 when Heather Knight was recovering from a hamstring injury. Now, with Knight back for the World Cup, Lamb is set to take on an altogether different role – batting in the lower-middle order and chipping in with a few overs of offspin. She wasn’t needed with either bat or ball in England’s tournament opener, but could get her first go in this new role against Bangladesh if her team bats first.Marufa Akter will be key for Bangladesh•ICC/Getty Images

Marufa Akter just loves to bowl. After setting the tone in Bangladesh’s win over Pakistan, she lit up their first practice session in India. With rain forcing the team indoors, Marufa was full of energy, bowling at full tilt two days out from the contest. She constantly troubled captain Sultana in the nets, eventually bowling her once. With her ability to move the new ball and generate sharp pace, Marufa could be a real handful for England’s openers – Tammy Beaumont tends to struggle against the incoming angle early on, while Jones prefers a cautious start.

Team news

Given England’s line-up was hardly tested against South Africa, expect them to go in with an unchanged XI.England (probable XI): 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellAgainst England’s right-hand heavy line-up, Bangladesh could look to play left-arm spinner Sanjida Akter Meghla for an offspinner in Nishita Akter Nishi.Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Fargana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Nishita Akter Nishi/Sanjida Akter Meghla

Pitch and conditions

A fresh pitch will be used for the game. But it may not behave too differently from the first two tracks. Both the pitches assisted spin as the afternoon wore on but against fast bowling, the ball came nicely onto the bat.As for the weather, there is slight chance of rain. There was rain predicted for the England-South Africa game on Monday, but it stayed dry, while Bangladesh were forced indoors two days before this match due to an unexpected shower.

Stats and trivia

• Bangladesh’s only ODI against England came at the previous World Cup.
• Only Fargana Hoque, Fahima Khatun and Ritu Moni from the current Bangladesh squad have played an ODI in India before.
• England’s win/loss ratio of 1.0 in 2025, their worst in a calendar year since 2007. They have won three games against West Indies, one each against India and South Africa.
• England will play their 94th ODI World Cup game to be on par with Australia for the joint-most.

Quotes

“With sub-continent conditions comes the offer of extra spin. So, [I am] trying to really make sure that you’re hitting with the spin and going through all your different options. I’ve been sweeping quite a lot, reverse sweeping, which is something that I might not get out in a game straight away, but it’s something that I’ve put a lot of hours into to make sure that when I do, hopefully it goes well.”
“We have a lot of information on them because of our analysts. We want to play our “A” game and don’t want to go by just names. We will try to make lesser mistakes and take confidence from the win over Pakistan.”

Southampton have been one of a number of teams with a managerial vacancy in the Championship during the international break, alongside Norwich, Middlesbrough, and Swansea.

Boro are set to appoint Kim Hellberg from Hammarby and Vitor Matos is in talks to take over at Swansea, but it is Norwich who have made the most eyebrow-raising appointment.

The Canaries have hired Belgian coach Philippe Clement, who has won four domestic cups in Belgium and Scotland and four Belgian top-flight titles in his career, per Transfermarkt, working for Club Brugge, Genk, Monaco, and Rangers.

Norwich are 23rd in the Championship table, with half as many points as Southampton, yet they have attracted a head coach who has won 170 of his 287 league games as a manager, averaging 2.00 points per game, per Transfermarkt.

The latest on Southampton's managerial search

According to Daily Echo reporter Alfie House, as relayed by SaintsExtra, Southampton are set to hand interim head coach Tonda Eckert the next three Championship matches before further assessing the situation.

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The Saints play Charlton, Leicester City, and Millwall in those three games, after Eckert beat QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in his first two matches in the dugout.

House’s update adds that Southampton have spoken with managerial targets and that they do not have a clear standout candidate at this moment in time, which is why Eckert will be given the next three games to stake his claim for the permanent job.

Instead of appointing the interim on a permanent basis, Sport Republic could hire their answer to Norwich’s ambitious Clement swoop by bringing reported target Brendan Rodgers to St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should appoint Brendan Rodgers

If the Canaries are able to attract a manager like Clement, who has won eight trophies and managed some big European clubs, whilst second from bottom in the Championship, Southampton should make a statement of their own with a move for the former Celtic boss.

Described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, like the new Norwich manager, Rodgers would come in with an incredible career behind him and a history of winning games and trophies on a consistent basis. In fact, he won the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership title with Celtic ahead of Clement’s Rangers side.

The Northern Irish boss, who was hailed as a “pillar of strength” by Hoops captain Callum McGregor, is an incredibly experienced tactician who has been there and done it in England and Scotland.

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is even more experienced than Clement and has won five more trophies in his career, with 11 of those coming at Celtic, and the other two with Leicester.

The Saints target also has experience in getting out of the Championship. He won the play-offs in the 2010/11 campaign after a third-placed finish in the second tier with Swansea, which shows that he also has experience for what Southampton need this season.

Therefore, Rodgers could be a brilliant appointment for the club if they can convince him to make the drop down to the Championship, which is what Norwich were able to do with Clement.

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Nov 18, 2025

It’s nearly the season to be jolly for Newcastle United, but only if Eddie Howe finds a winning formula once again and transforms his side’s fortunes, currently slumped in 14th place in the Premier League.

The savvy coach will have sat on his thoughts over the past two weeks, well aware that this Magpies side need more than just a few tweaks to fire on all cylinders once again.

Perhaps a return to full fluency will be struck upon over the coming month, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson may be in concert regarding the need for an external solution this winter, a late Christmas present welcomed after the new year, when the transfer window swings open.

Newcastle preparing for winter signing

Antoine Semenyo is a hot topic at the moment, with news filtering through this week that the Bournemouth talisman has a £65m release clause in his contract, which becomes active in January.

Newcastle had a vested interest in the Ghana international before signing Anthony Elanga for £55m this summer, and though the Toon are considering a new right-sided forward, there are other options that might come into play.

According to Caught Offside, West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen is believed to be looking to complete a move away from the east Londoners next summer, in the search for Champions League football.

Bowen, 28, has led the Hammers to meteoric heights over the past several years, but things have unravelled at the London Stadium since David Moyes’ departure.

Thus, Newcastle – who aren’t actively linked with the Englishman, as per the report – could strike for a player they have targeted in the past. Tottenham Hotspur are also interested, though, and are willing to spend £60m on the England star.

Why Newcastle should sign Bowen

Bowen was at the heart of West Ham’s Premier League win over Newcastle this month, and he has recorded three goals and an assist across four matches for the out-of-form side.

Hailed in the past by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino for being in the “Salah club” on the right flank, Bowen certainly falls into the category of ‘goalscoring winger’, but his underlying creative qualities could make him the perfect dynamic force to complement Howe’s Tyneside attack.

Crucially, Bowen’s durability across so many years as an Iron leader has made him perfect for a move to a club like Newcastle. Moreover, he scored the winning goal in the 2022/23 Conference League final, the hero in a trophy-winning campaign for West Ham.

Jarrod Bowen’s Premier League Career

Season

Apps

Goals + Assists

25/26

11

3 + 1

24/25

34

13 + 10

23/24

34

16 + 6

22/23

38

6 + 6

21/22

36

12 + 12

20/21

38

8 + 5

19/20

13

1 + 4

Data via Transfermarkt

Bowen also ranks among the top 7% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, further emphasising the dynamism and breadth of his game. Salah-esque, alright, and evidence that

Bowen may not be quite so much of a protean threat as, say, Semenyo, but he has streamlined his output and this has seen him establish himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League, sustaining that level across many years.

Nick Woltemade’s unique link-up ability and willingness to drop deep emphasises the gains that could be found in landing Bowen’s signature. If a chance to make this move does present itself, Newcastle must pounce.

With the 23-year-old Elanga yet to register a single goal contribution for Newcastle this season, and Semenyo yet to prove himself at the highest level, it might be that Bowen would be a fantastic addition to complement a young attacking workforce at St. James’ Park and steer Newcastle back on course across the second half of the season and beyond.

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Juventus face fresh uncertainty as contract talks with Kenan Yildiz hit a standstill, with the highly-rated forward demanding a pay rise far beyond the club’s current offer. His dip in form, ongoing knee issues and the team’s faltering attack have complicated negotiations, while top European clubs circle and Yildiz weighs his long-term future amid Juventus' struggle for stability.

• Yildiz's drop in form amid contract talks

  Juventus entered the post-Igor Tudor phase with renewed expectations under Luciano Spalletti, but the 1-1 draw against Fiorentina again exposed a team struggling to convert potential into performance. Central to the disappointment was Yildiz, a player once heralded as Juve’s next attacking leader, yet now fighting both form and fitness.

  Yildiz has scored only goal in his last 12 matches which was a late strike against Udinese in a match Juve were already leading by a goal. The decline is striking when compared to his early-season output where he had produced two goals and four assists in four games. Since then, something has come undone.

  Against Fiorentina too, the 20-year-old drifted through the match with little spark. Part of the issue stems from the knee problem he has been nursing for weeks. Yet Juventus continue to lean on him heavily, starting him in nearly every match as he is both important and the team's lack of alternatives.

  Spalletti defended him, noting the team’s slow tempo offered “little vertical service” to their forwards, but as reality stands Juventus look blunt, and Yildiz looks burdened.

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• Getty
  

  Yildiz's contract demands surplus to Juve's capabilities

  Talks over a contract renewal with Yildiz have reached a standstill. The Turkey international signed a long-term deal in August 2024 till 2029 following a breakthrough but the need to renew it again was felt by the club after other European giants started to circle the player.

  Yildiz’s current contract earns him around €1.5 million a year, a figure dwarfed by Dusan Vlahovic’s €12 million and far below the salaries of Europe’s elite young talents. According to , his camp is now demanding a raise into the €5-6m range which reflects his growing profile and market value.

  Juventus, however, deem the request too steep. A recent meeting between new CEO Damien Comolli and Yildiz’s representatives ended with no agreement, leaving both sides publicly calm but privately frustrated. Giorgio Chiellini summed up the mood with a cautious pause during the Social Football Summit in Turin.

  "Yildiz renewal? Calm down. Calm down. Everyone has the will: with balance and calm, everything can be done," said the director of football strategy.

  But behind the scenes, balance is proving elusive. With Premier League giants and Real Madrid all monitoring the situation, the Turkish forward knows his value is rising and that a bidding war could exceed €100m next summer. Meanwhile, Juve know losing him would be disastrous for their project.

• Injury struggles and a visible dip in form

  Yildiz’s downturn in form has coincided with a knee issue that surfaced in late October, diagnosed as patellar tendinopathy, an overuse condition that directly affects acceleration, sharp turns, and explosive movements, all central to his playing style. The first signs emerged ahead of Juventus' league game against Lazio, when Yildiz requested rest due to discomfort in his left knee. The problem became serious enough that he was unable to feature in Spalletti’s debut match in charge, a 2-1 win over Cremonese on October 27.

  Although the injury required only a short spell on the sidelines, it has forced Juventus to significantly adjust his workload. Yildiz returned to the squad by early November and was deemed fit enough to feature against Sporting CP in the Champions League, but since then his involvement has been carefully managed, with reduced minutes and a more conservative approach from the medical staff.

  Spalletti has acknowledged the challenge of balancing protection and performance, admitting that Juventus “must play in a way that supports players like Yildiz,” while also managing an injury that can quickly worsen under heavy load.

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• AFP
  

  Juventus' season and Why Yildiz matters

  Yildiz’s contract saga comes at a turbulent time for Juventus. The club parted ways with Tudor in October after an eight-match winless run and a slide to eighth in Serie A. Massimo Brambilla filled in briefly before Spalletti was appointed to restore order.

  Spalletti has brought structure, but Juventus still look mute in the final third. Despite heavy attacking investment in the summer, performances remain colourless and inconsistent. The draw with Fiorentina symbolised a wider issue of promising players not being unlocked.

  And that is why his renewal matters far beyond salary. A player they believe can lead the next four to six years of the club’s rebuild. But to retain him, Juventus must offer more than money. They must offer a convincing competitive project, both domestically and in Europe.

In search of a consistent goalscorer, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly preparing a £40m+ offer to sign Georges Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026.

The great weakness in Thomas Frank’s side this season has been their goalscoring struggles. With Dominic Solanke yet to return to full fitness, the likes of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani have struggled to truly take hold of the starting role – handing the Lilywhites a frustrating problem.

Kolo Muani has particularly struggled since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain and is still searching for his first Tottenham goal. With the North London derby against Arsenal up next, however, the forward has been passed fit and has the perfect opportunity to find the back of the net for the first time in the Premier League.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Arsenal game, Frank revealed early team news which included an update on Kolo Muani’s unexpected return to action after suffering a jaw injury before the break.

If the PSG loanee continues his run without a goal, then many around North London will be asking big questions. Tottenham chiefs are already reportedly searching for a striker and the Frenchman’s struggles could accelerate their plan to welcome La Liga star Mikautadze in 2026.

Tottenham readying Mikautadze offer

According to reports in Spain, Tottenham are now preparing a €50m (£44m) offer to sign Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026. A player who’s been compared to the great Diego Forlan by Spanish media, the 25-year-old has shown glimpses of his best form so far this season – scoring five goals in 14 games – and has entered Spurs’ radar as a result.

Tottenham's eye-watering 'initial offer' for Rodrygo after contacting Florentino Perez

Spurs reportedly mean business.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

After becoming a transfer flop at Ajax, the Georgian striker reinvented himself at FC Metz, before starring at Lyon to earn a summer switch to Villarreal. Now, he could be about to make the biggest move of his career courtesy of Tottenham.

Dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mikautadze has only kicked on since then to attract the interest of the Premier League. As Tottenham’s forwards continue to struggle, the 25-year-old should be seen as a serious option to consider next year.

Tottenham eyeing 'dream' move for striker likened to Diego Costa after Frank request