Journalist Mike McGrath reports Birmingham City have submitted a bid for a “very interesting” attacking player, with a rival Championship club also in the mix to sign him.

Davies delighted ahead of Birmingham's next test

The Blues have made a positive start to the season, drawing 1-1 at home to Ipswich Town in their league opener last week, largely outplaying last year’s Premier League side. Birmingham then knocked Sheffield United out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening, winning 2-1, and manager Chris Davies was delighted with what he saw from his players.

“There was some excellent football, really fluid, we moved the ball well and gave them a problem either through our possession play or through our pressing – and we should have been out of sight.

“You saw that last season, when it’s 1-0 there’s always a chance, but they didn’t create chances, they didn’t have those moments, but what they did have was a goal that shouldn’t have been a goal. But I thought the reaction was fantastic.

“What you can do is control what you can do, which is your performance, and we reacted really well and got the goal. We know what it’s like, it’s going to be really hard this season. Sheffield United were in the play-off final last year, we are talking about a team that was twenty minutes away from the Premier League. To beat a team like that is a big, big test. A big challenge, and we did it tonight.”

Next up for Birmingham is a trip to Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, with potential new signings being looked at away from on-pitch matters.

Birmingham make offer for international attacker

According to McGrath on X, Birmingham have submitted an offer for £5m-rated Queens Park Rangers attacker Koki Saito, with Derby County also interested in signing him.

Saito could be exactly what Birmingham are after this summer, with the three-cap Japan international adding extra depth and quality in the final, having proven himself in the Championship.

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The 24-year-old is a versatile player, invariably taking up a left-sided role but also being able to shine as a centre forward, and scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “very interesting” player in the past.

The lure of Birmingham is hopefully greater than the other clubs linked with signing Saito, with the club in an exciting period in their history, and the QPR man can help take them in the right direction.

Newcastle United have made some late-window headlines and have put forward a proposal to land a new frontman before the close of play.

Newcastle United keen on acquiring late arrivals

Eddie Howe will realise he has his work cut out for him after a goalless stalemate against Leeds United on Saturday evening, which has put the cat among the pigeons regarding their lack of a goalscorer.

Seeking a clinical edge at the top end of the field, Nick Woltemade has arrived at Newcastle from Stuttgart, but had to make do with a place in the stands at Elland Road while William Osula earned a rare start through the middle.

Delivering an honest assessment of his side’s performance in Yorkshire, Howe admitted their lacklustre nature in the final third left a lot to be desired, even if the Geordies showed resilience to come away with a point.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “I thought there was a lot of commitment from the players. This is a tough place to come to and I think we stood up to it really well. Defensively it was a very strong performance. I thought we looked organised, put our bodies on the line, blocked shots really well and stopped their main threats.

“We’re disappointed the other way that we didn’t cause them more problems. We had a few moments that you think could’ve led to more. We’re just in that moment where the goals aren’t flowing and that cost us today.”

When to expect announcement of Isak agreement between Liverpool & Newcastle

Alexander Isak and his proposed move from Newcastle to Liverpool keeps on heating up.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 30, 2025

Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo is a late target for Newcastle who could offer a level of dictation in midfield, though it appears that Howe is after a striker, and he may now be moving closer to securing an arrival.

Newcastle United submit verbal offer for Yoane Wissa

Taking to social media platform X, Ben Jacobs confirmed Newcastle have put forward a ‘verbal’ offer of £45 million overall for the Democratic Republic of Congo international, though the Bees delayed giving a response due to not finding a suitable alternative.

Furthermore, Keith Andrews and the Bees are said to want £60 million before being tempted into a sale due to their struggles to bring in a replacement, potentially creating a scenario where the Magpies need to fork out considerable money to acquire his signature.

Labelled “incredible” by Thomas Frank, Wissa scored 20 times and laid on five assists in 39 matches last term and has since been at the centre of vast speculation, which may favour Newcastle at this late stage.

Ultimately, a potent finisher is needed to supplement Woltemade’s arrival, and the former Lorient man would be more than capable of stepping up to the challenge.

Newcastle United have done some major business this summer, and their first Premier League game of the season allowed them to see their new winger, Anthony Elanga, in black and white, but they have to wait a little longer to see some of the other signings in action.

Monday’s clash with Liverpool could allow fans the opportunity to see their new defender, Malick Thiaw, and their new midfielder, Jacob Ramsey. It’s unlikely that their loanee goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, will displace Nick Pope in any of the major Premier League fixtures, but fans could see him in action once Newcastle enter the domestic cups and the Champions League.

Ahead of the clash, Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, spoke of the attacking threat that Newcastle poses, even without Isak, and provided an injury update that will give the Magpies a confidence boost as he revealed that Jeremie Frimpong will be unavailable for the fixture.

Behind the scenes, the board are continuing to work on improving the attack that already causes concern for the Premier League-winning manager by approaching one of last season’s Champions League finalists about one of their up-and-coming talents.

Newcastle approach Inter over promising young striker

Newcastle United have “come forward” to Inter Milan to sign striker Francesco Pio Esposito. The 20-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan at Spezia and is yet to make his Inter debut. Atalanta are also said to have approached Inter about signing Pio Esposito, while Napoli have submitted a bid worth around £38.9 million.

These reports come from Italy, via Sports Witness, and with Napoli’s bid rejected, Howe’s side are reportedly reluctant to pursue the transfer further unless Inter change their stance. The Italians are looking to move players on in the last few weeks of the window, but they would prefer to keep Pio Esposito, seeing him as a player for the future. They are more inclined to sell Mehdi Taremi, with Fulham reportedly interested in the Iranian striker.

Why Newcastle are considering a move for "terrorising" Pio Esposito

Newcastle look to be pushing to sign Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa as a replacement for Isak, but Pio Esposito would further add to their attacking depth.

The Italy under-20s star could also serve as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left Tyneside for West Ham when his contract expired. The 33-year-old only scored once in 22 appearances for Newcastle last season, so Pio Esposito would likely be an immediate upgrade. Last season at Spezia, the youngster scored 19 Serie B goals, making him the league’s second-highest goalscorer. He was also the only teenager in the league’s top 125 goalscorers.

Italian football expert Siavoush Fallahi had previously shared on X his thoughts about the Italian youngster.

He continued: “Strong, big guy, who’ll strike if the ball falls to him. Terrorising for defenders because they’ll keep him quiet for all game but then he’ll turn up and score, useful for the team, I love that randomness of crosses into the box randomly ending at his feet. Stuff happens around him”.

If Newcastle can change Inter’s mind on selling Pio Esposito, then they will have a very talented player on their hands. Potentially, they could approach Inter to loan Pio Esposito, so the Italian side doesn’t lose him permanently, and Newcastle have a temporary replacement for Wilson.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the upcoming WPL will “play a very big role” in the lead up to the home ODI World Cup later this year, as the T20 league will help the India players fine-tune their game and “raise” their fitness levels in the free window after the tournament. This year’s World Cup will be the first time Harmanpreet will lead India in the 50-over tournament.The five-team WPL will run from February 14 to March 15 across four cities in India for 20 league matches and two knockout games. The India players will then have a gap of over three months before they head to England for five T20Is and three ODIs. They will then have another gap for nearly two months. As per the FTP, their next assignment will be of three homes ODIs against world champions Australia in late September and then the 50-over World Cup at home in October.Related

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Some of the India players are nursing injuries and could also use the WPL to regain and prove their match fitness.”I think this WPL is going to play a very big role because this year we have ODI World Cup,” Harmanpreet said at a press conference in Mumbai. “After the WPL, we have a very good window where we can work on our fitness and raise our fitness level. I think that gap will really help us to work really hard on ourselves.”India had failed to make the semi-finals in the last ODI World Cup, in early 2022 in New Zealand, under the captaincy of Mithali Raj.Harmanpreet was asked about India’s busy schedule at the turn of the year when they played back-to-back series against Australia (away), West Indies (home), and Ireland (home) and if that might have played a role in players having to manage their workload.Harmanpreet herself sat out of two of the three T20Is against West Indies followed by the three ODIs against Ireland. India also played all those series, after the T20 World Cup, without the injured Pooja Vastrakar whose fitness is being monitored by Mumbai Indians for her participation in the WPL. Some other players such as Yastika Bhatia, Shreyanka Patil and Priya Punia had also missed the West Indies games in December because of injuries, and have not played since then. Like Harmanpreet, India had also rested their lead fast bowler Renuka Singh for the Ireland ODIs last month.”See, as a cricketer, we really want our schedule to be packed and injuries are something which is part of the game and sometimes these are not under your control,” Harmanpreet said. “But as a cricketer, we don’t want to miss any tournament. But really happy [with] the way we are getting our schedule really packed and playing back-to-back cricket and that is something as a player, as a captain I’m enjoying. And good to see the last series went really well.”A few young players got opportunity and they did really well, played very impressive cricket. This season and this year is going to be very exciting because [of the] home World Cup and then we have really exciting cricket in front of us after the WPL. Hopefully we gel well as a team and do what a team requires and play some good cricket.”

Mumbai went from 113 for 2 to 118 for 6 in the space of 11 balls

Shashank Kishore18-Feb-2025

A full-blown middle order collapse – four wickets in 11 deliveries – has left Mumbai with an uphill battle in their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha in Nagpur.Parth Rekhade, the left-arm spin allrounder playing in only his second first-class match, dismissed Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube in a single over, the 41st of the innings, as Mumbai went from a comfortable 113 for 2 to 113 for 5.Rahane was the first to go in the triple-wicket over for 18 when the ball rolled back onto the stumps off a defensive push. Suryakumar Yadav was next, out for a two-ball duck when he jabbed at an in-drifter with hard hands. Danish Malewar at silly point held it on the second attampts as it came off the pad after taking the inside edge. Dube then played back to one that skidded across from around the stumps as the thick edge was superbly taken at slip by Atharva Taide.There was more drama in store when Shams Mulani, who orchestrated a stunning turnaround in the quarter-final courtesy a century stand with Tanush Kotian, was trapped lbw by Harsh Dubey, the left-arm spinner. Originally given not out as he played around a sharp-turning delivery, Akshay Wadkar opted to review the decision and replays confirmed the ball would’ve crashed into the stumps. Mulani had to walk back for 4 as Dubey picked up his 60th wicket – it made him the sixth bowler in Ranji history and the first since Jaydev Unadkat in 2019-20 to pick up 60 or more in a season.Shivam Dube picked 5 for 49 as Vidarbha were bowled out for 383•PTI

As he has often done, Shardul Thakur led a fierce Mumbai fightback as he put on a half-century stand with wicketkeeper Akash Anand, who battled his way to make a half-century from the top of the order. Shardul played his strokes and attacked the bowlers to pick up runs at every available opportunity. Their partnership was worth 60 when Shardul holed out to deep square for a 41-ball 37 while attempting to pull Yash Thakur, which was one of the last acts in an action-packed session.Yash Thakur bounded in full intensity on a hot afternoon, his figures of 2 for 56 in 11 overs doing no justice to his efforts. This included the big wicket of Siddhesh Lad to break a half-century stand when he got one to angle in and hold its line to burst past Lad’s outside edge. He should’ve also had Rahane lbw on 11, but for a no-ball he delivered in trying to hit the deck hard.In the morning session, Vidarbha managed to add just 75 to their overnight 308 for 5 with Yash Rathod, their top run-getter this season, bringing up his half-century before falling to trigger a slide. Dube, who had dismissed Rekhade and Karun Nair on the opening day, picked up three wickets in three overs to finish with figures of 11.5-1-49-5, his third five-for in first-class cricket.

Can Uzun stole the show as Eintracht Frankfurt surged to a 6-4 win over Borussia Monchengladbach, scoring a goal and providing an assist. The 19-year-old is taking Bundesliga by storm, scoring in every Bundesliga match so far. Germany legend Lothar Matthaus has hailed the teenager's latest display as “absolutely world class,” emphasising his ability to control the entire game, make intelligent decisions, and inspire the team.

• Frankfurt shine as Can Uzun stars

  Frankfurt delivered a thrilling 6-4 victory over Monchengladbach, racing to a 6-0 lead before a late Gladbach fightback. Uzun was central to the dominance, scoring a goal and providing a crucial assist. The German midfielder has now scored in every Bundesliga game this season, tallying five goals and three assists in five matches, cementing his reputation as a rising star. Frankfurt’s fluid attacking display drew praise from fans and pundits alike, with legendary Matthaus noting Uzun’s exceptional form and confidence.

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  Matthaus hails Uzun’s maturity

  The former German international, speaking on , lauded Uzun’s development and on-field intelligence.

  "The ball loves him because he consistently makes the right decisions. He needed a bit of time and hired a private coach in the summer, and now he's someone who has the entire game under control," he said. "He's in high demand at 19 and has the confidence to do anything, and that shows when you're confident and have the coach's trust. What he played yesterday in the first half was absolutely world class."

• Uzun’s journey and rising stats

  Uzun joined Frankfurt from Nurnberg in the summer of 2024 for €11 million (£10m/$12m), with add-ons of €3m, signing a contract until 2029. Initially adjusting to Bundesliga demands, he made 31 appearances in his debut season, scoring five goals and providing three assists, numbers he has already matched this campaign. Frankfurt plans to retain him until at least 2027 as top European clubs monitor his meteoric rise, reflecting the club’s strategy to nurture their young attacking talent.

  In a post-match interview, when Uzun was asked about his recent form, he said: "Of course, it wasn't obvious that things would turn out this way and I'd score so many times in succession. It was a nice goal by me after a great assist from Fares [Chaibi]. The first half was a lot of fun. We hardly gave them anything before the break, I'm happy about the win. I have full confidence in our defense. We scored six goals, which is amazing. Atlético will be awesome opponents. Hopefully I'll also score against Bayern."

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  Eintracht Frankfurt's challenging schedule

  Frankfurt continue to build momentum under their tactical setup, with Uzun as a key driving force in attack. The club faces a challenging set of upcoming fixtures as they are set to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on September 30 before they face Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on October 4.

Former Paris Saint-Germain star and fan-favourite Presnel Kimpembe has revealed how his injury played a part in him bidding farewell to the French club. The initial signs of the injury appeared before the 2022 World Cup and later on forced him to stay out of action for two years. After signing for Qatar SC, the defender has finally opened up on his struggles.

Kimpembe knew he would suffer the injury

A PSG youth academy graduate, Kimpembe was tipped for a lengthy career at the top of the game as he cemented a starting XI spot and even went on to wear the captain's armband on occasion. However, the centre-back was hit with frequent injuries ahead of the 2022 World Cup, ruling him out of the competition and eventually keeping him sidelined for two full years. Having lost his place in Luis Enrique's side, he opted to leave for Qatar SC this summer. 

AdvertisementAFPKimpembe dragged his pain

Speaking in an interview on the show 'Clique', the 30-year-old said: "Everything happened quickly. I spoke with the club about my situation and how we could move forward. I knew there would be no war with Paris. There was never a problem. I simply want to play. I spoke with the coach [Luis Enrique] and the president [Nasser al-Khelaifi]. I explained to them that I couldn't do a third year like that. They want to see me play. And I want to play football again. I dragged my pain out for two and a half to three years. I suffered a lot."

Kimpembe has many years left

After signing a one-year contract with the Stars League heavyweights, he made his debut on September 21 in an eight-minute cameo against Al-Shahania SC. The 2018 World Cup winner left PSG having made 241 appearances in all competitions.

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AFPWhen will the former PSG star play next?

Qatar SC have their upcoming game scheduled for September 27 against Al-Shamal, and Kimpembe is expected to get more minutes in this game, if not a start.

أنهى منتخب المغرب مشواره في تصفيات قارة إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، بمباراته ضد نظيره منتخب الكونغو.

واستضاف ملعب “مولاي عبد الله” مباراة منتخبي المغرب والكونغو، في الجولة الأخيرة من تصفيات القارة السمراء المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، حيث فاز أسود الأطلس بهدف دون رد.

جاء هدف فوز المغرب والمباراة الوحيد في الدقيقة 63، وذلك عن طريق النجم يوسف النصيري بعد تمريرة من لاعب باريس سان جيرمان، أشرف حكيمي.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد منتخب المغرب إلى 24 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة الخامسة، بينما تجمد رصيد منتخب الكونغو عند نقطة واحدة في المركز الخامس.

وحقق منتخب المغرب بذلك العلامة الكاملة حيث فاز في مبارياته الثمانية في التصفيات، وسجل 22 هدفًا ولم تستقبل شباكه سوى هدفين فقط، في سجل مميز من جانبهم.

Newcastle United have made headlines in the window over the past couple of days and could be about to repeat that feat if they seal a deal to land their latest target, according to a report.

Newcastle United strike deal to sign Nick Woltemade

With speculation that Alexander Isak could be set for a move to Liverpool rife, Newcastle have sealed a deal to sign Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade as Eddie Howe adopts a proactive attitude when it comes to replacing the Sweden international.

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Despite being pressed on the matter, the former Bournemouth manager didn’t give much away regarding when Magpies fans may be able to see the towering German striker in action after he was not registered in time to play against Leeds.

Continuing their striker pursuit, Newcastle are still in the running to land Brentford star Yoane Wissa before the deadline, albeit the Bees are intent on claiming £50 million for his services.

In one of the surprising developments of the last few days, Kobbie Mainoo is being courted by the Magpies and may be set for a late move deal elsewhere after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.

Newcastle submit bid for £35m Champions League finalist after Woltemade

The PIF aren’t messing around late in the window.

1 ByHenry Jackson Aug 29, 2025

Talks are open regarding a swoop for the England international, though it remains to be seen if Howe and company will be allowed to proceed, given they are dealing with a direct Premier League rival.

Plates are spinning on Tyneside and more signings are expected to arrive before the close of play after Woltemade, and PIF could now be set to raid a global superpower for one of their most exciting stars.

Newcastle line up ambitious bid for Eduardo Camavinga

According to reports in Spain, Newcastle are prepared to offer an overall package of £42.3 million to land Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga to add a layer of stardust to their engine room.

However, Xabi Alonso wouldn’t be willing to consider parting ways with the France international unless Los Blancos receive a fee exceeding £60 million, which would likely be a starting point in negotiations.

Five similar players to Eduardo Camavinga (FBRef)

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

Rodrigo Bentancur

Tottenham Hotspur

Lucien Agoume

Sevilla

Ryan Gravenberch

Liverpool

Soungoutou Magassa

West Ham United

Labelled “world-class” by Thom Harris, Camavinga registered two goals and two assists in 35 appearances across all competitions last term, though he has yet to feature this time around due to an injury layoff.

Despite interest from Newcastle, the Cabinda-born man is viewed as a key member of Alonso’s side and is viewed as someone who can share midfield duties with Aurelien Tchouameni, potentially harming the Magpies’ chances of landing his signature.

Nevertheless, PIF continue to show ambition in the market and supporters will be watching with eagle eyes to see if their side can force through another statement move.

Another defeat will put UPW on the brink of elimination, but they have home advantage on their side

Hemant Brar05-Mar-20255:00

How do Warriorz contain Nat Sciver-Brunt?

Who’s playingUP Warriorz (UPW) vs Mumbai Indians (MI)
Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, 7.30pm ISTBig picture: UPW at critical junctureAfter their Super Over win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UPW have faced two back-to-back defeats. That has left them with just four points from six games and at a critical juncture in the tournament. Given their net run rate is by far the worst among all teams, another loss will push them to the brink of elimination.MI are in a much better position with six points from five games and a net run rate in the positive. But they have their own share of concerns, the biggest being their opening pair. Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews have added just 73 runs in five innings at an average of 14.60 and a run rate of 5.03. Three times they were separated with less than ten runs on the board. While Matthews did score a half-century two games ago, Bhatia has managed just 38 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 84.44.When the two sides met last month, in Bengaluru, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s all-round performance – 3 for 18 and 75 not out – decimated UPW. Can UPW find a way to stop her?Form guideUP Warriorz LLW (last three matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians LWWIn the spotlight: Chinelle Henry and Amelia KerrChinelle Henry was not part of UPW’s original plan. She was drafted in only when Alyssa Healy pulled out of the tournament. But she has emerged as their MVP, especially with the bat. Despite batting mostly at No. 8, and never higher than No. 7, she is the leading run-getter for UPW with a tally of 138 at a strike rate of 209.09. Given UPW lack firepower in the middle order, it would only be prudent to promote Henry a couple of slots.Should Chinelle Henry bat higher up the order?•BCCIAmelia Kerr was one of the key batters for MI in the first two seasons. But this time she has had a lean run so far. In four innings, she has scored just 47 runs at an average of 11.75 and a strike rate of 88.67. With the openers also not clicking, that has left MI being overly reliant on Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur. Kerr would like to rectify that.Team news: Ishaque for Gupta?Despite losing their last two games, it is difficult to see how UPW can improve their XI. Perhaps they could bring in Rajeshwari Gayakwad for Gouher Sultana, who did not bowl a single over in the previous game despite Gujarat Giants piling up 186 for 5.UP Warriorz (probable): 1 Grace Harris, 2 Kiran Navgire, 3 Georgia Voll, 4 Vrinda Dinesh, 5 Deepti Sharma (capt), 6 Shweta Sehrawat, 7 Uma Chetry (wk), 8 Chinelle Henry, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Gouher Sultana, 11 Kranti GoudWith UPW likely to have only one left-hand batter in their XI, MI could consider bringing in left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque for offspinner Sanskriti Gupta.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 S Sajana, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 G Kamalini, 9 Saika Ishaque/Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Jintimani Kalita, 11 Shabnim IsmailStats and trivia: The Sciver-Brunt show Teams winning the toss have opted to chase in all 15 games so far this season. They went on to win 13 of those. Sciver-Brunt is MI’s leading run-getter and joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament. In WPL 2025, Sciver-Brunt has more half-centuries (three) than the whole UPW team combined (two). UPW are the only team with no player in the top five run-getters or the top five wicket-takers in WPL 2025.