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Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

Noah Okafor

8

2 + 0

Brenden Aaronson

11

1 + 1

Dan James

8

0 + 0

Jack Harrison

10

0 + 0

Wilfried Gnonto

4

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

46

39

xG

11.43

8.15

Goals

9

10

Minutes per goal

396

261

Big chances created

9

21

Key passes per game

1.6

1.7

xA

6.05

10.30

Assists

2

12

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.

Kylian Mbappe made more history on Wednesday night as he took just seven minutes to bag a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos. The Greek side had taken a shock lead against Xabi Alonso's side with a brilliant team goal, but were left stunned as Mbappe netted three times in just seven minutes to put Los Blancos firmly in control of the tie.

Mbappe the hat-trick hero for Real Madrid

Mbappe has been in stunning form this season for Real Madrid but had headed into the match without a goal in his last three games for Alonso's side. However, the France international was quick to end that particular drought, equalising for the visitors after 22 minutes of the match. Mbappe headed home his second two minutes later to put Real Madrid in front and then had his third before the half-hour mark. Arda Guler's ball over the top found the Frenchman in acres of space, and he confidently despatched a low shot past goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis to ensure he'll be taking home another match ball for his collection.

AdvertisementHat-trick is second fastest in the Champions League

Mbappe's hat-trick is the second fastest the Champions League has ever seen. The Frenchman's three goals were clocked at six minutes and 42 seconds, just behind Mohamed Salah's treble against Rangers for Liverpool in 2022. Salah was marginally quicker with his hat-trick timed at six minutes and 13 seconds.

However, the Real Madrid superstar does now have more hat-tricks away from home than any other player in the history of the Champions League. Wednesday's treble was the fourth time he had scored three goals in a game in an away fixture.

Mbappe to win another Golden Shoe?

Mbappe won the Golden Shoe last season, beating off competition from Viktor Gyokeres and Salah after netting 31 times in his debut campaign for Real Madrid following his blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain. The France star will be hoping to win the prestigious prize again and is certainly in good shape currently. Mbappe has 13 goals in 13 La Liga outings for Real Madrid this season and his hat-trick against Olympiacos takes his tally to eight in five Champions League appearances.

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Getty Images SportReal Madrid up against Girona next

Real Madrid will return to Spain after their trip to Greece and will aim to get their title challenge back on track after dropping points against Elche last time out. Alonso's side are back in action on Sunday against Girona at Montilivi, with Mbappe likely to take some stopping as he heads into the game in red-hot form.

Limited play increases prospect of draw, but champions have a shot at pushing for victory

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025Only 21.1 overs were possible on day three at the Kia Oval but title favourites Surrey still used that time profitably to score 95 more second-innings runs and boost their chances of being able to force championship victory against Warwickshire.Dodging the showers in the afternoon, in two mini-sessions, allowed Ben Foakes and Dan Lawrence to add an unbroken 57 for the third wicket as Surrey reached 276 for two – and a lead of 274 to take into the Division One game’s final day.Foakes batted beautifully for 41 not out from 66 balls, with six fours, while Lawrence drove Ethan Bamber majestically over extra cover for six and also struck three fours in an unbeaten 36-ball 29.Earlier, in nine overs’ play before the first rain of the day arrived at 11.09am, Ollie Pope went quickly from his overnight 56 to 78, from 103 balls, before being bowled off an inside edge as he gave Michael Booth’s fast-medium the charge and tried to hit him over mid off.Pope had included a six and eight fours in an impressive knock that did much to provide Surrey with much-needed second innings impetus.Surrey, nine points ahead of nearest challengers Nottinghamshire at the start of the match, are seeking a fourth successive Rothesay County Championship title and – particularly if Notts can chase a fourth innings target of 136 to beat Worcestershire at New Road – will feel they also need to win this match.On 181 for one overnight, after taking control of the contest on day two after Warwickshire had replied with 248 to Surrey’s own first innings 246, Rory Burns’s side saw Dom Sibley retire hurt on his overnight score of 64 due to a recurring groin injury.Foakes and Pope added 38 runs in the day’s first 39-minute session, and Lawrence had only faced three balls following Pope’s dismissal when bad weather intervened and prevented any more play until 1.50pm.Nine runs were then scored in four overs, with rain causing another seven-minute delay before a further 8.1 overs were bowled in which Foakes and Lawrence plundered 48 ahead of a 2.49pm downpour.The hard-working Oval groundstaff did twice try to get play on again when the rain eased off for two separate spells, but then yet more rain swept in from the West to force an abandonment of the day’s play at 5.25pm. On the final day, weather permitting, Surrey will surely be looking for 50 or so more quick runs before declaring and trying to bowl Warwickshire out a second time.

Cole Palmer has suffered another unfortunate injury setback, in a serious blow to Chelsea’s plans, with the England international fracturing his toe following an "accident at home". The 23-year-old playmaker has made just four appearances this season, as he struggles for fitness, and has now been ruled out of the Blues’ next three fixtures across all competitions.

Injury frustration: Chelsea star Palmer ruled out again

Palmer has not figured for Chelsea since being forced out of a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20. He has been unable to represent club or country since then, with a groin problem being nursed.

He was nearing the end of his recovery from that ailment, with Enzo Maresca looking forward to welcoming a talismanic presence back into his plans. An incident that could not have been predicted, or prevented, has now forced Palmer onto the treatment table once more.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesRevealed: Chelsea games that Palmer will miss

Maresca has revealed that Palmer will be unavailable for Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Burnley on Saturday, their Champions League home date with La Liga giants Barcelona on Tuesday and a derby date with London rivals Arsenal on November 30.

Delivering an update on Palmer and the untimely knock that he has picked up, Blues boss Maresca said: "He is probably not available for tomorrow, for sure. Barcelona for sure. Arsenal for sure. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home two days ago.

"He hit his toe. But it’s nothing important. But for sure he’s not back in the next week. The only thing we know is he’s not available for this week and next week.

"He was very close, with the groin. He was back with us almost. Then he had this small problem. The last time I saw him was yesterday. Was he limping? No, not too much. We don't know it's fractured. The only thing we know he is not available for this week and next week."

Maresca added on losing Palmer in the most unfortunate of manners: "I wake up many times in the night to go to the toilet, I hit my head and leg and everything. It can happen."

England recall: Palmer eager to make up for lost time

Palmer is reported to have spent his enforced break working hard in the gym, allowing his overall physique and fitness to be improved. He is said to have been "bulking up", while remaining a regular in the stands for Chelsea games. He has observed training sessions while working on an individual programme.

It is claimed that Palmer is “determined to make up for lost time with his country” after seeing England wrap up qualification for the 2026 World Cup without him. Maresca expects the talented No.10 to earn an immediate recall once in contention to do so.

He added: "For me personally, Cole is one of our best players. No doubt that he can play in any international team. It’s [England head coach] Thomas [Tuchel’s] decision."

One former Chelsea and England star that is looking forward to seeing Palmer return to action is Joe Cole. The Premier League title winner considers a talismanic figure at Stamford Bridge to be crucial to Maresca’s cause.

He told ahead of seeing Palmer’s reintegration into the Chelsea squad delayed: "He can elevate them, and his return will give the lads a boost. What I will say is that the players who stepped up in his absence have been superb. They have spread the goals around the team, and the performances have been great. If you played against Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer in the 10 role, it’s as good as anything in world football."

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GettyChelsea fixtures: When Palmer could return

Palmer has endured a frustrating time since helping Chelsea to glory at the 2025 Club World Cup – a tournament that saw him awarded the Golden Ball. The former PFA Young Player of the Year has been restricted to just 145 minutes of Premier League football this term.

If he is ready to return after the Blues’ next three games, then it could be that he plays some part in a Premier League clash with Leeds at Elland Road on December 3 – although no risks will be taken on his fitness.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.

The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.

However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.

Shots on target

38

14th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

15th

xG

11.0

15th

xGA

15.2

14th

xGD

-4.2

17th

xGD per 90

-0.38

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.

Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.

Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson

Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.

The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.

However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.84

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.

This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.

Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger

Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.

It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.

Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.

Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo

Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.

Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.

You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.

However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.

xAG

0.17

Top 10%

Assists

0.07

Bottom 45%

Progressive passes

3.66

Bottom 22%

Progressive carries

4.60

Top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.58

Top 1%

Touches in attacking penalty area

4.81

Top 1%

Key passes

1.78

Top 10%

Passes into the penalty area

1.43

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”

The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.

Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.

With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.

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That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.

Lionesses star Alex Greenwood has put pen to paper on a new contract at Manchester City. The 32-year-old has signed an extension that will keep her at the club until 2027 and says she has "unfinished business" with the Cityzens. Greenwood was into the final year of her existing deal but has now committed her future to the club after a strong start to the new WSL campaign.

Man City handed Greenwood boost

Greenwood's new contract is a big boost to Manchester City as she is a key player for club and country. The City captain has played 152 games for the club since joining from Lyon in 2020, winning the Women's FA Cup and the League Cup in that time. Greenwood was also part of the Lionesses' Euro 2025-winning squad, starting all of England's six matches in the tournament in Switzerland, and picking up her second European Championship title.

AdvertisementGreenwood thrilled with new contract

She told the club's media: "I’m really happy to stay here, it’s the club I love and the club I want to be successful at and I’m really happy to be here for another two more [years]. Personally, I have so much unfinished business to be done, and I love this football club. It feels like home to me now and I feel this is where I belong and am meant to be.

"I’m really excited for what’s to come.  I’m excited by the players, the new manager. And the start has been really positive, but I know there’s still so much more to come from this team. I would love nothing more than to lift more silverware at this football club."

Therese Sjogran, Manchester City’s Director of Football, said: "We’re absolutely delighted that Alex has signed a new deal with the club. It’s difficult to put into words how important she is on and off the pitch, and I know my respect and admiration for her as a player and person is shared by everyone at City. We’re excited by the direction this team is going in this season and beyond, and Alex is central to those ambition."

City leading the way in 2025-26

Manchester City have enjoyed a strong start to the new Women's Super League season and currently sit in top spot after eight games played, one point clear of defending champions Chelsea. Greenwood is yet to win the WSL in her career but admits she's gunning for the title this year.

She told the club's media: "As much as I’ve played for lots of years and I’ve experienced so much in my career, I’m still learning too as a captain and as a player. I’m someone who will always look at myself first before I give advice to anyone else. I think the group is exciting and that’s another reason why I’m so happy to stay here. We’ve got so much potential and the young players coming through are so exciting and they keep you on your toes to say the least.

"I really don’t believe we can’t not do it and that’s why I want to be here. I want to do it because I think the club deserves it.The team deserves it, but there’s one thing deserving it and another doing it and I do genuinely believe we can do that.  I’m so positive about this team. We have short-term and long-term goals as a team, I do individually. For me personally, I’ll be lying if I didn’t say I really want to win the league with this club."

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Getty Images SportGreenwood sidelined through injury

Greenwood is currently sidelined through injury after picking up a problem during City's win over West Ham. Manager Andrée Jeglertz has said the Lionesses star will miss "a number of weeks" in what is a blow to the WSL leaders.

Manchester City are due to play neighbours Manchester United next in the WSL and then face a trip to Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. The Cityzens then see out 2025 with league matches against Leicester and Aston Villa.

Have we found the real Newcastle United so far this season? Probably not. If Eddie Howe’s side have played at their full capacity this term, such efforts have been scattered among too many frustrating, incoherent results.

The Premier League provides the clearest illustration of this. Ten matches into the league campaign, the Magpies are 13th, with 12 points on the board. Sunday’s defeat at West Ham United means they have gone seven months without a top-flight win on the road.

But they have also made a convincing start on their return to the Champions League, nine points from 12, while beating Mansfield Town and then Tottenham Hotspur to reach the last eight of the Carabao Cup, that title they won so emphatically last season.

Newcastle, too be sure, are a team carrying some burdens, but they responded in the right way against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday evening, and now Howe has got to build on that positivity and fix his biggest problems.

How Howe can fix Newcastle's biggest problems?

Newcastle have been effective at St. James’ Park this term; they have struggled on the road. There’s something about Tyneside on a big night that draws the belief and quality and conviction from stars in black and white, and Dan Burn and co showed this against Bilbao this week.

However, for all Burn’s tenacity and embodiment of ‘The Howe Way’ at Newcastle, he might be played out of the side in the coming weeks, with Lewis Hall returning from injury and making a positive impression off the bench. Content creator Geordie Josh claimed post-match that the rising star is a “generational left-back in the making”.

By adding the 21-year-old, more athletic and progressive than his towering counterpart, Newcastle’s left-hand side will become more dynamic and balanced. After all, Hall ranks among the top 16% of full-backs across Europe over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes, as well as the top 9% for tackles won per 90 (data via FBref).

Ultimately, Newcastle have to keep piecing the squad with talented players while retaining the all-important centre of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, the former of whom claimed another Man of the Match award on Wednesday, and is storming his way toward a clean sweep of individual accolades on Tyneside this term.

Newcastle have a strong spine, with Nick Woltemade the perfect frontal prosthetic to replace Alexander Isak after that summer of turmoil and divorce.

But there’s one Howe mainstay who’s letting his teammates down right now, and has been labelled Newcastle’s new version of Gabriel Obertan after another disappointing performance.

Newcastle's new Gabriel Obertan

Newcastle have been alchemised into a force to be reckoned with over the past four years. Players like Obertan, fondly remembered though they are, no longer ply their trade at St. James’ Park, who host a team of trophy winners and regular European contenders.

Obertan, once held in high regard by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, joined Newcastle aged 22 for a shrewd £3m figure. Injuries had prohibited him. Across 77 appearances, he returned only three goals, assisting ten more.

Now, Anthony Gordon’s below-level displays have led one prominent fan base to suggest that Obertan’s spirit lives on. Indeed, the Three Lions star was said to have entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” after the loss at West Ham, having gone 21 Premier League matches without a goal and 19 without making an assist.

For a leading winger with such blistering pace and dangerous dribbling, this isn’t good enough. After all, Liverpool have been linked with a swoop for their one-time academy member since 2024, and the price tag mooted has reached £100m.

Gordon, 24, can look like a brilliant, unplayable talent, a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, by his own admission. But, equally, he isn’t hitting the same levels of fluency and sharpness as 2023/24, when he was so easily handed the club’s Player of the Year award after coming into his own and reaching double digits for goals and assists.

That Premier League season threatens to be an outlier if he not rekindle his form in the final third. Isak’s departure will have hampered him some, but more is needed, especially as he’s yet to break his domestic duck this year despite missing three big chances (as per Sofascore).

25/26 (NUFC)

7

0 (0)

24/25 (NUFC)

34

6 (5)

23/24 (NUFC)

35

11 (10)

22/23 (NUFC)

16

1 (0)

22/23 (EFC)

16

3 (0)

21/22 (EFC)

35

4 (2)

20/21 (EFC)

3

0 (0)

19/20 (EFC)

11

0 (1)

Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton for £45m in January 2023. He was young and raw but with bundles of potential, and he’s now one of the biggest names in English football, one of Howe’s leading forwards.

But he’s toiling through the current campaign, and now faces a potential layoff after such exciting previous revelations regarding the depth and breadth of his skillset.

Instances such as the red card against Liverpool won’t have helped matters, and neither will his recent showing against Bilbao, branded with a 5/10 match rating by the Chronicle Live before being taken off with a suspected recurrence of a hip injury. They said he ‘never looked right’.

What to do with a high-profile and high-quality star who is consistently flattering to deceive? A talisman, of sorts, magnified in importance after the summer’s tumultuous events.

Gordon is not a newcomer at Newcastle. He is an elite member of Howe’s title-winning squad. More is needed lest he fall into obscurity and find more heads nodding in agreement at the claims that he is morphing into the Toon’s new version of Obertan.

Newcastle teen who's 'like Mbappe' could take the #10 shirt from Gordon

Eddie Howe could look towards the Newcastle United youth ranks to assess his other options in attack.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2025

Players like Deandra Dottin, Sneh Rana and Heather Knight could fill some vacant spots

S Sudarshanan12-Dec-2024Delhi Capitals (DC)Slots remaining: 4 (1 overseas)
Purse remaining: INR 2.5 crore
Retained players: Jemimah Rodrigues, Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Marizanne Kapp, Titas Sadhu, Alice Capsey, Minnu Mani, Taniya Bhatia, Jess Jonassen, Sneha Deepthi, Arundhati Reddy, Annabel SutherlandWhat they need at the auction
A back-up wicketkeeper and a spare hard-hitting batter. They could also do with a frontline fast-bowling option as a back-up for Marizanne Kapp and Shikha Pandey. One of Lauren Bell and Kim Garth, or the left-arm angle of Lauren Cheatle, could fit the bill. The legspin of Alana King will also be on their mind since they have let go of Poonam Yadav.Related

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Gujarat Giants (GG)Slots remaining : 4 (2 overseas)
Purse remaining: INR 4.4 crore
Retained players: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha, Tanuja Kanwar, Shabnam Shakil, Laura Wolvaardt, Phoebe Litchfield, Meghna Singh, Mannat Kashyap, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, Sayali Satghare, Bharti FulmaliWhat they need at the auction
Strong bowling options. GG were the least economical bowling unit in WPL 2024 (8.53) and significantly expensive at the death – they had an economy rate of 11.11 with the second-poorest (Mumbai Indians) at 9.75. That partially explains why they released four bowling options in Sneh Rana, Lea Tahuhu, Kathryn Bryce and Cheatle. That could bring Darcie Brown and Tess Flintoff into contention – the former for her pace and abilities specially with the new ball, the latter for her hard-hitting apart from her seam-bowling.Mumbai Indians (MI)Slots remaining: 4 (1 overseas)
Purse remaining: INR 2.65 crore
Retained players: Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia, Amanjot Kaur, Saika Ishaque, Hayley Matthews, Chloe Tryon, Jintimani Kalita, Shabnim Ismail, Sajeevan Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, SB KeerthanaWhat they need at the auction
MI have been far too reliant on their top order and should look to add a strong lower-middle-order batting option, essentially a finisher. Having released Issy Wong, they could look to target Nadine de Klerk, who bowls seam and adds firepower to the lower-middle order, or West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin. An injury-ridden season for Bhatia could also prompt them to look for a back-up wicketkeeper, possibly Uttarakhand’s Nandini Kashyap, who raked up runs at a quick rate in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy as well as the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy.RCB are the defending WPL champions•AFP/Getty ImagesRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)Slots remaining: 4 (0 overseas)
Purse remaining: INR 3.25 crore
Retained players: Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Sobhana, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, S Meghana, Sophie Molineux
Traded in: Danni Wyatt (from UP Warriorz)What they need at the auction
Ellyse Perry and Sophie Devine combined for over 50% of the overs pace bowlers bowled for RCB in their title-winning campaign in WPL 2024. Perry and Devine shoulder much lesser bowling loads for their national sides, so RCB could look at a frontline fast bowler to partner Renuka Singh. They could look at S Yashasri or Falak Naz, both part of the Under-19 T20 World Cup win last year. Mandhana’s Maharashtra team-mate, Shradda Pokharkar, a replacement for them last year, could also offer a left-arm angle. A middle-order batting option could be handy, too, with Bengal’s Tanusree Sarkar or Maharashtra’s Tejal Hasabnis possible options.UP Warriorz (UPW)Slots remaining: 3 players (1 overseas)
Purse remaining: INR 3.9 crore
Retained players: Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Tahlia McGrath, Alyssa Healy, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shweta Sehrawat, Kiran Navgire, Grace Harris, Vrinda Dinesh, Poonam Khemnar, Saima Thakor, Gouher Sultana, Chamari Athapaththu, Uma ChetryWhat they need at the auction
Firstly, a few Indian batters to reduce UPW’s over-reliance on their overseas names. They also need a finisher to reduce the load on Deepti Sharma. Having released Bell, they should also target a pedigreed fast-bowling option. They could look at Dottin for the power down the order and her seam bowling. Chinelle Henry could be another option, if they don’t manage to buy Flintoff. UPW also have the option of going left-field with Ireland’s Orla Prendergast, who has had an impressive all-round year in T20Is.

The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 on Tuesday night at PNC Park. Unfortunately for the Tigers, there was a real moment in the 4th inning as a sacrifice fly turned into an inning-ending 9-2 double-play when a baserunner forgot to touch the plate.

With the Tigers down 3-0 in the top of the 4th, Detroit outfielder Wenceel Perez led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to third on a single by Spencer Torkelson. With one out, Zach McKinstry hit a fly ball to right field that was caught cleanly by Alexander Canario. That's when Perez tagged up, but forgot his assignment on his way home.

Perez beat the throw to the plate, but as he slid in head first he apparently had his eyes closed and neglected to reach out and touch home. Eventually, Pirates catcher Henry Davis applied the tag as Perez completely slid past home without ever sticking out any body part to make any contact with the plate whatsoever.

Instead of scoring a run and still having a runner in scoring position, the inning ended without any runs. The Pirates added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning and the Tigers were never able to catch up.