Tom Bischof is emerging as Bayern Munich’s breakout star this season, blending youthful energy with relentless ambition. The German midfielder, who calls himself a “mentality monster,” has quickly adapted to the rigors of Allianz Arena, thriving under Vincent Kompany and embracing Bayern’s winning mentality as he aims to make an immediate impact on both the domestic and European stage.

Bayern’s dominant season and Bischof’s bright start

Bayern continues to dominate the Bundesliga, securing their sixth consecutive victory defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 and maintaining a perfect start to the campaign. The squad’s mix of seasoned stars and rising talent has created a formidable force on the pitch. Among the newcomers making waves is 20-year-old Bischof, who joined Bayern this summer from Hoffenheim. Bischof has adapted seamlessly to the team’s high standards, fitting into Kompany’s dynamic system and contributing meaningfully to the club’s ongoing success.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport“I’m a mentality monster,” says Bischof

In an interview with Bayern’s Sabener51 magazine, Bischof shared insights into his decision to join the club and the mindset he brings to the squad. He carefully considered the move, listening to advice from Kompany, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund, while also studying Bayern’s style of play.

"I spent a long time thinking about what the right step would be for me. I didn’t just decide because we’re Bayern fans in my family. I also listened carefully to Vincent Kompany, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund about what they wanted and expected of me. I watched a lot of Bayern. All of that played a role," Bischof said.

He further added: "“I think the kind of football Bayern plays suits me perfectly. Playing around the box, the high pressing, all of that suits me very well. And besides, I’m a bit of a ‘mental monster. I’m super ambitious, I want to win titles, I want to win every game, absolutely. And that’s FC Bayern’s identity."

Bischof's journey from Hoffenheim to Bayern

Bischof’s rise has been swift. A product of Hoffenheim’s youth academy, he impressed in his breakthrough 2024-25 season, scoring six goals and providing three assists across 42 appearances. His Bundesliga debut for Bayern has already seen him feature in four matches and record one assist, quickly proving his ability to compete at the highest level. Internationally, he has represented Germany at various youth levels and earned his senior debut during the 2024-25 Nations League against France, signaling a promising future for both club and country.

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Getty Images SportBayern's form is the result of collective strength

Bayern's current form is a testament to a squad firing on all cylinders. Harry Kane leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 11 goals, while Luis Diaz tops the assists table with four, highlighting the potency of Bayern’s attacking and creative play. After the international break, Bayern will test their strength against rivals Borussia Dortmund on October 18.

Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian has revealed the words of encouragement his Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca gave him before he scored the winning goal in the Blues' pulsating 2-1 win over Liverpool. The 18-year-old was introduced as a second-half substitute, ppping up at the perfect moment to cap off a sweeping team move that earned the Blues all three points.

• Maresca tells Willian: "Play your own game"

  In a post-game interview with , the young winger expressed his delight at being part of the victory, and how much he is enjoying plying his trade in west London. Despite limited English, the 18-year-old spoke with excitement and passion with a beaming smile that did not need any translating. 

  "Oh wow," he said. "I'm just so, so happy. 

  "I’m grateful to God, to my family, to all my team-mates, to the coaching staff and to everyone else at the club who has helped me with my football here.

  "It’s an amazing feeling to score my first Premier League goal and in such a big game, I’m just so happy."

  Estevao, who joined the club this summer from Palmeiras in a fee worth up to £55 million ($74m), revealed his manager gave him the freedom to go out and impact the game, despite his relative inexperience. 

  "I feel great right now and it’s so good that the manager has so much confidence in me," Estevao added.

  "When I went on, he told me to just play my own game and to try and make an impact. He told me to try and score or create a goal and thankfully I managed to do that.

  "I’m so happy for him and for all the belief that the manager, Enzo Maresca, has in me."

  Estevao is clearly enjoying his football at the moment, and is showing little sign of the added pressure of Premier League football and a move to a new country. 

  "Things at Chelsea have gone a lot better so far than I maybe imagined," he stated. "I feel so good in training every day and I enjoy every moment.

  "I have fantastic team-mates and coaching staff around me that help me each day, and it’s very helpful that I have my family with me and they’ve helped me really settle into life in England and the Premier League.

  "I couldn’t be happier!"

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  Maresca shows faith in Estevao

  Chelsea's manager did not make any comments after the game, as he was dismissed for two yellow card offences. The first came after he showed dissent against the match officials, with the second coming after he joined with the raucous celebrations following Estevao's late winner. 

  It is likely the Italian would have heaped praise on the young Brazilian. Earlier this week, the former Leicester City boss compared Estevao to Chelsea's injured talisman Cole Palmer, suggesting he has the quality to play both as a winger and more centrally. 

• Estevao impresses during early days at Chelsea

  The young Brazilian has been managed carefully by Maresca so far, starting just four games and playing in roughly 40% of his available minutes. Even with limited playing time, he had shown flashes of brilliance despite limited output. Before Saturday, he had notched one goal contribution, an assist in the Blues 5-1 drubbing of West Ham in August. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Is Estevao ready for a bigger role?

  The jubilation of his lat-minute winner will quickly subside, but it seems the 18-year-old wants to taste more and more success at Stamford Bridge. After he upcoming international break, the youngster will almost certainly feature in Chelsea's away trip to Nottingham Forest and their next Champions League tie against Ajax. Given Palmer's injury issues, as well as layoffs for Facundo Buonnanote and Liam Delap, it would not be a surprise to see the 18-year-old given an expanded role going forward. 

Newcastle United’s search for a new striker has intensified as the transfer window enters its decisive stages.

The club are locked in a complex situation involving Alexander Isak, who has made it clear he has no intention of reintegrating into Eddie Howe’s squad.

The Swede has not featured in either of Newcastle’s opening Premier League fixtures and has refused to train, citing broken promises and a desire for change.

Without a recognised number nine, the Magpies have looked blunt in attack.

Against Aston Villa and Liverpool, Newcastle created opportunities but lacked a clinical edge, with makeshift forward Anthony Gordon even seeing red in the latter fixture.

That dismissal leaves William Osula as the only available striker, underlining the urgency of the situation.

Newcastle line up move for new striker target

Eddie Howe’s men have moved for several targets already this summer.

Bids for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen have been rejected, while they’re also now tracking Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth.

Transfer Focus

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

With Liverpool circling around Isak, the club have turned to the continent for solutions.

According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, intermediaries are attempting to engineer a deal between Newcastle United and AS Roma for Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk.

The Magpies are said to have proposed a dry loan, though Roma are holding firm: they want either a permanent sale or guarantees that a deal will eventually be made permanent.

Villarreal are also interested in the forward. The Spanish side, having agreed a £26m deal to sell winger Yeremy Pino to Crystal Palace, have the funds available to pursue Dovbyk, though they too have only offered a loan arrangement.

Roma are demanding around €30m (£25m) for the 28-year-old, who joined from Girona last summer.

Why Dovbyk could be a better fit than Sørloth

Dovbyk scored 12 goals and registered three assists in 32 Serie A appearances during his debut season in Italy, following on from a remarkable final campaign in Spain where he fired Girona into the Champions League with 24 goals and eight assists.

The Ukrainian international has 36 caps and 11 goals for his country and has drawn praise from some high-profile figures.

Former Manchester City, Liverpool and Italy forward Mario Balotelli recently remarked: “In terms of style, I would say he is similar to Haaland.”

With Isak unwilling to return and Callum Wilson having left for West Ham after his contract expired, the Magpies are short of options.

Dovbyk is now seen as one of the most viable replacements to fill the void and give Howe the focal point his system demands.

The arrival of a new number nine at St James’ Park has been a pressing issue for months, and much of the conversation has centred on whether Newcastle should prioritise Dovbyk or another prominent target: Sørloth.

Sørloth, who enjoyed a prolific campaign with Atlético Madrid last season, netted 20 goals and supplied two assists across 35 La Liga appearances.

The 29-year-old Norwegian stands taller than Dovbyk’s 1.89 at 1.95m and has extensive international experience, with 63 caps and 24 goals for his country.

His form in Spain has reignited his reputation following a disappointing spell in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, where he failed to score in 16 appearances.

By comparison, Dovbyk is slightly younger at 28 and has demonstrated consistency in two of Europe’s top leagues.

His record for Girona marked him out as one of the most lethal strikers in La Liga, and his transition to Serie A saw him continue to contribute regularly.

For Newcastle, that track record of adaptation could be crucial in the Premier League. A statistical comparison between the two highlights the differences in their playing styles.

Matches Played

35

32

Goals

20

12

Assists

2

2

Progressive Carries

32

24

Progressive Passes

31

16

Sørloth’s numbers showcase his volume shooting and ability to dominate games as a target man.

According to FBref, he registered 4.48 shots per 90 last season with Atlético compared to Dovbyk’s 2.27, and scored 19 non-penalty goals compared to Dovbyk’s ten.

His shooting accuracy was also higher, with 51.3% of attempts hitting the target against Dovbyk’s 41%.

However, Dovbyk edges his rival in other areas. He is more efficient in possession, completing 74.1% of his passes compared to Sørloth’s 63.8%, and averages more shot-creating actions per 90 (1.94 to 1.73).

He is also less reliant on sheer volume, with his ten non-penalty goals last season coming from an expected goals figure of 10.3 – suggesting he converts chances at the rate they are expected, without overperforming.

Sørloth, by contrast, scored 19 from 16.0 expected goals, hinting at a potentially unsustainable level of finishing.

Stylistically, Dovbyk offers Newcastle a profile closer to Isak’s. He can link play, operate as a focal point, and combine technical quality with aerial presence. Sørloth, meanwhile, provides sheer firepower.

His 22 goal involvements outweigh Dovbyk’s 14, but his reliance on high shooting volume may raise concerns about sustainability in a league where space is harder to find.

For Newcastle, the decision could come down to balance. They require not just goals, but a striker who complements their pressing game and fluid attacking style. Dovbyk’s blend of technical skill, physicality, and adaptability suggests he may be the more suitable long-term option, particularly if Isak departs for Liverpool.

Gordon upgrade: Al-Rumayyan in talks to sign £65m "nuisance" for Newcastle

Newcastle are approaching crunch time in their drawn-out bid to sign a striker this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 26, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo segue sem muitas novidades quando o assunto são chegadas de novos jogadores nesta janela de transferências. Além disso, o clube quer cumprir o pedido de Dorival Júnior para não vender atletas importantes do elenco. Um número importante que serve para saber se um jogador pode ir para outro clube brasileiro ou não é o número de jogos que o atleta fez no Brasileirão.

+ Veja tabela do Brasileirão clicando aqui

A partir de sete partidas no torneio, o jogador não pode mais vestir a camisa de outra equipe na competição. O São Paulo tem quatro atletas que estão beirando esse número: Alan Franco, Diego Costa, Luan e Méndez. Os três primeiros fizeram seis jogos cada um e se completarem o sétimo, devem ficar no São Paulo até o final da temporada. O volante fez cinco partidas.

A situação mais indefinida é a de Luan. Mesmo com Dorival Júnior no comando do São Paulo, o camisa oito não vem ganhando chances. Contra o Bragantino, por exemplo, quando o Tricolor foi com um time alternativo, Luan não entrou como titular e ficou no banco de reservas durante toda a partida.

+ Para os tricolores paulistas apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$39,90 na FutFanatics!

Luan quebrou o ‘jejum’ de cinco partidas sem jogar quando entrou na segunda etapa contra o Palmeiras. O São Paulo não tem propostas oficiais por ele, mas o jogador segue com futuro indefinido.

Já Alan Franco, Diego Costa e Méndez devem cumpir a sétima partida sem problemas. O Cria de Cotia, inclusive, deve ser titular contra o Santos. O volante briga por vaga entre os titulares, por conta da lesão de Gabriel Neves, que fraturou duas costelas e será desfalque. Além do mais, o São Paulo não tem planos de vendê-lo ou emprestá-lo no momento.

Chelsea have raised £239 million in player sales after Carney Chukwuemeka’s £24m move to Borussia Dortmund, but another could soon be following him.

Thanks to their plethora of exit deals, Enzo Maresca’s side possess an excellent summer net spend of just £3 million heading into deadline day, so they’re under no pressure from the Premier League’s PSR rules to balance their books.

However, due to their pact with UEFA, Chelsea still need to sell certain members of the squad.

They reached a settlement with the governing body last month after Chelsea breached FFP laws, and a condition of this pact is that they must produce a positive transfer balance by the end of the window.

Failure to do so will result in them being unable to register new signings for Maresca’s Champions League squad, and only players who were involved in their Conference League squad last season will count towards viable outgoings.

This is why the sales of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are viewed as crucial to Chelsea’s remaining transfer plans for the window.

BlueCo have been in talks over signing Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons for weeks, and reports now claim that Chelsea are also eyeing Barcelona star Fermin Lopez as an alternative to the latter.

A sell-to-buy policy appears very much in effect at Stamford Bridge, but a potentially imminent exit for Jackson could be on the cards to allow Maresca’s side to make room.

Bayern Munich are in negotiations over the Senegal international, valued at £80 million, who has also attracted rumoured interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

Now, the player’s own agent has shared an intriguing update on his future.

Nicolas Jackson tipped to leave Chelsea within 24 hours

Speaking to Wiw Sports on Tuesday morning, Jackson’s representative, Diomansy Kramara, claimed that the striker is expected to leave Chelsea in the next 48 hours, so at the time of writing now, this is now 24 hours.

The former Villarreal star was a key member of Maresca’s first team last season, bagging 13 goals and six assists in all competitions, including a strike in the Conference League final.

However, the additions of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have pushed Jackson down the pecking order, and he’s not been involved in any of Chelsea’s opening Premier League games as Maresca confirms he can leave.

Essex (Cox 117, Walter 95, Critchley 45* Westley 40) vs Surrey Jordan Cox made sure his name remained on the England selectors’ radar with the ninth first-class century of his career, and fifth inside a year since joining Essex, as reigning champions Surrey toiled under bright Chelmsford skies.The 24-year-old Cox was on the cusp of an England debut in New Zealand last autumn before suffering another injury setback. But a swashbuckling 117 from 148 balls in the opening Rothesay County Championship match of the season can only have helped his cause ahead of a year in which England face first Zimbabwe and then India and Australia.His powerful innings overshadowed an otherwise excellent 95 from makeshift opener Paul Walter. The 30-year-old left-hander, better known for his big-hitting exploits in T20 cricket, fell just short of what would have been only his third red-ball century.Walter’s stands of 78 with rookie opener Charlie Allison and 100 with Cox, along with Cox’s 92 with Matt Critchley, underpinned an Essex total of 356 for 4 on the first day against a Surrey pace attack devoid of the likes of Gus Atkinson, Dan Worrall and Tom Lawes. Kemar Roach added some respite with 2 for 54 from 18 overs.Essex had won the toss and elected to bat on a benign green-top in front of a bumper home crowd of 2,370.Walter set the tone by marching to his fifty from 58 balls when he turned James Taylor off his legs for a single. He had dominated the first hour as Allison marked his first-class debut in look-and-learn mode. The 20-year-old, replacing Dean Elgar at the top of the order while the South African becomes used to the idea of being a father of twins, took 38 balls before hitting his first boundary, a square drive off Matt Fisher that took his score into double figures.The first-wicket stand ended when Dan Lawrence entered the Surrey attack and with his fourth delivery had Allison lbw for 25, playing down the wrong line, much to the delight of the former Essex man.Where Walter had been dominant in the opening stand, he became becalmed in the fifties either side of lunch as Tom Westley briefly took centre stage. The Essex captain rolled his wrists to turn Taylor through midwicket for four and later thick-edged Lawrence past a despairing slip.Westley contributed 40 towards a 48-run second-wicket stand before turning Roach into short midwicket’s hands. Walter added just five to his total in that 16-over partnership but then opened his shoulders and square-cut the first ball after Westley’s departure for his 10th four.There was greater equality between the third-wicket pair with Walter and Cox trading blows. Some of Cox’s hitting was effortless with no discernible back-lift, most notably his ninth boundary, a drive that scorched past mid-off, and brought up his half-century from 77 balls.The century partnership was reached with a single from Walter, but two balls later he gave Fisher his first Surrey wicket since the winter move from Yorkshire, when mis-hooking to Ben Foakes diving full-length down legside. Walter’s innings had lasted 172 balls and included 14 fours.Cox took up the cudgels immediately after tea, hitting Roach to three different parts of the boundary in an over. There was a strange incident just before Cox reached three-figures when he appeared to hit Foakes with his bat as the ball lobbed towards the wicketkeeper. No censure ensued and the century duly arrived with a straight drive off Lawrence for his 18th four.Cox added three more boundaries before he was beaten for pace by Roach to end a stay of a tad over three hours.It was just left to Critchley to confirm Essex’s domination as the sun went down with three successive fours off the expensive James Taylor and reach the close on 45 not out.

Fifties for Robson and Holden but Middlesex fall away from strong position to post 260

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Apr-2025Lancashire 68 for 0 trail Middlesex 260 (Robson 70, Holden 69, Aspinwall 4-32) by 192 runsRookie seamers Tom Aspinwall and Ollie Sutton launched Lancashire’s bid for an immediate return to the top flight in positive fashion by bowling out Middlesex for 260 on the opening day at Lord’s.Relegated to Division Two of the Rothesay County Championship last season, the Red Rose began the campaign without injured ex-England veteran James Anderson and West Indies paceman Anderson Phillip, unavailable due to a visa issue. But 21-year-old Aspinwall, with figures of 4 for 32, and left-armer Sutton, who took 2 for 57 on his first-class debut, swung the game in their side’s favour after a century stand between Sam Robson and Max Holden had given Middlesex a strong platform.Having reached 215 for 3 in front of an impressive Lord’s crowd of 4257, the home side stumbled – losing their last seven wickets for 45 runs – and Lancashire’s openers shaved 68 off the deficit before the close.The visitors opted to bowl after winning the toss and gained some early swing and bounce, with Tom Bailey beating the outside edge several times before breaking through in the fifth over. Nathan Fernandes, restored to an opener’s role at Middlesex following Mark Stoneman’s departure, contributed just a single before he was tempted to nibble at a Bailey delivery that slanted across him.But, having seen off the new ball, Robson began to play with greater freedom and rattled off a spate of boundaries, steering Sutton to the midwicket fence to bring up his half-century from 60 balls.Holden played his part as Middlesex cruised along at around four-and-a-half an over, but the left-hander was given a life on 28 when he hooked Sutton to long leg, only for the ball to slip through Luke Wells’ fingers and over the rope. However, with Lancashire’s seamers toiling fruitlessly, Wells redeemed himself by coming on for an over of legbreaks just before lunch to pin Robson lbw on the back foot with his fifth ball.Holden posted his half-century in the first over after the resumption, squirting Wells to third man for three and looked a good bet to convert that 50 into three figures until he fell to a smart take by Matty Hurst. Standing up to the stumps, the young wicketkeeper – who had earlier spilled a similar chance to remove Leus du Plooy off Will Williams – snapped up Holden off the same bowler and claimed his third dismissal when Ryan Higgins nudged George Balderson behind.That triggered a middle-order collapse, with four more wickets falling in the space of just 21 deliveries – two apiece to Sutton and Aspinwall. Debutant Ben Geddes became Sutton’s maiden first-class victim when he miscued a pull to midwicket and Jack Davies was lbw shuffling across his stumps before du Plooy, having spent more than two hours over a watchful 41, was on the sharp end of a similar decision in Aspinwall’s favour.By contrast, Toby Roland-Jones’ dismissal was palpable as Aspinwall brought the ball a long way back down the slope to take his leg stump, mopping up the innings after tea with the wickets of Zafar Gohar and Henry Brookes.Lancashire skipper Keaton Jennings batted sensibly alongside new opening partner Michael Jones, capitalising on loose deliveries as they chipped away at the home side’s total. However, there were close calls for both openers before stumps, with Jennings’ inside edge off Blake Cullen rebounding off his pad but somehow avoiding the wicket and Jones almost playing on to Brookes.

تحدث الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن إصابة لاعبه قبل مواجهة آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره آينتراخت فرانكفورت في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا غدًا الأربعاء، الموافق 22 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري.

ومن المقرر أن يحل ليفربول ضيفًا على الفريق الألماني مساء غد الأربعاء في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

وكان ليفربول قد خسر بثنائية مقابل هدف، أمام مانشستر يونايتد في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

اقرا أيضًا | قائمة ليفربول لمباراة آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف محمد صلاح

ولمدة 4 مباريات متتالية، لا يعرف ليفربول طعم الفوز أو حتى التعادل إذ خسرهم جميعًا في جميع المسابقات، 3 منهم في الدوري الإنجليزي أمام كريستال بالاس وتشيلسي ومانشستر يونايتد، وواحدة في دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام جالطة سراي.

وأصيب ريان جرافنبيرخ، في مباراة الفريق أمام مانشستر يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي، في الكاحل، ليغيب عن مواجهة فرانكفورت غدًا.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نقلها الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “كنت مضطرًا في عدم اصطحاب جرافنبيرخ لمباراة فرانكفورت لأنني رأيته “يعرج” قليلًا المباراة الماضية، لذلك فضلت استبعاده”.

وأكمل: “غيابه سيؤثر علينا بالطبع ويكون دائمًا فرصة للآخرين، رأينا في مباراة كريستال بالاس بالدرع الخيرية وأمام بورنموث ماذا حدث لنا في غيابه، هو يحمي الرباعي الخلفي، لكن في نفس الوقت ينبغي أن أختار لاعبًا جديدًا آخر في تشكيل الغد”.

وأردف: “ريان لن يكون متاحًا لمباراة فرانكفورت، ونأمل أن يكون متاحًا في نهاية الأسبوع”.

وأتم: “هي إصابة في الكاحل، علينا أن ننتظر ونرى، ونمنحه بعض الوقت ونرى أين سيكون عندما نعود من مباراة فرانكفورت”.

Newcastle United are perhaps ruing their decision to sell academy graduate Elliot Anderson last summer to Nottingham Forest. The England international, who was only capped for the first time last week, moved down to the East Midlands from his boyhood club for reasons relating to PSR.

Yet, he has gone from strength to strength at the City Ground, a testament to his ability that Newcastle fans no doubt saw at St James’ Park, too. That talent has been summed up by Thomas Tuchel, handing the youngster his England debut against Andorra last week.

Having Anderson alongside midfield options like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton would have been excellent depth for Eddie Howe. With that being said, it gives the chance for a new academy star to break through, after someone like Lewis Miley.

Miley’s Newcastle career so far

It is easy to forget that England under-1 international Miley is just 19 years of age. He’s been in and around the first team frame at St James’ Park for a number of years, since first making his debut in the 2022/23 campaign.

In total, the Stanley-born midfielder has played 49 games for his boyhood club.

He’s managed to get himself on the scoresheet three times and has chipped in with four assists along the way, too.

Of course, it has not been easy for Miley to establish himself in the Magpies’ midfield with the aforementioned quality they have. However, his versatility may work in his favour, given he’s played as a number six as well as in his preferred number eight role.

The youngster has also struggled with injuries, missing the back end of the 2023/24 campaign and the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Since then, he has been unable to break into the side under Howe.

It remains to be seen if Miley can become Newcastle’s new Anderson, but, for now, it doesn’t seem likely that he can establish himself in the starting lineup. Instead, another teen star at the club might be the person Newcastle turn towards to replace Anderson.

Newcastle’s next Elliot Anderson

There must be something in the air at Newcastle to have developed Anderson and Miley, two young academy midfielders. Well, next on that list could be 19-year-old Alfie Harrison, a versatile midfielder who hails from Manchester.

Described as a “star in the making” by football writer Thomas Hammond, Harrison has shone for the Magpies’ youth team at under-21 level, after originally coming through the ranks at Manchester City.

After playing under-21 football in 2023/24, Harrison had his best campaign yet last season. The Mancunian midfielder, who has the first-team number 44 at St James’ Park, played 20 games in the Premier League 2, scoring three times and assisting seven.

He has also excelled in the EFL Trophy, too. The 19-year-old created three chances in his first game of the competition this season against Huddersfield Town, and also won two ground duels and one tackle, showing great all-round ability.

One of the standout features of his game is the versatility he offers. Whilst he is a midfielder by trade, Harrison can also operate out wide, which will teach him plenty of skills to add to his craft in the middle of the park.

Harrison’s U21 record

Position

Games

G/A

Central midfield

15

6

Attacking midfield

8

6

Right-wing

4

1

Right midfield

2

2

(min 45 mins played)

Stats from Transfermarkt

Losing Anderson was certainly a huge blow for the Magpies, but perhaps Howe will decide to unleash a player with the creative talent of Harrison at some stage this season.

He will certainly add quality on the ball, just like their former midfielder.

In The Pipeline

Expand Collapse

Miley is certainly a great option for Howe to have in and around the squad, but perhaps a player with the skill of Harrison will be able to leapfrog him and become the new Anderson soon enough.

Related Anderson repeat: Newcastle must regret selling a "monster" for just £500k

Have Newcastle repeated their Elliot Anderson mistake?

Posts ByWill Miller Sep 9, 2025

In one of his final acts as chairman, Daniel Levy signed Mathys Tel in a cut-price £30 million deal for Tottenham, but it’s been far from plain sailing for the Frenchman thus far.

Initially, Spurs agreed a £45 million buy-option in the January loan deal which saw him join from Bayern Munich. However, Levy managed to re-negotiate a lesser fee to make Tel the Lilywhites’ first signing of the summer bar Kevin Danso.

The arrival of Bayern’s former prodigy brought plenty of excitement with it, especially after Julian Nagelsmann once tipped the 20-year-old to bag 40 goals a season one day.

Whilst Tel garnered a fearsome reputation as a hot commodity during his time in Bavaria, it’s been a mixed start to life in north London.

He grabbed back-to-back Premier League goals against Southampton and Wolves in April last season, and an assist against both West Ham and Brighton, but is yet to get off the mark since Thomas Frank took charge.

Tel also missed a penalty in the UEFA Super Cup shoot-out against PSG, with Frank ultimately sacrificing the forward for Europe by omitting him from Spurs’ 22-man Champions League squad alongside the likes of Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Appearances

24

Goals

3

Assists

2

Bookings

3

Minutes played

1,366

via Transfermarkt

He therefore won’t be eligible to make a single Champions League appearance until after the league phase, if they even get that far, with pundit John Wenham suggesting that the north Londoners may be regretting the type of deal they’ve secured for Tel.

Tottenham could be regretting Mathys Tel deal as "frustrating" claim made

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham hints that Tottenham will be looking back on the permanent deal for Tel with hindsight, asking themselves whether they should’ve just gone for another loan.

Of course, there is still time for him to come good, and that is far more likely than not.

Why Mathys Tel could prove people wrong at Tottenham

Tel is still raw, but Frank has been very impressed by the attacker since his Champions League snub, not least for a hard-working display against West Ham.

The France Under-21 starlet’s main strengths lie in his athleticism and versatility. Comfortable through the middle or out wide, he gives Frank multiple options in attack. His pace allows him to stretch defences, while his ability to play with his back to goal offers a different profile to Spurs’ other forwards. That adaptability will be key in a side competing across several competitions this season.

His finishing, movement and composure are still maturing, but those are qualities that can sharpen with experience.