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Arsenal are widely reported to be pursuing a late deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, but sporting director Andrea Berta is known to have a plan B.

Hincapie has already agreed personal terms and gave his resounding ‘yes’ to Mikel Arteta’s project at N5, according to reliable media sources, and this move will have a correlating effect on defender Jakub Kiwior’s exit to FC Porto.

Many believed Arsenal were done and dusted for this window after sensationally hijacking Tottenham’s deal for Eberechi Eze, but with Kiwior potentially departing, Berta is lining up a replacement for the Poland international.

Kiwior deputised excellently in the absence of Gabriel Magalhaes.when the Brazilian was injured towards the back end of 2024/2025, and Arteta reportedly viewed the 25-year-old as an ‘important’ player in his squad as a result.

Once, or if, the ex-Spezia starlet leaves for Portugal, Arsenal need a replacement and solid back-up to the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba – especially if they’re serious about ending their two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title.

As Arteta found out last season, injuries can take a major toll on their charge, so the Spaniard cannot risk relying on Saliba and Gabriel to stay fit all season long – as that is very unlikely to be the case.

Their move for Hincapie makes perfect sense, with the Ecuador international fresh off a solid campaign at Leverkusen and proven at the top level.

However, the 23-year-old also commands a price tag of around £52 million, and it remains to be seen whether the Bundesliga side will sell to the Gunners this late in the transfer window.

While Hincapie is keen on the move, Leverkusen remains a major obstacle, and a potential alternative who’s been on Berta’s radar comes in the form of Palmeiras starlet Luis Benedetti.

Arsenal have made Luis Benedetti offer to Palmeiras

The 19-year-old is vastly inexperienced compared to Hincapie, making just a handful of senior appearances for Palmeiras, but he’s been praised by sections of the media as a “towering” and “aggressive” rising star defender.

According to journalists Diego Firmino and Felipe Lemos, sharing a scoop to TV Espirito, it is believed that Arsenal have offered around £8.5 million for Benedetti, but it was a no from Palmeiras, who are seeking £13 million plus bonuses to sell the teenager.

The Brazilian interestingly works with the same representatives as Arsenal defender Gabriel, so that connection could help them to facilitate a deal if Arteta’s side opt to go back in for Benedetti.

New Zealand white-ball captain will play alongside Nathan Smith at The Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025

Mitchell Santner played for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred last year•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Surrey have filled the main gap in their T20 squad with the signing of New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner for the majority of the Vitality Blast season. Santner is available for eight group-stage games and the knockouts in September, if Surrey qualify.Batting allrounders Dan Lawrence, Cameron Steel and Will Jacks were Surrey’s spin options in the Blast last year, but the addition of Santner brings them a frontline option with more than 200 appearances in the format. Surrey have been losing semi-finalists two years in a row, and have not won the trophy since its inaugural season back in 2003.Santner, who recently became New Zealand’s white-ball captain, will arrive in London after the IPL, where he is due to play for Mumbai Indians. He will miss the end of the group stages on international duty but should be available for the knockouts in September. He is also likely to feature in the Hundred again this year, having spent last season with Northern Superchargers.Related

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“I’m really looking forward to connecting with the players and coaching staff at Surrey,” Santner said. “I’ve heard quality things about the environment and have thoroughly enjoyed playing at the Kia Oval previously. I’ve been fortunate to play against many of the squad so it will be great to share the same changing room and play some entertaining cricket.”Alec Stewart, who remains involved with Surrey’s recruitment in his new role as a ‘high performance cricket advisor’, said: “Mitch will bring quality and experience to the Surrey side. He’s a proven international cricketer who plays T20 cricket all over the world and has built an excellent skillset.”Santner will play alongside his international team-mate Nathan Smith at The Oval, with Smith due to play in both the County Championship and the Blast from the start of May until the end of the season, around his New Zealand commitments.

Mitchell Marsh, who was dropped for the final Test against India, is in line to play his first BBL match for nearly three years after being added to Perth Scorchers’ squad to face Melbourne Renegades at Optus Stadium on Tuesday.Quick bowler Jhye Richardson has also been made available for a BBL return having been part of the Test squad for the final two matches of the Border-Gavaskar series.Related

• Smith, Labuschagne, Khawaja on BBL restrictions; bowlers and Head ruled out

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Availability of other Test players will be confirmed in the coming days, but Travis Head has effectively confirmed he won’t be featuring for Adelaide Strikers.”I’m wrecked,” Head told Fox Cricket at the SCG on Sunday. “I don’t know what I’m going to do in the next few days but we’ve got 10 or 12 days off now before we go to Sri Lanka and I’m going to use every little bit of that.”Marsh returned to Perth on Monday following Australia’s series-clinching victory at the SCG where he had ceded his place in the side to Beau Webster who went on to produce a memorable debut.Marsh could be available for a longer run with Scorchers through to the end of the BBL if he doesn’t make the squad for the Sri Lanka tour which is due to be named later this week.His last BBL outing was in January 2022, after which he missed the following season having opted to have ankle surgery in a bid to earn a Test recall which came to fruition in the 2023 Ashes, where he scored a century at Headingley. He remained a fixture in the side until a few days ago when he paid the price for a lean series with the bat.Webster could be available for Melbourne Stars’ next game against Sydney Sixers on Thursday and also the return derby against Renegades on January 12.Steven Smith (Sydney Sixers), Sam Konstas (Sydney Thunder), Marnus Labuschagne (Brisbane Heat), Usman Khawaja (Brisbane Heat), Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers), Nathan Lyon (Melbourne Renegades) and Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers) are the other players from the Test squad who could turn out for their BBL teams. Scott Boland, who plays for Melbourne Stars, may be rested after his workload in the final two Tests.Most of those names are then likely to be part of the Sri Lanka tour which begins with a training camp in Dubai. Teams that reach the BBL finals will be without any of the players who are on that trip.

Johnny Cardoso and Julian Alvarez have been left out of Atletico Madrid's squad to face Liverpool in their Champions League opener. Alvarez has been a mainstay in Diego Simeone's side since completing his move to the Spanish club from Manchester City in 2024, and has two goal contributions to his name from four appearances so far this season.

Simeone names 22-man squad for Liverpool clash

Atletico Madrid have officially released the 22-man squad Simeone has chosen to travel to Merseyside to face reigning Premier League champions Liverpool in their Champions League opener. Alvarez and Cardoso are the most notable absentees, but Thiago Almada, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Alex Baena have also been omitted from the squad.

AdvertisementGettyAlvarez picked up injury against Villarreal

Alvarez started Atletico's latest La Liga fixture against Villarreal but was substituted at half-time after suffering a knee injury. The Argentina international has yet to recover from the knock and will miss the European clash against the Reds. While Alvarez missed half of the Villarreal game, he did provide the assist for Pablo Barrios' early goal as Simeone's side picked up a comfortable 2-0 win.

Getty ImagesWhy is Cardoso unable to play?

United States men's national team star Cardoso, who joined Atletico from fellow La Liga club Real Betis for a fee of $35 million (£25.7m) in the summer, reportedly sustained a sprain during the club's training session on Monday and will not travel to the UK for Champions League duty.

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Getty ImagesAnfield to Mallorca: Quick turnaround for Atletico

After facing Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday, Simeone's Atletico side will only have four days to prepare for their next La Liga outing away at Real Mallorca on Sunday. Atletico are down in 11th in the table after winning just one of their first four games.

Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup dreams suffered a major blow as the Super Eagles laboured to a draw against South Africa, leaving fans furious and making 'embarrassing' comparisons to Manchester United’s recent struggles. The result leaves Nigeria precariously placed in their group, with only one win in eight matches.

• Nigeria slump in World Cup qualifying campaign
• Fans compare Super Eagles to struggling Man Utd
• South Africa move closer to 2026 finals

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since their last World Cup appearance at Russia 2018, Nigeria have struggled to recapture their former dominance, and the current campaign suggests that qualifying for even a play-off spot could be out of reach. Tuesday's 1-1 draw saw former Watford defender William Troost-Ekong accidentally deflect the ball into his own net, giving South Africa an early lead. Calvin Bassey of Fulham restored parity with his first international goal, leaving the sides level.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the equaliser, Nigeria now trail South Africa by six points with only two games remaining in the group. The qualification format means the top team advances directly, while the four best second-placed nations enter a play-off for a chance at the intercontinental qualifier. With a maximum of 17 points attainable, Nigeria must rely on other results to have any chance.

• WHAT ARE THE FANS SAYING

  The result sparked a wave of criticism from Nigerian fans, many of whom took to social media to vent frustration.

  @_ezeokolorie blasted: "48 team World Cup and Nigeria couldn't qualify. Embarassing. I'M DONE." 

  @iiamemry humorously compared the team to England’s Premier League flops: "Nigeria out here trynna qualify to the World Cup like Manchester United was tryna qualify for Champions League last season lol."

  @EbongDi highlighted the lack of quality on display, questioning if this was truly the best Nigeria could field: "If this is the best 11 players Nigeria can assemble, then we don't deserve to represent Africa at any World Cup."

  @Forlartimate admitted the double heartbreak of supporting both clubs and country: "Supporting Man Utd & Nigeria 🇳🇬 has affected my mental health a lot 🥺😩#MUFC."

  Whereas @prophetswitch said: "Why is Nigeria playing like amateurs? These are supposed to be professional footballers in top leagues across the world. What kind of embarrassing display is that, for crying out loud?"

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The parallels with Manchester United’s season only added insult to injury. The Red Devils have started the 2025-26 campaign poorly, with only one win from three Premier League games and a humiliating Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town to go with that.

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed on Saturday that central defender Robin Propper has moved on from Ibrox after just one year at the club.

The Dutch centre-back has returned to FC Twente just 12 months after he joined the Light Blues from the Eredivisie side, as it did not quite work out for him in Scotland.

Propper found the physicality too tough to deal with, as he lost 55% of his ground duels and 56% of his aerial duels in the Europa League last term, and it was the right call to cash in on him this summer.

Despite scoring against Celtic, Propper did not do enough to show that he was ready to deliver quality performances in Scotland, as he was dribbled past 11 times in 22 starts in the Scottish Premiership.

The 31-year-old dud is far from the only Rangers flop to have struggled with the physicality of Scottish football, though, and another one of those flops is closing in on an exit from Ibrox.

Rangers full-back edging closer to transfer

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Turkey international Ridvan Yilmaz is “edging closer” to a move away from the Premiership giants this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

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The reporter claims that the left-footed dud is not a part of Russell Martin’s plans, as evidenced by his exclusion from the Champions League squad list, and that the club are now preparing for life without him.

Vidal adds that the 24-year-old flop is ready to secure a return to Besiktas, three years on from leaving the Turkish giants to sign for Rangers for a reported fee of £5m.

All parties should now be pushing for a transfer to go through sooner rather than later because Yilmaz is not part of the club’s plans, and he was as bad as Propper last season.

Why Rangers must sell Ridvan Yilmaz

The £5m-rated flop should be sold this summer because he was as bad as Propper in the 2024/25 campaign in the sense that he also struggled with the physicality of the game.

Yilmaz, who has been a bit-part player for three years at Ibrox, only started 11 of the club’s 38 matches in the Scottish Premiership last term, coming off the bench a further six times.

In those games, the Turkish full-back failed to deliver well-rounded performances in or out of possession to show the club that he deserves a long-term future in Glasgow.

24/25 Premiership

Ridvan Yilmaz

Appearances

17

Starts

11

Goals

0

Assists

2

Error led to shot

2

Ground duel success rate

60%

Aerial duel success rate

0%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Yilmaz made as many errors that led to shots for the opposition as he provided goal contributions at the other end of the pitch.

Staggeringly, the Rangers flop also lost 100% of his aerial battles, which means that he did not win a single contest in the air in 17 appearances in the league.

Martin has clearly decided that Yilmaz will not be a part of his plans for the upcoming season, with his squad selections, and the lack of physicality from the full-back may have played a part in that.

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Therefore, Rangers should be pushing for the defender to return to Besiktas in the coming days because he was as bad as Propper in Scotland and should be moved on as soon as possible.

Chelsea are growing frustrated with a member of Enzo Maresca’s side for one key reason, with their Premier League rivals now weighing up a surprise move for him this summer.

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The Blues are expected to part company with a host of players over the coming weeks, following their agreed exit deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli, who brought in around £19 million worth of transfer fees to the Stamford Bridge coffers.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi are all up for sale (The Athletic), given they’re out of Maresca’s long-term plans, while matchday regulars like Christopher Nkunku, Noni Maduke and Nicolas Jackson have also been linked with the exit door in recent weeks.

The latter two players have even been described as almost certain to leave, amid reported interest from Arsenal.

There is also the ongoing matter of Raheem Sterling and his next club. The £50m England international is back from a lacklustre loan spell at Arsenal, and his £325,000-per-week wages are poised to be a major stumbling block in Chelsea’s attempts to offload the ex-Man City star.

Reports last week of Sterling’s advanced talks to join Besiktas appear wide of the mark, but journalist Simon Phillips now reports that west London rivals Fulham could take the 30-year-old off Maresca’s hands instead.

Fulham weigh surprise move to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea

Writing via his Substack, Phillips reports that Fulham are weighing up a surprise move for Sterling, with Chelsea growing frustrated by the winger’s exit stance.

“SPTC sources are still hearing that he ideally does not want to move away from his family in London and wants to stay there, vastly reducing his options and making it frustrating for all involved,” said the reporter.

“If Sterling truly does only want to stay in London, then he is going to need to lower his wage demands, which he may well do.

“After having spent last season on loan with Arsenal, Sterling is once again looking for a new club to join. We understand that Fulham have been alerted by his availability this summer and are weighing up whether they can make a move. However, his wages put them off at the moment and will need to go down if they are to land him. But they like the player and there is interest from them this summer.

“Sterling’s agents will reach out to other London clubs as well to offer the player around, but at the moment, we have heard that Sterling is not chasing a pay day in Saudi or even the States. His priority is to stay in London close to all of his family.”

Celtic enjoyed another successful season in 2024/25 under Brendan Rodgers, winning another Scottish Premiership title while also lifting the Scottish League Cup.

The Hoops narrowly missed out on a domestic treble, however, attention is already turning to the new campaign with additions already made in the transfer market.

Kieran Tierney’s return to Celtic Park has now been confirmed, with the left-back joining on a free transfer after his contract at the Emirates expired. Talking after re-joining Celtic, Tierney was delighted.:

The Scot will be looking to add to his tally of 11 Celtic honours over the coming years, but who else could join Tierney and Fulham youngster Callum Osmand through the Parkhead door this summer?

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Grok the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Celtic could make this summer, totalling more than £20m.

AI predicts 5 players Celtic will sign this summer 1 Mathias Kvistgaarden Brondby (£8m)

A new attacking addition looks set to be on the to-do list at Parkhead, with Mathias Kvistgaarden a long-term target for the Hoops.

Wanted by Celtic over the last 12 months, they have once again been linked with a move this summer. The closest Rodgers’ side have come to signing Kvistgaarden was in January after Kyogo Furuhashi left to join Rennes.

Grok have put an estimated £8m transfer fee on a deal as Celtic search for their Kyogo replacement.

2 Lennon Miller Motherwell (£5m)

Lennon Miller continues to be a man in-demand after starring at Motherwell, with Celtic among the many clubs looking to sign the talented teenage midfielder.

Recent claims have suggested that the Hoops are set to go back in for the 18-year-old after seeing a bid turned down in January, and Grok thinks a transfer could be worth £5m for the now Scotland international.

Amid reports of Sunderland looking at signing Miller for £10m, Celtic may well be delighted if they can sign him for half the price.

3 Harley Mills Peterborough United (£2m)

Despite already signing Tierney, Celtic could still yet bring another left-back to Glasgow to replace Greg Taylor.

Peterborough United’s Harley Mills may well be that man to provide competition to Tierney, with an approach made by the Hoops for the EFL ace.

Mills starred at Wembley for Peterborough against Birmingham in their Vertu Cup final victory, scoring a free-kick, and he could cost up to £2m according to Grok.

4 Nilson Angulo Anderlecht (£5m)

Celtic have been predicted to bring in a South American winger over the coming months, and Nilson Angulo, dubbed as “the next Neymar” in the media, may well be that man.

An Ecuador international, the Hoops recently expressed an interest in signing Angulo, who can play on either flank. He has already played in the Europa League for Anderlecht and is still just 21 years of age.

Grok say a ‘young, dynamic winger would fit Rodgers’ vision for Champions League impact’, and Angulo could be that man in a deal potentially worth up to £5m.

5 James Penrice Hearts (£2m)

Described by Grok as a domestic solution for defensive depth, Hearts left-back James Penrice is another who has been backed to move to Celtic Park this summer in a deal worth up to £2m.

This comes after Celtic scouted the 26-year-old, who impressed at Tynecastle in what was a struggling Hearts side.

As well as playing in his primary left-back role, Penrice can also turn out as a left midfielder or as a central midfielder, providing plenty of versatility for Rodgers.

Work is already underway to improve Celtic’s squad in the upcoming summer transfer window as they go in search of a fifth successive Scottish Premiership title next term.

The Hoops secured their fourth league title in as many seasons with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at the end of last month, whilst they also have a chance to complete a domestic treble with an SFA Cup final clash with Aberdeen.

Brendan Rodgers has already sealed one new signing for the summer in the form of Kieran Tierney, who will officially return to Celtic when his contract at Arsenal expires at the end of June.

Kieran Tierney's current market value

At the time of writing (11/05/2025), the Scotland international is valued at a whopping £8.5m by Transfermarkt, which suggests that the Hoops have landed a bargain by signing him on a free transfer.

As you can see in the graphic above, Tierney was sold for a staggering £25m after his terrific first spell at Parkhead after coming through the academy, as he joined Arsenal in the summer of 2019.

This shows that the Scottish giants have played a blinder with the experienced left-back because they sold him for a huge transfer fee and are now signing him back for nothing, whilst he is still valuable, albeit not as valuable as he once was.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Celtic, though, have developed their own full-back who is now worth just as much as Tierney, after they signed him for a fee of just £3.5m back in 2023, in the form of Alistair Johnston.

Alistair Johnston's soaring market value

The Hoops swooped to sign the defender from CF Montreal for a fee of £3.5m in the January transfer window at the start of 2023 to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s options at right-back.

Johnston has been a regular starter at right-back when fit and available for Celtic since his move, and has proven himself to be an excellent performer at Premiership level by combining solid defensive work with outstanding attacking contributions.

The Canada international has the strength and positioning to win the majority of his physical duels to stop opposition wingers, whilst also having the drive and stamina to constantly bomb down the flank to deliver high-quality balls into the box.

Appearances

32

30

Goals

1

4

Big chances created

11

15

Assists

5

9

Duel success rate

58%

56%

Clean sheets

11

12

As you can see in the table above, Johnston has been a star for the Hoops in his two full Premiership seasons in Glasgow, creating 26 ‘big chances’ in 62 matches.

This has helped his market value to soar way above the £3.5m that the club initially paid for his services at the start of 2023. At the time of writing, the Celtic sensation is valued at £8.5m by Transfermarkt, which means that his value has soared by £5m in a little over two years at Parkhead.

Johnston, whose work ethic was dubbed “phenomenal” by Rodgers, is now worth as much as Tierney, who was once sold for £25m, and is a highly-valuable asset for the club, thanks to the brilliant performances that he has put in on the pitch.

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Therefore, Celtic have hit the jackpot with the Canadian defender because he is an excellent player and a star who could be sold for a profit in the future, given that his value has soared during his time in Scotland so far.

Arsenal are pushing hard to complete the signing of a “fantastic” striker in the summer transfer window, with sporting director Andrea Berta looking to work his magic.

Arsenal pursuing a striker for this summer

The Gunners have paid the price for not having a top-quality striker this season, with injury problems also clearly not helping Mikel Arteta’s side.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus arguably don’t feel like the long-term solutions to lead the line for Arsenal, with an elite signing having the potential to take them up a massive level.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has been talked about as a great option for some time, with a report earlier this month stating that he is interested in the idea of moving to the Emirates at the end of the season.

While the 21-year-old only signed a contract extension at his current club last year, there is a feeling that they won’t stop him from moving on in either 2025 or 2026, should he wish to pursue a new challenge in his career. Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding a potential move to Arsenal.

Berta holds talks with "fantastic" ace over Arsenal move

According to The Boot Room, Berta has held talks with Sesko over a move to Arsenal this summer, looking to persuade him to join the Gunners.

Having missed out on the Slovenian last year, the report states that the north Londoners are “still very much in the mix” for him. He is seen as an option alongside Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, with both considered more attainable targets than Newcastle United ace Alexander Isak.

Sesko, who is valued at £58m ahead of the upcoming window, stands out as such an exciting addition for Arsenal in the coming months, with the Slovenian seen as one of Europe’s most promising young strikers.

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This season, he has scored 12 goals in the Bundesliga – double Bukayo Saka’s tally in the Premier League – and he also netted 16 time in 41 caps for Slovenia. Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “fantastic” after some strong form this year.

While some may worry that Sesko is still only 21, and therefore a raw option to come straight in as a key starter for Arsenal, he is mature for his age and is unlikely to be daunted by the pace and power of the English game, given his towering 6ft 5in frame.