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The global player union has also established the Tim May medal for “outstanding service to the players’ association movement in cricket”

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2024Cricket global players’ union has undergone a rebrand, with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) to now be known as the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). The decision was made following a board meeting and 25th anniversary celebration in New York, held concurrently with the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.WCA has also established the Tim May Medal, named after the former Australia offspinner who was the first CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) and who went on to become the first full-time CEO of FICA in 2005. The medal will be awarded to “recipients who have provided outstanding service to the players’ association movement in cricket.”May himself and Richard Bevan were announced as the inaugural winners of the award. Bevan was the CEO of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, the player union for English cricketers, from 2003 to 2007.”There has never been a more important time for players to be collectively represented in their own countries, and at global level,” WCA CEO Tom Moffat said. “The vast majority of the best men’s and women’s players in the world are now affiliated to WCA, and irrespective of fragmentation in the game, the players will always be the talent and its biggest asset.”The name change to the World Cricketers’ Association reflects our desire to simply state and reflect our role in the game at global level.”In changing our name we acknowledge all of those who have contributed to and built FICA. Throughout its short history it has achieved a significant amount for players, their associations, and the game. We reflect on our first 25 years and the legacy of those who have built it, and look to the future of our game and collective player representation within it with optimism.”

With Thierno Barry on his way, Everton are already considering their next move and could reportedly look to sign a familiar face at a bargain price this summer.

Everton set to sign Thierno Barry

Just days after Dominic Calvert-Lewin announced his departure from the club, Everton are set to welcome his replacement. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees have reached an agreement to sign a talented forward worth €35m (£30m) plus add-ons to beat other Premier League sides to his signature.

An impressive coup, Everton have not only replaced Calvert-Lewin but the argument could be made that they’ve landed an instant upgrade in Barry. The Villarreal star scored 19 goals in all competitions last season and is now ready to take the Premier League by storm.

Minutes

2,559

1,609

Goals

16

3

Assists

4

1

Expected Goals

12.5

6.7

What’s most impressive is just how clinical Barry was in La Liga last season – scoring 16 goals from 12.5 expected goals. Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, was anything but clinical after underperforming in XG by over three goals.

For just £30m, all signs are pointing towards a top signing, but the Toffees are far from done on the transfer front. Ahead of a new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Friedkin could yet reportedly move to sign the likes of Nicolas Tagliafico in a free deal as well as one other target that those around Merseyside already know well.

Everton considering Jack Harrison move

As reported by The Telegraph, Everton are now considering a move to sign Jack Harrison from Leeds United in a cut-price £7m deal. The winger spent the last two seasons on loan at the club and could now finally complete a permanent move to instantly reunite with David Moyes.

A permanent move to sign Harrison would certainly split opinions at Everton. The winger’s output never really stole the headlines during his two loan spells, in which he scored just five goals, but he could be a bargain worth chasing at just £7m.

Despite his poor record in front of goal, Moyes still took the time to praise Harrison when he got his name on the scoresheet for the first time, telling reporters: “I’m sure everybody knows his work rate is really high. He always does a good job for the team, but he’s got a lot to do. He’s still got a lot to improve on because we need more.

“One’s not enough for me, you know, we need [Harrison and Lindstrøm] to come up with more and more assists, but I’m pleased they got the goal tonight.”

Bigger talent than Barry: Everton chasing £28m ace with a "hint of Haaland"

Following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s exit, Everton are set to sign Thierno Barry, but could they also target another striker who has a “hint of Haaland”?

ByBen Gray Jul 3, 2025

At a crossroads this summer, Harrison should take hold of the chance to rejoin Everton if they come calling as the Toffees potentially land his signature at a bargain price.

She will replace the injured Grace Harris in the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2024Deepti Sharma will return to the Hundred this year after signing for London Spirit as a replacement for the injured Grace Harris. Deepti played for Spirit in the competition’s inaugural season in 2021 and was an unused member of Birmingham Phoenix’s squad the following summer.The Hundred starts on July 23 with Spirit due to play their opening fixture away against Southern Brave the following day, but Deepti will miss the start of the competition due to the Asia Cup in Dambulla. She will be replaced by Erin Burns for the first two games, who is already in the country playing for Northern Diamonds.Deepti is one of three India players due to be involved in the Hundred this season, along with Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave). Like Deepti, both players are part of India’s Asia Cup squad so will miss the first week of the competition.Related

Silverwood returns to English cricket in Oval Invincibles role

Mahika Gaur withdraws from Women's Hundred due to side strain

Ben Stokes to link up with Andrew Flintoff in Northern Superchargers comeback

The ECB confirmed the latest tranche of replacement players on Thursday afternoon, with Sophie Molineux (Manchester Originals) joining Harris in pulling out of the Hundred. Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday that Molineux had suffered a fracture rib and Harris a calf strain.Molineux has been replaced by Kim Garth, while Bethan Ellis will join her at the Originals after Mahika Gaur pulled out due to a side strain. Tash Farrant has been ruled out with a hamstring injury but is yet to be replaced at Oval Invincibles, while Beth Langston is in for Claire Nicholas at Welsh Fire.As ESPNcricinfo revealed on Wednesday night, England’s Test batters will be released to play in the men’s Hundred immediately after their third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, while their bowlers and allrounders – including Ben Stokes – are only likely to play the second half of the group stages due to workload management.Further replacements include Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber, who takes up the injured Will Smeed’s spot at Phoenix, while Mohammad Amir has signed for the Invincibles – who are defending champions – for the start of the competition as short-term cover while Spencer Johnson concludes his commitments at Major League Cricket.Hundred replacement deals:Birmingham Phoenix: Louis Kimber and Tim Southee replace Will Smeed and Naseem Shah.
London Spirit: James Neesham and Matthew Taylor replace Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope while they are with England; Deepti Sharma replaces Grace Harris, with Erin Burns replacing Deepti until the end of the Asia Cup.
Manchester Originals: Kim Garth and Bethan Ellis replace Sophie Molineux and Mahika Gaur.
Northern Superchargers: Mitchell Santner replaces Daniel Sams.
Oval Invincibles: Harrison Ward and Mohammad Amir replace Gus Atkinson (while he is with England) and Spencer Johnson (while he is at MLC). Tash Farrant has withdrawn, replacement TBC
Trent Rockets: Riley Meredith replaces Joe Root while he is with England.Beth Langston: Beth Langston replaces Claire Nicholas.

He also broke the record for the highest percentage contribution by an individual batter to a team’s total

Sreshth Shah20-Aug-2024Samoa batter Darius Visser has broken the men’s T20I record for most runs in an over, against Vanuatu in the T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Region Qualifier in Apia on Tuesday. Visser finished with a score of 132 off 62 balls.In just his third T20I, Visser, 28, smashed six sixes in a 39-run over from Nalin Nipiko. It was the fourth time a batter had hit six sixes in an over in men’s T20Is and the first time that a team scored more than 36 runs in an over.The record was broken in the 15th over of Samoa’s innings. Visser hit the first three deliveries from Nipiko over the deep midwicket boundary after which there was a front foot no-ball. The free-hit was hit for six over the leg side, followed by a dot ball when Visser’s straight hit struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end.Nipiko overstepped for the second time and then bowled another no-ball, for height, that Visser pulled over fine leg for six. The last ball of the over was a low full toss outside off stump that Visser flicked over deep square leg to achieve the 39-run over.ESPNcricinfo LtdPreviously, there were five instances of a team scoring 36 runs in an over in men’s T20Is. India’s Yuvraj Singh was the first batter to hit six sixes in a T20I, off England’s Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup. West Indies’ Kieron Pollard repeated the feat against Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya in 2021, and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee did it earlier this year.The other two instances of 36-run overs that did not contain six sixes came when West Indies – aided by Nicholas Pooran – scored 36 against Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup, and when India’s Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh combined to score 36 against Afghanistan, also in 2024.Visser is the first Samoa batter to score a T20I century and his 14 sixes were the fifth highest in a men’s T20I innings. His score of 132, out of Samoa’s total of 174, was also the highest percentage of runs scored by a batter in a team’s innings. The second-highest score for Samoa against Vanuatu was 16 by their captain Caleb Jasmat. Visser scored 75.86% of his team’s runs surpassing the previous record of 75.1% by Australia’s Aaron Finch.According to a report in St George & Sutherland Leader, Visser grew up playing in Sydney and was a fast bowler before nagging injuries and stress fractures made him switch to legspin and batting. He also picked up a wicket as Samoa restricted Vanuatu to 164 for 9 to win the game by ten runs.

Manchester United thought they had landed themselves a real talent back in the summer of 2023, after they secured a move for Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund.

The 22-year-old cost a fee in the region of £72m two years ago, but fast-forward to the present day, he’s struggled to demonstrate why the hierarchy forked out such a fee for his signature.

He only posted a tally of four league goals last season, taking his total tally of goals for the Red Devils to 26 in his 95 appearances since his big-money move.

Hojlund even went 21 games without a goal across all competitions at one stage last season, with new boss Ruben Amorim desperately needing a new talisman during the summer.

Numerous players have been on the board’s radar this window, but no new centre forward has been signed yet, despite progress appearing to be being made on a deal for one star.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Ollie Watkins has been a player who’s been firmly in the club’s sights over the last couple of months, and, unsurprisingly so given his tally of 16 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last campaign.

However, any deal for the English international may prove to be an expensive one, with Aston Villa demanding a fee in the region of £60m for his signature this summer.

Moves have been made elsewhere for a new striker, with progress being made over a deal to land forward Moise Kean, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

They claim that the Red Devils have held talks with the side over a deal for the 25-year-old Italian international, who registered 25 goals across all competitions last campaign.

It also states that he has a €52m (£44m) release clause that remains active until the 15th of July, potentially facing competition from numerous sides in Saudi Arabia for his signature.

Why United’s £44m target could be a Hojlund & Osimhen hybrid

Victor Osimhen has been another player who’s been a constant target on United’s radar over the last couple of months, after he scored 37 times on loan at Galatasaray last campaign.

The Napoli forward looks certain to leave the Italian outfit this summer, with Antonio Conte not seeing the Nigerian forward as part of his plans going forward.

Despite the Red Devils’ interest, other sides in the Middle East and Europe remain in the race for the 26-year-old’s signature, potentially being a saga that could drag on throughout the summer.

Given his goalscoring record, there’s no denying he would be a superb signing, but there are concerns over his wage demands, which could prove to be out of United’s budget.

However, Kean could prove to be a viable option, with the Italian labelled as a similar player to both Osimhen and Hojlund back in the 2022/23 season in Serie A by FBref.

When comparing their respective stats to the aforementioned duo, the former Everton star managed to outperform them both, having the chance to take his career to the next level in Manchester.

Kean, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Statman Dave, managed to post a higher goal per shot on target rate, handing Amorim’s side that clinical edge they’ve been searching for.

Games played

28

32

32

Goals & assists

6

30

11

Goals per shot on target

0.5

0.4

0.3

Progressive carries

2.7

1.5

1.9

Take-ons completed

1.4

0.8

1.3

Carries into opposition box

1.8

0.9

1.5

Fouls won

1.6

1.3

1.5

He also completed more progressive carries per 90 and more carries into the opposition box per 90, having the ability to drive into the final third and create opportunities for other players alongside himself.

The Italian also completed more take-ons, whilst winning more fouls, having the all-round ability to cause problems for the opposition defenders on a consistent basis in the Premier League.

Given the time left on his release clause, the hierarchy will have to act quickly to secure a deal for his signature, potentially getting themselves a bargain transfer this window.

If they can complete a deal for the Italian, it would be one that would fill the needed position at the top end of the pitch, taking the club up a level in 2025/26 as a result.

Amorim's answer to Kane: Man Utd in talks to sign "world-class" striker

Manchester United could finally end their pursuit of a new talisman with a move for one European star.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 11, 2025

Chelsea are widely believed to be in advanced talks to sign both Xavi Simons and Jorrel Hato, but they’re not the only players who BlueCo have bid for after Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro were signed earlier this summer.

Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea "agree deal" to sign "sensation" with medical held

Enzo Maresca is welcoming another exciting player.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 26, 2025

Enzo Maresca, according to recent reports, is prioritising another new attacker after their £145 million triple deal for Delap, Gittens and Pedro – coming after his side were thwarted time and time again by sides in the low block last season (Simon Phillips).

This suggestion may have prompted the Blues to turn towards RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, who is believed to be in advanced talks over a move to Stamford Bridge (Fabrizio Romano).

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The 22-year-old, who’s bagged 21 goals and 23 assists since joining Leipzig on an initial loan at the start of 2023/2024, only made his move to the Bundesliga permanent in January, but he’s now prepared to leave Germany for the Premier League.

“Xavi is a different player,” Barcelona forward and ex-teammate, Dani Olmo, told Leipzig’s official website.

“He has shown that so far in the time he has been here. We connect really well on the pitch but he can also do things on his own. He has an amazing dribbling technique, finishing as well.

“He’s a really complete player and for us, for our system, for how we play, our ideas, the coaches’ ideas, it is perfect for us. Now he’s in a really good mood, in a really good shape so this is very helpful.”

Elsewhere, Chelsea are also closing in on a deal for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato after agreeing personal terms with the Dutchman, and he was left out of John Heitinga’s squad for their 5-1 Como Cup win over Celtic earlier this week.

Amidst these reports, Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has now lifted the lid on a Chelsea approach for Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Chelsea make near £61 million offer to sign Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz

According to La Gazzetta, via Calciomercato, Chelsea have submitted a near-£61m bid for Yildiz, but Juventus rejected it out of hand.

The Turkey international is viewed by Igor Tudor’s side as a key player for next season as they seek to become Serie A title challengers once again, with Juve also attempting to tie Yildiz down by opening talks over a new contract.

Bayern Munich and Barcelona are named as fellow suitors for the 20-year-old, but the Old Lady are set to dig their heels in after Yildiz’s impressive 2024/2025 campaign.

He would’ve been an interesting alternative to Simons, but as talks advance for the ex-PSG starlet, Yildiz appears unlikely to make the switch to west London.

“Kenan has huge potential, he has rare qualities: he can make the difference up front with the dynamism of a midfielder,” said Tudor about the player.

“He’s a special talent, but it’s his mentality that will take him far.”

If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series

Shashank Kishore08-Oct-2024New Zealand will tour India for three women’s championship ODIs later this month. The series, part of the women’s FTP for the current cycle, had been postponed indefinitely in July last year due to a crowded calendar, where India hosted England and Australia.All three ODIs, on October 24, 27 and 29, will be played in Ahmedabad, with both teams expected to fly in straight from the women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series.The late addition to the cricket calendar means a number of first-choice players across both sides, including India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia and D Hemalatha could miss at least the first few games of the 2024-25 WBBL season.Mandhana was among the WBBL’s big-ticket pre-draft signings by Adelaide Strikers. Meanwhile, Sophie Devine, the New Zealand’s captain and Mandhana’s WPL team-mate, will also be unavailable for the first few games of the tournament for Perth Scorchers.Related

Mandhana joins Adelaide Strikers to complete pre-draft signings

With eight wins in 18 matches, New Zealand are currently placed sixth, a spot below India, in the women’s championship table. With West Indies and, theoretically even Bangladesh, capable of leapfrogging them on the points table, the series is crucial for New Zealand as far as direct qualification is concerned.The hosts along with five top-placed teams will earn a direct entry to next year’s 50-over World Cup in India. Two others will be identified through a global qualifier, where the bottom four from the championships and four associates will compete.New Zealand last played ODIs in India in 2015, during the first iteration of the women’s championships. Back then, New Zealand overturned a 1-0 deficit to clinch the series.

The former USMNT striker has delivered a critique of a recent interview, suggesting Pochettino is attempting to deflect responsibility

Gomez called Pochettino's comments as "reeking of phony" Compared Pochettino to previous foreign coaches Rejected coach's focus on long-term developmentGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Former U.S. striker Herculez Gomez offered a pointed rebuke of Mauricio Pochettino's recent appearance on Spanish television program , where he offered explanations for the USMNT’s performances prior to the team's 2-0 loss against South Korea. Gomez took particular issue with Pochettino's comments, suggesting his primary mission involved long-term development of American soccer rather than immediate results..

“I want to choose my words very wisely,” Gomez said on his YouTube channel. “But this screams of phony, snake oil salesman…  the longest time, we had the sentiment of coaches, foreign coaches, from any walk of life, from anywhere with an accent coming and trying to show you stupid Americans how to do things. But really, just trying to take your money. But really, just trying to claim they were credible to take your dollars. And that’s what they were trying to do."

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The former striker dismissed this framing as disingenuous, arguing that Pochettino was hired to prepare the current generation for success at the 2026 World Cup rather than build for some distant future

“Mauricio Pochettino isn’t a fool, but he’s trying to pass the buck here,” Gomez said. “He’s putting up excuses like ‘Hey, I don’t score the goals and I can’t defend them, the real thing we’re trying to do here is instill a culture, and get them on the right path.’

“They didn’t give you $6 million a year so we can look back 20 years from now and say ‘Oh Mauricio Pochettino, he’s the one who laid the foundation.’ No, no, no. It’s for a World Cup, a tournament. They need you to get this pool of players ready for a home tournament, not to shape the next 60 years of American soccer, which he has no understanding of.”

AdvertisementWHAT GOMEZ SAIDGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Pochettino finds himself in an increasingly precarious position one year into his USMNT tenure, especially following the team's loss against South Korea. Several former players, including Stu Holden and Alexi Lalas, have been critical of the lack of progress under the Argentine coach.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Pochettino and the USMNT will face Japan on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio.

The current norm is for the chair and independent director to serve three terms of two years each

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2024Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1. This after the ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term – for the chair and the independent director – be changed.In a statement on Monday, the ICC said that the recommendation will now be “circulated for approval” among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members.While no reason behind the recommendation was made public, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC’s drive for better governance. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity.Shah, who is 35, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay, who has served two of his three terms since being elected in 2020 for the first time. The independent director’s position, meanwhile, has been lying vacant since former Pepsico chair Indra Nooyi finished her three terms earlier this summer.There were changes to the ICC men’s cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative.In a statement issued by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association*, Edwards said, “I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. Having been in the ICC Associate Member system, and playing with and against many Full Member and Associate Member sides over the past six years, I believe I have a good understanding of the challenges Associate countries and players face. I look forward to representing these countries to the best of my ability.”The women’s FTP – the second, after the one announced in 2022 – will be out soon•Getty ImagesWomen’s FTP for 2025-2029 to be out soonThe ICC Board has approved the next women’s future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced in a few days. It will be the second FTP for women following the one announced in 2022.The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) also approved shifting the calendar for the women’s rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 each year. In order for the rankings to reflect, the teams will have to play a minimum of eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) as opposed to the six currently. This is because of the increase in the volume of women’s cricket.The mechanism for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalised. Currently, there are 16 women’s teams with ODI status. Apart from the 11 Full Members, five Associate Members – Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and USA – were included in the 2022-2025 cycle. For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top-two Associate teams that qualify for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier 2025 will gain ODI status, while the remaining three slots will be filled based on the T20I rankings at the time of annual update [May 1, 2025]. This will mean that their ODI status will hinge on their T20I performances.The creation of two annual T20I tournaments between 2025 and 2028 for Associate teams has also been approved. This is to boost competition ahead of the 16-team women’s T20 World Cup in 2030.

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move to Liverpool and Benjamin Šeško firmly on the radar of Manchester United, Newcastle United’s hunt for a new striker has taken on renewed urgency.

A replacement who can offer a consistent goal threat, hold-up play, and experience at the highest level is now a top priority for Eddie Howe and his recruitment team.

Though Šeško has long been considered Newcastle’s ideal replacement for Isak, the difficulty of securing the Slovenian this summer has forced the Magpies to explore alternatives.

RB Leipzig are open to a sale, but with growing interest from Manchester United, Newcastle are unlikely to match the wages on offer at Old Trafford.

What they need is a reliable, Premier League-proven scorer who can slot straight into Howe’s system without a lengthy adaptation period.

And crucially, someone who wants to join.

Newcastle looking at Sesko alternative

Enter Yoane Wissa.

The 28-year-old Brentford forward has emerged as a frontrunner in Newcastle’s striker search, and with good reason.

While not their first-choice profile due to age, Wissa has made it clear he wants to move to Tyneside, refusing to train with Brentford in a bid to push the transfer through.

Well, there seems to be an expectancy that the move goes through. Speaking to Football Insider, former Manchester United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown revealed this week:

“He’s made it clear he wants to leave, he’s told Brentford that and he’s refusing to train, so Brentford have to decide whether they want an unhappy player at the club. I expect they’ll reach an agreement at some stage.”

Despite competition from Tottenham, Wissa’s priority is reportedly to join Newcastle.

Brentford, who have already lost Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal, may be forced to lower their original £50m valuation.

So why are Newcastle willing to consider a player much older than their usual recruitment age of 24 and under?

Comparing Wissa to Šeško

The answer lies in Wissa’s output.

In the 2024/25 Premier League season, only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals.

Wissa notched 20 goals and four assists in 3,072 minutes, a remarkable return in a Brentford side that struggled for form at times last season.

His efficiency in front of goal is particularly eye-catching.

Though he only averaged 1.26 shots on target per 90 minutes, his movement and composure inside the box meant he made those moments count.

Thomas Frank was keen to point this out: “Wissa, we knew, has always been a goalscorer. It’s remarkable. I definitely think he is best as a No. 9. He’s got that nose for goals.”

However, he’s also far more than a poacher. According to FBref, he ranked higher than Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland for completed passes (76.5%) and recorded more shot-creating actions per 90 than Dominic Solanke.

Wissa’s mobility and involvement in buildup play give him an edge over other traditional No. 9s.

Joao Pedro

43.5

Alexander Isak

33.5

Yoane Wissa

28.5

Liam Delap

23.7

Erling Haaland

21.0

Still, comparisons with Šeško are inevitable.

The 22-year-old is a more natural fit for Newcastle’s long-term vision, standing at 194cm with a powerful frame that mirrors Erling Haaland.

His age, athleticism, and contract until 2029 at Leipzig make him a major investment, but potentially a transformative one.

Šeško scored 21 goals in 45 appearances last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga.

Data from FBref also revealed that he offered 1.78 progressive carries and 1.74 progressive passes per 90, alongside a solid 43.9% shot-on-target rate and 2.50 shots per 90.

While Šeško remains an exciting long-term project, Wissa is ready-made.

He has performed under Premier League pressure and is pushing to join a club where his profile suits the manager’s tactical outlook.

One point of concern, however, is availability. Wissa is likely to miss part of the 2025/26 season due to AFCON commitments with DR Congo, something Newcastle will need to weigh carefully.

At nearly 29, he also lacks the resale value that players like Šeško might offer.

Still, in terms of what he offers now, Wissa could be the stopgap solution that Newcastle need.

Newcastle may yet revisit their interest in Šeško if Isak is sold for a huge fee, but in Wissa, they’ve found a player who ticks more boxes than he’s given credit for, and who is desperate to prove he belongs at a higher level.

Elanga's new Wood: Big-money CF has agreement in principle to join Newcastle

A striker has reportedly agreed to join Newcastle United.

ByWill Miller Jul 28, 2025