Former England captain Michael Vaughan says the rise in the cost of tickets to next year’s men’s Ashes are “pricing a lot of people out of the game”.
Having labelled a 43% price increase for the 2027 Test at Edgbaston as “really poor” on social media, he subsequently told BBC Radio 5 Live the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could be “in for a shock” from the impact of their ticket policy.
Members at Edgbaston can purchase tickets for £92, but the cheapest for adults across the first three days are £115, with every ticket carrying a £2.50 booking fee.
“I think the game’s got to be very careful. I think you’re going to be pricing a lot of people out of the biggest series of them all,” said Vaughan.
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“A family out of four with children over 16 it’s near on £1,000. And then you’ve got to price in a few drinks when you’re there, a bit of food, travel, maybe accommodation – this is the sport the ECB are wanting to be the most inclusive in the country.
“The fans first and foremost are the reason any sporting occasion is a good one, don’t price them out because they might get a shock.”
The Birmingham ground will host the third Test of the best-of-five series between England and Australia next summer, with ticket prices in the Hollies Stand – which holds almost 6,000 spectators – costing £165, up from £115 in 2023.
Vaughan added: “It’s a 43% uplift, that for me is far too much. I think fans know that ticket prices over time will go up, but next week you’ll be paying £82 and next year on the same seat it’ll be around £167.50.
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“The Hollies Stand is one of the most famous stands in cricket, in the UK. We love the atmosphere. But you’ll be sitting among the beer snakes, there’s going to be giraffe and elephant [costumes] walking by.
“A lot of these venues are having a huge amount of expenditure and it’s great. The Hundred sale money, I thought was going to be helping for that. A year or so after all that money coming in, it looks like it’s been put on the ticket prices as well.”
Following the 2023 series, which ended in a 2-2 draw after Australia won the first two Tests [at Edgbaston and Lord’s], the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said “every day sold out in advance, with total attendance topping 545,000”.
An Edgbaston Stadium spokesperson said: “Our prices for the 2027 Ashes Test are broadly in line with other host venues and major British sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Formula One at Silverstone.
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“Our entry level ticket prices roughly match inflation compared to the last time Australia visited Edgbaston in 2023 – but like the rest of the country, we’re battling increased costs and trying to manage these wherever we can.”
Despite Warwickshire’s Edgbaston stadium being at a reduced capacity because of the construction of an on-site hotel, tickets for next week’s third Test between England and Pakistan, which range between £57.50-£87.50 for adults, have not sold out.
The ticket ballot for the 2027 Ashes opened on Wednesday, with prices more expensive at Lord’s and the Oval in London, with the best tickets at £190 and £185.
England, who lost 4-1 in Australia last winter, begin their quest to regain the Ashes at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 18 June.
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The second Ashes Test at Lord’s begins on 30 June and the third at Edgbaston on 8 July.
The Utilita Bowl in Southampton will become the 10th UK ground to host a men’s Ashes Test when the fourth Test gets under way on 21 July, with the series concluding at the Kia Oval from 29 July.
BBC Sport has contacted the ECB and all the Test venues for comment.
South African aviation authorities are reviewing a low-altitude flyover by two Airlink passenger planes at an international rugby match in Cape Town last weekend.
The regional airline, meanwhile, said it had canceled another flypast scheduled for Saturday’s rugby test between South Africa and New Zealand in Johannesburg this weekend, citing unfavorable weather.
In a statement, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said it was carrying out a “compliance verification” of the August 29 flyover at Cape Town’s DHL stadium to ensure “all safety protocols were adhered to by the crew.”
Footage of the flyby, showing two planes in formation passing over the crowd, was widely shared on social media and prompted discussion about potential safety risks.
According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the lead aircraft passed less than 15 meters (50 feet) above the top of the packed stadium.
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What did SACAA and Airlink say?
The SACAA said it was analyzing flight data provided by Airlink and would go over additional information requested from the carrier before issuing a report.
The regulator said the airline had made applications for the flyovers, which were approved in line with the requirements for special air events.
Airlink, for its part, said the maneuver had been carefully planned and rehearsed, with safety being “the first consideration at every stage of the process.”
It said each aircraft had three senior captains on board with a combined 75,000 hours of flying experience.
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Nevertheless, it also recognized what it described as the “valid questions and concerns.”
Airlink Chief Executive de Villiers Engelbrecht said the decision had been made to withdraw plans for this weekend’s stadium flypast in Johannesburg because “the forecast weather points to unfavorable conditions for a safe formation flyby.”
A history of flybys in rugby
Stadium flybys have long been tradition at major rugby matches in South Africa, dating back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final in Johannesburg, when a Boeing 747 swept overhead before the Springboks faced the All Blacks.
The SACAA said in a statement that South Africa “is ranked seventh globally and first in Africa for our aviation safety standards by the International Civil Aviation Organization.”
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There have been no fatal accidents in its commercial airline operations space for over four decades, it added.
A WWE star recently spoke about the pool of potential opponents for Dominik Mysterio, claiming that the latter had no threat due to his current alliance.
Dominik Mysterio became one of the most hated heels in the business after he parted ways with his father Rey Mysterio on screen. He has recently been active in AAA and is currently the Mega Champion. He has made allies in the promotion, working alongside Omos and El Hijo Del Vikingo in the stable called El Ojo.
Thanks for the submission!
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In a recent interview with Casino Guru, Omos was asked about Dominik Mysterio. The Nigerian Giant stated that Dominik had no real threats as long as he stood with Omos. He also mentioned how strong El Ojo was, claiming that it was a conglomerate.
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“There’s a ton of opponents, you know, but as long as we’re together, I don’t think he has any tough opponents. We’re together in El Ojo, we’re all one, we talk, we’re a bit of a conglomerate. So, I think as long as he has me, there’s no threat.” (H/T: Fightful)
Dominik Mysterio recently spoke about his WWE WrestleMania dream match
According to Dominik Mysterio, facing Seth Rollins in a special match at WrestleMania is something he would enjoy.
Speaking in an interview with Metro Ecuador, Dominik recalled how he had faced Seth Rollins in a street fight for his first match in WWE. He believes that facing Rollins again in a hair vs. hair match would bring things together well. He said he does not have anything to fear.
“As for WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia, my dream would be a hair vs. hair match against Seth Rollins,” he said. “I began my career with him; it was my very first match, so getting to face him in the ring rather than just being his protégé would be a dream come true for me. What do I have to fear?” (translation by Google Translate)
As of now, it remains to be seen what Dominik Mysterio has planned for his future in WWE and the pro wrestling business.
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If you’re keen to play some of the world’s best courses, it helps to qualify for the Walker Cup. With Seminole and Sunningdale and the Old Course at St. Andrews and Cypress Point, host venues for the century-plus-old event read like a Top 100 ranking.
This year is no exception. The 2026 Walker Cup is headed to Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare, Ireland, where 10-player teams representing the United States and Great Britain and Ireland will square off Saturday and Sunday on the club’s storied Old Course. (This year marks a rare back-to-back edition of the Walker Cup; from here on out, the event will return to its traditional biennial cadence.) In advance of the matches, here are eight things to know about Lahinch.
It has old ties to Old Tom
Lahinch is known as the “St. Andrews of Ireland,” owing to its close connection to the town of the same name and for its link to Old Tom Morris, who, in 1894, was brought in to reshape the club’s original rudimentary layout, which itself first welcomed play in 1892. Old Tom described Lahinch as “the finest natural course he had ever seen.”
It’s the home of (amateur) golf in Ireland
The club is no stranger to high-level amateur events. Since 1897, it has staged the annual South of Ireland Amateur Open, the country’s oldest provincial championship, whose winner receives the oldest physical trophy in Irish amateur golf.
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It’s been a collective effort
They say success has many fathers. Lahinch had several, too. Founding member Alexander Shaw and his cohort staked out the original routing in 1892. Two years later, Old Tom Morris carried out extensive improvements, stitching the routing into wilder dunes and laying the foundation for a design that today ranks 34th on GOLF’s list of Top 100 Courses in the World. Credit also goes to Alister MacKenzie. In 1927, the British architect added an array of strategic enhancements, including brawny, ragged bunkers and multi-tiered greens. At the turn of the 21st century, Martin Hawtree took a turn of his own. Enlisted to steel the course against the modern game while preserving its MacKenzie/Morris character, Hawtree rebuilt greens and tees, re-routed four holes closer to the coast and created a pair of new par-3s, pushed deep into the dunes, among other changes. Like MacKenzie before him, he left Lahinch’s two most famous holes (see below), the Dell and Klondyke, untouched.
It’s part links, part theater
Lahinch pairs raw, oceanside terrain with some genuinely eccentric golf. Blind shots and crisscrossing holes add to the intrigue of a twisting routing made all the more varied in its challenge by shifting winds. The setting isn’t shabby either, with Liscannor Bay curling beside the course and the town of Lahinch poking into storybook view.
Two of its holes are famously blind
The par-3 Dell and the par-5 Klondyke both date to Old Tom’s original design, and both ask players to fire at a green shrouded by a dune. The Klondyke’s name is a nod to 1890s gold fever — Irish prospectors flocked to Canada’s Yukon around the same time the hole was built, and the hump of sand blocking the green was steep and massive enough to earn the comparison. The Dell takes its name more simply, from the natural hollow the green sits in. At 154 yards, it’s the shortest hole on the course, and sometimes it gives you a peek at the flagstick from the tee (but only when the cup is cut on the far right). Otherwise, your line is a white stone placed atop the dune.
The blind par-3 saw many dubious aces
For years, Lahinch caddies were known to lend a little extra help to approach shots on the Dell, where a discreet foot wedge was enough to turn a good shot into a “hole-in-one.” Great shot by the player! Good tip for the looper! Everyone was happy. Sort of. As the aces piled up in preposterous numbers, the caddies’ hijinks became a kind of inside Irish golf joke. When the club approached the caddie master, asking him to get his crew to cut it out, the caddie master agreed, on one condition. A raise was negotiated, the shenanigans ceased, and holes-in-one at the Dell returned to being as rare as they’re supposed to be.
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It has its own traffic cop
Most clubs rely on marshals or rangers to keep play moving. Lahinch has the Hillman. Because the Klondyke 4th hole and the closing 18th cross paths through the same swath of dunes, a staff member stands sentinel on a high point, using a colored-flag system to indicate when it’s safe to hit.
It’s already hosted big-time golf
Lahinch got a modern-day tune-up ahead of the 2019 Irish Open, which Jon Rahm won there. The club added a short-game practice area in 2018 and built the Academy, a high-ceilinged indoor training facility next to Lahinch’s other layout, the Castle Course (which dates to 1963), to bring its practice options in line with tour-level expectations. For tournament week, organizers also rigged up a screen behind the Dell so players and spectators could actually see where approach shots had landed. No fictitious holes-in-one were made.
Madison Keys saved five match points and needed a deciding set tie-break to win a thrilling second-round match at the US Open and avoid a major upset.
The 22nd seed won 5-7 6-4 7-6(10-5) against Hungary’s world No 75 Anna Bondar, winning four games in a row and saving match points in the deciding set, before coming from 5-3 down in a dramatic tiebreak to book her place in the third round.
She will face either Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng or Yulia Putintseva.
The three-time major winner rattled through the opening set and looked to be cruising in the second before she faltered on serve and appeared to lose confidence in her game, with doubles specialist Siniakova reeling off four straight games to force a decider.
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But Osaka fought back in the third to win 6-2 5-7 6-1, booking a third-round clash with Belgium’s Elise Mertens after the 23rd seed beat Maria Timofeeva in straight sets.
Osaka said: “This match was definitely really tough, I had to fight. I had a couple opportunities in the second set and I think I was a little bit too hard on myself. I took a bathroom break, regrouped. I told myself that it’s an honour to play on this court, and I just want to keep playing in front of you guys, so just try to fight as best I can.
Osaka took to the court in a dramatic silver ensemble (Getty)
Osaka took to the Arthur Ashe court in another eye-catching outfit, a silver jacket embroidered with tennis racquets with a trailing tiered high-low skirt, before revealing an all-silver ensemble for the match itself.
She appeared entirely in control until a wobble in the second set. At 4-2 down Siniakova broke her back, but having struggled with unforced errors throughout the match – particularly on her notoriously weak serve – she was immediately broken back to 15, leaving Osaka to serve for a place in the third round.
But a brilliant winner by the Czech coupled by some tame errors by Osaka handed over a third consecutive break, before Siniakova levelled proceedings at 5-5 with a fine backhand winner down the line as she served to stay in the match.
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Keys was pushed all the way by Bondar (AP)
The 13th seed looked nervy on serve and that lack of confidence began to hamper the rest of her game. Osaka saved two break points, the second with an ace, in her next service game, but hit the ground with her racquet in frustration after netting and was broken to trail 6-5.
Siniakova lashed a cross-court forehand right on the baseline as she recovered from her own troubles on serve to seal the set 7-5.
But Osaka regrouped quickly, breaking Siniakova on her way to establishing a 3-0 lead in the decider, and this time held her nerve, with Siniakova firing long to concede the match.
Elsewhere in New York 2022 champion Iga Swiatek swept aside Nadia Podoroska 6-3 6-2, with the Pole to face 25th seed Marie Bouzkova after the Czech dispatched Britain’s Harriet Dart with ease, 6-2 6-2.
Dart’s defeat means Fran Jones is the only Briton left in either the men’s or women’s singles draw.
Linda Noskova’s life changed earlier this summer in ways she could not possibly imagine.
The 21-year-old from the Czech Republic won Wimbledon, the youngest champion there in a decade and a half, for her first Grand Slam title. She met Czech president Petr Pavel and was celebrated by thousands in her hometown of Vsetin.
“A lot of congratulations from people that weren’t really expected,” she said.
Back at a major for the first time at the U.S. Open, Noskova understands the gravity of what she has accomplished but insists it has not changed how she approaches tennis, with her eyes on more prizes ahead.
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“It has always been very important to focus on each match like nothing ever happened before: no success or no failure,” Noskova said. “Whatever happened happened, and this is a brand-new tournament. I just have to start all over.” It’s not totally starting over. She will always have that Wimbledon run on her resume, and she has improved from 12th to a career-best sixth in the WTA world rankings.
Still, Noskova called not getting ahead of herself the most important thing, which she believes is easy. After falling behind 5-2 in the first set of her opening match Monday against 78th-ranked American opponent Katie Volynets, Noskova rallied to win it 7-5, 6-1.
“I really want to stay the same – not really change many things around me,” Noskova said. “Whenever there is something new or something I’m not used to, I just kind of always want to stick with the things that I know how to do, and whatever is new, I just kind of get used to it.” Knowing it’s about “What have you done for me lately?” Noskova acknowledges the media attention will not last forever. Going all the way at the All-England Club did give her confidence that she can hang with the best women’s players on the planet, which helps at a U.S. Open that looks wide open.
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“I have learned mainly the fact that it’s possible for me to do it: for me to make it till the very end and just lift (a) Grand Slam trophy,” Noskova said. “I feel like all of us, all players, just dream about that moment and when it actually comes, it’s very hard to realize and to realize all the things that went into it.” Noskova beat countrywoman Karolina Muchova in the Wimbledon final. She’s the youngest to win that tournament since another Czech player, Petra Kvitova in 2011.
But the celebrations of that achievement are over. For the first several minutes of her question-and-answer session upon arriving in New York last week, Noskova did not utter the “W” word.
She smiled and called it unintentional. Attempting to shift her mindset and moving past Wimbledon is very intentional.
“I feel like I have had enough of it, in a good way,” Noskova said. “I mean, it’s something that it’s so big and huge that it’s very tough to actually swallow. But at the same time, we have a new Grand Slam here. I cannot be stuck in my head space at Wimbledon. … I will just try to redo what I did.
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, serves the ball to Nadia Podoroska, of Argentina, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
NEW YORK–Former champion Iga Swiatek marched into the third round of the US Open on Thursday.
Swiatek, whose six Grand Slam titles include the 2022 US Open, defeated Nadia Podoroska 6-3, 6-2 in the first meeting between the two since Swiatek beat the Argentine on the way to her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2020.
Apart from a brief scare at 5-3 in the first set, when Swiatek saved four break points, the Polish star was largely untroubled by the former top-40 player now sunk to 449th in the world.
Swiatek broke twice on the way to a 5-1 lead in the second set and closed it out on her own serve, giving herself a match point with a forehand winner and polishing it off after an hour and 11 minutes with a stinging backhand.
It was another encouraging performance for the former world number one, who hadn’t reached a final in 2026 until her run to the title at Toronto in August.
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She then came up short in her title defense at Cincinnati, but said her game is trending in the right direction.
“I’m here with better feeling than any other Grand Slam this year,” Swiatek said. “Just trying to enjoy every day and improve the game every day.”
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For the first time in more than half a decade, Mizuno has a true better-player cavity-back iron.
The Japanese sports giant, which has always been known for producing soft-feeling forged irons, has recently shed the idea that their irons are only for better players and become one of the market leaders in players distance and game improvement irons. In their current lineup, Mizuno has at least four different irons that could be categorized as players distance.
Meanwhile, the first two offerings in the new Mizuno Pro Signature Series, the S-1 and S-3, were a compact blade and a compact shallow cavity. Irons designed for elite ball strikers, but not as much for a player who wanted just a touch of forgiveness.
But now the company is adding to the Signature Series with the new Pro S-4, the largest and most forgiving cavity-back option in the lineup made up of all single-piece Grain Flow forged irons.
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“The S-4 is a more forgiving, slightly larger, slightly more offset version of Mizuno Pro,” Mizuno Director of Golf Chris Voshall told GOLF. “Which all sound like things that are not Mizuno Pro. But it’s just very slight tweaks in all of those things.”
What’s actually new with Mizuno Pro S-4 irons — and why you should care
Filling the cavity-back-sized hole
Mizuno branched off its Mizuno Pro line into the Signature Series — single-piece forgings for players who demand feel above all — and the Modern Series — for players who want Mizuno Pro feel, but want the speed boost from modern tech too.
While the S-1 and S-3 catered to the elite ball strikers, and M-13 and M-15 were for players seeking more distance, the S-4 is for the player in the middle: Players who want feel and forgiveness but don’t need extra speed. It’s a player that Voshall thinks has been overlooked in the industry, with all the range going toward players distance or players performance irons.
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“It’s one that I think a lot of players who are the low single-digit handicaps are gonna really like,” he said. “The feel is there; the performance— it’s like sneakily forgiving.”
This was always going to be the idea with the Signature Series. Give good ball strikers several options that preserve feel, while allowing them to pick and choose certain features they like, like sole shape, workability and more.
Voshall admitted that this isn’t going to be an iron that flies off the shelf, but it’s also an iron that fits right into the existing Mizuno Pro lineup seamlessly as a combo set. He suggested an S-3 player moving to S-4 in the long irons, or an S-4 player moving to one of the M-Series irons in the long and mid-irons.
New shape, same tech
While the S-4 is a more forgiving Mizuno Pro Signature Series iron, it’s hardly just a larger version of the S-3.
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The deeper and curved cavity of the Pro S-4.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Instead, the S-4 is a new shape that features a progressive offset flow and topline throughout the set. This helps the long irons inspire more confidence and keeps the short irons in a more compact profile for precise scoring.
While the S-3 has a straight muscle line along the back of the iron, the S-4 has a new curved muscle that strategically moves mass to the toe and heel, increasing stability and lowering the CG in addition to a wider sole. It also gives the iron a neutral bias.
“There’s no toe-heel bias to anything; the weighting of that cavity actually has the mass extending up in the toe and the heel,” Voshall said. “So it’s bringing the CG lower, it’s making the MOI a little bit larger, but all in a small kind of player’s package.”
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But, just like the rest of the Mizuno Pro line, the S-4 features the same construction that fans of the brand have come to know and love. The iron is constructed from a single piece of 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon Steel using Mizuno’s proprietary Grain Flow Forged HD process. The feel is further enhanced by a soft copper underlay and Harmonic Impact Technology.
What is it: While the S-4 is the largest iron in the Mizuno Pro Signature family, it’s still a compact players iron designed for elite ball strikers.
Who it’s for: Players who want a single-piece forged feel, but more forgiveness without the additional speed of a larger iron.
My take: This is the Mizuno iron I’ve been waiting for
For a few years there, Mizuno offered its 223 and 243 cavity-back irons for better players who didn’t want to play blades. But those irons were a bit too jumpy for golfers (like me) who just wanted a little more forgiveness. Mizuno solved this by reprioritizing the new M-13 as a “speed cavity” and more in the players distance space.
When the S-3 came out, I thought this might have been the option I was looking for, but after playing them for a few months, I realized that the S-3 just didn’t offer the stability I needed. No knock on either of those irons, but they just weren’t for me.
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With the Pro S-4, Mizuno finally offers the single-piece forged cavity-back that is easy for me to launch and gives me stability for the occasional mishit.
The Pro S-4 is the first iron that truly allows me to experience the Triple Cut sole properly. While the S-4’s sole is wider than the MP-18 MMCs I played a few years ago, it doesn’t play as wide because of the bevels.
At impact, the sole cuts through the turf quickly and makes me feel like I’m picking off a piece of turf the size of a slice of butter.
In the short testing I’ve done, I’ve found it very easy to work the ball up, down, draw, fade, or whatever I want, and as someone who grew up playing Mizuno irons, the look and feel check all the boxes.
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For the first time since I’ve been doing this job, it seems like Mizuno finally has the iron that fits my game.
The Mizuno Pro S-4 has been engineered for accomplished golfers seeking the unmistakable feel of a forged iron with greater forgiveness and confidence throughout the set. A redesigned curved muscle concentrates mass lower in the head, while progressive offset, a wider sole and deeper center of gravity promote higher launch, increased stability and improved forgiveness without compromising the precision expected from Mizuno Pro. Forged from a single billet of 1025E Mild Carbon Steel using Mizuno’s patented Grain Flow Forged HD process, the S-4 delivers the exceptional feel, feedback and workability synonymous with Mizuno’s forged heritage
Moses Itauma lost to Filip Hrgovic on Saturday in one of the biggest upsets of 2026, and now former WBA featherweight world champion Barry McGuigan has shared his thoughts on the youngster’s display.
Itauma made a ferocious and dominant start against Hrgovic, proving himself to be a level above the Croatian when it came to speed and skill, regularly landing eye-catching shots on his granite-chinned opponent.
Speaking to Boxing News, McGuigan declared that the 21-year-old has ‘nobody to blame but himself and his coach’, for setting a pace that was too physically demanding.
“If you gas out – that is ‘hands up, I am guilty!’
“Whether that is you setting off at a phenomenal pace and you gas out, and you have tried your best and you have almost got your opponent out of there – but he didn’t. He hit Hrgovic loads, but he never looked like he was going to knock him out.”
“He ran in there and tried to get him out of there, but he couldn’t do it. At the end of the day, he set a pace that he couldn’t sustain and he gassed out, he has nobody to blame but himself and his coach [Ben Davison].”
Premier League clubs have smashed their summer transfer record with over £3.3bn spent. More than half of the Premier League’s clubs broke their transfer records in a summer window featuring four of the top flight’s five most expensive ever deals.
Manchester City completed the biggest deal on the final hours of the window by singing Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m, while Liverpool paid £120m for Bradley Barcola, Chelsea made Morgan Rogers their record signing for £117m and Tottenham also broke the £100m barrier by recruiting midfielder Sandro Tonali.
City were the biggest spenders overall with around £435m paid in transfer fees, followed by Chelsea (£349.8m) and Tottenham (£315m). Chelsea recouped the most in sales (£385m) with Aston Villa also receiving more than £300m in transfer fees after selling six of the players who started last season’s Europa League final.
But who got value in the market or which club is now fearing the worst? Here’s how every club rated at the end of another hectic transfer window:
Arsenal
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Ins: Bruno Guimaraes (£75m), Ezri Konsa (£51m), Piero Hincapie (£45m), Christos Tzolis (£34m), Illan Meslier (free), Elijah Upson (free), Igor Tyjon (undisclosed fee), James Scanlon (undisclosed fee)
Outs: Gabriel Martinelli (£55.7m),Leandro Trossard (£15.3m), Jakub Kiwior (£14.5m), Gabriel Jesus (£8.6m) Fabio Vieira (£7.7m), Christian Norgaard (£7m), Karl Hein (£2.6m), Ismeal Kabia (loan), Reiss Nelson (free), Takehiro Tomiyasu (free), Josh Nichols (free), Samuel Chapman (free), Ethan Nwaneri (loan), Tommy Setford (loan)
Verdict: All the noises coming out of the Premier League champions this summer suggested that Mikel Arteta wanted to add a marquee attacking signing to his title-winning squad. With all due respect to Christos Tzolis, he is not it. Instead, Arsenal were beaten to the signing of Morgan Rogers by Chelsea, saw Vinicius Jr remain at Real Madrid after a very public courting, and did not make an approach for Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid refused to negotiate with Barcelona. Having sold the popular Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus, there is a danger that Arsenal are found short on the left side of their attack, although they have also avoided making expensive splurges on second-choice options. Still, Arsenal’s strength and depth across the rest of their squad is surely the envy of the Premier League and in Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa they have made two shrewd additions. This perhaps wasn’t the window Arsenal fans wanted. It is still good enough to defend their title. – Jamie Braidwood
Grade: B+
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Arsenal have hugely strengthened in midfield but still lack a striker (PA)
Aston Villa
Ins: Johan Manzambi (£51m), Nicolas Jackson (£47.5m), Ibrahim Mbaye (£47m), Joao Gomes (£34m), Zion Suzuki (£30m), Taylor Hawood-Bellis (£30m), Matteo Ruggeri (£21.4m), Leon Goretzka (free), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (loan), Alejandro Garnacho (loan), Modou Keba Cisse (joins next summer), Blade Earley (free)
Outs: Morgan Rogers (£117m), Ollie Watkins (£51m), Ezri Konsa (£51m), Youri Tielemans (£35m), Donyell Malen (£21.6m), Enzo Barrenechea (£12m), Lewis Dobbin (£9m), Lucas Digne (£8.5m), Emi Martinez (£7.5m), Josh Feeney (loan), Lino Sousa (loan), Kosta Nedeljkovic (loan), Samuel Iling-Junior (loan), Evann Guessand (loan), Joe Gauci (loan), Sam Proctor (loan), Andres Garcia (loan), Oliwier Zych (loan), Kadan Young (loan), Zepiqueno Redmond (loan), Benjamin Broggio (loan), Yeimar Mosquera (undisclosed fee), Louie Barry (undisclosed fee), Sil Swinkels (undisclosed fee), Cole Ramsey (free), Thierry Katsukunya (free), Ronnie Hollingshead (free), Junior Wilson, (free), Brad Burrowes (loan), Aidan Borland (loan), Luka Lynch (loan), Leon Bailey (undisclosed fee)
Verdict: This was a painful summer for Villa, of that there is no doubt. Beloved Istanbul heroes have vanished in the shape of Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins. However, Villa did what they felt was necessary, to safeguard their future and wriggle free of Uefa’s FFP regulations. The verdict may take some years, but Johan Manzambi, Ibrahima Mbaye and Zion Suzuki look like pillars for the long-term, while Nicolas Jackson, Joao Gomes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and the experienced Leon Goretzka bring immediate experience to maintain Unai Emery’s ability to compete. Alejandro Garnacho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka may not fall in either camp, though more optimism arrives in the shape of talented youngsters Brian Madjo and George Hemmings. The strategy was probably a little too drastic to realistically compete for a trophy and retain a place in the top four, but Emery is just about the perfect manager to oversee this transition. – Jack Rathborn
Grade: C-
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Unai Emery’s squad has a much different look to last season (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)
Bournemouth
Ins: Antonio Silva (£21.4m), Alvaro Rodriguez (£21.3m), Juanlu Sanchez (£11.1m), Michele Di Gregorio (loan)
Outs: Hamed Traore (£6.5m),Luis Sinisterra (£5.2m), Enes Unal (£1.2m), Matai Akinmboni (loan), Alfie Merritt (loan), Archie Harris (undisclosed fee), Alex Jimenez (loan), Alex Paulsen (loan), Owen Bevan (free), Romain Faivre (loan), Michael Dacosta (undisclosed fee), Marcos Senesi (free), Will Dennis (undisclosed fee), Ollie Morgan (free), Ashley Clarke (free), Noa Boutin (free), James Davies (free), Koby Mottoh (free)
Verdict: Keeping ahold of Alex Scott was the priority and Bournemouth were resolute in their stance even Arsenal and Chelsea circled. Eli Junior Kroupi may have been sold had it not been for a pre-season foot injury. It means new boss Marco Rose still has a talented squad to work with as he takes over from Andoni Iraola and leads Bournemouth into their historic European campaign. The signing of 22-year-old centre-back Antonio Silva from Benfica could prove to be a bargain at £21.4m but Bournemouth’s lack of depth could yet be tested by the extra workload of the Europa League. – JB
Grade: B
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Bournemouth have kept hold Alex Scott, although he has turned down a new contract (PA Wire)
Brentford
Ins: Mamadou Sangare (£39m), EL Hadji Malick Diouf (£35m), Jaidon Anthony (£15m), Jannick Schuster (£14m), Darwin Guagua (undisclosed fee), Callum Wilson (free), Joseph Wheeler-Henry (undisclosed fee)
Outs: Ethan Pinnock (£6m), Josh Stephenson (loan), Jordan Henderson (free), Yunus Konak (loan), Iwan Morgan (undisclosed fee), Ben Krauhaus (loan), Romelle Donovan (loan), Michael Olakigbe (loan), Ethan Brierley (undisclosed fee), Frank Onyeka (undisclosed fee), Tony Yogane (undisclosed fee), Ethan Laidlaw (undisclosed fee), Ryan Trevitt (free), Staitham Bowen (free), Conor McManus (loan), Julian Eyestone (loan), Benjamin Arthur (loan), Matthew Cox (loan), Jayden Meghoma (Brentford)
Verdict: Brentford have shopped around Europe this summer and look set to be rewarded for looking further afield. They’ve pulled off what could be one of the signings of the season in midfielder Mamadou Sangare, bringing the 24-year-old to west London for a club record £39m after he impressed at French club Lens. The Mali international is already making an impact in the Premier League and may yet prove a bit of a bargain. Left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf was one of few bright lights in West Ham’s dire campaign last term and is another eye-catching signing, while the Bees have also brought in reinforcements up front in Callum Wilson for free and winger Jaidon Anthony, who impressed at Burnley last season. Brentford lived up to their reputation as one of the Premier League’s most organised clubs by completing their business early and avoided any major sales. – Flo Clifford
Grade: A+
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Mamadou Sangare looks to be an excellent signing for Brentford (Reuters)
Brighton
Ins: Luka Vuskovic (£46m), Zadok Yohanna (£21.5m), Pascal Struijk (£18m), Chema Andres (£15.5m), Femi Azeez (£15m), Jaouen Hadjam (£11.1m), Costinha (£11m), Michael Svoboda (£4.3m), Matias Orozco (£3.5m), Promise David (loan), Rodrigo Rego (undisclosed fee), Valentin Joseph (undisclosed fee), George Munday (undisclosed fee), Oliver Mayer (free)
Outs: Carlos Baleba (£70m), Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m), Carl Rushworth (£22.5m), Diego Coppola (£15.3m), Danny Welbeck (£5m), Jeremy Sarmiento (£3.4m), Harry Howell (loan), Facundo Buonanotte (loan), Joel Veltman (free), Tommy Watson (loan), James Beadle (loan), Brajan Gruda (loan), Yoon Do-young (loan), Adam Webster (released), Jacob Slater (free), James Milner (retired), Solly March (released), Zane Albarus (free), Billy-Ray Cullinane (free), Matthew Hayden (free), Charlie Pennan (free), Will Rutter (free), Nils Ramming (loan), Caylan Vickers (undisclosed fee), Igor Julio (loan), Eiran Cashin (loan), Charlie Tasker (loan), Freddie Simmonds (loan), Mark O’Mahoney (loan), Amario Cozier-Duberry (loan), Kamari Doyle (loan), Josh Robertson (loan)
Verdict: Another window of savvy business from Brighton? Carlos Baleba’s loss will be felt and the £70m fee the Seagulls will get from Manchester United is significantly less than the £115m or so they were holding out for last summer. But Brighton have been active in strengthening in several areas. The biggest coup was landing highly-rated centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham for a club record fee of £46m, while the surprise deadline signing of Spain Under-21 midfielder Chema Andres from Stuttgart appears a classic piece of Brighton business. The former Real Madrid academy prospect is nicknamed “baby Rodri”. – FC
Grade: B+
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Luka Vuskovic became Brighton’s record signing (Getty)
Chelsea
Ins: Morgan Rogers (£117m), Maxence Lacroix (£52m), Marco Palestra (£47m), Geovany Quenda (£40m), Valentin Barco (£34m), Emmanuel Emegha (£21.6m), Pep Chavarria (£16.3m), Emi Martinez (£7.5m), Danny Welbeck (£5m), Jordan Henderson (free), Harrison Bettoni (undisclosed fee), Dastan Satpayek (£2.1m), Alfie Osborne (£400k)
Outs: Enzo Fernandez (£125m), Marc Cucurella (£52m), Andrey Santos (£50m), Nicolas Jackson (£47.5m), Liam Delap (£45m), Trevoh Chalobah (£25.7m), Tyrique George (£18m), Deivid Washington (£17.2), Marc Guiu (£14.6m), Tosin Adarabioyo (£7m), Omari Kellyman (£5.1m), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (£4m), David Datro Fofana (undisclosed fee), Caleb Wiley (loan), Mamadou Sarr (loan), Mykhailo Mudryk (loan), Axel Disasi (loan), Benoit Badiashile (loan), Reggie Walsh (loan), Dastan Satpayev (loan), Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (loan), Ishe Samuels-Smith (loan), Filip Jorgensen (loan), Ollie Harrison (loan), Alejandro Garnacho (loan), Chris Atherton (undisclosed fee), Kaiden Wilson (loan), Jesse Derry (loan), Harrison Murray-Campbell (loan), Frankie Runham (undisclosed fee), Joseph Wheeler-Henry (undisclosed fee), Jimi Tauriainen (free), Dario Essugo (loan), Robert Sanchez (loan), Dujuan Richards (loan), Kiano Dyer (loan)
Verdict: The sheer number of comings and goings, and scale of their spending and selling, is simply astonishing. But it is hard to argue that Chelsea have not also done some very good business, particularly in receiving £125m for Enzo Fernandez. With the record buy of Morgan Rogers adding to a devastating front three of Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, Chelsea have also strengthened key areas by signing centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and addressing the problem position of goalkeeper by swapping the experienced Emiliano Martinez for the error-prone Roberto Sanchez. By managing to move on so many players (33 in total) Xabi Alonso now has a relatively slimmed-down squad that may now have a chance of challenging Arsenal for the title this season. The only regret, however, is their deal for Lamine Camara collapsed at the last minute after agreeing to sell Fernandez to City – and that was hardly their fault, with Monaco pulling out of an agreed deal. – JB
Grade: A-
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Chelsea have again spent big in their first transfer window under Xabi Alonso (Reuters)
Coventry
Ins: Caleb Yirenkyi (£23m), Carl Rushworth (£22.5m), Sidiki Cherif (£20.5m), Loum Tchaouna (£20m), Aurele Amenda (£15.4m), Taiwo Awoniyi (£9m), Ethan Pinnock (£6m), Gustavo Hamer (£6m), Stephen Mfuni (loan), Dan Bentley (undisclosed fee), Frank Onyeka (undisclosed fee), Billy-Ray Cullinane (free)
Outs: Kai Andrews (loan), Miguel Angel Brau (loan), Jahnoah Markelo (undisclosed fee), Norman Bassette (loan), Callum Perry (loan), Brad Collins (free), Isaac Moore (loan), Liam Kitching (loan), Charlie Finney (free), Rylie Siddall (free), Oliver Dovin (loan), Raphael Borges Rodrigues (loan)
Verdict: Ambitious. Frank Lampard has been backed without totally disrupting the group that impressively won the Championship last term. Well over £100m spent, which might now just be a necessary entry point to a promoted side having a realistic chance of survival. But Caleb Yirenkyi is an exciting addition and Taiwo Awoniyi could prove a shrewd buy with the Nigerian striker’s disruptive presence and potential for more goals than his recent time with Forest, should Lampard afford him a run of games. – JR
Grade: B-
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Coventry twice broke their transfer record this summer and signed midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi (Getty)
Outs: Maxence Lacroix (£52m), Daniel Munoz (£22m), Danny Imray (£5m), Justin Devenny (£5m), Mofe Jemide (loan), Tayo Adaramola (loan), Brennan Johnson (swap deal), Owen Goodman (loan), Jackson Izquierdo (free), Hindolo Mustapha (loan), Craig Farquhar (free), Asher Agbinone (free), Jemiah Umolu (free), Rio Cardines (loan), Joe Whitworth (undisclosed fee), David Ozoh (loan), Romaine Esse (loan), Borna Sosa (loan)
Verdict: Palace have lost a couple of key figures this summer. The departures of Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Munoz are blows, and while they have kept hold of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, you fear their burning desire to leave may end up impacting their performance. They didn’t spent big to fill the voids – their biggest acquisition being Israel international Anan Khalaili, Munoz’s replacement at right wing-back – and it took until deadline day for them to get particularly active. But after the signings of Honest Ahanor and Quinten Timber among other late acquisitions, Palace fans won’t be complaining too much. – Will Castle
Grade: C
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Crystal Palace had a difficult summer as stars like Ismaila Sarr attempted to leave (Getty)
Everton
Ins: Tyrique George (£18m), Merlin Rohl (£17.3m), Hayden Hackney (£16.5m), Christian Norgaard (£7m), Brennan Johnson (swap deal), Jack Grealish (loan), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (undisclosed fee)
Verdict: The Toffees will come out of this summer with a sour taste in the mouth. Yes, they got the return of Jack Grealish they wanted, but it came at the almighty cost of losing Iliman Ndiaye on deadline day. That departure by itself arguably leaves Everton in a worse place to where they ended last season, which isn’t a great reflection on the window. They did look to spend some of the Ndiaye money before the deadline, only to see their pursuit of Folarin Balogun fall through at the very last moment due to the player having a change of heart. They sold Beto expecting to sign a striker on deadline day, but haven’t. Now, they go into the season short in important positions. – WC
Grade: D
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Jack Grealish’s arrival was one of the few good moments in a torrid end to the transfer window for Everton (PA Wire)
Fulham
Ins: Gonzalo Garcia (£34.3m), Shea Charles (£30m), Cesar Palacios (£8.6m), David Affengruber (undisclosed fee), Jonah Kusi-Asare (£5.2m), Manuel Angel (£3m), Hugo Larsson (loan), Erskine Rennie (compensation)
Outs: Sasa Lukic (£9m), Issa Diop (£8.5m), Luke Harris (loan), Harvey Araujo (loan), Steven Benda (free), Alfie McNally (loan), Harry Wilson (free), Olly Sanderson (undisclosed fee), Raul Jimenez (free), Callum Cliff (free), Oliver Mayer (free), Matthew Dibley-Dias (loan), Aaron Loupalo-Bi (loan)
Verdict: Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez leave a huge amount of production in their departures. Alvaro Arbeloa’s arrival and an appetite to do things differently is exciting, but the unknown brings a certain trepidation. How quickly can the Real Madrid Castilla group settle? Gonzalo Garcia looks both a top talent and character, but more needs to be done to dismiss any fear of relegation. WC
Grade: C-
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New Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has brought three players with him from Real Madrid (Reuters)
Hull City
Ins: Nobel Mendy (£20m), Konstantinos Tzolakis (£20m), Lucas Herrington (£17.1m) Ilyas Ansah (£14.5m), Mohamed-Ali Cho (£13m), Tim Iroegbunam (£13m), Jens Hjerto-Dahl (£10m), Joe Gelhardt (£6.5m), Jack Butland (£3m), Lucas Gourna-Douath (3.4m), Elliot Stroud (£3m), Hidemasa Morita (free), Matt Targett (free), Oscar Zambrano (undisclosed fee), Ben Robinson (free), Christos Mouzakitis (undisclosed fee), Sorba Thomas (undisclosed fee), Robinio Vaz (loan), Brooke Norton-Cuffey (loan)
Verdict: Hull went into this window, first of all, needing to sell. Their promotion through the play-offs had triggered bonus clauses in players’ contracts that meant their overspend was on course to leave them in breach of financial regulations, which could have led to a points deduction. They did sell to avoid this, with outgoings including their first-choice keeper Ivor Pandur, but they’ve since stocked heavily to prepare for a first season back in the Premier League. Nobel Mendy and Konstantinos Tzolakis headline a summer that has seen 18 (EIGHTEEN)additions, and after the Tigers notched two wins in their first two games, both already look like steals for club-record fees of £20m. Hull were quickly written off when they got promoted, possessing a squad that had been tipped for relegation into League One at the beginning of last season. They’ve seemingly done all they can to strengthen, adding six more on deadline day, but will it be enough? And will it perhaps be too much of a personnel shake-up for manager Sergej Jakirovic to handle? WC
Grade: B+
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Nobel Mendy celebrates after scoring on his debut against Man Utd (Reuters)
Ipswich Town
Ins: Julio Enciso (£26m), Emersonn (£24m), Exequiel Palacios (£23.5m), Abdul Fatawu (£20m), Zian Flemming (£20m), Abdoul Ouattara (£17m), Florentino Luis (£16m), Daizen Maeda (£10m), Sasa Lukic (£9m), Kjell Scherpen (£8.6m), Issa Diop (£8.5m), Chuba Akpom (£7m), Kayne van Oevelen (£3.4m), Cédric Kipre (£1.7m), Chris Atherton (undisclosed fee), Frankie Runham (undisclosed fee), Lucca Fletcher (undisclosed fee)
Outs: George Hirst (£6m), Arijanet Muric (£6m), Harry Clarke (£3.5m), Wes Burns (£100k), Cameron Humphreys (loan), Ali Al-Hamadi (loan), Kayne van Oevelen (loan), Ben Johnson (loan), Finley Barbrook (loan), Sam Szmodics (loan), Conor Townsend (loan), Conor Chaplin (loan), Elkan Baggott (£2m), Cieran Slicker (loan), Leon Ayinde (undisclosed fee), Ryan Carr (free), Somto Boniface (loan), Henry Gray (loan), Ashley Young (retired), Tudor Mendel (loan), Chieo Ogbene (loan)
Verdict: You certainly can’t accuse Ipswich of failing to give it a go this summer, given they’ve spent around £170m – breaking the record for the most by a newly-promoted club in Premier League history. Of course, they splashed the cash after promotion two years ago and still recorded just four wins all season as they slipped to a limp relegation… But there has been a concerted effort to bring in some attacking talent with Paraguayan livewire Julio Enciso already looking dangerous in the heavy defeat to Manchester United and the likes of former Toulouse striker Emersonn and ex-Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu also offering exciting young quality. Exequiel Palacios, signed from Bayer Leverkusen, should bring a touch of class in midfield, while Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop offer Premier League experience and ex-Celtic man Daizen Maeda is also a veteran of British football. They may not stay up but the Tractor Boys have at least taken a big swing. – Luke Baker
Grade: B
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The return of Julio Enciso is a welcome addition of creativity (Getty)
Leeds United
Ins: James Trafford (£40.5m), Tarik Muharemovic (£34.1m), Nico Elvedi (£6.8m), Michael Zetterer (£4.2m), Harry Wilson (free), Jean-Matteo Bahoya (loan), Melvin Bard (loan)
Outs: Pascal Struijk (£18m), Joe Gelhardt (£6.5m), Isaac Schmidt (£1.1m), Lucas Perri (loan), Sam Byram (free), Sebastiaan Bornauw (loan), Wilfried Gnonto (loan), Joël Piroe (loan), Charlie Crew (loan), Jack Harrison (undisclosed fee), Maximilian Wöber (released), Karl Darlow (free), Illan Meslier (free), Harry Gray (loan), Sam Chambers (loan), Largie Ramzani (loan)
Verdict: An aggressive window from Leeds and one that puts faith in Daniel Farke. A massive move for James Trafford provides a foundation and sign that the Whites intend to be a Premier League side for years to come, given the England shot-stopper’s best years are ahead and the lack of stability so far in his short but promising career meant his next move would have to be highly convincing. To be an attractive free agent destination, for Harry Wilson, and then to acquire the talented centre-back Tarik Muharemovic, with the older Pascal Struijk going out for a lesser fee, shows Leeds have spent with intent, while not operating in a reckless way like some of their rivals. A couple late loans to add depth to the left flank also doesn’t go amiss. – JR
Grade: A-
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James Trafford was Leeds’ headline signing this summer (Getty)
Liverpool
Ins: Bradley Barcola (£123m), Jeremy Jacquet (£55m), Victor Munoz (£34.5m), Lucca Brughmans (£30m), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (undisclosed fee), Ronald Araujo (loan), Samuel Martinez (joining in 2027)
Outs: Curtis Jones (£25.7m), Stefan Bajcetic (undisclosed fee), Calvin Ramsay (loan), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (loan), Kieran Morrison (loan), Calum Scanlon (loan), Mohamed Salah (free), Amara Nallo (loan), Armin Pecsi (loan), Luca Stephenson (undisclosed fee), Carter Pinnington (undisclosed fee), Ibrahima Konate (free), Andy Robertson (free), DJ Bernard (free), Rhys Williams (released), Lucca Brughmans (loan), Harvey Elliott (loan), Keyrel Figueroa (loan)
Verdict: The long-awaited signing of Bradley Barcola brings an injection of excitement into Liverpool’s window but, as so adeptly described by my colleague Adam Clery in his latest YouTube video, it’s a bit like buying a Ferrari while your house is burning to the ground. The Reds remain conspicuously short in defensive midfield and at right-back, though they did strengthen in central defence with Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo. Victor Munoz looks a strong wing option further forward – but it is somewhat questionable that they’ve not brought in a left-footed wide option to replace Mohamed Salah. – Kieran Jackson
Grade: B
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Manchester City
Ins: Enzo Fernandez (£125m), Elliot Anderson (£116m), Ayyoub Bouaddi (£85.6m), Iliman Ndiaye (£60m), Allan (£32m), Mathys Detourbet (£21.6m), Jeremy Monga (£12.5m), Pierce Charles (£3m), Gerónimo Rulli (£1.7m)
Outs: Savio (£75m), Nico González (£52m), Tijjani Reijnders (£52m), Rodri (£51.3m), James Trafford (£40.5m), Nathan Ake (£7m), Issa Kaboré (£2m), Reigan Heskey (£2m), Stephen Mfuni (loan), Manuel Akanji (undisclosed fee), Jack Grealish (loan), Omar Marmoush (loan), Divine Mukasa (loan), Max Alleyne (loan), Finley Burns (undisclosed fee), Lakyle Samuel (loan), Emilio Lawrence (loan), Divin Mubama (loan), John Stones (free), Joel Ndala (undisclosed fee), Spike Brits (loan), Matty Warhurst (undisclosed fee), Sverre Nypan (loan), Pierce Charles (loan), Mathys Detourbet (loan), Isaac Smith (undisclosed fee), Oliver Whatmuff (loan), Bernardo Silva (free), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (undisclosed fee), Jaden Heskey (loan), Luca Fletcher (undisclosed fee), Kalvin Phillips (loan), Christian McFarlane (loan), Jeremy Monga (loan), Claudio Echeverri (loan)
Verdict: There has been a lot of change at the Etihad in what is Enzo Maresca’s first window in charge. Just look above: for nine signings, see 33 departures. A new midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi is extremely exciting but the exit of Rodri – the favourite to claim a second Ballon d’Or – is unequivocally a huge blow. Club stalwarts like Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Nathan Ake have also left and Maresca may have quite the job on to get all his big-money signings to gel in the absence of such huge squad characters. – KJ
Grade: A-
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Elliot Anderson will anchor Manchester City’s new midfield (Getty)
Outs: Rasmus Hojlund (£43.2m), Radek Vitek (£14m), Jayce Fitzgerald (loan), Toby Collyer (undisclosed fee), Jacob Devaney (loan), Ethan Ennis (undisclosed fee), Ethan Williams (undisclosed fee), Sonny Aljofree (undisclosed fee), Altay Bayindir (loan), Tyler Fredricson (undisclosed fee), Casemiro (free), André Onana (loan extended), James Scanlon (undisclosed fee), James Bailey (free), Ethan Wheatley (loan), Sekou Kone (loan), Elyh Harrison (loan), Tyrell Malacia (released), Jadon Sancho (released), Chido Obi (loan)
Verdict: Another Manchester club, another extensive midfield rebuild. Yet while the Red Devils missed out on Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, there is an abundance of potential in the acquisitions of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. And yet… the highest of hopes for Michael Carrick’s squad this campaign is a return of one of their own. Marcus Rashford, now adorning the No 9 jersey, is back after steering his career back on track at Barcelona last season. Should Carrick unlock Rashford’s quality, United could be potent up top. But could failing to sign a left back, despite a late effort to bring Rayan Ait-Nouri from Manchester City on loan before the deadline, come back to haunt them?
Outs: Sandro Tonali (£92.5m), Bruno Guimaraes (£75m), Anthony Gordon (£69.3m), Nick Woltemade (loan), John Ruddy (free), Anthony Munda (loan), Alex Murphy (loan), Matt Targett (free), Joe White (free), Antonio Cordero (loan), Harrison Ashby (loan), Odysseas Vlachodimos (loan extended), Charlie McArthur (free), Kieran Trippier (free), Travis Hernes (undisclosed fee), Kayden Lucas (free), Ezra Tika-Lemba (free), Rory Finneran (loan), Emil Krafth (released), Sean Neave (loan)
Verdict: Honestly, who knows?! On paper, Newcastle have been hit very hard, losing star players like Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon, as well as their manager Eddie Howe midway through pre-season. However, new boss Matthias Jaissle has impressed in his opening two games – a draw against Liverpool and a win at Spurs – and new signings such as Nico Gonzalez, Amar Dedic and goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek have been crucial to that positive start. They’ve also signed highly-regarded Belgian attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo at the eleventh hour. – KJ
Grade: C
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Nico Gonzalez has been crucial to Newcastle’s positive start (Reuters)
Nottingham Forest
Ins: Liam Delap (£45m), Ousmane Diomande (£34.2m), Daniel Munoz (£22m), Steven Benda (free), Gustavo Sa (undisclosed fee), Xaver Schlager (free), Boyd Fraser (undisclosed fee), Mason Ayre (undisclosed fee), Blaine McClure (undisclosed fee), Grady McDonnell (free), Kasen Brown (free)
Outs: Elliot Anderson (£116m), Taiwo Awoniyi (£9m), Omari Hutchinson (loan), Tyler Bindon (loan), Lamin Sillah (loan), Dilane Bakwa (loan), Eric da Silva Moreira (loan), Omar Richards (undisclosed fee), Stefan Ortega (released), Danny Anisjko (free), Jota Silva (free), David Carmo (undisclosed fee), Joe Gardner (undisclosed fee), Cormac Daly (free), Angus Gunn (free), Ben Hammong (free), Justin Hanks (free), Willy Boly (released), Josh Powell (loan), Morato (loan), Zach Abbott (loan)
Verdict: A new manager in Oliver Glasner and an offer they couldn’t refuse in Elliot Anderson. The £116m fee, considering a lack of Champions League football, was monstrous, although losing your best player puts a limit on your window rating. They’ve spent a decent amount, as they always tend to do, and the upheaval is remarkable, no matter the manager, but somehow the players fit: Daniel Munoz is one of the best right-backs/right wing-backs in this league and Xaver Schlager, who proved himself with Austria at the World Cup and joins on a free transfer, should fit in nicely. While Liam Delap’s fee is lofty, there is a disruptive presence in there and with game time, the goals should return. Ousmane Diomande could have gone to a bigger club, too. Safety is a solid bet and Glasner might have the Tricky Trees dreaming of a cup run. – JR
Grade: C+
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Nottingham Forest broke their transfer record on Liam Delap (Getty)
Sunderland
Ins: Malick Fofana (30.8m), Dayann Methalie (£24m), Thomas Meunier (free), Jules Ahoka (£8.6m), Juan Riquelme Angulo (£5m), Ethan Berry (free), Adam Nelson (free), Kevin Danso (loan)
Outs: Eliezer Mayenda (£17.1m), Anthony Patterson (£8m), Luis Semedo (undisclosed fee), Jenson Seelt (loan), Dennis Cirkin (free), Leo Hjelde (undisclosed fee), Arthur Masuaku (free), Ahmed Abdullahi (undisclosed fee), Timothee Pembele (loan), Dan Neil (free), Nazariy Rusyn (free), Matty Young (loan), Zak Johnson (undisclosed fee), Harrison Jones (undisclosed fee), Milan Aleksic (loan), Oliver Bainbridge (free), Tom Lavery (free), Rhys Walsh (free), Simon Adingra (loan)
Verdict: Sunderland went above and beyond last summer to stay up, spending £161m on 15 signings. They didn’t just stay up – they got European football, completely exceeding expectations. But this summer, have they rested on their laurels? It certainly looked like that before deadline day, by the morning of which they only had three senior signings on board. But after the last-minute arrivals of Malick Fofana – holding off an attempted Crystal Palace hijacking – along with Kevin Danso and Juan Riquelme Angulo, Sunderland’s ranks do now look improved. Regis Le Bris also didn’t lose any of his key stars from last term; a win. – WC
Grade: C+
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Belgium veteran Thomas Meunier is one of Sunderland’s summer recruits (Reuters)
Tottenham
Ins: Sandro Tonali (£92.5m), Mateus Fernandes (£85m), Savio (£75m), Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m), Tosin Adarabioyo (£7m), Omar Marmoush (loan), Cole Ramsey (free), Mykhailo Mudryk (loan), Martin Dubravka (free), Marcos Senesi (free), Andy Robertson (free)
Outs: Luka Vuskovic (£46m), Cristian Romero (£34.1m), Djed Spence (£25.6m), Will Lankshear (£20m), Alejo Veliz (£7.8m), Ashley Phillips (£7m), Alfie Devine (£6m), Manor Solomon (£5m), Tynan Thompson (4m), Kevin Danso (loan), Pape Matar Sarr (loan), Jamie Donley (loan), Guglielmo Vicario (loan), Yang Min-hyeok (loan), Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny (loan), Elijah Upson (loan), Yusuf Akhamrich (loan), Radu Dragusin (loan), Luca Gunter (loan), Matthew Craig (undisclosed fee), Pele Arganese-McDermott (free), Souza (loan), Leon Myrtaj (free), Oliver Irow (loan), Mason Melia (loan), Kota Takai (loan), George Abbott (loan), Damola Ajayi (loan), Dane Scarlett (undisclosed fee)
Verdict: It’s an A+ for intent and aggression, yet the exact nature of the strategy might be where Spurs fall apart. They’ve acquired some good players, undoubtedly, but more than £300m on players that the existing top four or five clubs would not leap to sign, save Mateus Fernandes, could bring problems down the line when a similar splurge might be required to elevate this group back into Europe. The deadline day double signing of Chelsea dead wood Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhailo Mudryk raised even more eyebrows. Still, back-to-back 17th place finishes understandably sparks panic and the need to overhaul a dreadful group across two seasons. Roberto De Zerbi certainly cannot complain, there’s a lot to work with and a top-half finish is the minimum requirement. – JR
Grade: B-
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Tottenham spent £100m to sign Sandro Tonali in the summer – is he worth it? (Getty)
Nov 29, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Maryland quarterback Malik Washington (7) throws a pass against Michigan State in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images
Maryland is hoping to see strides in its young quarterback while Hampton is gearing up for its first Power Four matchup as the teams clash Saturday in College Park, Md.
The Terrapins started last season with four wins but ended the year with eight straight losses for a second straight 4-8 campaign. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley will hope to avoid the same issues coming into this year, and a lot of that will hinge on quarterback Malik Washington.
A true freshman a year ago, Washington was thrown into the fire immediately and started every game. He finished the year with 2,963 passing yards with 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions but faltered during that losing stretch. Washington had at least one interception in each of the last six games.
During the Terps’ media day Locksley stressed the importance of letting Washington loose more now that he has one year of experience under his belt.
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“A year ago because we knew we were throwing him in there inexperienced, we probably were a little more conservative,” Locksley said. “But I can tell you that the way he was taught and the things that he learned a year ago will benefit him now that he’s in a system that fits his skill set including his ability to use his feet to make plays.”
He’ll have plenty of offensive weapons to help including the team’s leading rusher from last season DeJuan Williams (501 yards) along with wideouts Kaleb Webb and trasnfer Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding.
Hampton (1-0) comes in off of a 45-0 win over Virginia University-Lynchburg. It was the first game for new coach Van Malone, and he got a huge boost from freshman Amari Pryear, who came off the bench to rush for 132 yards on just eight carries.
The Pirates are coming off a high with their first shutout since 2017, but Malone isn’t getting ahead of himself with a tough Terps team on tap.
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“For us, it’s about playing mistake-free football because Maryland can make you pay,” Malone said Monday. “As we roll into practicing for this game, what I want to tell our players is we don’t have to be perfect, but we have to be better than we were last week.”
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