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Everton were one of the four sides involved in the Premier League Summer Series held in the United States. They ended up finishing bottom in the four-team competition, with Manchester United, West Ham United and Bournemouth the three sides who placed above them.

What might concern manager David Moyes is that they scored only three goals across the three games, fewer than any of their opponents. Two of those came in the final game against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United. That came after the Toffees boss said he was “disappointed” with striker Beto’s performances in the competition.

So, it seems like the Toffees need attackers to help end this drought in front of goal. They are reportedly targeting a Premier League attacker to help their cause.

Everton’s next attacking target after Dibling

Of course, with Everton needing to become more clinical, the likes of Beto must step up, with new signing Thierno Barry waiting in the wings. Yet, they also need more creativity in attack, and seem to be targeting a Premier League star to help solve their problem.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a recent report from talkSPORT, the Merseysiders are ‘set to step up their interest’ in signing Manchester City and England international attacker Jack Grealish.

They are said to have been interested in the 29-year-old ‘for much of the transfer window’, and could now accelerate a move.

That comes after Southampton asked for £50m to sign Tyler Dibling, after Moyes’ side ‘have seen multiple bids rejected’ for the winger. Thus, they will ‘turn their attention’ to signing Grealish this summer, with a loan swoop seemingly on the cards.

Why Grealish would be a good signing

It has been a tough 12 months at the Etihad Stadium for Grealish. The former Aston Villa star seemingly fell out of Pep Guardiola’s plans and was not even taken as part of the squad to the Club World Cup earlier in the summer.

He played just 32 times for the Citizens last season, chipping in with eight goals and assists. That included just 20 Premier League games, where the attacker scored and assisted one goal apiece. He played 715 minutes in total and completed a full game three times.

A fresh start is needed for Grealish, but if Everton can recapture his best form, then they have a “generational talent” on their hands, according to former Villans chief executive Christian Purslow. He made 213 appearances in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, scoring 32 times and assisting 43.

Perhaps signing the England international will be like bringing a more experienced version of Dibling to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The pair have been compared before, with Tony Cascarino explaining he has “elements” of Grealish’s game, and analyst Umir said on The Overlap: The Breakdown that “the way he carried” the ball is similar to the City man.

Of course, Dibling, at just 19 years of age, is far from the finished article. Last season, he scored two goals and assisted one in 33 Premier League games, including this well-taken effort against Ipswich Town.

Yet, the similarities are there to see, and there is a bit of Grealish in the way he took the ball on the half turn, evaded the defender and fired home. The numbers also back up the theory, and if Everton can help Grealish rediscover his best form from his Villa days, they’ll have a more refined version of Dibling who can have an impact now, rather than later down the line.

Using stats on FBref from Grealish’s last season at Villa, he averaged 2.67 completed take-ons and 4.03 carries into the final third per 90 minutes. In comparison, the Southampton forward averaged 2.16 successful take-ons and 2.4 carries into the final third each game.

Progressive passes

7.78

3.08

Take-ons completed

2.67

2.16

Progressive carries

7.08

3.32

Carries into final third

4.03

2.4

Carries into penalty area

3.25

1.25

The similarities between the two attackers are clear. Whilst Dibling can be a long-term addition for Everton, there is a strong case to make that Grealish would be a better signing for Moyes’ side this season.

He is far more experienced and closer to the finished product. The 29-year-old is almost guaranteed to have an instant impact if Moyes can help him rediscover the form he showed at Villa. This could be a genius move for Everton.

Imagine him & Dewsbury-Hall: Everton pushing to sign "world-class talent"

Everton manager David Moyes is pushing to wrap up his summer transfer plans.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 6, 2025

وجّه محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي الأهلي، رسالة تقدير وشكر إلى أعضاء مجلس إدارة القلعة الحمراء، المنتهية ولايتهم، بعد قرار بعدم تواجدهم في الانتخابات المقبلة.

ومن المقرر أن تقام انتخابات مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي يومي 30 و31 أكتوبر الجاري.

وأعلن الخطيب ترشحه على مقعد الرئيس ضمن قائمة جديدة تضم عددًا من الوجوه الحالية والأخرى الشابة.

طالع | الخطيب يعلن قائمته في انتخابات الأهلي 2025.. موقف عبد الحفيظ وياسين منصور

ووجه الخطيب رسالة شكر إلى الدكتور محمد شوقي، والدكتور مهند مجدي، والدكتور محمد سراج الدين، والمهندسة مي عاطف، أعضاء مجلس الإدارة المنتهية ولايتهم، بعد الجهود الكبيرة التي بذلوها طوال السنوات الماضية في خدمة النادي.

وأكد الخطيب أن ما قدمه الأعضاء الأربعة من عمل مخلص وتفانٍ محل تقدير كبير من الجميع داخل النادي وخارجه، مشددًا على أن عطائهم لن يتوقف، وأن الأهلي سيظل يستفيد من خبراتهم وقدراتهم بما يخدم الكيان الأحمر وأعضاءه وجماهيره.

وتجاهل الخطيب ذكر حسام غالي عضو مجلس الإدارة، رغم غيابه عن التواجد بالقائمة الجديدة وغموض موقفه حتى الآن.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 17th-placed Premier League finish last campaign showcases the job Thomas Frank has on his hands as he enters his first year in charge in North London.

He would’ve certainly faced an easier task had he had Harry Kane at his disposal, with the England international a player who is undoubtedly one of the best to ever ply his trade for the Lilywhites.

The 32-year-old rose through the ranks before making a huge impact on the first team, often being the man the supporters relied on for goals in crucial moments.

Kane ended up registering a total of 280 goals during his stint in the capital, the highest of any player in the club’s history, also slotting in at second place in the Premier League’s record books.

However, after his departure back in 2023, the club have ultimately failed to replace his goals, leaving Frank with such a task during his first window in charge.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new striker this summer

After the Dane’s appointment, Brentford striker Yoane Wissa has been a player who has been hugely linked with a move to follow his former boss across the capital.

Such rumours are unsurprising given his tally of 19 league goals for the Bees last season, leading to Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest also interested in his signature this window.

However, he’s not the only attacker currently on their radar, with PSG star Randal Kolo Muani another player they’re pursuing, according to journalist Santi Aouna.

He claims that the Lilywhites have already entered talks over a deal to land the French forward, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus.

Aouna also states that Frank’s side face competition from Manchester United for the 26-year-old’s signature this summer, but Daniel Levy is working hard to reach an agreement before the September 1st deadline.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s answer to Kane

Two players have mainly shared the responsibility of providing the goals at the top end of the pitch for Spurs since Kane’s departure – Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

Both have endured their injury struggles over recent times, posting respectable tallies, but ultimately, there’s still huge room for improvement in such an area.

The Englishman, who cost a club-record £65m last summer, and the Brazilian managed to net a combined tally of 13 league goals, whilst Kane scored double that figure on his own last campaign.

Replacing the record goalscorer was always going to be a near-impossible task, but the current lack of goals from the centre-forwards on the books highlights the need for a new talisman this summer.

Kolo Muani would provide the new boss just that, having the opportunity to claim the starting role as his own should he move to North London during the off-season.

He’s previously been labelled as a similar player to Kane by FBref, managing to match or better the former Lilywhites in key areas throughout the recent campaign.

The Frenchman, who’s been dubbed “extremely dangerous” by compatriot Bixente Lizarazu, posted a higher goal per shot on target rate, evidently being more efficient with his chances in front of goal.

How Kolo Muani & Kane compare in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Kolo Muani

Kane

Games played

26

31

Goals & assists

12

35

Shot on target accuracy

48%

42%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Key passes made

1.4

1.3

Take-ons completed

1.5

0.8

Carries into opposition box

1.2

0.7

Aerials won

1.2

1

Stats via FBref

Kolo Muani also completed more key passes per 90, along with more take-ons achieved, highlighting his all-round talent with the ball at his feet, something which could hugely benefit Frank in his quest for success.

However, whilst he’s a technically gifted forward, the former Eintracht Frankfurt star also bettered Kane for aerials won per 90, potentially being the perfect fit for the Lilywhites’ current side.

All the aforementioned stats are undoubtedly important, but ultimately, the fans and manager will want him to provide the goods in front of goal throughout 2025/26.

His tally of 10 goals in just 22 loan appearances in Italy last season showcases that there is certainly a player there, with Frank able to land his own version of the record scorer if he can unlock such talents out of Kolo Muani.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Aug 1, 2025

While the elusive centre forward is yet to arrive, there is no doubt that this has been a great summer for Arsenal in the transfer market.

There’s no Edu-like hesitancy from the recruitment team as Andrea Berta is here and he’s making a stamp on the Gunners.

With a move for Viktor Gyokeres continuing to rumble on in the background, Mikel Arteta’s side have added Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke to their ranks.

Yet, they aren’t done there. It feels like a matter of time before Gyokeres becomes an Arsenal player and a new centre-back in the shape of Cristhian Mosquera has already completed his media duties ahead of being announced.

But, another winger could also arrive before transfer deadline day.

Arsenal looking to further bolster their forward line

Two of the biggest rumours this summer have concerned Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo.

Eze, who was once in the Arsenal academy, has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Gunners but club-to-club talks are yet to open between the north Londoners and Crystal Palace.

If the attacker does make the move to the Emirates Stadium, then it’s likely his £68m release clause will have been activated.

But, how about Rodrygo? Well, this saga is one that looks as though it could continue until the latter stages of the window.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazilian played just 92 minutes at this summer’s Club World Cup and as a result, Xabi Alonso could well be looking to move him on from Real Madrid.

Arsenal have been at the table for a while now, but they are joined by Liverpool in the race. However, according to reports in Spain, the Gunners are now looking to steal a march on the Reds.

Those reports suggest that Arteta views Rodrygo as ‘the ideal player to strengthen the left flank’ and as a consequence, they are preparing an €80m (£70m) bid to bring him to London. It’s unlikely that will be accepted as Madrid have set their asking price at €100m (£87m).

Why Rodrygo could be Arsenal's best left winger since Alexis

While the centre forward position at Arsenal has been a problem for two years now, arguably so has the wide left position in Arteta’s side.

Gabriel Martinelli scored as many as 15 Premier League goals in 2022/23 but since then, he’s not scored more than eight in a single league campaign. As for Leandro Trossard, he did find the net on 17 occasions in 2023/24, but as far as league goals are concerned, it was an inconsistent term in 2024/25 for the Belgian too.

Indeed, the former Brighton winger scored just eight in the top-flight, leading to concerns about the overall makeup of Arsenal’s attack.

It feels like a long time ago now that the Gunners had Alexis Sanchez dominating the left flank. Like Trossard, he also featured as the main centre-forward, but his quality far surpassed both him and Martinelli.

Cast your minds back to 2016/17 and you will recall just how magical the Chilean was, scoring as many as 24 Premier League goals. In all competitions, he found the net 30 times and supplied 18 assists too.

It’s numbers we’ve not seen from a forward player at Arsenal since Sanchez. Not even Bukayo Saka has enjoyed a season as good as that.

Well, Rodrygo could well be the type of winger who can emulate Alexis in north London. Like the Chile international, he’d arrive at the Emirates having played second fiddle to some major names in Spanish football.

Sanchez moved to Arsenal in the shadow of Lionel Messi and Co while Rodrygo is firmly behind the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vini Jr.

Yet, his quality is clear for all to see. In 2022/23, he scored 19 goals in all competitions and possesses a dazzling dribbling ability akin to the club’s former number 17.

Goals *

0.6

0.3

Assists *

0.3

0.2

Key passes *

2.2

1.4

Big chances created

10

10

Crosses *

0.4

0.2

Successful dribbles *

2.8

2.4

Times fouled *

1.8

1.4

Taking a fraction of the data from the best individual seasons of both players’ careers, there are obvious differences, notably in terms of output.

That said, they created an identical number of big chances and their dribbling is very much on par, with Rodrygo only 0.4 down when it comes to their success rates.

To rubberstamp that ability, the Madrid star ranked among the top 20% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues last year for take-ons and the best 14% for progressive carries.

On that evidence, the Brazil international is a captivating star and even though he’s not too consistent with regards to goals and assists yet, he is still only 24. Alexis, in contrast, was 27 during that 2016/17 campaign. There is plenty of time left for him to develop yet.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 20, 2025

Liverpool have resolved an “issue” with an incoming signing, with a move now set to be sealed, according to a new claim from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool pushing for more signings after Wirtz

The Reds completed the club-record £116m signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen last week, in what is one of the Reds’ biggest statement pieces of business in their history.

The German has joined alongside Jeremie Frimpong, who has come in as a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Liverpool’s signings are not expected to stop there.

Milos Kerkez appears to be the chosen player at left-back, with the Bournemouth ace coming in to either provide competition for Andy Robertson or replace him, depending on whether the Scot leaves or not this summer.

The Hungarian was arguably the outstanding player in his position in the Premier League last season, showing why Liverpool and Arne Slot are so keen to sign him, and now a new update has emerged regarding the Reds’ pursuit.

Liverpool resolve issue with Kerkez signing – Romano

According to Romano on his YouTube channel (via Liverpool World), a “technical issue” involving Liverpool and Kerkez has now been sorted, with a five-year deal agreed and a £40m move potentially being completed on Tuesday following his medical.

“After resolving a technical issue, Liverpool and Bournemouth decided to proceed with the formal steps, so exchanging documents, exchanging emails. Milos Kerkez to Liverpool is a here we go, £40m – that’s the price for the player. A five-year contract is ready for the Hungarian left back. One more piece of information for Liverpool fans, Tuesday next week should be, from what I understand, the day for Milos Kerkez to travel to Liverpool for medical test and contract signing, so it’s all set.

“The player only wanted to join Liverpool, I can tell you that the player was in the list of several clubs around Europe, considering a move for him, even while Liverpool were not closing officially this deal in the recent weeks, they tried to enter, but there was never a possibility, because Kerkez only wanted to go to Liverpool, and now we can consider Kerkez as a new Liverpool player.”

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2 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 22, 2025

There is very little not to like about Kerkez, with the Hungary international a player full of energy who can provide quality at both ends of the pitch, registering five assists in the Premier League last season.

At 21, he is a decade younger than Robertson, therefore representing the future at Liverpool, and there is a tenaciousness about him that isn’t dissimilar to the current Reds man.

Ideally, Kerkez would come in as first choice ahead of Robertson, with Kostas Tsimikas leaving instead of him, but either way, the Bournemouth ace could go straight into Slot’s starting lineup next season.

“That’s the main focus, because we know we have the power at the end”

Sidharth Monga23-Jun-2024Needing to win three out of three to win a home World Cup and recreate the joy they did at Kensington Oval when they beat USA, West Indies clearly know where they need to get better: when they are batting in the middle overs. Both their average and run-rate have been the lowest in that phase this World Cup. They are losing a wicket every 20 balls in the middle overs despite scoring just 123 per 100 balls. Even these numbers make them look better than they have been as it includes the onslaught against USA when they were assured of a win and had to go hard in order to improve their net run-rate.It was in the middle overs against England, their only defeat so far, that West Indies let the game slip away. Especially in the first half of the middle overs, when they scored just 40 runs from overs seven to 11 in batting-friendly conditions. They had resolved to do better in those periods but never got tested when they played USA.”When we lost to England, we struggled in that period after the powerplay,” Roston Chase admitted. “I mean USA and South Africa is two different opponents, but we spoke about that, and the guys came out and executed it well today. It was only four overs outside of the powerplay, but that’s the main focus, because we know we have the power at the end. So it’s just for us to control that powerplay with the batting and our bowling, and then for us in the batting to keep the momentum going through that 7 to 15 period where we fell down horribly against England.”Related

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Middle overs is also where Chase might have a role to play. Just to be able to stay busy and not starve the in-form hitter of the strike. “Easy for me because my job is just to give them the strike and let them hit it for six,” Chase joked when asked how it was playing in a team full of power hitters. “So that’s right up my alley. I guess that’s why I’m pencilled in at 4 to just be that transition between the boundaries and just keeping the strike rotated as well. Because I find that most of the time the boundary hitters, they usually hit boundaries, but then they may get a few dot balls. And then it equals out the equation. But if you have me there just to stroke it around and look nice, that’s good.”If he hasn’t batted till the 10th or the 11th over, though, Chase’s role is likely to be restricted to bowling in the middle overs and fielding at backward point, where he pulled off a stunning catch against USA. “If I see 10 overs come and I haven’t gone up there yet, I just keep my eyes on Rovman [Powell, the captain] all the time,” Chase said. “Once I see he give me a look, I go, yeah. Yeah, it’s for the better of the team. And the guys go out there and execute and give it their all. I’m happy with that.”In the absence of Brandon King, West Indies are now likely to open with Shai Hope, who was tried in the Chase role once earlier during the tournament. If Hope bats through into the middle overs, he is not the one to get bogged down. Undefeated South Africa are not the usual South Africa unit that used to stall in the middle overs. They in fact choked out England in the middle overs in the last match. Don’t be surprised if this contest comes down to the middle overs.

Amid rumours that Manchester City have set their sights on signing Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made contact to sign a potential replacement.

Nottingham Forest could lose Gibbs-White

Whilst there’s no denying that Nottingham Forest have enjoyed an excellent season, they could yet be forced to pay the ultimate price for success in the Premier League when clubs come calling for their top players. It’s the price that many others before them have paid and one that they may now have to pay at the cost of Gibbs-White.

The talented midfielder has reportedly found himself on Manchester City’s radar, with the Citizens leading the race to secure his signature in a stunning £100m move this summer. The interest in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man should come as little shock, though, following such an impressive campaign at the City Ground.

Gibbs-White, like many of his teammates, has found himself at the centre of praise throughout the season, with Jamie Carragher even including him in his Monday Night Football Team of the Season.

When asked about his midfield selection, the Liverpool legend said: “I’m going to go with Morgan Gibbs-White. I think he’s been fantastic. I think Forest have been brilliant, but, for me, I think he’s a very underrated player.”

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ByTom Cunningham May 22, 2025

Just how Nottingham Forest replace such a player is the big question as the summer transfer window approaches. With European football to balance alongside domestic action, it’s a decision they must get right at the City Ground. On that front, a list of targets is already emerging too, which includes one impressive attacking midfielder.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign Baturina

According to TeamTalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact to sign Martin Baturina, requesting information on what it would take to secure the Dinamo Zagreb star. In a deal that would reportedly cost them around €25m (£21m), those at the City Ground could land an instant replacement for Gibbs-White by signing Baturina this summer.

A player who has been compared to legendary midfielder Luka Modric, Baturina could be set to follow his countryman to the Premier League in the hope of one day also becoming a Real Madrid icon. Whether that move comes courtesy of Nottingham Forest will certainly be interesting to see. There’s no doubt that he has the quality to step into Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Since analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “gifted” last summer, Baturina has only kicked on and scored six goals whilst creating another 12 in all competitions for Zagreb this season.

Liverpool fell to a 3-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, with Arne Slot’s side failing to impress after their Premier League triumph last weekend.

A goal from Enzo Fernández, an own goal from Jarell Quansah and Cole Palmer’s late penalty secured all three points for Enzo Maresca’s side in their hunt for a Champions League place.

Virgil van Dijk’s header provided a late consolation goal for the Reds, but it wasn’t to be for the heavily rotated side in West London – with the manager giving numerous fringe players the chance to impress.

With the title in the bag, it was an excellent opportunity for Slot to evaluate the players at his disposal, giving him a clearer picture of what’s needed ahead of what’s likely to be a huge summer.

Whilst some players took their chance with both hands, many failed to grasp the opportunity handed in their direction – putting their future at Anfield in huge jeopardy.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Chelsea

Midfielder Curtis Jones was handed a rare start for Liverpool as part of the reshuffle, but was unable to extract his highest levels of performance – looking way off the high standards he’s set for himself.

The 24-year-old featured for the entire of the contest, only completing 33% of the dribbles he attempted, along with a 36% duel success rate – showcasing his lack of impact on the clash.

He wasn’t the only player to disappoint at the Bridge, with centre-back Quansah scoring an own goal and giving away the penalty that led to Palmer’s stoppage-time effort.

His disappointing showing didn’t end there, winning just two of the six duels he contested, whilst committing two fouls which led to him being booked.

However, despite the showings of the aforementioned duo, one other first team member failed to deliver in the capital – with Slot desperately needing to sell him in the coming months.

The Liverpool star who needs to be sold after Chelsea

Slot has done a remarkable job in 2024/25 to lead Liverpool to the success they’ve endured, a feat that was unthinkable when he took the reins from Jürgen Klopp last summer.

The Dutchman has lost just three league matches out of a possible 35, showcasing the incredible job he’s done, with only one of the losses coming on home soil.

However, the real task awaits him in 2025/26, needing to sustain the levels they’ve produced this year if they are to have any chances of making it back-to-back titles.

If they are to achieve their goal, changes will need to be made, including the sale of striker Diogo Jota, who’s been unable to impress over the last couple of months.

The Portuguese international was handed a start against the Blues this afternoon, but like so often this campaign, he failed to deliver – undoubtedly contributing to the defeat.

He featured for 58 minutes before being withdrawn, understandably so given his lack of impact during his near hour spent on the field.

Jota only registered a measly tally of 13 touches – the lowest of any player who started the game – whilst only posting a tally of four passes, showcasing how quiet and ineffective he was.

Diogo Jota’s stats for Liverpool against Chelsea

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

58

Touches

13

Passes completed

4/5 (80%)

Dribbles completed

0/1 (0%)

Ground duels won

2/8 (25%)

Fouls committed

4

Shots on target

0

Stats via SofaScore

His poor showing didn’t stop there, failing to complete any of the dribbles he attempted, whilst only coming out on top in 25% of the ground duels he entered.

The forward also committed four fouls, and was unable to direct any of his efforts on goal, subsequently struggling to provide the goods needed within the final third.

As a result of his dismal showing, the striker was handed a dismal 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle – further showcasing how disappointing he was throughout.

Given his showing, Slot must be left with no choice but to sell Jota this summer, desperately needing another forward to help them in their ambitions of retaining their title.

He and Quansah need to be the first out of the door, with the pair’s potential exit allowing for added investment across various areas of the squad – handing the depth needed for another title charge.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 4, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele has named two England legends among his favourite players of all-time.

Dembele announced as 2025 Ballon d'Or winner in Paris

PSG won their maiden Champions League crown in 2025, and Dembele was paramount to their success, picking up eight goals and six assists across 15 matches in the competition, while also amassing 29 goal contributions in Ligue 1.

As such, the Frenchman had been the favourite for the 2025 Ballon d’Or for quite some time, and he was crowned the winner at the ceremony in Paris on Monday evening, with Lamine Yamal, Vitinha, Mohamed Salah and Raphinha making up the top five.

Having failed to deliver at Barcelona, the 28-year-old’s career has undergone a major transformation since he returned to his home country, and the PSG talisman delivered an emotional speech after being confirmed as the 2025 winner.

Courtesy of scooping up the award, the winger joins a prestigious list of just ten players to have won the Ballon d’Or, Champions League and World Cup, having been part of the France squad that went all the way at Russia 2018.

Lionel Messi is one of the other players on that acclaimed list, and it will come as no surprise that Dembele once named the Argentina star as one of his favourite players of all time, but two England legends also make up the top three.

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Gerrard named as England's "greatest ever" player by Messi

It is a bit of a surprise to see the Liverpool fan pick Beckham over Gerrard, as Messi himself once claimed the Liverpool legend is the best player England have produced, saying: “Personally, I think Steven Gerrard is England’s greatest ever player. I wish him a happy retirement.”

The 45-year-old was arguably one of the only reasons Liverpool were successful during his era, with the former captain instigating the dramatic comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League, and scoring some incredible long-range goals.

Beckham was also fantastic at striking the ball from distance, having scored the most goals from direct free kicks in the history of the Premier League.

Player

Free-kick goals

David Beckham

18

James Ward-Prowse

17

Thierry Henry

12

Gianfranco Zola

12

Cristiano Ronaldo

12

Consequently, both Gerrard and Beckham make their way onto the 20 best midfielders in Premier League history, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Roy Keane and more.

The former Liverpool and Man United stars are undoubtedly legends of the game, but Dembele has also now cemented his place in the history books, courtesy of his 2025 Ballon d’Or triumph.

Find out who else makes the final XI – and the impact list – based on Smart Stats

S Rajesh27-May-2024Virat KohliVirat Kohli was the leading run-scorer of the season by far – no batter came within 150 runs of his 741. In IPL 2024, Kohli reinvented his T20 game with slog-sweeps and aggression against spin that hadn’t been seen before. His strike rate of 154.69 is his highest in an IPL season, and his aggregate is his second-best ever. Despite the aggression and higher boundary intent, Kohli maintained amazing consistency: he went past 25 in 11 out of 15 innings. His batting rating of 47.53 was the best among batters who played at least ten games in the tournament.Sunil NarineSunil Narine had an all-round season like no other player in IPL history: he became the first to score over 450 runs at a 175-plus strike rate and take 15-plus wickets at a sub-seven economy rate. No wonder there was daylight between him and the next-best in terms of ESPNcricinfo’s Impact Rating. At 79.66, Narine’s overall Impact Rating for the tournament was almost 20 points more than the second-placed Jasprit Bumrah’s 59.8. With Phil Salt, Narine forged a formidable opening partnership, adding 559 runs at a run rate of 12.46. Their six 50-plus stands were the most by any pair in the tournament. With the ball, he took 14 wickets in the middle overs at an economy rate of 6.15, and his bowling partnership with Varun Chakravarthy completely strangled opposition batters.ESPNcricinfo LtdSanju SamsonSanju Samson had a blockbuster 2024 season, scoring more runs, and more 50-plus scores, than in any previous season. To add to that, his strike rate of 153.46 is his second-best ever. Samson was sensational through the first 11 games of the season, scoring 471 runs at a strike rate of 163.54. As Rajasthan Royals’ fortunes dipped, so did Samson’s: his last four innings fetched only 60 runs at a strike rate of 103.44. That hurt RR in the playoffs, but despite that dip, Samson was by far the best at No. 3 – no batter came within 200 runs of his aggregate in that position.Riyan ParagAlong with Samson, Riyan Parag was the fulcrum of Rajasthan Royals’ batting. He scored almost as many runs in IPL 2024 as he had in five previous seasons – 600 in 44 innings. What stood out about his approach was the way he adapted his game to the match situation, often shepherding the team after early wickets before turning it on later in the innings. Parag went past 40 in seven out of 14 innings, which illustrates his consistency – only Kohli, with nine, had more 40-plus scores. Parag was the top run-getter in the middle overs (seventh to 16th), scoring 431 runs at a strike rate of 146.59, and he scored 251 more runs at No. 4 than the next best, Rajat Patidar.Nicholas Pooran was in fine form through the season•BCCINicholas PooranLucknow Super Giants’ overall run rate was the second-lowest in the tournament, but Nicholas Pooran maintained his high standards despite being around batters who struggled to switch gears. This was his best IPL season both in terms of runs and strike rate, surpassing last year’s 358 runs at 172.94. Unlike a few other batters whose performances flagged towards the end of the season, Pooran finished IPL 2024 with knocks of 48* (26), 61 (27) and 75 (29). He batted at the tough positions – Nos. 5 and 6 – and scored 467 of his 499 runs after the powerplay overs, at a strike rate of 173.60.Tristan StubbsTristan Stubbs was sensational in the death overs: between the 17th and 20th, he scored 223 runs off just 75 balls – that’s a strike rate of 297.33 – and was dismissed just once. Of all instances of batters scoring 100 or more runs in the last four overs in an IPL season – there are 144 such occurrences – no batter has achieved a higher strike rate. Stubbs struck a four every 2.2 deliveries, and a six every 4.17 balls in the death overs.Andre RussellAndre Russell faced only 120 deliveries in the season, thanks to the splendid batting form of the top order. But he did enough off those deliveries, striking at 185.00. His bigger contributions, however, came with the ball. Russell’s tally of 19 wickets is his highest in an IPL season, and though his economy rate was relatively high, he compensated by dismissing some of the top batters. His 19 wickets included Suryakumar Yadav and Rajat Patidar (twice each), Abhishek Sharma, KL Rahul, Will Jacks and Dinesh Karthik. His 13 wickets in the middle overs was fourth-highest, next only to Varun, Yuzvendra Chahal and Narine.Kuldeep Yadav was Rishabh Pant’s go-to man•BCCIKuldeep YadavIn a team that had the most expensive bowling unit of IPL 2024, Kuldeep Yadav stood out like a beacon. Delhi Capitals (DC) leaked 9.95 runs per over, the worst among all teams this season, and five of the seven bowlers who bowled more than 20 overs went at over 9.5. In this bowling unit, Kuldeep took 16 wickets from 11 games, and was Rishabh Pant’s go-to bowler. Thirteen of his 16 wickets came in the middle overs, at an economy of just 7.94. In two of the three matches that he didn’t play, DC ended up conceding 272 (to KKR) and 234 (to Mumbai Indians). Kuldeep was second only to Bumrah in terms of bowling impact ratings this season.Harshit RanaConsistency – both within a match and across the season – was the hallmark of Harshit Rana’s performances over the last two months. In a season where bowlers went for plenty, only three times did Rana leak more than ten runs an over, while four times he bowled at least three overs at under eight. He bowled more than 12 overs in each of the three phases, giving Shreyas Iyer the option of bowling him whenever required. He went at only 7.88 for his nine wickets in the middle overs, while he was excellent at the death too, conceding only 9.85 while taking six wickets.Jasprit Bumrah served up some magic more than once•Associated PressJasprit BumrahBumrah was the stand-out bowler of IPL 2024, which says something about his team, given that they finished at the bottom of the table. He was at the top of his game in each phase, and answered the captain’s call almost each time the team were in a crisis. Bumrah went at less than eight an over in each phase, but was truly outstanding in the death overs, conceding only 90 runs from 89 balls (ER 6.06), and taking ten wickets. Among the 20 bowlers who bowled at least ten overs in this phase, the next best economy rate was 8.92, by Mohammed Siraj. Not surprisingly, Bumrah finished second on the MVP list, after Narine.Sandeep SharmaTwenty-two bowlers took more wickets than Sandeep Sharma did this season, but his high impact numbers are a recognition of the tough overs he bowled: 28 out of 38 overs were in the powerplay or at the death. His 15 powerplay overs went at only 7.6 – among the 25 bowlers with at least 12 overs in this phase, only two, Bumrah and Trent Boult, had better economy rates. At the death, his economy rate of 10.07 was bettered by only five bowlers out of 20 (with a ten-over cut-off).Rajat Patidar was RCB’s enforcer in the middle overs•Associated PressImpact SubsRajat PatidarPatidar entered the party late – his first four innings fetched only 50 runs at a strike rate of 108.7, but when he did find his range, Patidar made a huge difference to RCB’s fortunes. In his last seven innings, he scored 286 runs at a strike rate of 195.89, and was RCB’s enforcer in the middle overs, striking at 196.61 in this phase. In just this period alone, his batting impact rating was 54.24, second only to Jake Fraser-McGurk (with a five-match cut-off).Varun ChakravarthyLike Patidar, Varun had a slow start to the season too – in his first two games he returned figures of 1 for 75 in six overs – but once he found his groove he didn’t let go. His 21 wickets were the second-highest haul of the season, with 19 of those coming in the middle overs, the highest among all bowlers. He went at only 7.66 in that phase, and along with Narine played a huge role in KKR’s trophy-winning season.Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma did a demolition job of the sort not seen in the IPL before•AFP/Getty ImagesThose who narrowly missed outTravis HeadTravis Head had a sensational season, and with Abhishek Sharma, he formed the opening pair of IPL 2024. But a poor finish to the tournament let him down. In his last four innings, he scored three ducks, including one in the final. In a season where so many openers did superbly, there was space only for two.Abhishek SharmaAbhishek was the other half of the opening pair of the tournament, and no batter topped his 42 sixes for the season. Yet, like Head, he went missing in the playoffs with the bat, scoring only 17 runs in his last three innings.Trent BoultBoult was the champion of the powerplays yet again: he topped the wickets tally in this phase with 12, including seven in the first over of the innings. His economy rate of 7.02 in the first six overs was second only to Bumrah’s, but there were other Indian options to fill the bowling slots in the XI.ESPNcricinfo Ltd