Can West Bromwich Albion morph into genuine promotion contenders under Ryan Mason?
At the moment, Mason’s Baggies are wildly inconsistent in the Championship, with a middle-of-the-road finish looking likely if they can’t string together a consistent run of victories sooner rather than later.
The jam-packed December fixture schedule to come will be a big test as to whether West Brom can push up the league, or whether they will have to make do with Championship action for yet another season, having now been outside the Premier League since the close of the 2020/21 campaign.
Whatever does happen, West Brom still have several first-team players out of contract come next June, with West Brom veterans such as Jed Wallace and Josh Maja both at risk of walking away for nothing.
This isn’t new ground for the second-tier outfit, though, with Grady Diangana bringing his up-and-down Baggies career to a close this summer, when his deal expired.
Why Diangana was allowed to leave West Brom
Once upon a time, Diangana would cost West Brom a startling £18m to get through the door from West Ham United.
He demanded such a lavish fee back in the summer of 2020, too, having instantly stood out in the Championship for his new West Midlands employers, with his gung-ho performances in attack.
In total, the Congolese forward would chip in with a sturdy 26 goals and 22 assists from 202 appearances, with Carlos Corberan regularly relying on the magic of his former number 11 when his past Baggies sides were challenging for promotion.
Yet, after mustering up a standout 15 goal contributions under Corberan during West Brom’s promotion near-miss season of 2023/24 , it all began to become a bit pear-shaped for the ex-Hammers winger at the Hawthorns.
Indeed, last season saw Diangana bow out from West Brom as a bit-part figure, with only 14 starts coming his way across a campaign that saw the Baggies fall drastically short of the top six.
With the 27-year-old also reluctant to pen a fresh deal, it was, therefore, agreed that Diangana would walk away from his long-established home, bringing his extensive association with the club to a sad end.
In the here and now, with more contract situations up in the air at the Championship outfit, Mason could have a new Diangana situation unfolding.
West Brom star could be another Diangana
In a summer that saw some of the old guard, such as Diangana leave the building, Mason was also given the appropriate tools to instil some fresh blood into his ranks, with Aune Heggebo already up to six Championship goals for the season, after making the move to England from Brann.
While Mason will be impressed with the current goalscoring exploits of his Nordic recruit, he also has many relics from Corberan’s West Brom past still in his starting XI, with Karlan Grant managing to get minutes here and there under the new regime.
Much like Diangana before him, Grant was once seen as an eye-catching capture when the West Midlands outfit were regularly flirting between the Championship and the Premier League, with £15m dropped on his services in 2020.
In a similar fashion to his former attacking teammate, too, Grant became known as an explosive attacking talent in the EFL’s elite league during the early years of his Baggies career, with pundit Carlton Palmer also praising him for his versatile” edge, even when things weren’t always going his way under Corberan.
Grant’s league numbers at West Brom under Mason
Stat
Grant
Games played
12
Games started
6
Average minutes
54 mins
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Stats by Sofascore
Yet, even with 31 goals and ten assists under his belt from 158 total contests, it does look as if the plug will be pulled soon on the number ten’s bumper Hawthorns stay, when you consider he has zero goals or assists from 12 outings under Mason.
With his contract also set to expire this approaching June, it does feel as if it’s a move that suits all parties for his deal to run out without a renewal coming his way, as his past best looks to be far beyond him.
He could, of course, still manage to chip in with a goal or assist this season, having collected seven goals across all of last campaign from inconsistent starting opportunities.
But, with Mason now infrequently starting him this campaign amid poor performances, he is unlikely to want to keep him around, whatever division West Brom end up in when contract renewals pop back up.
Mason must now bin West Brom star who earns more than Heggebo & Johnston
Ryan Mason must now axe this West Bromwich Albion high earner for good.
O atacante Marcos Leonardo é o maior ativo do Santos e a saída do clube faz parte dos planos do jogador, mas até o momento nenhuma proposta oficial pelo atleta chegou para o clube.
➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos
O estafe do atleta faz o possível para atrair possíveis times interessados. De acordo com a imprensa inglesa, o Arsenal, da Inglaterra, entrou na lista de pretendentes. Entretanto, a equipe não sinalizou com nenhuma oferta pelo atacante.
➡️ Santos prepara pacote de reforços para 2024
A atual janela de transferências está longe de ser a preferida pelos times europeus para a realização de investimentos, pois a temporada já está na metade e os grandes clubes costumam já ter uma diretriz do que desejam nos seus próximos passos. Portanto, a situação de Marcos segue indefinida.
SANTOS QUER VALOR ALTO PELO ATLETA
Apesar de nenhuma proposta ter aparecido pelo centroavante, o atacante firmou um compromisso com Andres Rueda para ser negociado caso aparecesse algo na casa dos 18 milhões de euros (aproximadamente R$ 96,5 milhões)
Contudo, o presidente Marcelo Teixeira não compartilha desse desejo e deixou clara a vontade de negociar Marcos Leonardo por um valor mais alto que o pré-estabelecido.
– Existe, infelizmente, um valor contratual acertado pela diretoria atual. Isso engessa em parte essa situação. Deixamos claro que pretendemos um valor acima do que está estipulado no contrato. Os valores estão sendo diferentes daquilo que estava sendo conversado antes da nossa posse. Pretendemos intensificar essas negociações – concluiu o atual mandatário do Peixe.
Seam-bowling allrounder Johann Layne has replaced him in the squad
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025
Matthew Forde celebrates Ben Duckett’s dismissal•AFP/Getty Images
West Indies seamer Matthew Forde has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan that starts in Tarouba from Friday. Forde suffered a shoulder dislocation earlier on Wednesday while attempting a catch during a training session.Johann Layne, the West Indies academy seam-bowling allrounder, has replaced Forde in the squad. Layne is among the seamers that impressed Ian Bishop, who called him “rangy, tall and intelligent”.Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph, Romario Shepherd and Jediah Blades are the quicks in their ODI squad with Gudakesh Motie as their frontline wristspinner. Alzarri Joseph has been rested. West Indies would also miss Forde’s talent with the bat lower down the order; he holds the ODI record for fastest fifty (16 balls), achieved in May against Ireland.Related
Alzarri Joseph rested, Shepherd back in WI squad for Pakistan ODIs
Pakistan and West Indies look to break out of their ODI funk
West Indies lost the T20I series against Pakistan 2-1 in Lauderhill, but are looking to claim a fourth-straight ODI series with the tour moving to Trinidad & Tobago. It is only their fifth ODI series since the start of 2023, but come into the contest having beaten England twice (2-1, on both occasions) and Bangladesh once (3-0).The 50-over game has been a difficult format for West Indies in recent history, missing out on the last two ICC tournaments for ODIs. Their qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup is also far from guaranteed as they are ranked tenth in the rankings. West Indies realistically need to finish within the top nine – one place higher than they are – to secure automatic passage at the cut-off date. A series win against Pakistan, ranked six places above them, would help them significantly.
Heading into Leeds United’s Premier League clash against West Ham United on Friday night, Daniel Farke was under some pressure in the Elland Road dug-out to pick up a positive result.
There had been reports, in the build-up to this must-win contest against the Hammers, that the top-flight newcomers had RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior on their radar as a potential replacement for the German.
Thankfully for Farke, his team hit back by collecting a 2-1 win over Nuno Espirito Santo’s strugglers, with the ex-Norwich City boss able to survive another day in the pressurised Leeds’ hot-seat, subsequently.
Brenden Aaronson really did step up when he was needed to during this tight win, with the American also able to respond to his critics emphatically with a man-of-the-match worthy display against the visitors from East London.
How Aaronson has turned around his Leeds career
Much like Farke has had to fight back against accusations that he isn’t cut out for the bright lights of the Premier League all across his managerial career to date, Aaronson has also had to deal with his fair share of critics deeming him not capable of being a top-flight level talent.
There had been some weight behind these comments, too, with Aaronson being deemed a “lightweight” presence that’s not “good enough” to pull on Leeds white by former Elland Road defender Jon Newsome, off the back of him only firing home one Premier League goal during his side’s disastrous 2022/23 season, which ended in relegation.
He hadn’t started this campaign in the best light, either, leading to the 25-year-old dropping in and out of Farke’s first-team plans. However, he was a force to be reckoned with against West Ham, perhaps saving his up-and-down career in West Yorkshire in the process.
Indeed, away from being the crucial individual who fired Leeds in front after just three minutes, Aaronson also constantly burst forward with purpose across the full match, with one of his three successful dribbles forward nearly resulting in one of the most memorable solo strikes of the season to date.
To his dismay, the resulting shot – after all his hard work had seemingly paid off – shaved the crossbar, with the ex-Red Bull Salzburg attacker also being praised at the full-time whistle for being a presence that “works his socks off” by his relieved manager, when winning a high eight ground duels.
He wasn’t the only presence in Farke’s XI who turned around their ongoing narrative in West Yorkshire, though, against West Ham, as one of Aaronson’s teammates on the night also breathed life back into their own stop-start tale.
The "monstrous" star who also saved his career
A lot of Leeds’ summer recruits have instantly hit the ground running, with Sean Longstaff already becoming an integral part of Farke’s starting lineup, with five big chances created in league action.
Noah Okafor has also seamlessly slotted into his new environment with two league goals already next to his name, but while those named have found adjusting to life in West Yorkshire to be straightforward, Jaka Bijol has struggled, on the other hand.
Before being handed a start against West Ham, Bijol had found himself rooted to the substitutes bench with zero league appearances to shout about, which was a surprise, considering the 6-foot-4 Slovenian didn’t leave Udinese behind for cheap this summer, having cost the Premier League newcomers a substantial £15m.
Thankfully, he made up for lost time with his commanding showing against the relegation-threatened visitors, with six duels won in total, seeing him already live up to his “monstrous” billing that was handed his way by analyst Ben Mattinson in Serie A.
Bijol vs West Ham
Stat
Bijol
Minutes played
90
Touches
75
Accurate passes
53/57 (93%)
Interceptions
2
Clearances
10
Ball recoveries
5
Tackles won
2/2
Total duels won
6/10
Stats by Sofascore
Joe Rodon would steal his thunder by standing out more in the heart of the Leeds backline, considering the Welshman popped up with a header to gift the hosts a 2-0 lead, but Bijol is also deserving of plenty of praise himself, having won all 100% of his tackles come the full-time whistle.
The “aggressive” number 15 – as he was also lauded by ex-Leeds defender Aidy White after the win was secured – further demonstrated a calmness on the ball under pressure with 53 accurate passes amassed, with Farke surely now ready to hand him even more league opportunities moving forward, considering that he’s finally off the mark.
Bijol’s playing days in England so far have been a slow burner, with the ex-Serie A titan now hopeful of even more minutes heading his way, as more wins are also picked by Farke and Co.
Forget Longstaff: £10m star is now Leeds' best signing since Bielsa left
This Leeds United star could now be considered the best signing the Whites have made since Marcelo Bielsa left.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been told they should “fear” in-form Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the Premier League title race hots up. The Norway international has been in remarkable form for club and country in 2025-26, with one Premier League legend declaring he may just be in the midst of one of the greatest individual seasons of all time.
Getty Images SportArsenal have made excellent start in quest for Premier League title
Arsenal have made a promising start in their bid to win their first league title since the 2003-04 campaign. The Gunners have won six of their eight top-flight games this season, recording victories over Manchester United, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, West Ham and Fulham. Boasting impressive strength in depth following a busy summer which saw the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres arrive at the Emirates Stadium, the north London club have conceded just three league goals – the lowest amount in the league.
AdvertisementGunners warned over Haaland's remarkable form for City and Norway
However, despite Arsenal’s fine form, Arteta’s men have been warned their quest to claim major silverware this season will be put to the test by Haaland and City. Considered third favourites for the league title by many bookmakers before the start of the season, Pep Guardiola’s men currently sit second, three points behind Arsenal and one above fellow contenders Liverpool, thanks to Haaland’s rich vein of goalscoring form. The 25-year-old is the league’s current top goalscorer, having netted 11 times in just eight games, while he has also scored four goals in three Champions League appearances this season. Haaland has also carried his club form onto the international stage, scoring a hat-trick against Israel earlier this month to put Norway on the brink of qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Getty Images SportCarragher says Haaland is the 'most lethal finisher of his generation'
And having already called him the greatest goalscorer in English football history, following his decisive goal in City’s 1-0 win over Brentford earlier this month, Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has now labelled Haaland as “the most lethal finisher of his generation” and the biggest threat to Arsenal’s hopes of clinching this season’s league title.
In his column in Carragher said: “Arsenal came into this season worried about Liverpool being the major obstacle to ending a 21-year title wait. Now their biggest fear might be Erling Haaland.
“Where Arsenal have the best squad among the contenders and Liverpool must fix well-documented issues, Manchester City have the most influential player and dynamic attacker. The Norwegian is the biggest reason why Pep Guardiola’s side have a great chance of reclaiming their crown. Without him, City’s most realistic target would be finishing in the top four.
“City’s performance against Everton last weekend was relatively average for a Guardiola side. Haaland’s double elevated them to victory.
“When a title-challenging side looks so dependent on one footballer, usually that is a source for concern. Guardiola will feel blessed. Haaland is so good he can be the difference every time he plays. He is the most lethal finisher of this generation, which is why he is already worthy of comparison with past legends.
“I stand by my claim that Haaland is already the greatest goalscorer we have ever seen in England.”
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Haaland told he is on course for one of football's best individual seasons
Despite a disappointing 2024-25 season which saw Haaland fail to lift any major silverware with City, the former Borussia Dortmund forward still scored 34 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions. However, Haaland was ultimately named 26th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or list, something which Carragher believes was “ridiculous”.
But the City hitman could be a strong contender for next year's Ballon d’Or award, should he continue his scintillating form in front of goal this season, which Carragher says would equate to one of the greatest individual campaigns in football history.
“In the last Ballon d’Or vote, Haaland was 26th on the list," said Carragher. "That is ridiculous, even when accounting for City’s disappointing season.
“Haaland finished second to Lionel Messi when City won the treble. Had he been a Real Madrid player missing out after scoring 52 goals in 53 games in a Champions League-winning season, there probably would have been a club boycott of the ceremony.
“Everything we have seen so far suggests Haaland is on course to eclipse these numbers, with Dixie Dean’s record of 60 goals in a single campaign under threat.
“There is also the mouth-watering prospect that Haaland will play in a major international tournament for the first time, with Norway on the brink of World Cup qualification. They would be a team to avoid in the United States because of their striker.
“Haaland might be in the midst of one of the most extraordinary individual seasons ever for club and country.”
Yorkshire captain continues fine form and will face future team-mates in third round of T20 Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2025Lauren Winfield-Hill continued her fine form with a matchwinning 60 from 35 balls, and in the process set up an intriguing clash with her soon-to-be team-mates at Essex, as Yorkshire overpowered Staffordshire in the second round of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup.After winning the toss at Weetwood, captain Winfield-Hill found a key ally in Rebecca Duckworth, who made 51 from 54 balls, as Yorkshire set their Tier 3 opponents 177 to win.Olivia Thomas took 3 for 17 from four overs of legspin, while Claudie Cooper and Beth Langston claimed two wickets apiece as Staffordshire were bowled out for 108 off the penultimate ball of their chase.Winfield-Hill made 88 in Yorkshire’s round-one victory over Derbyshire on Monday, and was soon into her stride, hitting four boundaries in the second over, bowled by Staffs captain Lucy Shenton.She was given two chances en route to a 28-ball fifty, then picked off the first six of the innings before Georgie Harrison bowled her for 60 to end a 91-run stand with Duckworth.Staffordshire’s hopes were dented by a tight start from Yorkshire’s bowlers, who conceded nine runs in the first three overs of the chase, before offspinner Cooper struck courtesy of Winfield-Hill’s smart stumping of Helen Hughes for 3.Staffordshire recovered to 50 for 1 but fell away to 67 for 4 at the halfway mark, and never threatened thereafter. It means Yorkshire will host Tier 1 opposition for the first time when Essex visit next weekend, with Winfield-Hill due to join her opponents on loan later this season when the T20 Blast gets underway.Elsewhere, Glamorgan secured a home tie against Tier 1 side Lancashire by overcoming Sussex by 48 runs in Cardiff. Batting first, Glamorgan racked up 156 for 7 in their 20 overs, Bethan Gammon top-scoring with 41 from 30 balls. In reply, Sussex’s first two wickets fell for ducks as they were restricted to 108 for 7.Oxfordshire will host The Blaze in round three after seeing off Hertfordshire by 24 runs at St Edward’s School. Their imposing total of 191 for 7 was built on Sophie Grayson’s 48 from 37 balls, and a fast-paced finish from captain Ellie Ingram, who was unbeaten on 53 from 29. Hertfordshire battled hard, reaching 80 for 1 at the halfway mark, but could only tally 167 for 3.Leicestershire made light work of Cheshire at Grace Road, restricting their visitors to 93 before easing to victory in 12.1 overs, with Becki Brooker top-scoring with 42 from 37. Cambridgeshire, meanwhile, beat Northumberland by 18 runs at Corbridge, with Kelly Haynes’ 3 for 13 proving instrumental in their defence of 131.In Sunday’s ties, Northamptonshire overcame a dramatic top-order wobble to see off Shropshire at Shrewsbury, recovering from 50 for 6 to post 137 for 7, thanks to Mabel Reid’s 54 not out from 34 balls. In reply Shropshire were rolled aside for 66.At Butleigh Salterton, Devon saw off Suffolk in a tense 14-overs contest, eventually chasing 67 with two balls to spare. While at Wokingham, Kent marched into round three with an emphatic 47-run victory over Berkshire.
كشفت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، عن المكان الذي سيجلس فيه الألماني هانز فليك، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، من أجل متابعة مباراة ريال مدريد في كلاسيكو الدوري الإسباني.
ومن المقرر أن يواجه برشلونة، الأحد، نظيره ريال مدريد، في تمام الساعة السادسة والربع بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.
ويستضيف ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” مباراة الكلاسيكو بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة، ضمن منافسات الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.
اقرأ أيضًا | موقف لامين يامال من مباراة برشلونة وريال مدريد في الكلاسيكو
ولن يتواجد فليك على دكة بدلاء برشلونة في مباراة اليوم أمام ريال مدريد، بسبب العقوبة الموقعة عليه، حيث تم إشهار البطاقة الحمراء له في مباراة جيرونا.
وفقًا لـ”فرانك موندو”، فإن الألماني يتواجد الآن في مقعده لمشاهدة الكلاسيكو، إذ يجلس بجوار كبائن التعليق، وعلى الرغم من أنها غالبًا ما تكون شفافة، إلا أن الكابينة الخاصة بفليك ستكون مغطاة، لمنحه المزيد من الخصوصية، والقدرة على التواصل مع المنطقة الفنية، التي يتواجد فيها مساعده ماركوس سورج.
‼️🏟️ هانسي فليك موجود بالفعل في مقصورته جاهزًا لمتابعة #ElClásico
👉 لدينا بجوار مقصورة @Carrusel ، وسيكون قادرًا على سماع الأهداف التي غناها @aromeroser و @LluisFlaquer
O Santos anunciou oficialmente a saída do atacante Ângelo para o Chelsea, da Inglaterra. A venda estava acertada há algumas semanas, mas algumas últimas tratativas e exames médicos precisavam ser feitos para finalizar a venda.
+ Até 70% OFF em produtos do Peixe para os torcedores fanáticos!
O clube do litoral paulista aceitou a proposta dos ingleses, que gira em torno de 15 milhões de euros (R$ 80,7 milhões na cotação atual).
+ Veja os 20 melhores jogadores do Brasileirão no século 21 segundo o ChatGPT
O Barcelona, da Espanha, possuía preferência de compra do jogador, porém optou por não igualar a proposta da equipe londrina.
O Santos FC oficializou neste domingo (16) a transferência de @AngeloGabriel ao @ChelseaFC, da Inglaterra. O camisa 11 iniciou sua trajetória profissional com apenas 15 anos, em outubro de 2020, contra o Fluminense, no Maracanã, tornando-se o segundo atleta mais jovem a estrear… pic.twitter.com/jhgCU2QeRX
— Santos FC (@SantosFC) July 16, 2023
PASSAGEM PELO PEIXE
A promessa alvinegra estreou com apenas 15 anos de idade, contra o Fluminense. Ângelo realizou 129 partidas, marcou cinco gols e distribuiu 10 assistências.
Em 2022, o jovem atleta fez 86 dribles na disputa do Brasileiro e tornou-se líder nesta estatística.
O jogador também é dono de uma marca histórica na Copa Libertadores da América. Em 2021, na vitória por 3 a 1 contra o San Lorenzo, o atacante deixou o seu gol e virou o mais jovem a estufar as redes
Crystal Palace are ready to embark on an adventure in the Europa Conference League and have now made an approach to bring another talented defender to Selhurst Park with Jaydee Canvot.
Crystal Palace set to sign Toulouse defender Jaydee Canvot
After qualifying for the Europa Conference League, Crystal Palace are set to sign Canvot from Toulouse and only the final documents remain before he will officially be unveiled.
Revealing the news on social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano stated: “Crystal Palace agree deal to sign French centre back Jaydee Canvot after exclusive story revealed last week. CPFC finalising documents exchange with Toulouse. Here we go.”
Jaydee Canvot in action for Toulouse against PSG.
Seeking to bolster further up the pitch, Crystal Palace could also look to strike a deal for Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson before the window closes after capturing Yeremy Pino from Villarreal.
Coming in to replace Eze, Pino said on their website: “I’m very happy to be here. It is a dream of mine to come to the Premier League, to a historic club like Crystal Palace, and I hope that I can help the team.”
Of course, speculation over Marc Guehi and a proposed move to Liverpool refuses to die down, and it remains to be seen whether anything will advance after the Eagles booked their place in the Conference League league phase after defeating Fredrikstad FK.
Crystal Palace now "enter" to hijack Wolves move for "fabulous" £17m ace
The Eagles are lining up a swoop for a new midfielder.
ByDominic Lund Aug 28, 2025
AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kiev, KUPS, Strasbourg, Aek Larnaca and Shelbourne await in the competition proper, offering a realistic chance of progression for the South London club as they aim to make inroads continentally.
With that in mind, Crystal Palace have made an approach for a reputable defender who could arrive on loan before the window closes, per recent reports.
Crystal Palace make late approach for Mohammed Salisu
According to Ed Aarons on X, Crystal Palace have made a loan approach to sign AS Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu to bolster their pool of options in defence.
With their pursuit of Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji still ongoing amid interest from Galatasaray and Bayer Leverkusen, it appears that the Eagles have moved the dial towards other players who could enrich their backline.
Labelled “phenomenal” by Danny Murphy, Salisu scored three times in 24 appearances across all competitions last season and won 66 duels in Ligue 1, per Fotmob.
Formerly of Southampton, the 19-cap Ghana international would arrive with Premier League experience under his belt and offers stability should Guehi leave before next Monday’s deadline.
Seemingly part of a moving sequence of events, it will be intriguing to see if their pursuit of Akanji is now abandoned, given Canvot is set to sign on at Selhurst Park.