Latest news with #ChrisWeatherspoon
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Manchester City sign new Puma deal: Analysing the £100m per season kit partnership
Manchester City have extended their partnership with Puma for at least another decade, sealing what the club believe is the highest-value kit deal in Premier League history. The sportswear manufacturer has been making City's shirts since the 2019-20 season but they have agreed to prolong that relationship for at least another ten years. Advertisement The initial agreement was estimated to be worth £65million per season but they have negotiated a significant uplift on that, with City believing the new £100million ($134m) per season figure comfortably outweighs any other agreed by rival clubs. Puma's original agreement was for ten years which took them to 2029-30 but the German company has moved to tighten up a relationship that has seen eight major trophies for the men's team in their first five years working together. Puma's other clients include AC Milan, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and the Portugal national team, making City the biggest commercial partner it works with. By football finance writer Chris Weatherspoon Describing City's new deal with Puma as lucrative is underselling the matter somewhat. At £100m per year, it would be the largest known kit supplier deal in English football history.' Would be', though, is the key term here. Clubs are notoriously light on detail when it comes to commercial agreements, and City are little different. It is unclear whether Puma have guaranteed a nine-figure annual sum or if it is reliant on performance. Liverpool's new deal with Adidas, for example, has a set floor which can (and almost certainly will) increase as performance and sales-based targets are met. If City do end up earning £100m a season, this deal with Puma would eclipse Manchester United's link-up with Adidas. United agreed a 10-year, £90m a season deal with the German manufacturer in July 2023, though that too is impacted by performance. This coming season, United will receive £80m, suffering a £10m haircut by virtue of missing out on Champions League football. City's previous deal with Puma earned them around £65m annually. Per UEFA's finance and investment landscape report, in 2023-24 City earned the lowest of the Premier League's so-called 'big six' from kit manufacturing and merchandising revenues, though a source close to the matter told The Athletic in March this was due to how the club records the income. Advertisement City outsource merchandising to 'stichd', a licensee within the Puma Group, thus recognising revenue on a net basis; other clubs, the source stated, do so on a gross basis, before associated new deal will push City up the rankings. Per that report, United and Liverpool generated around £127m in kit manufacturing and merchandising revenue, while Arsenal earned £104m. Those figures, apparently, are gross, so the net is lower. If City earn £100m net from this new deal, it's clear it will stand them high on the list.
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
The Transfer DealSheet: Latest on Man Utd, Arsenal, Real Madrid and more
Welcome to the sixth edition of The Athletic's Transfer DealSheet for the summer 2025 transfer window. Our team of dedicated writers, including David Ornstein, will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on. The mini-window ahead of the Club World Cup closed last month, but the regular summer transfer window is open and will run until September 1. Advertisement The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic's sourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Their responses, when they were given, have been included in the Transfer DealSheet. We aim to bring you analysis you can trust about what is happening at Europe's leading clubs and the latest information we're hearing from across the market. This year, The Athletic's football finance writer, Chris Weatherspoon, will be adding to our analysis of the transfer market. Last week, we looked at Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze's futures. This week, we look at Lionel Messi's situation, Arsenal's newest midfielder and the Chelsea players attracting interest from Germany. This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all — or search for the club or player you want to read about. Lionel Messi was back on the global stage this summer as part of the Club World Cup — but few teams around the world needed that to be made aware of his contract situation. The 38-year-old's deal with Inter Miami, which he signed in July 2023, expires at the end of 2025 and therefore suitors can try to lure him away. There is a strong push from Saudi Arabia for Messi, with AFC Champions League winners Al-Ahli pursuing the Argentina legend. However, Inter Miami are extremely confident they are going to retain him. The Athletic reported in April that the Major League Soccer franchise were close to an agreement, which would see the playmaker lead his team into their new Freedom Park stadium in 2026. Until the ink is dry, Miami will take nothing for granted — however, they are hopeful of announcing an extension any time now. Miami returned to domestic action over the weekend, winning 4-1 at Montreal as Messi showed his enduring quality by contributing two goals and an assist. As ever, when it comes to Messi, the numbers do little more than echo his obvious brilliance. Watch any Inter Miami game and it's immediately clear how far ahead he is of the rest of the MLS, even in this late stage of his career. Since arriving in 2023, he's scored 34 goals in 42 league games, with an MLS-high goals per 90 rate of 0.92. The graphic below, charting xG and xA per 90 since his debut, underlines his all-round influence, with Messi standing alone as an outlier in both chance creation and finishing. The only real concern going forward is his availability. Last season, he played less than half of the possible league minutes, the first time he's done so since his teenage years at Barcelona in 2005-06. Conor O'Neill Norgaard is not a glamorous signing compared to the other names linked with Arsenal, but he is a necessary addition. The 31-year-old is a true holding midfielder, offering assurance in playing out from the back and moving the ball through the thirds at the required tempo. Simultaneously, Norgaard offers defensive cover, primarily through interceptions and positioning, and is not afraid to make crunching tackles and tactical fouls. As the map below shows, he does not shy away from dispossessing opponents further up the pitch either. The Denmark international's signing, along with that of Martin Zubimendi, signals a potential change in approach from Arsenal. Both Norgaard and Zubimendi excel in progressing play through passes, which should, in theory, enable Arsenal to maximise the ball-carrying abilities from deeper positions of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. Advertisement Norgaard could also be a useful Premier League-proven starter early in the season while Zubimendi adapts to life in north London. Anantaajith Raghuraman With the team's imminent return to pre-season training, activity has ramped up — and the wait to discover the identity of Arsenal's new striker appears to be over. The club are in advanced talks over the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP. All parties are optimistic that the negotiations will result in a full agreement. If Arsenal were to complete a deal for Gyokeres, it would end their interest in Benjamin Sesko. Sources on the German side of the deal indicate there was still room for further negotiations over the fee and his salary — but clearly not enough room to convince Arsenal, who seem to have decided to advance with 27-year-old Gyokeres. Arsenal have finally announced the signings of Spanish internationals Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi. They also confirmed they have mutually agreed to terminate the contract of 26-year-old defender Takehiro Tomiyasu. Arsenal began conversations with Tomiyasu over a potential termination earlier this summer. Arsenal saw this as a mutually beneficial arrangement: one that would grant Tomiyasu the liberty to pursue his rehabilitation as he saw fit, while freeing up a space in the squad for a new signing who would be ready to contribute on the field. Eventually, Arsenal and Tomiyasu found an agreement. The player is currently rehabbing in Tokyo with the JFA, and hopes to be fit by October — and potentially sign with a new club as a free-agent. Tomiyasu's focus is on regaining his fitness and representing Japan at the 2026 World Cup. A new centre-forward has been top of Arsenal's agenda for some time. Finalising a deal for Gyokeres would free Arsenal up to focus on the remaining areas of the squad they wish to address this summer. Crucially, manager Mikel Arteta would like to get the new striker in as soon as possible, in order to help them acclimatise ahead of the new season. Advertisement Arsenal have completed a deal for Brentford's 31-year-old midfielder Christian Norgaard. They're also trying to sign Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera. With Tomiyasu having been released, Arsenal intend to add another defender this summer. Beyond Gyokeres, Arsenal are exploring other ways to improve their attack. They have agreed personal terms with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, but there is no club-to-club agreement as yet. Arsenal see Madueke as a versatile player who can support Bukayo Saka on the right flank as well as providing an option on the left. Other players for the left-wing spot remain under discussion. Arsenal have undertaken significant background work on Rodrygo, and have held preliminary talks about a possible move. Anthony Gordon is admired, while Ademola Lookman has been discussed, but thus far Arsenal have been unwilling to match Atalanta's valuation. Arsenal have also looked at several creative midfield players, such as Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze. Much may depend on what Arsenal have left in the budget after a deal for Gyokeres is struck. It remains to be seen if signings such as Rodrygo or Eze may be dependent on potential outgoings. Arsenal also intend to strengthen their academy sides this summer, and have made Blackburn Rovers' 17-year-old forward Igor Tyjon a target. Tyjon made his professional debut in 2024, and has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs. If signed, Tyjon would become part of Arsenal's Under-21 squad. Fabio Vieira's loan spell with Porto is now officially over, and the Portuguese club have confirmed that he will return to Arsenal. Vieira is likely to report to Arsenal for pre-season, but the club would be willing to listen to offers for the 25-year-old midfielder. The same goes for the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Reiss Nelson. James McNicholas Chelsea confirmed two new signings. Firstly, Joao Pedro completed his move from Brighton for a fee in excess of £50million plus add-ons to make his debut in the 2-1 win against Palmeiras. Jamie Gittens also finalised his switch from Borussia Dortmund, which is worth an initial £48.5m. The deal also includes another £3.5m in add-ons and a sell-on clause. Advertisement The Athletic reported that Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has agreed personal terms with Arsenal, but a transfer has yet to be discussed between the two clubs. Meanwhile, off the pitch, Chelsea have been fined €31m by UEFA for breaching their financial rules. As highlighted in The Transfer DealSheet last week, the priority is to focus on making sales now anyway. Chelsea will consider making more signings in the future, but the exits will have an impact on who arrives. The club do expect and intend to make a lot of sales before the window shuts on September 1. That has the potential to bring in sizeable revenue, which can be reinvested in the squad. As for the UEFA punishment, Chelsea have been preparing for this outcome. Even though it includes possible ramifications for new signings being named in the Champions League squad from next season, they are confident it will not be an issue. The main question right now is whether Chelsea will sign a replacement for Madueke should he complete a move to Arsenal. Chelsea will certainly consider it. They made an enquiry to West Ham United for Mohammed Kudus last month but it has gone no further than that for now. Kudus is currently the subject of strong interest from Tottenham, who have had an offer worth £50m rejected. There are other names on the wishlist. Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho has been on it since January and they have also asked Lyon about Malick Fofana. However, Chelsea are also now monitoring Ethan Nwaneri's situation at Arsenal. They tried to sign him before he signed his previous deal in 2023, and there is now just one year left on his contract, with talks over an extension yet to bear fruit. Arsenal are optimistic that an agreement will be reached. Chelsea are also big admirers of Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers. For Arsenal to sign Madueke, Chelsea will want in excess of £50m. The club believe the current market justifies such a figure given West Ham's valuation of Kudus and Nottingham Forest agreeing a deal worth an initial £52m for Anthony Elanga with Newcastle. The 23-year-old has won seven England caps since joining from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and was named man of the match in their 1-0 victory over Andorra last month. He still has five years left on his contract, so Chelsea are under no pressure to sell. No talks between the London rivals have taken place yet. Advertisement Despite making four appearances at the Club World Cup, Chelsea are still willing to listen to bids for Christopher Nkunku. As explained above, Bayern Munich like the player and Manchester United remain keen. Chelsea put a price tag of £65m on him in January. Another forward who could depart Stamford Bridge is Nicolas Jackson, who is not considered 'untouchable' following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. Bayern Munich are also one of several teams that want defender Renato Veiga. Midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu is liked by clubs in the Premier League and across Europe. Valencia have enquired about his situation. Chelsea are only interested in a sale, not a loan. That is the same situation with Carney Chukwuemeka and Borussia Dortmund, where he has been on loan since February. The Bundesliga club want to loan him again with an option to buy, however Chelsea prefer a straight transfer. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is a Sunderland target but they face strong competition from at least five other teams. Chelsea have a gentleman's agreement in place which allows him to leave for £25m. Simon Johnson As The Athletic detailed last month, Chelsea had little fear of breaching Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) this summer. In fact, we estimated they could lose the most of any club, pre-tax, in 2024-25 without falling foul of domestic regulation. That was less true abroad, and Friday's news of them receiving a €31million fine from UEFA for breaching rules in the reporting period ending in 2024 confirmed as much. Chelsea also reported a projected breach of UEFA's loss limits in the 2024-25 accounting period, which ended on 30 June. The fine took the headlines but of importance to Chelsea in the here and now was the sporting sanction handed out. Across the coming two seasons, they won't be able to register any new players for European competition without first selling. Advertisement As part of their Settlement Regime with UEFA, Chelsea have agreed they can only register new signings if their 'List A Transfer Balance' — List A being the registered squad for European competition — is positive. In other words, any new costs stemming from incoming players must be offset by cost savings from exits. One workaround would be to simply not register any new signings for new season's Champions League, though it seems a safe bet none of Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens or Liam Delap would be best pleased. Across that trio, Chelsea have spent £133.5m, and that's before adding on nearly another £100m on other new faces — and we're still only in early July. Some may go on loan, in which case there'll be little need to register them this season, but once we add in estimates of agent fees and transfer levies, the annual amortised cost of Pedro, Gittens and Delap is at around £30m. Add on even modest wage estimates, and you're getting toward the £50m mark. Plainly, then, Chelsea have some selling to do. That was likely the case anyway, as their business model has long been reliant on player sales. Across five seasons to the end of 2023-24, Chelsea banked £509.1m in player profits, considerably more than any other club in England. Even with those big player profits, the club has still sold assets — two hotels, a car park, the women's team — to fellow group companies as they have successfully avoided breaching the Premier League's PSR. UEFA discounted such sales, hence Chelsea breaching both their loss limit rule and restrictions around squad spending. Chelsea's operating costs remain high, so player sales remain a necessity. The UEFA Settlement Regime only further underlines that. While Chelsea have agreed to a loss in 2024-25 in line with their current projections, for next season's reporting period, covering 2023-24 to 2025-26, they've committed to losing just €65m. After removing those asset sales, their pre-tax loss across the three years to the end of 2023-24 was around €330m. Avoiding another UEFA breach will likely require plenty of outgoing transfers. Chris Weatherspoon Some rumours regarding a possible exit for Nico Gonzalez surfaced over the weekend and immediately caught the imagination. The story is that City are looking to sell him, and a spin-off version is that his agent is looking for clubs. City sources say neither version is true and that he is in the plans for next season. Advertisement Elsewhere, Kyle Walker sealed a move to Burnley, which is a good deal for all parties considering the right-back's time at City had clearly run its course. Not especially close, but a couple of loans would make things a lot closer. It is easy to imagine very talented youngsters like Claudio Echeverri and Vitor Reis, both 19, having lots of suitors, but there does not seem to be much progress on more senior options. Ilkay Gundogan's wife, probably inadvertently, contributed to the rumour mill on Monday by posting a picture on social media of the family going to Turkey — Gundogan has been linked with a move to Galatasaray (he has also said he is staying at City). The next picture uploaded clarified that the trip is a family holiday. Right-back remains an area of need, although City sources say links with Inter's Dutch full-back Denzel Dumfries, 29, are wide of the mark. Remember, players like Walker, Jack Grealish and James McAtee have long been considered 'gone' and did not play at the Club World Cup, so City would need to move on others beyond them and Echeverri/Reis on loan. That's partly why there is doubt around Gundogan's future, as well as Mateo Kovacic, John Stones (who says he is staying) and Manuel Akanji. Ederson has also said he will stay, but he did come in for a lot of backlash after City's Club World Cup exit, leading to his wife limiting comments on her Instagram uploads, so that may be something to keep an eye on. Stefan Ortega was asked about his future recently and left the door open to an exit, so that is probably more of a possibility than Ederson. Sam Lee United gave Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia permission to return for pre-season training late to allow them time to find new clubs. Rashford was also stripped of the No 10 shirt, with it being reassigned to new arrival Matheus Cunha. Club sources say the five players had told United that they wish to explore their futures away from Old Trafford, but some of the players' camps deny this and say they would have been happy to report back to Carrington on Monday. Advertisement Diego Leon completed his initial $4m (£2.9m) move from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno. The 18-year-old will be assessed over the coming weeks and is likely to acclimatise to English football as part of United's under-21s squad. Negotiations continue with Brentford over the signing of Bryan Mbeumo. United's most recent offer of £55million plus a further £7.5m in add-ons was rejected. Nottingham Forest's sale of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for an initial £52m is expected to earn United about £5m. United included a sell-on clause in the deal taking Elanga to the City Ground, worth 15 per cent of any profit Forest made. Friday's decision made it clear that none of the five players in question currently have a future under Ruben Amorim, who has started preparations for the coming season without them. With little scope for any of the five to force their way back into Amorim's thoughts, moving them on is vital. Rashford and Sancho specifically are among United's highest-earners, so even a loan covering a significant proportion of either's wages would be financially beneficial. But United likely need to raise funds before investing further in the squad beyond the potential signing of Mbeumo, and so permanent sales are preferred from that perspective. Rashford would prefer a move abroad, and the collapse of Barcelona's move for Nico Williams could help his cause. Sources at Camp Nou believe Rashford would potentially be willing to join on a reduced salary, if not on loan. Real Betis president Angel Haro has cited Antony's salary — in the region of £105,000 per week — as one of the sticking points in negotiations over making his successful loan spell permanent, while Sancho's wages are also an obstacle to his exit. Advertisement Garnacho has the potential to attract the highest fee of the five. The 21-year-old hopes to stay in the Premier League, with Chelsea's interest long-established. Leon's arrival, meanwhile, provides further competition for Malacia, with Patrick Dorgu and Harry Amass also options at left wing-back. An addition at centre-forward remains a possibility if United are able to clear space within the squad, despite Cunha and Mbeumo's past experience of playing up top as well as out wide. United have been keeping tabs on Fiorentina's Moise Kean, who has a €52m release clause that can be triggered until 15 July. United are the Premier League club to have shown the most interest in the 25-year-old, who has interest from the Saudi Pro League. Fiorentina's acquisition of Edin Dzeko is not part of a succession plan. Dzeko was signed because he offers something different to Kean. My colleague Conor O'Neill says: 'Since joining Fiorentina, Kean has developed into a true penalty-box striker. His 19 league goals last season trail only Atalanta's Mateo Retegui (25), with all but one coming from inside the area. He averaged six shots on target per 100 touches — the highest ratio in Serie A — underlining how he's now been deployed to lurk with intent rather than drop deep and get involved with link-up play.' As revealed by The Athletic last week, the prospect of Ollie Watkins joining United was raised in talks with Aston Villa over Rashford's loan spell at the end of last season. United also made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike earlier this summer, although a reunion between Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres appears unlikely after Arsenal entered advanced talks with Sporting CP for the striker. United have also been offered the chance to sign several free agents, namely Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jamie Vardy and Callum Wilson. It is expected that United would only advance on these, if at all, towards the end of the window if they do not get any of their top targets. There remains a prospect of United signing another goalkeeper, with Botafogo's John, 29, on a list of potential targets. Amorim is also keen to reinforce his midfield. Reports have suggested they are keen on Valencia's Javi Guerra, but the Spanish side are not yet aware of their interest. Aside from the out-of-favour five, Rasmus Hojlund faces an uncertain future. The 22-year-old hopes to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, and spent last week training with Harry Maguire in Portugal to prepare for this week's return to Carrington. The addition of another goalkeeper could potentially push second-choice Altay Bayindir closer to an exit. Mark Critchley and Laurie Whitwell Yes, and in a very material sense that will make both fans and people inside the club happy. Newcastle are now on the verge of their first senior signing this summer. Since former sporting director Paul Mitchell transitioned away from overseeing transfer business during the middle of last month, Newcastle have ramped up their attempts to bring in players. Advertisement They had fruitless efforts. Bids were made for Joao Pedro and James Trafford. While Pedro opted for Chelsea over Newcastle, negotiations with Burnley for Trafford have not progressed decisively. Newcastle also made bids for Anthony Elanga, and finally, on Monday evening, The Athletic reported that they had reached a deal with Nottingham Forest for the signing of the winger. There is set to be an imminent addition to Newcastle's coaching staff, though. As The Athletic reported on Sunday, the club are looking to appoint FC Midtjylland's Martin Mark to the newly created position of set-piece coach. Howe used his final press conference of 2024-25 to urge Newcastle to move swiftly in the market and, ideally, he wanted additions in place for the start of pre-season training. That marker has now passed, given non-internationals returned to Benton for tests on Monday, and Newcastle have already seen key targets move elsewhere — Pedro to Chelsea and Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid — or declare a preference for another move, like with Bryan Mbeumo and Manchester United. At present, Newcastle do not have a sporting director in place, while Darren Eales, the CEO, is serving the final months of his notice after being diagnosed with blood cancer last year. Now, the head coach and the interim recruitment team of Andy Howe, the assistant head of recruitment and Eddie's nephew, and Steve Nickson, the head of recruitment, are trying to source signings by Newcastle's training camp in Austria next week. The hope must be that Elanga is in the door by then. The 23-year-old is a long-term target and is deemed to be the ideal right-wing addition which Newcastle have been seeking since the takeover, given his pace, strength with both feet and Premier League experience. Advertisement It is also hoped that once one signing is concluded, it will provide momentum for further to follow. Goalkeeper, right-wing and centre-back are the priority positions, while a versatile forward in the Pedro mould is also being sought. Beyond the principal targets mentioned above, centre-backs based in the Premier League and across Europe have been discussed during recruitment meetings. Newcastle remain interested in Marc Guehi, the Crystal Palace defender who is in the final year of his contract, having failed in a month-long pursuit last August. Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini is also admired, with Newcastle aware of the likely costs of any deal. No bid has been launched or discussions initiated with Atalanta for the Italy international, but he has been closely tracked. Marseille's Leonardo Balerdi is another on Newcastle's defender list, but no move has been made for the 26-year-old Argentina international. Newcastle have not lodged a bid for Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, despite reports claiming otherwise. Newcastle do now have an interest in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, having previously not held one — the Joao Pedro situation has changed things. This does not mean that Newcastle will move for him, but he has now been featured in conversations, having previously not been on their list of targets. Callum Wilson's contract expired at the end of June and on Monday it was confirmed the 33-year-old would be leaving the club. However, John Ruddy, the 38-year-old goalkeeper, is set to sign an extension for 2025-26, having also seen his previous contract elapse. Odysseas Vlachodimos is available, most likely for a loan given the PSR ramifications of selling the Greece international who Newcastle paid £20million for, while Martin Dubravka is likely to depart should Trafford sign. Advertisement Newcastle have no need or appetite to sell their best players and would not welcome bids for the likes of Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes or Anthony Gordon. They will also rebuff any interest in Tino Livramento, who is repeatedly linked with Manchester City. Matt Targett is available and Newcastle would listen to offers for Sean Longstaff, who is entering the final year of his contract. He has attracted interest and offers from Leeds United, among other Premier League clubs. Joe Willock has two years left and has been linked with moves elsewhere. Isaac Hayden, who is out of contract next summer, is also available. Chris Waugh Jacob Murphy is Newcastle's only real option on the right wing, with Eddie Howe using Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon there with limited success. With more games to come next season, along with their bid to qualify for the Champions League again, depth in every position is necessary. Elanga shone at Nottingham Forest last season, playing across the front line. The 23-year-old thrives in transitional situations, with only three Premier League attackers getting more shots away from fast breaks than his 10. Capable of holding his width and cutting side, Elanga has added goal contributions to his game, ending 2024-25 with six league goals and 11 assists. The former Manchester United winger also offers versatility, experience, and an impressive amount of off-the-ball work. Anantaajith Raghuraman Tottenham Hotspur had a £50million bid for West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus turned down, but talks between the clubs remain ongoing. As my colleague Conor O'Neill points out, 'Kudus had the second-highest take-ons completed per 90 (3.18) in the Premier League last season, only behind Jeremy Doku (6.36).' Elsewhere, players have started returning for pre-season training under new manager Thomas Frank this week. The first day, according to the club website, was July 5, and the first group back was largely made up of players who did not feature in international football in June. The next group of players, who played international football in early June, are expected to report back later this week. The squad will finally be completed by Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel, who all played in the European Under-21 Championship, later this month. Advertisement Kudus has become the most prominent target. It has been clear since the start of the window that Spurs were interested in signing a new winger from a Premier League club. They were interested in Bryan Mbeumo, who did so well for Frank at Brentford, although the player's preference is for Manchester United. They made an enquiry for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, although he has since signed a new deal. The fact Spurs submitted a formal offer for Kudus — and that club-to-club talks have continued — suggests this is the most solid of Spurs' pursuits so far this summer. And given how useful a big fee could be to West Ham, it might well be that a higher fee could be agreed for Kudus to join Spurs. Clearly the priority is a new high-profile wide player. But that is unlikely to be the extent of their business. Tottenham have explored the possibility of adding another full-back this summer, with left-back an obvious area where they could do with more depth. Depending on departures in key positions they may need experienced reinforcements. For example, they have improved their depth at centre-back but if Cristian Romero were to leave this summer then there could be an argument for looking for an experienced replacement, such as Genoa's Koni De Winter. Of the established first-team players, the most interesting cases are Romero and Son Heung-min. Romero has two years left on the five-year deal that he signed in 2022, and Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has declared his interest in the player. Tottenham do not want to lose him, and there has still been no contact from Atletico to Tottenham about signing him. Then there is Son. Spurs' captain has one year left on his contract, after Spurs triggered his extension at the end of last season. He has been at Tottenham for 10 years and finally got to lift a trophy with the Europa League final in Bilbao at the end of May. It remains to be seen what exactly Son wants to do this summer, whether this is the right time to leave or whether he wants to play in one more Champions League campaign with Spurs. There has been interest from Saudi Arabia in the 32-year-old. Jack Pitt-Brooke The biggest headline was the fallout of their chase to land Nico Williams. The 22-year-old winger opted out of a move to Barcelona and signed a 10-year contract at Athletic Club. His camp wanted Barcelona to include an exit clause in his proposed contract to allow him to leave for free if the club failed to register him by the start of La Liga. Sporting director Deco rejected their request, and that triggered Williams' decision to stay in Bilbao. The signing of Roony Bardghji from Copenhagen is progressing and club sources expect confirmation in time for him to join the start of pre-season next week. The plan is for head coach Hansi Flick to assess Bardghji in the summer camp, and from there decide what's best for him — either staying at the club in a potentially secondary role or being loaned out. Advertisement Two academy players left. Sergi Dominguez, 20, who registered six appearances last season, was sold to Dinamo Zagreb while 18-year-old Noah Darvich, who did not make his debut with Barcelona but was included in the matchday squad three times last season, has moved to Stuttgart. The deals have earned the club just above €2million in total. Pau Prim, 19, once tipped as the best-equipped La Masia prospect to become the next Sergio Busquets, has joined Qatari side Al Sadd after the expiration of his contract. Barcelona are moving into other targets — or, in a way, moving back to square one. Deco's top priority, and a player they already made an approach for earlier this summer, is Liverpool's Luis Diaz. Barcelona sources have said Diaz is now the biggest focus in the sporting direction department. They had turned to Williams, 22, as they saw in the Spain international a good market opportunity. He had a set price with no need to negotiate with the club. He is also a younger player than Diaz. But from a football perspective, Deco believes the 28-year-old fits best what they are looking for in a new attacker — on top of being more of a ready-made footballer than Williams. Some levels below Diaz on Barcelona's wish list is Marcus Rashford. The 27-year-old is on the Catalans' radar, but a move for him does not seem imminent as they prioritise Diaz. Barcelona are aware Rashford is keen on the move, and that it could happen on favourable terms to them as Manchester United intend to offload the player. Potentially, that's a reason why Barcelona are prepared to wait for any move until later in the transfer window. The left-winger role is still the top priority. This is a position that both Deco and Flick agree they would have more reliable depth on. Now it's a matter of finding the best option. Advertisement There have also been recent reports about Inter Milan's wing-back Denzel Dumfries. The Dutch international, 29, has a €25million release clause which will be active this month. However, The Athletic understands this is not currently a priority position to reinforce for Barca. With Ansu Fati in Monaco, Barcelona are working to resolve the future of multiple fringe players. Pablo Torre is ready to be the next departure. The 22-year-old is expected to join Mallorca on a permanent move. Barcelona intend to retain a degree of control on the player through a buy-back clause or a sell-on percentage included in the deal. Pau Victor is another name tipped as a likely departure. The striker could leave in search of more regular minutes — especially if Barcelona sign a winger, which would reduce his game-time further. Next week, as the team returns to action for pre-season, there is the expectation that Flick will have a private chat with Marc-Andre ter Stegen to inform the goalkeeper he is not expected to be a starter next season — with the plan being to offload him. Pol Ballus While Real Madrid compete in the Club World Cup, there is more talk about which players might leave than who could arrive. The most prominent name is Rodrygo. The Athletic reported last week that the club and head coach Xabi Alonso had agreed to sanction his departure if a suitable offer came in for him, with Arsenal having held preliminary talks with his camp. Other clubs, some from the Premier League, are keeping an eye on the 24-year-old Brazilian. Not at this point. Madrid already signed the Argentina winger Franco Mastantuono from River Plate for more than €60m in June. He will arrive at their Valdebebas training ground on August 14, when he turns 18. There are other players in the squad who can play Rodrygo's role, such as Brahim Diaz — who is in advanced talks to extend his current deal that ends in 2027 — and even Arda Guler (who has played in midfield under Alonso) or Endrick. Left-back. My colleague Guillermo Rai reports that Benfica's Alvaro Carreras remains Madrid's top choice for this position, despite Fran Garcia enjoying a fine Club World Cup. Garcia, 25, has impressed in the United States and while his camp have received interest from other clubs, they do not believe Carreras' possible arrival should affect his continuity at Madrid. The player's objective is to stay at the Bernabeu. Advertisement 'I try to be calm, dedicate myself to working for myself, for the team, give my best every day that I put on this shirt and hopefully I can continue to do so for much longer because I feel good,' Garcia said at the tournament, when asked about Carreras. It remains to be seen what decision the club takes on Ferland Mendy when he recovers from injury. The Frenchman had agreed a contract extension with Madrid but this has yet to be officially announced. Gonzalo Garcia's breakthrough in the U.S. — the 21-year-old striker has scored four goals and provided an assist while appearing in five matches — has led to plenty of talk about a possible exit for Endrick, who is injured until after the tournament. But people close to the Brazilian continue to insist that he will not leave this summer. Another of those being discussed as a possible departure is 20-year-old centre-back Jacobo Ramon. Guillermo Rai reports that his camp are hoping he can leave the club after the tournament in the U.S., with Italian side Como one of the teams contemplating his signing. One exit that is decided is Luka Modric, who will leave Madrid after the Club World Cup. Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri told a news conference this week: 'We're waiting for him to join up with us, he'll be here in August. He's an important and extraordinary player.' And academy graduate Youssef Enriquez, better known as Yusi, is also set to leave after the tournament. The Morocco youth international is expected to sign a four-year contract with Alaves, who are known for their development of new talent and have been monitoring the defender for months. Madrid would receive around €3m for him with a 50 per cent sell-on clause and a right of first refusal. Mario Cortegana (Top image — illustration: Will Tullos/The Athletic, photos: Getty Images)
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Sunderland's Premier League fixtures: Full 2025-26 schedule and key dates
Sunderland return to the Premier League for the 2025-6 season for the first time since 2016-17, after their playoff final win over Sheffield United, and begin the campaign at home against West Ham United. In 2024-25, for the second successive season, every newly-promoted side were relegated again immediately but Sunderland will be aiming to buck that trend, and may be encouraged by a start which also includes meetings with Burnley, Brentford and Crystal Palace. Advertisement Their games against rivals Newcastle United will take place at the Stadium of Light on December 13 and at St. James' Park on March 21, while Sunderland conclude the season with a visit from Chelsea. All times in BST/GMT By Chris Weatherspoon A home season opener against London opposition brings back happy memories on Wearside – Sunderland's last opening day win at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League was back in 2007 against Tottenham Hotspur, a game which also followed promotion. Sunderland's last four seasons in the Premier League in the mid-2010s saw them fail to win any of their opening six games, a trend they'll hope to buck this year. Based on last season's finishing positions, they have the easiest first five games of any Premier League team in 2025-26. A good start looks especially necessary given what will come after. Their November and December fixtures look tricky, to put it lightly, with a three-game run against Liverpool, Manchester City (both away) and Newcastle United enough to put them off their Advent chocolates. Between 29 November and 20 December, they face a run of five games against teams who finished in the top nine last season. That hosting of local rivals Newcastle on 13 December will mark the first league meeting between the clubs since Newcastle's transformative takeover by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in October 2021. Sunderland's return to St James' Park will, curiously, occur exactly 10 years to the weekend of their last visit there in March 2016. Alongside the optimistic start, Sunderland will look to pick up points around a largely grim end of year run. They host Leeds United the day after Boxing Day and other promoted club Burnley at the end of January, two fixtures that will be key in their battle against the drop. Advertisement The exceptional pre-Club World Cup transfer window opened on June 1 and closed nine days later on June 10. The summer window re-opened on June 16, while the cut-off date for the 2024-25 profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) reporting period coming at the end of the month on June 30. The window closes on Monday, September 1, at 11pm BST (6pm ET). The winter transfer window opens on Thursday, January 1, and closes on Monday, February 2. The new Premier League season gets underway on the weekend of August 15-17, a week after the Community Shield on August 8, when league champions Liverpool face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. The final match round will be played on Sunday, May 24, 2026, when all 10 matches will kick off simultaneously as usual. Premier League clubs will enter the FA Cup at the third round, which begins on Saturday, January 10. The Carabao Cup will begin in mid-August, with Premier League teams not playing in Europe entering in the second round, which starts in the week commencing August 25, and the remaining seven clubs receiving a bye to the third round, which takes place in the weeks commencing September 15 and 22.
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund: Transfers TLDR
Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland in a deal worth up to €38million (£32m; $43.3m). Bellingham, 19, has signed a five-year contract with Dortmund, which will run until the summer of 2030. As part of this summer's transfer coverage on The Athletic, in addition to breaking news, tactical analysis and in-depth reads, our Transfers TLDR series (you can read them all here) will bring you a quick guide to each of the key deals. Jobe Bellingham, like his brother, Jude, came through Birmingham City's academy system. He became the club's second-youngest-ever player in January 2022, only behind Jude. He made six starts for his boyhood club before joining Sunderland for £2m in June 2023, aged just 17. In two years on Wearside, Jobe was almost ever-present, starting 85 of a possible 95 Championship games in a Sunderland shirt. Last season he missed only six games – three through suspension, three through injury – and played every minute of the club's successful play-off campaign. He was crowned the Championship's young player of the season, as well as being named in the division's team of the season. Chris Weatherspoon Much like they saw with his brother, Dortmund fans can expect to see a versatile midfielder. The younger brother signed for Sunderland as an attacking midfielder, having played there for Birmingham, but has often played in deeper, central roles. What they might not see is too many references to his family links. He chose to wear 'Jobe' on the back of his shirt on Wearside, rather than his surname, in a bid to create his own identity, separate from his famous brother. Steve Madeley Long-term, Dortmund's midfield will be anchored by Felix Nmecha, a mobile, skilful No 6 who sits at the base of Niko Kovac's midfield, in a 3-4-2-1. Bellingham will initially be treated as a project and eased into the first-team gently, but, longer term, he will likely occupy a more static role alongside Nmecha and behind the dynamic three of Karim Adeyemi, Max Beier and Serhou Guirassy. Jobe is not Jude; he is not as aggressive or attacking with the ball, and Dortmund understand that. In time, he will become a piece of the midfield rather than the definition of it, as his brother was. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Bellingham's only significant lay-off so far came in early 2023. While at Birmingham, he suffered an injury to his abdominal muscles that sidelined him for almost three months. Since then, he has missed just three games due to an ankle injury he sustained in February this season while at Sunderland. Steve Madeley Former Sunderland interim head coach Mike Dodds told The Athletic in 2024: 'There's so much scrutiny around Jobe if he doesn't play well. It's unfair because he's just so young and I don't think people appreciate how good he is for his age. 'Because of his second name and the comparison, sometimes the over-analysing of him is unfair. Those are the cards he's been dealt and he's got to get on with it. I've had that conversation with him.' Steve Madeley Bellingham has signed for Dortmund on a five-year deal until the end of the 2029-30 season, and is eligible to play in this month's Club World Cup. The two clubs differ on the size of fee involved. Dortmund have said the deal is closer to a €30m (£25.4m) fee upfront, with €5m (£4.2m) worth of bonuses, which represents the very best-case scenario. Advertisement Sunderland's version is more optimistic: they say €33m (£27.9m) as a guaranteed fee, with €5m worth of extras that are easily achievable. Sunderland have also obtained a 15 per cent sell-on clause if Bellingham moves on again in the future. Sunderland have announced the deal as a club record sale, eclipsing the initial £25m received from Everton for Jordan Pickford in 2017. Bellingham's departure marks the third eight-figure sale Sunderland have made in the past 10 months. This deal, alongside the sales of Jack Clarke and Tommy Watson, means Sunderland will report club-record player profits in their 2024-25 financials. That profit figure is likely higher than the club's £38.2m overall revenue in their 2023-24 season. Chris Weatherspoon and Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Based on the two clubs' differing briefings on the figures involved, and assuming agent fees of 10 per cent on the transfer, the deal will cost Dortmund between £27.9m and £30.7m, excluding any add-ons materialising. With the deal falling three weeks before the end of their June accounting deadline, between £303,000 and £333,000 will hit Dortmund's books in amortisation costs for the 2024-25 season, then a further £5.5m to £6.1m per year will be expensed each season until the end of 2029-30. Bellingham's wages are unknown but are expected to rise significantly from his deal at Sunderland, and will take the overall cost to Dortmund well beyond just transfer and agent fees. For Sunderland, they'll book all their profit on the deal into 2024-25, though that will come after paying Birmingham City a slice — estimated at between £3.5m and £3.9m (15 per cent of the profit). After that, the Wearside club will book an accounting profit of between £20.7m and £22.8m on Bellingham's sale. Advertisement That will not only bolster their summer budget but also help their figures in the future, too. Sunderland don't need to record promotion bonuses in their 2024-25 PSR submission to the EFL, but will need to include them in their 2024-25 figures within next year's submission to the Premier League. Bellingham's sale will go a long way toward offsetting those promotion costs. Chris Weatherspoon This will take a large amount out of the budget. Before unexpectedly qualifying for the Champions League next season, Dortmund were likely facing a summer in which they would have had to sell before adding to the squad. That's no longer the case — revenue from the Club World Cup has also been extremely helpful — but Bellingham has not come cheap, and having been so far unable to agree a fee with Chelsea for Jamie Gittens, they will now be limited in what else they can do. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Football finance expert assesses youth-focused model
Football finance writer Chris Weatherspoon has praised Sunderland's youth-focused business model while warning against the losses that come with staying in the Championship too long. "When we talk about PSR and stuff like that, it's kind of not really an issue for Sunderland," he told BBC Radio Newcastle."It's not something they have to concern themselves with and that's even the case when in the Championship you're allowed to lose less money than if you're in the Premier League. "Sunderland don't have any issues there because although they're loss making like just about every Championship club is, they're not loss making to the extent that's posing a problem."In February 2021, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus bought a controlling interest in the Black Cats and became the club's chairman. Along with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman who arrived in Wearside in 2020, the young owner set about a focus on signing young players to develop and sell on for a profit. Weatherspoon added: "It would be very hard to criticise them in terms of the way they've embarked upon signing young players for pretty small fees I think. "They're very coy around disclosing this but I think the most they've spent on someone is about £3-£3.5m tops and they've got several players in the squad right now that are worth probably quite a lot more than that."In the last summer transfer window, Sunderland sold Jack Clarke for an initial £15m, making a significant profit on the winger. Similarly, it has already been announced Brighton have signed Tommy Watson who came through the Academy of Light for £10m. The accountant-turned-football-writer warns however that despite their shrewd business, failure to get promoted to the Premier League comes at a financial cost."I guess the problem for Sunderland really is that, as it is for any club in the Championship, the longer you're there, the longer you continue to lose money," he said."Preston North End might go down this weekend and they've spent the last nine years they've finished consistently between 7th and 14th or 15th. "They've neither really bothered the top end nor the bottom and they've lost over £100m in doing that. That's kind of like the cautionary tale and that's true of loads of Championship teams so I think that's the risk really."Regis Le Bris' side have already secured their place in the play-offs but Weatherspoon expects the model will continue whether they're successful in returning to England's top flight."By the looks of it the business model at Sunderland is they sell one player per summer for a solid fee and I would expect that will probably happen," he added. "I'd say that would certainly happen if they don't get promoted. It might happen even if they do."Listen to more from Chris Weatherspoon on BBC Sounds.
