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German giants Bayern Munich are eyeing Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju for a summer move. The Bundesliga champions see Dju as a potential replacement for Nicolas Jackson, who is currently on loan at the club but is not expected to be signed permanently. Bayern are also monitoring Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who is set to become a free agent with his contract expiring this summer.

Bayern's interest in Franculino

According to Germany outlet , Bayern are not expected to make any signings in the winter transfer window, even if Sacha Boey departs the club in January. The Bavarians feel their squad is well covered for the remainder of the season and prefer to focus on long-term planning rather than short-term fixes. In the summer, Bayern brought in Jackson on deadline day as a backup to Harry Kane, but despite the forward scoring three goals and providing one assist, the club are not convinced he is worth the €65 million (£56m/$75m) option to buy. As a result, they could allow his loan to expire without activating the clause. 

Bayern are instead targeting 21-year-old Midtjylland striker Franculino as backup to Kane. The young forward has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 19 goals and providing three assists in 26 matches, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most exciting attacking prospects. Looking ahead, Bayern are also monitoring Juventus striker Vlahovic as a potential backup to Kane. With the Serbian entering the final year of his contract and possibly available as a free agent next summer, the club view him as a strong long term option to reinforce their frontline. For now, though, Vlahovic remains a secondary plan, with Franculino considered the main target.

AdvertisementBayern's great start to the season

Bayern’s remarkable start to the season has seen them go unbeaten in 16 matches across all competitions, including the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, DFB-Supercup and Champions League. This run is even more impressive considering they sold key attackers such as Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman and Thomas Muller, while also missing out on transfer targets like Nick Woltemade and Rafael Leao.

Despite these setbacks, Vincent Kompany has crafted a clear playing strategy built on perseverance, collective understanding and fluid attacking movements. His system has unlocked the very best of Harry Kane, who has reached extraordinary goalscoring levels. Kane’s strike against Club Brugge in the Champions League took him to 20 goals in just 12 games – an astonishing milestone that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi achieved at such speed.

Bayern's Upamecano headache

Bayern face a challenging task as they work to extend Dayot Upamecano’s contract, which expires in 2026. The club are under pressure, especially with Real Madrid showing strong interest in the French defender and already initiating contact with his entourage. Bayern hope that  Kompany, who has quickly earned the players’ trust, can help persuade Upamecano to commit his future to the club.

However, they are also preparing for the possibility that he may not renew. Bayern have identified Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential replacement. Schlotterbeck’s contract runs until 2027, but he has remained non-committal about signing an extension, making him a realistic target.

In addition, Bayern are monitoring Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi as alternative options, ensuring they remain well-covered defensively should Upamecano choose to leave.

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gettyBayern action resumes after the International break

Bayern are keen to extend Upamecano’s contract at the earliest, with the defender emerging as a key pillar under Vincent Kompany. Meanwhile, Jackson will look to impress both the manager and the club hierarchy as he pushes to establish himself as the ideal backup option. Kompany would have used the international break to assess his squad depth, plan effective rotations and introduce fresh tactical ideas. With these foundations in place, Bayern remain fully committed to their ambitious target of challenging for and potentially winning the treble this season.

The German champions are set to host St. Pauli as club football resumes after the international break.

Just two days after looking positively wooden while running around the bases, Giancarlo Stanton, who has been much-maligned for his lack of speed, made a difference with his legs in the New York Yankees' 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Stanton, who belted the 12th postseason home run of his career and collected an RBI double, also stole a base in the top of the sixth inning. Such occurrences for Stanton have been as rare as solar eclipses, as his most recent theft on the basepaths came in August of 2020.

Stanton admitted that the dugout reactions to his stolen base were "probably better than the homer." And indeed, Stanton's swipe led to some pretty funny reactions from his Yankees teammates.

When asked about the stolen base, a smiling Aaron Judge, no speedster himself on the bases, acknowledged that he liked that moment best from Wednesday's win.

"That [the stolen base] was my favorite part," Judge said. "I liked the homer but showing a little wheels out there too to get in scoring position for [Anthony] Volpe was definitely big time."

Were the Yankees expecting a stole base from Stanton? Third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who swiped 40 bags this season, certainly wasn't.

"No," A wide-eyed Chisholm said. "Definitely didn't. It was a surprise to all of us but hey, I'm happy he did it."

Even Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who just two days earlier had said that Stanton's lack of speed was "something we've kind of got to live with", let out a chuckle when asked about Stanton's stolen base during his media session.

Stanton's speed may not be a consistent asset for the Yankees, but his power certainly is. The slugger has belted 12 home runs in his first 30 postseason games, the third-most long balls in a player's first 30 career playoff games in MLB history.

But Stanton is not focused on the homers or the stolen base. Heading into Thursday's Game 4, he has his eyes on the prize.

"We need to wrap it [The series] up tomorrow," Stanton said. "No wiggle room. We gotta get it done."

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A torcida do Palmeiras não viu com bons olhos a aproximação entre José Roberto Lamacchia, dono da Crefisa e marido de Leila Pereira, com o ex-jogador do Verdão e candidato à presidência do Vasco, Pedrinho.

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Assim que o ex-comentarista da Globo postou o vídeo com o conselheiro do Palmeiras, diversos torcedores já cogitaram uma possível parceria da Crefisa com o Vasco caso Pedrinho seja eleito o próximo presidente do cruzmaltino.

+ O brabo tem nome! Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$340 com gol de Rony, do Palmeiras, contra o Atlético-MG

Com certo tom de ironia por todas cobranças vividas pelo 2023 alviverde, muitos estão desejando que a Crefisa vá para o Vasco e deixe o patrocínio da camisa do Verdão.

continua após a publicidade

Nas redes sociais, torcedores palestrinos alertaram para um possível patrocínio da Crefisa com o Vasco, o que seria mais um conflito de interesses entre tantos que a atual mandatária do Verdão possui com o clube.

Vasco mandando jogo na Arena Barueri já é realidade! https://t.co/Z4Dt8m7iSq

— Bruno Magalhães (@brunera1914) October 18, 2023

Teve até palmeirense levantando hashtag para a Crefisa ir para o Vasco:

#CrefisaNoVasco https://t.co/AdhtlB6nH9

— Marcelo Santa Vicca (@mvicca) October 18, 2023

Olha o Pedrinho fazendo a boa…

Vai lá Reizinho, vença as eleições, leve a Leila, Lamacchia, Crefisa, FAM e avião juntos e a gente faz um busto pra vc. https://t.co/mSWPw5i8bk

— Siamo Tutti Palestra ???? (@StPalestra) October 18, 2023

Só não vê quem não quer, ou quem está comendo (????????) pra ficar calado.

Até o véio que se dizia Palmeirense, já se bandeou pra o lado da Vascaína.

Oremos! https://t.co/nBoH4lNhoH

— Pablo Sales ???? 11 (@PabloSales1984) October 18, 2023

Celtic did not opt to splash the cash before the club’s qualifiers for the Champions League this summer, and they ended up in the Europa League after a play-off loss to Kairat.

Their cautious approach to those qualifiers and the fact that they did not qualify for the league phase of the Champions League meant that they did not make any marquee signings.

The Hoops did not sign any players for £6m or more in the summer transfer window, a year after they signed Adam Idah from Norwich for £9.5m, Arne Engels from Augsburg for £11m, and Auston Trusty for £6m from Sheffield United.

Part of their decision not to splash the cash this summer may have been the lack of success from the money spent last year, as Idah ended up leaving 12 months on from his £9.5m move to Parkhead.

How much money Celtic lost on Adam Idah

Celtic committed a huge fee of £9.5m to sign the Ireland international from the Canaries after his initial five-month spell on loan from the English side.

Idah, as shown in the graphic above, scored 20 goals in all competitions last season for the Scottish Premiership giants, yet still averaged less than a goal every other game.

That led to the club sanctioning a £6m move to Swansea City on deadline day at the start of September, which meant that the Bhoys took a £3.5m hit on his value after just 12 months at Parkhead.

Idah is not the only player from that trio of big-money signings in 2024 who did not provide value in Glasgow, though, as the Hoops should also be looking to move on from Trusty.

Why Celtic should sell Auston Trusty

As aforementioned, Celtic paid £6m to sign the USA international to bolster their central defensive options, making him the joint-seventh most expensive signing in the club’s history.

Trusty’s performances on the pitch for the Hoops have not lived up to that expense, as he has found himself behind Liam Scales in the pecking order in the left-sided centre-back position.

The left-footed flop, who was described as “powerful” by Brendan Rodgers, was outperformed by the Ireland international in the Scottish Premiership last season, as shown in the statistics below.

Appearances

26

22

Clean sheets

14

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

2.3

Dribbled past

5x

11x

Error led to shot/goal

1

5

Duel success rate

72%

64%

Trusty did not start either of his Premiership appearances at the start of the current campaign before suffering a heel injury, which has kept him out of action in recent weeks.

As a result of his poor performances, which have been filled with errors, the American central defender’s market value has dropped by millions at Parkhead since his £6m move from Sheffield United.

Per Transfermarkt, Trusty’s market value has gone from €7m at the time of his move to Celtic to €5m at the time of writing (14/10/2025), which means that he is currently valued at around £4m.

That is £2m less than Swansea paid for Idah and £2m less than the fee that the Hoops paid to sign him from Sheffield United last year, which shows that the club have had a howler with the defender.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

This is why the Scottish giants should be looking to cut their losses on Trusty in the upcoming January transfer window before his market value plummets further and they have to take an even bigger loss.

Celtic have already had to take a hit of £3.5m on Idah from that batch of summer signings from 2024, and they may have to take a hit of £2m on Trusty unless he can turn his Parkhead career around in the next few months.

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Amid the late show at Stamford Bridge, former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle was left blown away by what one of Enzo Maresca’s most impressive players did against Liverpool.

Caballero: Chelsea "deserved" Liverpool victory

After racing into the lead against the Premier League champions before Cody Gakpo’s equaliser eventually pegged them back, the stage was set for Chelsea and teenage star Estevao Willian to steal the spotlight, and that he did. The talented Brazilian was perfectly placed to tap home at the back post to hand the Blues a major scalp against Liverpool in the 95th minute.

The last-gasp winner sent Stamford Bridge wild and even had Enzo Maresco doing his best impression of Jose Mourinho down the towards the corner flag. The moment led to the manager’s second booking and subsequent red, but he won’t care. Chelsea, having won two of their opening six Premier League games prior, may finally now have lift off.

Speaking in Maresca’s absence, assistant manager Willy Caballero claimed that Chelsea “deserved” to beat a lacklustre Liverpool side even if it came in dramatic fashion.

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The former shot-stopper told reporters: “He (Maresca) was so happy and wanted me to praise the players because of the effort they showed. We believe we deserved the victory after the chances we created and how we played. Thanks to our football and the effort of our players, we scored in the last seconds and got the three points.”

It’s hard to argue with that claim. The Blues were the ones pushing for a winning goal and got what they had been searching for against the Reds. Several stars deserve plenty of praise, but Hoddle was left in awe of what one particular star did in Saturday’s stunning victory.

Hoddle blown away by "excellent" Caicedo

Moises Caicedo has arguably been Chelsea’s most important player in the last 12 months. After a mixed start to life at Stamford Bridge, he has proven to be worth every penny of the £100m fee that the Blues paid for his signature in 2023 and is even beginning to add goals to his game.

After unleashing an incredible strike into the upright to open the scoring against Liverpool, Caicedo received high praise from club legend Hoddle, who said:

Caicedo is unlikely to hit a sweeter strike all season. Chelsea’s star just about summed up an afternoon for the Blues to savour and one that they must now push on from after the international break. As for the midfielder himself, he must simply just pick up where he left off.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has no regrets after being sent off for his wild celebration following his side’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, saying the emotion of the affair meant that his dismissal was “worth it”. The Blues boss was given his marching orders after running down the touchline to join in the euphoria at Stamford Bridge after Estevao Willian’s dramatic late winner.

• Maresca hugged his players after Estevao sent Stamford Bridge into raptures

  Facing the possibility of going four Premier League games without a victory, teenager Estevao popped up with a crucial winner in Chelsea’s last-gasp triumph over Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. The Brazil international scored his first league goal for the club as he prodded home at the back post in the fifth minute of added time. And the goal sparked incredible scenes of jubilation in west London with manager Maresca getting caught up in the moment as he hugged his players near the corner flag.

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• AFP
  

  Italian received his marching orders for a second bookable offence

  And as a result of sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with his players in front of the delighted Chelsea faithful, Maresca was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for his second bookable offence of the evening. And now the Italian will serve a suspension when Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, 18 October, following the resumption of the Premier League after the international break.

• Maresca does not regret letting his emotions get the better of him

  But when speaking at the Trento Sports Festival, Maresca refused to be self-critical for letting his emotions get the better of him, insisting his celebration was an “instinctive” reaction to Chelsea securing a rare, late victory under his stewardship.

  In quotes carried by Maresca told the festival: “It was a huge emotion (against Liverpool). It's my second season at Chelsea and it was the first time we won at home in the last minute. The sending-off? (I’ve said) many times, football is passion, instinct. I probably didn't have time to think. It was an instinctive reaction, but I think it was worth it.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Coach keen to follow in footsteps of other Italian managers at Chelsea

  Maresca also opened up about the pressure of managing Chelsea, a club who won every major honour available to them under Roman Abramovich before Todd Boehly reshaped the club after his takeover in 2022. Following in the footsteps of compatriots Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri and Maurizio Sarri, Maresca says it was a huge relief to not become the only Italian to fail to lead Chelsea to silverware by lifting both the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season.

  “It's one of the most important clubs in the world,” Maresca continued. “In the last three or four years, for various reasons, it (Chelsea) has struggled. Having brought the club back to a great level is a great satisfaction. When I signed for Chelsea, I felt a bit of pressure of being the only Italian not to win here, but fortunately, that hasn't been the case.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a janela de transferências se aproximando, o São Paulo já começa a esquentar algumas possíveis negociações e saídas. Embora Dorival Júnior tenha cautela ao falar das possíveis chegadas de atletas, o treinador já falou publicamente que não queria perder ninguém. Entretanto, alguns nomes já despertaram interesses em outras equipes – inclusive, fora do país. E como prioridades de possíveis novidades, o Tricolor teria um principal foco: um atacante de velocidade. O Lance! explica qual a atual situação do clube do Morumbi.

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Quem pode chegar?

A janela abre no dia três de julho, e como informado anteriormente, a diretoria foca em jogadores ofensivos no período de compras e alguns nomes já começaram a surgir. Um dos mais comentados é de Erick, um dos destaques do Ceará. A reportagem do Lance! apurou que mesmo que o jogador, que tem vínculo com a equipe até o final do ano, tenha recebido uma forte proposta para renovar com o Vozão (com valorização salarial), o atacante teria entrado no radar do Tricolor pensando no ano que vem. Além de atender as características procuradas, já trabalhou com Dorival Júnior no passado. O L! ouviu fontes que disseram que o atacante quer cumprir o restante do seu acordo com o clube cearense, mas já fica livre para assinar um possível pré-contrato com o Tricolor.

Outro jogador que entrou no radar do São Paulo é o meia uruguaio Zalazar, de 23 anos. O São Paulo consultou a situação de Zalazar. No caso, seria para tentar um possível empréstimo, de um ano. O acordo também teria valor de compra fixado em caso de metas cumpridas. Atualmente no Schalke 04 (ALE), clube rebaixado à segunda divisão do país, ele vem despertando interesse de muitas equipes, como o Vasco, por exemplo.

O São Paulo também tentou duas outras negociações, mas nenhuma foi para frente. Entre elas, Savarino e Marinho. No caso do primeiro, o jogador já estava praticamente descartado antes mesmo de afirmar que continuaria no Salt Lake City (EUA). A motivação por trás seria a recusa a proposta inicial feita pelo Tricolor ao Salt Lake City, por motivações financeiras. Quanto a Marinho, o jogador já foi anunciado pelo Fortaleza.

Quem deve sair?

Embora Dorival Júnior tenha avisado que não queria saídas de atletas, o São Paulo esbarra em uma questão: as metas orçamentárias. O Conselho Deliberativo do São Pauloaprovou, em dezembro do ano passado, a previsão orçamentária do clube para 2023. E no principal item de receitas, a negociação de atletas,ficou estabelecido o valor de R$ 135 milhões como meta a ser cumprida. O problema é que, com o fechamento da primeira janela europeia ’em branco’ para o Tricolor, a ‘correria’ para atingir o número ficou para o meio de 2023.

Embora nenhuma saída esteja 100% certa, alguns atletas já entrarão no radar de certas equipes. Nathan, lateral direito, recebeu algumas sondagens do futebol inglês. Pablo Maia idem. Inclusive, Pablo Maia desperta interesse na Europa desde a última janela, mas o Tricolor queria segurá-lo, pelo menos, até a metade do ano.

Rodrigo Nestor foi procurado pelo Galatasaray, da Turquia. Representantes do clube procuraram o clube do Morumbi para saber, por quanto poderia acontecer o negócio. Ouviram que o mínimo exigido é de R$ 80 milhões (aproximadamente 15 milhões de euros), além da manutenção de parte dos direitos federativos – conforme informado ao Lance!, no dia 2 de junho.

Calleri e Luciano também foram sondados por equipes estrangeiras. Porém, os dois nem são discutidos como possibilidades de negociação, tendo em vista a importância para a equipe. Calleri teria recebido uma proposta do Monterrey. De acordo com apuração do Lance!, os mexicanos estavam dispostos até mesmo pagar a multa rescisória do jogador – que tem contrato com o Morumbi até 2025. Já o camisa 10, recebeu sondagens do Al-Nassr, da Arábia Saudita (o mesmo time de Cristiano Ronaldo) e também do Cruz Azul, do México.Sem propostas oficiais, o próprio afirmou que não deseja deixar o Tricolor – pelo menos, por enquanto.

Having already commenced talks to sign Tolu Arokodare, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly eyeing a late swoop to sign another impressive striker.

Latest on Wolves' Arokodare move

With Fabio Silva set to join Borussia Dortmund, Wolves have instantly shifted their focus towards Arokodare. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club have commenced talks to sign the KRC Genk forward, who could hand Vitor Pereira’s frontline the added depth in quality that it’s been lacking since Matheus Cunha’s departure earlier this summer.

After scoring 23 goals in all competitions last season, the Nigerian forward could be the perfect partner to Jorgen Strand Larsen this season instead of becoming the Norwegian’s replacement.

Whilst Newcastle United have submitted two bids to sign the Wolves forward, both have been rejected and fresh reports have indicated that Strand Larsen will not be allowed to leave Molineux this summer.

The line from Wolves so far has been that Arokodare would simply be replacing Silva rather than anything else. Pereira also recently had his say on Strand Larsen’s future after he scored two goals in a dramatic Carabao Cup win against West Ham United.

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BySean Markus Clifford Aug 26, 2025

He told reporters: “If it’s my decision, of course [Strand-Larsen stays]. Of course. Because he’s a very important player. It’s not only about the technical and tactical, it’s about the character. He’s a player with character.”

However, the manager did also admit that every player has a price and recent rumours that Wolves have set their sights on a second striker alongside Arokodare would suggest that this saga is far from over.

Wolves now eyeing late Alberto swoop

According to Molineux News, Wolves are now eyeing a late swoop to sign Yuri Alberto, who Pereira is a huge admirer of. The pair worked together during Pereira’s time at Corinthians and could now reunite as those in the Midlands set their sights on a late move alongside Arokodare.

The talented striker struck 31 goals in all competitions for Corinthians last season and would be more than capable of firing Wolves to safety. But the rumours of his potential arrival should spark some concern about Strand Larsen’s future.

Whilst Arokodare is a target to replace Silva, a move for a second striker would indicate that Strand Larsen could be heading for the exit door with Alberto lined up as his immediate replacement. Of course, there’s still plenty of dominoes to fall for this to be the case, but Wolves will be bracing themselves for a frantic few days.

Dubbed “superb” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes last November, Alberto would at least be the calibre of forward good enough to replace a talent of Strand Larsen’s level.

Tom Hartley, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, has been ruled out of England Lions’ tour of Australia, after suffering a fractured right hand during training in Brisbane on Thursday.Hartley, 25, played in all five of England’s Tests on their tour of India in January-March last year, claiming 22 wickets at 36.13, including a matchwinning 7 for 62 in the second innings of his debut at Hyderabad.However, he has not been called upon since, with the offspinner Shoaib Bashir emerging as England’s favoured option. Hartley did earn a call-up to England’s T20 World Cup squad in June, but did not feature in the team’s run to the semi-finals.His injury is a blow to his hopes of staking a claim for a Test recall, particularly with England’s senior team set to return to Australia in October for the 2025-26 Ashes. Both he and Bashir had been selected for the Lions trip, which will feature three red-ball matches, including an unofficial Test against Australia A in Sydney from January 30-February 2.Hartley will now return to the UK, where he will undergo further assessment by the Lancashire medical teams. No replacement player has been called up to join the squad.The tour, which will be overseen by Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff, begins in earnest on January 14, with a four-day fixture against a Cricket Australia Select XI in Brisbane.

West Bromwich Albion kicked off the new Ryan Mason era with a victory at the Hawthorns last time out as the former Tottenham Hotspur coach picked up a debut three points as a rookie manager.

The Baggies just about edged past opponents Blackburn Rovers on the intense opening day in the Championship, as Isaac Price proved to be the difference-maker between the two sides with an early first-half effort.

Former West Brom manager Valerien Ismael could only watch on with a grimace from the opposing dug-out as he was undone by the 33-year-old, who was helped by Aune Heggebo putting in a standout performance during his first outing donning Baggies blue and white.

Heggebo's standout debut for West Brom

While Price stole the limelight with the only goal of the day, Heggebo did play a key role in the ex-Everton youngster lapping up the plaudits.

Indeed, the Nordic attacker was alert to the action unfolding around him after a long throw-in from Darnell Furlong caused confusion, leading to West Brom’s £4.7m summer buy laying it off to Price to tap a shot home.

His efforts against the Riversiders didn’t go unnoticed, either, with Heggebo actually winning himself a place in the Championship Team of the Week off the back of the former Brann attacker also winning 11 duels in the hard-fought win, as per Sofascore.

But, there will be a worry that he won’t cut it at the intimidating level when it comes to actually picking up the goals, having only fired two weak efforts at the Blackburn goal on Saturday.

This is where Mason could dip his toes back into the market to win himself an EFL-ready goal machine, with a £7m attacker potentially on his radar.

West Brom could look at signing £3m attacker

Over-relying on Heggebo to deliver the goods does feel as if it could backfire on the Baggies, particularly if the pressure is ramped up on the Scandinavian forward’s shoulders in the intense heat of a promotion race.

This is where Wycombe Wanderers’ Richard Kone could come to the rescue, with the former non-league striker turned EFL gem piquing a lot of interest in the Championship this summer regarding his availability, having been allegedly subject to a £7m bid in recent times from Luton Town.

The 22-year-old striker has experienced quite the rapid rise from the non-league pitches of Essex to leading the line for the Chairboys with some venom.

However, despite his form, he could be available as cheap as £3m now, according to football journalist Ron Walker, which might well even spur the Championship side into making a bid.

His explosive track record in the EFL automatically makes him an upgrade on Heggebo, who is still learning the ropes of the English game, with EFL-oriented pundit Gabriel Sutton even labelling Kone’s heroics in front of goal at Adams Park as “extraordinary.”

Games played

74

146

Goals scored

25

51

Assists

9

14

Hat tricks

1x

0

Goals per game

0.33

0.34

While the table above does look to swing initially in the favour of Heggebo, Kone is only 26 strikes shy of matching his counterpart’s goal tally for Brann, with his exploits last season for Wycombe making him look ready-made for a step-up in quality.

A blistering 21 of those efforts would come near the very top of League One last season, with the brand-new Baggies number 19 only registering 11 goals all of last year in the Nordic top-flight, on the contrary.

Further dubbed as a “mentality monster” by football writer Kai Watson, Kone should be able to take the pressures of the Championship in his stride if his League One prowess is anything to go by.

Heggebo could be forced to take a back seat if Kone were to join, however, but he shone in a more subdued role on the opening day anyway, as West Brom tries to fire in the goals no matter who scores them to seal promotion.

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