Anthony Volpe didn't have a great showing defensively on Sunday.

The Yankees' shortstop was roasted by the team's fans after a few defensive plays where it looked like his lack effort cost the team outs.

The first came in the top of the second inning and the Cubs holding a 1-0 lead. With Ian Happ at first base and one out, Nico Hoerner hit a ground ball to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base in what appeared to be an easy double play for the Yankees.

Chisholm got the ball to Volpe to force Happ out at second, but as the shortstop came across the bag towards first base, he floated the ball across the diamond. By the time the ball got into first baseman Paul Goldschmidt's glove, Hoerner had crossed the base and was safe. Volpe's throw clocked in at 62 mph, far below what he's capable of.

Video is below.

In the top of the eighth, with the Cubs leading 4-1, Dansby Swanson was on first with two outs. Matt Shaw stepped to the plate and hit an easy grounder right to Volpe. He didn't charge the ball, opting to stay back and wait for it. When he fielded the ball, he softly tossed it to Chisholm at second, but Swanson beat the ball there. He was initially called out, but replays showed he easily beat Volpe's throw.

The Yankees wound up losing 4-1 and continued their trend of up and down play. Fans of the team were all over Volpe for his defensive lapses.

Through 95 games, the 24-year-old Volpe is slashing .214/.287/.384 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. He has 91 strikeouts against 34 walks, and his OPS of .671 leaves a lot to be desired from a former top prospect.

Manchester United have now gone four games undefeated in the Premier League, which is perhaps a sign of things changing for Ruben Amorim’s side. His first year in charge at the club has been underwhelming to say the least, and it has taken time to adapt to his infamous 3-4-2-1 system.

Well, one of the most important positions in Amorim’s system are the two number 10s. It took him some time to find the right solution in those roles. Bruno Fernandes has been operating in the pivot, with Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount two key options.

Bryan Mbeumo has also made a fast start to life at United.

Mbeumo’s exceptional October

October felt like the month where Mbeumo truly arrived at United. He had played well in the weeks before that, scoring against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup and Burnley in the Premier League, but it was last month that he began to shine truly.

Mbeumo played three games in October for United, chipping in with at least one goal or assist in each of them. In total, he contributed four goal involvements in three games last month for the Red Devils.

It is perhaps easy for United fans to pinpoint which was the most important. Mbeumo’s strike at Anfield against Liverpool just seconds into the match summed him up.

Their number 19 managed to run in behind the Reds’ defence and fire home first time on his weaker right foot.

After grabbing an assist for Mount against Sunderland at the start of the month and scoring twice against Brighton and Hove Albion, Mbeumo was nominated for Premier League player of the month.

Club legend Wayne Rooney said the Cameroonian star is “by far United’s best player of the season.”

It is certainly exciting that United are brewing the new version of Mbeumo in the academy.

United’s homegrown Mbeumo

For decades, United have produced some exceptional players in their academy. In the current crop of youngsters, there are some exciting talents. JJ Gabriel is a player who has a lot of hype surrounding him.

Another young talent United fans can get excited about is 18-year-old Shea Lacey. After overcoming injury issues in recent seasons, the Liverpool-born attacker has shown exactly how good he is this season.

In nine games across all competitions, Lacey has found the back of the net on three occasions and assisted two other goals for teammates.

They have come in just 507 minutes, leaving him with an average of a goal involvement every 101 minutes.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

One of the best examples of Lacey’s talent came in the under-21s’ recent 2-0 EFL Trophy victory away to Notts County. Operating on the right-hand side, the 18-year-old scored one and created one chance.

The “wing wizard” – as hailed by the Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler – was a handful for defenders all night, completing three from five dribbles and winning two fouls

One of the striking things about Lacey is his technical ability. He thieves in tight spaces in the right half-space, which could certainly make him suitable for Amorim’s system, playing in the right 10 role just like Mbeumo does now.

The England under-20 star was described as a “creative talisman” by Academy Scoop on X, a page dedicated to the Red Devils academy sides. That is easy to understand, with the 18-year-old having passes like this in his locker.

It is certainly easy to see how Lacey can be United’s own Mbeumo. The talented youngster is comfortable on the right wing or as a number 10, just like the Red Devils’ number 19.

Both are left-footed attackers, too.

It remains to be seen when Lacey will get his first-team debut at United, but it is bound to happen sooner or later. He is a superb talent who has even trained with England’s first team this season. United have another gem on their hands.

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Joe Nuttall

Nov 6, 2025

Still searching for their next manager, Middlesbrough are now reportedly serious about hiring Swiss manager Raphael Wicky, who has emerged as an early candidate to take the job.

Unlike other managerial vacancies in the Championship, coaches would be walking into a fairly healthy environment at Middlesbrough. The Teesside club currently sit second in England’s second tier and five points behind leaders Coventry City. As things stand, they will be earning promotion to the Premier League come May.

A lot can still change, however, and Boro must get their next manager right whilst they are in such a positive position. Just who that next manager is remains the question. Steven Gerrard, Tony Mowbray and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have all been mentioned as early candidates, with Gerrard the most interesting option of the three.

The former Rangers boss recently rejected the chance to return to Ibrox, but is keen to make a return to the dugout for the right job. With Boro on course to fight for automatic promotion in the Championship, it’s tough to pick out a reason why most managers of Gerrard’s calibre wouldn’t want to walk straight into the job before the end of the international break.

Replacing Rob Edwards, who chose to leave for Wolverhampton Wanderers, will be no easy task for any potential candidate. As much as he has ruined his reputation with those in Teesside, the former Luton Town boss certainly steered the club in the right direction and attempted to explain his decision in a recent statement.

Boro fans are unlikely to forgive or forget any time soon, however, and must instead hope that the club’s next appointment continues their push for automatic promotion.

Middlesbrough get serious about appointing Raphael Wicky

As reported by Sports Boom, Middlesbrough are now serious about appointing Wicky after he impressed Riverside chiefs with an unofficial presentation. The Swiss manager is currently a free agent and will be easier to convince as a result, but that’s not to say the 48-year-old isn’t an impressive candidate.

During his time in Switzerland, Wicky won the league and cup double with BSC Young Boys and his 4-4-2 diamond system proved to be incredibly successful. If Middlesbrough fail to hire the likes of Gerrard, then the former Young Boys manager is someone who’d offer them similar experience and success.

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The manager’s style also includes an exciting high press, which could yet help Boro bridge the gap on an exciting Coventry side at the top of the Championship.

The fact is, although they run the risk of getting their next appointment wrong, Riverside chiefs could also take their side up another level entirely if they get things right.

As things stand, the battle seems to be between Gerrard and Wicky for the job. With both holding similar reputations though, it remains to be seen which direction Middlesbrough head towards.

Middlesbrough make "impressive" manager top target to replace Edwards

Newcastle United are masters at adapting and overcoming adversity. Hurdles have sprung up and sent Eddie Howe’s side tumbling in recent years, but each time the Magpies get themselves airborne once again.

They must prove this mentality remains intact, having struggled to make things click in the Premier League this season.

One ray of light through this up-and-down period has been Nick Woltemade, who has swerved a number of those hurdles to establish himself as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe.

Could he be the Toon’s most talented player?

Why Nick Woltemade is thriving at Newcastle

Newcastle signed Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee in August before Alexander Isak had completed his record-breaking move to Liverpool, signalling in all but confirmation the Swede’s looming departure.

With Yoane Wissa also brought in but sidelined before he could make his bow with a knee injury, Woltemade, 23, has assumed quite the heavy load.

But this hasn’t thwarted him.

The striker has scored six goals from his first 13 matches in black and white. Rangy and seemingly a throwback type of frontman, the German is endowed with much technical grace, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for “mesmerising” link-up ability.

Woltemade is surpassing expectations at number nine for Newcastle, and he is indeed playing like a man in a contest with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for the crown as the club’s best player.

But there’s an up-and-coming prospect who might be the cream of the crop, albeit one who requires work over the next few years.

Newcastle's bigger talent than Woltemade

Newcastle have transformed their first team in the four years under Howe’s wing, but PIF have quietly been assembling a youth force to be reckoned with down the line.

And, right at the top of this pack is Vakhtang Salia, who joined St. James’ Park from Dinamo Tbilisi this summer despite rival interest from European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Injury has kept the 18-year-old from featuring for the Toon yet, but he played 57 senior matches for his former Georgian side, scoring eight goals and supplying four assists.

Salia hasn’t quite worked out his best position at this nascent stage of his career, but that’s okay. He is fast and has the mark of a clinical player down the line, and in this, he could one day surpass Woltemade.

This is a bold claim to make, but the respective forwards are at wholly different points in their careers, and his “very high work-rate”, as has been said by Genk scout Mikha Gabechava, suggests he has the drive to match his talent with a tenacious approach.

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Because, after all, the Georgia U21 star has been described as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world” by journalist Graeme Bailey, and this without yet proving himself in a top division. The hype is very much real.

The sales of prospects like Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson mark a cautionary tale for the Tynesiders as they look to go from strength to strength once again. Salia’s signature must be held onto, and he must be allowed to develop into a polished Premier League star.

With the right work over the coming years, he could even prove to be a bigger talent than Woltemade.

Newcastle star was set to be sold, now he's one of their "standout" players

This Newcastle star is still performing for Eddie Howe’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

A win will take Afghanistan to the top of the Group B points table

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-20252:26

Abhinav Mukund impressed by Afghanistan’s on-field trial

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup clash in Abu Dhabi.Bangladesh captain Litton Das said the pitch looked a bit on the slow side, despite the Abu Dhabi surface having been better for batting recently. Rashid Khan said Afghanistan would have liked to bat first as well.Bangladesh made four changes with Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed coming in. Mahedi Hasan, Pervez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan missed out. Afghanistan, meanwhile, named an unchanged XI.Related

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A win for Afghanistan On Tuesday will take them to the top of the Group B points table.Bangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan Tamim, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Nurul Hasan, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Shamim Hossain, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedAfghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sediqullah Atal, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Karim Janat, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze has revealed the inner workings of his relationship with former Crystal Place team-mates Michael Olise and Jean-Phillippe Mateta on the latest episode of the Beast Mode On podcast. The 27-year-old spoke of the almost-immediate friendship he struck up with Olise, and the similarities he shares with the driven and determined Mateta.

Eze spills the beans on Mateta and Olise

Eze was speaking about the France internationals with former Wycombe Wanderers team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast. 

Eze, Mateta and Olise formed a lethal strike force for the Eagles during the 2023-24 season, scoring 37 Premier League goals combined. Their partnership, along with the hiring of Oliver Glasner, helped turn around a woeful start to that campaign. Palace would win six of their seven final games, eventually finishing 10th in the table. 

This potent attacking line was quickly broken up however, with Michael Olise departing for Bayern Munich in the summer for a fee of around £50 million ($65m). One year later, after scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final, Eze would secure his own big money move, moving across the capital to join the club that released him as a boy, Arsenal. Only Mateta remains at Selhurst Park, but it's clear that Eze still enjoys a close relationship with the mates he made in south London, despite their separate paths. 

The 27-year-old spoke glowingly about Olise's talent, saying the winger impressed him from the first time he saw him play. When the prodigious winger made the switch to Selhurst Park from Reading a short time later, the pair almost instantly hit it off according to Eze. 

With regards to Mateta, the Arsenal man praised his improvement over the years, saying that both of them possess a force of will that helps them succeed at the top level. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportOlise's talent and their friendship

Asked if he knew he was on the same frequency as Olise immediately, Eze said: "I played with him maybe six months earlier [before he joined Crystal Palace] and I saw him, I spoke to him. I think he's maybe 17 [at this time].

"I saw him and I was like, ‘yo, you're mad’. That was the first time I saw him play. So then when he signed, he came into the treatment room, I was getting treatment, and I asked him: ‘why did you sign?’.

"At this time we weren’t boys, but we were cool enough. I just remember him speaking and I'm like, ‘yeah, man, this is going to be my guy’. I can tell. As time went on, you can see the relationship built and [we’re] very like minded in terms of the drive, trying to achieve something. You can see that he's got that."

Mateta's improvement and self-belief

Asked about Mateta and whether he thought he’d turn into the player he is now, Eze said: "[He’s] Scary. No. Every player you see has quality and everyone you see has strengths. You can see his ability. But for me, I look at him and I see a similar type of vibe in terms of what I feel about myself.

"I don't expect you to see what I see myself. He would have seen this, though, and you can tell by the conversations he's had INtraining ground and the things he would say about himself, he believes this. So for me, whenever someone speaks that way, you know that it’s possible and you believe that it’s possible.

"It's been beautiful to see it [Mateta’s progress] though, because that's another story of someone that's saying, ‘OK, I'm going to do this thing and you're going to see me… and whether people believe it or not, don’t matter. I’m going to do it’

"He's doing it now, so for me it's a beautiful thing to see. And when I speak to him, it's always a joy."

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Getty Images SportEze and Olise to square off in Champions League tie

All of their mutual admiration will be forgotten when Eze and Olise square off for the first time since they both left Selhurst Park, as Arsenal and Bayern Munich square off at the Emirates Stadium on November 26. That promises to be titanic clash at the top of the Champions League table, the Gunners and the Bavarian giants are two of the three clubs with a perfect record in this year's competition.

Colin Ingram passed 1000 runs for the second successive season during a sparkling half-century on the final day of this drawn Rothesay County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Despite Northamptonshire declaring 54 runs behind overnight, Glamorgan ran out of time to force a result after most of day three was lost to rain. However, with Derbyshire and Middlesex also drawing at Lord’s, Glamorgan stole a march by earning three more bonus points than both their promotion rivals, further boosting their promotion hopes.It allowed the Welsh County to further cement second position in Division Two. Third-placed Derbyshire now lie 27 points behind, while Middlesex sit in fourth, 30 points back.Former South African international Ingram reached the 1000-run milestone in 10 games after missing two matches in May during Australian Marnus Labuschagne’s stint at Sophia Gardens. His 55, off 85 balls with 11 fours, was his seventh Championship half-century this season to go with three tons.Ingram was joined by Kiran Carlson in a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 in almost 23 overs, while Calvin Harrison took 3 for 46 to take his tally in nine loan games for Northamptonshire this summer to 35. Justin Broad claimed 2 for 18 in five pacy overs.With Chris Cooke making an unbeaten 40, Glamorgan declared on 241 for 7, 295 runs ahead, when the players shook hands on the draw at 4.20pm.Earlier Northamptonshire declared at their overnight total of 413 for 9, 54 behind. Luke Procter found significant movement in his opening spell. After leaving one which jagged back, Zain-ul-Hassan failed to learn his lesson and was bowled in the Northamptonshire captain’s next over, shouldering arms to a similar delivery. Procter almost picked up a second wicket when Sam Northeast edged low to the slips, a diving Broad only able to get his fingers to it.First-innings double-centurion Asa Tribe made 24 before he was caught behind down the leg side off Broad, who then found some sharp bounce to surprise Northeast, keeper Lewis McManus taking the catch above his head.Carlson got off the mark pulling a short delivery from Broad for four, but he got into a tangle against a well-directed bouncer from the allrounder which he could only glove safely over the keeper and slips. Ingram was harsh on anything wide from the seamers and swept and cut the spinners as he moved through the twenties, Glamorgan going into lunch on 95 for 3.After lunch Ingram brought up Glamorgan’s 100 with a thick edge through gully off Ben Whitehouse for four. The debutant almost picked up Ingram’s wicket when he hooked him to fine leg, but Nirvan Ramesh injured himself when he fell attempting the catch, the ball running away for four. After a delay, Ingram dispatched the next two Whitehouse deliveries for four, a dismissive pull shot and a punch through cover, while Carlson pulled a full toss from Saif Zaib for six.Ingram duly passed 1000 runs for the season by swinging Zaib through midwicket before a reverse sweep off Harrison took him to his half-century off 66 balls.Harrison then made a triple breakthrough in the space of 32 deliveries, turning one past Carlson’s bat as he edged through to the keeper. Ingram’s innings ended in bizarre fashion when he miscued an attempted sweep off Harrison onto his foot, the ball looping up to slip where Ricardo Vasconcelos took the catch.Batting with a runner due to a calf injury, Ben Kellaway made 18, but Harrison bowled him around his legs for the second time in the match as he attempted to sweep.After tea, Cooke and Timm van der Gugten played some lusty blows in a partnership of exactly 50 off 141 balls, before Whitehouse claimed his maiden first-class wicket when van der Gugten cut straight to Harrison at point.

A significant update has emerged regarding one Rangers star’s Ibrox future, with the 49ers Enterprises tempted to sell and his potential price tag in the January transfer window revealed.

The Gers have found some much-needed form with Danny Rohl at the helm, with three wins in succession coming their way in the Scottish Premiership.

Numerous players have performed better under the German than they did with Russell Martin in charge, not least Nicolas Raskin, who was impressive in Sunday’s 3-0 win away to Dundee in the league, bossing the midfield battle for the visitors.

The Belgian fell out of favour under his previous manager, who publicly explained why he axed him from Rangers’ squad to face Hearts earlier this season.

“He won’t be in the squad tomorrow. We have a lot of conversations as we do with every player, but he’s back training with the squad which is a good step. Now, like every player, he has a duty to make sure he earns the trust of all his other team-mates, coaching staff and the staff in the building to help us win football matches.”

Rangers may sell Raskin for £20m in January

Now, according to a new update from TEAMtalk, Rangers and the 49ers could be willing to sell Raskin in January, potentially demanding as much as £20m for his signature, even though Rohl has “consistently praised” his influence and sees him in his long-term plans. Two unnamed Serie A sides are weighing up a New Year approach.

£20m “could be enough” to force the Gers’ hand midway through the season, with the Scottish side “aware of his growing market value -particularly after another impressive international break with Belgium, where he earned widespread plaudits for his composure and work rate.”

Opinion may be split over Rangers potentially letting Raskin leave the club in January, not least because he has shown the quality that he has in his locker in recent weeks, also being lauded by Derek Ferguson in the past: “Raskin, since he started looking after himself, has been phenomenal. It’s his drive, his ability on the ball.”

The 24-year-old is contracted at Ibrox until the summer of 2027, so a big decision does need to be made relatively soon, in order for the Gers not to miss out on receiving a hefty fee for him, and certainly not losing him on a free transfer at that point.

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That said, waiting until the summer feels like a sensible choice, allowing Raskin to remain at the club for the rest of this season, helping Rohl’s side give themselves the best possible chance of success, both domestically and in Europe.

0 mins under Martin: Rohl must unleash Rangers' "left-footed Van Dijk"

Head coach Ryan Harris says South Australia have talked about still hunting ahead of the domestic season after last summer’s memorable scenes

Andrew McGlashan16-Sep-2025Having waited 13 years for a one-day title and 29 for the Sheffield Shield, somewhat like London buses they came along at once for South Australia last season during an incredible few weeks for a state that, especially in four-day cricket, had for so long propped up the table.So now they head into the 2025-26 season as double defending champions; their One-Day Cup campaign starts on September 20 against New South Wales and the Sheffield Shield on October 4 against Victoria.The message from head coach Ryan Harris during pre-season has been a simple one: that was great, but we need to do it again.Related

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“We spoke about what lies ahead of us,” Harris told ESPNcricinfo. “We want to make sure that we don’t get comfortable in what we’ve done because, although we’ve had a great achievement last year, we haven’t achieved much at all yet.”We have mentioned that we don’t want to be the hunted. Obviously, when you win, people want to beat you, no doubt. Our terminology is we are still hunting. We’ve had one year of great achievements, [but] we haven’t really achieved anything yet. If we sit here in three or four years’ time and we’ve won a few more, then we’ve been a pretty good team.”[The players] like the feeling of winning. Obviously, we haven’t had a lot of it for a while. The boys really enjoyed it. They knew it was hard work. We had a little bit of luck go away last year, but we hadn’t always had a lot of luck go away in the past. You need a little bit of luck to win. They’ve trained as if they’re preparing to win again.”The scenes at Karen Rolton Oval on March 29 when the winning runs were scored went viral around the world as thousands swarmed onto the ground. South Australia had hoped to host the final at Adelaide Oval – where they will begin their Shield defence in October – but couldn’t reach an agreement with the Australian Football League (AFL).Fans mobbed Jason Sangha after he hit the winning runs last season•Getty Images

Perhaps, in the end, it was the ideal outcome: a boutique venue packed out in late summer sunshine as Jason Sangha played the innings of his life and Alex Carey produced one of the finest hours to rebuild a chase of 270 from 28 for 3.”I remember ushering the boys to the corner of the first level of Karen Rolton,” Harris recalled. “And when they came around the corner and saw the field and how many people were out there, I think it took them a little bit by surprise.”They always knew how important this was to win but, obviously with a few guys that are out-of-towners, that are not necessarily born in South Australia, I think it was that moment that they actually realised big it was. They knew it was big, but they didn’t realise it was big.”Sangha has recently spoken about how that day is still talked about around Adelaide, and Harris is happy for his players to delve back into the special memories if it helps them prepare to go again.”I’ve got no problem drawing on the feeling that they had, the success, and obviously the confidence that they have in their own games,” Harris said. “If they need to think back to a game or two or a final to realise where they are and what their gains are, then I’ve got no problem with that.”Again, it’s not about we’ve done it, we’re going to relax and just let it happen again. It’s the hard work that counts, and I can guarantee that they’ve worked hard again. If someone or all of them need to draw on that feeling and that memory of all those people and how popular it was down here, they can do it as long and as much as they want, but they know obviously going forward that that is a moment in time and now it’s time to do it all again.”A lot needs to go right to win titles in any sport, and backing up success is tough. Four-day cricket tests squad strength, injuries are inevitable, and Australia call-ups have to be factored in. Carey is keen to play as much as possible ahead of the Ashes, but it’s yet to be confirmed what South Australia will see of Travis Head.Captain Nathan McSweeney is with Australia A for the four-day leg of their India tour but will be back for the start of the Shield, however allrounder Liam Scott is in both squads. Jake Fraser-McGurk, who faces a crucial season, is in the one-day squad for that tour but was unlikely to find a place in the Shield XI to start the season.Injury-wise, the list isn’t too long for Harris. Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson is out until at least the New Year – “[he’s] not in a great way at the moment,” Harris said – while spin-bowling allrounder Ben Manenti is recovering from a foot niggle and seamer Nathan McAndrew returned from the UK with an inner infection so may miss the start of the one-day competition.”We didn’t have too many bad injuries [last season],” Harris said. “If a bowler missed out, then we had another bowler to come in and take his spot and we’re hoping that we can have that this year. We’ve been challenged in a good way in terms of Australia A selection. That’s obviously a great thing [for them], but we’ll definitely miss those guys.”Last season McSweeney vaulted into Test contention and ended up opening against India while Sangha is back on the radar of the selectors after averaging 78.22 in the title success and has since made a career-best double century for Australia A. At this stage, neither are expected to feature at the start of the Ashes, but Harris knows things can change and as a domestic coach there is the dual challenge of producing international cricketers, who will then be called away, and also wanting to win competitions.”Jason’s been told he just needs to go and do what he did last year, the same [with] Nathan, just find that form that got him in the Test set up,” he said. “That’s one of those things we’ve spoken about, but we don’t talk a lot about because we know that George [Bailey] can ring me and say, no, we’re not looking at you right now. Then [the player] goes out and makes two or three hundreds in the first two or three games, then all of a sudden someone else has failed and he’s in. I’d rather lose them to [a Test call] than injury.”

Newcastle United are masters at adapting and overcoming adversity. Hurdles have sprung up and sent Eddie Howe’s side tumbling in recent years, but each time the Magpies get themselves airborne once again.

They must prove this mentality remains intact, having struggled to make things click in the Premier League this season.

One ray of light through this up-and-down period has been Nick Woltemade, who has swerved a number of those hurdles to establish himself as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe.

Could he be the Toon’s most talented player?

Why Nick Woltemade is thriving at Newcastle

Newcastle signed Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee in August before Alexander Isak had completed his record-breaking move to Liverpool, signalling in all but confirmation the Swede’s looming departure.

With Yoane Wissa also brought in but sidelined before he could make his bow with a knee injury, Woltemade, 23, has assumed quite the heavy load.

But this hasn’t thwarted him.

The striker has scored six goals from his first 13 matches in black and white. Rangy and seemingly a throwback type of frontman, the German is endowed with much technical grace, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for “mesmerising” link-up ability.

Woltemade is surpassing expectations at number nine for Newcastle, and he is indeed playing like a man in a contest with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for the crown as the club’s best player.

But there’s an up-and-coming prospect who might be the cream of the crop, albeit one who requires work over the next few years.

Newcastle's bigger talent than Woltemade

Newcastle have transformed their first team in the four years under Howe’s wing, but PIF have quietly been assembling a youth force to be reckoned with down the line.

And, right at the top of this pack is Vakhtang Salia, who joined St. James’ Park from Dinamo Tbilisi this summer despite rival interest from European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Injury has kept the 18-year-old from featuring for the Toon yet, but he played 57 senior matches for his former Georgian side, scoring eight goals and supplying four assists.

Salia hasn’t quite worked out his best position at this nascent stage of his career, but that’s okay. He is fast and has the mark of a clinical player down the line, and in this, he could one day surpass Woltemade.

This is a bold claim to make, but the respective forwards are at wholly different points in their careers, and his “very high work-rate”, as has been said by Genk scout Mikha Gabechava, suggests he has the drive to match his talent with a tenacious approach.

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Because, after all, the Georgia U21 star has been described as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world” by journalist Graeme Bailey, and this without yet proving himself in a top division. The hype is very much real.

The sales of prospects like Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson mark a cautionary tale for the Tynesiders as they look to go from strength to strength once again. Salia’s signature must be held onto, and he must be allowed to develop into a polished Premier League star.

With the right work over the coming years, he could even prove to be a bigger talent than Woltemade.

Newcastle star was set to be sold, now he's one of their "standout" players

This Newcastle star is still performing for Eddie Howe’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025