Manchester United are now genuinely planning to break the bank for a £100m+ “beast”, having already held talks over a potential deal, according to a report.
Man Utd vying to sign midfielder amid Casemiro concerns
Casemiro was subjected to a lot of criticism last season, with Gary Neville criticising the Brazilian’s ability to get around the pitch after a 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle United.
Referring to Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, Neville said: “When I saw the team sheet I thought it would be difficult for Man Utd to play well. [They have] two centre midfield players who can’t run.”
Consequently, the Red Devils have set out to bring in a new, much younger midfielder this summer, and there have been widespread reports they have now submitted a bid for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez.
Ugarte 2.0: Amorim asks INEOS to sign "world-class" £43m star for Man Utd
Manchester United need to choose wisely as they seek to strengthen Amorim’s squad further in the summer transfer market.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 13, 2025
However, there is also an option from much closer to home, namely Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, and it has been suggested that an offer could be made for the 21-year-old imminently.
According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Man United are now planning to break the bank to secure Baleba’s signature, with Brighton set to hold out for over £100m.
There is now a genuine desire to go all out for the central midfielder, despite executives being aware that a deal would blow the budget, as they believe he possesses rare qualities, and could provide long-term value to Ruben Amorim’s squad.
Brighton & Hove Albion's CarlosBalebacelebrates scoring their first goal with Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley
Talks have already been held over a deal for the Brighton star, and there is a feeling that another approach could be made before the weekend, although there is an awareness the Seagulls will drive a hard bargain.
"Beast" Baleba could be statement signing for Man Utd
There have been reports that Manchester City have been left shocked by United stepping up their interest in the Brighton maestro, given that Pep Guardiola’s side were planning to launch an offer next summer.
Liverpool and Arsenal are also in the race for the Cameroonian’s signature, displaying just how highly he is rated by some of the Premier League’s top clubs, and Amorim’s side would be making a statement if they were able to pull off a deal.
Not only did the starlet impress with his dribbling and tackling ability, but he was also praised by teammate Matt O’Riley, who said: “He is strong. To put it simply he is an absolute beast. It’s nice to play alongside someone like that because he just smashes everyone and makes my life quite easy.”
As such, it could be worth taking a gamble on Baleba, but it would be disappointing if doing so means Man United are unable to compete for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s signature.
Najmul Hossain Shanto* and Mushfiqur Rahim have both been ruled out of Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test series in the West Indies. While Mushfiqur has a finger injury, Shanto has a groin strain. The absence of Mushfiqur means Bangladesh will go into a Test series for the first time in 16 years without any of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal or him.Mushfiqur, a veteran of 94 Tests, has also been suffering from a shoulder injury since the Pakistan Test series in August. He suffered the finger injury during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah last week.Shanto, who will also miss the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Monday, sustained the injury during the second ODI, a BCB statement said. He left the field, and scans later confirmed the nature of the injury.”We have received the team physio’s report and the scan report, which has confirmed a Grade II strain on his left groin,” BCB senior physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said in a statement. “This will require a period of rest and rehabilitation. We will reassess his condition after two weeks. He will return home from the UAE to continue his rehab.”Mehidy Hasan Miraz will captain the side in Shanto’s absence.Shahadat Hossain, the 22-year-old right-hand top-order batter, has been named Shanto’s replacement.He has played four Tests after debuting against New Zealand last year, and has an average of 14.75 with a highest score of 31. He was dropped for the home Tests against South Africa in October, and averages 26.33 in four matches in the National Cricket League, including a century in his last game. Possible alternatives could have been Amite Hasan, who has 466 runs at an average of 77.66 in the NCL, and Anamul Haque and Amit Majumder, who have also crossed the 400-run mark in the competition.Mushfiqur Rahim had hurt his shoulder during the Test series against Pakistan in August•AFP/Getty Images
Bangladesh have also left out Khaled Ahmed and Nayeem Hasan, but will welcome Litton Das back in the fold after the wicketkeeper-batter missed the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, and the three ODIs against Afghanistan due to fever.The touring party has a strong pace attack, including Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana. Uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad has been added to the spin department that includes vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.Bangladesh have kept faith in their regular top-order batters Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan. Shanto and Mominul Haque will bat at No. 3 and 4 respectively. Mushfiqur’s role could fall on Jaker Ali or Mahidul Islam Ankon, with Litton back with the gloves, and likely to bat at No. 7.Bangladesh will start the tour with a four-day warm-up game at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, followed by the first Test in Antigua from November 22. The second Test is in Jamaica, starting November 30. The visitors will then play three ODIs and as many T20Is, but their white-ball squad hasn’t been announced yet.Bangladesh Test squad: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shahadat Hossain, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad
India captain also praises his fielders, saying some crucial catches hastened their push for victory in Kanpur
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20242:35
Manjrekar: ‘This is the legacy Rohit Sharma will leave as captain’
India captain Rohit Sharma has credited his players for embracing the risk involved in forcing a result in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, where there was no play for two days because of rain. Overall only 35 overs were bowled across the first three days, but despite that, India found a way to beat the weather, clock, and Bangladesh for a 2-0 series sweep, which extended their lead at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings.After India’s attack bowled Bangladesh out for 233 in the post-lunch session on day four, Rohit laid down the marker by launching the first two balls he faced for sixes. The other batters also bought into this approach, even if it mean that the result might go either way.”The bowlers came to the party first,” Rohit told . “They got the wickets that we needed, and then when we came inside, we had to take a little bit of risk to get a result. I know the result could have gone either way, but I was okay with it. So was the coach [Gautam Gambhir] and the other players as well because you have to be brave enough to take those decisions and go and play that way. When things fall in place, everything looks good. And that is where it can change quickly, when things doesn’t fall in place. Everybody would’ve started criticising the decision that we took and all of that but what matters is what we think inside this changing room. And that is what mattered. And that is what we went with in this game.”It was a clear plan that we want the result, how we can get the result. Everybody started finding answers for that. I think it was an exceptional series. It may go unnoticed.”Related
Rohit's legacy: Rewiring his generation, encouraging the next
Rohit Sharma and the sixes that woke up a dead game
Stats – Rohit and Jaiswal give India speed-scoring records
Rohit Sharma and India earn their rewards for being brave
Under Rohit, India have adopted an aggressive approach across formats, even at World Cups, and it was no different in Kanpur, where WTC points were up for grabs. So, what does aggression mean to Rohit?”For me aggression is all about your actions,” he said. “It’s not about my reactions: the kind of batting we do, the kind of field positioning we do, the kind of bowling we do; that to me is aggression.”Look, without the help of the other ten players, and, obviously people who are sitting in the dressing room as well, this wouldn’t have been possible when we had lost two days, two-and-a-half days actually, it’s very easy for everyone to just drift away from the goal that we had of winning this test match. When we came here on the fourth day of the morning, first things first, they [Bangladesh] were batting and we needed to get them out. We needed seven wickets quickly, so I thought everything started there.”1:43
Decoding Yashasvi Jaiswal’s superb slip catch
Both as a batter and leader, Rohit has transformed India into prioritising winning over everything else. He said that his captaincy style is based around trusting his judgement and decisions.”When you are playing at such a high level, you need to have a bit of everything,” Rohit said. “You need to be calm, to think wisely. There are a lot of decisions that you have to take on the field. Not every decision will go your way, but you have to back it and use your experience, use your knowledge. So that is what I do. I, I’ve been there enough to trust my judgment that I do take on the field, the decisions that I take on the field, I trust on it. And then, then I go by it. There are players around me who are open to giving suggestions, but at the end of the day, I trust my mind and I trust my judgment, and that’s all that matters.”Rohit: Some crucial catches turned the gameRohit was also impressed with India’s fielding, especially their slip catching, during the home Test series against Bangladesh. It was Yashasvi Jaiswal who had set the tone on the first day in Kanpur, where he took a smart, low catch to dismiss Zakir Hasan for a duck. Then, in Bangladesh’s second innings, Jaiswal completed another sharp catch, this time at gully, to send back a well-set Shadman Islam for 50 and hasten India’s push for victory.”I was just informed out of the 24 catches that came our way, we took 23 of them, which is a great result especially in the slips,” Rohit said.”You don’t often see in India ball carrying through the slips. But the guys who were standing behind were so sharp and to take those catches, it may look easy on television, but it is not, trust me, because they are standing way ahead than they normally do. So all those catches that come the way, they are very hard to take those catches. The reaction time is very less, and I have seen it. They put everyone puts a lot of effort in getting those things right.”And the Dilip [T Dilip, fielding coach] obviously is helping with the players. Some crucial catches as well, which actually turned the game around.”
The son of former India captain and coach is playing a state’s T20 league for the first time
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2024
Karun Nair will lead Mysuru Warriors, last year’s runner-up•Maharaja T20
Samit Dravid, son of former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid, has bagged his maiden Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 contract with last season’s runner-up Mysuru Warriors at the auction in Bengaluru on Thursday.Dravid, an 18-year old allrounder, was bought at a price of INR 50,000. A medium-pacer and middle-order batter, he was part of the Karnataka Under-19 team that won the 2023-24 Cooch Behar Trophy, and also represented KSCA XI in a three-day game against the visiting Lancashire side in AlurAt Warriors, Dravid will be led by Karun Nair, who was retained as captain by the team. Warriors also picked up allrounders K Gowtham for INR 7.4 lakh and J Suchith for INR 4.8 lakh, while fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who recently underwent surgery on his left proximal quadriceps tendon, went for INR 1 lakh.Wicketkeeper batter LR Chethan, who played for Gulbarga Mystics last season, was the most expensive player at the auction, joining Bengaluru Blasters at a price of INR 8.2 lakh. Blasters will be led by Mayank Agarwal, who was retained along with Suraj Ahuja, Shubhang Hegde, and Mohsin Khan. Legspinner Shreyas went to Mangaluru Dragons for INR 7.6 lakh.Mystics retained Devdutt Padikkal, who missed the previous season due to injury, along with Vijaykumar Vyshak and acquired the services of Luvnith Sisodia for INR 7.2 lakh. Defending champions Hubli Tigers secured legspinner KC Cariappa for INR 4.2 lakh. They will once again be led by Manish Pandey and also have fast bowler Vidwath Kaverappa in their ranks.The 2024 season of the Maharaja Trophy is likely to be held from September 15 to October 1 with all the matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Maharaja Trophy squadsHubli Tigers: Manish Pandey, Shrijith KL, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Manvanth Kumar L, Cariappa KC, Mohammed Taha, Thippa Reddy, Karthikeya KP, Kumar LR, Aadarsh Prajwal, Kruthik Krishna, Aneeshwar Gautam, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Shreesha S Acahar, Daman Deep Singh, Mitrakant Yadav, Nishchith Pai, Rishi BopannaMysore Warriors: Karun Nair, Karthik CA, Manoj Bhandage, Karthik S U, Suchith J, Gowtham K, Vidyadhar Patil, Venkatesh M, Harshil Dharmani, Goutham Mishra, Dhanush Gowda, Samit Dravid, Deepak Devadiga, Sumit Kumar, Smayan Srivastava, Jasper EJ, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Sarfaraz AshrafShivamogga Lions: Abhinav Manohar, Nihal Ullal, Koushik V, Shivaraj S, Pradeep T, Hardik Raj, Dhruv Prabhakar, Anand Doddamani, Rajvir Wadhwa, Avinash D, Dheeraj Mohan, Bharath Dhuri, Aadithya Vishwa Karma, Aditya Mani, Rohit K, Rohan Naveen, Sharath HS, Mohith BAGulbarga Mystics: Devdutt Padikkal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Smaran R, Aneesh KV, Pravin Dubey, Luvnith Sisodia, Sharath BR, Aaditya Nair, Monish Reddy, Sharan Goud, Yashovardhan Parantap, Nathan Dmello Joachim, Faizan Riaz, Ritesh Bhatkal, Wahid Faizan Khan, Abhishek Prabhakar, Prithvi Shekhawat, Shimon LuizBengaluru Blasters: Shubhang Hegde, Mayank Agarwal, Mohsin Khan, Suraj Ahuja, Anirudha Joshi, Naveen MG, Prateek Jain, Chethan LR, Melu Kranthi Kumar, Santokh Singh, Aditya Goyal, Rakshith S, Varun Rao TN, Niranjan Naik, Lavish Kaushal, Varun Kumar HC, Shikhar Shetty, Bheem Rao NavaleMangaluru Dragons: Rohan Patil, Paras Gurbax Arya, Siddharth KV, Nikin Jose, Shreyas Gopal, Dheeraj J Gowda, Darshan MB, Macneil Hadley Noronha, Tushar Singh, Lankesh KS, Samarth Nagaraj, Sankalp SS, Abhilash Shetty, Nischith Rao, Lochan S Gowda, Pranav Bhatia, Sanjay Ashwin, Sagar Solanki
Aston Villa now want to sign a “world-class” ace from Chelsea who could be a potential replacement for Emi Martinez, according to a recent report.
Latest on Emi Martinez’s future at Aston Villa
Martinez has now not only established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League but also one of the best in world football after his heroics with Aston Villa and his national team. His move to Villa Park back in September 2020 proved to be a real turning point in his career, but despite how good he’s become and the fact he is under contract until 2029, his future at the club is in extreme doubt.
Aston Villa'sEmilianoMartinezreacts after Paris St Germain's Nuno Mendes scores
That is because at the beginning of last month it was reported that Unai Emery is ready to move on from the Argentine and sell him this summer. It was reported then that teams from Saudi Arabia were showing the most interest, but now the likes of Manchester United and Atlético Madrid have also expressed significant interest.
Before the season ended, Emery refused to say whether Martinez would still be an Aston Villa player next season.
“We will see. Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don’t know. We will see about the team and the players, but of course, they are responding on the field.”
He's scored at Villa Park: Aston Villa racing to sign "fantastic" £42m star
Only Jacob Murphy, Mohamed Salah and Anthony Elanga assisted more goals than him last season…
1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 12, 2025
Martinez has been away with Argentina, helping his country qualify for the World Cup in 2026, and speculation over his future hasn’t gone away, with his wife, Mandinha, speaking about her husband’s tears at Villa’s final home league game.
“He wasn’t in tears. No. Anybody who knows Emi knows he is an emotional character, and that’s who he is. It just shows you how much he loves the Villa fans. I love the Villa fans. We love Villa.”
Aston Villa want to sign Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea
But as Villa still weigh up what to do about Martinez’s future at the club, according to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have registered their interest in signing Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea, after he spent last season on loan in France with Strasbourg.
The report states that Chelsea have now put their goalkeeper up for sale, given the Serbian asked to be left out of the club’s Club World Cup squad, as he wants assurances on regular game time. Chelsea’s decision to sell him has now alerted teams like Aston Villa, who could be in the market for a new number one.
The Villans are not alone in their pursuit though, as Brentford, Wolves, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and Fiorentina have also registered their interest. The report states that the Blues would be looking to get £25 million for Petrovic, which is double the £12.5 million they paid back in August 2023 when they signed him from New England Revolution.
Djordje Petrovic’s 24/25 Ligue 1 stats
Apps
31
Clean sheets
10
Goals conceded
38
Goals conceded per game
1.2
Saves made per game
3.6 (74%)
Penalties saved
1/8
Passing accuracy per game
36.0 (79%)
Errors leading to shot
1
Errors leading to goal
0
Petrovic finished his campaign on loan with 10 clean sheets in 31 Ligue 1 games, as manager Liam Rosenior labelled his goalkeeper “world-class”.
Glasgow Rangers restored some pride when they avoided defeat to their city rivals in their last match in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.
The Light Blues had already had their second-placed finish confirmed, as Celtic won the league title at the end of last month, but they avoided their misery being compounded with a defeat.
Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring for the Gers in front of their home supporters with a composed finish before the break, but Adam Idah secured a point for the away side with a clever turn and finish inside the box in the second 45.
Whilst it was a decent point for the Light Blues, that result did extend Barry Ferguson’s winless run to six matches in all competitions, and he has won just four of his 12 games in charge so far.
There were some more positives to extract from the 1-1 draw with Celtic, though, including the performance of central midfielder Mohamed Diomande.
The Ivorian star assisted the goal from Dessers and won nine of his 12 duels throughout the game, as he showed that fans can be excited about what he could produce next season.
Why Rangers fans should be excited about Mohamed Diomande
The 2024/25 campaign has been the left-footed star’s first full season at Ibrox, having joined on a permanent deal last summer after his initial five-month loan, and he now has plenty of experience under his belt.
Mohamed Diomande
Diomande has played 70 matches in all competitions for the Light Blues to date, including 51 in the current campaign, and is now primed to kick on as a star for the club next term, having had 18 months of experience in Glasgow.
It did not take too long for the central midfielder to announce himself in Scottish football after his initial loan move from FC Nordsjælland, as he scored against St. Johnstone in February 2024.
His performances in that loan spell led to the club deciding to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2024, with Philippe Clement in charge, and he has kicked on to become a key player in the current campaign.
Diomande showed potential as a goalscorer, as shown by his stunning strike against St. Johnstone, and as an all-action defender in his time on loan, but his creative quality has shone through this term.
Appearances
13
33
Goals
2
4
Big chances created
1
10
Assists
0
7
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
1.8
Ball recoveries per game
4.8
4.3
Duel success rate
52%
55%
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star has created nine more ‘big chances’ and delivered seven more assists than he did in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign for the Light Blues.
Rangers fans should, therefore, be excited about what the £12k-per-week star could do next season, after 18 months of adjusting to Scottish football, as he has already shown plenty of signs of promise in the Premiership with his work in and out of possession.
Mohamed Diomande
Diomande provides great value for money, given that he is the 12th-highest earner at Ibrox, but that is not the case for every player in the squad. In fact, one of the players who should be sold by the 49ers this summer, Kieran Dowell, earns even more than the Ivorian.
Why Rangers should sell Kieran Dowell
The English attacking midfielder reportedly earns £16k-per-week, which is more than the likes of Diomande, Hamza Igamane, Jefte, and John Souttar, among others.
He has, however, not provided value for money for those wages because the former Norwich City man was deemed not good enough for the squad in January and was loaned out to English League One side Birmingham City.
Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell.
Dowell enjoyed a successful second half of the season with the Blues, who won the League One title with a staggering 111 points, as he caught the eye with goals and assists.
The left-footed star ended the campaign with five goals, nine ‘big chances’ created, and four assists in 19 appearances in the third tier of English football, and is now set to return to Ibrox this summer.
Birmingham do not have an option to make the deal permanent but manager Chris Davies revealed that they will explore the possibility of a move to bring him back to England ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 49ers, once the takeover is finalised, and sporting director Kevin Thelwell must take advantage of this interest from the Blues in order to ensure that Dowell never plays at Ibrox again.
Kieran Dowell
He has one year left on his contract in Glasgow and this means that the upcoming summer transfer window would be the best time to cash in on the attacking midfielder if they are not planning to extend his contract beyond next year.
Dowell’s performances for Rangers since his move to Scotland on a free transfer from Norwich City in the summer of 2023 do not suggest that the 49ers should be aiming to extend his deal.
Appearances
12
12
Starts
5
2
Goals
2
0
Big chances created
1
4
Assists
2
0
Duel success rate
49%
46%
As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old flop failed to nail down a place in the starting XI on a regular basis under Michael Beale or Clement, and only contributed two goals and two assists in 24 appearances in the Premiership.
His underperformance on the pitch for the Light Blues in his first 18 months at Ibrox led to him being loaned out in the January transfer window, which shows that he was deemed surplus to requirements at the start of the year.
Therefore, Dowell has not done enough to justify his £16k-per-week wages, particularly when the impressive Diomande earns even less than him in Glasgow, and that is one of the reasons why the 49ers must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.
The Gers should attempt to extract a fee from Birmingham for the English dud and ensure that he does not play for Rangers at Ibrox ever again, because the midfielder has not done enough in a Light Blues shirt to suggest that he would be a key player for the next manager coming in.
Not just Gerrard: "Error prone" Rangers star must not be part of 49ers era
Steven Gerrard is not the only big name who should not be part of the 49ers era at Rangers.
After their win over Fulham during the week, it was another disappointing Premier League affair on Saturday for Arsenal.
The title race may be all but over, but Mikel Arteta and Co would still have been hoping for a win over Everton ahead of the must-win clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow night.
Instead, the Gunners played out another dismal draw against the Toffees, and while they never really looked in danger of losing, they didn’t look like winning either.
It was another encounter that demonstrated the North Londoners’ need for a new striker, and the good news is that recent reports have touted one of the most exciting in Europe for a move to the club, a striker who’d be a better signing than Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal striker search
It’s no secret that the area of the squad Arsenal need to strengthen the most this summer is centre-forward, so recent reports linking them to players like Sesko are no surprise.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
The RB Leipzig star is one of the most exciting up-and-coming number nines on the continent at the moment, has amassed a tally of 25 goal involvements in 39 appearances and, per reports from earlier this month, remains a key target for the Gunners.
However, while he would undoubtedly help improve Arteta’s attacking options, there is another target who’d be an even bigger game-changer: Viktor Gyokeres.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal’s strong interest in the Swedish superstar has intensified over the last week.
Moreover, in even better news, the report has revealed that the player’s representatives will attend the game against Real tomorrow night, indicating that further talks may take place.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates after the match
The report does not reveal a potential fee, but according to stories from late last month, the former Coventry City marksman could be available for around £58m in the summer.
It could still be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ immense ability, it is well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a far better signing than Sesko.
How Gyokeres compares to Sesko
So, while both strikers would certainly improve Arsenal’s attack next season, why would Gyorkeres be the better signing?
Well, while there are a few reasons, the most significant is their respective output, as, after all, they’re number nines.
For example, since the start of last season, the Sporting CP star has scored 86 goals and provided 26 assists in just 93 appearances, which comes out to a simply staggering average of 1.20 goal involvements every game.
Sesko vs Gyokeres since 23/24
Player
Sesko
Gyokeres
Appearances
81
93
Minutes
4918′
7599′
Goals
37
86
Assists
8
26
Goal Involvements per Match
0.55
1.20
Minutes per Goal Involvement
109.28′
67.84′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In contrast, the Slovenian international has scored 37 goals and provided eight assists in 81 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.80 games.
Now, it is true that the Leipzig star is playing in a more challenging league, but when we look at their output from their time in the Champions League, it’s once again clear who the superior striker is.
For example, the “complete” Stockholm-born monster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored six goals in eight UCL appearances, while the former RB Salzburg gem has six in 28 games.
Lastly, Sesko is still just 21, and while he could become a superstar in the future, he is not entirely developed, whereas, at 26, Gyokeres could come into Arteta’s team as the finished article and immediately lead the line.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal
Ultimately, while he may cost a significant amount of money, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign the Sporting star this summer over the Leipzig ace.
Alongside Gyokeres: Arsenal make contact to sign ace who'd revive Odegaard
Arsenal could be set for a huge summer with Viktor Gyokeres and one other player firmly on their list.
He has been one of the star performers in the domestic circuit in the recent past, and has done his bit to put Central Zone in pole position to win the Duleep Trophy title
Ashish Pant15-Sep-2025In the last 12 months, no offspinner has more wickets in first-class cricket in India than Saransh Jain’s 44. Add to that his 311 runs, and he is one of just four players with the double of 300-plus runs and 40-plus wickets in the last one year. In a country with an abundance of left-arm orthodox spinners, Jain falls in the rare category of an offspin-bowling allrounder. And often, he’s been the difference in bowling attacks for whichever team he has played for.Think back to the Irani Trophy last year when, playing for Rest of India, he picked up 6 for 121 in Mumbai’s second innings, which included the wickets of Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan.Or in the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy semi-final, where he beat Ruturaj Gaikwad in flight and had him stumped on 184, finishing with eight wickets for the match.Related
Patidar hails spinners Kartikeya and Jain in Duleep Trophy victory
'I love playing risk-free cricket' – Rathod extends red-ball dream
How Kartikeya turned the Duleep final on its head
In the final as well, Jain’s flight and dip, coupled with his high-arm action, troubled the South Zone batters in the first innings as he returned 5 for 49. And then, in the second innings, he added three more to his tally to make it 16 wickets for the tournament, taking Central Zone to the doorstep of a first Duleep Trophy title in 11 years.”I am pleased that I have given a good performance in both these matches because it is very important,” Jain, now 32, told ESPNcricinfo after the fourth day’s play in the final. “The season starts with the Duleep Trophy, so the momentum that you get here carries through the season.”If you remember, I also had a good performance in the Irani tournament last year. See, the thing is, if you want to get highlighted, you need to give back-to-back performances. Only then will the national selectors look at you and select you.”A key feature of Jain’s bowling is adapting to different situations. In the semi-final on the black-soil surface of Ground B of the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he varied his pace and got the ball to skid, apart from deceiving the batters in the air.On the opening day of the final, on realising he was extracting extra bounce, he gave the ball a lot more air, getting it to grip and jump. Then, on the fourth day, when Ankit Sharma and C Andre Siddarth were involved in a 192-run seventh-wicket stand, he was prepared to take a step back and play the containing role, waiting for the batters to make a mistake.
“When I bat, I compare myself with Rajat [Patidar] and other good batsmen. In bowling, I know what I have to do. But in batting, I try and see how these top-order batters go about their innings and I play accordingly”Saransh Jain
“I have been playing cricket for a long time, so I have faced such situations,” Jain said of his fourth-day tactics. “We were not panicking. This happens in cricket. We can’t always have all five days going our way. One session, one-odd day, can belong to the opposition as well.”We were fine with them having a few sessions going their way. It is not that tough a wicket where the runs wouldn’t get scored. Our main aim was to not leak too many runs. We just wanted to take the game as deep as possible as we were already on top.”A major reason behind Central Zone’s dominance in the final has been the partnership between Jain and Kumar Kartikeya, the duo – who have played for Madhya Pradesh together for a long time – picking up 16 of the 20 South Zone wickets to fall.”We have a clear mindset,” Jain said. “If he bowls well, I support him. And vice-versa. And if he is having an off day, or I am having an off day, we tell each other where we are going wrong. We give each other a lot of input.”Like Rajat [Patidar] and Shubham [Sharma] are my batting partners, Kartikeya is my bowling partner, and has been for a long time.”Saransh Jain punches the ball away during his half-century in the Duleep Trophy final•PTI While bowling is Jain’s stronger suit, he takes a lot of pride in his batting. He said he talked a lot with his Madhya Pradesh team-mates Patidar and Shubham on how to improve his skills and trained a lot. In the last 12 months, Jain has scored three first-class fifties, including back-to-back half-centuries in the Duleep Trophy semi-final and final.”I have liked batting since childhood. If you want to play cricket as a spinner, you can’t just be a bowler. You have to be a proper batter,” Jain said. “I have opened the batting, played at No. 3 in the Ranji Trophy, in a semi-final [against Bengal in 2022-23], and have scored runs.”When I bat, I compare myself with Rajat and other good batsmen. In bowling, I know what I have to do. But in batting, I try and see how these top-order batters go about their innings and I play accordingly.”Jain had won the Lala Amarnath Award for the best allrounder in the Ranji Trophy after the 2022-23 season. With the next Ranji season a month away, it’s a feat he said he wanted to repeat in his quest for the bigger goal, which is “to see the India logo on my jersey”.
The lack of T20Is after the World Cup played a key part in shaping the list while Jhye Richardson still has the selectors’ backing
Andrew McGlashan and Alex Malcolm28-Mar-20240:41
Is Steven Smith’s best cricket behind him?
All to play for among Test batting reservesWhen Matt Renshaw was recalled to the Test squad earlier this year it was made clear he was considered the next best batter in Australia. That no longer seems to be the case. By the time Renshaw toured New Zealand he was averaging 24.93 in the Sheffield Shield and has since not received a CA contract. It is highly likely that the XI that played in Christchurch will be the same which starts at Perth against India in November, but the spare batting position is now wide open which leaves much to play for early in next season’s Shield and a likely Australia A-India A red-ball series.Related
'It gives me flexibility' – Agar opts for freelance life while still committing to Australia
'Drained' Zampa withdrew from IPL to put family and body first
Aussies in county cricket: big opportunity for fringe names to push Test credentials
Sheffield Shield team of the season: Webster, Davies, McAndrew… and who else?
Stoinis and Agar lose CA deals while Bartlett earns full contract
“Think it’s open for anyone to jump up and grab the opportunity,” George Bailey, the chair of selectors, said. “We were really clear with Matt, and not only Matt, the guys who missed out as well, it was a really close decision to take him on that New Zealand tour. I guess a blank page is a good way of describing it. I know Marcus Harris is one who has come off contract but he’s firmly in that mix as well, Cam Bancroft, Nathan McSweeney has had a wonderful season as well.”It is not the first time Bailey has name-checked McSweeney, who averaged 40.10 for South Australia in a bowler-dominated season and also captained Australia A, while Aaron Hardie (a new inclusion on the contract list) was also given another mention along with Beau Webster and Josh Inglis’ credentials as a specialist batter.Matt Renshaw was Australia’s spare batter over the last few months, but a host of players could now be in the mix•Getty ImagesNext full-time opener will likely be an openerThe big selection call this season was to promote Steven Smith to open the batting so that Cameron Green could return at No. 4. Though it was an uncertain start for Smith, who averages 28.50 after four Tests in the position, a major shift would have to occur for him not to retain the role against India. But Bailey indicated that when a permanent opening vacancy next comes up it is highly likely to be a specialist who takes the role.”Not saying it won’t happen [promoting a middle-order player] but think there’s probably less chance of that happening,” Bailey said. “That’s something I hope I’ve made clear in chatting to the opening batters who missed out, it’s not that we don’t value the position, it was a unique situation and I would say it’s probably likely that the next opportunity goes to a top-order player.Australia men’s contracts 2024-25
Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa In: Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matt Short, Aaron Hardie Out: Michael Neser, Marcus Harris, David Warner, Ashton Agar, Marcus Stoinis Extensions not retained: Matthew Wade, Tim David, Tanveer Sangha, Jason Behrendorff, Spencer Johnson
Horses for coursesBut there are still times when Australia may get creative. Aside from the five-match series against India, the other Tests that fall in the next contract period are two games in Sri Lanka from late January 2025, which will be Australia’s final qualifying matches of the current WTC cycle.Travis Head could be an option to open in those Tests, while Glenn Maxwell, who was close to playing on the 2022 tour of Sri Lanka, remains firmly in consideration having been ruled out of last year’s India series due to a broken leg. Inglis’ dexterity against spin is highly regarded and could work in his favour purely for a batting role.”I think we’ve shown in the past that we have other options in terms of throwing guys up in subcontinent conditions if we think that suits,” Bailey said.Ashton Agar has had a difficult 18 months but could yet feature in the T20 World Cup•Getty ImagesAgar a good chance for T20 World CupThe omission of Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis from the list prior to the T20 World Cup was always set to grab attention but it is a case of looking at the fine print. The 2024-25 contracts do not come into effect until July 1 so the T20 World Cup falls in the current contracting period with both players a strong chance of featuring. Bailey indicated it was highly likely the squad would include a second frontline spinner.”Those guys have both obviously got contracts this year and are firmly a part of our planning around that T20 World Cup,” Bailey said. “The balance of the squad think will probably lend itself to having that second spinner there…Glenn Maxwell is a pretty handy white-ball spinner and we don’t necessarily consider him a part-time option, so he’s one that we consider a frontline option in that space. Zamps [Adam Zampa] will clearly be there and I think there will be opportunities potentially for one more.”What it means for the future of those two players beyond the World Cup is interesting. Agar is only 30, but he missed out on selection in the ODI World Cup last year due to injury having also missed out on the XI for the T20 World Cup win in the UAE in 2021. He has lost his way in red-ball cricket having slipped down the pecking order as the reserve Test spinner and was not selected as WA’s main Sheffield Shield spinner in the second half of the season due to Corey Rocchiccioli’s rise. There is still a possibility he could be in the mix for the Sri Lanka Test tour but at present, he will head back onto WA’s list as a domestic white-ball player only.Marcus Stoinis could be heading towards a freelance career•Getty ImagesStoinis, 34, is in a different phase. He has already spoken with the selectors about where his international career is headed. A freelance career likely beckons beyond the T20 World Cup but he has not closed the door on ODI cricket and still has desires to play in the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, the elevation of Hardie and Matt Short as well as the continued development of Green in 50-over cricket, will make it hard for him to reach Pakistan.Tim David is another who is in an interesting spot. He qualified for a contract upgrade in this 2023-24 period and is going to be a key member of the T20 World Cup side. Bailey noted there are only six T20Is in the next contract period, which is why David was omitted.”Tim’s really enjoyed his time with the T20 side and hopefully he feels like a really important member of that team,” Bailey said.Injury-prone Richardson remains a key investment along with BartlettThe selectors are willing to continue investing time in Jhye Richardson•Getty ImagesJhye Richardson has not played an international since June 2022 yet he remains on the contract list for a second straight year despite a horror domestic summer where he played in just two Marsh Cup games, one Sheffield Shield match and eight BBL matches due to another shoulder dislocation and a severe side strain.He has gone to the IPL with Delhi Capitals after a long and deliberate rehabilitation period with WA but has yet to play. Bailey confirmed that despite all his issues, Richardson remains in the frame for the upcoming T20 World Cup.”Some of those injuries have been incredibly unfortunate and there’s a few things we can continue to work with Jhye and with WA on how we try and map out Jhye’s next 12 months and hopefully see him on the park for longer,” Bailey said. “There’s a high skillset there and he doesn’t need a great deal of cricket to be able to get his skills back on track. We’re excited that he’s over in India. Hopefully he gets a couple of opportunities in the IPL and he’s another one who is in the mix for that T20 World Cup as well.”The addition of Xavier Bartlett is a rapid rise given he was not playing for Queensland at the start of the recent home summer due to a back injury and seemed a long way off international selection. But a stand-out BBL saw him vault into the ODI and T20I sides. He has seemingly jumped Spencer Johnson. They are different bowlers in some ways but both are great white-ball prospects.However, 2024-25 features a Champions Trophy and very little T20I cricket. Bartlett’s durability across the three formats, but particularly in 50-over cricket where he swings the new ball in a format that features two new white balls and a 10-over powerplay, has seen him contracted ahead of Johnson.”We certainly like the skillset across all three formats.” Bailey said. “Ongoing it will just be that challenge of prioritising what he’s available for and when and keeping his body trending in the right direction. Hopefully another huge 12 months ahead for him.”In terms of Test cricket, Bailey said that Michael Neser’s omission from the list did not mean his standing in that format had reduced and remained in the mix alongside contracted duo Scott Boland and Lance Morris.
From being unable to score 200 in three Ashes ODIs, they went toe-to-toe in a chase of 311 against Australia in the World Cup
Valkerie Baynes05-Mar-2022England took a big step towards addressing their Ashes shortcomings with a batting display that threatened to steal the show from Australia in their opening World Cup clash in Hamilton on Saturday.Nat Sciver’s frustration was palpable in her post-match press conference after she had scored an unbeaten century at better than a run-a-ball and kept England in the contest right to the last over, when they needed 16 runs to overhaul a target of 311 and upset the tournament favourites.Jess Jonassen was entrusted with bowling the final over after she had been used sparingly, conceding 16 runs off her only two overs for the match to that point, including a six over long-off to Heather Knight and four thundered to long-on by Tammy Beaumont, the England pair putting on a 92-run stand for the second wicket.Jonassen’s 13th ball was a leg bye, while her return catch to dismiss Katherine Brunt on the next delivery was one of the best you’ll see and had the bowler herself looking completely bemused after her left hand shot out above her head, seemingly of its own accord, and grasped the ball just as instinctively. Jonassen conceded just two singles off her next three deliveries before she had Sophie Ecclestone caught off the last ball to seal victory by 12 runs.Related
Keightley happy for Australia to carry 'extra pressure' of favourites tag
Shrubsole: 2017 glory will have 'zero bearing' on England approach
Haynes-Lanning record stand studs close Australia win
Stats – England and Australia produce 608 runs, the third-highest aggregate in Women's ODIs
Given that Australia had bowled England out for well below 200 as they swept the ODI leg of their recent Ashes series 3-0, and that England’s middle order had struggled to gel for some time, the fact that they strung together two more fifty-plus partnerships – Sciver with Sophia Dunkley and again with Brunt – showed their commitment to move on from the loss. Beaumont scored 74 and Knight 40, while the fact that Dunkley and Brunt also contributed valuable runs added further proof that their demoralising 12-4 series defeat in Australia was behind them.Sciver had scored 108 as England defeated Bangladesh by 109 runs in a warm-up match before the tournament, but for England to take the match to the Australians was another thing entirely.”From the Ashes we’ve wanted to make a shift as batters, a shift in our mindset really, and bringing that intent a bit more which, we had done during the warm-up game,” Sciver said. “So to bring it out against Australia was really important and everyone did their job today in terms of that.”I felt like we were [winning], we were going to get it. The first ball [of the last over], I wasn’t really sure as to what lengths she [Jonassen] was going to bowl, obviously keep it tight to me, but I felt like if I got that one away, it would have happened a bit easier. Katherine had also come in and played spin really well so, I mean, that catch to get Katherine out was pretty special. That goes through her hand and goes for four, it might be different.”England had opted to play seven batters and rely on an experienced attack of four seamers and one spinner but, despite winning the toss and sending Australia in on a pitch that proved difficult to score on for the first quarter of the match, they struggled to make inroads as centurion Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (86) and Beth Mooney (27* off 19) showed their class.It then fell to England’s batters to put into action the plans they had discussed during an intense post-Ashes review which included, among other things, scoring 250 or more.”Us all agreeing amongst ourselves and committing to that was really important,” Sciver said. “It feels frustrating, but also really encouraging. From where we were at the end of the Ashes, I think we were in a pretty low spot, but to be able to turn that around in a couple of weeks is really important.”To be able to take that into the rest of the tournament – I think we’ve already seen a lot of high-scoring games – so it’s important for us to do.”While England failed to get across the line against Australia, their next opponents, West Indies, upset host New Zealand in another thriller at Mount Maunganui on Friday. Hayley Matthews and Sophie Devine both scored centuries on opposite sides of the result, which was secured in the final over by Deandra Dottin’s two wickets and hand in a run out as West Indies won by three runs. England will play West Indies in Dunedin on Tuesday.