Manchester United have started talks with a big club over the sale of a “world-class” Red Devils player, according to a new update from Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

Several struggling attackers could leave Man Utd

Wholesale changes are needed in Ruben Amorim’s attack in the summer transfer window, both in terms of signings coming in and current players moving on, following a dismal 2024/25 season at Old Trafford.

Jadon Sancho was loaned out to Chelsea last summer, following an underwhelming three years in a United shirt, while Marcus Rashford and Antony also departed on a temporary basis midway through the campaign, joining Aston Villa and Real Betis respectively.

Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund experienced a hugely taxing period leading the line for the Red Devils, scoring just four goals in 32 Premier League appearances, while Joshua Zirkzee didn’t exactly set the world alight after completing a move from Bologna.

For that reason, it’s no surprise that a host of attacking players have been linked with a move to United this summer, with Matheus Cunha already arriving from Wolves. Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike are reportedly being considered, with the former looking likely to come in.

Man Utd in talks to sell Jadon Sancho

According to Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio [via Sport Witness], Manchester United have entered talks with Juventus over the sale of Sancho in the last few hours. The Serie A giants are said to have “intervened” in Friday, looking to beat Napoli to the signing of the 25-year-old, having had a long-time interest in him.

Believed to be on more than £250,000-a-week, Sancho has been an undoubted disappointment for United, also struggling to impress at Chelsea, only starting half of the Blues’ league matches last term (19) and bagging only four assists in 31 outings in the competition overall.

For that reason, it does make sense for the Red Devils to part ways with the Englishman permanently, even though Lucien Favre has waxed lyrical over him in the past.

“Jadon’s a world-class player, no question about that – but you have to remember he’s only 19 years old. It’s hard to be outstanding in every game.”

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Sadly, Sancho simply hasn’t backed up his early-career hype when he was at Borussia Dortmund, and at 25, there is a feeling that he will never reach his vast potential that existed at that point.

United need to sign attackers who can consistently perform and produce end product on a weekly basis, and Sancho has shown for long enough now that he can’t be that player in the Premier League.

Jadon Sancho’s key career stats	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Borussia Dortmund	158	53	67
Man Utd	83	12	6
Chelsea	41	5	10

A move to Serie A could benefit him however, in terms of the pace and physicality of the league not being as intense as the English game, with United using the funds received for the winger on a summer upgrade.

During the recently concluded LPL, spin held sway over pace in Pallekele – will that trend continue in this T20I series?

Hemant Brar26-Jul-2024

Charith Asalanka and Suryakumar Yadav pose with the trophy•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture: New beginningsIt will be the start of a new T20I era for both India and Sri Lanka when they come face-to-face in Pallekele on Saturday. For India, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from the format and Suryakumar Yadav has been named the new captain. Sri Lanka have moved on from Angelo Mathews, while Charith Asalanka has replaced Wanindu Hasaranga at the helm. Both teams have a new head coach as well. India have got Gautam Gambhir and Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya, the latter in an interim capacity, though.While it is a new beginning for both teams, their starting points could not have been more different. India recently ended their long-awaited ICC trophy drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, a tournament where Sri Lanka were knocked out in the first round.After that, India sent a second-string side to Zimbabwe where they won the five-match T20I series 4-1. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan players were busy with the Lanka Premier League where Asalanka led Jaffna Kings to the title.Both Asalanka and Suryakumar have previously led their national sides. Asalanka in two T20Is against Bangladesh earlier this year and Suryakumar in seven T20Is in late 2023 against Australia and South Africa.Related

Asalanka: 'If you perform in the LPL, you should get a chance in the national team'

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Shubman Gill keen to improve his T20I performance

India are still not at full strength for this series, though. Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best bowler in the world right now, has been rested. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been dealt a few blows even before the start of the series. First, they lost Dushmantha Chameera (bronchitis), then Nuwan Thushara (broken finger), and now Binura Fernando, who has been hospitalised with a chest infection. There is a flu going around their camp, forcing them to call up allrounder Ramesh Mendis as a standby.Form guideSri Lanka WLLWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWLIn the spotlight: Matheesha Pathirana and Shubman GillPlaying for Colombo Strikers, Matheesha Pathirana was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the LPL with 15 scalps in nine matches. What stood out even more was his death bowling. In that phase, his economy of 7.02 was easily the best among those who bowled at least five overs at death. Throughout the tournament, Pathirana never bowled more than one over in the first half of the innings, a template likely to be followed by Sri Lanka as well. And having played in the IPL since 2022, Pathirana has plenty of experience of bowling to India batters.Shubman Gill is India’s new white-ball vice-captain•SLC

Shubman Gill has admitted that his performance in T20Is leading up to the T20 World Cup was not up to expectations. From August 2023 until the World Cup, he scored 133 runs in eight T20Is, at an average of 16.62 and a strike rate of 126.66. While he did much better in the IPL – 426 runs at an average of 38.72 and a strike rate of 147.40 – once India made their mind to open with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the World Cup, there was no room for Gill in the squad. But the selectors have shown their faith by naming him the vice-captain for both ODIs and T20Is. It is up to Gill now to repay it.Team news: India to play three spinners?Kusal Perera had an excellent LPL as an opener. But with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis being the first choice for that role, Perera will have to fight it out with Avishka Fernando for a No. 3 role.Sri Lanka 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Avishka Fernando/Kusal Perera, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Asitha Fernando, 10 Dilshan Madushanka, 11 Matheesha PathiranaGiven the conditions, India are likely to pick Ravi Bishnoi as a third spinner over Khaleel Ahmed. Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag will compete for one middle-order spot.India 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Rishabh Pant (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Ravi Bishnoi/Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Mohammed SirajMatheesha Pathirana had a successful LPL•SLC

Pitch and conditions: Spin over seamIn the LPL, the average first-innings total in Pallekele across five matches was 185. During those games, spinners fared much better, registering an economy of 7.64, as compared to fast bowlers, who went for 10.58 runs per over.There is a forecast for rain during the daytime but not in the evening. So the match should be largely unaffected.Stats and trivia: India’s dominance Sri Lanka have beaten India only once in a bilateral T20I series, when they won 2-1 at home in 2021. India have won 15 out of 16 T20Is they have played this year. Their only defeat came against Zimbabwe earlier this month. Suryakumar (133) is currently fifth on the list of most sixes in T20Is. Five more sixes and he will be third.Quotes”I don’t want to change a lot. I want to try to get the best out of my players, and build an environment where they can be free and do their best.”
“Hardik [Pandya] has had the same role throughout and that’s not going to change. He’s a very important player for the team and we want him to continue the things he did in the World Cup.”

Trent Rockets 145 for 7 beat Manchester Originals 144 for 8 by one runJordan Thompson stole the show and the match at Emirates Old Trafford, defending two runs from the final three balls of the game to secure Trent Rockets an improbable victory over Manchester Originals.On a day of last-ball finishes – after Originals women won the first game of the day by one run – it was once again the bowling side who ended up on top at the death when many may have been backing the batting side.Sikandar Raza scored 21 from 12 balls to take Originals to the brink, but when he was run out with one ball to go it left Max Holden (40) requiring two runs for the hosts. Holden could only top-edge his attempted pull to Sam Hain on the leg-side, much to the delight of Thompson and his Rockets teammates.Tom Banton got Rockets off to a flier at the top of the match, supported by Rovman Powell (27) and a big-hitting cameo from Rashid Khan (15), making his first appearance in the Hundred this year.Tom Hartley’s 3 for 25 on a slow pitch perhaps suggested it wouldn’t be the easiest chase for the Originals, especially with spin duo Rashid and Imad Wasim in their attack, but when Paul Walter cleared the ropes on three occasions the home fans began to dream about a day of double-header victories.Three wickets fell to those Rockets spinners in six balls to put doubts in the mind of the Originals faithful, but Raza looked to have allayed those fears until Thompson nipped in to make it two wins from two for Andy Flower’s Trent Rockets.Meerkat Match Hero Banton said: “The emotions are very up and down! Obviously they played extremely well to get to a very close ending and that’s what The Hundred is about, attracting the crowd. It was a good game.”My job at the top is to try and put their bowlers under pressure. I want to respect their good balls when they’re there, but when they’re in my scoring zone try and take it to them. And luckily it was my day.”That’s what we want to do. At the start of the competition we talked about qualifying and obviously two wins from two is a good start.”

If Mikel Arteta could pick any striker in world football to bring to Arsenal this summer then it’s likely Alexander Isak would be at the top of their list.

The Gunners looked at adding the impressive Swede to their ranks before he actually signed for Newcastle, but were reportedly put off by his asking price.

How foolish they were. Isak has become a genuine phenomenon in the following years, notably scoring as many as 27 goals in 42 games throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

In comparison, Arsenal struggled in front of goal. No player scored double figures in the league and their leading bagsman was Kai Havertz on 15.

Sadly, Isak now looks to be off the table. Liverpool are also dreaming of a move but with a reported £150m asking price and the Toon having secured Champions League football, signing the forward is now a pipe dream.

Arsenal's Isak alternatives

Much of the chatter so far this summer has revolved around two men; Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.

Sesko has been of interest for quite some time now but the asking price of both players, as it did with Isak a few years ago, is proving problematic.

Sesko is now thought to have an asking price of between £68m to £85m. That’s according to Sky Germany who still insist that Arsenal have a ‘positive’ feeling a deal can be done.

So, how about Gyokeres? Well, according to reports from Portuguese outlet, Record, Arsenal have put a £55m offer on the table. That isn’t deemed enough by his club, Sporting CP.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As a result, the report notes that Andrea Berta and Co are set to turn their attention to another striker. That man is Ollie Watkins.

Indeed, it’s speculated that the Gunners have put their efforts to sign Gyokeres on hold and will begin drawing up plans to sign Watkins instead.

It’s stated that talks have already been held with the Aston Villa forward’s representatives.

Arsenal tried to do a deal for Watkins back in January but with Jhon Duran heading to Saudi, a move felt impossible with all bids rejected.

Why Watkins could become Arsenal's very own Isak

Isak hasn’t just been one of the most impressive centre-forwards in the Premier League, but he’s also now one of the best in Europe, notably even heralded as “the best striker in the world” by analyst Raj Chohan.

Indeed, over the last two seasons, he’s been right up there as far as goal scorers are concerned, bagging 44 in 64 matches. The only two players to better that record? Erling Haaland and Mo Salah.

1. Erling Haaland

62

49

2. Mo Salah

70

47

3. Alexander Isak

64

44

4. Cole Plamer

71

37

5. Ollie Watkins

75

35

6. Chris Wood

67

34

7. Yoanne Wissa

69

31

8. Jean-Philippe Mateta

72

30

As we can see, the aforementioned Watkins is also right up there. Now said to boast an asking price of £40m, he could be around £100m cheaper than Isak which is rather incredible considering there isn’t much to separate the two players in the last two years. Indeed, only a few years ago, one prominent analyst on social media suggested that he was “a €100m player” if he could score goals regularly in the Premier League.

While he may not be as prolific as he was in 2023/24, if we add assists to the mix as well, the Villa star – who won the Premier League’s Playmaker Award in 2023/24 for creating the most goals – is a better all-around package.

In the last two seasons, Isak has registered just eight assists but Watkins has as many as 21. Compared to the Premier League’s best in that time, only Salah has more.

1. Mo Salah

28

70

2. Ollie Watkins

21

75

3. Anthony Elanga

20

74

4. Bukayo Saka

19

60

5. Cole Palmer

19

71

6. Jacob Murphy

19

56

7. Son Heung-min

19

65

8. Bruno Fernandes

18

71

So, there is a clear difference in their chance creation, but as far as their other attributes go, they’re very alike.

Crucially, not only are they both Premier League proven, something that neither Sesko or Gyokeres can shout about, they share similar traits such as the ability to play on the shoulder of the last man and run in behind.

In Havertz and Mikel Merino, Arteta has two players who lead the line with their back to goal. They don’t have the pace of Watkins or Isak to run beyond the defence. It’s an attribute they have sorely missed in the last few seasons.

They’re also rather proficient carriers of the ball. Over the last two seasons, Newcastle’s star man has registered 2.71 progressive carries per 90 minutes, actually beating Watkins’ efforts of 1.81 per 90.

They combine that with raw pace, too. During Euro 2024, Watkins was clocked at a top speed of 32.4 km/h while Isak has previously been clocked at 33.6 km/h. In comparison, Merino was the third-slowest player in the Premier League at one point during 2024/25, hitting a top speed of just 29.7 km/h.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

So, it’s evident Arsenal need someone who’s a bit more mobile. Isak would guarantee this but with the Swede off the table, Watkins is surely the next best thing as far as proven players in the English top-flight go.

He’s a competent ball carrier, he’s got pace and he’s more efficient in front of goal than the aforementioned Sesko. He’s also far better at creating chances. Over the last two seasons, the England international has amassed 56 goal contributions while Sesko has only managed 34.

If Arsenal want a win-now solution, Watkins is the man.

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ByMatt Dawson Jun 15, 2025

Glasgow Rangers officially kicked off the 2025/26 campaign by playing their first pre-season friendly in front of supporters at Ibrox against Club Brugge on Sunday.

The Light Blues found themselves 2-0 down at half-time, having conceded twice in the opening 12 minutes, but second-half goals from Mohamed Diomande and Findlay Curtis ensured that they avoided defeat.

Russell Martin was without some of his summer signings to choose from, though, as the likes of Thelo Aasgaard and Joe Rothwell, for example, watched on from the sidelines.

The former Scotland international did get to see Emmanuel Fernandez and Max Aarons out on the pitch for the first time, as the Scottish giants ramp up their preparations for their Champions League qualifying clash with Panathinaikos.

Martin will surely be hoping to get Aasgaard up to speed as quickly as possible in the next couple of weeks, because the former Luton attacking midfielder has the potential to be an exciting addition to the team.

Why Thelo Aasgaard is an exciting signing for Rangers

The Gers recently snapped up the 23-year-old attacker on a four-year contract after agreeing a reported fee of £3.5m to sign him from the English League One outfit.

Aasgaard left the Hatters just six months after he signed for the club from Wigan Athletic, as they were relegated from the Championship last season, which activated a relegation release clause in his contract at Kennilworth Road.

Rangers took advantage of that to bring him to Ibrox this summer, and they will now be hoping that he plays a key role on the pitch for Martin for many years to come.

Whilst some supporters may not want to hear this, Aasgaard is similar in style to Todd Cantwell. He is another attacking midfielder who can also play out wide and thrive as a roaming number ten who can carry the ball and dribble past players, rather than being outstanding as a goalscorer or a creator.

Goals

0.12

Top 24%

Progressive carries

1.61

Top 26%

Take-ons attempted

2.74

Top 12%

Successful take-ons

1.31

Top 9%

Touches in opposition penalty box

2.62

Top 14%

Fouls won

1.96

Top 11%

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool-born midfielder thrives with the ball at his feet in the middle of the park, picking it up in pockets of space that allow him to then drive forward into the box, taking players on or winning fouls.

He only produced two goals and one assist in his 17 Championship outings for Luton, though, and Martin may want him to improve his output in the final third at Ibrox.

It is his ball-carrying and willingness to take players on, though, that could make him an exciting signing for the club, who are now eyeing up a forward who would be even more exciting than Aasgaard.

Rangers eyeing Premier League winger

According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are one of the clubs in the race to secure a deal for Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi this summer.

The report claims that the Light Blues are ‘chasing’ a move to sign the left-footed star, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It reveals that Palace are ready to demand a fee of around £10m to allow the right winger to move on from Selhurst Park before the end of the summer transfer window.

Rangers, however, would prefer to land the talented young forward on a season-long loan, rather than to splash the cash out to sign him permanently, but they would be willing to do a permanent deal if the asking price is reduced.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Scottish giants can convince the Eagles to allow the dynamo to leave on loan, which may depend on whether or not any other teams are prepared to meet their £10m valuation for a permanent deal.

Why Rangers should sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Vaclav Cerny returning to Wolfsburg at the end of last season, after his loan spell at Ibrox came to an end, left a hole in the team in the right wing position.

This means that Rak-Sakyi could slot straight into the starting XI as Martin’s right winger to replace the Czechia international, and his form for Sheffield United suggests that he has the potential to make an immediate impact.

Whilst Aasgaard is an exciting player in his own right, due to his technical ability, the Crystal Palace youngster would be even more exciting for supporters because he also has the ability to deliver goals and assists to get fans out of their seats.

The 22-year-old whiz, who produced 15 goals and eight assists in League One for Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign, ended last season with a return of seven goals and two assists in 22 league starts for the Blades.

This shows that he is more likely to make an impact in front of goal than Aasgaard in the Scottish Premiership next season, as the Norway international only managed two goals and one assist in the same division.

xG

0.32

Top 13%

Goals

0.36

Top 11%

xG on target

0.36

Top 9%

xA

0.18

Top 22%

Assists

0.10

Bottom 47%

Successful dribbles

2.44

Top 7%

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking statistics, aside from assists, which shows that his teammates let him down with their wasteful finishing.

The left-footed star, once hailed as “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, is a forward who can provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis, whilst also consistently taking on opposition defenders, as shown by his 2.44 successful dribbles per 90.

This suggests that Rak-Sakyi could be an incredibly exciting player for Rangers supporters to watch, because he can combine exciting dribbling skills with quality end product in the final third.

Whereas Aasgaard has the technical and dribbling ability to get around the pitch, but needs to prove that he can deliver the goals and assists to go along with it, which is why the Palace winger could be an even better signing for Martin in the here and now.

Ibrox's Cerny replacement: Rangers eyeing £9m ace who's "difficult to stop"

Rangers are eyeing up a deal for a star who would be a perfect replacement for Vaclav Cerny.

ByDan Emery Jul 7, 2025

Gareth Bale lit up the footballing world with both Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid during his career, becoming a five-time Champions League winner at the Bernabeu.

Regarded as Wales’ greatest ever player, Bale somewhat surprisingly called time on his career at the age of just 33 back in 2023.

Gareth Bale at Real Madrid

Record (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

258

Goals

106

Assists

67

La Liga titles

2016/17, 2019/20, 2021/22

Champions League titles

2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2021,22

Since then, Bale’s obsession with golf has grown and the former winger now spends even more time on the course, with his handicap down to an impressive 0.5.

Talking last year, now Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy was impressed with what he saw from Bale on the course, saying the ex-footballer has the potential to get his handicap to zero (scratch).

Bales has also made guest appearances at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, BMW PGA Pro-Am, the All-Star Ryder Cup match at Marco Simone and The Dunhill Links, but what’s in Bale’s bag out on the course? The whole lot will cost you just shy of £3,000…

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 15, 2025 Gareth Bale’s golf clubs in detail TaylorMade Stealth Driver

Starting with the longest club in the bag, the driver. Bale is currently using the TaylorMade Stealth Driver which has an RRP of £499.

Bale’s driver has a loft of 10.5˚ and the Mitsubishi Tensei 85 TX-Flex shaft, being described as ‘hugely impressive’ with a ‘strong ball flight consistency, especially in the wind’.

TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood

Often considered the hardest club to hit in the bag, the fairway wood Bale uses has been labelled ‘a cheat code’ by Golf Monthly.

His TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway 4 Wood has a 16.5˚ loft and, like his driver, the Mitsubishi Tensei 85 TX-Flex shaft. The RRP for this wood is £299.

TaylorMade P770 Irons

Continuing the TaylorMade theme, Bale uses the TaylorMade P770 Irons starting at a 3 iron and all the way down to the pitching wedge.

The P770 irons are recommended for golfers with handicaps ranging from scratch to 10 and are ‘designed for golfers who consistently strike the ball well and have a solid understanding of their swing’.

In limited edition phantom black, the P770 irons have an RRP of £1400, and Bale’s grip is the Golf Pride MCC.

TaylorMade MG3 Wedges Clubs: GW, SW, LW

Bale’s current wedges are the TaylorMade MG3’s, one down from McIlroy and Collin Morikawa’s MG4s.

The Welshman has 50˚, 54˚, 58˚ in his bag, which are thought to be worth around £400 in total. They have a 4.5/5 star rating on Golf Monthly, who state the wedges are ‘extremely high-spinning’ and ‘delivers the control golfers are looking for with ample versatility and a soft, solid feel’.

TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter

Finishing the bag with one of the most important clubs, the putter, and Bale’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter is the same as McIlroy, who has put it to good use in 2025 as he sits in the top 10 on the PGA tour in strokes gained putting.

With a SuperStroke grip, the RRP is around £299 and is described as ‘one of the most forgiving putters on the market’, with ‘the Spider Tour X design one of the best TaylorMade putters’.

Burnley are plotting a summer move for a Premier League player who was “on fire” last season, according to a fresh transfer update.

Burnley sign Weiss but Trafford exit close

The Clarets are still looking to bring in ideal new signings ahead of next season, with Scott Parker well aware that improvements will be needed in his squad to avoid the fate of recent promoted sides.

On Thursday, Burnley officially completed the signing of young goalkeeper Max Weiss from Karlsruher SC, with the German speaking of his happiness at moving to Turf Moor.

“I’m really excited to be here. It’s an amazing Club with a big ambition and all the conversations I have had with people from here have been so good and very positive. The training ground facility looks amazing, the pitches are so nice and I can’t wait to get in for pre-season and meet the rest of the team.”

That said, it looks as though James Trafford’s time as a Burnley player is close to its conclusion, with journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming the goalkeeper has “fully agreed personal terms” with Newcastle United.

Burnley plotting move for Premier League ace

Now, according to a new report from Football Insider, Burnley are “interested” in signing West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek this summer, with the Czech out of contract with the Hammers in 2026.

It is stated that the 30-year-old is not seen as a part of Graham Potter’s future plans at the London Stadium, but the Clarets “could find it hard to afford a deal” for the £90,000-a-week star, perhaps due to his wages.

Soucek could be an astute signing for Burnley this summer, with the West Ham man now a proven Premier League player who has scored 36 goals in 194 appearances in the competition.

He is also an 81-cap and 15-goal Czech Republic international, while Joe Cole hailed his performances for the Hammers last season.

At 30, Soucek isn’t getting any younger, but he isn’t a player who relies on pace, and his physicality and eye for goal in the middle of the park can be a great asset for Burnley for several years, should they be able to afford him.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, who had lost their central contracts for not prioritising domestic cricket, are also back

Shashank Kishore14-Aug-2024

Rishabh Pant’s last red-ball game was the Mirpur Test against Bangladesh in December 2022•BCCI

Rishabh Pant is set to make his comeback in red-ball cricket with the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy, as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee picked the squads for the first round of the tournament. This is the first time Pant will play first-class cricket since his car accident in December 2022.Mohammed Shami, however, isn’t part of any of the four squads. He is nearing full fitness and has begun bowling full tilt as he targets a comeback during the two-Test home series against Bangladesh from September 19. Shami is expected to continue training under the NCA’s watch in Bengaluru.Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, who had lost their central contracts for not prioritising domestic cricket last season, are also back in the first-class fold along with a host of other top players, including KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav.Related

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Sai Sudharsan returns to Surrey for two County Championship games

Rahul, Pant, Suryakumar, Gill set to play Duleep Trophy

As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Test captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah have been given an extended break ahead of India’s home season.Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, whose most recent competitive game was in January 2024, is also set to make a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff. He is in the final stages of rehab for a quadriceps tendon injury, for which he underwent surgery in February. Prasidh will miss the Maharaja T20 Trophy, Karnataka’s domestic T20 competition, to complete his recovery ahead of the first round of the Duleep Trophy matches played simultaneously in Anantapur and Bengaluru from September 5.Top-order batter Tilak Varma, who suffered a wrist injury towards the end of IPL 2024, was also picked for the Duleep Trophy. He wasn’t picked in India’s squad that played five T20Is in Zimbabwe in July because of the injury.The selection panel has rewarded domestic form, an example of which is the inclusion of Mumbai allrounder Musheer Khan. The 19-year-old had a breakout year in which he was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup squad as well as Mumbai’s victorious Ranji Trophy campaign.Musheer, who struck a double-hundred in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final and a match-winning hundred in the final, will play alongside his older brother and India batter Sarfaraz Khan, one of the several contenders for a place in India’s Test middle order.Allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been included subject to fitness. He is recovering from a sports hernia surgery in June, after being withdrawn from India’s T20I squad to Zimbabwe. Some notable names not to make the cut were Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson and Shams Mulani. It is not yet known whether any of them would come in as replacements for the Test players who will leave after the first round.Originally a zonal competition featuring teams from six zones – North, South, East, West, Central and North-East – Duleep Trophy will have only four teams this time, named Team A, Team B, Team C and Team D. The players who will be picked for the Bangladesh series will be replaced in the Duleep Trophy.Duleep Trophy 2024-25 squads (first round)Team A: Shubman Gill (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.Team B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk)Team C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Umran Malik, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep WarrierTeam D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar

أدلى الفرنسي كيليان مبابي مهاجم ريال مدريد، بتصريحات أعقبت فوز فريقه أمام ريال سوسيداد في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2025-2026.

وقاد مبابي ريال مدريد للفوز بهدفين لهدف، حيث أحرز هدف التقدم لفريقه وساهم بتمريرة حاسمة في الهدف الثاني الذي سجله زميله التركي أردا جولر.

وقال مبابي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “كنا نعلم أنها ستكون مباراة صعبة، اختبار لنا لنر أين نحن الآن، بدأنا بشكل جيد للغاية، لعبنا في نصف ملعب الخصم، سجلنا أهدافًا، وخلقنا فرصًا”.

وأضاف: “لكن البطاقة الحمراء (لدين هويسن) غيّرت مجرى المباراة قليلًا؛ كنا نلعب بعشرة لاعبين، لكننا لم نكن خائفين، سجلنا الهدف الثاني، وكان الشوط الثاني أكثر صعوبة؛ احتسبوا علينا ركلة جزاء، لكننا عانينا كفريق، ونعود إلى مدريد بثلاث نقاط، كان ذلك رائعًا لنا”.

وبشأن الهدف الذي أحرزه، أفاد: “دائمًا بروح مساعدة الفريق، أبذل قصارى جهدي من أجل هذا القميص؛ لدينا لاعبين مميزين، يساعدني الفريق كثيرًا على إظهار إمكانياتي يوميًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشابي ألونسو يكشف حديثه مع حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وسوسيداد بشأن طرد هويسن

وعما إذا كان هدفه أهم في لقاء اليوم أم التمريرة الحاسمة، أجاب مبابي: “اليوم، كانت التمريرة لحظة حاسمة في المباراة، اليوم هي الأهم”.

وإذا كان يشعر بأنه في أفضل حالاته، علّق: “أشعر أنني بحالة جيدة جدًا، لكن الموسم طويل جدًا، لقد كانت بداية جيدة، لا أستطيع قول غير ذلك، لكن الموسم يستمر 10 أشهر، و11 مع كأس العالم، ويجب أن ألعب بشكل جيد لفترة طويلة، هلا مدريد، أراكم يوم الثلاثاء يا جماهير ريال مدريد”.

ويخوض ريال مدريد مباراة أمام أوليمبك مارسيليا الفرنسي يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، في الجولة الأولى لمرحلة الدوري ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

It must be difficult not to get carried away if you’re a Birmingham City fan at present.

After all, £10m was recently splurged out on Kyogo Furuhashi to boost an already potent forward line, on top of the fact that pre-season action kicked into gear with a bang as the new-look Blues confidently beat Spanish titans Sevilla 3-1.

Any naysayers doubting Birmingham ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign might well have been silenced after this impressive victory, with more new signings now being tipped to join the exciting St. Andrew’s rollercoaster before pre-season is up.

Birmingham now targeting move for Premier League star

Despite a barrage of fresh signings entering the building, only Phil Neumann out of all the summer buys would be unleashed from the get-go against Sevilla, as Davies dripfeeds minutes to his whole camp before the second tier comes into view.

Transfer Focus

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Taichi Hara could soon be another option the Blues boss tests out across the remaining pre-season fixtures, with reports suggesting that Birmingham have added the Japanese gem to their shortlist after he has impressed out in the J1 League with Kyoto Sanga.

Alongside him, Birmingham could tap into the Asian market even more by snapping up Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Hwang Hee-Chan.

Indeed, a development from South Korean journalist Han June has suggested that the newly promoted side views the Old Gold number 11 as a main target due to his top-flight experience in England.

This might well result in Birmingham pulling off another ambitious swoop like the Kyogo deal, with both players in question hailing from Asia, but both well-known and exciting entities when plying their trade in some demanding divisions up and down the United Kingdom.

Why Hwang could be Kyogo 2.0

Whilst Hwang has fallen down the Molineux pecking order since Vitor Pereira’s arrival on the scene, his goalscoring record at the very top for Wolves at his prime will be enough to convince Blues fans that this is a worthwhile capture to chase after.

22 Premier League goals have come his way since he moved to the West Midlands for £14m, with 12 of those being fired home across the 23/24 season, leading to then Old Gold boss Gary O’Neil hailing the South Korean marksman as “excellent” for his clinical nature in front of goal.

On top of that, his goalscoring expertise also stretches out to a standout spell leading the line for Austrian side RB Salzburg, with a bumper 45 strikes collected, with three of those goals even coming in the illustrious Champions League.

Kyogo is well-versed in what it takes to be a goalscoring menace at this intimidating level, too, with three of his mammoth 151 career strikes falling on Europe’s grandest stage.

CF

168

61

35

LW

45

9

4

RW

32

5

3

AM

8

0

0

CF

177

105

29

LW

99

31

22

SS

11

2

1

RW

11

3

1

But, as can be seen looking at the table above, they both won’t just be vying to steal the striker limelight off Jay Stansfield or Alfie May, with Hwang and Kyogo more than comfortable sneaking out to the left wing if needed, alongside also slotting nicely into Davies’ 4-2-3-1 system as a presence just behind by the main striker.

Hwang wasn’t just labelled as a talent who has “got everything” by ex-Arsenal great Ian Wright by fluke, with the 29-year-old a real standout purchase for the Blues if it goes through.

There are some hurdles for Birmingham to overcome in terms of fee and wage costs, but if Birmingham wants to accelerate to that next level quickly, it might well be worth throwing the necessary cash at Hwang, much like they did when forking out £10m for Kyogo.

Birmingham City could sign "special" star who'd be Kyogo's dream winger

Birmingham City could soon win a dream attacking partner for Kyogo Furuhashi by securing a deal for this special forward.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 13, 2025