New Zealand were bowled out for 88 in a chase of 149, leaving their progress in doubt

Madushka Balasuriya08-Oct-20243:16

Clinical Australia complicate NRR matters for others

Australia put one foot in the semi-finals with a dominant 60-run victory over neighbours New Zealand in Sharjah, and in the process recorded their 13th straight win in T20I World Cups. The result means Australia have two wins from two with a healthy net run-rate of 2.524 – they are also the only unbeaten side in the group. For New Zealand, the margin of defeat has had a hefty impact on their net run-rate, now going below Pakistan’s as they fell to third place.The win was a result of a supreme all-round effort from Australia, and a solid execution of plans. Their top order of Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry contributed heavily, and while Amelia Kerr – who ended with excellent figures of 4 for 26 – did her best to reel New Zealand back into the game, Australia’s total of 148 for 8 on a sluggish surface always felt like too tall a chase.And so it proved as New Zealand’s batters struggled to get going. Suzie Bates hung around for a scratchy 20 off 27, while Kerr’s 29 off 31 was the only other innings of substance. While Megan Schutt, Sophie Molineux and Annabel Sutherland shared eight wickets among them, it was Schutt’s outstanding spell of 3 for 3 that pinned New Zealand down. Schutt took home the Player-of-the-Match award for her efforts.Healy takes chargeOn a surface with a nice layering of grass, Australia might have suspected they had won a good toss when they elected to bat. After Healy’s 26 off 20, that decision was looking more sound than ever, as Australia struck 43 inside the powerplay.It might not have been so though, had Healy not been convinced by partner Mooney to review an lbw call in the third over. That overturned decision seemed to bring clarity, as the very next delivery from Fran Jonas was smoked over mid-off. Two balls later, another one over extra cover. She’d repeat the trick in the next over as well, before carving one over point in the final over of the powerplay.While Healy fell looking for a fifth loft over the offside, Australia had set the ideal platform for their innings.Mooney and Perry shift through the gearsOnce the fielding restrictions were lifted, Perry in particular struggled to turn over the strike. The pressure that was built eventually told when she struck one straight to long-on, only for Maddy Green to spill the chance. New Zealand unsurprisingly came to the rue that missed opportunity as Perry and Mooney stitched together the match’s highest stand of 45 off 38.Amelia Kerr picked up 4 for 26•ICC via Getty ImagesWhat both batters did well from there on was not get bogged down. While boundaries were hard to come by, they were still eager to use their feet and keep ticking over singles. It meant the momentum set up by Healy’s early salvo was never lost. This was highlighted by Mooney’s 40 off 32, which included just the two boundaries.Once Mooney fell, caught trying – and failing – to clear mid-off, Perry took over as aggressor carting Eden Carson for six over long-off, before pummeling her through square leg. Bookending those strikes was a pair of boundaries off two Kerr overs, as Perry threatened to take the game away from New Zealand.Kerr keeps New Zealand in itBut just as Australia were looking to truly unleash, Kerr struck in consecutive deliveries in the 14th over to take out Perry and Grace Harris, having already removed Mooney earlier. Kerr grabbed one more before signing off, making it three wickets in a five-ball period for the legspinner.These wickets had the effect of snuffing out Australia’s momentum, though their propensity for picking up singles mixed in with the odd boundary meant they still managed 32 runs off the final five overs. Not as much as they would have liked, but enough to push them to a fairly imposing total.Australia execute to perfectionKnowing that they had a good total on the board, Australia’s goal was to simply make life as difficult as possible for New Zealand’s batters – and that they did. Schutt set the tone with her impeccable lines and lengths, never allowing the batters to swing their arms, while she was ably supported by her team-mates.This meant that while New Zealand lost just one wicket inside the powerplay, they were only able to muster 29 runs. By the 10th over, it was still one wicket down but the scoreboard had just about ticked over to 54.The final 10 overs then brought about the conclusion they’d been planning for throughout as batter after batter got out trying to hit out. In the end, at no point in the chase we New Zealand ever in the game.

Sunderland’s squad is really starting to take shape now ahead of their first Premier League showdown with West Ham United next month.

Indeed, at the time of writing, Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki have all joined Regis Le Bris’ camp in rapid-fire fashion, with the next expected arrival through the door coming in the form of promising Club Brugge attacker Chemsdine Talbi for a weighty £19.8m.

Sunderland’s breakneck pace in the summer transfer window won’t be slowing down here, you imagine, as more and more new faces are tipped to join the exciting Black Cats ride up to the top flight.

Sunderland lodge bid for next summer signing

The central midfield department certainly looks well stocked on Wearside, as plenty of attackers now begin to be linked to the Stadium of Light to boost numbers all over the pitch, away from just Talbi strengthening their options down the right channel.

Both Gonzalo Garcia and Luiz Suarez have been on the Sunderland radar from Real Madrid and Almeria, respectively, as Le Bris looks to enhance the Black Cats’ firepower up top. Still, with Garcia reportedly content to stick it out in Spain, and with Suarez on the Sporting shopping list, it might well be a tough battle ahead to tempt either promising striker to England.

It could well be an equally testing endeavour to try and pick up Sassuolo ace Armand Lauriente this summer. However, it is stated that Sunderland still holds a concrete interest in snapping up the entertaining Frenchman, according to journalist Gianluigi Longari.

Further reports from Italy have also suggested that the Black Cats have seen a first offer rejected for the forward, with the Italian outfit holding out for more than €30m (£25m) plus bonus. The player himself is said to be pushing to leave.

If Sunderland were ultimately successful in this race to land the explosive 26-year-old, they could be about to win Le Bris his next Le Fee, as another exciting talent from Europe down the left flank prepares to wreak havoc on Wearside.

Wju Lauriente can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Sunderland’s strategy in the chaotic summer window so far seems to centre on them plucking gems from the European leagues, hopeful that they go on to be as instantly successful as Le Fee was on English shores.

Le Fee was a very bright spark for the Black Cats in their moment of need last season, as seen in the former Lorient midfielder collecting two assists in the tense playoff semi-final matches to secure his team a triumphant trip to Wembley.

Lauriente will hope he can translate his Sassuolo magic to the English game very shortly too, with the stylish winger spearheading his own promotion charge last season as Fabio Grosso’s men returned to Serie A at the first time of asking.

Their similarities don’t end there as Le Bris gears up to potentially welcome his next Le Fee to his ever-growing camp, with Lauriente well-versed in what it takes to be a star at a top level, having collected a mightily impressive tally of 42 goals and assists plying his trade in both Ligue 1 and Serie A. His compatriot, before embarking on a fresh challenge on Wearside, lags behind on 21 goals and assists in both those top divisions.

Staggeringly, Lauriente might well go on to be an even bigger star than Le Fee when judging those numbers, with the Sassuolo number 45 no doubt ready to push the 25-year-old for a starting spot down the left flank. It’s no wonder that analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “one of the best left-wing options out there”.

Having been lauded as an “amazing” performer to watch in the past by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, too, picking up Lauriente might well have the same impact Le Fee’s arrival did in boosting the Black Cats’ chances of being a success.

But this time around, he could be the decisive star that helps Sunderland stave off the relegation drop zone in the Premier League.

Dream squad Sunderland could build: £112m spent on 7 signings after Talbi

Sunderland looks ready to take the Premier League by storm, with this being potentially what their dream squad could look like very soon.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 6, 2025

Russell Martin will manage his first competitive game in charge of Glasgow Rangers later this month when his side take on Panathinaikos in the second round of Champions League qualifiers.

The Light Blues have already confirmed their squad list for the two-legged clash with the Greek side, with a number of summer arrivals to Ibrox expected to make their debuts.

Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons, Djeidi Gassama, Lyall Cameron, and Thelo Aasgaard have all been named in the squad and could debut against Panathinaikos.

Rangers supporters may be looking forward to seeing some of the new players in action, as they look to move on from the 2024/25 campaign, which ended trophyless for the club.

Gassama is one of the players who fans may be most excited to see play in these two games, as the French forward is an exciting wide player who can provide quality at the top end of the pitch.

What Djeidi Gassama could bring to Rangers

The 21-year-old flanker has the potential to get supporters off their feet with his direct play on the wing, having ranked in the top 4% of his positional peers in the Championship for successful dribbles (66) last season.

Gassama likes to take on opposition full-backs to burst into space on the left wing, which then opens the space for him to make an impact in and around the box as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As well as exciting supporters with his dribbling ability, the former Paris Saint-Germain youngster can also score goals and create chances at an impressive rate.

Whilst a tally of just one assist in the Championship last season does not suggest that he is going to be the next Ryan Kent, his underlying numbers paint a different picture ahead of his Rangers bow.

As you can see in the table above, Gassama ranked highly among fellow wingers in the division at creating chances and creating xA, which suggests that he was unfortunate to end the campaign with one assist.

This means that the new Gers signing could bring goals, dribbles, assists, and, of course, excitement to Ibrox with his performances for the club in the 2025/26 campaign and, hopefully, beyond.

Rangers reportedly paid a fee of £2.2m to sign the young attacker, potentially boosted by Sheffield Wednesday’s financial issues after they were hit with an embargo for not paying players or staff on time, and they could repeat their Gassama move with another swoop for one of their players.

Rangers plotting bid for Sheffield Wednesday star

According to TEAMtalk, Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles has emerged as a key target for Kevin Thelwell and Martin this month.

The report claims that the English Championship side’s financial situation has left them open to offers for their players, which is what played a part in Gassama’s move, and the Northern Ireland international is one of the stars who could be on his way out.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that the Scottish Premiership giants are considering an offer to snap him up from the Owls, as they look to add to their options between the sticks.

TEAMtalk adds that Charles is ‘enthusiastic’ about a potential move to Ibrox and that his ‘confidence’ on the ball makes him an ideal fit for what Martin wants from his goalkeeper next season.

This suggests that personal terms may not be much of an issue, if at all, for Rangers to deal with if they are able to agree a fee with Sheffield Wednesday for the player, should they make the bid that they are now weighing up.

Why Rangers should sign Pierce Charles

The Gers should push to get a deal done for Charles in the coming weeks because it would be a repeat of the blinder they played with Gassama, taking advantage of an unfortunate situation to land a potential bargain.

On paper, a £2.2m fee for a 21-year-old winger who produced exciting performances in the Championship last season looks like a fantastic piece of business by the club, as he is a promising player with a lot of room left ahead of him to grow and develop.

Charles presents a similar opportunity for the Gers, given that the report mentions that their financial situation has opened them up to the possibility of a sale, although it remains to be seen how much money they will have to spend on the EFL gem.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper only became the Sheffield Wednesday number one towards the end of last season, but he has been capped six times by Northern Ireland already.

The teenage sensation, who was described as an “amazing” player by former youth teammate Anthony Elanga, could be an upgrade on Jack Butland at Ibrox, if he can build on the promising form he displayed in eight games in the Championship.

As you can see in the table above, Charles has the potential to offer more to the team between the sticks as a shot-stopper, a claimer of crosses, and as a distributor.

His long pass accuracy, in particular, is an interesting statistic to highlight because it suggests that he is far more efficient at picking long passes out and executing them to get the team up the pitch, which may be useful when Martin wants his team to evade a press.

Butland is not as efficient with his long passing and that could lead to situations where Rangers are forced to cough up possession too often if the opposition try to press Rangers high and force the Englishman into launching it back to them.

Add in Charles’ superior shot-stopping statistics, which suggest that he could prevent more goals from being scored past him, and it seems as though Rangers could have a huge talent on their hands if they are able to bring him to the club.

Creates room for Rak-Sakyi: Rangers want to sell Dowell & "blistering" flop

Rangers can create space for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as they look to sell several first-team players.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 17, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could repeat their seemingly impressive Gassama signing by swooping to agree a potentially cut-price deal for Charles, who could be a fantastic addition to the squad, for now and for the future.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is prepared to work with FSG and bring in more signings this summer, despite the remarkable stream of arrivals over the past few months.

When Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a British-record £116m deal, they confirmed to their rivals that they mean to defend their Premier League title and remain at the top of the pile over the coming era.

But with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike signed too, for an initial £69m fee, there’s a growing sense that Slot is shaping a super-team together.

24/25 – Frankfurt

33

15

8

23/24 – Frankfurt*

14

4

2

23/24 – PSG

1

0

0

22/23 – PSG

25

3

4

21/22 – Reims

24

10

4

20/21 – Vejle*

11

3

2

20/21 – Reims

2

0

0

Ekitike, 23, has got the potential to become “one of the best strikers out there”, according to analyst Ben Mattinson, but Ekitike might find himself dealt a heavy load in the early days at Anfield, given that two Reds stars are moving away.

And further change may be afoot, with the sale of Luis Diaz as well as Darwin Nunez’s anticipated departure emphasising FSG’s desire to spark further change before the window slams shut.

Why Nunez and Diaz are leaving Liverpool

Diaz has already left Liverpool, having signed for Bayern Munich in a £65.5m package earlier this week. It’s a poignant farewell for one of the most important players at the club over the past several years, but one which carries a sense of practicality.

Aged 28, Diaz had entered the next-to-last year in his Liverpool contract, and despite efforts from both parties to extend his deal, the gulf was too far to bridge.

And so he departs, leaving the question marks that linger over whether Liverpool will sign a successor, and if that successor will be a central frontman or an electric-paced, out-and-out winger.

Well, with Darwin Nunez appearing to be edging closer to a transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, it seems like Slot may be welcoming that former option.

In fairness, you need only look at the happenings in the English transfer market to note that sporting director Richard Hughes is indeed doing all within his power to sign a new centre-forward at Liverpool.

Liverpool pushing to sign new striker

Sources from every far-flung corner of the footballing world have revealed details of different shapes and sizes about Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak over the past several days.

However, according to The Athletic’s trusty transfer-reporter-in-chief, David Ornstein, Liverpool remain interested in the Sweden striker after seeing a formal bid worth £110m rejected on Friday. For his part, Isak, 25, continues to push for a move to Merseyside.

However, it all depends on the Magpies’ success in signing a replacement, currently locked in negotiations with RB Leipzig for the 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko. Manchester United, crucially, want him too.

Liverpool may need to fork out closer to an unprecedented £150m if they are to sign one of the Premier League’s deadliest goalscorers.

Why Liverpool are desperate for Alexander Isak

Isak might not have the same indomitability in front of goal as Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (no active footballer does), but he’s still “the best all-round centre-forward” in the Premier League, according to pundit Ally McCoist.

The £120k-per-week star’s 27-goal return last season shows that he knows where the back of the net is too, and he would surely rise to the next level when joining a Liverpool side so replete with offensive quality.

Much has been made over whether signing Isak is even feasible, given that Ekitike joined Slot’s squad in July. However, it’s not as if a duel striking partnership hasn’t proved effective at Anfield in the past.

Just look back over a decade ago, when Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge combined to an emphatic effect across the 2013/14 Premier League season.

Under Brendan Rodgers’ wing, ‘SAS’, as the duo were affectionately dubbed, wreaked utter havoc together as Liverpool capered their way through the campaign. For a long time, the Reds appeared invincible, but they fumbled the bag in the closing stages of the term and ultimately ceded the title to Manchester City.

Still, Suarez and Sturridge played their part, all right. The Uruguayan, one of the most notorious, decorated and destructive footballers in history, obliterated all who lay in his path, scoring 31 goals and supplying 13 assists across 33 top-flight fixtures,

Liverpool had never seen the like (that is, until several years later, when Mohamed Salah came along).

Described by the legendary Steven Gerrard as being the best striker he had ever played with as a professional (sorry, El Nino), the South American was the cream of the crop, but Sturridge played his part too, notching 29 goal contributions from as many games in the league that year.

He perfectly complemented Suarez, a deadly finisher but a dynamic, selfless and mobile dance partner who knew how his strengths merged against his teammates’.

Ekitike could play that role alongside Isak. As per FBref, the Frenchman ranked last season among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

While the two athletic number nines are similar in that they are intelligent and energetic both on the ball and without it, Isak is clearly the superior finisher, praised by Fabrizio Romano for being a “machine” in front of goal, whereas Ekitike indeed has a flair for the creative side of the game.

If Slot manages to find a way for them to dance to the other’s tune, Liverpool could be in for a treat over the coming years, proving to the world that two focal frontmen can work together in a side challenging for all the biggest prizes on offer.

Bigger mistake than Diaz: Liverpool ready to sell Slot's "monster" for £47m

Liverpool sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, and now face the exit of another star player.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 31, 2025

Ash Gardner threatened to revive the chase for Sixers but couldn’t get the side home

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2024

Key performances from in-form duo Heather Knight and Samantha Bates earned Sydney Thunder the first derby bragging rights of the season over Sydney Sixers with an 18-run win at the SCG.Knight’s fluent 50 off 31 balls, a continuation of the impact she has had this season, led Thunder to a total that appeared around par on a good batting surface and a strong Thunder attack defended it expertly. The result kept Thunder top of the table and strongly placed to push for a home grand final with five games remaining.Sixers fell to 63 for 5 in the 10th over but Ash Gardner was keeping them in the contest with a timely return to form after her previous four innings in the tournament had brought 24 runs. But with 28 needed off 14 balls she was deceived through the air as she advanced at Bates and with her went the home side’s hopes.Bates took her wicket tally to 11 from the last three games and was back at the top of the season charts ahead of Alana King. Shabnim Ismail, despite being wicketless, also played a key role as she conceded just five an over and was also superb in the outfield with four catches on a blustery afternoon.With the bat, Chamari Athapaththu, well supported in the crowd by a strong Sri Lanka presence, helped lay a solid base and the acceleration came in the second half of the innings from Knight and Phoebe Litchfield. The pair took 30 without loss off the two power surge overs and though they couldn’t stay to close things out Thunder had enough.

Last summer was a poor one for Liverpool as far as transfer business was concerned.

The sole incoming was that of Italian Federico Chiesa, who moved to Anfield in a deal worth just £12.5m.

Well, a lack of business mattered not as far as Arne Slot was concerned. No Jurgen Klopp, no problem. No mass recruitment, no problem. The Reds still went on to win the Premier League.

Fast forward and the Merseysiders have made an almighty splash in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and before too long, Hugo Ekitike is set to be confirmed as a new Liverpool player.

Fabrizio Romano gave the deal his famous ‘here we go’ on Sunday, noting that the French forward is set to sign a six-year deal after a fee of £78m was agreed with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Liverpool may not be done there, however.

Liverpool's transfer plans after signing Hugo Ekitike

Next on the agenda for Richard Hughes and Co will surely be slimming the squad a little. Darwin Nunez has been widely expected to leave for much of the summer while Luis Diaz, subject of a bid from Bayern Munich last week, could still depart.

Should more funds be generated, then a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi could still come to fruition. An agreement on personal terms was reached earlier in the summer, but a club-to-club agreement has not yet been reached between the Eagles and the Reds.

Liverpool appear to be keen on a number of domestic players with fellow Palace star Adam Wharton a target for next summer and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers also on their radar.

TBR Football report that Chelsea are devising a plan to try and sign Rogers this summer but they will face competition from Arsenal and Liverpool who have ‘maintained a watching brief’ of the player.

Previous reports have suggested that Villa would be looking for a fee of £100m in order to sell.

What Morgan Rogers could offer to Liverpool

While this move feels extremely unlikely this summer given the funds Liverpool have already spent on new recruits, if they could maintain their interest in upcoming windows, he’d be a fabulous signing for Slot’s side.

Transfer Focus

Once of Manchester City’s academy, Rogers quietly went about his business in the EFL with the likes of Lincoln City and Middlesbrough before Villa came calling.

In the Midlands, the attacking midfielder has become a genuine sensation. He’s now an England international and deservedly so when you consider the numbers he generated throughout the 2024/25 season.

It’s safe to say it was the best year of young Rogers’ career, scoring 14 goals and registering 15 assists in all competitions.

The 22-year-old didn’t just dazzle in the Premier League but he also took to Champions League football like a duck to water, scoring four goals in 12 games, three of which came in one game as he netted a sensational hat-trick against Celtic.

A goalscorer, a creator, and someone who can play through the middle as well as on the flanks, there are similarities with new Liverpool signing, Wirtz.

If you thought the art of the number 10 role was dying out, then you only need to look at Wirtz. However, he’s not just an attacking midfielder, but also someone who can play in a wider role, just as Rogers can.

Goals

0.23

0.38

Assists

0.29

0.46

Key passes

1.47

2.18

Progressive passes

3.55

6.74

Shot-creating actions

3.03

5.67

Successful take-ons

1.91

3.14

Progressive carries

3.29

5.02

Analysing the data above, it’s clear to see why Wirtz has been described as “the best midfielder in the world” by former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes. He’s a generational talent and the fact his data is so far ahead of Rogers, one of the Premier League’s most exciting young players, says a lot.

Still, Rogers does hold his own and if Liverpool are looking to sign England’s version of Wirtz, they’d find few better candidates than the Villa star. He’s notably progressive, ranking inside the top 20% of positionally similar players in the English top-flight for attempted take-ons.

In the words of The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, he’s been an “unstoppable” force over the last year and while he falls some way short of Wirtz in a lot of areas, this is a player who’s already been there and done it in the Premier League.

Principally, he scores goals like Wirtz and he creates them like Wirtz. What’s not to like?

Similar to Wirtz: Liverpool want to sign "special" £112m Diaz replacement

He could be an unbelievable addition for the Reds.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 14, 2025

It’s been an unusually busy summer of business for Arsenal so far this year.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta is doing his best to help Mikel Arteta’s side finally get over the line in the Premier League or Champions League next season, as his team have already secured six first-team additions.

The two most significant arrivals have undoubtedly been Viktor Gyokeres, who racked up 67 goal involvements in 52 games last season, and Martin Zubimendi, who has been one of the most sought-after sixes in world football over the last couple of years.

Yet, even with all this business, the Gunners appear intent on adding more talent to their impressive squad, and while Eberechi Eze seems to be high on their list, there is another international they’ve been previously linked with who could be an even better addition.

Why Arsenal want to sign Eze

While teams can sometimes keep their interest in players under wraps during transfer windows, that has most certainly not been the case here, as Arsenal’s desire to sign Eze has been very public this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The Crystal Palace ace has already been in talks with the Gunners, and until the 15th of August, he has a release clause worth around £68m in his contract, although it looks like the North Londoners will wait for that to expire to enter into proper negotiations with the South Londoners.

It’s likely to be an expensive transfer regardless, if it goes through, but it’s not hard to see why the Premier League runners-up are so interested in the Englishman, as he was nothing short of sensational last season.

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

For example, despite playing for a mid-table side at best, the midfield “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes.

That means the 27-year-old was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, which is the sort of output that could be a real difference-maker for the Gunners next season.

Moreover, the Greenwich-born ace proved he’s a big-game player by scoring in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup to secure the Eagles the first major title of their existence.

Yet, if the final price tag for Eze remains where it is, or even rises if other teams join the race, Arsenal may want to look at other alternatives, one they’ve already been linked with this summer: Ademola Lookman.

Arsenal could sign Lookman instead

Arsenal have been linked with Lookman several times over the last year or so, with stories from late last month claiming that they had made enquiries about him over a potential £43m transfer.

Interestingly, it initially seemed the Nigerian international would be joining Inter Milan, but Atalanta has now blocked that move, stating he’s free to leave, but not for another Italian club.

In other words, the door has been well and truly opened by the Bergamo outfit, and due to his incredible form over the last few years, the Gunners should be looking to take advantage and make the 27-year-old an alternative to Eze.

In fact, he looks like he’d be a better signing than the Englishman, as when it comes to output, he’s been nothing short of miraculous in Italy.

Since moving to the Serie A side in August 2022, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has scored a brilliant 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.

Appearances

33

45

40

Minutes

1858′

2809′

2871′

Goals

15

17

20

Assists

8

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.69

0.60

0.67

Minutes per Goal Involvement

80.78′

104.03′

106.33

That means the former Everton flop has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes on the continent, which is frankly outstanding.

He’s not just a flat-track bully either, though, as he proved that he relishes the biggest stages last season, when he scored a breathtaking hat-trick against Xabi Alonso’s then-unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final.

In short, Lookman is a goalscoring machine and someone who’s got the mentality to win his team the biggest of games.

Therefore, while he might not be the player every fan wants, Arsenal should consider signing him over Eze this summer.

Dhruv Jurel, meanwhile, is likely to take the keeping gloves from Ishan Kishan

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2024KL Rahul is likely to open alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran in India A’s second unofficial Test against Australia A, which begins on Thursday in Melbourne. With India likely to be without Rohit Sharma at the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul and Easwaran seem set for a direct face-off to be selected as Yashasvi Jaiswal’s opening partner for the first Test in Perth, which starts on November 22.ESPNcricinfo understands that Rahul and Dhruv Jurel, who departed for Australia before the rest of the Test squad to gain game-time playing for India A, will both feature in the Melbourne four-day game. With Rahul partnering Abhimanyu at the top, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who opened in the first unofficial Test in Mackay, is set to drop down into the middle order, with Jurel taking the wicketkeeping gloves from Ishan Kishan.Related

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Abhimanyu, Harshit Rana, Reddy picked for India's tour of Australia

Rohit Sharma in doubt for India's first Test against Australia in Perth

India captain Rohit’s participation in the early part of the Australia tour is in doubt for personal reasons. There is still some uncertainty around this, and on Sunday, at the end of the 3-0 home-series defeat to New Zealand, he said he “wasn’t too sure if I’ll be going to [Perth]”.If Rohit is unavailable, India’s team management will have an interesting choice to make at the top of the order. Abhimanyu was called up to the Test squad for the Australia tour as the designated third opener, and at the time of selection had scored centuries in each of his four most recent first-class games. In all first-class cricket, Abhimanyu has 27 centuries in 100 matches, and averages 49.40.Rahul, meanwhile, was originally a candidate for the middle order. Since the 2023-24 South Africa tour, Rahul has batted exclusively in the middle order in Test cricket, scoring 339 runs in 10 innings at an average of 37.66 – higher than his career figure of 33.87 over 53 Tests – including a century at Centurion and two fifties.Rahul, however, has plenty of experience of facing the new ball overseas, and is one of only two Asian openers to have scored Test centuries in England, South Africa and Australia. Those high points, however, have come against the backdrop of a less-than-spectacular overall record as opener: 2551 runs in 75 innings at 34.94.Dhruv Jurel could put pressure on Sarfaraz Khan if he scores runs in the second unofficial Test•AFP/Getty ImagesIf Rahul does return to the top of the order, it will be something of a reprise of the 2021 England tour, which he began having stated his intention to bat in the middle order. Injuries to Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal, however, created a vacancy at the top, which Rahul filled on the course of a successful tour that included a century in a memorable win at Lord’s.By the start of the 2024-25 home season, Rahul’s career had gone through several further twists, and he was now established as India’s first-choice No. 6. He was left out of the first XI after the first Test against New Zealand, however, with Sarfaraz Khan – who had replaced the injured Gill in India’s XI – moving above him in the pecking order with a second-innings 150. Five visits to the crease during India’s home season brought Rahul scores of 16, 22*, 68, 0 and 12.Sarfaraz, for his part, does not start the Australia tour as a certainty in the XI. After that 150, he failed to get past 19 in four innings against New Zealand, and has never previously played Test cricket outside India. Given the pacy, bouncy conditions expected in Perth, India may yet be undecided on whether to pick Sarfaraz at No. 6, or play Rahul there – in which case Abhimanyu opens if Rohit is absent – or, in a left-field move, pick both Jurel and Rishabh Pant and play one of them as a specialist batter.With Pant unavailable while recovering from knee injuries sustained in his December 2022 car crash, Jurel made his Test debut in the home series against England earlier this year, and impressed both behind and in front of the stumps. He scored 190 runs in four innings at an average of 63.33, and his innings of 90 and 39* in a tense victory in the fourth Test in Ranchi won him the Player-of-the-Match award.Jurel has not played any Tests since Pant’s return, but has cemented his spot as India’s reserve keeper and an exciting future prospect.Given all the possible permutations in Perth, the selectors and team management will likely pay as much attention to Jurel’s displays in Melbourne with both bat and gloves as they do to those of Rahul and Abhimanyu against the new ball.

Dale Steyn will work with some of England’s most promising young fast bowlers in South Africa next month, ESPNcricinfo can reveal. Steyn will be part of Andrew Flintoff’s coaching staff in his first tour as England Lions head coach, along with his former international team-mate Neil McKenzie.Steyn, who took 439 wickets in his stellar Test career for South Africa, will work with the Lions on a short-term basis. The ECB named a 19-man training squad at the start of the month, with the tour due to run from November 20 until December 14. It will largely consist of a training camp but will conclude with a four-day match against South Africa A in Western Province.The squad is packed with ten seamers, including two players with full international caps in Pat Brown and Josh Hull, and two others who were unused squad members this summer in Dillon Pennington and John Turner. The other six fast bowlers are Zaman Akhtar, Kasey Aldridge, Henry Crocombe, Tom Lawes, Harry Moore and Mitchell Stanley.Related

• Chohan named in England Lions squad to South Africa as Flintoff takes reins

Ed Barney, who replaced Mo Bobat as the ECB’s performance director earlier this year, said the seam-dominated squad reflected “England’s short and long-term needs” across formats. “Over half the squad consists of seamers, reflecting our continued focus on supporting these players to achieve their potential,” Barney said.McKenzie, the former South Africa batter, will oversee a group of batters which three recent members of the England Under-19s set-up in Freddie McCann, Ben McKinney and Hamza Sheikh. Dan Mousley will join the Lions tour after travelling to the Caribbean for England’s white-ball series, while James Coles, Matty Hurst and James Rew also feature.McKenzie was part of Flintoff’s coaching staff in his first role as head coach earlier this year, when he took charge of Northern Superchargers in the Hundred. He has also worked with South Africa’s national team and Desert Vipers, and was recently replaced as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting coach by Dinesh Karthik.Karthik was another coach briefly brought into the Lions set-up on a short-term basis in India earlier this year, with the ECB seeking to harness local knowledge on development tours. It is understood that Jacques Kallis was also scoped out as an option for the South Africa camp, though is not expected to feature when a full list of coaching staff is announced later this week.

يرى عصام الحضري، حارس مرمى منتخب مصر السابق، أن محمد الشناوي حارس الأهلي من الحراس الكبار ولا يُوضع تحت التقيم مثل باقي الحراس.

وقال الحضري خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “محمد الشناوي حارس مرمى كبير وحارس مرمى منتخب مصر، يمكن الظروف الحالية في النادي الأهلي، مأثرة عليه وليس هو فقط بل كل اللاعبين”.

وأضاف: “أول شيء، أنا من وجهة نظري كـ عصام الحضري لا أقيم محمد الشناوي، هو حارس مرمى كبير بتاريخه والبطولات التي حصل عليها، حتى إذا لم يكن موفقا في أي مباراة”.

طالع | موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وحرس الحدود اليوم في الدوري المصري

وأكمل: “يوجد في كرة القدم لاعبين وحراس مرمى تخطوا مرحلة التقييم لانهم أصبحوا لاعبين كبار وحراس مرمى على مستوى عال”.

وأتم: “محمد صبحي حارس الزمالك، علي لطفي، من زد، أحمد الشناوي، بيراميدز، عامر عامر، عزل المحلة، حارس الجونة صبحي سليمان، عصام ثروت حارس المصري، هؤلاء ظهروا بمستوى جيد خلال مباريات الدوري الفترة الماضية”.