Everton are believed to be in talks over the signing of a “fantastic” Premier League hero this summer, with the player in question even called better than Harry Kane in the past.
Moyes wants "five or six" new signings at Everton
The Blues have had a productive summer in the transfer market to date, not least acquiring the signature of big-money attacking signing Thierno Barry from Villarreal.
David Moyes will want to build on an excellent start to life back at Everton, however, with the Scot admitting that he still wants plenty of new faces through the door before the window slams shut on September 1st.
“Well, we’ve signed three, so if you take that off, we’re still in the need of maybe five or six players. That’s what we have to try and do. I’ve never had one of these times. In the past I have had to sign a lot of players, but I’ve never had to do so many in one window.”
Everton manager DavidMoyes
While Barry has come in as an exciting new striker for Everton, they may well feel the need to add further depth there, especially following the exit of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the potential departure of Beto. Now, an intriguing name has been thrown into the mix to add more firepower to Moyes’ squad.
Everton in talks with Premier League legend Vardy
According to a report from Spain, Everton are in talks with Jamie Vardy over a move to the club this summer, in what would arguably be a shock piece of business. The Blues are the club who have “taken the initiative most seriously”, while the conversations are said to be “on the march” with the striker’s representatives.
The 38-year-old is a free agent after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season, following a legendary stint there that included winning the Premier League title back in 2015/16.
Vardy may not be the force he once was, given his age, but it is easy to see him being a good squad player at Everton for a year or two.
The Englishman still possesses plenty of pace and an eye for goal, and Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca even once claimed he is better than Kane and Wayne Rooney among the leading strikers of their generation, having worked with him at Leicester.
“Vardy is fantastic and people don’t realise how good he is. I know that England has been quite lucky with strikers, like Kane, Rooney and many others, but if you ask me he has been the best one. He can do many things, like run in behind and finish, but the best thing for me is his open mind.”
The fact that Vardy would be available on a free transfer almost makes him a gamble worth taking, and if he joins Everton and simply doesn’t have the impact of the past, it would be no disaster.
Moyes' new Declan Rice: £42m star is pushing to sign for Everton
Everton are closing in on signing a new midfielder
1 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 29, 2025
On the flip side, though, he could be a great option off the substitutes’ bench, popping up with goals in key moments and becoming a crowd favourite with his infectious personality, having scored seven times in 16 appearances against the Blues.
With Martin Zubimendi already on the way, Arsenal have also now reportedly held positive talks to sign a defensive target over Liverpool who’s worth more than £40m.
Arsenal complete paperwork for Martin Zubimendi deal
A year on from deciding to stay at Real Sociedad instead of joining Liverpool, Zubimendi is finally set to become a Premier League player. But it’s Arsenal who have reason to celebrate. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have now completed all the paperwork and the Spaniard will become an Arsenal player for a fee around the €65m (£58m) mark.
Zubimendi could yet have the task of replacing Thomas Partey in Mikel Arteta’s side. The latter is yet to sign a new deal at the club and remains on course to depart as a free agent at the start of next month.
As replacements go, it’s clear to see why Arsenal have turned towards Zubimendi as speculation continues to grow about Partey’s future. The talented 26-year-old would slot straight in.
Minutes
2,962
2,797
Progressive Passes
195
185
Tackles Won
37
53
Ball Recoveries
140
138
Zubimendi’s best work undoubtedly comes in possession and Arteta’s system should provide him with the perfect platform to showcase that ability in the Premier League.
After agreeing a deal to sign the midfielder, however, Arsenal are not done there. They’re looking to deal Liverpool a blow with a focus on signing a defensive addition ahead of the Premier League champions this summer.
Arsenal hold positive talks to sign Jorrel Hato
According to reports relayed by Football Transfers, Arsenal have now held positive talks to sign Jorrel Hato from Ajax this summer. The Dutchman has also attracted the interest of Liverpool, but the Gunners are now hoping to steal a march on their rivals.
He used to be at Spurs: Arsenal join race to sign £51m Saka & Gakpo hybrid
The talented winger would be a brilliant addition to Arsenal’s squad.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 21, 2025
The deal won’t come cheap, though. Reports are suggesting that Ajax are demanding as much as €50m (£42m) to sell their 19-year-old left-back in the coming months. Alas, it must be said that price tag becomes understandable when assessing just how talented Hato already is at such a young age.
Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.
Among those full of praise for the Ajax teenager, scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Hato a player with “immense quality” and a “fantatsic mix of complete full-back, playmaking full-back, and ball-playing centre-back” in traits that tick all of Arsenal’s boxes.
As the chaos of the transfer window continues, those in North London should do everything to ensure that they beat Liverpool to Hato’s signature this summer.
Liverpool will have a commanding presence in the transfer window this summer and could use that leverage to pull off an audacious player-plus-cash deal to land an exciting target, according to a report.
Liverpool look to build on Premier League title triumph
After laying claim to their second title of the Premier League era, the Reds are winding down for the campaign and won’t be too frustrated at surrendering a two-goal advantage in their draw with Arsenal last weekend.
Ultimately, Arne Slot has led his side to the goal they set out to achieve at the start of the season. Now, many are beginning to wonder what happens next once their celebrations are in the memory bank.
Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
That is still a while off yet, though Liverpool are active in their pursuit of summer reinforcements and could look to bring Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield. The Netherlands international is someone the club are aware of as far as his situation goes, with a release clause of between £29.5 million and £33.8 million being something they are willing to exploit.
Lyon winger Malick Fofana is also being targeted by Liverpool, potentially becoming a replacement for Luiz Diaz amid the latter attracting interest from Saudi Pro League outfit.
Liverpool’s final Premier League assignments
Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
Amex Stadium
Crystal Palace (H)
Anfield
Darwin Nunez is another that could be moved on to free up funds and space for reinforcements in a period where Slot is expected to be ruthless in his decision-making to mould a squad fit to defend their crown. Realistically, Liverpool have nothing to prove to anyone, but they could potentially surpass their jointly-held record of 20 titles that they share with Manchester United next term with a repeat performance of this season’s excellence.
Making strides to equip themselves to do so, the Reds are now eyeing a swap deal that could see one of Europe’s revered attackers arrive on Merseyside.
Liverpool eye Ademola Lookman and Federico Chiesa swap deal
According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Liverpool would be willing to swap Federico Chiesa for Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman to bring the Nigeria international back to the Premier League. Formerly of Everton, Lookman has registered 19 goals and seven assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season. His current employers are unlikely to make allowances relating to his £50 million+ valuation, so Chiesa could be used to whittle that number down.
Better than Jota: Liverpool make contact to sign "world-class" £85m star
Liverpool have made contact to keep informed on a “world-class” star who is miles better than Diogo Jota.
2
By
Dan Emery
May 12, 2025
The Liverpool star could now be thrown into a potential swap arrangement after struggling to make an impact following his move from Juventus. Earning £150,000 per week, the Italy international has scored twice and registered two assists in just 13 outings, making him a prime candidate for a summer departure.
That said, it remains to be seen whether a swap would be the preferred option for both clubs or if conducting seperate deals is a more viable alternative to put through the books.
Celtic ran out in front of their own supporters at Parkhead for the first time since they won the Scottish Premiership title when they faced Hibernian on Saturday.
The Hoops clinched the league title with a 5-0 win over Dundee United away from home at the end of last month, before they travelled across Glasgow to play out a 1-1 draw with their rivals last weekend.
It did, however, look as though Hibs were going to spoil the party when they took the lead at Celtic Park thanks to an opening goal from Martin Boyle in the 25th minute.
The Premiership champions, though, bounced back and led before the break after goals from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah turned the game around, before Reo Hatate added a third in the second 45.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has suffered with hamstring injuries this season, was given the weekend off by Brendan Rodgers, in order to manage his minutes in the final few weeks of the season.
That opened up a position at the heart of the defence and the Northern Irish head coach opted to go with Auston Trusty next to Liam Scales.
Scales and Trusty's performances for Celtic this season
The Hoops reportedly paid a fee of £5m to sign Trusty from English side Sheffield United in the summer transfer window last year to bolster their left-sided centre-back options.
The USA international and Scales have competed for the starting berth next to Carter-Vickers at centre-back, but they have also had to play alongside each other at times when the former Spurs man has been unavailable, like on Saturday.
Although Celtic won the match comfortably in the end, Trusty, who lost 100% of his ground duels, had a moment to forget when his poor attempted clearance dropped straight to Boyle to find the back of the net.
Unfortunately, errors have been too common for the former Arsenal defender in the Premiership this season since his £5m move to Parkhead, particularly in comparison to Scales and Carter-Vickers.
24/25 Premiership
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Liam Scales
Auston Trusty
Appearances
29
25
21
Error led to shot
1
1
4
Error led to goal
0
0
1
Penalties committed
0
1
0
Dribbled past
3x
5x
11x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Trusty has made more errors that have led to shots, more errors that have led to goals, and been dribbled past more times, despite playing fewer matches than the other two centre-backs.
This also shows that Scales, who was unlucky to give a penalty away at Ross County, has been more reliable than the American dud in the Premiership.
This is despite the former Aberdeen loanee being worth just £3m, as per Transfermarkt, which is £2m less than the fee the club paid Sheffield United for the other left-footed defender.
The Ireland international has not made as many errors as the former Premier League flop and that may be why Rodgers has preferred him over Trusty alongside Carter-Vickers in recent weeks.
However, the Celtic boss did still opt to select Trusty on the right side of the defence over Maik Nawrocki, a naturally right-footed player, and the Hoops must ruthlessly ditch the Polish centre-back this summer as a result of his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.
Why Celtic should cash in on Maik Nawrocki
The 24-year-old defender, whose Transfermarkt value is just £1.7m, was an unused substitute once again against Hibernian, as he failed to add to his paltry two appearances in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign.
When questioned about Nawrocki’s lack of game time in March, Rodgers explained that it was because he prefers to have left-footed players on the left. He said: “I do always prefer where I can a left-footed centre-half on that side, in all honesty, because that allows you to get through the pitch quicker and have more speed playing forward.”
However, Carter-Vickers was unavailable against Hibernian and the manager still opted for Trusty on the right side, despite him being a naturally left-footed player who has the same problems that Nawrocki has playing out on his weaker side.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
This suggests that the former Legia Warsaw star’s lack of game time goes beyond Rodgers’ concerns about which side of the centre-back pairing he plays, as he was unwilling to give him minutes against Hibernian with no other right-footed centre-backs available and the title already wrapped up.
The most frustrating part of this for Nawrocki, however, may be that this has come after his impressive performances in the Premiership in his two outings in March.
All the way back in January of last year, Nawrocki told reporters that he was prepared for his moment to shine in a Celtic shirt, and that moment eventually came in March of this year when Trusty and Scales were injured and he was named in the XI against Rangers and Hearts.
Maik Nawrocki
Vs Rangers
Vs Hearts
Minutes
90
90
Clearances
7
9
Blocks
0
3
Tackles + interceptions
5
1
Duels won
7/10
8/9
Dribbled past
0x
0x
Pass accuracy
93%
98%
Error led to shot/goal
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Polish star took his chances to impress with dominant and reliable defensive displays in those two matches, which led to pundit Chris Sutton hailing him as “fantastic”.
However, Nawrocki has been an unused substitute for four matches, missed out on the matchday squad twice, and not played a single minute of football since the win and clean sheet against Hearts.
As aforementioned, his Transfermarkt value now stands at just £1.7m. This means that he is worth less than Scales (£3m) and Trusty (bought for £5m), whilst also being the least used centre-back option, with just two league outings.
Therefore, Celtic must brutally axe the 24-year-old outcast from the squad in the upcoming summer transfer window because he is a depreciating asset who is not getting enough minutes on the pitch.
Celtic could sign £11m star who'd be their best striker since Edouard
Celtic could land their best striker signing since Odsonne Edouard by signing this star.
ByDan Emery May 8, 2025
Rodgers has shown that he is not ready to trust Nawrocki ahead of Scales or Trusty and it is now down to the board to find a team that is willing to snap him up so they can recoup some money for his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
A former Premier League manager is interested in taking over at Rangers, and is now just awaiting a call from the club’s hierarchy about a move to Ibrox, according to a new report.
Rangers slip up again as Celtic claim Scottish Premiership title
It was a weekend to forget for Rangers fans as rivals Celtic clinched their fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title — and a 13th in 14 seasons — while the Gers slipped to another draw.
Celtic cruised to a 5-0 victory over Dundee United to seal the title, while Rangers were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling St. Mirren — results that highlight the contrasting fortunes of the two sides this season.
After the draw with St. Mirren, Rangers caretaker boss Barry Ferguson described his team’s performance as “not good enough.”
“I know it’s a difficult place to come, but when you take the lead twice, you need to maintain that lead,” he told BBC Scotland. “That’s been a problem all season, and that’s the reason we have not been challenging. You can do all the work on the training ground and say all the right things in meetings, but when you cross that white line, you have to deal with it yourself.”
On Celtic’s title triumph, he added: “It’ll be painful for my staff, it’ll be painful for the supporters. And I want it to be painful for my players. Because you’re at Rangers, and we need to start challenging, properly challenging, for trophies.”
Martin "interested" in Rangers move
Though Ferguson has undoubtedly been an improvement on former boss Philippe Clement, he may not stay in charge beyond the end of the season — meaning the Gers and the 49ers will need to find a new man to take the reins at Ibrox.
According to The Scottish Sun, that man could be former Southampton boss Russell Martin. Martin was sacked by the Saints earlier this season after a disastrous Premier League campaign that ultimately ended in relegation. However, he is a target to take over from Ferguson at Rangers.
The Sun reports that Martin is very interested in the job and is simply awaiting a call from the club’s hierarchy about filling the position.
Despite his poor record with Southampton, Martin received heavy praise from one of the game’s greatest managers — Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
Speaking after City’s 1-0 win over Southampton back in October, Guardiola said of the former MK Dons boss: “It’s a good game to learn as a manager. I am going to learn a lot with Russell because they did really well.”
On how Martin set Southampton up that day, Guardiola added: “They are really good. I’m a spectator. I prefer the players to get the ball to feet, not the teeth.
“When I see the opponent do the things I like to do with my team and they do it really well, I make a compliment. I’m sure I will learn; there were some movements, the reasons why they do things, the movements they make to link to the striker. It’s not easy.”
Manchester United have now identified a new top target to replace Andre Onana this summer, amid concerns over the goalkeeper’s performances this season, according to a report.
Man Utd star dropped after Lyon disaster
Onana had a point to prove heading into Man United’s Europa League clash against Lyon, having received heavy criticism from Nemanja Matic before the match, but the Cameroonian put in a very disappointing performance.
After making a major blunder, which allowed Rayan Cherki to bag a late equaliser, the goalkeeper received a 5.9 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player on the pitch, and he was subsequently dropped for the 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.
Given that Altay Bayindir also failed to impress at St. James’ Park, Ruben Amorim has a selection dilemma heading into the second leg against Lyon on Thursday night, which is perhaps his side’s most crucial game of the season so far.
New target: Man Utd eyeing move to sign "excellent" £15m Onana replacement
The Red Devils have joined the race for a goalkeeper, amid concerns over Andre Onana’s form.
ByDominic Lund Apr 15, 2025
However, Amorim’s lack of faith in his goalkeepers means it is now looking increasingly likely a new option will be brought in between the sticks this summer, and a new top target has now been identified.
According to a report from Spain, FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is the leading candidate to replace Onana, with Old Trafford chiefs now ramping up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper.
Portugal'sDiogoCosta
Costa’s impressive performances for club and country mean he has now been pinpointed as the Red Devils’ number one choice, most notably putting in some top displays for national side Portugal at Euro 2024.
The Portugal international is protected by a €75m (£64m) release clause, and Porto are unwilling to sanction his departure for a lower fee, so United will need to spend big to get a deal over the line this summer.
"Superman" Costa could be upgrade on Onana
The Porto shot-stopper put in some top displays at Euro 2024, while he has also impressed in a Porto shirt for quite some time, having been lauded as a “superman” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig after catching the eye in the Champions League.
Perhaps crucially, the 25-year-old appears to be competent in possession of the ball, given that he ranks in the 93rd percentile for touches per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Not only that, but the Porto academy graduate is particularly adept at saving penalties, recently denying Christian Eriksen from the spot in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League clash against Denmark.
At 25-years-old, Costa may be about to enter his prime years, and his performances for both club and country indicate he could be a real upgrade on Onana, who is running out of time to save his Man United career.
Liverpool are now battling Real Madrid for the signature of FC Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano, amid a new update on his future at the Allianz Arena.
The Reds finally managed to get one over on Madrid on Tuesday night, defeating the Spanish side 1-0 at Anfield in the Champions League, courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header, which was the Argentinian’s first goal of the season.
The result was extra sweet, given that it was the first time Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to Anfield since controversially leaving in the summer, with Arne Slot bringing in Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement.
However, it would be fair to say Frimpong hasn’t made an immediate impact, having only been used sparingly by Slot even prior to his recent injury, which has ruled the right-back out of the last four matches in all competitions.
The manager was also keen to bring in a new centre-back in the summer, narrowly missing out on Marc Guehi on deadline day, given that Crystal Palace were unable to sign a replacement, but a potential alternative has now been identified.
Liverpool battling Real Madrid for Dayot Upamecano
Having gotten the better of Real Madrid on the pitch, Liverpool are now trying to one-up their European foes in the transfer market, with a report from Spain revealing the two clubs are battling it out for Upamecano, although there could be competition from elsewhere.
Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United are also in the race for the defender, amid uncertainty surrounding his future at Bayern, as he is still yet to put pen to paper on a new contract to extend his stay at the German club beyond the end of the season.
Talks over a new deal have now stalled, which suggests the 27-year-old could be on the move in the summer, but Bayern would be unwilling to sanction a move during the January transfer window.
Slot is personally a fan of the centre-back, with the Dutchman of the belief he could adapt to life in the Premier League swiftly and stabilise his backline, and there are plenty of indications the Liverpool manager could be on the money.
Hailed as “outstanding” by Joshua Kimmich, the Bayern star is vastly experienced at the top level, having made 60 appearances in the Champions League and won 11 trophies, across what has been a very impressive career to date.
Despite the contract uncertainty, the Frenchman also remains a key player for Bayern Munich, most recently starting in the 2-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain, making six clearances and winning four duels to keep the reigning European champions at bay.
That said, Liverpool haven’t always been successful when recruiting from the Bundesliga, with Florian Wirtz yet to adapt to life in the Premier League, failing to register a goal or an assist.
As such, it would be less risky to simply go back in for Guehi, who has already proven himself in the Premier League.
Upamecano and Guehi have been named among the world's best centre-backs The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.
Liam Scott made 53 to go with his five wickets while Ben Manenti finished 49 not out as South Australia won by three wickets in a tight fourth innings chase
AAP12-Nov-2025Australia’s incumbent Test allrounder Beau Webster has taken eight wickets, including Travis Head twice and Alex Carey once, but it wasn’t enough for Tasmania as Liam Scott and Ben Manenti guided South Australia to their first win of the Sheffield Shield season in Hobart.Needing to manufacture the highest innings of a bowler-dominated match, the reigning champions recovered from 88 for 5 to chase down the target of 217.Cult hero Manenti was one of the heroes, scoring an unbeaten 49 from No.8. Manenti also took the crucial wickets of Beau Webster, Tim Ward and Brad Hope in Tasmania’s second innings to help bowl the Tigers out for 184. He put on a crucial 71-run stand with player of the match Scott to steer the visitors out of trouble.Related
Webster takes five on tough day for his Test chances
Webster, Weatherald miss out as Doggett bags five
South Australia were winless from their first three games of the season, losing two and drawing the other. The result came against stiff opposition, with Australia’s incumbent Test No.6 Beau Webster starring with the ball to ensure he remains in contention to keep his spot.After claiming 5 for 50 in the first innings, Webster backed it up with 3 for 73 in the losing cause.Two of his victims were Travis Head and Alex Carey, his Australian teammates. Head edged Webster to slips on 15 from a ripping off-cutter, continuing his disappointing run of form leading into the Ashes.Since smashing a blazing ODI century against South Africa in August, his highest score has been 31 in 11 innings.Although Webster got the better of his Test teammates, he was taken apart by Manenti and Scott, with his wickets coming at more than six runs an over.Manenti was thrilled with the win.”We’ve been pretty successful down here the last couple of years. It’s a place we love to come and play at,” he said. “Probably rode the game a bit, it was a tricky wicket early.”We needed it. We’ve been close the last couple of weeks, playing some really good cricket, we’ve just lost patches.”South Australia will return to Adelaide Oval for their next match against Western Australia, starting on November 22.
Shree Charani, Kiran Navgire and Yastika Bhatia are a few players that could fetch big money at the auction
Shashank Kishore26-Nov-2025
N Shree Charani
Uncapped heading into WPL 2025, Charani sparked an intense bidding war between Delhi Capitals [DC] and Mumbai Indians [MI] before eventually going for INR 55 lakh to DC. A left-arm spinner trusted across phases, she offers the kind of control and reliability captains crave. Her stocks have never been higher, having been instrumental in India’s ODI World Cup triumph despite being an unlikely starter as late as June. Composed under pressure and rapidly rising in value, Charani is poised for an even bigger payday.Yastika Bhatia has fully recovered from a knee injury•BCCI
Yastika Bhatia
Bhatia has been part of two title-winning MI squads and enjoyed intermittent success as Hayley Matthews’ opening partner. But a series of injuries stalled her upward trajectory, culminating in the heartbreak of missing the World Cup due to a knee injury. With G Kamalini retained by MI, Bhatia re-enters the auction pool at a time when several teams are actively seeking an Indian wicketkeeper. The past few months have seen her complete her rehab and regain full fitness, and her dual skill set once again makes her a valuable option. As a wicketkeeper-batter, she offers immediate balance and flexibility to whichever team secures her. She last played in August, impressing in the three one-dayers for India A in Australia.Kiran Navgire has often got UP Warriorz off to flying starts•WPL
Kiran Navgire
Navgire last played for India in October 2022, but her power-hitting has remained impossible to ignore in the WPL. In 2025, she walloped a 24-ball half-century as an opener for UP Warriorz against DC. That innings briefly nudged the franchise towards considering her for retention. While that didn’t materialise, an RTM card remains a realistic option. What’s certain is that she won’t come cheap. Navgire’s stock has surged in recent months, especially in the aftermath of her record-breaking 34-ball century for Maharashtra against Punjab – the fastest in women’s T20 cricket, surpassing Sophie Devine.Vaishnavi Sharma picked up a hat-trick in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph earlier this year•ICC/Getty Images
Vaishnavi Sharma
Another rising star from Madhya Pradesh’s stables after Pooja Vastrakar and Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi announced herself with a hat-trick in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph earlier this year. The 19-year-old left-arm spinner then dominated the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets in 11 games at an economy of 6.47, before backing it up with strong performances in the inter-zonal tournament. Having impressed at multiple trials, Vaishnavi is widely praised for her maturity, composure and exceptional control, qualities that mark her out as one of India’s most exciting young spin prospects. Teams that don’t get Charani could be lining up for Vaishnavi.
Deeya Yadav
A hard-hitting top-order batter from Haryana, Deeya has modelled much of her game on Shafali Verma. Her recent performances suggest she’s charting a similar trajectory, too. She enjoyed a breakout Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, amassing 298 runs in eight innings at an average of 59.50 and a strike rate of 128, including three half-centuries. She carried that form into the inter-zonal T20s, where her strike-rate touched 150 as she powered North Zone to the final. Still only 16, Deeya could be a long-term investment for franchises. Her stable base, excellent hand-eye coordination and raw hitting power have already prompted comparisons to Shafali, with many touting her as Haryana’s next big batting talent.
Aaron Judge did not receive a favorable strike zone in his first at-bat against Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello on Friday night. Judge, hitting third in the order for the Yankees' second game of a weekend series against Boston, did not swing at any of the four pitches he saw in the at-bat and none of them were in the zone.
Rather than give Judge a walk, home plate umpire Lance Barrett sent him back to the dugout without having seen so much as a single strike.
Looking at the recap of the at-bat, none of the calls were that far outside the zone and any one of them on their own wasn't that egregious.
Aaron Judge was punched out on three questionable strike calls. / MLB.com
But when you call all three of them strikes back-to-back-to-back, it's a bad look. And more importantly, people notice.
This would not be the first time that the Yankees have disagreed with Barrett behind the dish.