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While they might not always be the biggest spenders, Arsenal have made some huge signings over the years.

For example, Viktor Gyokeres’ arrival earlier this summer felt like it could be a needle mover; Declan Rice, a couple of years ago, was, and then, while he didn’t cost as much, Alexis Sanchez was a real coup when he joined.

However, when it comes to headline-grabbing transfers, none can claim the top spot off of Mesut Özil, as his arrival in 2013 is still one of the most memorable moments in the club’s modern history.

So, fans should be delighted that it now looks like Mikel Arteta is about to sign his own Ozil.

Arsenal target their new Özil

So far, it would be fair to say that Arsenal are having a great summer regarding transfers, as so far, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has made six first-team additions.

Transfer Focus

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

Moreover, while the Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi are the most exciting signings thus far, the Italian has made sure to fill in the gaps in the rest of the squad, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

However, instead of calling it quits there, the club now look set to make potentially the most exciting signing yet, one that could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil moment.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Standard’s Dom Smith, who has reaffirmed the news that Arsenal are now in pole position to secure Eberechi Eze.

In fact, Smith has revealed that the club-to-club details are “all agreed” and that the Crystal Palace star, who is an Arsenal fan, is now set to have his medical and sign his contract at some point on Friday, despite looking set to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday afternoon.

Having previously been in the Gunners academy until he was 13, at which point he was released, this is quite the sequence of events for a player who loves Arsenal.

It looks like the Englishman will cost Arsenal around £60m, and while that is a lot, it’s probably fair value for someone as talented as Eze, especially as he could be Arteta’s Ozil.

Why Eze could be the next Ozil

While fans will be hoping Eze’s Arsenal career ends in a better way than Ozil’s did, there are some significant similarities between them.

The first one relates to their transfers, as, despite being a world-class player at the time, fans had little to no idea that the German was moving to the Emirates until it was announced outside the stadium on Sky Sports News, much to the delight of the delirious fans that had gathered around the reporter to hear the news.

Now, the Crystal Palace star hasn’t officially been announced yet, but there was a similar euphoric reaction from the fans to David Ornstein’s surprise report that the club were after him last night.

That delirium was only intensified by Fabrizio Romano’s ‘here we go’ and the simple fact that Berta and Co look to have successfully hijacked the international star from Spurs.

On top of the nature of the transfer being similar to the former Real Madrid star’s, there is also a similar sense that the 27-year-old has the talent to be just as much of a game-changer for the Gunners.

Eze in 24/25
Appearances	43
Minutes	3303′
Goals	14
Assists	11
Goal Involvements per Match	0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement	132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

In other words, the £100k-per-week superstar managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

That’s not all though, as the former QPR gem has also proven he can handle the biggest games and the biggest stages, as he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of Palace’s triumphant FA Cup run last season.

Ultimately, while he isn’t the exact same type of player, the incredible way in which Arsenal secured his signature and the impact he could have on this team mean Eze could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil.

The new Havertz: Arsenal weighing up late move to sign £80m star after Eze

The big-money star could be just what Arsenal need following Kai Havertz’s injury.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 21, 2025

Karnataka, searching for a fifth title, now await the winner of the semi-final between Vidarbha and Maharashtra

S Sudarshanan15-Jan-2025

File photo: Devdutt Padikkal smacks one through covers•Maharaja T20

Devdutt Padikkal put on a batting exhibition on an up-and-down surface at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara as he helped Karnataka to their fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy final. He continued his stellar run in the competition, hitting his seventh successive fifty-plus score in India’s premier 50-over domestic competition and in the process, knocked defending champions Haryana out.Padikkal made 86 off 113 balls – following his 102 off 99 against Baroda in the last outing, his first this season – and added 128 for the third wicket with Ravichandran Smaran as Karnataka chased down the 238-run target with relative ease. The win was set up by their bowlers led by left-arm quick Abhilash Shetty, who returned 4 for 34. His wickets included both Nishant Sindhu and Parth Vats, the two half-centurions from Haryana’s preliminary quarter-final win that knocked out Bengal.Legspinner Shreyas Gopal was instrumental in turning the tide Karnataka’s way with the ball when he broke a fluent second-wicket partnership worth 70 between Himanshu Rana and Ankit Kumar by trapping the latter lbw on 48. Thereon, Haryana lost 8 for 96 to collapse to 198 for 9. But a stroke-filled last-wicket stand between Anuj Thakral and Amit Rana, which included scoring 17 off the last over of the first innings, helped Haryana get to a total much more than Karnataka would have liked.Four-time champions Karnataka were jolted early in the chase when their top-scorer of the competition, the captain Mayank Agarawal, fell in the opening over. Anshul Kamboj got a fullish ball to jag in and hit Agarawal on the knee-roll, the Hawk-Eye showing it to clip the stumps. Padikkal, his opening partner since returning from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managed to ride the uneven bounce and collect a few fours, even as KV Aneesh struggled at the other end. The No. 3 bat played 14 straight dots before heaving Sumit Kumar over deep midwicket for a meaty six to get going.Related

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If Padikkal brought Karnataka’s chase on track with his 62-run partnership with Aneesh, he dashed Haryana’s hopes with his alliance with Smaran. The pair took their time to settle, especially when Haryana pressed their spinners, Amit and Sindhu, into service. They were getting some balls to turn, some jumped from the rough but Padikkal broke the deadlock by stepping out to Sindhu and smoking him over long-on. He looked untroubled for most of his stay until he played a cross-batted heave, intending to finish the chase in a hurry, and top-edged Sindhu to mid-off with Karnataka 44 away.Smaran too scored a classy fifty, hitting three fours and three sixes and fell on 76 off 94 with Karnataka 13 away.Earlier in the day, Haryana were inserted and got a steady start through openers Arsh Ranga and Himanshu. Their partnership should have been nipped in the fifth over when Ranga edged Koushik behind, but Krishnan Shrijith failed to hang on. That did not cost Karnataka as Shetty struck with his second ball to have Ranga edge one to Padikkal at slip.That was Karnataka’s only success for some time as Himanshu and Amit scored fluently. They were helped by some wayward bowling, too, with Prasidh bowling a few wides down leg. Shrijith’s shoddy glovework also resulted in a few byes. The second-wicket pair for Haryana was doing well to set a base. Which is when Agarawal brought spin on to apply the brakes.Shreyas and left-arm spinner Hardik Raj tested both the edges of the batters, with the former using the googly to excellent effect. After he denied Haryana’s captain, Ankit, a fifty, Himanshu had an ill-timed dash down the surface against Raj and was stumped by Shrijith. Those twin wickets gave Karnataka enough of an opening. Dinesh Bana, Rahul Tewatia and Sumit Kumar all got starts but none lasted more than 36 balls.But that did not bother Karnataka, who made regular inroads to trigger a collapse. One that was enough to propel Karnataka to their first Vijay Hazare Trophy final since 2019-20 after three semi-finals and a quarter-final appearance in the last four editions. They will meet the winner of Vidarbha vs Maharashtra in Saturday’s final.

The final has been allocated to Lahore, but will be played in Dubai if India make the title round

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2024Dubai has been confirmed as the venue for all matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 involving India, including one of the semi-finals and possibly the final, too, if India get there.The schedule, officially released by the ICC on Tuesday, specifies that “semi-final 1 will involve India if they qualify” and will be played in Dubai, and, similarly, “semi-final 2 will involve Pakistan if they qualify”. Also, Lahore has been finalised as the host city for the final, but “if India qualifies for the final it will be played in Dubai”. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days, an ICC statement confirmed.As reported by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday, the decision to host India’s matches at the eight-team Champions Trophy away from Pakistan, the official host country, and in the UAE was finalised after Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, met with Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak in Pakistan. Sheikh Nahyan is a senior UAE minister and also the head of the Emirates Cricket Board.Related

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Champions Trophy: India vs Pakistan on February 23 in UAE

Naqvi, the PCB chairman, said, “We are pleased that an agreement has been reached based on the principles of equality and respect, showcasing the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that defines our sport.”Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the ICC members who played a constructive role in helping us achieve a mutually beneficial solution. Their efforts have been invaluable in promoting the interests of international cricket.”The marquee Pakistan vs India match in the group stage will be played on February 23, a Sunday. The other two teams in that group are Bangladesh and New Zealand. India will face Bangladesh on February 20, and New Zealand on March 2.ESPNcricinfo LtdPakistan, the defending champions of the tournament, will start things off on February 19, against New Zealand in Karachi. Pakistan’s last league match, against Bangladesh, will be played in Rawalpindi on February 27.The second group has Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa. The matches for both groups – apart from the India games – will be played across Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi.The two semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and March 5, and with both games being allocated reserve days, it’s not impossible that they end up taking place on the same day, though Dubai is usually dry at that time of the year.The hybrid model was finalised after the parties involved agreed that, in return, Pakistan’s matches at ICC events hosted by India till 2027 will also be at neutral venues. In all cases, knockout games such as the semi-final and the final will also be held at neutral venues.The agreement begins with the Champions Trophy, and will apply to the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup in India, and the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. It will also apply to the 2028 women’s T20 World Cup, the first tournament of the next events cycle that has now been awarded to Pakistan.

While the last few seasons haven’t exactly gone to plan for West Ham United, there is still plenty of talent in their squad.

However, it would be fair to say that we all know just who the Hammers’ most important player is: Jarrod Bowen.

The England international is undoubtedly one of the most underrated players in the entire Premier League, and has a sensational tally of 125 goal involvements in 238 games to prove it.

So, even though this window hasn’t been the most exciting, fans should be excited about reports linking the Irons to an up-and-coming talent who could be Graham Potter’s new Bowen.

West Ham target their new Bowen

It’s been an interesting summer window for West Ham so far, as while the signing of Callum Wilson is more than a little underwhelming, and the links to Raheem Sterling concerning, the club have made a few smart additions.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

For example, Kyle Walker-Peters on a free will undoubtedly strengthen Potter’s defensive unit, while there is plenty of upside for the combative El Hadji Malick Diouf.

Moreover, the East Londoners don’t appear done just yet, as they’re now honing in on a young attacker who could be the next Bowen.

At least that is according to a recent report from journalist David Lynch, who claims West Ham are one of several sides interested in Ben Doak.

Lynch has revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen to sign the Liverpool youngster, and that offers of £20m were rejected from Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town in the winter window.

It appears as if the Reds will also reject such offers this summer, as according to Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph, they value the 19-year-old at around £30m.

It could be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer to get over the line, but Doak could well be worth it, especially as he could become Potter’s new Bowen.

Why Doak could be the new Bowen

So, the first thing to say is that we are not claiming that Doak is as good as Bowen at the moment, or that he is even likely to get close in the next season or two.

That would be absurd and far too much pressure to place on a teenager, as the Irons star is currently one of the best attackers in the league and will likely remain so for some time.

However, some undeniable aspects of this potential deal suggest the Liverpool gem could potentially develop into someone who could take over from the Englishman at some point in the future.

The first is the fact that the Irons would be signing the Dalry-born gem after an impressive spell in the Championship.

For example, the Reds sent the Scottish gem on loan to Middlesbrough last season, and when he wasn’t out with a hamstring injury, he looked every part the future star.

In 24 appearances, totalling 1789 minutes, the “explosive” ace, as dubbed by Danny Murphy, scored three goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, he was able to average a goal involvement every 2.4 games, or every 178.9 minutes, which is made more impressive considering it was his first full season of senior football.

Doak’s 24/25

Appearances

24

Minutes

1789′

Goals

3

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.41

Minutes per Goal Involvement

178.9′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of his ability in the second tier, the 5 foot 9 dynamo is also primarily a right-winger, but has shown an ability to occasionally play off the left or up top.

Finally, as well as his output, the promising youngster put up some seriously impressive underlying numbers in the Championship last season.

According to FBref, he was in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next best 14 competitions for carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 5% for non-penalty expected goals per shot.

Those numbers paint the picture of a player capable of getting the ball into dangerous areas and then making the most of the moment – sound like anyone familiar?

Ultimately, fans shouldn’t expect Doak to be a regular starter next season, but just as Bowen developed into a superstar over time, we see no reason why the young Scotsman couldn’t do the same at West Ham.

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Posts ByBen Gray Aug 6, 2025

Everton manager David Moyes is aiming to build a side that will be able to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League in their first season at the club’s new stadium.

It is the start of a new era for the Merseyside outfit and what better way to commemorate it by emerging from their recent malaise and moving forward under Moyes.

Much will depend on the transfer business that the club manage to pull off this summer. So far, only Carlos Alcaraz has joined the Toffees. Even then, the South American starlet spent the last six months of the 2024/25 campaign on loan. Therefore, he is hardly a brand-new arrival.

A few days ago, it was reported that Everton were in talks to sign Fulham right-back Kenny Tete on a free transfer.

Season

Final placing

2024/25

13th

2012/13

6th

2011/12

7th

2010/11

7th

2009/10

8th

2008/09

5th

2007/08

5th

2006/07

6th

2005/06

11th

2004/05

4th

2003/04

17th

2002/03

7th

2001/02

15th

Moyes is keen on bringing in another full-back, especially on the right side of the defence, and with Tete available for nothing, it is a move that makes perfect sense.

Another player who the club are targeting is Villarreal centre-forward Thierno Barry, who enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2024/25.

Considering Everton scored just 42 goals throughout the Premier League last term, the lowest of any club outside the relegation zone, improving in the attacking department is a major priority for Moyes.

As such, signing Barry could turn into a solid piece of business, especially as he looks ready to take the next step in his career.

Why Everton must sign Thierno Barry

Last season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto and Armando Broja netted just 13 goals between them, highlighting that this area in the squad needs to be vastly improved.

Barry could be the perfect solution for Moyes. Indeed, the Frenchman made a total of 41 appearances for the La Liga club last term, scoring 19 goals and registering four assists in the process.

He also shone across various metrics when compared to his positional peers in the Spanish top flight last season. Not only did the striker rank in the top 25% for non-penalty goals (0.39) per 90, but he also ranked in the top 27% for total shots (2.75) and in the top 17% for aerials won (3.84) per 90.

Although they might not be a spell-binding array of statistics, considering it was his debut season in Spain, it suggests that Barry is only going to get better and better as time goes on.

The striker has spent the previous few weeks representing France at the U21 European Championships. Across his five games at the competition, Barry has scored once, averaged two shots per game and created two big chances, despite averaging just 37 minutes per game for France.

His future looks bright indeed. Should he make the move to the Toffees, could he be a success on Merseyside? Only time will tell on that front.

Moyes will be keen to supplement the signing of Barry by adding further attacking talent this summer, especially those who can help make the French starlet even better.

Might he possibly be eyeing up a move for an Englishman who impressed in the Premier League last season?

Latest Everton transfer news

While Barry is the main attacking target, Moyes has also shown interest in Timothy Weah and James McAtee this summer already.

Transfer Focus

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

Both players would improve the club’s attacking options, without a shadow of a doubt, although they may cost the club a pretty penny.

According to TEAMtalk, Everton are now exploring a potential move for Ipswich Town attacking midfielder Omari Hutchinson this summer.

Amid Ipswich’s relegation, several clubs, including the Toffees, Brentford and West Ham, are waiting to make a move for the player, who is valued at €28m (£24m) according to Football Transfers.

The Tractor Boys may have struggled last term, but Hutchinson was one of the few bright sparks, and it is likely he will depart.

Moyes must make sure he is at the front of the queue to sign the talented Englishman, especially as he could be a dream signing for Barry.

Why Omari Hutchinson could be a dream for Thierno Barry

Last season, Hutchinson played 31 Premier League games for Ipswich, scoring three goals and grabbing two assists.

While it wasn’t enough to prevent their relegation, he impressed in large spells, which is now leading to attention in the transfer market.

Aside from his goal contributions, Hutchinson also created six big chances, averaged one key pass per game and succeeded with 1.6 dribbles per game. This is made even more impressive by the fact Ipswich averaged just 40% possession across their 38 league games last term.

It proves that when the Englishman had the ball, he was willing to make things happen for his teammates, indicating that he would be a dream signing for Barry.

Not only would the youngster create chances for the Frenchman, but he would also be able to consistently get into dangerous positions in the final third.

Labelled “dazzling” by Statman Dave in the Championship, he spent the early part of the summer helping England U21s reach the final of the European Championship, playing a key role in their success.

Hutchinson has started four of England’s five matches and, as well as grabbing an assist, he has also created three big chances, averages 1.8 key passes and succeeds with an impressive 2.2 dribbles per game at the tournament.

If England go on to defeat Germany in the final, it will largely be due to Hutchinson’s impressive performances.

Moyes will surely have one eye on the final this weekend, especially as the club have joined the list of potential suitors for his signature.

Getting a move for Barry over the line will be his priority firstly. But once this deal is signed, sealed and delivered, lining up Hutchinson will be on the agenda.

It all depends on the fee Ipswich demands, but if it is reasonable, the Toffees should be all over the move. That’s for sure.

Everton now confident in their bid to sign forward with £34m release clause

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ByBrett Worthington Jun 26, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign a Champions League “gladiator” for free, according to a recent report.

Ins and outs expected as Forest prepare for Europe

The first part of the summer transfer window has just closed, but that doesn’t mean clubs are not actively working on transfers in time for when the window reopens again on Monday June 16. Forest are expected to be very busy this summer, as they prepare for European football and look to continue their fine 2024/25 form into the new campaign.

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Already the Reds have agreed to let one player leave the City Ground, as Fabrizio Romano has reported that Lyon have reached an agreement with Forest to sign goalkeeper Matt Turner. The French side are willing to pay €8 million, which is roughly £6.7 million.

He may not be the only exit on the cards, as it’s been reported that Newcastle United have made contact with Forest over signing Anthony Elanga. The Magpies tried to sign the Sweden international last summer but failed, and they are now looking to wrap up a deal 12 months on.

The Reds are of course also working on incomings, and while they work on a potential deal for midfielder Douglas Luiz, they are also keeping an eye on Lucas Cepeda from Chilean top flight side Colo-Colo. The winger is said to have a release clause of just £4 million and is interested in making the step up to a major European League.

Nottingham Forest submit offer for Reinildo

Forest just announced their retained list this week and revealed Harry Toffolo would be leaving following the expiration of his contract. It now appears as though the club have already found his potential replacement, as according to reporter Ben Jacobs, Forest have submitted an offer to sign left-back Reinildo on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old currently plays for Spanish giants Atlético Madrid and has done so since January 2022. The defender’s contract has been extended to the beginning of August, so he can participate in the Club World Cup for Atlético. But after that, he looks set to leave the club, and as well as Forest, Sunderland and Leeds have made approaches over a potential deal, as well as teams from Saudi Arabia.

The 49-cap Mozambique captain, who has been dubbed a “true gladiator” by scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled to be a regular in Madrid. He finished the 2024/25 campaign having played 29 games in all competitions, 19 of which came in La Liga, regularly from the substitutes’ bench.

Apps

19

Starts

10

Clean sheets

4

Interceptions per game

0.8

Tackles per game

0.9

Balls recovered per game

2.7

Clearances per game

1.7

Duels won per game

2.6 (49%)

With Toffolo leaving and Alex Moreno returning to Aston Villa, it means Forest don’t have a recognised natural left-back in their squad, and therefore, there may be some urgency in beating the likes of Leeds and Sunderland to the signature of Reinildo, especially given his experience in European football.

Manchester United will want to improve all areas of the pitch during the summer transfer window, needing to right the wrongs of the 2024/25 campaign, which was certainly one to forget.

The Red Devils lost in the Europa League final and also finished 15th in the Premier League, with no European football present at Old Trafford next season.

Such a failure will certainly have an impact on finances at the club, restricting any funds that boss Ruben Amorim may have had at his disposal had they claimed victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it could be a blessing in disguise, handing the manager the opportunity to work closely with his players and mount a serious charge for the Premier League’s top four in 2025/26.

Regardless of the terrible form, the hierarchy look set to give Amorim the benefit of the doubt and hand him funds to change their fortunes, with numerous players already on the manager’s radar.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap have been on United’s radar in recent days, with the hierarchy holding talks with the Cameroon international over a switch to Old Trafford this summer.

The club have been quoted a fee in the region of £50m for the 25-year-old star, who’s managed to score 20 goals in the Premier League this season, but could face competition from Newcastle United for his signature.

However, the other end of the pitch is also in need of investment, with Burnley shot-stopper James Trafford emerging as a summer target, according to GIVEMESPORT.

The report claims that the club are exploring potential reinforcements to bolster the ranks, with the future of Andre Onana at United uncertain given his recent showings.

It also states that it’s unknown how much Scott Parker’s side will demand for the signature of the 22-year-old, who kept a staggering 29 clean sheets in the Championship last season, but prior reports this year suggest it may be around £30m.

Why Trafford could be the next Sancho

Winger Jadon Sancho joined United in a £73m deal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021, but it’s safe to say his time at Old Trafford has been a disaster.

The Englishman has made 83 appearances for the club, scoring just 12 goals and being sent on various loan spells – including back to the side which the Red Devils landed him from.

The 25-year-old is currently on loan at fellow Premier League side Chelsea, but could well be back in Amorim’s side ahead of next season if the Blues trigger his £5m cancellation fee after originally joining with an obligation to join permanently.

He’s only scored four times in his 40 appearances across all competitions in West London, with the club undoubtedly set to lose a small fortune on their investment in the near future.

However, the club could land a repeat of Sancho in a summer move for Trafford, with the goalkeeper following a similar path in his career to the winger over recent years.

The pair both came through Manchester City’s academy, before moving elsewhere to make their name and potentially costing the Red Devils a small fortune in the process.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the shot-stopper would set the hierarchy back this summer, it’s one they should look to avoid with better options available in the market.

How Trafford compared to Onana in the PL (2023/24)

Statistics (per 90)

Trafford

Onana

Games played

28

38

Goals conceded

62

58

Save percentage

65%

75%

Saves made

3.7

3.9

Clean sheets

2

9

Clean sheet percentage

7%

23%

Pass accuracy

65%

73%

Stats via FBref

Trafford, who’s been labelled “world-class” by current boss Parker, was unable to better current ‘keeper Onana in numerous key areas during his last stint in the Premier League, even dropping to number two in the pecking order as a result.

Whilst there’s no denying that a new goalkeeper needs to be on the agenda this summer, Amorim and the board should be exploring other options, with a more experienced head needed between the sticks.

Given the similarities between him and Sancho’s career path, it’s another reason as to why they should steer clear – needing to find value for money elsewhere given the financial constraints.

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Another Indian city, another capacity crowd. Another team dispatched to gleeful roars

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Oct-20231:57

Moody: India’s bowlers relentless with their lengths

Oh hello, opposition players. Who are you guys this time? We’ve already crushed Australia, bashed New Zealand… sooo you guys must be? Hah. Just kidding, we know who you are. Come through, come through. Welcome.We’ve seen a few of you around, right? Some of you play the IPL. Even do quite well at times, I think. Look, we’re sorry, and we don’t mean much by it, but for this tournament, we have basically forgotten you. How do we put this? Those at the top of the food chain tend to be errrr… indifferent, let’s say, to the day-to-day lives of their prey.Look at how many of us there are. We’ve come to Lucknow from all over. Some of us have taken trains east from Delhi and Gurugram. Others have driven from Kanpur, from Patna, from Indore. Busloads full of us have come. Planeloads full of us. In the business class section, an Indian-origin venture capitalist from the east coast of the US is chatting all flight long to a fintech guy from Mumbai. They’re waxing nostalgic about their childhoods in the same state, trading business notes, marveling at how much India has changed, giggling about how much has stayed the same.Related

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Shami and Bumrah demolish England to make it six out of six for India

Stats – England's worst ODI World Cup campaign yet

In the cities we pack out, the restaurants are all full, the streets are a whirl of blue, and the best biryani restaurants have queues out the door. You guys know all about queues in your country, right? Hahahah, you guys invented some decent stuff once.We all a bit about the cricket, because come on, that’s what we’re here for. But we don’t spend much time talking about how good the India team is. What is there to be discussed? We know India is ridiculous. The India team knows they are ridiculous. Deep down in your hearts know India is ridiculous.We spend more time talking about you guys and all the funny comments you make in the press. Like how your team is so allergic to the word “defence” your captain has said “we don’t defend anything”. You can say that again. No wonder Sri Lanka got an eight-wicket win against you, hahah. Too good.Don’t mind us, opposition players. We will only have you in our sights for a few days. Then it’s on to a next set of opposition players.At the match, the stands are filled from top to bottom, all the way around every stand, with people in light blue shirts. You’re in the ring, and you’re surrounded.We’re screaming for our guys. Emptying our lungs. This stadium especially must make you worried, right? The stands are so high, and the canvas roof over them keeps the noise rolling back in, and on the field, you have to be hearing every cascading decibel of our exultation.Listen to the roar. The match is only just starting. All of us aren’t even in yet. But when Shubman Gill square drives a four off one of your bowlers, it’s already at ear-splitting levels. The stadium DJ sounds out instructions – a drill sergeant to 50,000-plus. We raise our arms when he tells us, call-and-response when he tells us, scream at him that our enthusiasm is “high, sir!” when he asks us. If we want to have fun on command, who are you to argue? Maybe you should focus on your own stuff.The stands were a sea of blue in Lucknow•Associated PressWhen Virat Kohli, who is chasing a record-equaling 49th century by the way, gets out coming down the track and trying to bash to leg, almost every voice in the stadium is zipped shut. It takes 50,000 people to produce this much silence. People at the urinals have got to have stopped midstream, it’s that quiet. Maybe that’s getting to you too.Don’t take it personally, opposition players. You’re all just extras on our boys’ national tour of absolute domination. You’re playing your parts just fine. We wouldn’t worry about it. You have other games.And see? Look at that. You’re bowling okay, and you field just fine. Does that make you feel a bit better?But then you also have to bat. Oh boy. It wasn’t that long ago that our bowling wasn’t that good. Now? You’re in for some trouble. Ours is the best now. When our guys surround your batters, and our bowlers surge in, and we’ve got top-to-bottom coverage of all the stands, the stadium feels like a giant set of jaws, about to swallow your puny batters.This is a spin-friendly pitch apparently, and yah, we have Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav for just such tracks, but we also have fast bowlers who are bosses on them, and they are the ones who deck your top order this time. Jasprit Bumrah, our one-of-a-kind quick. Not just a soulless cricket factory, no? Not even close. Mohammed Shami, who goes hunting for that set of stumps better than most seamers on the planet, was always going to cause you so much trouble here wasn’t he. Oh, opposition players.Before long, you are 39 for 4. Then 52 for 5. Then 98 for 7 or something. Kuldeep is spinning them so big, so quickly, your captain didn’t even have time to form the gate he spun his ball through. It’s not your fault you suck. I mean, it might be. But anyone would suck against this. Everyone has so far.Then Bumrah and Shami come back into the attack, and your useless tail hits a few boundaries how cute. But, you know, our boys are wrapping things up now. All out 100 runs short of our target, in the 35th over. It’s all over.Farewell opposition players. Best of luck in all your endeavours for the remainder of this tournament. Ahmedabad next? Try the thali. We will follow you, I guess. Either way, we’ll see some of you at the IPL, and the rest of you will line up desperately at the auction for the chance of playing in India again. Ah, you guys. It’s been a good time. For us.

All the key stats from the second Test between South Africa and Bangladesh in Gqeberha

Sampath Bandarupalli11-Apr-20222 Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer became only the second pair to take all ten wickets while bowling unchanged on two occasions as South Africa beat Bangladesh in Gqeberha. They had achieved this feat for the first time during the first Test in Durban. Australia’s Charlie Turner and JJ Ferris are the only other pair to do so on two different instances.3 Seven-plus wicket hauls for Maharaj in Test cricket, the second-most by a South Africa bowler, behind Hugh Tayfield (4). Maharaj is also the second bowler to pick up a seven-for in successive Tests for South Africa after Tayfield (vs England in 1957).150 Number of Test wickets for Maharaj, the second South Africa spinner to achieve the milestone. Tayfield was the first, finishing with 170 wickets in 37 Tests.ESPNcricinfo Ltd27 Number of wickets between the South Africa and Bangladesh spinners in the second Test. These are the most wickets picked up by spinners in a Test in South Africa. The previous highest was 23 during the 1936 Durban Test between South Africa and Australia.141 Balls needed for the South Africa spinners to pick up all ten wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings. Only once did the spinners bowl fewer balls in a Test innings for all ten wickets – 114 balls by Maharaj and Harmer against Bangladesh in the previous Test in Durban.15 Wickets between Maharaj and Harmer in Gqeberha, the joint-most by South Africa spinners in a home Test. Their spinners had shared 15 wickets on two occasions previously – against England in Gqeberha in 1949 and against Australia in Durban in 1950. Overall, the most their spinners took in any Test was 16 against Australia in Melbourne in 1952.2 Instances of a half-century and a five-for in the same Test for Maharaj; both came at the St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Shaun Pollock (3) and Jacques Kallis (2) are the only other South Africa players to achieve this double more than once.

Taylor Rogers had an extremely short-lived tenure in Pittsburgh.

Just one day after being sent from the Reds to the Pirates in a package that saw Ke'Bryan Hayes go to Cincinnati, Rogers has now been traded to the Chicago Cubs, according to Ken Rosenthal.

It's been quite the few days for Rogers, who also saw himself traded on the same day as his twin brother, Tyler, on Wednesday.

Rogers is an MLB journeyman having logged stints with the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, the Reds, the Pirates and now the Cubs. The 34-year-old was an All-Star in 2021 has posted a 2.45 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 33 innings of relief this season. He now heads to a Cubs team sitting at 63–45, one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.