Category Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur are now “pushing to sign” a £70m “beast” who is “very open to a move to Spurs” this summer, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.

Richarlison and Son Heung-min's futures up in the air

Despite an impressive 2023-24 campaign, it would be fair to say that Richarlison hasn’t exactly set the world alight since making the move from Everton, and the Brazilian once again struggled to make an impact last season after struggling with injuries.

Richarlison at Spurs

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2022-23

27

1

4

2023-24

28

11

4

2024-25

15

4

1

As such, Tottenham have now made the decision to transfer list the striker, amid interest from Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia, with talks over a potential exit being held over the course of the past month.

Consequently, one of Thomas Frank’s main tasks this summer could be to bring in a replacement, and a £32m offer has now been submitted for Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, who is also attracting attention from newly-promoted Leeds United.

There has also been speculation surrounding Son Heung-min’s future, with the captain at one stage said to have been close to an exit, and Spurs are now looking at bringing in a long-term replacement for the South Korean.

According to an update from Plettenberg on X, Tottenham are now “pushing to sign” West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus, who is “very open to a move to Spurs” this summer.

Negotiations are currently ongoing with West Ham, as Spurs “really want” to get a deal over the line, but there could be competition from clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

However, Kudus has aspirations of playing at the highest level in Europe, indicating the Lilywhites could be well-placed to win the race for his signature, with Champions League football set to be on offer at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season.

"Beast" Kudus could be exciting signing for Spurs

A deal for the Ghanaian is likely to be on the expensive side, with reports suggesting the Hammers could hold out for £70m, but there are plenty of signs that he could be an exciting addition to Frank’s squad.

The 24-year-old is a particularly impressive dribbler of the ball, placing in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons over the past year, when compared to other wingers, while he has also displayed an ability to create chances and score goals.

Offer made: West Ham now leading race to sign "powerful" £20m+ defender

The Hammers could be closing in on their first signing of the summer.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jul 6, 2025

Indeed, the West Ham star regularly contributed with goals and assists during his first season in England, picking up 17 goal contributions in the Premier League, while finding the back of the net five times in the Europa League.

Described as a “beast” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Kudus could take his career to the next level at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there may be some reservations about shelling out £70m, given that he didn’t manage to kick on at West Ham last season.

Liverpool are in the market for forwards this summer, and they’ve already agreed a £100m deal for Florian Wirtz (which could rise to a British-record £116m).

Wirtz, 22, is a “truly generational talent”, as per sports media professional Cristian Nyari, and he’s only going to get better, having led Bayer Leverkusen to the 2023/24 Bundesliga title (winning the division’s Player of the Year), and breathing life into his side whenever he collects the ball, gambolling his way into the danger area.

Liverpool have got themselves a player, all right, and Arne Slot now has an elite-level playmaker in the attacking third of the field – all the more important with Trent Alexander-Arnold signing for Real Madrid.

Though FSG would like to turn their attention toward the front of the pitch, there’s little question that a replacement for Luis Diaz would need to be sourced, should he leave this summer.

It’s for this reason that rumours have gathered apace regarding Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon.

Why Liverpool want Anthony Gordon

Last summer, Liverpool were offered the chance to sign Gordon as Newcastle sweated over PSR; after failing to qualify for Europe, the Magpies were forced to stare at their jewels and decide which to sell.

Liverpool were curious, but Newcastle found other ways to offset their troubles, selling more outlying members of Eddie Howe’s squad.

Now, the Merseysiders are keen once again, and Newcastle might be open to selling if their £100m valuation is met.

Liverpool are hardly going to meet such exorbitant demands, but if Diaz does leave, with suitors in Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League, then Reds intrigue in their former academy member, who left and joined Everton when he was 11, could take a more solid shape.

Would Liverpool be getting bang for their buck by signing Gordon for such a figure? Would they really? What about an alternative, one who would arrive for a similar fee but pack a far meatier punch under Slot’s wing?

Liverpool leading race for Diaz heir

Liverpool could sign an even bigger talent than Gordon if they advance their long-standing interest in Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, with Spanish reports claiming that the Brazilian forward could be sold for €90m (£77m) this summer.

More to the point, the Anfield side are considered alongside Manchester City to be the favourites in the race for the talented winger, though further Premier League sides are keen. Arsenal, in previous reports, have been credited with an interest.

Coming off the back of a difficult year, both Slot and Pep Guardiola believe a poor Club World Cup campaign could leave Rodrygo isolated, and with his valuation slashed toward a more agreeable €75m (£64m) ballpark.

How Rodrygo would perform for Slot

Picture this: it’s a decade ago, and Liverpool have fallen by the wayside under Brendan Rodgers. The staple of Liverpool’s summer 2015 transfer window was the £32.5m acquisition of Christian Benteke from Aston Villa.

Ten years later and Liverpool are among the frontrunners for superstars like Rodrygo, having won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and plenty more across the intervening years.

It was over ten years ago that Liverpool released Gordon when he was a youngster, and though the England international is talented and a boyhood fan of the club, Rodrygo is the superior player, even if he only notched 14 goals and ten assists across 51 matches last season.

That’s not exactly a terrible haul, though the 24-year-old did only score six goals and six assists across the La Liga season, albeit missing just one big chance in front of goal, as per Sofascore, to emphasise his clinical ability.

The crux of Rodrygo’s Madrid malaise is that he’s routinely fielded out on the right, despite feeling the alternate flank as being his best position. Indeed, the right-footer has been far more prolific when playing as a left winger.

Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

29

7

4

Left winger

12

6

6

Centre-forward

8

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

The problem, however, is that Vinicius Junior holds down the fort in that area, with focal frontman Kylian Mbappe also preferring the left side to the right, as can be observed through his league season heatmap.

Given that Mohamed Salah is staying at Liverpool for the next two years, it hardly seems likely that Liverpool would make a marquee move and bring Rodrygo into the fold just for him to play second fiddle to the Egyptian.

Instead, he could replace Diaz, who, at 28, isn’t indispensable, and prove an upgrade on Gordon, with the 24-year-old also enduring something of a tough term in front of goal for the Toon, equal to Rodrygo in that he posted six goals and six assists in the Premier League.

As Liverpool plan to foray deep into next year’s Champions League knockout stage, putting themselves on a platform to claim number seven, Rodrygo would be the perfect fit, for his pedigree on the biggest stage speaks for itself.

Gordon failed to register a goal involvement across his six games in the 2023/24 Champions League, and while he’ll have the chance to rectify that over the coming year, Rodrygo is tried and tested, hailed as a “special striker” who can “play in all positions” by former Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti.

A fierce blend of speed, skills and strength, Rodrygo would be a statement signing for a Liverpool side who are undergoing a good amount of change this summer. While the Brazil star would be a new part, he’d arrive with a wealth of experience at the highest level, and Slot’s sharp tactics would surely whip him back into an elite standard.

Related Slot's own Mane: Liverpool enter race to sign "unbelievable" £51m star

Liverpool are presented with a unique market opportunity to sign a talented youngster.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 16, 2025

A Premier League star is now more inclined to join Chelsea over Man Utd after a U-turn behind-the-scenes, with both clubs reaching out for talks recently.

Chelsea kickstart transfer plans amid Champions League qualification

Levi Colwill’s second-half tap-in against Nottingham Forest on Sunday arguably came as Chelsea’s most important goal of the 2024/2025 campaign, with Enzo Maresca’s side confirming their place in the Champions League next season as a result.

£172k-per-week striker is waiting for Chelsea to contact him about joining

Chelsea are set for a big summer after qualifying for the Champions League.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 26, 2025

This will have a profoundly positive effect when it comes to Chelsea’s recruitment drive over the summer window, as the west Londoners are set for a considerable financial windfall and gifted far more pull in the market, given they will be competing in European football’s most prestigious competition.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

Man City

71

+28

Chelsea

69

+21

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

Finishing in the top five could truly prove to be season-defining for 2025/2026, with Chelsea setting their sights on a proven goalscorer as one of their many transfer priorities before the next campaign kicks off.

It is believed that Chelsea could even bring in two strikers this summer, which is made all the more possible by their Champions League place, and journalist Simon Phillips reports that the Blues want to register one of them before the Club World Cup next month.

That man could well be Ipswich Town star Liam Delap, following his excellent 12-goal season in an otherwise dismal side, according to various reports.

Fabrizio Romano backs up whispers that Chelsea have held talks with Delap’s camp, and other media sources claim that the Englishman is set to make a decision on his next destination “this week” (Simon Phillips).

Liam Delap inclined to join Chelsea over Man Utd

This is echoed by talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, who told the broadcaster that Delap is actually more inclined to join Chelsea over Man United, after the former qualified for Champions League football next season.

While the 22-year-old’s spoken to United, Newcastle and Everton as well as Chelsea, it appears the latter are in pole position as things stand.

“My understanding was that he was leaning towards Manchester United because he wanted to go back and live in the north west. He’s a former Manchester City player,” said Crook on air.

“But he does want to play in the Champions League. So I wonder if that may have scuppered United now.

“And the noises I’m hearing this morning are more that maybe he’ll end up at Chelsea.”

Delap’s sky-high potential stretches far beyond just goals, as the ex-City starlet’s power, speed and physicality also make him a real force to be reckoned with. Teammates like Alex Palmer have endorsed Delap’s talent as well, calling him a “monster” up front.

“You look at him and he’s a monster,” said Palmer.

“He’s a young lad that’s got the enthusiasm and energy – and also the talent.”

West Ham United have struggled in front of goal this season, which has surely been a reason why they have been unable to find consistency in the Premier League. There have been just four teams who have found the back of the net less than the Hammers in 2024/25, with three of those the relegated trio.

Worryingly, the Hammers’ 40 goals in the top flight are far below where they are expected to be. As the stats on Understat show, they have an expected goals tally of 46.61xG, an underachievement of just over six goals.

The Hammers seem to know this is an issue to address in the summer, given they are linked with a new striker from within the Premier League.

West Ham target Premier League striker

Perhaps the most sought-after player in the top flight this season is Liam Delap. The Ipswich Town triker has impressed despite his side’s woes this term, and is now linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to a recent report from GiveMeSport, one of those clubs interested in Delap is West Ham. He seems to be a player on their radar, as they look to improve their fortunes in front of goal next season. For just £30m, the value of his release clause, it seems a bargain.

However, they will not be the only club in the race. The Hammers will be ‘facing competition’ from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, as well as the North West pair Manchester United and Everton.

It is not clear who will win the race, but West Ham are certainly interested.

Why Delap would be a good signing

It has been a hugely disappointing season for Ipswich in 2024/25. They were the final side to be relegated from the Premier League, the latest club to fall victim to the unforgivable nature of the English top flight for a newly promoted side.

However, Delap was a real standout. In 34 appearances so far this term, he has managed to find the back of the net 12 times, and with an expected goals of 11.29xG, he is pretty consistent, which the Hammers certainly need in their side.

Delap has proven to be a man who can score in the biggest of games. This season, he has found the back of the net against Aston Villa in two games, Spurs, and grabbed a goal and an assist against Chelsea. He also scored against the Hammers, in a 4-1 win for the East Londoners.

One of Delap’s best traits is the way he can hold the ball up and then fashion chances for himself, often carrying past opposition defenders to create space. That was perfectly summed up by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, who described him as a “wrecking ball” earlier in the season.

Delap’s underlying numbers via Sofascore also show just how well-rounded his game is, with Statman Dave describing it as “unique”. For example, the Englishman has completed 39 dribbles and won 56 aerial duels for the Tractor Boys this term.

Shots on target

1.1

31

Key passes

0.8

21

Dribbles completed

1.4

39

Aerial duels won

2

56

Expected goal involvement

0.38xGI

10.67xGI

Should Delap make the move to the London Stadium, he could make Hammers talisman Jarrod Bowen even more unplayable. This season, the England international has ten goals and nine assists in 31 top flight games.

Not only would his directness in behind work well with Delap’s hold-up play ability and the way he fashions chances, but Bowen can also become even more creative with the former Manchester City man in their side.

This season for the Hammers, Bowen has created the most big chances with ten, the only player to reach double figures. He also plays the most key passes per game, with 1.6, as per Sofascore. Given he has only managed nine assists, Delap could certainly help raise those numbers.

This really could become a dream duo for West Ham. Bowen is a creative machine. On top of that, with the threat he poses on the last line, he can hurt opposing sides in partnership with Delap, with his hold-up and ball-carrying ability.

For a fee of around £30m, this seems like a deal West Ham must do, to really bring more goals into their side.

Not Soucek: Potter must axe West Ham dud who Rice once called "outstanding"

The West Ham star has struggled to get into the team this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Apr 27, 2025

Three talking points from India’s selection for the Women’s World Cup

Shashank Kishore19-Aug-20252:54

‘We have an eye on Shafali, want her to have a long career’

With less than a month-and-a-half remaining before they begin their quest to win their first Women’s World Cup, co-hosts India have named a squad without major surprises. Even so, these three talking points are worth deeper analysis.

Why was Shafali left out?

By leaving out Shafali Verma, the selectors have opted for consistency over X-factor.Pratika Rawal, who made her debut after India left Shafali out of their ODI squad last year, has scored 703 runs at an average of 54.07 and a strike rate of 87.43 in 14 innings. She has formed a prolific combination with Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order: they’ve already put on four century partnerships and six half-century stands, and average a remarkable 77.57 together – no pair of India batters, with a cut-off of 1000 partnership runs, has done better.India clearly wanted continuity at the top, and Shafali, who hasn’t played ODIs since October 2024, needed a rich run of form to barge the door down. She certainly did her bit. She scored 527 runs at an average of 75.28 and a strike rate of 152.31 in the domestic one-dayers for Haryana in December 2024, including a top score of 197 off 115 balls against Bengal. She followed that up with a sensational WPL 2025 for Delhi Capitals; she was the fourth-highest run-getter overall, and the most prolific Indian batter, with 304 runs at a strike rate of 152.76.Even so, Shafali missed out on the tri-series in Sri Lanka in June and the ODIs in England in July. She impressed during the T20I series in England, with scores of 47, 31 and 75 in the last three games, but her form on the recent India A tour of Australia – scores of 52, 4, and 36 in three one-dayers, and 41, 3, and 3 in the T20s that preceded them – may have not made a compelling enough case for the selectors to pick her to open ahead of Rawal. Another factor that works in Rawal’s favour is that she can bowl, something Shafali doesn’t offer more regularly.The selectors could have picked Shafali as back-up opener, but they went with the more versatile option in Yastika Bhatia, who offers wicketkeeping cover in addition to her top-order batting.The one aspect India could miss out on in Shafali’s absence is a dash of aggression in the powerplay. Rawal is more accumulator than dynamo, and this has put the onus on Mandhana to be the enforcer early on.The WPL has helped fast-track Shree Charani into her maiden ODI World Cup•Getty Images

The WPL stamp on India’s World Cup squad

The 2025 edition is India’s first ODI World Cup since the advent of the WPL, and the tournament’s impact is already evident. Kranti Goud has only played only four ODIs, and N Shree Charani just eight. Neither had even played in the WPL before the 2025 season.Having punted on both players on the back of positive feedback from their franchises, the selectors were proved right when Charani emerged as Player of the Series in India’s 3-2 T20I win over England last month, picking up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.46, and standing out for her control, fearlessness and ability to hold her own under pressure.Similarly, it only took eight WPL games for Goud to impress the selectors with her ability to hustle batters at a bristling 115kph or thereabouts and bowl a mean yorker. With Renuka Singh injured, they backed Goud for the ODIs in England, and she responded with a fiery, match-winning 6 for 52 in the decider at Chester-le-Street.The WPL canvas extends beyond Charani and Goud. Amanjot Kaur made a strong case for an international comeback as a back-up allrounder through her performances for WPL champs Mumbai Indians – a blockbuster 3 for 22 and 34 not out off 27 balls in a thrilling win over defending champs Royal Challengers Bengaluru was the prelude to her summer.3:52

Nayar: India went for Rawal’s solidity over Shafali’s flamboyance

Once it emerged that Pooja Vastrakar’s long-term injury absence was likely to extend through the World Cup, India backed Amanjot to be a second seamer in a predominantly spin-heavy attack, and she impressed with both bat and ball during the England T20Is.A back injury in England during the ODIs forced the team management to tread cautiously, resting her from the ODI series against Australia that precedes the World Cup. They are giving Amanjot every chance to be fit for the World Cup warm-ups, leading into the tournament opener on September 30.Similarly, Arundhati Reddy, with the experience of just nine ODIs, has made the World Cup squad on the sheer weight of her WPL performances. In the 2024 season, she was one of Meg Lanning’s go-to bowlers, evident in the sheer number of overs she bowled – 29.2, the second-most for Delhi Capitals. She carried that form into 2025, and has become an excellent swing bowler who offers handy lower-order hitting that gives the team batting cushion.

Renuka Singh’s return

Sayali Satghare. Saima Thakor. Titas Sadhu. Kashvee Gautam. India have handed opportunities to a number of seamers over the past year, but none of them has been able to nail down a spot. This is why the selectors waited on Renuka Singh, who had been injured and out of action since the WPL. They worked on her fitness in sync with the Centre of Excellence, who prepped her with a steady diet of practice matches following a lengthy rehab. She now has the three ODIs against Australia to help her gain rhythm and match time in the run-up to the World Cup.

In conditions best-suited to the defending champions, Sri Lanka were so switched on it did not matter

Shashank Kishore26-Oct-20231:31

Maharoof: Mathews was ‘in the game’ from the first ball

The entire Sri Lankan team stood together, their collective gaze fixed on the giant screen. The next moment, as the magic word “out” flashed, euphoria broke out. Sadeera Samarawickrama broke out of the huddle and did his own imitation of the Imran Tahir sprint.Before his team-mates could catch him, Samarawickrama had run some 25 yards, towards the cover boundary, punching the air in jubilation. He was so overjoyed he suddenly changed directions. He was so ecstatic that he didn’t know where to run or how to celebrate. His mates eventually caught up with him, giving him sweaty bear hugs.It was a marginal call and it went in his favour for a brilliant catch and, just like that, we’d had another Peak Sri Lanka moment. One where they make scarcely believable stuff seem like child’s play. This episode involved putting the modern-day ODI behemoths in a tailspin in conditions England’s game was best suited to.Related

• Kumara out with thigh injury, Chameera comes in as replacement

• Kumara goes from back-up to frontman

• Report – England's title defence suffers another crushing blow

• Are defending champions England out of the World Cup?

• 'Keep calm and do the right thing' – Mathews is back and raring to go

Come on. If not in Bengaluru, where else could England have potentially Bazballed their way into the World Cup, albeit belatedly? This was right up their alley. Flat deck, small ground, cooler air. All served up on a platter. What’s more, they even won the toss. Jos Buttler didn’t conceal his glee when he said “bat first”.The rub of the green was with them. How else could you explain Sri Lanka bailing out of a review they seemed dead sure about? It was the first ball of the match. Dilshan Madushanka had bowled the perfect inswinger, the late tail in so lethal that it sent Jonny Bairstow stumbling inside the crease as he tried to get bat to it. After a mid-pitch conference that made 15 seconds seem more like 15 minutes, Sri Lanka collectively decided against it.Maybe they did not want to let the excitement and adrenaline get to them this early. They went back to their places half-heartedly. And then they saw, after the next ball, replays on the giant screen that laid bare a potentially costly mistake. The collective groan of “ayyyyo” told you a story. They had been so near to a perfect start. Instead England were 3 for 0.At mid-off, Angelo Mathews shook his head in disbelief. Maybe he was thinking the sprint he’d just made, chasing after the ball all the way to the long-on boundary, would’ve been worth it had they reviewed (Bairstow got a good chunk on the ball, but it was pad first). He didn’t just sprint, he even put in a dive after a few moments of “should I, shouldn’t I?”Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis combined to run out Joe Root•Getty ImagesAt 36, he’d just sauntered into his fourth World Cup. Barely believable considering he was at home 10 days ago, having made peace with his exclusion. This was another moment of Peak Sri Lanka. Out in the cold one day, but right back in contention the next. You’re never really out.Ridiculous things continue to happen. Mathews last took an ODI wicket in March 2020. He hadn’t played too many ODIs over the past three years. He’d cheekily said he was ready to do anything, literally anything, the team needed. Surely that didn’t mean being summoned to bowl the seventh over?What do we know? He comes on and strikes immediately, dismissing Dawid Malan with a beauty. The ball cuts sharply off the deck, cramps the batter for room and flicks the edge. Mathews extends both palms, exuding the “I’m back” look. You can’t keep him away.You think surely that’s as eventful as it can get for Mathews. Nope, there’s more coming. He’s everywhere now. He’s beside the captain Kusal Mendis, imploring him to have a slip in place for the fast bowlers, offering words of advice to Kasun Rajitha, lurking at point like a hawk. And suddenly when Joe Root hits one his way, he swoops in quickly to fire a rocket throw to Mendis. The pressure had been creeping up on Root. He’s in a daze, the dive can’t save him, he’s gone. Mathews has woven magic again.Breakthrough provided, run-out effected, spell completed. Or so you think. Surely that’s three overs more than he expected to bowl anyway. But England are just beginning to build an inkling of a partnership. Moeen Ali has just cut loose, Ben Stokes has reined himself in all this while waiting seemingly to explode a bit later. The scorecard seems less dire than it did at 85 for 5. Enter Mathews again.He trundles in casually. Floats up a length ball. Moeen has decided he’s giving this a whack. But there’s no pace on it, instead he now looks to steer it square. The ball gets big on him just a touch. Boom. Kusal Perara has gobbled it up at point. Mathews has his man. At 122 for 6, England have been slam dunked. Mathews has struck once again as soon as he’s brought on.Sri Lanka were all pumped up in Bengaluru•Associated PressSri Lanka are switched on. So switched on that you wonder what’s changed in a week’s time. The chirp is back. There’s energy stemming from having the world champions on the rack. This wasn’t how it was supposed to pan out. Surely there was another “you cannot do that, Ben Stokes moment” waiting to unfold. He has been simmering underneath his helmet, waiting to burst open.Until he picks out deep midwicket on 43 with 20 overs left. Dushan Hemantha, the substitute, took the catch with his palms facing upwards. Stokes throws his bat up as he walks off. This is a dream unfolding for Sri Lanka. And there’s one more moment of Peak Sri Lanka magic to unfold: the run-out of Adil Rashid.There is a book called by the Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell. It is made up of anecdotes and psychological case studies on impulsive decision-making. What Mendis did to produce this wicket for Sri Lanka will fit very neatly in that book. He collected a delivery down leg and looked like he was about to just toss the ball back to the bowler and then he saw Rashid wandering out of the crease at the non-striker’s end. In a split-second, he took aim and hit the bull’s eye. Gone.It summed up England’s day of horrors. Sri Lanka were now in a position to Bazball England out of the World Cup – or something close enough to that. It all seemed straight out of a fairy tale. Except it wasn’t. It was Sri Lanka doing Peak Sri Lanka things.

Royals’ thrilling three-run win may perhaps have been less significant than the tactical battle that played out at Wankhede

Karthik Krishnaswamy11-Apr-20225:05

Should Stoinis have come in earlier?

What will the future of T20 look like? Well, it might look something like Sunday night’s game between Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants. Royals eventually won a thrilling contest by three runs, but for the neutral, the result may perhaps have been less significant than the tactical battle that played itself out at the Wankhede Stadium.LSG unleash their allrounders

International commitments left LSG without Jason Holder for their first two matches of the season, and without Marcus Stoinis for their first four.Related

• Winless Mumbai could turn to bench as they take on top-four aspirants Super Giants

• Carnage and fun – the madness at the death in T20 cricket

• Gowtham takes baby steps to being an IPL regular again

• Hetmyer, Boult, Chahal ensure Royals win in tactics showdown

• R Ashwin becomes first batter to be tactically retired out in the IPL

On Sunday, both were finally available, and Stoinis came straight into the side, even if it meant leaving out Evin Lewis, who has already won LSG one match off his own bat.It was clear from LSG’s auction strategy that they wanted to build a side with multiple allrounders, which would give them depth and flexibility with both bat and ball. Against Royals, Super Giants had five allrounders in their XI: Holder, Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda and K Gowtham.Despite that, LSG only used five bowlers on the day, with Krunal, Stoinis and Hooda not required. KL Rahul, their captain, explained in his post-match press conference that he felt Krunal’s left-arm spin might have been a risk given that Royals had an explosive left-hander in the middle in Shimron Hetmyer from overs nine to 20.The point of having so many all-round options isn’t necessarily to use all of them all the time, but to have favourable options in most situations. The offspinner Gowtham, for instance, has come into the XI for LSG’s matches against Delhi Capitals and Royals, two teams with a significant presence of left-handers in their top orders.Gowtham played a key role on Sunday, taking two wickets and only conceding 14 off 14 balls to Hetmyer, who scored 45 off the other 22 balls he faced.Royals push Ashwin up the order

Even before the season began, it was evident that Royals had one big weakness to cover up. They had a strong top five on paper, and a strong bowling attack (barring end-overs options) but not a lot of proven muscle at Nos. 6 and 7. In this game, R Ashwin – who has five Test hundreds but who’s a touch player rather than a biffer of the ball – was slotted at No. 7.He eventually ended up at No. 6, walking in to join Hetmyer in the tenth over of Royals’ innings. This pushed Riyan Parag, who is perhaps better suited to end-overs hitting than to rebuilding an innings, down to No. 7.It was a clear example of the growing realisation within T20 that batters’ point of entry matters far more than their slot in the batting order.2:15

Retired out – yay or nay?

Ashwin retires out

In a game full of tactical intrigue, this was the biggest moment – a moment fans had been waiting years and years for. Two balls into the 19th over of Royals’ innings, Ashwin ran off the field, becoming the first batter in the IPL to retire out. The idea, it turned out, had been discussed within the Royals think tank, and Ashwin had bought into it fully.It was just what you might expect from a man who has added multiple variations to his bowling repertoire – and has even tried to master an entirely different style of bowling – to stay one step ahead of batters in T20, and a man who has zero qualms about running non-strikers out when they back up too far. Ashwin has always been at the forefront of innovation in all formats of cricket, and he’ll probably be proud of his involvement in this moment too.The reason for the decision, of course, was to have a more accomplished six-hitter at the crease at this point in the game. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster bumped up Royals’ projected score by seven runs when Ashwin retired out, from 152 to 159. With Hetmyer going berserk and Parag hitting a last-over six, they ended up with 165.Boult goes around the wicket

Trent Boult’s modus operandi with the new ball is simple and time-tested. Slant the ball away from the right-hand batter from left-arm over, get it to swing back in, and target bowled and lbw.On Sunday, however, he began from around the wicket. He’s only done it once before in the IPL, in 2018, and that was also against the same batter, Rahul. Perhaps he’s seen something in Rahul’s technique to believe he has a greater chance from that angle? Perhaps, but at the post-match presentation, Boult revealed the idea was suggested to him on the morning of the match by his Royals and New Zealand team-mate James Neesham.Wherever the idea came from, the execution was brilliant: full, swinging in late, and stumps splattered as Rahul played all around the ball.LSG show off their flexible batting order

Ashwin’s promotion came out of necessity, thanks to Royals’ lack of batting depth. LSG have no such issues, blessed as they are with so many allrounders.Just as with the ball, it gives them flexibility with the bat. At the fall of Rahul’s wicket, they sent in Gowtham – who has a strike rate of nearly 168 in the IPL – as a pinch-hitter.It didn’t work, as Boult had him lbw off the first legal ball he faced. Who would come in next? You might have expected it to be Stoinis, who often bats in the top three in the Big Bash League and for Australia. Or Hooda or Ayush Badoni, both proper middle-order batters.Instead, it was Holder, who can strike a long ball, but also has a technique that’s brought him three Test hundreds. In the circumstances, it was possibly the latter quality that earned this promotion. It didn’t quite come off, with Holder scoring 8 off 17, but again, the move showed off the flexibility of LSG’s line-up.What’s not to love? Yuzvendra Chahal picks up wickets – two, three, even four – when he bowls•BCCITwo left-handers at the crease

LSG lost their fifth wicket at the end of the 12th over. They now needed 92 off 48 balls. At this point, Krunal walked in to join Quinton de Kock. It was the first time in LSG’s innings that two batters of the same kind – two left-handers in this case – were at the crease at the same time.Like all teams, LSG value left-right partnerships, but they may have broken the rule here for a specific reason. At that point, the offspinner Ashwin had one over left to bowl – which he immediately delivered – and the legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal two overs.LSG’s attack includes Ravi Bishnoi, an unusual legspinner who prefers bowling to left-handers. Chahal is a more traditional legspinner, delivering the ball with a low-ish arm and bowling legbreaks far more frequently than wrong’uns.Chahal’s record against left-handers is excellent – since the 2019 season, his economy rate against them (7.30) is only slightly worse than it is against right-handers (7.19) – but LSG were trying, perhaps, to maximise whatever marginal gains they could get.They may also have wanted to delay Stoinis’ entry, and backed his six-hitting ability in the closing stages of the match.As it turned out, Krunal’s promotion delayed Chahal’s re-introduction slightly – his third over was the 16th of LSG’s innings – but he dismissed both left-handers in that over.Holding Stoinis back, however, nearly allowed LSG to pull off an improbable win. His hitting – and useful contributions from Dushmantha Chameera and Avesh Khan – brought the equation down to 15 off the last over. The match, eventually, was won by Kuldeep Sen – who was making his debut for Royals – who conceded only one run off the first four balls of the final over, using the wide line outside off stump expertly to keep the ball away from Stoinis’ hitting arc.

After just one game at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony isn't leaving the Bronx with any more friends.

Anthony went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a massive two-run home run in the ninth inning to give Boston some insurance runs to hold onto a 6-3 win in the series opener. He obliterated a ball to the second deck in right field for an absolute no-doubter.

The 21-year-old right fielder could only watch the ball sail and toss his bat to the ground, putting his mark on Major League Baseball's most bitter rivalry.

Anthony got to play the Yankees at Fenway Park during his first week with the Red Sox, but had a quiet series going 0-for-5 at the plate. After the big performance Thursday, he admitted it felt nice to break out on the road after he had 58 major league games under his belt.

"Now that I'm settled in and through that first week this time around, it felt a little bit more calm and more controlled," he said postgame Thursday via NESN. "It just felt better, it was exciting."

When speaking to his first game at Yankee Stadium, he called the atmosphere "awesome," especially as a member of the Red Sox stepping into the hostile environment. After the performance Thursday, Anthony is slashing .286/.405/.448 with five homers and 26 RBIs thus far through his first season.

The Red Sox called up the former 2022 second-round pick in early June, and he entered the big leagues as baseball's top prospect. He signed an eight-year, $130 million contract extension two weeks ago to remain in Boston long term. Yankees fans hoped Boston would delay Anthony's arrival as long as possible, but the young star put his stamp on the rivalry in his first opportunity at Yankee Stadium. And he'll have three more cracks over the weekend.

Boston and New York currently sit atop the American League's wild-card race with the Yankees a half game in front of the Red Sox for the first wild card.

Leeds United are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign a South American defender ahead of Italian giants Juventus in the January transfer window.

Leeds still plotting Farke replacement despite Chelsea win

The Premier League is a harsh world, isn’t it? The pressure was increasing on Daniel Farke ahead of the Chelsea game, but you wouldn’t have known it after his side swept past Chelsea in a stunning 3-1 victory.

Reports in the build-up to the game claimed the German had to avoid defeat against the Blues and Liverpool this weekend to ensure that his job remains safe. It seemed an impossible task. Chelsea had just pushed Premier League leaders Arsenal all the way with 10 men and Liverpool, even in a difficult moment, remain the champions.

Come Wednesday night, however, there were no complaints from Farke. Instead, there was tactical genius. His 5-3-2 sytem physically outmatched Chelsea and Leeds, against the odds, secured a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road.

It would now be easy to assume that Farke’s job is safe. Yet, according to the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, those at Elland Road are still preparing for the worst-case scenario.

The reporter revealed: “Sources have told BBC Sport that the process of identifying potential candidates to replace Farke has begun. It is not unusual practice for clubs to plot a succession plan for their managerial position regardless of the incumbent’s job security.

“But Leeds’ poor form, which left them in the relegation zone before Wednesday’s win, has placed significant pressure on Farke – serving to amplify the club’s movement towards pinpointing possible successors to the German.”

It would be a ruthless decision by the 49ers, but that may not be the only change on the way. With the January transfer window approaching, Leeds have already set their sights on Real Betis star Natan.

Leeds prioritising Natan deal

According to reports in Spain, Leeds are now prioritising a deal to sign Natan from Real Betis in the January transfer window. The Brazilian defender is valued at around €40m (£35m) by the Spanish club and has also attracted the interest of Serie A giants Juventus.

Leeds star was looking "bang average" this season, now he's undroppable

This Leeds star has shone in their last two games

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025

It’s clear to see why both Leeds and Juventus have set their sights on the 24-year-old. He’s enjoyed an impressive start to the current campaign and could now secure a move, be it in the new year or next summer.

Minutes

1,260

1,260

Ball Recoveries

41

50

Tackles Won

10

3

Successful Aerial Duels

41

42

Statistically speaking, Natan would have no trouble getting into Farke’s best side. Compared to Joe Rodon, the South American has thrived out of possession and particularly impressed in the air.

The big question that remains is whether Leeds will be willing to splash out £35m for his signature. Their record signing still sits at £35.5m for Georginio Rutter and it would take some doing to break that as early as the January transfer window.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of "the best" players in PL

حقق الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد رقمًا قياسيًا مميزًا بعدما نجح في تسجيل “هاتريك” أمام أولمبياكوس في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويحل ريال مدريد ضيفًا على أولمبياكوس في اليونان، في المباراة التي تجمعهما ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة لمرحلة الدوري، دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025-2026، على ملعب “جورجيوس كارايسكاكيس”.

ودخل ريال مدريد هذه المباراة بعدما تعادل مع إلتشي في الدوري الإسباني بنتيجة 2/2 وقدم أداءً باهتًا للغاية على المستويين الدفاعي والهجومي.

ونجح كيليان مبابي في تسجيل ثلاثة أهداف “هاتريك” في المباراة الجارية الآن بين ريال مدريد وأولمبياكوس ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا لقلب تأخر فريقه بهدف إلى التقدم بثلاثة أهداف، (لرؤية هاتريك مبابي اضغط هنا).

واستطاع مبابي في تسجيل أهدافه الثلاثة في 6 دقائق و42 ثانية، إذ سجل على الترتيب في الدقائق (22، 24، 29) ليصبح بذلك ثاني أسرع هاتريك يُسجل في تاريخ دوري أبطال أوروبا.

يُذكر أن صاحب أسرع هاتريك مُسجل في تاريخ دوري أبطال أوروبا هو النجم الدولي المصري محمد صلاح، لاعب ليفربول، والذي أحرزه أمام رينجرز الأسكتلندي في غضون 6 دقائق و12 ثانية.