Tag Futebol

Delhi Capitals’ co-owner on the “devastation” of losing out on Pant, their rationale in buying KL Rahul, and the plans for the season ahead

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-20243:16

Rahul or Axar – who will captain DC? Jindal answers

KL Rahul is now a frontrunner to lead DC?It’s a bit premature to talk about the captaincy. Axar Patel has been with the franchise for a very long time and he was the vice-captain for the last cycle, so we don’t know whether it’s going to be Axar or whether it’s going be somebody else. A lot has to happen. I spoke to KL but haven’t met him yet. I know him very well personally, I will understand from him (what he thinks), and, it will boil down to what the coaching group and finally what Kiran (Grandhi, the co-owner) and I want to do. There’s a lot of time for that. What did Rahul say? He’s very happy, very excited to be part of Delhi. He knows me for a long time. He’s a Bangalore (Bengaluru) boy. I own Bengaluru FC (in the Indian Super League), so he’s watched a few games with me. I know his wife Athiya (Shetty) really well. She’s been a close family friend growing up in Mumbai. So he (Rahul) was like, “I just want to play cricket. I just want to get the love and support from the franchise. I just want to get the respect and I know Parth from you, I will get that and just can’t be more excited to play for a friend and let’s make Delhi win. I have never won (IPL). Delhi has never won. Let’s do it together.”Related

'Funny off the field, focused on it' – DC's new captain Axar lauded by his team-mates

IPL auction: Chahal the most expensive spinner ever, Starc joins the 50-crore club

IPL auction surprise – no takers for Warner and Thakur

IPL 2025: How the ten teams stack up after the mega auction

IPL 2025 auction: Why did the Iyers attract such big bids?

Capitals also tried to get Shreyas Iyer – can you talk about that bid? Going into the auction, obviously we had a budget in mind for a marquee Indian batsman. Shreyas and Rishabh were coming out in the first set and KL was coming out in the second set. We were very clear that between the three of them, we needed to get one. So we went all the way for Shreyas. Frankly, it (Shreyas’ bid) went a bit too high and I think my reaction was very visible on the table (chuckles) – it (the bid) had crossed all budgets.Rishabh came out next. We did do the right-to-match for him at INR 20.25 (crore), but again, the budget went extremely high. And (then) we got KL for well below what we anticipated he would go at – it’s a real blessing in disguise that we got him.What does KL offer you? Stability, number one. He’s an incredible, I would say, technically solid batsman. He will thrive at the Kotla, given the size of the ground. He also gives us flexibility: he can bat anywhere in the top four, and that’s a very rare skill for someone to have. He’s also great senior player to have in the dressing room, a great mind of the game as well. And he’s just a great brand ambassador. He’s super polite, he’s gentle, he’s aggressive when he needs to be. And the most obvious thing he gives you is 450 runs (in a season) guaranteed, which is something he’s done his whole (IPL) career. So that kind of consistency is rare to find.You are right. There’s only one season between 2018 and 2024 where he did not score 500 runs, which was the season he got injured and only managed to play nine games with LSG in 2023. So you are looking to build the batting line-up around him? In terms of responsibility, KL and Axar are going to play a bigger role for the batting, and we are going to be surrounding them with explosive players – whether it’s a Jake Fraser-McGurk, whether it’s a Tristan Stubbs, whether it’s a Harry Brook, whether it’s an Ashutosh Sharma – there is a lot of explosive power in the team. And you need someone to hold the team together, and, in KL we have a batsman who can definitely hold one end up and play on those difficult wickets as well. Because looking at the way Chennai (Super Kings) have lined up, looking at the way some of the other teams are lined up, there are going to be some dust bowls in the IPL. So you definitely need players who can navigate those kinds of situations and also guide some of these younger players on what to do.”Rishabh, we lost him when we didn’t retain him. That was very, very clear”•Associated PressBefore I come to Rishabh Pant, describe your reaction, in your own words, about the Shreyas bid? By the end of it, I think the emotion had taken over strategy. It was madness by the end of it. It would’ve spoiled our whole auction if we had landed either of those players (Shreyas or Pant) at those prices.Why? We wouldn’t have (had) enough money for building the rest of the squad. We would’ve not been able to get the fast bowlers we ended up getting. We wouldn’t have been able to get Jake (Fraser-McGurk) back. We wouldn’t have been able to get a Harry Brook. It would’ve really compromised the balance of our team.The number then you clearly had in your mind before the auction for either of those two was not that high then? No. We were okay to stretch up to INR 22-23 (crore).Whether it be Shreyas, whether it be Pant? Rishabh, we lost him when we didn’t retain him. That was very, very clear. it would’ve been a huge fluke if we got him at INR 21 or 22 (crore) at that level. The minute we didn’t retain him, I knew he was gone. Disappointing slightly, I guess? Oh, devastating. Completely devastating. I love the boy like my own brother. He took a call at the end of the day. We tried our best. He took the decision, and we have to respect it.”KL is a great brand ambassador. He’s super polite, he’s gentle, he’s aggressive when he needs to be”•BCCIIt was clearly not about money? It was just a different philosophy of how he wanted the franchise to operate and how us – the owners – wanted the franchise to operate. That’s what caused it. There’s nothing to do with money. Money’s never been an issue for Rishabh. And money’s never been an issue for us. I guess the three of us (Grandhi, Jindal and Pant) were on different wavelengths. He took a call at the end of it. We tried everything, but he decided eventually that it was time to move on.What was Kiran [Grandhi]’s input on Pant before the final decision was taken? His equation with Rishabh is different from mine. He’s known Rishabh for a lot longer than I have. Kiran was also very clear that we must try to retain him and we can bend as much as possible, but beyond a certain point, he (Pant) needs to understand where we are coming from and if that mutual understanding is missing, then the two have to take a decision.What is the philosophy you mentioned? It means the way the franchise is to run, the decisions of the franchise, those kinds of things. There were certain expectations that he had and there were certain expectations we had. And without going into further details, I can just say that we couldn’t align on these things.Was leadership one of the key talking points? Not really. We gave him some feedback regarding leadership. We told him ways in which he could improve on that, but we were quite clear that we know his ambitions, we know where he wants to go. He’s made it amply clear that his dream and desire is to captain India and that starts with captaining an IPL team.Sticking to the leadership point, you have mentioned Axar, the first player DC retained, is or could be in contention at least to lead. What is it that Axar brings as a leader? See, Axar has been with the franchise for a long period of time. He has been a tremendous player for the franchise. He is probably the best allrounder in the game today in T20s. Obviously, the successor to Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) is Axar in all respects. So he’s been phenomenal for us and he’s done a great job as the vice-captain of the franchise. Whenever Rishabh was not available, whenever Rishabh was injured, Axar did step in and play a big role. He’s a jovial fellow, he keeps the dressing room very light. He’s an uncomplicated character and he’s someone who, I think, can do a great job. So we have to take a decision, but I haven’t even spoken to Axar about it. I haven’t spoken to anybody about it, but he’s definitely someone we consider to read the game very well. He’s definitely someone who keeps the dressing room together, which are good characteristics for a leader.Delhi Capitals contingent featuring Parth Jindal and Kiran Grandhi•BCCIAnd you’ve also got JFM, Tristan Stubbs and Harry Brook – on paper at least, these three can set fireworks if they are in the mood and if they get into the rhythm.. Don’t forget, Ashutosh Sharma. Like you said, those three explosive players are in our team, JFM, Harry Brook and Stubbs. And then you have KL, Axar, and (Abhishek) Porel. So I think (our) batting is very, very strong. We kept in mind the conditions at the Kotla while choosing our team. It looks like 230, 240 is now the par score at the Kotla, so we need to have that kind of firepower to either make that score or chase that score.You also got Mitchell Starc who proved to be a smart and cheap buy compared to the record price he got last auction. No doubt he is going to be DC’s bowling leader? Yeah, of course. We were looking for someone to lead the bowling line-up. He brings together that winning mentality. He’s not only a World Cup winner, he (also) won the IPL last season. He’s very handy with the bat and he’s a very nice person as well. I was hearing Harshit Rana’s interview and Harshit talking about how much he picked up from Mitchell Starc. So he brings a lot of benefits as a cricketer.Mukesh (Kumar), too, really understands the conditions in Delhi. He’s really coming into his own as well as a bowler, both with the new ball and at the death. And then Nattu (T Natarajan), too,is great. We were very keen on (getting) him. I remember last season when Sunrisers (Hyderabad) were playing Delhi at the Kotla – Natarajan was very difficult to get away because of his yorkers, his slower-ball bouncers, his change-ups. From Rishabh to everyone else, they found it very difficult to get him away. So, from that day, we realised that, okay, this is a bowler we need to target. Mohit (Sharma) again, same thing: can bowl at the death, can bowl with a new ball, back-of-the-hand, has changeups. Very experienced bowler. And then you have (Dushmanta) Chameera, who can fill in if anything happens to any of our fast bowlers.

“When you don’t do well in a cycle, like for us, this previous cycle was an unsuccessful cycle: fifth place, ninth place, and fifth place (between 2022-24). No playoffs for Delhi Capitals. So you look forward to a mega auction much more”Parth Jindal believes the mega auction is what makes the IPL unique

DC also have a new and young coaching staff in Venugopal Rao (team director) and Hemang Badani (head coach). Is Sourav Ganguly (director of cricket until 2024) there to help them out or will they be independent, and you are going to allow them the space to grow? It’s up to them really. We are always available. Dada (Ganguly) is always available. I’m always available for whatever that they may require. It’s our team. From what I have seen during the preparations for the auctions, they are very confident in their own abilities, and I feel very confident that they’ll be able to do a very good job for the franchise.So you are looking forward to DC turning a new leaf then? Turning a new leaf is one way of saying it. It’s emotional because you let go of players who have been with you for so many years, but you also get the opportunity to build new relationships and develop new players as well.When you don’t do well in a cycle, like for us, this previous cycle was an unsuccessful cycle: fifth place, ninth place, and fifth place (between 2022-24). No playoffs for Delhi Capitals. So you look forward to a mega auction much more. The previous cycle (2018-21) when we came third, lost in the finals, came top of the table and lost both the Eliminators. (Back then) We were very upset to get into the (2022) mega auction. The dynamics keep changing, but it is what makes the IPL so special, and, I hope that the mega auction continues forever because it’s truly what makes the IPL so unique.

Glasgow Rangers are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock away from Ibrox.

The Light Blues are looking to finally get back to winning ways after frustrating draws with Falkirk and Dundee United in their last outings in the league under Danny Rohl.

A 98th-minute penalty from Nedim Bajrami salvaged a point against Dundee United, and the Gers head coach may want to make several changes to the team after that disappointing showing, including dropping Bojan Miovski from the side.

Why Bojan Miovski should be dropped

The Macedonia international has been a regular starter in the Premiership, starting nine of his 11 appearances in the league (Sofascore), and led the line on Wednesday night.

Miovski lost three of his five ground duels and four of his five aerial duels, per Sofascore, against Dundee United, whilst he also missed his only ‘big chance’ in front of goal, which sort of sums up his season so far.

The former Aberdeen marksman has lost 69% of his duels and missed five ‘big chances’ to go along with his one goal in his 11 league outings, per Sofascore, which shows that he has struggled physically and in front of goal in a Gers shirt.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old striker has not delivered enough quality on the pitch, in or out of possession, which is why Rohl should drop the forward from the starting line-up for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening, to give Danilo or Youssef Chermiti a chance to lead the line.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Miovski is not the only player who should be dropped from the side that started against Dundee United, though, as Connor Barron should also be ruthlessly ditched.

Why Connor Barron should be dropped

Rohl should drop the Scotland international from the starting line-up because his performances in the last two league games have not been at a high level.

Barron started against Falkirk and Dundee United alongside Nicolas Raskin in the middle of the park, ahead of Mohamed Diomande, but failed to offer enough quality on or off the ball.

Minutes

76

90

Pass accuracy

90%

83%

Big chances created

0

0

Tackles made

0

1

Fouls committed

2

1

Ground duels won

3/6

1/5

Aerial duels won

0/1

0/2

As you can see in the table above, the former Aberdeen star lost the majority of his physical duels across both games, including 86% against Dundee United, whilst he did not create any ‘big chances’ for the team.

This shows that Barron has been a lightweight in his duels in recent games, as opposition players have found it too easy to get the better of him, which has made the Rangers midfield too easy to play against.

On top of struggling out of possession, the 23-year-old central midfielder has no goals, no assists, and no ‘big chances’ created in 12 appearances and seven starts in the Premiership this season, per Sofascore.

He does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch and that has played a part in Rangers scoring just one non-penalty goal in 180 minutes against Falkirk and Dundee United.

Rohl has Diomande, who scored in his last league start against Livingston, available for selection and should bring him into the team to replace Barron for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening.

The Ivorian talent, who is off to the African Cup of Nations later this month, produced five goals and nine assists in midfield for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has the quality to make an impact in the final third when he is at his best.

Raskin repeat: Rohl lining up Rangers move to sign exciting "unicorn"

Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who could be a Nicolas Raskin repeat.

ByDan Emery 7 days ago

It is down to Rohl, though, to unleash him alongside Raskin against Kilmarnock tonight to provide him with another chance to remind the supporters of his quality before his absence due to international duty, because Barron has not done enough in his place.

Rangers’ truly miserable European campaign continues, with their hopes of reaching the knockout stages now hanging by a thread.

On Thursday night, despite taking the lead through James Tavernier’s spot-kick, the Gers were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man Braga at Ibrox, with the Arsenalists equalising shortly after Rodrigo Zalazar had been sent off for headbutting Nicolas Raskin.

This ended a sequence of seven successive European defeats, the longest streak in the club’s entire history, but they will almost certainly need to beat Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad and Porto to stand any chance of reaching the Europa League knockout stages, which isn’t particularly likely.

Having finished eighth in last year’s inaugural league phase, before reaching the quarter-finals, this quite the fall from grace.

Much of the blame lies at those at boardroom level, hence why chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell were both sacked on Monday, much to the delight of many supporters.

Nevertheless, new manager Danny Röhl still has to build a cohesive team with the pieces he has been given, so which of Thelwell’s summer recruits did not impress on Thursday night?

Nasser Djiga at fault once again

The final Tuesday of the final international break of 2025 could prove to be a pivotal day in Rangers’ season.

Mere hours apart, one in Mount Florida and the other in well, Miami in actual Florida, both John Souttar and Derek Cornelius suffered long-term injuries that’ll see them sidelined until Christmas at least.

Thus, just as Röhl had found his first-choice centre-back pairing, he will continue to be without them going into the busiest period of the season, left with no choice but to keep picking Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga, despite the continued poor performances of the latter.

Djiga was massively at fault for Braga’s crucial equaliser on Thursday night, completely misjudging a cross into the box which allowed Gabri Martínez to slot home.

The 23 year old joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Crvena zvezda in January for a reported £10m, but barely featured for the Premier League side, suggesting why that might have been the case since making the loan move north of the border.

It did not start well for Djiga, sent off on his Premiership debut for tripping up Finlay Robertson as the Gers were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee at Ibrox, before this inexplicable decision which allowed Romeo Vermant to score the first of Club Brugge’s nine goals in the Champions League play-off round.

Djiga, frankly, is costing Rangers points time and time again, which has to be a concern ahead of three winnable Premiership matches in a week against Falkirk, Dundee United and Kilmarnock, but which other starter from Thursday night may have just played himself out of contention?

Rangers summer signing who struggled vs Braga

Röhl made a couple of surprise selection decisions against Braga; Connor Barron came into midfield, while Max Aarons got the nod over Jayden Meghoma at left-back.

The Bournemouth loanee has been in and out the team all throughout the campaign, deployed in both full-back positions, but did not stake a claim for more regular minutes here.

The statistics document the Englishman’s tough night.

Aarons’ statistics vs Braga

Stats

Aarons

Match rank

Accurate passes

26

13th

Passing accuracy %

76%

12th

Key passes

Zero

10th

Attempted crosses

3

4th

Accurate crosses

Zero

7th

Defensive actions

3

16th

Tackles won

3

7th

Interceptions

Zero

12th

Clearances

Zero

19th

Possession lost

17

4th

Touches

59

6th

SofaScore rating

6.8

12th

Stats via SofaScore

As the table documents, despite the fact only two Rangers players, namely Tavernier and Fernandez, had more touches of the ball than Aarons, he did very little with all this possession.

The full-back completed just 26 passes, fewer than Braga goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček, was accurate with zero crosses and turned over possession on 17 occasions.

Fair to say, the Rangers support have not been enamoured by Aarons from the very start.

Under Russell Martin, he was controversially starting Champions League qualifiers instead of long-standing captain Tavernier, which most fans were not on board with, especially when Aarons was sent off just eight minutes into their 6-0 annihilation at the hands of Club Brugge at Jan Breydelstadion.

More recently, Aarons has been asked to fill in on the left-side, which he can do, but does not suit him naturally, especially on the ball, having to play on his weaker side.

Thus, for upcoming Premiership matches, where Rangers will dominate possession, expect Röhl to recall Jayden Meghoma at left-back, even if he has been far from convincing either.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

As for long-term, it would be no surprise to see both Aarons and Djiga return to their parents clubs in the new year, or at the end of the season at the very least.

Related Forget Djiga: Rohl must bin Rangers flop who lost the ball every 2 touches

Following Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Braga in the Europa League at Ibrox on Thursday, which flop must Danny Röhl axe who was even worse than Nasser Djiga?

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 28, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

América-RN e Corinthians se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (1), pelo jogo de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. A bola vai rolar a partir das 20h (de Brasília), na Arena das Dunas, em Natal (RN), com transmissão do Amazon PrimeVideo (streaming).

➡️ Gol+gol: coloque R$100 e leve R$270 se o Corinthians balançar as redes nos dois temos contra o América-RN

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

continua após a publicidade

Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre América-RN e Corinthians (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
AMÉRICA-RN X CORINTHIANS
COPA DO BRASIL – TERCEIRA FASE – IDA

🗓️Data e horário:quarta-feira, 1 de maio de 2024, às 20h (de Brasília);
📍Local:Arena das Dunas, em Natal (RN)
📺Onde assistir:PrimeVideo
🟨Árbitro:Maguielson Lima Barbosa (DF)
🚩Assistentes:Lehi Sousa Silva (DF) e José Reinaldo Nascimento Junior (DF)
🖥️VAR:Rodolpho Toski Marques (VAR-FIFA) (PR)

continua após a publicidade

⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
AMÉRICA-RN (Técnico: Marquinhos Santos)
Renan Bragança, Marcos Ytalo, Rafael Jansen, Alan e Guilherme Guedes; Wenderson, Ferreira, Norberto e Souza; Rafinha e Gustavo Henrique.

CORINTHIANS (Técnico: António Oliveira)
Carlos Miguel, Matheuzinho (Fagner), Félix Torres, Cacá (Gustavo Henrique) e Hugo; Raniele, Breno Bidon e Fausto Vera (Paulinho); Gustavo Mosquito (Pedro Raul), Wesley e Romero.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

América-RNCopa do BrasilCorinthiansOnde assistir

Tottenham Hotspur are a club who are looking to reach the next level under the guidance of Thomas Frank, with the first-team making huge strides since his appointment.

The Dane has largely worked with the players already at his disposal in North London, but he has also delved into the transfer market to bolster his chances of success in the role.

He spent over £100m on new additions during his first window, with Mohammed Kudus already having a huge impact during his first handful of Premier League outings.

The Ghanaian may have cost £55m in the summer, but he’s been worth every penny, as seen by his tally of one goal and four assists – with the latter the joint-highest of any player in the division.

With the January transfer window rapidly approaching on the horizon, the board and manager will be hoping that any new additions could follow in the same vein in North London.

Spurs’ hunt for added signings in the January window

Over the last couple of weeks, a new striker has been firmly in Spurs’ sights, which has led to numerous names being linked with a winter move to join the Lilywhites.

Dušan Vlahović is just one name on their shortlist, with returning Sporting Director Fabio Paratici no doubt playing a key role given his previous stint at Juventus.

He’s not alone in their sights for a new talisman, as Porto star Samu Aghehowa is also another option, but he could be slightly realistic given the £87m release clause within his current contract.

Other areas of the pitch are also being subject to potential investment, with the winger department also one of interest – leading to Brentford star Kevin Schade being named as one target.

According to CaughtOffside, Paratici is already working on a potential deal for the German, who joined the Bees back in 2023 under Frank’s tenure at the helm.

Another report states that Keith Andrews’ side are reluctant to offload the 23-year-old in the coming months, but could listen to offers in the region of €55m (£48m) for his signature.

Why Spurs’ £48m target could end Johnson’s Spurs career

Brennan Johnson’s time at Spurs has been a rollercoaster to say the least, with the winger often a hugely inconsistent figure within the Spurs first-team.

He joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, but came under huge fire from the fanbase for his lack of impact in the first 12 months in North London.

However, his Europa League-winning goal and total of 18 efforts last year subsequently papered over the cracks of his career with the Lilywhites – as seen during the early stages of 2025/26.

The Welsh international has since dropped down the pecking order after Kudus’ arrival, often showing he can’t be relied upon to provide the goods by Frank.

His latest showing showcased his struggles, as Johnson scored the opener against FC Copenhagen, but was subsequently sent off for a rash tackle in the second half.

The manager will no doubt be disappointed with the winger after his actions in the Champions League, which in turn could only fuel rumours over a winter move to land Schade.

When comparing the German’s stats with those of Johnson from the ongoing campaign, he’s managed to outperform him in key areas, which could push the Welshman further down the pecking order.

Schade, who’s been labelled a “world-beater” by Dietmar Hamann, has already achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Premier League this season.

He’s also placed more of his shots on target so far in 2025/26, arguably making him a more efficient and effective option within in the final third for Frank in North London.

Games played

10

10

Goals & assists

3

2

Shot on target accuracy

46%

40%

Key passes

1.2

0.7

Shot-creating actions

1.6

1.4

Take-on success

32%

25%

Carries into final third

1.1

0.7

Aerials won

2.8

0.4

The German’s talents are further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and tally of key passes completed per 90 – subsequently offering the Lilywhites a phenomenal creative outlet.

His creativity, coupled with his goalscoring prowes,s could make Schade an excellent addition, potentially putting an end to Johnson’s spell at the club as a result.

Frank’s previous stint working with the youngster could also hand the manager another reason to prioritise him over Johnson, with the Dane having the keys to unlocking Schade’s success.

At just 23, he has bags of time to improve in the years ahead, potentially replacing Johnson and playing a key role in any success during the Frank reign at Spurs.

Spurs star is now "very similar to Saka" and he's better than Johnson

Tottenham Hotspur already have a star who could reach the levels achieved by Bukayo Saka.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 6, 2025

Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

How Wharton & Caicedo compare in the PL (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Wharton	Caicedo
Games played	13	12
Goals & assists	2	4
Progressive passes	5.9	5.7
Key passes	1.7	0.5
Clearances made	1.6	1.1
Tackles won	1.2	1.1
Take-on success	43%	31%
Recoveries made	5.8	5.6
Stats via FBref

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

Cunha & Mbeumo hybrid: Man Utd keen to trigger release clause for PL star

Manchester United could sign another attacker who’s like a hybrid of Cunha and Mbeumo

By
Joe Nuttall

2 days ago

The SRH batter smashed 105 not out off 39 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in Delhi

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2025

Chris Gayle – 30 balls

175* vs Pune Warriors, Bengaluru, 2013
It was the day on which Gayle rewrote T20 record books at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. His unbeaten 175 remains the highest individual score in the format, and his 30-ball century is the fastest in IPL history even after 12 years. After a watchful first over, Gayle took 21 off Ishwar Pandey and 28 off Mitchell Marsh to bring up a 17-ball fifty. Aaron Finch’s 29-run over only added to the charge and Gayle brought up his century in the ninth over. Of his first 103 runs, 98 came in boundaries. He finished unbeaten on 175 and later returned to pick up two wickets, capping off a surreal day.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi

– 35 balls
101 vs Gujarat Titans, Jaipur, 2025Walking out to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) chase of 210, Suryavanshi made history as he hammered a bowling attack comprising Rashid Khan, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to bring up the second-fastest century in the IPL. By the time Prasidh dislodged him with a yorker, he had hit 11 sixes and seven fours and left RR needing 44 off 49 deliveries. In a phenomenal display of hitting, Suryavanshi took 26 off an Ishant over on the way to a 17-ball half-century, and then hit three sixes and three fours off Karim Janat’s first over in the IPL. He reached his century with a six off Rashid, no less.

Heinrich Klaasen – 37 balls

105* vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi, 2025
In Sunrisers Hyderabad’s final league match of IPL 2025, a dead rubber against Kolkata Knight Riders with both teams out of the playoffs, Heinrich Klaasen played the sort of innings his team had missed from him. He came into bat at No. 3 in the seventh over and smashed nine sixes and seven fours on a flat surface in Delhi. He took down KKR’s spin threat, hitting Sunil Narine for 24 runs off 10 balls and Varun Chakravarthy for 36 off 12. He finished unbeaten on 105 off 39 balls, having taken SRH to 278 for 3, the fourth-highest total in IPL history.

Yusuf Pathan – 37 balls

100 vs Mumbai Indians (MI), Brabourne, 2010
Pathan teed off when Rajasthan Royals (RR) needed 143 off 57 balls to chase down MI’s 212. He hit 54 off his next 11 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Ali Murtaza and 24 in the following over from R Sathish. The carnage continued as he brought up what was then the fastest century in the IPL with a towering six. He was run out the very next ball, leaving RR with 40 to get from 17 balls – a bridge too far in the end. However, his captain, Shane Warne, described it as the best innings he had ever seen.

David Miller – 38 balls

101* vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mohali, 2013Miller’s 38-ball century rescued Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS) from 64 for 4 and powered them in a jaw-dropping chase of 191, with 99 runs coming in the last five overs. It began with a flurry of boundaries off Vinay Kumar before he tore into RP Singh for 26 in a single over. With three runs needed and Miller on 95, he launched a length ball straight over the sightscreen to bring up his century in style. After the match, Miller shared his father’s advice: “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree. If it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park.”

Travis Head – 39 balls

102 vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Head had already signaled their intent with a 277-run blitz earlier in the season. In Bengaluru, they went one better. Head had set the tone with a powerplay assault that saw SRH race to 76 for 0, bringing up his fifty along the way. By the time he was dismissed in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102, SRH had rocketed to 165. They eventually finished on 287 – the highest total in IPL history.

Priyansh Arya – 39 balls

103 vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mullanpur, 2025PBKS picked 24-year-old Delhi opener Arya for INR 3.8 crore after a bidding war at the auction and he’s already showing why. After a 23-ball 47 on debut, Arya delivered on his potential against CSK. He began the innings with a first-ball six and didn’t let the fall of wickets at the other end disrupt his intent. He later smacked Matheesha Pathirana for three consecutive sixes and a four to bring up a stunning maiden IPL century in just the 13th over of the innings.

Major League Baseball's home-run leader, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, smacked his 43rd homer of the season Friday night in a huge spot.

He stepped up to the plate as the Mariners trailed the Rays 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs and two runners on base. Ahead in the count 2-0, he received an 87-mph sweeper low in the zone from newly acquired Rays relief pitcher Griffin Jax. Raleigh sent the pitch 417 feet and over the fence at T-Mobile Park to give the Mariners the late lead.

After the ball hit Raleigh's bat, Jax raised his arm in the air to direct his defense which became a hilarious moment since it flew far over the center-field fence.

In Jax's defense, it wasn't exactly a no-doubt home run and he didn't appear to put his pointer finger in the air, likely because he quickly realized Raleigh just hit a game-changing homer off him. Still, a funny moment nonetheless. After the three-run shot ended up in a 3-2 loss for the Rays, Jax acknowledged he put himself in a bad spot, getting behind on one of baseball's best hitters.

"There’s a reason he’s having a really good year," Jax said of Raleigh postgame via MLB.com's Daniel Kramer. "He’s a really good hitter. I’ve had a couple at-bats against him this year that have gone my way, so he’s seen me now three or four times. When I put myself in a hole 2-0, good hitters do that."

Raleigh's 43rd homer on the year widened his lead on Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber who has hit 41. In the American League, the next closest players to the "Big Dumper" are his new teammate Eugenio Suárez and Yankees star Aaron Judge, who have 37 homers apiece this season.

Jacob deGrom is back.

The Texas Rangers right-hander was named to the American League All-Star team last week in recognition of what is turning into a brilliant comeback season. A two-time Cy Young Award winner, deGrom has battled injuries since the 2021 season but is finally healthy again in 2025.

The 37-year-old had a dominant 2021 campaign ended by elbow inflammation, and missed much of the 2022 campaign due to a stress reaction in his right scapula. After leaving the New York Mets to sign a five-year, $185 million deal with the Rangers in December of 2022, he made just six starts for his new team before needing Tommy John surgery. He didn't start another major league game until September 13, 2024.

This season, deGrom has returned to form, and while he's not notching as many strikeouts as he used to, he has been excellent. Through 18 starts, he's 9-2 with a 2.29 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and 105 punchouts against 23 walks in 106 1/3 innings. He's currently eighth among AL pitchers in fWAR (2.6).

Though it has been years since he was at his peak, deGrom has a legitimate claim to being the most dominant pitcher of his generation. What follows is a look inside the numbers of his comeback season and his brilliant career. It should serve as a reminder of just how great he is.

1 — Pitchers with more WAR than deGrom since he broke into the big leagues in 2014. Only Max Scherzer's total of 56.3 tops deGrom's 45.4

2 — Pitchers with more fWAR than deGrom since 2014. Scherzer (52.7) and Clayton Kershaw (46.4) top deGrom's total of 45.6.

21 — More appearances (20 starts) Kershaw has had than deGrom in that time.

60 — More appearances (all starts) Scherzer has had than deGrom in that time.

0.99 — deGrom's career WHIP, second to Kershaw's 0.96 since 2014.

2.50 — deGrom's career ERA, second to Kershaw's 2.45 since 2014.

2.63 — deGrom's FIP since 2014, best among pitchers with at least 50 starts. Spencer Strider second by a significant margin (2.78), followed by Chris Sale (2.79) and Kershaw (2.83).

156 — deGrom's career ERA+, second to Kershaw's 162 since 2014. (Side note: Clayton Kershaw was really good. He was also a six-year veteran when deGrom debuted.)

1.08 — deGrom's ERA in 2021. He only made 15 starts, which prevents it from being considered one of the greatest seasons of all-time, but he had a WHIP of 0.75 and 146 strikeouts and 11 walks in 92 innings. An elbow injury ended his season on July 18.

373 — deGrom's ERA+ during that season, the best in MLB history for a pitcher making 15 or more starts by nearly. Pedro Martinez finished at 291 during his legendary 2000 season. When factoring in the Negro Leagues, deGrom's 2021 season is still the best by 50 points, topping Slim Jones's 1934 season for the Philadelphia Stars where he finished at 323.

1.98 — deGrom's combined ERA from 2018 through the '21 season. In that time, he made 91 starts and went 32-21 with 774 strikeouts in 581 innings pitched with a 0.88 WHIP.

205 — His ERA+ in that time, one of the most dominant four-year stretches for a pitcher in baseball history.

4 — deGrom's leaguewide rank in WHIP (0.91) among starting pitchers this season.

6 — His leaguewide rank in ERA (2.29) among starters.

20 — Combined starts by deGrom from 2022 through '24.

18 — Starts he has made this season.

15 — Starts in which he has allowed two or fewer runs in 2025.

14 — Consecutive starts in which deGrom went at least 5 innings while allowing two or fewer runs, which lasted from April 18 through July 7. It was the longest such streak in the American League since 2014.

97.4 — Average miles per hour of deGrom's four-seam fastball in 2025, which ranks fourth among qualified starters in MLB. A reminder: he's 37 years old.

Injuries cost deGrom the better part of four seasons, but that shouldn't taint his legacy. He remains one of the best pitchers of his generation and has reminded everyone of his greatness again this season.

His first All-Star selection since 2021 might be deGrom's greatest, given all he's been through in the past four seasons. He's back where he belongs, among the best pitchers in the sport.

Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel marked his Old Trafford debut by setting a new club record after scoring the winner in an FA Youth Cup tie against Peterborough on Tuesday night. The 15-year-old has been linked with Barcelona and Arsenal and nicknamed 'Kid Messi', with many believing he has incredible potential. Meanwhile, Kai Rooney, son of legendary England striker Wayne, was left out of the squad for the third-round clash.

• Gabriel stars in FA Youth Cup win and sets new record

  Much is expected of Gabriel, even after only just turning 15 years of age, and the teenager wasted little time making his presence known on his first competitive appearance at United's Old Trafford home. Gabriel netted the only goal of the game in the 22nd minute with a lovely sweeping finish into the far corner, earning Darren Fletcher's side a fourth-round tie against Cambridge United or Derby County, with those two teams set to meet on Wednesday. That goal saw the hyped youngster become United's youngest-ever scorer in FA Youth Cup history and also took him to 11 strikes in 12 games this season, having recently scored a hat-trick against Liverpool's Under-18s.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Who is JJ Gabriel?

  United have produced plenty of stars through their academy during the club's glittering history and Gabriel is thought to be one who could go on to become a genuinely world-class player in the future. He has received rather flattering comparisons to Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo and attracted more praise back in August when he scored an outrageously impressive goal for United's Under-18s.

  His performances have caught the eye of many teams around Europe. Barcelona are thought to be keeping track of his situation as they look to find the next Lamine Yamal, while Arsenal have also been credited with an interest. However, the Gunners' admiration of Gabriel has been labelled 'premature' in recent weeks, with the current Premier League leaders not thought to have made a formal offer as of yet.

  That is good news for United, who seem to be doing everything they can to keep hold of the prodigious youngster. The Red Devils are said to have even gone as far as offering Gabriel a box at the new Old Trafford stadium, which is due to be completed by 2030. He may well hope to be making his mark in the first-team squad by that point, but United's current senior stars are already familiar with the teenager's talents as he's previously been invited to train with Ruben Amorim's cohorts during the early stages of the season.

• Rooney's son Kai left out of squad

  While it was all smiles for Gabriel, Kai Rooney, the son of United legend Wayne, was not included in the squad for the win over Peterborough. The teenager has been recovering from injury in recent weeks and made his return for the club's Under-16s over the weekend. Jacey Carrick, son of ex-United and England midfielder Michael, was also absent from the matchday squad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next for Gabriel?

  Gabriel will continue playing youth football for United for now, with the hope of breaking into the first-team squad and making his senior debut in the future. He will, however, have to be wary of the treatment some of United's recent academy graduates have received of late.

  Marcus Rashford doesn't seem to have much of a future at Old Trafford after being sent on loan to both Aston Villa and Barcelona in the last year, while the curious case of Kobbie Mainoo remains puzzling to many football fans across Europe. The 20-year-old broke into the squad under former boss Erik ten Hag and scored a memorable goal against local rivals Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, but he has not made a single start in the Premier League this season.

  One youngster who has been getting first-team minutes under Amorim is Ayden Heaven, who has started the Red Devils' last two Premier League matches. He was unconvincing against West Ham United, being hauled off after 45 minutes, but produced a more accomplished performance in the 4-1 thumping of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.