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The matches were arranged after Cricket Ireland withdrew from hosting the games because of financial issues

Melinda Farrell14-Jun-2024

Richie Berrington is the only survivor, on either side, of the 2013 ODI the two sides played at The Grange•ICC/Getty Images

Scotland and Australia will play their first bilateral men’s T20I series this September in Edinburgh. It will be Australia’s first tour of Scotland in 11 years, and come before they play three T20Is and five ODIs against England. The games will be played at The Grange on September 4, 6 and 7, ahead of the first T20I against England at the Ageas Bowl on September 11.The announcement came as the two sides prepared to meet in a T20 World Cup Group B fixture in St Lucia, which will decide whether England or Scotland join Australia in the Super Eight stage. England and Scotland are on three and five points respectively, behind Australia, who lead the group with six points. If Scotland beat Australia, they will progress, but could still qualify if they are defeated but maintain a superior net run-rate over England.Australia were originally scheduled to play three ODIs and a T20I against Ireland in August and September, but Ireland withdrew from hosting the games because of financial issues. Cricket Australia subsequently approached Cricket Scotland earlier this year, seeking alternatives to the Ireland tour.”Cricket Australia came to us and said we would like to partner with you and we said we would absolutely like to partner with you,” Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade told ESPNcricinfo. “We just needed to find a way to make it happen.”So, for us, it was a no-brainer to have Australia coming to Scotland before they play in England and it was just finding a way to make it happen. And thanks to the support of [CA chief executive] Nick Hockley and his team at Cricket Australia, we’ve been able to find a way.”Scotland and Australia have played just five international matches – all ODIs – against each other over the years, and only twice outside of a World Cup, both at The Grange. Australia have been victorious on each occasion and the last time the two sides met in a bilateral fixture, in a one-off ODI in 2013, Australia recorded a thumping 200-run win. Richie Berrington, Scotland’s current captain, is the sole surviving player from the 2013 game on either side.But while Scotland hope to be less accommodating on the field during the upcoming series, Lindblade, originally from Australia, believes the tour will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase what Edinburgh has to offer as a cricket destination, as the board deals with the fallout of damaging reports finding Cricket Scotland guilty of institutional racism and sexism.”What a way to end the year to have Australia coming to Scotland, playing in three T20 internationals at the Grange, when we have been through such incredibly difficult times,” Lindblade said.”It will be a celebration of cricket in Scotland and we hope that everybody gets behind us and when tickets go on sale, that we have The Grange filled on three days and we can show everybody that cricket in Scotland is well and truly on its path forward and how much that it is a sport for everybody to enjoy.”Lindblade hoped the tour will lead to other tours by Full-Member countries: “We need to play high-quality cricket more often. The top Associate members will say the same as us and this will demonstrate, not just our on-the-field performance, but also the people in Scotland get to see the best possible cricket,” she said.”We want to get back into discussions with the board members about coming to Scotland. It’s not just a great place to play cricket, but it’s also a great place to visit. So whilst they’re here we can also make sure that they have an enjoyable time in between the matches. It’s a whole package when you come to Scotland.”Allrounder Michael Leask said the series would be “incredible” for Scotland. “[We] don’t get many opportunities to play teams like Australia, England, India, Pakistan – especially at home,” Leask said. “That is going to be a wonderful occasion for Scotland to host the World Test champions, the ODI champions, literally one of the best in the world at our home ground.”

Liverpool recently completed what may end up being the biggest transfer of the summer when they confirmed the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Reds have smashed the British transfer record to sign the Germany international in a deal that is worth up to £116.5m, moving above the transfer that took Moises Caicedo from Brighton to Chelsea.

Liverpool, as shown in the graphic above, had never touched the £100m mark for a transfer fee for a player, which shows how much faith they have that Wirtz will be a hugely influential star for the club.

The attacking midfielder is the second signing to come in from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, after Jeremie Frimpong, and the first addition from the Bundesliga has had some very kind words to say about his new, yet old, teammate.

Liverpool’s Dutch full-back described the German star as a “very, very, very special player”, and Reds supporters should be excited by the prospect of watching him play next season.

Why Florian Wirtz is a big signing for Liverpool

The 22-year-old attacker’s form in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons suggests that he has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Premier League champions on a regular basis.

He is a number ten who has the ability to consistently deliver both goals and assists at the top end of the pitch, which means that he could be a joy to watch in the final third.

Wirtz ended the 2024/25 season with a return of 16 goals and 14 assists in 45 matches in all competitions, after a haul of 18 goals and 19 assists in 49 appearances for Leverkusen in the previous campaign.

This means that the Germany international has plundered 34 goals and 33 assists in all competitions in the past two seasons, which shows that he offers a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.

24/25 UCL

Wirtz per 90

Percentile rank vs att. mids & wingers

Non-penalty goals

0.59

Top 6%

Expected Assisted Goals

0.20

Top 20%

npxG + xAG

0.60

Top 18%

Shot-creating actions

5.10

Top 11%

Progressive passes

6.28

Top 8%

Passes made

55.26

Top 6%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Wirtz was impressive in the Champions League this season, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which shows that he can perform at the very top level.

Therefore, the £116.5m-rated star could be a big signing as an attacking star who has proven himself in Germany, and they could be about to repeat that move already.

Liverpool eyeing Bundesliga striker

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are interested in a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that the Premier League champions are ‘seriously’ eyeing up a move for the France U21 international, as they look at possible replacements for Darwin Nunez.

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Plettenberg reports that Napoli are in talks with Liverpool over a deal to sign the Uruguay international, and that the Reds would not stand in his way if he wants to move to the Serie A champions this summer.

The journalist adds that the Reds believe that they have a “good chance” to sign Ekitike as a possible replacement for Nunez, despite facing competition from both Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for his services.

Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly value the young number nine at a whopping £85m, as they look to keep hold of their star man, and it remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool are willing to go that high for him.

Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike

The Premier League giants should swoop to sign the French striker from the German club before the end of the window, particularly if Nunez moves on from Anfield, because he could be a Wirtz repeat.

As aforementioned, Liverpool have landed a Bundesliga star who could be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis by signing the Germany international.

Ekitike would arrive on Merseyside as a very similar signing, as a Bundesliga striker who has the potential to make a big impact in the final third next season.

The former Paris Saint-Germain talent ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for Frankfurt, which meant that he registered four more goal contributions than Wirtz did for Leverkusen.

Ekitike’s performances in the Bundesliga, specifically, suggest that he has the quality to come through the door as a significant upgrade on Nunez, should he complete a transfer to Napoli in the coming weeks.

24/25 season

Ekitike (Bundesliga)

Nunez (Premier League)

Appearances

33

30

Goals

15

5

Minutes per goal

172

227

Big chances created

12

3

Key passes per game

1.3

0.5

Assists

8

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the French talent could offer a bigger threat in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Liverpool, based off their respective form in the 2024/25 season.

The Frankfurt star, who was once described as the “next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, also still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and improve even further, at the age of 23.

Like Wirtz, the young forward could be a staple of Arne Slot’s attack for many years to come. They are both forwards who have proven that they can deliver quality in the here and now, whilst they also both have the potential to get even better in the future.

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It is now down to the club to agree a deal with Frankfurt to bring the promising young centre-forward to Anfield to combine with Wirtz in the final third next season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s frontline has been impressive throughout the 2024/25 campaign, managing to catch the eye despite the club finishing in a lowly 17th position in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites netted 64 goals in their 38 outings, with only six other sides in the division scoring more, four of which managed to secure Champions League qualification.

Brennan Johnson finished the season as their top scorer in the league with his tally of 11 goals, adding to his excellent collection, which saw him net the winner in the Europa League final.

He was the only player to register double figures in the league, but numerous players across the squad managed to register key goals, which contributed to their excellent tally.

However, new boss Thomas Frank has immediately wanted to target reinforcements in such an area, evidently wanting strength and depth in his quest for success.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

After his successful stint at Brentford, the Dane has already targeted a move for striker Yoane Wissa, with the Congolese star a man in demand this window.

He’s not the only Bees star on their radar, with Bryan Mbeumo another player who’s been strongly linked with the Lilywhites, but it appears they’ve missed out on his signature, with a move to Manchester United now edging closer.

Another name has been mentioned in recent days as a result, with Canadian international Jonathan David firmly on their radar, according to Get Football News Italy.

They report that Frank’s side have made contact with his representatives over a move to North London with his contract at Lille set to expire at the end of the month.

It also states that the 25-year-old has now halted talks with Italian sides Napoli and Juventus to explore a deal to the Premier League, after scoring 25 times in 49 appearances this season.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s own Kane

Harry Kane is a player who has cemented himself in Spurs’ history forever, catapulting himself into the hearts of the fanbase given his spell in the first team over a 10-year period.

The 31-year-old rose through the youth ranks before registering 280 goals for the club, a tally which has made him the highest goalscorer in the club’s history.

However, his goals weren’t enough to catapult the Lilywhites to any form of tangible success, subsequently seeing the forward leave for Bayern Munich in an £82m deal back in 2023.

Since his departure, the club have spent big on Dominic Solanke, dropping a club-record £65m fee to secure his signature, but he’s struggled to maintain elite levels of performance over the course of his first campaign – scoring just nine goals in the process.

The club have greatly lacked that clinical presence in forward areas, something which David could provide in North London should the club land him in the coming weeks.

When comparing his stats to those of fan-favourite Kane, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas this campaign – with FBref labelling him as a similar player to the England international.

David, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers in the world” by Tony Marinaro, has achieved a better shot on target rate than Kane this season, highlighting his clinical nature within the final third.

How David compares to Kane throughout the 2024/25 campaign

Statistics (per 90)

David

Kane

Games played

32

31

Goals & assists

21

35

Shot on target accuracy

43%

42%

Pass accuracy

82%

78%

Key passes made

1.3

1.2

Take-on success

48%

43%

Progressive carries

1.4

1

Fouls won

1.3

0.7

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher tally of key passes per 90, offering Frank’s side an all-round option that can provide alongside scoring.

The Canadian has further demonstrated his all-round talents, registering a higher take-on completion rate, whilst posting more progressive carries per 90 – having the skillset to create his own opportunities, rather than be dependent on his teammates.

Given that the forward is available on a free transfer this summer, it would be a no-brainer for Spurs to strongly pursue a move to avoid missing out on his signature in the coming weeks.

If he can get anywhere near close to the levels produced by the departed forward in North London, it would be a superb signing, with his talents undoubtedly handing the manager the attacking quality he desires.

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 24, 2025

USA go into this game high on confidence, having shown heart against Canada and recently upsetting Bangladesh. Pakistan could hardly say the same

Danyal Rasool05-Jun-2024

Imad Wasim had been brought into the squad specifically for his US and Caribbean experience•Getty Images

Match detailsUSA vs Pakistan
Dallas, 10.30am local timeBig picture”Pakistan the heavyweight, the USA the plucky underdog” isn’t a phrase that rolls off the tongue neatly enough, but those are the sobriquets thrust upon these two sides when they take each other on in Dallas. Cricketing matters aside, this game has enough of a tinge of off-field spice, but add to that an American uptick in form combined with a vulnerable Pakistan unit and the cricketing matters provide intrigue of their own.USA’s win over Canada in the first game neatly illustrates the danger the hosts pose. The temperament the hosts showed, turning what appeared a near-certain losing position into a comfortable victory, is emblematic of a side high on confidence following on from their stunning 2-1 series win over Bangladesh in the build-up to the tournament. The relative familiarity with the venue also gives USA an added edge, having played against Canada at the same ground.Pakistan meanwhile, have struggled to get a proper training session in, let alone an actual game, warm-up or official. Rain in Dallas for much of the past week forced Pakistan to move two practice sessions to makeshift indoor facilities, and instead of arriving early to acclimatise, Pakistan spent the past three weeks playing T20I series in Ireland and the UK. They didn’t exactly showcase a fearsome side in search of a title, as inconsistent performances saw them lose one of the three games to Ireland, and comfortably beaten in both completed matches against England.Pakistan’s woes have been compounded by the confirmed injury to Imad Wasim, specifically brought back to the squad for his US and Caribbean experience. In addition, as the final game against England made crystal clear, the opening combination of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam appears their only viable option, meaning much of the experimentation in the build-up over the past five months has not borne fruit. Several players severely struggling for form means there are points of weakness dotted throughout the order, with Saim Ayub, Azam Khan and Shadab Khan particularly beleaguered at present.If the tendency to hop about from triumph to disaster without warning is a characteristically Pakistani trait, belief and self-confidence is unabashedly American. You couldn’t set a better scene or plot more amenable circumstances for an upset, or at the very least a Texan thriller.Form guideUnited States of America: WLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Pakistan: LLWWLIn the spotlightAaron Jones would be a problem for any bowling side, but he matches up particularly well against Pakistan. Jones’ takedown of Canada’s pace and spin bowlers in the middle overs places a lot of pressure on Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s most in-form bowler in that phase. With Imad out and Shadab severely out of nick, there remains the potential for Jones to lead a middle-overs onslaught similar to the one that saw the US storm past Canada in the tournament opener.As the final T20I against England last week made brutally plain, there is no hiding place for Azam Khan. After a shocker of a game with both bat and gloves, he was singled out for the ire of Pakistan’s media and fans. Some of it was justified, the rest way over the top. But it is obvious Pakistan are struggling to answer the question of what to do with him. Having, in part, selected him because of his recent CPL pedigree, dropping him leaves them light on options for lower-order death-overs hitting. Selecting a player that low on confidence, though, brings its own conundrums, not least whether to give him the gloves when Mohammad Rizwan – a stratospherically better keeper – is a confirmed starter.Team newsUSA have no injury concerns following their win over Canada, and with the hosts playing at the same venue again, they are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination.USA: 1 Steven Taylor, 2 Monank Patel (capt), 3 Andries Gous (wk), 4 Aaron Jones, 5 Nitish Kumar, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Harmeet Singh, 8 Shadley van Schalkwyk, 9 Jasdeep Singh, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Saurabh NetravalkarImad has been unable to shake off a side strain that kept him out of Pakistan’s final T20I against England last week, meaning balancing the side is a problem for Pakistan. It likely means Shadab will keep his place for all-round potential, while Babar and Rizwan go back up top.Pakistan: 1 Mohammad Rizwan 2 Babar Azam 3 Usman Khan 4 Fakhar Zaman 5 Azam Khan 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Shadab Khan 7 8 Shaheen Afridi 9 Haris Rauf 10 Mohammad Amir 11 Abrar AhmedPitch and conditionsRain sprayed Dallas in the week leading up to the tournament, but has for the large part stayed away since the World Cup began. That should continue to be the case on Thursday, with a full game expected.The wicket offered early seam movement in each of the first two games with decent bounce and carry, with the opening game – held at this venue – throwing up the two highest scores of the tournament so far.Stats and trivia Pakistan’s attempt to break up Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan failed on just about every count. Saim Ayub scored 229 runs in 15 T20I innings as opener, at an average of 15.26 and a strike rate of 126.51. That average as well as strike rate is lower than either Babar or Rizwan’s as opener since January 2022 Haris Rauf is five wickets away from becoming just the second Pakistani – after Shadab Khan – to reach 100 T20I wickets Of the 23 sixes Aaron Jones has struck in 25 T20I innings, 10 came in his innings against Canada in the World Cup opener Quotes”Certain things are outside your control. We can’t control the weather. In the circumstances, we used the facilities available to us, with the batters and bowlers training indoors. Our team drills also took place indoors, so we’re just trying to utilise the best possible options we have.”
“You know, it’s T20. Once we have good 30-40 minutes on the field, you never know. We can take the game away.”

علق خالد بيبو مدير الكرة بـ نادي زد، على تعيين وليد صلاح الدين في منصب مدير الكرة بـ الأهلي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وقال خالد بيبو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة أون سبورت: “(كابتن وليد ده أنا)، وفرحتي له كأنها فرحتي لنفسي، وليد من أحسن الناس التي من الممكن أن تتعامل معها في حياتك، أتمنى له الخير، أنا سعيد له جدًا كأنه أنا”.

وأكمل: “أتمنى أن يوفقه الله في المسؤولية، لأنها مسؤولية صعبة جدًا، أن تكون مديرًا للكرة في النادي الأهلي هذا شيء كبير وشرف عظيم”.

وواصل: “الحمد لله أنا قضيت موسم بالنسبة لي كان مميزًا، وحققت نجاحات كثيرة وأرقامًا كبيرة جدًا، لكن طبعًا أي أحد سيتولى المسؤولية سنكون جميعًا داعمين لع وسنساعده، وسندافع عنه حتى الموت”.

وبسؤاله هل هذا التوقيت هو المناسب لتعيين وليد صلاح الدين أم الأفضل كان عودة سيد عبد الحفيظ؟، أجاب: “فكرة إن كابتن سيد عبد الحفيظ يعود أو كابتن وليد صلاح الدين يتولى هذه أمور داخلية، النادي يدرس الموقف ويرى ماذا يحتاج في هذه الفترة، ومن يقود المسيرة”.

وزاد: “سيد عبد الحفيظ كان له مسيرة كبيرة جدًا، 10 سنوات حقق فيها نجاحات كبيرة، كابتن وليد لم يحصل على الفرصة من قبل إنه يكون مديرًا للكرة في النادي الأهلي، والفريق يحتاجه مثلما رأت الإدارة، أن يكون هناك وجه جديد لم تتعامل معه اللاعبين من قبل”.

طالع | تفاصيل اجتماع الخطيب مع مدير الكرة في الأهلي لترتيب مرحلة “ما بعد ريبيرو”

وأضاف: “حدثت تغييرات كثيرة جدًا في فترة قصيرة، ووليد كابتن سابق للنادي الأهلي وكان قائدًا لأجيال كثيرة مختلفة، ويمتلك خبرات كبيرة جدًا، وسبق وعمل في منظومة محترمة (زد)، والآن جاء دوره أن يقود النادي الأهلي لمزيد من الانتصارات لأنه يستحق، هو اجتهد في هذا المكان”.

وأتم: “وليد عمل في عدة أماكن وحصل على خبرات كبيره جدا وحقق إنجازات كإداري، وعلى قدر المسؤولية، وكلنا سنكون داعمين له وسنساعده وأي شيء سيحتاجه في أي وقت سيجدنا خلفه

Arsenal’s pre-season is on the horizon, and technical director Andrea Berta is now pushing forward to complete Mikel Arteta’s squad well ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Smart signings have been made in central midfielder Christian Norgaard (pending the completion of his medical) and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who will be expected to play back-up to David Raya between the sticks.

Furthermore, Martin Zubimendi’s arrival will add genuine star quality to the middle of the park, the Real Sociedad maestro coveted by many of Europe’s top outfits in recent years due to his intelligent, deep-lying midfield performances.

However, we’re yet to see Arteta welcome some new forwards to the fold. Heading into the summer market, this would have unanimously have been agreed to be the Gunners’ chief objective.

It hasn’t happened yet, but expect a flurry of movement in the coming weeks.

Arsenal's offensive transfer plans

Arsenal’s centre-forwards shortlist is comprised of four parts: Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins, Alexander Isak.

The latter’s exorbitant price tag likely puts him out of reach, but the English giants desperately need a new number nine, and it’s likely one of the four will arrive at the Emirates soon.

How Arsenal's striker targets compare in 2024/25.

Sesko and Gyokeres are the frontrunners, with it revealed by David Ornstein on Sunday that the Swede “only wants” Arsenal now that Sporting and the Gunners are locked in advanced talks concerning a move.

However, Arteta is set on signing more than just a new frontman as he looks to bring silverware back to Arsenal next season, five years on from the club’s last triumph.

Chelsea’s Noni Madueke has emerged as a top target for the club. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that contacts between the clubs are set to take place for the versatile winger, with personal terms having seemingly been agreed.

However, there’s another Premier League star on the cards in north London who’s been riding the crest of a wave of late.

Arsenal pushing to sign Premier League star

As per Football Transfers, Arsenal are internally weighing up an official bid for Crystal Palace hero Eberechi Eze, who scored the winning goal as his side defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.

The Londoners are felt to have taken their curiosity up a notch after cooling their interest in Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, and Eze has a £68m release clause that the Eagles expect to be met.

Kay has revealed that the 26-year-old “wants to join Arsenal”, his close friendship with Bukayo Saka factoring in. Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the England international.

Why Arsenal want Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace have been a mainstay in the Premier League since achieving promotion in 2013. For over a decade, they have been regarded as an entertaining and stable club, but Eze turned them into something greater with his driven finish against City at Wembley.

Five years earlier, he joined from the Championship’s Queens Park Rangers in a deal worth £19.5m. The maverick’s rise has been an incredible thing, having now bloomed into the “superstar” that analyst Ben Mattinson had crowned him as over a year ago.

An electric attacking midfielder with a tendency to drift over to the left, Eze could prove to be Arsenal’s own version of Florian Wirtz, with the German sensation joining Liverpool in a British-record £116m deal this summer.

Wirtz’s remarkable blend of vision, intelligence and technical quality make him a one-of-a-kind playmaker, and while he’s not a carbon copy, Eze has the skill set to mirror that of the Premier League champions’ new talisman.

The data certainly suggests the Three Lions man could bring his own firebrand style to the Emirates. As per FBref, Eze ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across the 2024/25 English top-flight season for shots taken, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for ball recoveries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

In this way, we can observe that the Palace star, ever-improving, could be a “magician” – as he has been dubbed by pundit Micah Richards – of similar proportions for Arteta’s title-chasing side.

Eberechi Eze’s Crystal Palace by Season (all comps)

Season

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

43 (40)

14

11

23/24

31 (26)

11

6

22/23

40 (30)

10

4

21/22

19 (7)

1

1

20/21

36 (31)

3

6

Data via Transfermarkt

In a similar vein, Wirtz, 22, has been described as a “genius” in the past by his former Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who had drawn notice to his Mesut Ozil-esque qualities.

But it’s not just the Liverpool star’s ability on the ball, his faculty for a fleet-footed surge or a thunderous strike, but his physicality too.

Luckily, Eze would bring similar athletic abilities to Arteta’s door, having averaged 4.8 successful duels, 1.1 tackles and four ball recoveries per Premier League match last term, as per Sofascore.

Given the existing options in Arsenal’s first team, it feels like Eze could be a game-changer, someone arriving with fresh ideas and a different style of quality to open up a dimension that was lacking last term.

It’s easy to blame the club’s issues across the 2024/25 campaign on the lack of a focal frontman, but the £100k-per-week Palace star could have made a world of difference too.

There’s an early sense that the Premier League title, sure to be tighter next year, will be determined, or at least influenced, by moments of magic, players of unique ability who can drive their side toward an extra three points here or a rousing draw at the most ominous enemy ground there.

In any case, Arsenal fans have plenty to look forward to next season. If Berta can oversee the signing of Eze along with a first-rate central striker and maybe another left winger too, there’s every chance Arteta could lead the Gunners to glory.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 4, 2025

Lancashire lose fourth game in a row after posting sub-par total

ECB Reporters Network02-Aug-2024

George Thomas’ maiden hundred led Somerset to victory•Getty Images

Kasey Aldridge recorded career-best figures of 6 for 33 and George Thomas a maiden List A century as Somerset made it three wins from four Group A games with an eight-wicket victory over Lancashire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The visitors could post only 218 all out after losing the toss, Australian allrounder Chris Green hitting 65 off 68 balls and opener George Bell 56 off 81. Tall seamer Aldridge was not introduced into the Somerset attack until the second half of the innings and took his wickets from 7.1 overs.In reply, the hosts raced to 220 for 2 off 40.5 overs, Thomas leading the way with an unbeaten 106 off 142 deliveries, with 14 fours and two sixes. James Rew contributed 60 not out and Lewis Goldsworthy 38 to inflict Lancashire’s fourth defeat in as many group matches.They never gained much momentum to their innings after a cautious start against the impressive Alfie Ogborne, which saw Bell and Harry Singh put together an opening stand of 47, ended in the 13th over when Singh was bowled by Jack Leach aiming a forcing shot through the leg side.It was 79 for 2 in the 20th over when Thomas bowled visiting captain Josh Bohannon playing down the wrong line. Bell went to fifty off 72 balls, but the tempo of the innings was never fast enough on such a quick-scoring ground.Balderson was caught and bowled by Goldsworthy off a leading edge for 27 and Aldridge had IPL winner Venkatesh Iyer caught by the diving Sean Dickson at cover as Lancashire slid to 121 for 4.Bell chipped a catch to mid-on off Aldridge and Rocky Flintoff gave Goldsworthy a second caught and bowled before Aldridge sent back Jack Blatherwick and Tom Aspinwall with successive deliveries, forcing Mitchell Stanley to face a hat-trick ball on his List A debut. He survived it before falling to a stunning catch by Leach, diving full length on the run from mid-off as two team-mates converged on him to give Aldridge his fifth wicket.Green blasted four fours and four sixes and shared a last-wicket stand of 51 with Charlie Barnard. But when he also skied a catch off Aldridge in the final over Lancashire looked well short of a competitive total.So it proved, as despite losing Andy Umeed early in their reply, Somerset attacked the meagre target with gusto, Thomas and Goldsworthy producing a boundary blitz that took their team to 64 for 1 by the end of the tenth over. The score had extended to 73 when Goldsworthy was bowled leg-stump by left-arm spinner Barnard in his opening over.Thomas slog-swept a six off Barnard in moving to a 79-ball half-century and soon celebrated with a pulled six off Aspinwall. He found a reliable partner in Rew, who gradually found his timing to join in the glut of boundaries.Thomas was given a life of 77 when dropped at long-on by Stanley off Green before bringing up the century stand with Rew by sweeping a four off Barnard. The Taunton-born 20-year-old went to three figures with a single off Green, raising both arms in celebration before turning to hug Rew, who seemed equally delighted for his friend and team-mate.A handsome cover-driven four off Blatherwick took Rew to a 56-ball fifty as the stand with Thomas became a Somerset List A record for the third wicket against Lancashire, beating the 118 put together by a certain Ian Botham and Vivian Richards in a 40-over game at Bath in 1978.

The 25-year-old registered his first professional century having come in at 53 for 3

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2024

Blake batted through Surrey’s innings having arrived in the 14th over•Getty Images

Josh Blake registered a sensible run-a-ball century to carry Surrey to only their second Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory of the season at Chelmsford.The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman survived on 40 when Luc Benkenstein floored a chance at deep square leg, but having come in at 53 for 3 after 14 overs, had doubled his previous highest score and was still there on 100 not out when Surrey closed on 306 for 4.Blake put on 98 in 20 overs for the fourth wicket with opener Ryan Patel (83 from 106 balls) and then an unbroken 155 in 16 pulsating overs for the fifth with the hard-hitting Ollie Sykes, who hit five sixes in an unbeaten 87 from 56 balls.Defeat meant neither team could qualify for the knock-out stages and Essex never looked likely to record their second win of the tournament. Only captain Tom Westley offered much resistance with 78 from 84 balls as dispirited Essex fell 90 runs short of their target with more than three overs unused.Surrey elected to bat and got off to a slow start, meandering to 39-2 in the first powerplay. But they upped the tempo in the second half of the innings when they added 192 in 25 overs, 117 of them in the final 10 as Blake and Sykes smashed the toiling Essex bowlers to every corner of the Cloud County Ground.Patel had held things together early on, but his innings was comparatively sedate by what came later. He reached his fifty from 68 balls with his seventh four, a cover drive off Tom Westley. He followed that with No8, cutting Jamal Richards to the longest boundary on the ground, to bring up Surrey’s 100. But by that time he had lost three partners before forming the alliance with Blake.Jamie Porter, with a white ball in hand for the first time in a year, took two of that trio, bowling Dom Sibley shouldering arms to one that swung in and took oft-stump, and claiming a second when Cameron Steel moved across to give himself room and was lbw to a straight delivery. In between, Shane Snater had Ben Geddes pinned in front, playing down the wrong line.Though the boundary to the Pavilion side was less than 50 yards from the wicket, Essex defended it resolutely and it was not until the 33rd over that Blake pierced the field with a reserve-sweep off Westley. Next over, though, brought the downfall of Patel as he drove Noah Thain uppishly to wide mid-off where Westley took a diving catch.Sykes had scored eight in his List A debut on Tuesday, but eyed up the shorter side where he deposited Thain twice for sixes in an over that cost 15. He added a third off Richards before lofting Porter over the longer midwicket boundary. A fifth over midwicket off Snater took the 19-year-old to a 34-ball fifty.Blade was not hanging around either, and lifted Snater over cover point for his only six to sit alongside nine fours before a single in the last over took him to three figures from 100 balls.Essex’s pursuit of 307 never really got going as wickets fell regularly. Nick Browne slashed Conor McKerr to slip, Feroze Khushi swung at James Taylor to be caught behind, and Robin Das was stumped by the alert Blake off a legside wide from Patel.Benkenstein pulled Nathan Barnwell to deep square leg with the floodlights now on and the run-rate rising. Noah attempted to reverse-sweep Cameron Steel and fell lbw, Simon Fernandes tickled McKerr behind, while Westley’s two-hour knock ended when he slashed Steel to short mid-off.Snater lasted three balls before he was bowled by Yousef Majid, Richards was stumped, Ben Allison lofted the only six of Essex’s innings in a career-best 32 not out before Steel claimed his fourth wicket for 50 when Porter hammered to long off.

Liverpool are preparing to defend their Premier League title, with FSG’s ambitions evidenced through the heavy spending that has been enforced over the past few months.

And there’s likely more to come. With Darwin Nunez being touted with a move away, Napoli had been interested but have withdrawn their name due to differences in valuation. Sporting director Richard Hughes is thus perusing the market for a potential striker to lead the line over the coming years.

Nunez’s struggles to adapt to Arne Slot’s tactics were well documented last season, with the Dutch coach even stating that he “can’t accept” the 25-year-old’s work rate after a string of concerning performances in February.

With just one Premier League start to his name since Boxing Day, Nunez was routinely replaced at number nine by Luis Diaz, whose versatility allowed him to moonlight as a focal frontman to a title-winning effect.

However, Diaz may now be on the move.

The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future

Diaz scored 17 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions last season, indeed playing a decent chunk of his football as Liverpool’s makeshift striker.

There’s no denying he was one of the most important parts of Slot’s squad, but Diaz is 28 and entering the second-to-last year in his £55k-per-week contract. In spite of Liverpool turning Barcelona’s approach aside last month, concrete talks for a new deal don’t appear to be forthcoming.

But interest has persisted. Bayern Munich are understood to have recently agreed personal terms with the Colombian, and while Liverpool’s stance remains the same, a lucrative offer could change the narrative.

Diaz is one of the best wingers in the Premier League, in Europe, but if Liverpool receive a compelling offer, there’s just cause for his summer transfer, especially if a new deal on Merseyside isn’t in the pipeline.

And indeed, Slot and Hughes appear to have identified a successor already.

Liverpool lining up Diaz successor

According to RMC Sport over in France, Liverpool have joined the race for Lyon winger Malick Fofana, who is also on Bayern Munich and Marseille’s radar.

Chelsea were previously interested, but their £51.5m signing of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund should put them out of consideration (emphasis on ‘should’).

Lyon’s financial struggles could ease negotiations for Liverpool, but the Ligue 1 outfit are likely to demand something in the region of €50m (£43m).

What Malick Fofana would bring to Liverpool

Fofana might only be 20 years old, but he’s already established himself as one of the most exciting offensive talents in Europe. Across 62 appearances with Lyon, he’s scored 15 goals and supplied seven assists.

He’s unpolished and would need plenty of coaching to reach Diaz’s slick level as a Premier League powerhouse, but the ingredients are absolutely there. Praised for his “style, swagger and charisma” on the field by journalist Antonio Mango, who was advocating in May for his potential to succeed Diaz at Liverpool, should the South American leave.

Fofana’s pace and power as a winger make the strong suggestion that he’s a tailor-made successor on the left wing. Last season, for example, he hit 17 goal contributions across all competitions despite only starting 23 times, with Mango also calling him a “game-changer”.

Fofana, moreover, has shown himself to have an eye for a wonder goal.

Diaz’s uniqueness will be hard to replace. Not only a dynamic athlete, he is intelligent and happy to perform across any number of roles in order to drive Slot’s project closer toward success.

But there’s a logic to FSG’s hesitance toward extending Diaz’s deal: he’s not exactly proved a winger of sustained prolificness across his time at Anfield, and ebbed and flowed from form throughout points of the 2024/25 campaign.

Diaz and Cody Gakpo equally provided an attacking output that was surpassed only by Mohamed Salah. With signing a new striker on the cards, the reorienting of Liverpool’s goal threat could actually work in Fofana’s favour, allowing him to arrive without the responsibility of emulating Diaz’s form from the off.

League Stats 24/25 – Malick Fofana vs Luis Diaz

Stats (* per game)

Fofana

Diaz

Matches (starts)

29 (16)

36 (28)

Goals

5

13

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

2.0 (0.8)

Big chances missed

4

11

Pass completion

84%

86%

Big chances created

6

8

Key passes*

0.9

1.6

Dribbles*

0.8

1.5

Tackles*

1.1

1.1

Duels won*

2.9

3.8

Stats via Sofascore

Fofana’s limited starting action across all competitions didn’t stop him from displaying a promising clinical edge, though. As per FBref, the Belgium international ranked among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last term for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

Looking at Fofana’s crisp 84% pass rate in Ligue 1 last term, too, there’s surely just cause for Liverpool to push ahead and sign him before one rival or another steals ahead and snaps him up.

Given that Diaz’s stock is sky-high at the moment, Liverpool would also be able to complete this series of moves to their financial benefit, which could prove especially important given that signing a new centre-forward is indeed a matter of priority for the Reds.

With Gakpo easing the pressure on the left flank, signing Fofana before he hits his prime should prove a masterful move from FSG. One which rivals will look back on with envy in the coming years.

He’s not fully developed yet, but there’s so much to like with this Diaz-esque talent. And is that not the Liverpool way?

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Jul 13, 2025

أعلن الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم عبر موقعه الرسمي عن الملعب الذي سيستضيف لقاء نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا موسم 2026-2027.

وعلى الموقع الرسمي للاتحاد الأوروبي “يويفا” تم التأكيد على اختيار ملعب “واندا ميتروبوليتانو” في العاصمة مدريد لاستضافة نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا للموسم المقبل.

ومن المقرر أن يقام نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم السبت 5 يونيو 2027، ويعد ملعب “واندا ميتروبوليتانو” معقل أتلتيكو مدريد منذ عام 2017.

اقرأ أيضاً.. إريك جارسيا يوضح موقفه من التجديد مع برشلونة ويؤكد: اللعب أمام نيوكاسل “صعب”

ويقع ملعب واندا ميتروبوليتانو في حي روساس بالعاصمة الإسبانية، وسيكون هذا ثاني نهائي لدوري أبطال أوروبا يستضيفه هذا الملعب بعد نهائي عام 2019.

وكان ليفربول قد حصد لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا في عام 2019 بعد فوزه على توتنهام هوتسبير بهدفين نظيفين سجلهما محمد صلاح وأوريجي.

وسيكون هذا النهائي السادس الذي سيقام في مدريد حيث تمتلك العاصمة لندن عددًا أكبر في استضافة مباريات النهائي، وكان ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو قد استضاف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا أعوام 1957 و1969 و1980 و2010.