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Derby County are now keen on signing a 100+ career goal forward this summer, with John Eustace personally driving the move, according to a report.

Derby's summer transfer plans taking shape

It was always going to be tough to avoid relegation from the Championship in Derby’s first season back in the second tier, but having just about got the job done, Eustace will be looking to bring in signings capable of helping his side push up the table next season.

The Rams have set out to raid some of their Championship rivals next summer, having submitted a bid for Hull City right-back Cody Drameh, although they did not receive the response they would’ve been hoping for, with the proposal being knocked back.

Drameh is not the only defender in Eustace’s sights, however, with enquiries also being made over centre-back Ricardo Santos, who is available on a free transfer upon leaving Bolton Wanderers.

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John Eustace could have a say in the transfer saga…

BySean Markus Clifford May 11, 2025

The Championship outfit are clearly keen to bolster their options at the back, despite maintaining a decent defensive record throughout the 2024-25 campaign, given their league position, shipping just 56 goals across the campaign.

However, there is also an eagerness to strengthen their attacking options, with a report from Derbyshire Live revealing Derby are now keen on a move for Andi Weimann, who previously spent three years at Pride Park from 2015 to 2018.

Eustace is personally pushing for the Rams to bring back Weimann, who will be available on a free transfer, should the forward fail to agree a new contract to extend his stay with current employers Blackburn Rovers.

"Incredible" Weimann could be tempted by Derby move

The 33-year-old clearly has a strong relationship with Eustace, with the 45-year-old also signing him for Blackburn last summer, and he received high praise from his manager last season, who said: “It doesn’t matter how old he is (or) how young he is when you have a player of that quality.

“Everyone can see the impact he has had on and off the pitch. We are very fortunate that he decided to sign here.”

Former Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson is also an admirer of the Austrian, describing his desire and work ethic as “incredible”, and he has a plethora of experience at Championship level, which could be very useful for Derby.

The Blackburn forward has spent the majority of his career in the second tier, scoring 74 times in the competition, and after picking up seven goals last term, he now has over 100 career goals to his name.

As such, Weimann could be a fantastic signing for Derby, who will be hoping his existing relationship with Eustace will be helpful in convincing the attacker to move to Pride Park.

This summer is massive for West Ham United if they are to right the wrongs of this season and push on under the guidance of manager Graham Potter.

The Hammers currently sit in 17th place in the Premier League, just one place above the relegation zone, and are lucky not to be in a scrap to maintain their top-flight status.

It’s certainly been a year to forget, with the 49-year-old unable to change the club’s fortunes after taking the reins from Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked after just six months in charge.

The former Chelsea boss has the summer window to try and transform the Hammers’ fortunes and push the side back up towards the European spots in 2025/26.

With the opening of the market rapidly approaching, groundwork is already being laid ahead of a huge period for the club – needing to make the right signings if they are to progress.

The latest on West Ham’s hunt for signings this summer

In the last couple of days, West Ham have entered negotiations with the representatives of left-back Junior Firpo over a potential deal this summer.

The Dominican international is currently on the books of Leeds United, but looks set to depart the Whites with his contract set to expire at the end of June.

The defender, who’s registered 14 combined goals and assists this season, isn’t the only player on their shortlist, with midfielder Morton Frendrup also on their radar, according to GIVEMESPORT.

Their report claims that the Hammers’ hierarchy have already made contact with Genoa over a deal for the 24-year-old, who could be available for £17m this summer.

It also states that he’s one of a number of options being considered for the upcoming window, but face competition from fellow Premier League outfit Brentford for his signature.

Why West Ham’s £17m target would be an upgrade on Soucek

Tomas Soucek has been a regular in the heart of the West Ham midfield this season, registering 35 appearances across all competitions, scoring on eight separate occasions.

However, despite his excellent record for the Hammers, he could be set to depart East London during the off-season, with newly-promoted Leeds just one potential destination.

It’s unclear if Potter will be wanting to cash in on the Czech international during the coming months, with his future in the capital certainly up in the air to say the least.

Should he leave, it would be a blow given his output across the field, but it would allow the manager to land an upgrade in the form of Genoa star Frendrup.

When comparing their respective figures from the current campaign, the Dane has managed to outperform Soucek in various key areas – highlighting how much of a bargain he would be at £17m.

How Frendrup compares to Soucek in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Frendrup

Soucek

Games played

33

32

Goals & assists

2

9

Pass accuracy

85%

73%

Progressive passes

3.1

2.7

Tackles won

3.1

1.6

Interceptions made

1.4

0.7

Blocks made

1.9

1.3

Stats via FBref

Frendrup, who’s been labelled a “midfield machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has starred in possession, completing more of the passes he’s attempted along with more progressive passes – aiding other players within the final third.

He’s also dominated without the ball, winning nearly double the number of tackles per 90, along with more interceptions made – handing Potter the added quality he desires out of possession.

Since the departure of Declan Rice, the side have desperately needed the ball-winning presence in front of the back four, undoubtedly having an impact on their league standing.

Frendrup could provide just that for the Hammers, but the hierarchy will need to act quickly to avoid missing out on such a talent given the interest from elsewhere.

The £17m fee touted is a bargain in today’s market, with the Dane having all the tools to push the club back towards the European spots in the 2025/26 campaign.

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West Ham are eyeing up a new striker this summer

Posts ByJoe Nuttall May 8, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now pushing hard to sign an “incredible” midfielder, and they are confident they will win the race for his signature, according to a report.

Tottenham eyeing reinforcements in multiple areas

Barring an unlikely triumph in the Europa League, the 2024-25 campaign is likely to go down as a season to forget for Tottenham, with it looking increasingly likely they will finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Injuries no doubt haven’t helped their cause, but the fact Spurs have fallen way below expectations indicates several reinforcements may be needed in the summer, and they are eyeing players in multiple positions.

A new striker is of interest, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison suffering their fair share of injury problems this season, and the Lilywhites are now making moves to sign Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while they are also stepping up their pursuit of Lille’s Jonathan David.

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With Cristian Romero potentially in line to leave Tottenham this summer, a new centre-back may also be required, and they are incredibly keen on Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah, who is set to be available on a free transfer.

Tah is not the only free agent that Tottenham are eyeing, however, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they are determined to sign Lille midfielder Angel Gomes, whose contract is set to expire this summer.

Spurs are pushing hard to get a deal for Gomes over the line, having been leading the race for his signature for quite some time, and they are confident they will be able to strike an agreement.

London rivals West Ham United have also been linked with a move for the 24-year-old, but widespread reports state he has turned down a move to the London Stadium.

Signing "incredible" Gomes could be shrewd business

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has made it clear Tottenham will have to be clever with how they operate in the transfer market this summer, saying: “We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club,”

“Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means.”

As such, it would be financially prudent to pursue free agents this summer, and signing Gomes could be a shrewd bit of business, given how impressive he has looked in a Lille shirt, notably impressing with his long-range passing last season.

The England international has also been lauded as “incredible” by Carlisle United midfielder Callum Whelan, indicating he could be a fantastic addition for Tottenham, who may be in need of at least one new midfielder, with Yves Bissouma’s future in doubt.

This was one of those knocks when an individual transcended the context of the scorecard

Karthik Krishnaswamy04-Apr-20241:55

How good was Rishabh Pant’s innings?

The history of cricket is replete with talk of what batters do with their feet. Footwork. What about waist-work, though? What about knee-work?Rishabh Pant often plays shots that make you mull over these kinds of questions, and he played one on Wednesday night too, against Venkatesh Iyer. It came off a ball that was full, pitching just outside leg stump, delivered at barely over medium pace. It was, quite frankly, a hit-me ball, but which other batter could have hit it in quite the way Pant did?First, the footwork, or the lack thereof. Pant’s feet did not move. At all.Then the other stuff, the way he folded himself at the waist and the knees to get low to the ground. Then the magic of hands and wrists. And then a seeming lack of interest in where the ball would end up, for Pant did not deign to follow the ball with his eyes. He knew it was travelling. There was no need to check. You can imagine Osman Samiuddin, whose essay on the no-look six went up on this website two days before this game, watching this shot and wondering if he could have waited another week to send in his final draft.Related

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The no-look six is worth a look – and then some

This is what Pant does. Without moving his feet, but using his body in ways that coaching manuals haven’t even paused to consider.And if you watched it, you may have paid extra attention to what those knees were doing. Those Rishabh Pant knees, with all those reconstructed ligaments. This shot looked like evidence that he was using them like only he can.It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this was all that mattered, to anyone watching this match at this moment, no matter what their allegiance. It didn’t matter that this shot came at a time when Delhi Capitals had close to zero chance of overhauling a ludicrous Kolkata Knight Riders total. It didn’t even matter that Pant was wearing a Capitals jersey and was playing an IPL game.Rishabh Pant was batting, and that was enough.More waist- and knee-work than footwork in this Rishabh Pant no-look six•BCCIThis was one of those times when an individual transcends the context of the scorecard. Pant had been keeping wickets when MS Dhoni was that individual four days previously. It didn’t matter then that Chennai Super Kings were mathematically out of the game. It didn’t matter that Capitals fed Dhoni a number of hit-me balls. It didn’t matter, because Dhoni was batting, and he was belting those balls in uniquely Dhoni ways.The experience of watching Pant this season has been similar, but it’s been surrounded by broader questions, and he had ticked off a series of boxes while going from 18 off 13 to 28 off 26 and 51 off 32.On Wednesday, he made 55 off 25 and ticked another set of boxes. If he had been rusty at the start of the season, understandably so, he looked at his most fluent here. He flicked the first ball he faced, from Mitchell Starc, for the most effortless of sixes, and swiped Andre Russell for another leg-side six off his fourth ball at the crease. He did that recognisably Pant thing of hitting sixes from uncomfortable positions, like when he hooked Russell beyond the square-leg boundary while entirely cramped for room, and he gave the opposition captain one hell of a headache with his ability to access the area behind square on the leg side, repeatedly, off all kinds of lines and lengths.There was a period when he seemed to limp a little, but that discomfort didn’t seem to have a noticeable effect on his batting or his running. And each time you saw him limp and wondered about his knees, he played a shot that involved some of that vintage Pant knee-flexing.Watching all this made you think, inevitably, of World Cups and big Test-match tours. And perhaps he’ll need to tick a few more boxes before we get to those questions. But here’s the thing. If Rishabh Pant is doing Rishabh Pant things on a cricket field, it’s going to be extremely difficult to keep him out of any team he’s eligible to be part of, in any format.

Both teams had to deal with out-of-form captains and injury issues this season

Shashank Kishore23-May-20226:53

Shastri: Tilak Varma has made a mark for himself

Mumbai IndiansWhere they finished
Tenth in a ten-team pool, an inferior net run-rate to Chennai Super Kings, who also finished with four wins and eight points, keeping them at the bottom of the table.Season in a nutshell
Whatever could go wrong, went wrong.Rohit Sharma finished the season without a half-century. Ishan Kishan, their costliest buy, struggled for runs and form at the top. Injured at the start, Suryakumar Yadav was unfortunately hit by injury again towards the back end. Kieron Pollard, one of their MVPs over the years, failed to fire. He struck at less than 110 while managing all of 144 runs in 11 innings. The loss of form also led to the team leaving him out for the last three games.Tymal Mills, who they hoped would be a death-bowling partner for Jasprit Bumrah, was out with injury after five games. In the games he played, he conceded runs at 11.17 an over. They lacked a reliable wristspinning option once M Ashwin lost the confidence of the team management. By the time they introduced left-arm wristspinner Kumar Kartikeya and legspinner Mayank Markande at the back end, their playoff hopes had been dashed.3:09

Rohit Sharma reflects on Mumbai’s forgettable season

Questionable move
Leaving out their big-ticket signing Tim David after a couple of poor outings. When he was eventually handed an opportunity at the back end, their campaign was done and dusted. Still, he played a big part in them winning three out of their four games – something Royal Challengers Bangalore benefited from; his whirlwind ten-ball 34 in Mumbai’s final game knocked Delhi Capitals out. Overall, he struck his 186 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 216.27, showing enough to be worthy playing the finisher’s role next year and beyond.Find of the season
Tilak Varma, the tall left-handed top-order batter, earned plaudits from Rohit, who believes he will soon be an “all-format player for India”. The high praise came on the back of a consistent season where Varma played the role of a middle-order enforcer, striking 397 runs at 131. His fearlessness, range of shots, and composure stood out.Dewald Brevis switched from Under-19 cricket to the IPL seamlessly. His aggressive middle-order hitting along with Varma bodes well for the team as they look to bounce back in 2023. Brevis can’t be judged yet on impact, even though he struck his runs at 149. However, his exciting stroke play that elicited comparison with AB de Villiers, left everyone asking for more.Notable mention
Hrithik Shokeen proved to be a handy offspinner with excellent smarts, while Kartikeya, a left-arm-everything bowler, showed he was not overawed by the big stage in the handful of games he played.1:23

Ponting – ‘It’s been one of those up-and-down seasons’

Delhi CapitalsWhere they finished
A heartbreaking fifth after missing out on the playoffs following a loss in their final league game against Mumbai.Season in a nutshell
Covid-enforced quarantines, isolations, cancelled training sessions, venue shifts, key players injured or ill – all contributed to Capitals having to mix and match their combinations at different times, leading to a lack of continuity. If they were patching together opening combinations for one game, in the next they were looking to plug a middle-order hole or their bowling attack.Prithvi Shaw’s ill-health at a crucial time caused a stir, as did Khaleel Ahmed’s absence for four games in the middle phase. Rishabh Pant’s form was patchy at best, while Lalit Yadav, whom they banked on to go big, disappointed. All this contributed to them not being able to string up more than two wins in a row at any stage.Questionable move
The rotation of fringe Indian players, especially the batters, did them no good. They started with Mandeep Singh, moved to Sarfaraz Khan, then to Ripal Patel and KS Bharat before returning to Sarfaraz. This game of musical chairs may have affected the players too.Find of the season
Mitchell Marsh showed he is no longer the injury-prone allrounder that teams used to be wary of picking. Two impact knocks with the bat at No. 3 and handy contributions with the ball meant he had his best season in 11 years – qualitatively, of course. Kuldeep Yadav rediscovered his mojo after an indifferent last three IPL seasons, picking 21 wickets in 14 games.Notable mention
Back to where it all started in 2009, David Warner seamlessly switched back in with a chart-topping 432 runs at a strike rate of 150. Axar Patel’s lower-order hitting came of age and Rovman Powell brought with him the promise of greater things as a finisher.

All the relevant numbers from the Australia v India women’s T20 World Cup final

Bharath Seervi08-Mar-20205 Number of T20 World Cup wins for Australia. They have won five of the seven editions that have been played so far. They have played six finals and lost only one. This was India women’s first T20 World Cup final. India have earlier reached two finals in ODI World Cups – in 2005 and 2017 – but had lost both.30 Number of balls taken by Alyssa Healy to complete her half century. It is the quickest half-century in ICC finals by either men or women. The previous fastest was in 32 balls by Hardik Pandya against Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Healy ended with 75 runs off 39 balls at a strike rate of 192.30 – also the highest strike rate for a 50+ score by men or women in ICC finals.184 Australia’s score in the first innings, which is the highest in the finals of T20 World Cups for both men and women. Before this, the previous highest first-innings score in a T20 World Cup final was India’s 157 in 2007 against Pakistan. The previous highest in women’s T20 World Cup final was Australia’s 148 against West Indies in 2016.115 Runs by Healy and Beth Mooney for the first wicket – the second-highest opening stand conceded by India in women’s T20Is. This was the second century stand by Healy and Mooney in this tournament.85 Margin of defeat for India in the final, which is their second-biggest defeat ever. Their only bigger loss was by 105 runs against South Africa in Surat in October last year. South Africa’s opening pair of Lizelle Lee and Sune Luus had shared a 144-run stand on that occasion.52 Runs conceded by Shikha Pandey, which are the most by a bowler in a women’s T20 World Cup match. The previous highest was 50 runs conceded by Ireland’s Eimear Richardson against Australia in 2014. Shikha’s figures are also the most expensive by an India bowler in all women’s T20Is.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var e in a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var t=document.getElementById(“datawrapper-chart-“+e)||document.querySelector(“iframe[src*='”+e+”‘]”);t&&(t.style.height=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][e]+”px”)}})}();