West Ham United are now in talks over a deal for a “spectacular” midfielder, and they are leading their Premier League rivals in the race for his signature, according to a report.
West Ham set sights on midfielder amid Paqueta uncertainty
Lucas Paqueta has been one of West Ham’s key players over the past three seasons, picking up 18 goals and 14 assists during his time at the London Stadium, but it now appears as though the attacking midfielder could seek pastures new this summer.
Indeed, Paqueta now wants to leave the Hammers, amid interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, and the board are willing to cash-in, should they receive an offer in the region of £30m.
As such, Graham Potter’s side have now set their sights on a new attacking midfielder to replace the 27-year-old, with targets being identified from the Belgian Pro League and within the Premier League.
Target
Current club
League goal contributions in 24/25
Harvey Elliott
Liverpool
3
Mario Stroeykens
Anderlecht
10
Not only are the Irons keen on an attacking option, but they have also made progress in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Rocco Reitz, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
The report states that talks over a deal for Reitz are now underway, with the Monchengladbach ace expected to leave in this window, given that the £17m release clause in his contract is set to become active next summer.
Everton in race with West Ham to sign midfielder who can leave for £25m
Everton are now involved in a Premier League race to sign an experienced international midfielder.
ByBrett Worthington Jun 26, 2025
The German side don’t want to lose the midfielder for such a low fee, and a transfer battle, which may drive up the price, could be on the cards this summer, with the likes of Brighton, Fulham and Inter Milan also keen.
A number of bids are now expected imminently, and the Hammers should be well-placed to win the race for the 23-year-old’s signature, given that they are thought to be ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Reitz could be "spectacular" signing for West Ham
England were ultimately triumphant in the U21 European Championships, defeating Germany 3-2 in the final, but the Monchengladbach gem impressed throughout the tournament, picking up two assists in five matches.
Not only that, but the German has flourished defensively over the past year, placing very highly across a number of key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.
Statistic
Average per 90
Interceptions
2.61 (99th percentile)
Blocks
1.92 (95th percentile)
Clearances
2.90 (96th percentile)
U23 scout Antonio Mango has also been left impressed by the maestro in the past, singling him out for praise after his Germany U21s debut.
As such, Reitz could be a fantastic signing for West Ham this summer, and it is promising news they are leading the race for his signature.
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.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz andJeremieFrimpongapplaud fans with teammates after the match
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.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
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.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
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.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtz
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.
He'd be unplayable with Gordon: Liverpool submit bid to sign £64m forward
Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker this summer.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2025
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.
After such a dismal season in 2024/25, Manchester United have a huge opportunity to end the campaign on a high with the Europa League final on the horizon.
Ruben Amorim’s men face Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday night, looking to claim his first trophy in charge and secure a place in the Champions League next year.
Such an achievement could be vital in their pursuit of landing new talent this summer, with the manager already targeting new additions to help revitalise his current squad.
Qualifying for the biggest club competition in Europe could hand the Red Devils a boost of offering top-level talents an exciting project despite their lowly Premier League standing.
With the summer window rapidly approaching, work has already been done behind the scenes to hand Amorim with the tools needed to be a success at Old Trafford.
The latest on United’s pursuit of new talents this summer
Matheus Cunha appears to be edging ever closer to completing a switch to join United this summer, with the deal entering its final stages, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 25-year-old has already accepted a proposal to move to Old Trafford this summer, with the hierarchy ready to trigger his £62.5m release clause in four instalments.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhacelebrates after Rodrigo Gomes scores
However, he could be joined at the Theatre of Dreams by one of his compatriots, with Atalanta’s Ederson the latest player on their radar, according to reports in Italy.
They claim that the Red Devils have been in contact with a move to land the Serie A star, currently having the advantage over Manchester City and Juventus in the race for his signature.
The journalist also confirmed that the 25-year-old would cost a fee in the region of £50m this summer, but that the hierarchy are set to enter negotiations after the Europa League final.
Why United’s £50m target could be Amorim’s own Pogba
Paul Pogba still holds the club-record for the highest fee paid for a player, costing £89m from Juventus back in the summer of 2016, just a couple of years after departing on a free transfer.
Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
The Frenchman made over 200 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford, helping them win the Europa League – something which Amorim could hope to replicate this week.
The midfielder caught the eye in his box-to-box role for the Red Devils, often producing a moment of magic with the ball at his feet, resulting in countless excellent strikes in the North West.
Despite leaving on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, his spell at the club was a success, potentially replicating such a deal with a move for Ederson in the coming months.
The Atalanta star could follow in Pogba’s footsteps by completing a switch from an Italian outfit, also possessing a similar skillset, which could make him a key component in Amorim’s overhaul at the club.
When comparing his stats to those of Pogba’s from his first year at United, the Brazilian has managed to star at both ends of the pitch, making him a superb option as a box-to-box in the manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.
Ederson, who’s been labelled “monster” by The Mirror’s Ryan Taylor, has achieved a higher pass completion rate, handing other players at Old Trafford the chance to improve their own tallies.
How Ederson compares to Pogba’s first year at United
Statistics (per 90)
Ederson (2024/25)
Pogba (2016/17)
Games played
36
30
Goals & assists
5
9
Shot-on-target accuracy
31%
23%
Goals per shot-on-target
0.4
0.3
Pass accuracy
86%
83%
Tackles won
1.6
1.3
Interceptions made
1.2
0.8
Stats via FBref
Despite registering fewer combined goals and assists, the Brazilian has notched a higher shot-on-target rate along with a better goal-per-shot-on-target rate – highlighting the clinical edge he possesses in attacking areas.
He’s also won more tackles per 90 and completed more interceptions, offering Amorim the added defensive cover he needs within the midfield department at Old Trafford.
£50m may seem to be another hefty investment from the hierarchy this summer, but it’s one that would drastically improve the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.
Should he manage to reach similar levels to those produced by Pogba, it would be an excellent pickup, potentially playing a key role in any success down the line under the current management team.
Man Utd flop who should be "fourth choice" has been even worse than Onana
This Manchester United flop has been an even worse signing than Andre Onana.
As concerns over William Saliba’s future continue, Arsenal are now reportedly eyeing a summer move to sign a potential replacement for the Frenchman in a deal worth a hefty £68m.
Arsenal's Saliba concern
After another season without a Premier League title and potentially without a major trophy altogether, Arsenal could face consequences for failure that they’ll be all too familiar with. Real Madrid, meanwhile, could land one of Europe’s best centre-backs.
The Spanish giants have reportedly set their sights on signing Saliba this summer, with likely new manager Xabi Alonso a fan of the central defender.
Arteta must axe £27m Arsenal dud who was worse than Odegaard v Bournemouth
Arsenal dropped yet more points, this time at home as they hosted Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
By
Matt Dawson
May 4, 2025
The Madrid call is rarely one that players turn down and that should send alarm bells ringing around The Emirates. It’s a call that even Liverpool academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold is on course to accept and one that Kylian Mbappe accepted last summer. Now, Saliba could be next.
There’s no overstating the damage that the defender’s departure would do to Mikel Arteta’s side who have already struggled defensively when without Gabriel recently. Losing Saliba would be a whole new struggle for their backline as they look to make it a fourth-time lucky in the hunt for Premier League glory next season.
Known for their attacking prowess from set pieces, Arsenal’s struggles to defend such scenarios at the opposite end have gone under the radar this season. After Bournemouth came from behind to seal victory over the Gunners using two set pieces, however, it’s clear that with or without Saliba, Arteta’s side must improve on that front.
So, although losing Saliba would be a major blow, his exit would at least allow new sporting director Andrea Berta to welcome a fresh defender capable of turning that set-piece record around.
Arsenal set sights on £68m Diomande
According to Defensa Central in Spain, Arsenal have now set their sights on signing Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Club this summer as Berta plans for the worst-case Saliba scenario, should he leave for the Bernabeu. Alas, any deal won’t come cheap in the coming months. The Portuguese side have reportedly slapped a price tag worth as much as €80m (£68m) on their centre-back.
Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande in action with Lille'sJonathanDavid
Whether the 21-year-old “monster” is at the necessary level to replace Saliba is the big question. When compared, it’s clear that the Sporting man would need plenty of patience if he did step in and replace a player who some may believe is irreplaceable at Arsenal.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Ousmane Diomande
William Saliba
Starts
27
33
Progressive Passes
79
134
Tackles Won
20
36
Aerial Duels Won
78
58
However, what does stand out as a positive to take note of is Diomande’s aerial success compared to Saliba’s. Winning 20 more aerial duels in six less games, the Sporting man may have stood a far better chance of preventing Bournemouth’s two set piece goals in a frustrating Arsenal defeat last time out.
Also dubbed a player with “great” pace by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Diomande looks set to be one to watch if Saliba does swap Arsenal for Real Madrid in the coming months.
It was remarkably just over six years ago that Marcus Rashford enjoyed one of the greatest moments of his Manchester United career, with the Englishman rifling home from the penalty spot to send Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The United academy graduate had been the undoing of Paris Saint-Germain with that last-gasp spot-kick, while he also netted again in the Parc des Princes during the 2020/21 campaign, to clinch another famous win for Solskjaer and co.
Something about the Ligue 1 side appears to bring the best out of the 27-year-old, it would seem, with the in-form forward having again been electric when facing off with the Parisien outfit – albeit this time in Aston Villa colours.
The Red Devils outcast put in a simply masterful display through the middle for Unai Emery’s side, having notably produced a breathtaking assist for Villa’s third of the night as the hosts flipped the encounter on its head. In truth, it was vintage Rashford.
Frustratingly for the Villans, they could not complete the comeback after bravely crashing out, while for those back in Manchester, such a fine individual display may have Ruben Amorim thinking twice over his decision to exile the £300k-per-week marksman.
But would a return to Old Trafford really be in the best interest of all parties this summer?
Why Rashford still needs to be sold this summer
As far as Rashford is concerned, the decision to make the move to Villa Park back in February could hardly have gone better, with the Midlands side also still in the mix for a top five finish in the Premier League, while having also reached the last four of the FA Cup.
The polarising sensation has been central to Emery’s plans in recent months, with the assist for Ezri Konsa last night taking his total tally to nine goal involvements in just 15 appearances since making the move. Jesse Lingard at West Ham United anyone?
Free from the shackles and the scrutiny of being a Manchester United player, Rashford has looked reborn in claret and blue, with Tuesday night seeing him create four big chances in total – more than any other player on the pitch.
That display backed up Emery’s decision to once again select his loan star ahead of compatriot, Ollie Watkins, in the centre-forward berth, with the Villans boasting attacking depth that Amorim can only dream of – not least with Joshua Zirkzee now sidelined with injury.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, United legend Wayne Rooney suggested that he would “love” to see Rashford back playing for the Red Devils next season, while also claiming that the player himself “wants” to be back at the Theatre of Dreams.
That said, it was only in December that the England international outlined his desire for a “new challenge” after being given the cold shoulder by Amorim, with it difficult to see any form of reconciliation occurring ahead of next season.
Indeed, having found his groove at Villa, why would Rashford risk enduring another stop-start campaign back at his parent club – not least considering three of the last four seasons have been rather underwhelming for him in a United shirt.
2024/25*
24
7
3
2023/24
43
8
6
2022/23
56
30
11
2021/22
32
5
2
2020/21
57
21
18
As for the club itself, the chance to rake in a £40m fee from Villa – a deal that would represent pure profit – is no doubt difficult to turn down, with it perhaps best for everyone that a permanent separation occurs this summer.
That said, even if Amorim and co do change their mind, at least they have only opted to loan out Rashford thus far, with the option of a homecoming still on the table. The same can’t be said for everyone that INEOS have let go…
Man Utd may have made a bigger mistake than Rashford
It appears to be a growing theme that players who have left Old Trafford have gone on to shine elsewhere, albeit with the club having largely been correct in moving those players on.
Indeed, in the case of Anthony Elanga, the Swedish speedster had scored just four goals in 55 games for United prior to departing for Nottingham Forest. David de Gea, meanwhile, was public enemy number one for his mistake in the FA Cup final, before being allowed to leave for nothing.
Equally, the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho – now on loan at Real Betis and Chelsea – had hardly pulled up any trees following their £86m and £73m arrivals, respectively, with the pair netting just 24 goals between them in 179 games.
Antony
96
12
5
17
Anthony Elanga
55
4
4
8
Amad
57
12
10
22
Jadon Sancho
83
12
6
18
Alejandro Garnacho
135
25
20
45
Dan James
74
9
9
18
Angel Di Maria
34
4
12
16
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
63
13
11
24
Memphis Depay
53
7
6
13
Even Rashford had endured a miserable 18 months after scoring just 15 goals for United following the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with few of a Red Devils persuasion having contested with any of those exits at the time.
In the case of Scott McTominay, however, it may well be a different story, with the Scotland star having actually been one of Erik ten Hag’s key men last term, before sealing a £25m move to Napoli over the summer.
Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries in action with Napoli's Scott McTominay
Indeed, the 28-year-old was the Dutchman’s rescue act having repeatedly delivered the goods in an attacking sense, with the rampaging midfielder – who notably netted a brace at the death against Brentford – ending the season with ten goals to his name in all competitions.
The joint third-highest scorer for United in the end in 2023/24, McTominay appeared to be thriving in an advanced midfield berth, albeit with the desire to meet PSR regulations – and the pursuit of fellow midfielder, Manuel Ugarte – leading to INEOS deciding to cash in.
Scott McTominay
Ten Hag has since admitted that he “didn’t want” to sell the 6 foot 4 giant, yet was almost “forced” into agreeing to the decision due to the club’s financial constraints.
As it is, McTominay has gone on to dazzle in Naples in 2024/25 to date, with the midfield “monster” – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson – notably netting twice last time out to keep Antonio Conte’s side in title contention.
Those latest strikes – both of which were assisted by Romelu Lukaku, no less – showcased just what the Lancaster-born hero is all about. Indeed, for his first of the night, McTominay charged from deep before curling home from outside the area. For his second, the ex-Red Devil expertly headed home after towering above the Empoli defence.
The emerging Naples sensation now has eight Serie A goals to his name this season, with only Bruno Fernandes able to match that tally for league goals back in Manchester.
McTominay is then picking up where he left off last term, with INEOS having made a rare move for United by selling a player who was actually in form – unlike the exiled Rashford.
With the Red Devils now in the midst of their worst-ever Premier League campaign, that bold call doesn’t appear to have aged well…
Forget Bayindir & Heaton: Man Utd could unleash "superb" Onana replacement
Man Utd’s goalkeeping woes continued on Sunday afternoon, with a solution needing to be found…
Leading run-getter for his side in the last Ranji Trophy season, Juyal says leadership does not put him under any pressure
Nikhil Sharma11-Oct-2024It is common in India for two doctor parents to expect their children to take up the same profession, but this was not the case with Aryan Juyal, whose parents supported him in his cricketing journey.The 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who played the 2018 Under-19 World Cup and recently played for India C in the Duleep Trophy, now has more responsibility after being appointed captain of Uttar Pradesh for this Ranji Trophy season.”I am fully prepared for this challenge,” Juyal told ESPNcricinfo. “Last season, too, I captained the team in a match against Kerala, where we won. Leading the team does not put any extra pressure on me.”Related
How Shashank Singh stopped overthinking and being hard on himself
Ranji Trophy 2024-25: All you need to know about the two-phased season
Saransh Jain, pegging away in his quest for the India blue
Juyal started playing cricket in his hometown Haldwani when he was still in school. During that time, while playing a match in Dehradun, he caught the attention of the Abhimanyu Academy coach, Ravindra Negi. On Negi’s advice, Juyal’s father took his son to the academy.”I could have become a doctor, but my parents helped me become a cricketer,” Juyal said. “They never put any kind of pressure on me. I used to practise at home by putting a ball in a sock, which helped me a lot in estimating the speed of the ball.”At the age of 11, Juyal was playing in the Under-14 and Under-16 sides for Uttar Pradesh. Two years later, he moved to Moradabad where his maternal grandparents live. From there, he started going to Delhi five days a week where he started practising at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cricket Club under the guidance of coach Sanjay Bhardwaj.Juyal said working with Rahul Dravid, who was then India Under-19 coach, helped him a lot. “I learned a lot of things from Rahul Dravid sir, how patience and aggression can impact a match. My approach to hitting the ball has changed a lot since the World Cup. I have matured a lot now, I know what to do in difficult situations.”Aryan Juyal during his 76 against Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2023-24•UPCABefore IPL 2022, he was picked by Mumbai Indians for a base price of INR 20 lac. Just when all seemed to be going well, Juyal suffered a knee injury while playing for Central Zone against East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy last year. Due to this, he could not play in the first season of the UP T20 League. For the same reason, he could not put his name in the IPL 2023 auction.”That injury was very painful because you don’t want to get injured before the season starts,” Juyal said. “You want to play cricket continuously and remain in the eyes of the selectors, but it was good that I was able to make a comeback in the Ranji Trophy and was also the captain in the first match.”It was an impressive return for Juyal. With 577 runs in seven matches, he was the highest run-getter for Uttar Pradesh. In ten innings, he scored two hundreds and two fifties, with a best of 201. He carried that form into the 2024 UP T20 League as well. Playing for Gorakhpur Lions, he scored 104 off 54 balls against Noida Super Kings.”I had confidence right from the beginning of that innings,” Juyal said. “I got the opportunity to come to the crease in the fourth over after Abhishek Goswami was out. Dhruv Jurel was at the other end; he supported me well. Both of us took advantage of every opportunity, which put pressure on the bowlers.”After just three matches in the tournament – in which he scored one century and two fifties – Juyal was picked for the Duleep Trophy. When Juyal was asked what he expects in the upcoming IPL auction, he said, “It was good that the scouts were present on the field [during his hundred in the UP T20 League]. I have done my job, now it depends on them what they think.”
His control and rhythm has been instrumental in India turning around a dismal record in the first powerplay
Karthik Krishnaswamy11-Oct-2022There’s usually an unwritten rhythm to the international white-ball calendar; there are ODI years and T20I years, with teams prioritising one format or the other depending on which global event is around the corner.In the time of Covid-19, though, ODIs have come to occupy a strange and seemingly neglected space. A T20 World Cup was scheduled for 2020 and postponed to 2021. There’s another T20 World Cup starting later this month. There could have been an ODI Champions Trophy in the mix, but it was scrapped, so the ODI became the format where you played your second-stringers most often.It was at such a time, this February, that Mohammed Siraj came back into the ODI side for a home series against West Indies. He’d played just the one ODI before that, back in January 2019.In his comeback game, in Ahmedabad, Siraj took the new ball and began with a maiden. In his second over, he conceded back-to-back fours to Shai Hope, full outswingers dispatched with fluent drives through the off side. Then, Siraj bowled his wobble-seam ball, looking just as driveable as the previous two balls but nipping back in off the deck, and Hope, taking the bait, inside-edged it onto his stumps.Related
Kuldeep Yadav leads spinners' show, as India storm to series win over South Africa
Shastri: Bumrah and Jadeja's absence 'an opportunity to unearth a new champion' at T20 World Cup
Dravid, Rohit hint at Shami being frontrunner to replace Bumrah at T20 WC
From that point, Siraj has given India regular breakthroughs in the first powerplay of ODIs. On Tuesday, he added two more, both with short balls, both times using the two-paced nature of the Feroz Shah Kotla pitch to his advantage.Batters probably find Siraj’s short ball a little tricky to pick anyway, given his beyond-the-perpendicular release, and the way he hurries through the crease. You expect the ball to skid quickly onto the bat; when it instead stops on you, as it did when Reeza Hendricks shaped for a pull, you’re halfway through the shot before you realise what’s happening.The wicket of Hendricks was Siraj’s 12th in the first 10 overs this year, the most of any bowler from a Full-Member team. Siraj averages 15.66 in the first powerplay this year, and he has an economy rate of just 3.54.These are superb numbers, and especially encouraging for the team management because they’ve come at a time when India were suffering from a bit of a new-ball problem.And that’s an understatement. From the start of 2020 to their last ODI before Siraj’s comeback, India played 18 matches, in which their bowlers took just nine first-powerplay wickets, at an average of 115.77. They were comfortably the worst team in the world in that phase, well ahead of Zimbabwe who averaged 63.45. India’s economy rate of 5.78 in this phase was the worst of any team too, with Pakistan in second place at 5.34.The lack of new-ball wickets was a major factor behind India’s 7-11 win-loss record in this period. Opposition top orders made merry – there were century stands for the first wicket alone.India bowled to some of the world’s best batting teams in this period, but they were also using their first-choice fast bowlers most of the time. Jasprit Bumrah bowled in the first 10 overs in 12 innings, and took just one wicket at an average of 213.00, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar averaged 64.50 across seven innings. While these two kept the runs down, managing economy rates of below five an over, Mohammed Shami averaged 75.50 and went at 6.29. The other India fast bowler to bowl at least 100 balls in this phase in this period, Navdeep Saini, went wicketless while going at 6.47.Ouch.Siraj has been in sparkling form throughout this series, displaying all the skills needed to thrive with the new white ball•Associated PressIt’s possible, of course, that Siraj may have played those games and done just as poorly. His outstanding recent form with the new ball has coincided with an overall improvement in India’s record; they’ve averaged 21.10 in the first powerplay since Siraj’s comeback, and conceded 4.22 per over, indicating that they’ve often bowled in conditions with a little more help and/or to weaker top orders.But no matter what circumstances they came in, Siraj’s contribution to India’s improved new-ball record cannot be underestimated: since his comeback, he’s bowled 318 balls in the first 10 overs, over three times as many as the 102 delivered by Prasidh Krishna, who has taken on the next-biggest workload.As he’s shown through all three matches of this ODI series against South Africa, Siraj has all the skills you need with the new white ball. He swings the ball away from the right-hander, and snakes his wobble-seam ball back into them. His default line and length ensure a tight grouping of balls close to the top of off stump. He has a sharp bouncer.There were glimpses of skills for other phases too. In the second ODI, he bowled unchanged from the 44th over to the 50th, and conceded just 14 runs and four overthrows (which counted as byes and didn’t go into his figures) in four overs of unhittable slower cutters. Ball after ball, he hit that annoying length that was too short to drive and not short enough to pull, and used all the purchase on a dry Ranchi pitch to suffocate South Africa’s batters. The conditions were unusual – so dry and abrasive that the ball took on the greenish-brown colour that evoked the end overs of ODIs in the era when they only used one ball per innings – but he showed the control needed to make complete use of them.That’s been a feature of a lot of his recent performances too. In the third T20I in Indore, for instance, he bowled a 17th over full of inch-perfect yorkers, and gave away just eight runs – a small, memorable stretch of ball holding its own against bat in a match that was entirely about bat dominating ball.
Siraj’s outstanding recent form with the new ball has coincided with an overall improvement in India’s record; they’ve averaged 21.10 in the first powerplay since his comeback
The control Siraj showed in that over, and the control of length he showed right through the ODI series, indicated the kind of rhythm he’s in. This has been evident just from watching him run up and zip through the crease. Everything’s just looked smooth and in sync.There’s even a chance that this rhythm might tempt India to name Siraj as their replacement for Bumrah in their T20 World Cup squad. Thanks to a bout of Covid-19, it’s as yet unclear whether Shami – who seems to be their preferred option – will be at full fitness by the time the tournament begins. Deepak Chahar, the other fast bowler in the original list of reserves, is injured.Siraj was probably nowhere near India’s plans when they began planning for the World Cup. He’s only played two T20Is this year; Avesh Khan, in comparison, has played 15, and you could argue that Siraj was lucky to not get the time and space to have his weaknesses thoroughly tested.ODIs, moreover, are an entirely different beast to T20Is, with entirely different demands. Even if some strengths are transferable, Siraj’s biggest one – new-ball bowling – isn’t the gap India are looking to plug in Bumrah’s absence.But Siraj is quick, slippery and skilful, and he appears to be in peak rhythm. Sometimes, those reasons are compelling enough.
Three players talk about beating Austria 5-0 and juggling jobs with cricket
Sruthi Ravindranath25-Aug-2020When Germany women took the field for the first T20I against Austria in Seebarn on August 12, it marked the return of women’s internationals since the T20 World Cup final in March, but the series will be remembered more for all the records Germany broke along the way to a 5-0 win – two hat-tricks, the team’s first T20I century, Germany’s first T20I five-for, and their openers setting the highest unbeaten partnership for the first wicket across all T20Is.The sudden limelight was something the players weren’t used to. The livestreams of these matches on YouTube gained over 85,000 views each, and their phones buzzed with notifications from across social media handles.Fifteen-year-old offspinner Emma Bargna took ten wickets in four matches, including 5 for 9, the first five-for for Germany across genders. She says she was left a bit heartbroken to have not been able to get a hug from her team-mates – as Covid-19 protocols prohibited it – but she was dazed by the support she got on social media, including a bump of 100 followers on Instagram.”I was scrolling through my Twitter feed and I came across a tweet which said, ‘Which new cricketer are you looking forward to seeing in the future,’ and there was a reply saying, ‘Emma Bargna – I’ve seen her playing for Germany and she has real talent.’ It was surreal to me to see people actually remember my name and watching games I played in,” Bargna says.ALSO READ: Meet Anuradha Doddaballapur, the scientist who leads the German women’s teamShe was nine when she was introduced to cricket while living in England. On returning to her birthplace, Munich, Bargna, went to a women’s cricket camp with her mother, a village cricketer herself. It didn’t take the 12-year-old long to realise she had fallen in love with the game.She has been working on her technique with Germany coach Michael Thewlis, a Level 3 ECB coach who has been with the side since 2018. Thewlis first saw Bargna as a 13-year-old and says her bowling style – spin with a medium-pacer’s run-up and speed – reminded him of the England great Derek Underwood.Despite her talent, Bargna believes that cricket will remain a part-time pursuit for her, the way it is for her Germany team-mates, 80% of whom are scholars and have full-time jobs.”I don’t think me playing will pay any money, so I would have to get a job on the side,” she says. “I want to get my masters in psychology and move on to be a psychologist or a sports psychologist and work with a team.”But Thewlis thinks a few players in the team have the potential to break into English domestic sides depending on how well they perform at ICC tournaments. Last year he arranged for Bargna to play a club game for Ashington in Northumberland.Medium-pacer Anne Bierwisch took 4 for 7 in the final match against Austria•DCB”As far as the future’s concerned, five or six of the girls could definitely end up playing some professional cricket but you need to be a full ICC member nation to think of such a future,” Thewlis said. “What I can do is continue training and coaching them and chat with coaches I know across the country and give them opportunities for trials. I don’t think anyone’s there yet, but if we have this conversation this time next year and if we have a good tournament in the ICC qualifying tour, we might see some interest from the counties back in England.”Thewlis expects Bargna’s bowling to develop further over the next couple of years. “At the moment because she’s still really young and her hands are really small, it is a bit difficult for her to grip it in a way to spin it. We will spend the next couple of years with her building up to it. The fact that she’s bowling now and not getting hit very much suggests to me that she’s got great control of her line and length, which is really important.”We’re planning to get her over to the UK when the pandemic starts easing a little bit. We would give her games through the year with my women’s side in Ashington or my junior side, just to help with her development.”
****
Peris Wadenpohl is a mother of a six-year old and is currently taking a course that will let her work as a kindergarten teacher, but she’s also a middle-order batter for Germany. Wadenpohl chose to skip the tour of Austria because she didn’t want to miss her son’s first day at school, but she is very focused on her training, making sure she catches up on weekends if she misses any sessions during the week.Wadenpohl, 33, took a two-year break from cricket after her pregnancy. “At the beginning it was really hard,” she says. “I took some time out. You can’t leave a small kid behind for a week. And the body also doesn’t work – everything felt heavy and difficult. When I came back, it was more hard work for me to get back on my feet. It wasn’t easy but manageable.”Over the years, Wadenpohl has been able to balance all these aspects of her life with the support of her family and her team.”We give her the freedom to say that she can’t make some of the sessions because she needs to be at home,” said German cricket board vice-president Monika Loveday. “In Austria she missed because her son started school last week. That’s an event no mother wants to miss. She has quite a big support from her family and they look after her son when she goes away [for matches].”
****
Anne Bierwisch has a PhD in Toxicology and she’s also the first German player ever to take a T20I hat-trick. In the third match of the series, Austria were 41 for 4 when medium-pacer Bierwisch came on to bowl her first over. By the end of the over, she had sent back three batters for ducks and Austria were 41 for 7, eventually folding for 54. A day later, Bierwisch’s captain, Anuradha Doddaballapur, grabbed headlines with a first in women’s T20Is, taking four wickets in four balls and finishing with 5 for 1 in the match – the best T20I figures by a captain across genders.Anne Bierwisch: “We’re like friends supporting each other, helping each other out. It’s bringing out the best in us and helping us achieve all these amazing records we got in Austria”•ICCBierwisch started playing – and following – cricket only four years ago, when former Germany women’s captain Stephanie Frohnmayer asked her to join her cricket club while Bierwisch was a scholar at a research institute in Munich. To meet her international playing commitments today, she takes time off and works weekends to make up in her full-time job at a consultancy.”I love what I’m doing, so it’s fine,” she says. “I picked it up only as I started playing. Watching a lot of matches on YouTube helped me understand the game.”Our captain Anuradha is also very experienced. She’s always there when you need cricket or life-related advice. Our coach Michael is incredible too. He knows exactly what to tell each player and how he can bring the best out of them. Our team improved a lot since he picked up the job as a coach.”There’s no rivalry – we’re like friends supporting each other, helping each other out. It’s bringing out the best in us and helping us achieve all these amazing records we got in Austria.”For Thewlis too, the biggest strength of the team, unbeaten this year, is their unity.”We had a journey up to the north of Germany from Hamburg and we did some stupid stuff on the train,” he says. “We did jigsaws together as teams and they were taking pieces away from each other. We also shared what they admire about one another because I don’t think team-mates share that sort of information. You get to know what your strengths are. I couldn’t ask for a more cohesive group.”Loveday said that the players all fight for each other on the field. “Somebody pointed out we don’t have names at the back of our shirts. It just has ‘Deutschland’ and ‘Germany’ written on it. They all play for the team. The way they go about it is incredible.”
لم يتفق داني ميرفي، لاعب نادي ليفربول السابق، مع تصريحات نجم الريدز الحالي، محمد صلاح، والتي عبر فيها عن غضبه من وضعه الحالي مع النادي الإنجليزي.
محمد صلاح خرج عن صمته عقب تعادل ليفربول مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أمس السبت 3-3، وقام بانتقاد مدربه آرني سلوت، موضحًا أن العلاقة بينه وبين المدير الفني الهولندي قد انتهت.
ويتواجد محمد صلاح خلال الفترة الأخيرة على مقاعد بدلاء ليفربول، مما جعل الدولي المصري يصرح بغضبه الكبير من وضعه الحالي مع النادي الإنجليزي.
ويعتقد ميرفي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ميرور”، أن محمد صلاح قد وضع ليفربول في موقف محرج بهذه التصريحات، موضحًا أن ابن الـ33 عامًا كان عليه التحدث مع إدارة النادي الإنجليزي حول وضعه الحالي بدلًا من الإدلاء بتصريحات أمام وسائل الإعلام.
أقرأ أيضًا .. مهاجم تشيلسي السابق منتقدًا محمد صلاح: لم يحترم سلوت وزملاءه في ليفربول
وقال ميرفي: “نعلم أن هذه ردة فعل عاطفية لا تجدي نفعًا، على كل شخص أن يواصل الكفاح من أجل مكانه ومن أجل الوصول إلى مستوى معين، لا أعتقد أن محمد صلاح هو اللاعب الوحيد الذي يحدث معه ذلك، يتعرض العديد من اللاعبين الكبار الآخرين لانتقادات لاذعة وبعض الجماهير تلجأ إليهم، ويتعرضون للانتقاد”.
وأضاف: “هذا ليس صحيحًا، قد تشعر بالغضب وقد تشعر بالإحباط، وقد تكون عاطفيًا، لقد قدم محمد صلاح أشياء رائعة للنادي وعليك أن تبقي الأمر سرًا داخل جدران النادي”.
وأوضح: “كان على محمد صلاح التحدث مع إدارة النادي، اطرق باب المدير الفني، اذهب وتحدث مع الرئيس التنفيذي أو أي شخص آخر قد تحتاج إليه، اذهب وانظر إلى الملاك وافعل ما عليك فعله، عبر عن إحباطك”.
واختتم ميرفي في تصريحاته عن محمد صلاح: “بفعله هذا يسبب مشكلة للمدير الفني والفريق ويجعل كل الأمور تدور حوله، لا يمكنك فعل ذلك سواء كنت توافق على استبعاده أم لا، لا يجب أن تتعامل مع الأمر بهذه الطريقة”.
Tottenham Hotspur’s form has been somewhat patchy this season, and ENIC Group are looking to strengthen the first-team ranks this January despite handing £150m to new manager Thomas Frank in the summer.
Injuries have put pressure on the London club once again this season, with the win over Brentford last weekend ending a run of six matches in the Premier League without victory.
However, it’s true that Spurs have left something to be desired in attack this season, and that is holding them back. With that in mind, they might just be something in recent rumours that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is on their radar.
The latest on Spurs' interest in Semenyo
You can trace Tottenham’s interest in Ghana international Semenyo back to the summer, with an official enquiry sent to Bournemouth this summer. Chairman Bill Foley didn’t want to let him leave, and the versatile forward has shown why on the field.
Spurs are persistent, though, and it’s understood that they, along with Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, are ready to move for his signature this January, now that a £65m release clause becomes active.
While Spurs will fight tooth and nail to get a deal over the line, it will candidly be difficult with two of the division’s heavyweights in the mix. Should things not go their way, ENIC will have alternative targets earmarked.
However, they may already be a rising star on the books who has the profile to become Tottenham’s own version of the in-demand forward, and he’s currently completing a year out on loan.
Spurs may already have their own Semenyo
Last season, James Maddison hailed Mikey Moore for his “young, fearless mentality”, having earned a place in Ange Postecoglou’s squad sporadically throughout the campaign.
A decision was made when Frank replaced Ange at the end of the 2024/25 season that the 18-year-old’s development would be best served at a club that could offer him more minutes, and so he joined Rangers in Scotland on a one-year deal.
A “superstar” of a talent, as said by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Moore has torn development opponents to shreds over the past few years, scoring 21 goals and supplying 15 assists across just 34 games for the Londoners’ youth side.
With ferocious dribbling and close control, Moore has what it takes to develop into a leading winger in the Premier League, his dynamism lending itself to roles on both attacking flanks.
Tottenham U18
24
19 (13)
Tottenham
21
1 (2)
Rangers
19
2 (2)
Tottenham U21
5
2 (2)
Tottenham U19
5
0 (0)
It’s been a tough campaign for the teenager, walking into a Rangers side who have fallen by the wayside, but he has started to play with a measure of form for new manager Danny Rohl, scoring in both of his past two Premiership matches.
There’s something quite unique about the 5 foot 11 winger’s profile, with data-driven site FBref likening his creativity and economical sprinting outbursts to Premier League stars like Morgan Rogers and Lilywhites teammate Mohammed Kudus.
But it’s the opinion of Spurs writer James Harris that Moore could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to the club with his pace and grace down the wing. The former England international’s explosiveness made him an incredibly effective and unpredictable opponent on his day, but he only scored 30 goals across 376 outings for the outfit.
Moore, with his impressive track record as a youngster, could better Lennon by some margin in that regard, potentially rivalling someone like Semenyo for output in the Premier League.
Whether that will be as the Ghanaian’s teammate at Tottenham, however, remains to be seen.
ENIC could fund the Semenyo move by selling Spurs' £55k-p/w "liability"
Tottenham are planning to get rid of some of the deadwood this January.