West Ham United are now ready to make an approach to sign a “very skilful” midfielder, who Graham Potter is a big fan of, according to a report.

Potter keen to strengthen in several areas

Potter is clearly keen to put his own stamp on his West Ham squad this summer, having set his sights on bringing in additions in several key areas, with signing a new goalkeeper now emerging as a possibility.

The Hammers have now joined the race to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, whose impressive performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Manchester City.

A new striker is also of interest to the Irons boss, with Lille’s Jonathan David one of the most high-profile names on the shortlist, while a deal for AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham has been explored.

West Ham want to sign new "complete" forward who's scored 16 goals in 24/25

Graham Potter wants some firepower to ignite his West Ham attack.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Mar 23, 2025

In terms of potential midfield additions, Sunderland’s Chris Rigg is high on the shortlist, with Potter’s side eyeing a £10m move for the 17-year-old, while they have also been in talks over a deal for Lille’s Angel Gomes for quite some time.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, West Ham have already made an approach to sign Gomes, which was knocked back, but they are now ready to make a second attempt to lure the midfielder to the London Stadium.

The Hammers are undeterred by the initial approach being rejected, and remain interested in the 24-year-old, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

Potter is keen to bring in a midfielder capable of playing the number 8 and number 6 roles, and the England international could be an ideal option.

"Very skilful" Gomes could be the perfect addition

Not only can the maestro operate as a number 6 or 8, but former England caretaker manager Lee Carsley has praised him for his ability to play further forward, while lauding him as “very skilful”.

The Lille star’s ability to control games is also demonstrated by his passing ability, ranking in the 97th percentile for passes completed per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Potter is known to be a big fan of Gomes, so it is promising news that West Ham could still get a deal done this summer, despite previous reports they had pulled out of the race for his signature.

Manchester City have now made contact over a deal for an “extraordinary” Real Madrid player, and an opening offer of £17m is in the works, according to reports.

City planning summer rebuild

Pep Guardiola has been tasked with replacing legendary Man City players in the past, and the manager has largely been successful, with Erling Haaland’s exploits since coming in to replace Sergio Agüero a shining example.

However, finding an heir for Kevin De Bruyne this summer may be the manager’s most difficult task yet, with the 33-year-old set to end his ten-year stint at the Etihad Stadium at the end of the campaign.

Not only is the manager tasked with replacing De Bruyne, but he may have to enter the market for a new right-back, given that Kyle Walker was shipped out on loan to AC Milan back in January.

Pep loves him: Man City now keen on signing £42m former Man Utd "revelation"

City are looking to strengthen their defence this summer, and they now have a new target in mind.

ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

Walker’s time in Manchester could be coming to an end, and the same applies to long-serving goalkeeper Ederson, with the Sky Blues actively looking for replacements, and they have held talks over a deal for FC Porto’s Diogo Costa.

According to a report from Spain, Man City have also made contact over a deal for Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin (via Sport Witness), who could be on the move this summer, given that first-team opportunities have been limited this season.

City are keen on bringing in a goalkeeper comfortable in possession of the ball, and Lunin fits the bill, meaning they have approached the Ukrainian’s entourage, and a report from elsewhere has stated a €20m (£17m) offer is being prepared.

Bayern Munich are also interested in signing the 26-year-old, so there could be competition for his signature, but the report indicates the goalkeeper could be keen on a move to the Premier League.

"Extraordinary" Lunin impressing in Europe

Displacing Thibaut Courtois in the starting XI is always going to be a difficult task, but the 6 foot 3 colossus has impressed when given the opportunity, most notably making eight appearances en-route to Madrid’s Champions League triumph last season.

The Ukraine international was particularly impressive at the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of the quarter-final, achieving a 9.7 SofaScore rating after making six saves from inside the box to keep Guardiola’s side at bay.

The towering goalkeeper was also lauded as “extraordinary” CBS Sports’ Nico Canot, and his performances for Madrid indicate he deserves to be a regular starter for a top club, rather than playing second fiddle to Courtois.

As such, Lunin could be a fantastic signing for City this summer, and it is exciting news they are now making moves to secure his signature, although it will be sad if Ederson leaves the club, given the major role the Brazilian has played in Guardiola’s success.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s livid outgoing boss at Al-Nassr, Majed Jaman Al-Sorour, has vowed to sue the club after his "inappropriate" dismissal.

Article continues below

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• Al-Nassr have sacked their CEO
• Vows to take legal action against club
• Ronaldo is also yet to commit to an extension

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Majed Al-Sorour has announced plans to pursue legal action against the Saudi Pro League club after being sacked from his role as CEO at the start of the week. The controversy comes as Al-Nassr also grapple with the ongoing speculation surrounding Ronaldo's future.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Al-Sorour’s rise in Saudi sports leadership includes key positions at major institutions. He also served as the CEO of Saudi Golf and played a significant role in the country’s efforts to promote the sport globally. Additionally, he was appointed to Newcastle United’s board of directors in May 2022, following the club’s acquisition by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). His time on the board was short-lived, ending in December 2022. In January 2025, Al-Sorour took over as chief executive of Al-Nassr, becoming responsible for overseeing one of the Saudi Pro League’s most high-profile clubs.

• WHAT AL-SOROUR SAID

  Al-Sorour's removal stems from allegations that he publicly shared inaccurate information regarding the club on social media, which Al-Nassr’s board said was intended to mislead the public.

  “Today my services were terminated in a manner that I consider unprofessional, inappropriate and unacceptable,” he said in a statement. “Therefore, a litigation process will begin between me and the management that runs our club.”

  Al-Nassr also released a statement, which read: "With reference to what was observed in the tweet attributed to Mr. Majed Mohammed Al-Sorour (via the X platform on June 12, 2025), it contained incorrect information and was an attempt to influence public opinion without relying on documented facts. Accordingly, the Board of Directors of Al-Nassr Club Company would like to clarify the following:

  “Reports were received from external and internal parties regarding some of the practices carried out by the CEO. Pursuant to this, the Board of Directors unanimously issued a decision to freeze the powers of CEO Majid bin Mohammed Al-Sarour on May 8, 2025, and to investigate the veracity of the reports.

  “The CEO was officially notified, fully aware of the details, and signed a declaration and pledge regarding the suspension of his powers until the completion of these investigations. He also signed a declaration and pledge of confidentiality not to disclose any information related to the company. The CEO (during the investigation period) violated his contractual obligations by posting a tweet from his personal account, damaging the company's reputation on social media platforms. After the Board took all necessary legal measures and granted the CEO the right to defend himself and have his statements heard, the Board of Directors unanimously decided to terminate the contract of the CEO of Al-Nassr Club Company.

  “The Board affirms that the CEO has not presented any comprehensive strategic or operational plan since assuming his position in January 2025 that reflects the requirements or aspirations of the current phase. He has also failed to demonstrate sufficient engagement with a number of priority issues, despite his full administrative empowerment and the approval of all his proposals without exception. Al-Nassr Club Company reiterates its commitment to operating in accordance with relevant regulations and the highest standards of governance.”

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  Amid this executive fallout, Al-Nassr’s biggest concern remains the uncertain future of Ronaldo. As per , a source close to the PIF told that efforts to retain the Portuguese were active but difficult.

  "There are difficult negotiations underway to convince Ronaldo to stay and (continue) to play," the source said. "The main option was a transfer to Al Hilal, with the opportunity to play in the Club World Cup."

  Despite the rumours, Ronaldo is currently enjoying time off after a demanding campaign. He will return for pre-season training in July as Al-Nassr prepare for the 2025–26 campaign, if he agrees to sign an extension.

Birmingham romp home in chase after spinners strangle Derbyshire batting effort

ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024Birmingham Bears picked up a second win in three days to keep their place among the North Group contenders with a seven-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the Incora County Ground.On a used pitch that yielded runs only reluctantly, the visitors restricted Derbyshire to 133 for 7, left-arm spinner Danny Briggs taking 2 for 23 with David Lloyd scoring 50 and Brooke Guest an unbeaten 38. Richard Gleeson took two wickets in the powerplay but it was the Bears spinners largely responsible for tying down Falcons.Derbyshire’s spinners threatened to do a similar job but Dan Mousley and Sam Hain (43) showed considerable patience and eventually reaped the rewards, their 93-run partnership across 13.3 overs effectively winning the match, Mousley closing it out with his seventh four with seven balls to spare.Having opted to bat first, Derbyshire suffered a setback when the in-form Aneurin Donald fell for just 2 but seemed to be heading for a satisfactory start until Gleeson removed Cam Fletcher and Wayne Madsen in the space of three balls in the last over of the powerplay to give Bears an early advantage.A boundary apiece from Guest and Lloyd off Jake Lintott’s opening over hinted at acceleration but Falcons’ progress was unspectacular at 65 for 3 from 10. Lloyd drove a soaring straight six off Lintott and repeated the blow against Briggs to complete a 36-ball half-century but was then caught aiming to clear the midwicket boundary.Samit Patel perished cheaply, pouched at backward point when he skied one from Briggs as the competition’s all-time leading wicket-taker on 229 dismissed his closest rival. At 103 for 5 from 16, Derbyshire had been properly strangled by Bears’ spinners. Mousley’s offspin was wicketless but conceded only 16 in his allocation.Ross Whiteley lifted Chris Woakes into the car park on the leg side but once the ball had been found Woakes promptly bowled him with a full delivery off an inside edge. The over cost 13 runs but was one of only three across the innings to yield a tally in double figures and, after Zak Chappell was run out in the last over, 133 looked too little.Daryn Dupavillon, the South African quick, angled one in to bowl Rob Yates with his fourth delivery. Mousley picked up three quick boundaries but Alex Davies, having uppercut Dupavillon for four and lifted Pat Brown for an audacious six on the leg side was caught at midwicket as Brown exacted instant revenge. Mousley slog-swept Madsen for six and the Bears were 50 for 2 from six.Patel and fellow spinner Mitch Wagstaff applied the brakes, conceding just 29 in six overs bowling in tandem, but with 55 needed after 12 overs, and eight wickets in hand, the Bears were still favourites, more so after Mousley and Hain plundered 21 from the next two before Mousley swept Patel to go to fifty from 42 balls.The requirement was down to six from 17 balls by the time Brown bowled Hain after a 42-ball innings containing only one boundary. Mousley cut Chappell for his seventh four to complete the win.

England allrounder Nat Sciver on mangled pronunciations, her best friends in the team, and why Danni Wyatt often ends up making tea for everyone

Interview by Annesha Ghosh12-Apr-2018You are the only England player – male or female – to take a T20I hat-trick. And you stole Jenny Gunn’s thunder for her five-for. Tell us about it
Thankfully Jenny is my friend now, so I’m hoping she’s over it. It was unfortunate she didn’t get the Player-of-the-Match award because not everyone ends up taking five wickets in a T20. Luckily, I was just bowling straight, and they sort of missed it.Which of your two ODI hundreds in the World Cup last year is more special?
The first hundred is always very special, but my second one, against New Zealand, I thought was slightly better because the opposition were better, and when I went in to bat, we were kind of in a tough spot.Who handed you your maiden international cap?
My first game for England was an ODI in Louth against Pakistan. It was Charlotte Edwards. She was the captain at the time.What did you do with your first England shirt?
It’s in a bag somewhere in storage. I’m keeping all my shirts for future use – maybe some sort of memorabilia. Probably could be put up somewhere on the wall along with the World Cup shirt and the Ashes-winning shirt, which are in the same bag at the moment.Danni Wyatt runs out Nat Sciver in the WBBL, 2017•Getty ImagesIs there a reason you chose 39 as your shirt number?
It’s been 39 all through. I was given it when I was in the England Academy. I got stuck with that because I was happy to be given a number, really! And I’m happy with it, don’t want to change.You recently played a tri-series final against Australia that featured one of your Perth Scorchers team-mates: Elyse Villani. What was it like to play alongside Australian players like her and Nicole Bolton in the WBBL?
It was great fun. Both of them are very good girls. They welcomed me and made me feel at home. They are also immensely funny. Nicole does some great interviews, as you might have seen in the ODI series. They are a lot to live up to, comedically. I think I have to learn a wacky comment or two from them.And Meg Lanning, the Australia captain, will join you at Scorchers next season.
I think her experience will make a massive difference to our team. I was with her at the Melbourne Stars for a couple of years, and I was captained by her before, so hopefully, we’ll be able to work well again together.If you were to pick one current international as a team-mate in your Kia Super League franchise, Surrey Stars, who would it be?
Amelia Kerr from New Zealand would be a good person to have on your team. She is a young legspinner, she’s still learning her craft, but has good skills and good control. That sort of skillset in a T20 game can be hard to face.What was South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp like as a team-mate at Stars?
She is excellent for the team. I think I managed to get along with her quite well in the Stars. Her fiery character on the field is very different to her character off the field, actually. She is much more reserved and quiet. They are like two opposite ends of the spectrum. You’d like to ask her if she’s got any pet names for the two of them!Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver, Beth Langston, Alex Hartley, Tammy Beaumont and Danni Wyatt at the 2017 PCA awards•Getty ImagesDo you have a nickname in the England side?
Well, not quite. Not anything very imaginative. The most imaginative so far has been Elyse Villani calling me “Scifter” in the Big Bash. I’d assume that’s how she meant to spell it.How painful is it for you to hear your surname being mangled all the time?
(Laughs) It’s something I’ve been experiencing all my life. I have not met that many people who can say it right the first time. Usually our team manager helps me out at the various grounds and makes sure the people know how to say it [It’s pronounced as shiver would be without the “h”]. Sadly, sometimes it still doesn’t work.Who was your sporting hero growing up?
David Beckham, because I used to play a lot of football. Any free kicks he’d score a goal from would sort of get stuck in my mind.Who’s your current favourite football player?
I don’t watch much football these days, actually. But it will probably be [Cristiano] Ronaldo. He’s ridiculous, isn’t he?Did you see the bicycle kick he scored a goal with against Juventus last week?
Yeah, I watched it. I have been practising my bicycle kick for a while now. Hopefully we can get football into our cricket warm-up so I can show off one of those.Who’s the most difficult batsman to bowl at?
Probably Meg Lanning. Even if you bowl at her stumps, she’ll hit it to third man. It’s very painful for all bowlers!Who’s the most difficult bowler you have faced?
Any bowler that bowls inswing, I find them more difficult.The most imaginative nickname Sciver thinks anyone has come up with so far fr her has been “Scifter”, by Elyse Villani [left]•Getty ImagesAn Indian player you’re always wary of facing – as a batsman or bowler?
Jhulan Goswami is the leading wicket-taker and they always look to her to get a wicket, so you don’t want to give it to her.What would you like to change in ODI playing conditions, if you had a chance?
I thought about this the other day. If you hit it five metres past the boundary line, you should get 12. The game is a lot about batters now, so it would be nice to have something for the bowlers too, but I think in the women’s game, having five fielders outside the ring again wouldn’t be beneficial. So I will go with the 12-run rule.Is there a rule change in women’s T20Is you reckon could enhance the format further?
There maybe could be a Supersub, who would be allowed to field or keep if you needed them to.Who is your best friend in the England squad?
Katherine Brunt. I live with her and Amy Jones and Beth Langston. And from the current touring side [in India], it would be Amy.”If you hit it five metres past the boundary line, you should get 12″•Associated PressWhat is your favourite cricketing memory off the field?
The celebrations after the World Cup win were excellent. We all were still in our playing kit, we slept with our medals. That was pretty cool.Who’s the most fun and entertaining England team-mate?
Danni Wyatt. Sometimes the team gets entertainment by laughing at her, but she herself is very funny as well. The coaches have this game where you get someone to say the letter “T” and that person has to make tea for everyone who wants it. Danni’s been caught by that a couple of times.Does she make good tea?
Yeah, you’ve got to give it to her. She makes some really good tea.Who’s the social-media addict of the team?
It has to be Tammy [Beaumont]. Have your seen her Instagram account? And all the crazy caption stuff. She’s constantly on. Amy Jones is the quietest one on social media.Which team-mate would you never want to be stuck in an elevator with?
Fran Wilson. She is a good friend of mine, but she loves to debate. She has these opinions about various different things, so I’d prefer not to be confrontational, especially in an elevator!What’s your most memorable wicket?
Probably getting Ellyse Perry out in the 2015 Ashes series, in the Cardiff T20I.Sciver plays the Natmeg during her hundred against New Zealand at the 2017 World Cup•Getty ImagesWhich is your favourite country to tour for cricket?
New Zealand. It’s such a beautiful country, and we’re lucky enough to travel around there often, get a few days off sometimes and see the sights.And your favourite holiday destination?
I really love the French Alps. Before I started playing professional cricket, I used to go ski there a lot. I’m actually looking forward to that after my retirement.How do you unwind after a long day of training?
I’m into a series called The Good Wife, on Netflix. I was watching it at home, but for some reason they took it off, but it’s available in India, so I’ll probably finish off the remainder of the episodes before heading back to England.Do you prefer to cook or to be cooked for?
I’d rather do the cooking.Tea or coffee?
I love coffee.What traits do you admire most in Jenny Gunn, Katherine Brunt and Heather Knight?
They are the rocks of our team, really.Jenny just played her 100th T20I game. No other man or woman has done that, so the kind of experience and calmness she brings are great assets.Katherine always will try her heart out for you and the team. You can’t find a fault in her effort and passion for the game.Heather is a great leader. She has really helped this team grow into one that can win World Cups.If you weren’t a sportsperson, what would you do?
I would probably be working at a bar, I think, because I wouldn’t know what else to do with my life (laughs). And if it were a job like that, I’d want to do it in London, because there are more opportunities there.What do you want to do after retirement?
I’m doing some property development, so I’ll continue with that maybe, and probably do some course to aid that, maybe on plastering and plumbingIf the Natmeg wasn’t called that, what would you like to name it?
I would call it a Sciv-shot or a Sciver-shot.Now that England are the defending champions in the 50-over format, what are your personal goals preparing for the World T20 in November?
Well, we’d love to do more of the same. It’s a different format and the kind where the game can go up and down a bit. But you have to try and be as consistent as you can be.

Since taking the job as Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has made his fair share of dire signings.

The likes of Pablo Mari, Willian, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira are some examples of players who either failed to live up to expectations or were just poor when they played.

However, for all the bad, Arteta has also overseen plenty of sensational signings, with Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and David Raya and perhaps the best of the lot, Declan Rice, joining the club under his stewardship.

The former West Ham United captain has been sensational for the Gunners since his club-record move in the summer of 2023, and now it would probably be fair to say one of the manager’s signings from last summer has proven to be his best since the Englishman.

How Arsenal's summer signings are getting on

So, it would be fair to say that overall, the campaign has been a mixed one for the signings made last summer, so before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over how the others have fared, starting with the worst of the lot: Raheem Sterling.

The Kingston-born star joined the club on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day, and while he told the fans they would “see the best” of him, the complete opposite has been true so far.

For example, in 24 appearances, the former Manchester City monster has scored just a single goal, which came against League One Bolton Wanderers, and provided five assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every four games.

Appearances

13

6

1

4

Minutes

352′

297′

80′

270′

Goals

0

0

0

1

Assists

2

2

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.15

0.33

0.00

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

176′

148.5′

N/A

135′

It’s been a more positive year for fellow summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who joined the club from Bologna for around £42m, as when he’s played, he’s looked good and has an impressive tally – for a defender – of three goals and two assists in 26 appearances so far.

However, there has been one significant problem, which is his fitness.

So far, the Roma-born international has missed a whopping 24 games for club and country thanks to three knee injuries, one muscle injury and one calf injury, allowing Myles Lewis-Skelly to come in and make the left-back position his own.

Aside from David Raya, who initially joined the club on loan in 2023, and Neto, who barely played, there was one more senior signing made in the summer, a signing that might be Arteta’s best since Rice.

Chalkboard

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

Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, with all the other signings from last summer covered above, it should be no surprise that Mikel Merino is the addition in question.

The Spanish international joined Arsenal for around £31.6m in late August after what felt like a particularly protracted transfer saga, but things did not start out well.

In cosmically poor luck, the European champion fractured his shoulder in his first training session with the club and remained out of action until the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain on the first of October.

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t improve much over the coming months as he struggled to assert himself in the team and, as a result, found himself constantly in and out of the starting lineup, which understandably made it hard for him to establish any sort of rhythm or consistency.

However, things took a turn for the unexpected in February, as injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the Gunners without a recognized number nine, so after a rather paltry first 70 minutes of goalless action away to Leicester City, the Spaniard was thrown on to lead the line.

Somehow, even though he had admitted to never playing there before, the former Real Sociedad ace looked right at home, scoring a brilliant header and then slotting home another to secure the North Londoners all three points.

Since then, the 28-year-old “mentality monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Matt Kendala, has scored another four goals to add to his two assists, and following his exceptional strike against Real Madrid, it’s hard to imagine that the club are still officially without a fit centre-forward in the team.

The Pamplona-born game-changer has been hearing his song sung by the fans more and more in recent weeks, and if he keeps on producing in the way he is, Kendala’s claim that he’s “approaching cult status” will undoubtedly be proven correct.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the same level as the Englishman, it would be hard to deny that, thanks to his performances of late, Merino is unquestionably Arteta’s best signing since Rice in 2023.

He's like Saka & Yamal: Arsenal in talks to sign "world-class" £39m star

The incredible winger would bring so much experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 15, 2025

Sri Lanka head coach feels “putting on the jersey and representing the country” is motivation enough for his team

Madushka Balasuriya12-Mar-2024There’s no Super League, they failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy, and the next ODI World Cup is still three years away, but that doesn’t mean Sri Lanka are going to ease off. Sure, the overall focus is largely on June’s T20 World Cup, but according to head coach Chris Silverwood, an ODI series representing your country, particularly against a Bangladesh side with which they now have a fairly substantial rivalry, doesn’t require much by the way of external motivation.”I think the motivation is that you’re playing for your country. I think you’ve seen on the field that there’s two passionate teams playing for their countries,” Silverwood said on the eve of the first ODI. “I think putting on that jersey and representing your country is motivation enough. And that’s exactly what we feel in our dressing room. So, the motivation is there.”The embers of the rivalry between the two sides were once more stoked during the T20I series when Shoriful Islam celebrated a wicket in the first game with the now infamous time-out gesture pointing at his wrist. While the second game went off without incident, in the final T20I there were some strong words shared by Towhid Hridoy in response to a comment by a Sri Lankan player following the former’s dismissal, and then Sri Lanka fanned the flames further by posing for the series trophy with the entire team performing the timed-out gesture.Related

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SL name Kamindu Mendis and Lahiru Kumara in squad for Bangladesh ODIs

Bangladesh look to remedy home record as rivalry with SL heats up

While both sides have, at least outwardly, spoken towards putting an end to the back and forth, Silverwood acknowledged that the rivalry has brought about a good competitive edge to both sides.”The rivalry is obviously great. I think we need good competition. And as I said about the T20, it was two good sides and we’re going to play some competitive cricket. I expect exactly the same again in this tournament, in this series. So that’s what I’ll be looking for, some strong cricket being played. And obviously both teams will be looking for the same, I should imagine.”In terms of ODI preparation, this is a Sri Lanka side still at the start of its cycle, one which they have begun extremely well with series wins against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan – as well a string of high scores courtesy refreshing positive intent from their batters. And Silverwood is keen to keep building on this momentum.”We’re in a new cycle now, so we’re again building towards a style of brand of cricket that we want to play in the next World Cup. And that’s something that we’re trying to invent within the team, and this again is part of that process of doing that.”We’re trying to continue the momentum that we’ve had from the series at home as well in Sri Lanka, where we played some fantastic cricket. And I’ll be encouraging the guys to go out and do the same thing. So, the batsmen to go score big runs individually and as a team to put those big scores on the scoreboard. And we’re asking the bowlers to keep producing their skills and keep getting better and better.”Key to their batting hopes will be the returning Pathum Nissanka. The opener has been in he midst of the most purple of purple patches recently, starting with his string of half centuries in last year’s World Cup and peaking last month as he became the first Sri Lankan to score an ODI double century. He was a big miss in the T20s having been ruled out with a hamstring injury, but he’s back in the squad for the ODIs, and Silverwood has labelled his return as “massive”.”I spoke earlier about fantastic individual contributions. You speak about Pathum in particular. I think what he achieved in Kandy was nothing short of exceptional. And obviously, we’re all very, very pleased with him in the dressing room. What he has done, he’s gone from strength to strength in the recent past and he’s become probably one of the most consistent performers within that batting lineup. So, he’s a key member of that batting lineup. It’s great to have him here.”Silverwood has termed Pathum Nissanka’s return to the ODI squad as “massive”•AFP/Getty ImagesAnother player Sri Lanka will be banking on is Kamindu Mendis. The ambidextrous former Under-19 captain found his way back to the national side following a three-year absence earlier this year, and he has since grabbed his latest opportunity with both hands. Given just one game each against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, he impressed greatly in the latter – nearly stealing victory for Sri Lanka in a steep chase. He then came into into the playing XI more permanently as a replacement for Kusal Perera, who was sidelined with a respiratory infection, and proceeded to impress further against Bangladesh with his ambitious stroke play. Having circled the fringes for so long, he now finally seems to be making a concerted stake for a consistent berth.”I think he thoroughly deserves it. I think what we’ve seen in the T20 series has been very, very good. But to be fair to him, ever since, every time he’s got an opportunity, he’s taken it. So, you know, again, he’s done that. So, we have to give him all of a credit. He works incredibly hard. He’s very diligent with his preparation, and I think he’s got the results he deserves.”

Two contrasting T20 innings were played on the two sides of the border on Thursday evening. One where the ball seemed to hit the sweet spot of the bat virtually each time. The other where the ball didn’t seem to find the middle of the bat at all.In Delhi, in an IPL game between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, T20 batting records were smashed. In Rawalpindi, New Zealand folded for 90, which was 42 fewer than what Sunrisers hit in just sixes. The ball stopped or gripped or turned off the pitch in Rawalpindi, as Pakistan’s quick bowlers and spinners feasted on a bowler-friendly pitch. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had started the party for Pakistan, finished with 3 for 13. Two wickets each went to comeback man Mohammad Amir, first-timer Abrar Ahmed, and Shadab Khan.Mohammad Rizwan then led Pakistan’s chase with 45 not out in 34 balls, and brushed New Zealand aside with 47 balls and seven wickets to spare.

Shaheen and Amir have a party

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl. They had the perfect mix of bowlers – having Afridi and Amir bowling in tandem can do that. As if that was not enough, there was a fantastic piece of fielding to get them going. Shadab, placed at backward point, dived low to his right to pouch Tim Seifert in the third over for Pakistan’s first wicket. Afridi had slowed his pace down, and Seifert, in an attempt to flick, lost his bottom hand and got a leading edge. Shadab did the rest.That was just the start.Next over, Amir, who was bowling for Pakistan for the first time since August 2020, repeated the trick. He took pace off to fox Tim Robinson, who ended up spooning the ball to short cover off the toe-end of the bat. A duck on debut two days back. Just 4 in his second game.Dean Foxcroft and Mark Chapman briefly calmed things down with a pulled six and a clipped four, respectively. But Amir prevented New Zealand from gaining any momentum when he had Foxcroft lofting to mid-off for 13. New Zealand ended the powerplay at 35 for 3, and never recovered from the early blows.Abrar Ahmed picked up two wickets in one over•Associated Press

Pace off, and spin’s in for Pakistan

Sensing the slowness of the surface, Babar Azam introduced spin immediately after the powerplay. He bowled Shadab, Abrar and part-time offspinner Iftikhar Ahmed for seven overs in a row. That period gave Pakistan three wickets, and New Zealand managed only 34 runs.While Abrar had started with a flat trajectory, he noticed Iftikhar slow it down and toss it up, and followed the lead. Chapman found fine leg with his attempted sweep to start the ninth over.Two balls later, James Neesham kept waiting for a 73kph delivery to arrive, it almost didn’t, and when it did, Neesham swung but found midwicket.Not to be left behind, Shadab varied his pace to go a lot quicker to Michael Bracewell to start the 12th over. Bracewell reverse swept, but the length wasn’t full enough. He found short third, as 49 for 3 became 59 for 6.Amid all that, what brought about giggles on the Pakistani faces was Ish Sodhi’s wicket.Shadab bowled really short on leg while slowing it down, and Sodhi was already through with his bat swing before the ball got to him. It turned a bit and hit him on his thigh pad. Pakistan appealed and umpire Aleem Dar turned it down. But Babar reviewed and got it overturned, leaving even the umpire with a wry smile.Mohammad Rizwan finished with an unbeaten 45•AFP/Getty Images

Rizwan takes Pakistan home

The leading edge made its way into Pakistan’s innings as early as the second ball when Saim Ayub, looking to turn Ben Lister off his hips, ended up sending a return catch.But Babar and Rizwan ensured Pakistan didn’t lose their way. Rizwan drove Lister first ball for four, while Babar punched Jacob Duffy to the off-side boundary soon after.Only 14 came off the first three overs, before both batters attacked Ben Sears. Rizwan pulled and drove him for six and four respectively, and Babar flicked him for four too.But Babar was stumped off Bracewell when he tried to be too ambitious and came down the track to his counterpart.The target wasn’t really enough to test Pakistan, though, and Rizwan ticked away steadily at one end, even as he lost Usman Khan for 7. Irfan Khan joined Rizwan, who pushed the ball around before ending the game with a slog sweep for four to deep midwicket.The result gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with the next game again in Rawalpindi on Sunday evening.

CSK batting coach says Dhoni “keeps his cards very, very close to his chest” when asked if he would be back next year

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-20241:19

Hussey: We are hoping MS Dhoni keeps going

Is this going to be MS Dhoni’s last IPL season?Michael Hussey, Chennai Super Kings’ batting coach, has little idea but he is hoping Dhoni carries on for “another couple of years”.”Your guess is as good as mine at this stage,” Hussey said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show when asked if Dhoni would be back next year. “He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We are hoping he does keep going.Related

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The CSK transition from Dhoni to Gaikwad

“He is still batting so well. He does prepare well – he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really. I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament.”From a personal point of view, I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So I wouldn’t expect a decision anytime soon.”Because of the knee surgery, CSK have been managing Dhoni’s workload. He comes out to face only a handful of deliveries. Against Punjab Kings, he even batted at No. 9. Despite that, he has been able to make an impact. In ten innings, he has scored 136 runs at a strike rate of 226.66.”I know fans probably want to see him batting a little bit higher in the order,” Hussey said, “but that [the knee surgery] is why we have had to manage him a little bit and he only comes in at the back end. But there has been no one better in being able to come in and hit the ball so cleanly from ball one than MS. He has been phenomenal.”MS Dhoni has been around to guide Ruturaj Gaikwad•Associated Press

At the start of the season, Dhoni caught many, including Hussey, by surprise when he handed over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. But the transition has been smooth as Gaikwad was already being groomed for the role. Plus, Dhoni is also around to help him.”MS sort of announced that he was not going to be attending the pre-tournament captains meeting. And we’re like, ‘Oh, no. What’s going on?’,” Hussey said. “He said Ruturaj was going to be captain from then on. So it was a little bit of a shock to start with but it has been managed really well.”I know Stephen Fleming [head coach] had been working closely with Ruturaj in the lead-up to the tournament. In fact, he has been grooming him for a couple of years now. We have sort of known for a little while that he was the right man to take over the job when MS decided to step aside.”MS wanted to still be here while the new captain took over, to try to help him along the way and sort of mentor him a little bit. So that’s worked really well as well. And obviously, Stephen Fleming is a great role model for him [Gaikwad] as well. So it’s been quite seamless actually.”Under Gaikwad’s leadership, CSK have won seven out of 13 games so far. They are currently third on the points table and a win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday will assure a playoffs spot. Gaikwad himself has played a key role with bat. With 583 runs at a strike rate of 141.50, he is the second-highest run-getter in the league at the moment.”He is a great guy, Ruturaj, very calm,” Hussey said. “He is a good thinker of the game. I mean it was always going to be a massive challenge for him, you know, how do you follow someone like MS Dhoni – it was going to be tough. But he has done a great job. He has been really calm and measured on the field. I think he will just get better and better the more he does it and the more support we keep around him.”From my point of view, the pleasing thing is, it has not affected his batting at all either. He has performed extremely well with the bat. So it has been really good so far.”

Newcastle United are thought to be showing serious interest in a player who has been likened to his team’s version of Lionel Messi, according to a new transfer report.

Newcastle preparing for vital final Premier League day

The Magpies are now so close to sealing a return to the Champions League that supporters can almost taste it, following an excellent season overall, not least the legendary EFL Cup triumph back in March.

Victory at home to Everton on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday afternoon will secure a place back at Europe’s top table for Newcastle, with Eddie Howe fully focused on getting the job done this weekend:

“We’re still in a strong position and it’s in our hands, and I think we have to look at this as a positive. I think calmness is going to be key at this moment in time. It’s a week before we play. We’ve got to be very calm, make good decisions, and train and prepare well for the game. Nothing changes. The emotion will be there in the game, I don’t think we have to spell that out to the players.”

It has the potential to be a nervy afternoon at St James’ Park, however, with everyone associated with Newcastle aware that things could go wrong, ultimately having a major detrimental impact on their summer transfer business. Hopefully, Champions League football will be achieved, though, allowing them to target elite options.

Newcastle "very serious" about signing £20m+ goalkeeper

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Newcastle United are “very serious” about signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia in the summer transfer window. Aston Villa, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all mentioned, too.

It is claimed that the Magpies could snap him up for as little as £12.6m if his side are relegated from La Liga this weekend, but £21m is more likely to be needed as Espanyol are two points clear of the relegation zone going into the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.

Garcia is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in Europe currently, with WhoScored pointing out that he is in the top five highest-rated players in his position this season.

Not only that, but Manolo Gonzalez has even said that Garcia’s impact at Espanyol is akin to that of Lionel Messi, in terms of being a difference-maker on the pitch time and time again:

“Joan Garcia is going to be a global reference, no doubt about it. I really hope so, because he deserves it, both for his ability and for who he is. It’s like when Barcelona had Messi. There were tough matches, and Messi would resolve them. Well, we have that in goal with Joan Garcia.”

Newcastle in huge race to sign in-demand £10,000-a-week Liverpool talent

He took centre stage at St James’ this season.

ByHenry Jackson May 19, 2025

At 24, the Spaniard is still young, especially for a goalkeeper, and Newcastle could see him as the perfect long-term replacement for Nick Pope, who can arguably be improved upon at this point in his career.