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South Africa completed their first series sweep in Asia since 2008

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2024South Africa completed their first series win in the subcontinent in a decade, their first series sweep in Asia since 2008 and are up to fourth place on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. An innings-and-273-run victory, their largest of all time, over Bangladesh in Chattogram means South Africa need to win at least three of their four home Tests this summer to maintain a chance to qualify for the WTC final.It was as complete a performance as South Africa could have hoped for with three centuries in the batting line-up and wickets for both seamers and spinners. They claimed 16 on the third day, with five-fors for both their champion seamer Kagiso Rabada and first-choice left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. Spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy also earned a career-best with a second-innings 4 for 45.For Bangladesh, batting remains a major concern. On a fairly placid pitch, they were on the brink at 48 for 8 in their first innings before Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam combined for a 103-run stand for the ninth-wicket. That was Bangladesh’s third-highest partnership against South Africa for any wicket. Mominul was dismissed 18 short of a 14th Test century. There were no other scores above 30 in the first innings and none higher than Hasan Mahmud’s 38 in the second innings, where they also had no partnerships higher than 37. Shot selection was a particular concern, especially in picking up the right lengths to drive and knowing when to attack the spinners.ESPNcricinfo LtdBangladesh’s captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is a case in point. In the first innings, he was in two minds against a Rabada delivery that spat up off the surface. Shanto was unsure whether to drive or block and got an edge through to Kyle Verreynne. Four balls later, Mushfiqur Rahim handed the easiest of catches to Tony de Zorzi at square leg off Dane Paterson and was dismissed for a duck.In the over after that, Rabada took two wickets in three balls: first Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who followed a ball that moved away and was caught behind, and then the debutant Mahidul Islam, who shouldered arms to a delivery that struck him on the knee roll. That gave Rabada his second five-for in as many Tests, and second in the subcontinent.Mominul took the fight to South Africa and scored ten runs off two deliveries from Maharaj to take Bangladesh over 50 and avoid being dismissed for one of their three lowest totals in Test cricket. But South Africa sensed an opportunity to run through them and appealed for almost anything. Maharaj reviewed two lbw shouts against Taijul.The first was clipping leg but upheld on umpire’s call and, on the second the impact was outside off. He finally had a decision go his way when Langton Rusere gave Mominul out when he missed a sweep but Mominul reviewed immediately and UltraEdge showed an under-edge. Mominul was on 37 at the time. He brought up fifty of the 76th ball he faced off Maharaj and South Africa thought they had him later in the over when he seemed to be caught at leg slip. Replays showed the ball came off the flap of his front pad.Rabada was brought back for a burst before lunch and immediately thought he had Mominul snaffled down the leg side but had overstepped. If South Africa have a concern after this match, it’s the number of no-balls they bowled. Rabada sent down nine and Paterson, four.Senuran Muthusamy took career-best figures of 4 for 45 in the second innings•AFP/Getty ImagesMuthusamy was given the ball for the first time five minutes before lunch and resumed after the break. He broke Mominul’s resistance with a ball that turned back into him and struck him on the front pad. Mominul was given out lbw and reviewed but the ball appeared to rush past the outside edge without making contact and the on-field decision was upheld. Maharaj ended the innings when Nahid Rana handed a catch back to him to give him a return of 2 for 57. At that point, South Africa opted not to bat again and enforced the follow-on with a view to wrapping things up quickly.Bangladesh’s second dig did not go that much better. Shadman Islam was dropped off Wiaan Mulder in the second over but four overs later, he nicked Paterson from a delivery that angled in. Rabada could have had Zakir Hasan in the next over but Aiden Markram, at second slip, dived across first slip and neither could complete the catch. Instead, it was Muthusamy who had his moment to shine.His fifth ball turned away from Mahmudul Hasan Joy and took the edge, where Markram completed a good low catch at slip. Three balls later, Mominul picked out Muthusamy on the leg-side boundary and Maharaj could not believe his luck. And then, Muthusamy also struck gold with the last ball before tea when Zakir advanced on him, missed and was stumped. Bangladesh went to tea at 43 for 4.Mushfiqur’s miserable match ended when he was out lbw off Muthusamy, confirmed on South Africa’s review, and Maharaj removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul as they both tried to manufacture run-scoring opportunities with big shots. As the light faded and the stand between Mahmud and Mahidul grew, South Africa may have thought they’d have to return to finish the job on the fourth morning.But Mahidul, on debut, eventually gave it away. He was tempted by one of Maharaj’s tossed-up balls and hit it to Rabada at long-off. Maharaj and Muthusamy were in a race to see who would get five and it was Maharaj who won as Nahid popped a catch to David Bedingham at silly mid-off to end the match inside three days.

T20 captain plays down absence of England star names for Finals Day

Andrew Miller13-Sep-2024Less than 48 hours after the thrilling climax to their County Championship tussle down at Taunton, Surrey and Somerset are set to resume their rivalry up at Edgbaston on Saturday, with a rematch of their T20 Blast semi-final from 12 months ago.And despite his club’s disappointment on both occasions, Surrey’s T20 captain Chris Jordan insists there’ll be no hangovers from either, as they continue their quest towards what could yet be a glorious double-winning season.”Over the last few years especially, this fixture has produced some exciting, competitive results,” Jordan told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s ironic that in the week leading into Finals Day, we’ve been playing against the exact same team.”Any road to the final is never easy, and at some point you have to beat the best team. Obviously, they’re defending champions, and deservedly so, so we’ll need to be right on it. But it’s always hard-fought battles, and the team that plays best on the day normally wins this particular encounter, so we don’t see it being any different.”Related

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It will, however, require a very different tempo from Surrey, and a swift transfer of mindset, after their attempts to park the bus at Taunton and block their way to a potentially title-sealing draw backfired in spectacular fashion. Despite Dom Sibley’s doughty 56 from 183 balls, their resistance was swept aside in a stunning collapse of 7 for 14 in 18.1 overs, by Somerset’s latest spin pairing, Jack Leach and Archie Vaughan.”It can be tough, but the best players just make the switch,” Jordan said. “The main thing is it’s a mindset shift, your technique is not going to change too much between formats. You just have to assess the situation and the conditions and decide what approach to take. I don’t see it as being too different. With the type of multi-format cricketers we have, they can do it quite effortlessly.”Sibley is perhaps the case in point for Surrey. Only days prior to his Taunton rearguard, he had been the toast of the Kia Oval after his scintillating 67 from 48 balls provided the impetus that Surrey needed to hunt down Durham’s target of 163 in their Blast quarter-final. It was an innings that defied the reputation he made for himself during his stint as an England Test opener, not least with an eye-catching reverse-scoop for six over deep third, but Jordan said it hadn’t come as a surprise to his team-mates.”It was an unbelievable knock, but well deserved, because he’s been working so hard on his power game since he came back to Surrey,” Jordan said. “He’s a lot more expansive, but his batting in the powerplay has been key, because this year the brand-new white ball has been doing a bit more than normal. He’s just played some good cricketing shots, with a good technique, and that quarter-final was a great template for him. His tempo was really good, and it helped us to control that chase.”

“We’ll have a few changes to the line-up but that’s been the theme of the season. We’re blessed with a squad where so many of our guys are internationals, so we’re trusting the team to get the job done”Chris Jordan on Surrey’s absent England quartet

Sibley’s poise could be all the more important to Surrey given the personnel they will be missing on Saturday. Despite the expected return of three of the four players who featured in the Sri Lanka Test series – with Gus Atkinson missing out after suffering a niggle during that match – Surrey’s line-up will be shorn of some serious firepower, with Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton and Reece Topley all out of the picture due to their involvement in England’s T20I series against Australia.It’s a situation that Tymal Mills, Sussex’s captain, last week described as “stupid”, as he faced up to the prospect of losing Jofra Archer for his team’s Finals Day campaign, while Alec Stewart – Surrey’s ongoing director of cricket – last year decried the ECB’s so-called Super September as “anything but”. However, Jordan took a more phlegmatic approach to the sport’s ongoing fixture congestion.”Obviously, we’ll have a few changes to the line-up but that’s been the theme of the entire season,” he said. “We’re blessed with a squad where so many of our guys are good enough to get international accolades, so we’re trusting all the guys to go and get the job done.”There’s a lot to take in as captain, but I always knew what I was getting myself into. It can be challenging, but my mindset is just to find solutions. Obviously Covid has set back a lot of schedules, so everyone is playing catch-up, and for me, personally, I know from being involved in an England set-up that country comes first.”International games are very high intensity, so to release players right in the middle of a T20 series, for a game the next day, would be quite tough, both mentality and on the body. It’s about that balance between giving the guys their best opportunity to perform in a England shirt, and having them available for one of the big days in our English calendar. It’s unfortunate, but we just leave it to the powers-that-be.”Surrey and Somerset met on Finals Day last year – but Sam Curran won’t be involved this time round•Surrey CCC/Getty ImagesIt’s not just the international game that is encroaching on the county season, however. One particularly notable absentee will be Jason Roy, who has committed himself to playing for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, having already missed much of the Blast group stage to play for Trinbago’s sister team, LA Knight Riders, in Major League Cricket.It continues Roy’s steady drift away from the English game, following his decision in May 2023 to negotiate an early release from his ECB contract in order to be a free agent, but Jordan had sympathy for his former England team-mate, whom he recognises as a first-mover in the shifting world of T20 cricket.”Obviously, it’s a little bit of an unusual scenario, but we’re in unusual territory as well, with so much franchise cricket and different opportunities popping up over the world.”The cricket community as a whole hasn’t fully come to grips with the moving times,” Jordan added. “[Roy’s] taken his own decision in terms of his own career. He’s been a great performer for us, we would have loved to have him, but we also wish him all the best in everything he does, because it’s such a big part of the dressing room.”On his own England ambitions, Jordan is realistic about the status quo. Despite a strong showing at the recent T20 World Cup – including a memorable hat-trick in front of his friends and family in Barbados – he recognises that, with his 36th birthday approaching next month, he is unlikely to be a part of the white-ball reboot under Brendon McCullum’s expanded remit as head coach.”I’m the kind of person that likes to take a day at a time and control what I can control,” he said. “The England team is in a bit of a transition period, and at some point, I knew that stage would come. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the door is shut, but all I can do is play the cricket that’s presented in front of me, and try to do as best as possible.”Coming off the World Cup, I was a little bit in and out of the team, so it was nice to come back and put in a few performances for Surrey and Southern Brave as well. But I’ll just try to do my job on Finals Day, which will be leading the team as best as possible, but also performing my role.”

James Anderson has floated the possibility of an improbable foray into franchise cricket after his international retirement, a decade after his most recent T20 appearance. Anderson turned 42 two weeks ago, but believes that he still has “something to offer” as a bowler and has said that extending his playing career is “not off the table”.Following his final Test match at Lord’s last month, Anderson has been working with England’s bowlers in a coaching capacity and will continue in that role in their upcoming series against Sri Lanka. But he may step back for their tours to Pakistan and New Zealand this winter, which would leave his schedule open for opportunities overseas.”I feel there is something there, that I still want to play a little bit more – I just don’t know what that is yet” Anderson told the podcast. “I’m pretty open to anything at the minute. Things will become clearer as the rest of the year progresses. There’s two Test tours in the winter and I’m not sure I’ll be on them in this [coaching] role.”There’s plenty of things to think about and I just need to sit down and chat to people about it. I watch the Hundred and see the ball swinging around in the first 20 balls, and I think, ‘I can do that. I can still do that.’ I don’t know if that is a viable option, to maybe see if I could do a job in white-ball cricket? Franchise cricket is something I’ve never done.”Anderson has not played any white-ball cricket since 2019 and his last T20 match was the 2014 NatWest Blast final for Lancashire. But he remains England’s all-time leading ODI wicket-taker and believes that he still possesses the relevant skills, having bowled at England’s batters in the nets ahead of the second and third Tests against West Indies.”I don’t know how seriously I’m actually thinking about this myself right now,” Anderson conceded, “[but] the bowling thing is still a definite option for me, the way my body feels right now, the way my head is. From a skills point of view, the way Test cricket’s gone… I don’t think that’d be an issue. But I don’t know how much people would want a 42-year-old bowler in their team.”Anderson has not played T20 cricket in the last decade•Getty Images

Anderson also intends to “give back” to Lancashire, the county where he developed as a young bowler. “I’ve played more Tests than I have first-class games for Lancs,” he said. “Whenever I’ve gone back, I’ve tried my very best and loved it. But there may be something there where I do feel like I could give something back to the club.”I’m actually quite excited about what’s next because I don’t know what that is, and that excites me. I’ve still got plenty of options, whether it is the coaching side of it, the media side of it, or whether it’s still playing in some capacity for a couple more years. I still feel like that’s not off the table, with the way that my body feels and the way that I’ve been bowling in recent years.”Anderson said that his body “at no stage has started to feel like it’s 42” and that he wants to make use of his ability to bowl fast while he still can. “There will be a time when I can’t turn my arm over at all and I can’t bowl at 50mph, never mind 80, so while I can do that, I want to keep doing it,” he said. “I’ll still dive around in the field if I play for Burnley in five years’ time.”

As their search to sign a striker continues, Manchester United are now reportedly being pushed by their scouts to sign a fresh option who even outscored Matheus Cunha last season.

Man Utd still on the hunt for a striker

Whilst Manchester United can celebrate that they’ve already signed Cunha and are reportedly closing in on Bryan Mbeumo, they haven’t had the same transfer luck when attempting to sign an out-and-out No.9. Instead, they’ve faced a flurry of rejection.

After missing out on Liam Delap to Chelsea, the Red Devils seemed to turn their attention towards Viktor Gyokeres in an attempt to form a reunion between the Swede and Ruben Amorim. Reports have since emerged that the Sporting Club star prefers a move to Arsenal over Old Trafford, however, to potentially leave Manchester United back at square one.

Without European football to offer, those at Old Trafford are seemingly struggling to convince all of their top targets to join. Even if it’s not Gyokeres or Delap, though, Manchester United simply must sign a striker this summer.

Having already added Cunha and with Mbeumo reportedly on his way, a fresh face to lead the line would complete United’s attacking transformation. From the struggling Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, Amorim could have true quality to choose from next season and that would be vital to his chances of turning things around in Manchester.

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With that said, United’s search is still ongoing and scouts have now even reportedly had their say, pushing the Red Devils to sign an unexpected name in the coming months.

Scouts pushing Man Utd to sign Arokodare

As reported by Graeme Bailey, scouts are now pushing Manchester United to sign Tolu Arokodare from KRC Genk this summer. The forward is now also reportedly on the radar of club chief Jason Wilcox, who could yet solve Amorim’s striker problems by signing last season’s Belgium Pro League Golden Boot winner.

Bailey told United in Focus when speaking about the Red Devils’ interest in Arokodare: “Ruben Amorim knows what he wants, he wants that target man – we know the club are moving on from Rasmus Hojlund.

“Victor Osimhen and Victor Gyokeres, these are targets for a reason, but their first choice was Liam Delap – we know that – but we also know he [Amorim] wasn’t that keen. So could Arokodare emerge as a target? It’s not impossible – he is a huge talent, in every way.”

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Arokodare

Cunha

Starts

28

29

Goals

17

15

Assists

5

6

Expected Goals

22.7

8.6

A player who outscored Cunha last season, Arokodare could reportedly be available for just £20m this summer in a deal that Manchester United should take full advantage of.

The transfer window might have only officially opened a few days ago, but Premier League clubs are moving fast, and Arsenal need to keep up.

For example, while the signing of Martin Zubimendi feels imminent, Liverpool have already picked up Jeremie Frimpong and look set to land Florian Wirtz at some point.

Even Manchester United, who endured one of their worst seasons ever, are making moves, with Matheus Cunha already secured and Bryan Mbeumo making it clear he wants to join them.

The Brentford star has previously been linked with the Gunners, but while missing out on him is far from ideal, recent reports suggest the North Londoners are progressing with another attacker who’d be their answer to the Cameroonian.

Arsenal transfer news

Arsenal might not have secured any offensive signings just yet, but it feels more like a matter of when and not if, as over the last few weeks, the club have been linked with more than their fair share of exciting options, like Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former could cost around £68m this summer, and while that might be a lot to pay for a 22-year-old, he has proven himself to be a reliable attacking outlet, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 games this season.

On the other hand, Pedro might cost up to a staggering £70m, and while he’s undoubtedly a talented player, we aren’t entirely sure his haul of ten goals and seven assists this season quite justifies that price tag.

Fortunately, another free-scoring phenom is high on the Gunners’ shortlist this summer: Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Arsenal are among several teams incredibly interested in the Sporting CP star.

The report claims that the Gunners, Manchester United and Napoli are among the frontrunners to land the Swedish international but to do so, they’ll have to pay up to €70m, which is around £59m.

It could be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but Gyokeres would certainly be worth pushing the boat out for, especially as he could be the North Londoners’ answer to Mbeumo.

Why Gyokeres could be Arsenal's answer to Mbeumo

Now, while Mbeumo is primarily a winger and Gyokeres is an out-and-out striker, there are several similarities between the pair that could make the latter Arsenal’s answer to United signing the former.

Firstly, both players honed their craft in the EFL, with the Cameroon international joining Brentford from Troyes in the summer of 2019 at just 19 years old and making 86 appearances in the Championship, in which he scored 23 goals and provided 18 assists.

Likewise, following a couple of middling loans, the Sporting star joined Coventry City on a short-term deal in January 2021 and then on a permanent deal that summer.

During his two-and-a-half seasons with the Sky Blues, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace made 110 second-tier appearances, in which he scored 41 goals and provided 15 assists, which was enough to earn him his move to Portugal.

This brings us to the second reason he’d be the North Londoners’ answer to the Red Devils’ question, which is that, like the Bees ace, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, would be their own game-changing attacking signing.

Appearances

52

42

Minutes

4248′

3577′

Goals

54

20

Assists

13

9

Goal Involvements per Match

1.28

0.69

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.40′

123.34′

For example, there can be no doubt that Reuben Amorim’s side will be more dangerous next season with a player who racked up 29 goal involvements this season.

In the Gunners’ case, the addition of a striker who managed to score 54 goals and provide 13 assists in 52 games this season could be utterly transformational and turn them from an almost side to one who could win it all next year.

Ultimately, while they aren’t exactly the same sort of player, there is no doubt that signing Gyorkeres would be the perfect response from Arsenal to United signing Mbeumo.

Their answer to Wirtz: Arsenal moving to sign "terrifyingly good" £85m star

The international superstar would be an incredible addition to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 3, 2025

Rangers are reportedly likely to sell an “excellent” midfielder permanently at the end of the season, as a billionaire-owned club eye a summer move for him.

Rangers still searching for solution in the dugout

The Gers are still looking to nail their next manager ahead of next season, with Barry Ferguson in interim charge until the end of the current campaign. Former Borussia Dortmund boss Marco Rose is a name who has been mentioned as a possible option, with the 48-year-old most recently in charge of RB Leipzig until earlier this year. He is a two-time Austrian league champion, as well as winning one German Cup and German Super Cup apiece.

Steven Gerrard has been seen as a front-runner for the Rangers job this summer, assuming Ferguson isn’t retained, having guided the Gers to the Scottish Premiership title back in 2020/21. He knows the club well, which could be a bonus, and he may feel he has unfinished business there.

In terms of potential signings this summer, young Hearts striker James Wilson has been linked with a summer switch to Ibrox, with the 18-year-old a player with a bright future in the game. Now, a Rangers exit update has emerged, with one player’s time at the club possibly nearing its conclusion.

"Excellent" Rangers player likely to leave for good this summer

According to a new update from The Daily Record, Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell is likely to leave the club once and for all this summer, with Birmingham City keen on signing him on a permanent basis. The 27-year-old is currently on loan at the League One side, who are owned by billionaire Tom Wagner, helping them cruise to the title this season, and it now looks like his stay there could be a long-term one.

This does feel like the right time for Rangers to sell the £16,000-a-week Dowell, considering he was loaned out to Birmingham because he wasn’t considered a key part of the club’s plans. The Englishman is out of contract at Ibrox at the end of next season, meaning this summer is the last chance to get a good fee for him, rather than losing him on a free transfer in 2026.

Dowell has done well at Birmingham, scoring five goals and registering four assists in League One this season, and Blues manager Chris Davies has heaped praise on him.

“You can see that from the outside but what you don’t see is what the character is like. Does he work hard? Does he take information on? Whether he is a team player. You only get to see that when you work with someone and he is all that – he works for the team, runs, covers a lot of distance, very diligent. I have given him four, five defensive jobs – everyone he has been switched on to. For me, that is excellent because these are the type of players I want in the team.”

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A move to Birmingham feels like the perfect outcome for the League One side, Rangers and Dowell himself, and it will hopefully be sorted by the time next season gets underway.

While he hasn’t got everything right since taking the job at Arsenal, it would be fair to say Mikel Arteta has signed some incredible players.

The likes of David Raya, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber have all played their part in taking the club forward, but when it comes to the Spaniard’s best signing, one name stands out above all others: Declan Rice.

There was plenty of pressure on the former West Ham United captain’s shoulders when he moved to the Emirates for a club-record £105m in 2023, but since then, he’s more than proven his worth, as exemplified by his two Man of the Match Awards against Real Madrid in the Champions League this month.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports suggesting the manager could be about to make his best signing since the Englishman.

Arsenal transfer news

Regardless of what happens in Europe, this summer looks set to be a massive one for Arsenal, and as such, the club have been linked with a whole host of extraordinary players, such as Nico Williams.

According to reports from late last week, the Gunners have maintained their intense interest in the Spanish international and would be willing to activate his £50m release clause, which could be a fair price considering he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 42 games this term.

Another talented winger from Spain who has reportedly caught the North Londoners’ attention in recent weeks is Real Betis youngster Jesús Rodríguez, who has a release clause of around £42m in his current deal.

However, while there is plenty of excitement around the 19-year-old, he is far rawer than the Athletic Bilbao star, and with just four goal involvements in 25 senior appearances this season, he might be too big of a gamble, which some might have said about Benjamin Šeško a couple of years ago.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, it’s now claimed that the RB Leipzig dynamo, who was also a target last summer, is said to hold ‘strong interest’ in joining the Gunners this summer.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that talks have already taken place between the player’s camp and new Sporting Director Andrea Berta as the Gunners look to make a fast start to the upcoming transfer window.

Regarding a potential fee, the story reiterates reports that the Slovenian has a £58m release clause in his current deal, which, given his age and output this season, may prove to be a bargain a few years from now.

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It would still require a significant investment from Arsenal, but Šeško looks like a player worth bringing to the Emirates, and he could even end up being Arteta’s best signing since Rice.

Why Šeško would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, when it really comes down to it, there are two reasons why Šeško would be Arsenal’s best signing since Rice, and the first is his output.

For example, despite it being his first campaign in a top-five league, the Slovenian “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, managed to rack up an impressive tally of 18 goals and two assists in 42 first-team appearances, totalling just 2057 minutes.

That means the Radeče-born phenomenon managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games or every 102.85 minutes, which, again, is undeniably impressive for his first season in the big-time.

Appearances

42

41

Starts

22

37

Miniutes

2057′

3041′

Goals

18

20

Assists

2

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

0.63

Minutes per Goal Involvement

102.85′

116.96′

This season, he’s managed to score 20 goals and provide six assists in just 41 appearances, totalling 3041 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.57 games, or every 116.96 minutes.

Just imagine the level of output at the tip of this Arsenal side, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and a recently rejuvenated Gabriel Martinelli, or even Nico Williams, around him – he’d surely be the 20-goal-a-season striker the team so desperately need.

Now, that alone could be what makes the former RB Salzburg gem the Gunners’ best signing since Rice.

However, what makes him an even more attractive acquisition is that he’s still just 21 years old and 6 foot 5, so not only could he get exponentially better over the next five to six years, but he also should have the physicality to thrive in the Premier League.

Ultimately, while he’s not going to be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Šeško this summer, as he might be just the player they need to reach that next level.

Worth £37m more than Huijsen: Arsenal hit gold on "monster" Emery signing

The sensational international is one of Arsenal’s best players.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 18, 2025

West Ham chiefs have now been told exactly what they need to complete a deal for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez in January, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in the market for another centre-forward as Niclas Füllkrug packs his bags.

The Hammers are stepping up their pursuit of a number nine ahead of the winter transfer window, with Fullkrug set to depart as the injury-ridden German international seeks a new chapter (Fabrizio Romano).

Fullkrug, according to multiple reliable media sources, is exploring options to leave, with talks already happening, after having struggled with injuries and a lack of overall form since his move from Borussia Dortmund last year. His impending departure has intensified the need for attacking reinforcements, with Nuno apparently keen to bolster his forward options following a difficult start to the campaign.

The East London club have “already” begun scouring the market for potential targets (Fabrizio Romano), and West Ham are reportedly keeping an eye on Man United striker Joshua Zirkzee as a potential reinforcement, among others.

West Ham have been linked with Palmeiras striker Vitor Roque and explored a loan move for Real Madrid’s Endrick, before Lyon swooped in to take command in the race for his signature as the Ligue 1 giants press ahead with a deal.

Additionally, Gimenez has emerged as a target for West Ham too.

The Mexico international, who scored for fun in the Eredivisie and even once commanded an £88 million price tag, hasn’t managed to carry on that form at the San Siro since making his eventual £28 million move to Milan earlier this year.

Gimenez has managed just seven goals in 30 total appearances for the Rossoneri, and Milan chiefs may now green-light a mid-season departure for the 24-year-old, who had previously starred under Arne Slot at Feyenoord.

The North American racked up 26 goals in 41 appearances in Slot’s final season at Feyenoord, and finished the previous campaign as their top scorer whilst firing them to the title that year.

Interestingly, Milan are believed to be interested in Fullkrug as a replacement for Gimenez, with the prospect of a swap deal even touted in the press very recently.

West Ham told Santiago Gimenez deal conditions as Fullkrug swap deal mooted

While the possibility of a swap deal or even part-exchange is apparently there, a report by Calciomercato has detailed exactly what David Sullivan needs to do to make a deal happen.

According to their information, West Ham’s hopes of securing Gimenez in January hinge on meeting strict conditions set by the Italian giants.

Milan will only consider selling for a permanent transfer fee of at least £22 million, and crucially, the deal must come from a club that Gimenez himself approves. The Italian outlet emphasizes that without these two conditions being met, any discussions remain purely hypothetical.

The situation presents both an opportunity and a challenge for Nuno’s side. However, that being said, there is reason to believe that Gimenez would be a major upgrade on Fullkrug.

The eight-year age difference between the two strikers means that West Ham would certainly benefit from a swap for the long-term, and unlike Fullkrug, Gimenez enjoyed 20-plus goal seasons in the build up to his Milan move.

Gimenez’s “sensational” form at Feyenoord attracted interest from elite Premier League sides, including Arsenal, and West Ham could now have a chance to help him rediscover his goalscoring touch in England.

Milan’s willingness to sell means a deal is there to be done, so Gimenez could genuinely be one of Nuno’s better options.

Arne Slot has confirmed a key Liverpool player will miss his side's Champions League trip to Inter Milan due to injury. The Reds were left reeling after Mohamed Salah accused the club of "throwing him under the bus" amid his struggles to get back into their starting XI. After it emerged that the 33-year-old won't travel to Italy, a team-mate of his also won't feature.

• Salah out of Inter Milan game

  After Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday, Salah said someone at the club wants him to "get all the blame", that he deserves to start for the Reds after what he has done for them over the years and his relationship with manager Slot has broken down. In response, the Dutchman admitted he had "no clue" whether the Egypt international had played his last game for the Merseyside outfit and that he was not "weak" for entertaining the possibility of re-integrating the 33-year-old back into the fold. Hot on the heels of that, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher called Salah's comments "disgraceful" and accused him of trying to get Slot sacked. This came after the Reds had decided against taking Salah to the San Siro for Tuesday's Champions League encounter with Inter, and to make matters worse, the Premier League title holders will be without more attacking options for this tough fixture.

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  Liverpool injury setback

  On Monday night, Slot told reporters that winger Cody Gakpo will be out for several weeks after picking up an injury against Leeds, and fellow wideman Chiesa is also not going to play due to illness.

  He said: "Federico is ill, that is poor timing you could say but not something you can do about. If he has an amazing recovery, which doctors don't expect, he might travel tomorrow, but that's not what I expect. Cody picked up an injury against Leeds and he will be out for a few weeks."

  Between Gakpo and Chiesa, they have scored six goals in the Premier League this season, in addition to four assists. The Dutchman has more goal contributions (seven) than any other Reds player in the league this term, so he could be a big loss for them in the coming weeks.

  Incidentally, on the Inter test, goalkeeper Alisson added, "We have a big challenge tomorrow. Inter Milan is doing so well this season, so my focus, the focus of the team, is on the challenge we're going to face tomorrow."

• Slot praises Liverpool star

  There was a great deal of excitement when Chiesa swapped Juventus for Liverpool for around £10 million in the summer of 2024. However, injuries and a failure to break into the first team limited him to just 14 appearances in all competitions. This term, however, he has already played 15 times and provided five goal contributions. And that has not gone unnoticed by Slot.

  When asked about the winger's chances of making Italy's World Cup squad, he said: "It's not up to me to decide who should be selected for the national team. I'm very pleased to see that Federico is in a much better place this season than last season, when he struggled a lot with his fitness. This season, he has been much fitter and, as a result, has had more playing time than last season. When he's played, he's had some very good moments, so it is up to the Italian manager if he wants to select him. I like him as a player and person."

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  What comes next for Liverpool?

  A Chiesa-less Liverpool face a tough test in Italy against Inter on Tuesday night, before they return to Premier League action on Saturday at home to Brighton. The Reds, who are ninth in the table, will hope they can emerge victorious in both these encounters this week.

  On the Inter game, Slot said: "I see more similarities than differences. Same system, all the same players in what I expect as a starting line-up. Probably he did a few things but the way they press higher up the pitch, I see more similarities between Simone Inzaghi and Christian Chivu."

Blowout on Hundred opening night leaves new owners under no illusions about men’s team

Matt Roller05-Aug-2025It was the night that the Hundred’s new private investors marked their ground. London Spirit’s new co-owners, a consortium of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs dubbed the “Tech Titans”, strolled across the outfield at Lord’s, posing for pictures with their families next to the pitch on which their new team had just been bowled out for 80.The titans – officially known as Cricket Investor Holdings Limited – valued Spirit at an eye-watering £295 million in a virtual bidding war in late January, a sum which blew the Hundred’s other seven teams out of the water. But the past 48 hours have shown why: they have unlocked the keys to Lord’s, dining in the Pavilion on Monday night before lining a corporate hospitality suite in the Edrich Stand on Tuesday.It is the start of a brave new world for English cricket: after months of negotiations, the ink is now dry on the paperwork for six deals out of eight, with the final two on track to follow. The first payments in a £500 million windfall have landed in counties’ bank accounts, and everyone is trying to work out exactly what happens next.Related

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Akash Ambani was also at Lord’s, with Reliance Jio – where he is chairman – in the final stages of thrashing out the paperwork for their joint-venture agreement with Surrey for Oval Invincibles, with the aim to complete after the Hundred. He spent Saturday in a box at The Oval, watching India build a healthy lead over England in the fifth Test with Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard for company.On Tuesday night, he would doubtless have enjoyed the efforts of Rashid Khan, who said his established connection with Mumbai Indians’ offshoots was “a big part” in his off-season move to Invincibles. “It’s nice that they’re getting in,” Rashid said. “I spoke to [Ambani] last night, and he said, ‘I’m coming to the game.’ Maybe tomorrow, next day, I’m going to meet him.”The Hundred’s opening night had all the ingredients: a crowd of 26,013 on a perfect summer evening; a London derby shown live on the BBC; some genuine star power from Rashid, David Warner and Kane Williamson. But the recipe failed. The biggest cheer of the night was for a stray fox that ran a full lap of the boundary, before being scared off by Ashton Turner.Akash Ambani watches the fifth Test at The Oval•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesThe men’s match was a poor spectacle on a slow surface: the first six of the night did not arrive until the final ball, with any sense of jeopardy long gone, and the top individual score was Will Jacks’ 24. After the drama of England and India’s epic men’s Test series over the last six weeks, it was hard to shake the sense of a collective comedown.It cannot have been what the tech titans had in mind when they outbid the RPSG Group in late January in a virtual auction. But they have fully bought in: their deal was finalised late last month and they have held extensive talks with the MCC over their vision for the franchise’s future. They will assume operational control on October 1, and plan to hit the ground running.Even the hardiest investors must have felt some sense of buyer’s remorse while watching Spirit’s men bat, as a team comprising 11 players aged 30 or above managed nine boundaries between them in 94 balls. “It wasn’t a shocking pitch – not at all. But we probably didn’t adapt to the pitch quick enough,” said Liam Dawson, never prone to overstatement.There were few signs of what was to come in the women’s game, albeit with the boundaries pulled in significantly. The teams scored 335 runs between them including 15 sixes – 11 off the bats of Australians Grace Harris and Meg Lanning – with more than 15,000 fans arriving by the mid-point of the run chase in Spirit’s successful defence of 176.Spirit are defending champions in the women’s Hundred but their men have been consistently poor, winning just three of their last 18 games. They have again revamped their squad this year, with Williamson and Justin Langer replacing Dan Lawrence and Trevor Bayliss as captain and coach, but this was a desperate start.Yet the first impression of the Hundred’s fifth season was that it will be all about the sixth – just as the fourth was all about the fifth. Last year, the tournament was framed as a “shop window” to attract prospective investors; now, it is a “transition” season as new investors work out what they already like, and how much they will need to change when they take charge.