Better than Huijsen: Chelsea set to open talks to sign "immense" £42m star

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca looks set for a busy summer indeed. He may be close to leading the Blues to their first trophy since 2021, but the Italian is already thinking ahead to next season.

There has been no shortage of big-name players being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.

Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo is one trending target, with reports coming from Spain that the club would love to sign the Brazilian.

Hugo Ekitiké has emerged as another potential option to bolster Maresca’s frontline this summer. Journalist Simon Phillips claimed that Chelsea had been scouting the Frenchman ahead of the summer transfer window following his excellent campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt.

While the need for attacking players is obviously key for Maresca, especially if the club secures Champions League qualification for 2025/26, bringing in another centre-back or two is equally important.

Across all competitions this season, the club have conceded 57 goals, including 43 in the Premier League.

The battle for a top five spot

Team

Games

Wins

Draws

Defeats

points

2. Arsenal

37

19

14

4

71

3. Newcastle

37

20

6

11

66

4. Chelsea

37

19

9

9

66

5. Aston Villa

37

19

9

9

66

6. Man City

36

19

8

9

65

7. Nottingham Forest

37

19

8

10

65

They will face tougher competition in Europe certainly, heightening the need for a defender capable of stepping up to the plate.

It looked as though they were frontrunners to sign Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, but that plan was scuppered recently…

Chelsea have missed out on Dean Huijsen

Following an excellent season for the Cherries, Huijsen certainly attracted attention from elsewhere, and it appeared as though he would be leaving the south coast sooner rather than later.

According to the Mail, Chelsea were targeting a swoop for the Spanish defender, with the report claiming fellow admirers Liverpool, believed that the Blues were leading the chase.

Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen.

Recent developments, however, now mean that the youngster won’t be making the move to London this summer.

Real Madrid activated the £50m release clause in his contract in order to secure his services at the end of the season.

This is a big blow for Maresca, as capturing Huijsen, especially with clubs such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Liverpool showing interest, would have signalled a statement of intent.

Now, the Italian will have to turn to other defensive targets ahead of the transfer window opening on June 1. By that time, the Blues will know which European competition they will be playing in next season.

Could this allow the club to sign more high-profile players?

Chelsea keen to open talks with teenage defender

Maresa could turn to Premier League defenders Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite as potential alternatives this summer, according to Sky Sports.

It is likely both Crystal Palace and Everton will attempt to put Chelsea off by placing huge price tags on their prized assets. If so, the Blues could well turn to the continent for another centre-back.

Ajax Amsterdam's JorrelHatocelebrates after the match

According to TEAMtalk, with Huijsen now unavailable, Chelsea are reportedly keen on opening talks with Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

The 19-year-old is a sought-after player, with the likes of AC Milan, Liverpool and Arsenal all showing interest in prising him away from the Netherlands.

Ajax have set an asking price in the region of €45m-€50m (£38m-£42m), meaning if the Blues were to sign him, he would be cheaper than Huijsen.

The report claims that talks are set to begin soon between the Premier League side and Hato. If so, Maresca will be looking to get this deal over the line as quickly as possible.

Why Chelsea must sign Jorrel Hato

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig is used to waxing lyrical about young talent, but his praise for Hato back in 2023 proves just how highly-rated he really was.

“17 years of age. De Toekomst’s Finest. One of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe.” Said Kulig and the youngster has gone from strength to strength since.

Players Chelsea have signed from Ajax

Player

Year joined

Hakim Ziyech

2020

Daishwan Redan

2017

Juan Familia-Castillo

2016

Per Weihrauch

2006

Moubarak Boussoufa

2002

Jesper Gronkjaer

2001

Mario Melchiot

1999

Via Transfermarkt

Despite only turning 19 in March, the Ajax sensation has already racked up 111 competitive appearances for the club, registering 13 goal contributions in that time.

Although the club collapsed over the final few games, allowing PSV Eindhoven to steal the Eredivisie title away from them, Hato enjoyed a wonderful campaign.

His 90% pass accuracy in the top flight was third-best in the squad, behind only Youri Baas and Josip Sutalo, while he ranked first for tackles (1.9), fifth for interceptions (0.7) and third for clearances (2) per game for Ajax.

He also won 4.1 total duels per game – a success rate of 52% – while recovering 4.2 balls per game in the Eredivisie this term.

These performances led Kulig to hail him for his “immense quality” and for having an “excellent season” for the Dutch club.

Huijsen may be on his way to Madrid, but is there a case for Hato to perhaps turn out to be the better long-term prospect for Chelsea?

Why Jorrel Hato can be a better signing than Dean Huijsen

While Huijsen is a superb centre-back, Hato offers positional flexibility which could see him thrive under Maresca.

Not only is he an excellent ball-playing centre-back, but Hato is also just as comfortable at full-back, particularly on the left side of the defence.

Domestically this season, the Dutch youngster has registered eight goal contributions for Ajax, along with recording 0.45 goal-creating actions, winning 36 tackles, making 33 carries into the final third and taking 413 touches in the final third.

Compare these statistics to Huijsen, however, and it is clear who could fit into Maresca’s style better.

The Spaniard has recorded four goal contributions for the Cherries this term, while he also recorded 0.12 goal-creating actions, wins 26 tackles, made 29 carries into the final third and has taken only 137 touches in the opposition’s final third in the top flight.

Hato’s ball-playing ability in advancing out of his own half could give Chelsea a new dimension next season.

Jorell Hato for Ajax.

Huijsen may have been flavour of the month for a while, but for a cheaper transfer fee, Maresca could sign a defender who has the potential to be even better.

Tosin upgrade: Chelsea eyeing £25m Huijsen alternative as priority target

Chelsea are eyeing up a Dean Huijsen alternative who could be even better than Tosin Adarabioyo.

By
Dan Emery

May 18, 2025

Inter fed up with 'phantom' transfer offers 'that never arrive' with decisive Hakan Calhanoglu talks scheduled amid Fenerbahce interest

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Frustration is mounting at Inter as Hakan Calhanoglu's future remains unresolved amid persistent transfer rumours and a lack of official bids.

No concrete bids received for Calhanoglu despite speculationInter schedule decisive talks to clarify midfielder’s futureClub open to offers but player likely to resume trainingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Serie A side are preparing for decisive talks with the midfielder, as Turkish Lig interest fails to materialise in concrete form, as reported by. Despite weeks of rumours linking the Turkish international with a move to Fenerbahce and earlier interest from Galatasaray, no official offers have reached the club. CEO Beppe Marotta made it clear that several “phantom” approaches never materialised, and without formal bids, there can be no negotiation. Inter have now scheduled decisive talks with Calhanoglu to clarify the situation, with the midfielder expected to return to Milan for discussions on his future.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A month of uncertainty has exacerbated existing tensions within Inter, following failed transfer discussions and reported dressing room rifts. Lautaro Martinez, the club captain, indirectly addressed disruptive transfer rumours after Inter’s Club World Cup exit. Marotta has underlined the desire for clarity, while the club remain open to substantial offers for Calhanoglu, who is seen as a high-value asset with two years left on his contract. Fenerbahce’s interest has not advanced beyond informal contacts, and Galatasaray have withdrawn after failing to meet Inter’s valuation.

WHAT BEPPE MAROTTA SAID

With talks set to take place to decide his future, Marotta was asked about the transfer speculation. He told reporters: "I wouldn't want something to become a coincidence when it isn't. We're faced with phantom requests that never reach us, and without them, there can't even be any consideration."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR INTER & CALHANOGLU?

Inter will hold face-to-face meetings with Calhanoglu and his representatives this week, intending to resolve uncertainty before pre-season training resumes. If no formal proposal arises from Fenerbahce or any other club, Calhanoglu will re-integrate with the squad and prepare for the new season. Inter are reportedly willing to consider bids of at least €25 million but maintain their stance of not forcing a departure. The upcoming discussions will be crucial in shaping both the club’s strategy and Calhanoglu’s immediate future.

England under the hammer

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

A new film about the No. 1 Test side of the early 2010s looks at what pressure does to a team

Matt Roller22-Jul-2019Judged solely as a documentary about England’s Test team between 2009 and 2013, is surprisingly light on detail. The journey undertaken by Andy Flower and his side is depicted like a fairground high striker, with a firm whack preceding an immediate rise to the top and a dramatic fall.Of course things were never that easy. The off-field tension of the spot-fix series against Pakistan is conspicuous by its absence, as is the whitewash in the UAE; there is no hard-fought draw in South Africa, no clinging on in Auckland; and Flower’s final frontier, the 2-1 win in India, gets less screen time than Kevin Pietersen’s drunken dancing in the SCG changing rooms.But to care about any of that is to miss what this documentary hopes to reveal. It is a film about pressure, and the immense mental toll that constant touring has on a group that lack the means to process the expectations placed upon them. It is a film about preparation, and the difference between rigour and overload. Flower’s masterplan is held up as a triumph, but recollections of Jonathan Trott’s net sessions ducking 95mph bouncers over and over again strike a cold note.First and foremost it is a film about people: the confident but complicated, victorious but vulnerable players who populated England’s dressing room over a five-year period. And it is a film that eschews the binary judgements we tend to rush into forming about cricketers.You know what Matt Prior was all about, don’t you? A good batsman, decent wicketkeeper, but not the sort who needs reminding to affix his own oxygen mask before helping others, goes popular opinion. But sorting people into categories rarely enhances our understanding of their character. “Life as a professional sportsman doesn’t necessarily lend itself to you being a good person,” admits Prior, “because it’s about winning.”I had a three-inch tear in my Achilles tendon that no one knew about. I played with that for about five months. A place I wouldn’t want to go back [to being in] is sat at Lord’s in the dressing room, by myself, in tears, knowing that I was going to have to make a decision to not play cricket for England. It… just… was awful. And lonely.”How about Steven Finn? A classic story of unfulfilled talent, who messed about too much with his action and lacked the necessary mental resilience to play international cricket – right?”I just got in a really bad place,” he recalls. “I’d always been resistant, really, to sports psychologists, or people to talk to about that stuff, because I felt as though I would learn more from dealing with those problems by myself.”The doctor would ask me: ‘How’s the bowling going?’ [I’d] just burst into tears. I was trying so hard to get it right, and not to let myself down, I suppose.”Definitive verdicts about personalities miss the blurring of lines between black and white.Most haunting of all is the starring role of Trott, who is choked up and tearful when trying to pinpoint what it was he would miss about top-level cricket.”Going out to bat I felt my movements were restricted,” he remembers, describing his torment at the Gabba in 2013. “I was very rigid. I was tense. It was really frightening.”Concentration is the absence of irrelevant thought. When I was really struggling internally, then things started getting in. You’re just in tears on the field. I almost think I blacked out as I was walking off, just from the banging that was going on in my head.”There is something surreal, and perhaps overblown, about the shots of Trott marking his guard in a wheat field in Suffolk, and of him dropping through a water tank fully padded up, but the emotion in his voice is not lost in the image, and it is complemented by a stirring soundtrack, courtesy the Maccabees’ Felix White.Musically, the film’s greatest triumph is the drumming that accompanies Kevin Pietersen’s 149 at Headingley in 2012. Each shot is displayed as a release of his frustrations with his schedule, with his team-mates, and with Flower; an opportunity to breathe against the stifling demands placed on him.Pietersen comes out well here, though we are left none the wiser about the truth behind the whole saga of his fall from grace; given the confines of a 90-minute film, perhaps we were never likely to. One senses that Sky’s documentary series this summer will be the time for revelations on that front.The film starts off light-hearted, with the dry humour of James Anderson, Andrew Strauss and Tim Bresnan shining through. Despite the physical and psychological challenge of the boot camp in Bavaria before the 2010-11 Ashes, the cracks only truly become apparent after England beat India at home to go No. 1.Strauss recalls: “Holding that mace, to say we’re No. 1 in the world – it was a bit of an anti-climax.””It was like – f***, now what?” says a typically deadpan Bresnan.Things fall to pieces as Flower demands more and more, desperate to sustain the side’s success, and therein lies the impossibility of Test cricket: with no single tournament to win, just a never-ending string of bilateral series, there is no euphoric moment, as with a World Cup victory.The only way is down. And by the time Shane Watson is grinning, Peter Siddle is screaming, and Michael Clarke is preparing them for a “broken f****** arm”, don’t England know it.The Edge
Noah Media Group, and Heavy Soul Films
Released July 22

Freddie McCann falls just short of second century of England U19 summer

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

1st Youth Test with Sri Lanka headed for rain-affected draw at Wormsley

ECB Reporters Network10-Jul-2024Young Lions opener Freddie McCann fell just short of a second century of the summer against Sri Lanka U19s in the rain-affected first Men’s Youth Test at Wormsley.McCann was stumped on 92 after sharing a 160-run second-wicket partnership with Keshana Fonseka that ensured a strong response with the bat after Sri Lanka were all out for 324.Sri Lanka U19s captain Dinuru Kalupahana had earlier reached his maiden international century with Surrey Academy quick Alex French the pick of the England U19s bowlers with 81 for four.The hosts lost three late wickets, with captain Hamza Shaikh and Noah Thain quickly following McCann back to the pavilion, but Fonseka stood firm as they closed on 193 for four and with a bit of work to do with one day remaining.McCann hit a record-breaking 174, from just 139 balls, to help secure victory in the second Youth ODI at Hove last week and again dominated the tourists bowling scoring a near run-a-ball half-century.England had lost Jaydn Denly early, pulling Nathan Caldera straight at Praveen Maneesha, but McCann and Fonseka then took centre stage as they scored at better than four runs an over.McCann, who signed his first professional deal at Nottinghamshire last November, appeared set for three figures but was undone when a Vihas Thewmika delivery kept low as he advanced down the wicket.Shaikh followed soon after when he picked out Sheshan Marasinghe off Thewmika before Thain played back to a Maneesha ball that also kept slightly low and skidded into his stumps.Fonseka remained unbeaten on 72, alongside new man and Lancashire team-mate Rocky Flintoff, to leave England U19s 131 runs behind at the close.Sri Lanka captain Kalupahana was the star of the first half of the day to post his milestone century. The 19-year-old looked comfortable in the conditions, typified by the stroke that brought up his century as he eased French backward of point and to the rope.Kalupahana celebrated the milestone by racing towards his team-mates and leaping into the air.The skipper had shared a 99-run stand with Diniru Abeywickramasingha, who became the first of five batsmen caught in the ring during the day when he mis-timed a drive to Flintoff in front of point.Leicestershire’s Alex Green then claimed the prize wicket of Kalupahana with the first ball of his new spell – the second time he has done that in the game – trapped lbw on the crease.Thain enticed Thewmika to drive to Flintoff at wide mid-on after a 45-run eighth-wicket stand with Caldera, who was last man out when he too mis-hit a drive that Shaikh held to hand French his fourth wicket.

A bigger mistake than Diaz: Liverpool now in talks to sell £50m star

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It’s all hands on deck for Liverpool in the summer transfer market, having conducted plenty of business in the early stages of the off-season.

Technically, the transfer market hasn’t yet opened, with the dealings of recent weeks made permissible by the exceptional short-term opening due to the incipient Club World Cup.

And FSG have made fine use of it, banking around £10m for the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was one month away from free agency but left early due to Real Madrid wanting him to play in the United States this month.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong has been signed, his £29.5m release clause activated, while Florian Wirtz is on the brink of joining for a British-record fee, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is at the heart of advancing talks for a summer switch too.

With a new striker on Liverpool’s radar too, it’s all going on down Anfield Road. However, a few more exits are in the works too, with there being a sense that Luis Diaz could wind up at a new club before the end of summer.

Why Liverpool could sell Luis Diaz

Barcelona and Al-Hilal over in the Saudi Pro League have both been linked with moves for Diaz this summer, and The Athletic have reported that the former have even seen an approach rejected.

Liverpool forward Luis Diaz

Diaz is only two years away from the end of his £55k-per-week contract, and FSG would be willing to run the deal down instead of accepting a lowball offer and losing one of Arne Slot’s most important forwards while in the shining prime of his career.

The rumour has it that the Reds would accept bids falling within the £60-70m ballpark, though it remains to be seen whether suitors will pay up.

And if they do, Liverpool would need to find a successor. Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon has been on Anfield’s radar for a number of years, and would be in the thick of the chatter should things start to gather pace on this front.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz

Would Gordon truly represent an upgrade on the South American star? With a reported £80m price tag, would Liverpool be getting bang for their buck? It may well be that cashing in would be a mistake, but not as big a blunder as if FSG allowed another of Liverpool’s linked-away stars to leave.

Another Liverpool star wanted abroad

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Bayer Leverkusen have made contact with Liverpool to discuss the transfer of centre-back Jarell Quansah, understood to be on a separate line to that of Wirtz.

Newcastle have also expressed an interest in the defender this year.

Quansah’s future has been up for debate across recent months, with reporter David Lynch claiming he was a “genuine candidate for departure” back in May, after a frustrating year.

Valued at £50m, Liverpool would bank a healthy sum for their homegrown talent, but in spite of his struggles, it might be a grave mistake to let him venture off for a new challenge.

Why Liverpool mustn't sell Jarell Quansah

Quansash thrived when stepping up for Jurgen Klopp during the 2023/24 season, playing a crucial part for his team following Joel Matip’s career-ending injury.

However, he’s found life under Slot tough, withdrawn at half-time on the Dutch coach’s debut against Ipswich Town last August, his boss revealing post-match that he made the switch due to frustrations over Liverpool’s lack of success in the duel.

Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah

Still, the 22-year-old, who featured 25 times across all competitions last year, played a bigger part over the latter half of the campaign after struggling for purchase across the opening months.

Indeed, Quansah will be frustrated with his season, but there was still enough quality that shone through, suggesting Liverpool may yet see the “absolute monster” who was so indomitable in his emergence the year before, as was said by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Quansah might have trudged his way through a difficult 2024/25 campaign, but we wanted to draw your attention to his stunning breakout campaign under Klopp’s wing.

When collating the English talent’s data from 2023/24 against that of Dean Huijsen, who Liverpool had such a vested interest in before his transfer to Real Madrid, you begin to see why selling him would be such a big mistake.

Goals + assists

0.15

0.19

Touches

97.11

74.94

Pass completion

88.6%

83.4%

Passes attempted

88.64

60.26

Progressive passes

5.07

4.89

Progressive carries

0.98

1.52

Shot-creating actions

0.98

1.59

Ball recoveries

5.45

3.89

Tackles + interceptions

3.18

3.23

Clearances

2.95

7.34

Blocks

1.21

1.48

Aeriel duels won

3.40

2.52

As you can see, Huijsen might be rather good but Quansah has already proven himself capable of matching his qualities across the ball-playing department.

Furthermore, Real Madrid’s new recruit won 56% of his contested duels across his breakout Premier League season, whereas Quansah came out on top 67% of the time, illustrating his above-average usage of his physicality, of his defensive ability (metrics supplied via Sofascore).

Jarell Quansah for Liverpool

And though we haven’t seen the same Quansah since Slot took the helm, there’s no question a high-level player remains in there, latent, waiting.

Losing Diaz would be a big blow, but given that he’s 28 and could command a huge figure, Liverpool would endure, not least because his contract is winding down.

However, Quansah is a homegrown talent, as Trent was, and he proved his ability to throw down with a sought-after star like Huijsen in the opening stage of his top-flight career.

Sure, several months ago, one data analyst said: “He never plays, and when he has this season, he’s not been good.”

That might be partially true, but we’ve got to remember it was only two years ago that Quansah had wrapped up a loan spell at Bristol Rovers in League One.

He’s an immense talent, and Liverpool might just come to regret parting with one of their own when in the fledgling phase of his promising career.

Just imagine him & Wirtz: Liverpool eyeing "the best striker in the world"

Liverpool have agreed a deal for Florian Wirtz and will now turn toward the front of the ship.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 11, 2025

More exciting than Williams: Arsenal targeting "unbelievable" £100m star

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Arsenal need a striker this summer but with Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko in Andrea Berta’s crosshairs, he’s also directing attention towards signing a new winger.

Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has been a name regularly linked with an Emirates Stadium switch this summer but whether that move happens remains to be seen.

One deal that is certainly unlikely to happen this summer is Nico Williams, with the Spaniard now reportedly closing in on his dream Barcelona move.

Why Arsenal will need a Nico Williams alternative

After a sublime campaign at Euro 2024 last summer, Williams has been the talk of the town with his club, Athletic Bilbao, even heralding him as “one of the best wingers in the world”.

That is certainly the case and it explains why Arsenal have found negotiating a deal difficult.

Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal

Last winter, it was reported that Arteta was dreaming of signing the Spain international but at no point has a deal ever looked close.

Indeed, despite fresh interest this summer, it looks though the attacker is heading to Barcelona.

The latest was provided by the Athletic’s David Ornstein on Tuesday morning who claims that both the Gunners and Chelsea have ‘cooled’ their interest in the 22-year-old as ‘Barcelona step up pursuit & Bayern Munich consider move.’

Barca want to do a deal and have already made a contract offer to the young winger.

Transfer Focus

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

So, with that move off the table, where will Arsenal’s attention turn next? Perhaps Anthony Gordon?

According to a report from the Athletic, Arteta and Co have had three names in particular on their shortlist to improve their ranks in the wide positions.

Williams was one of them, Rodrygo is the other and the final name is Newcastle United’s Gordon.

Arsenal are known to be long-term fans of the England international, with this report noting that he is ‘of interest’ to the north Londoners and that they are keen ‘admirers’ of his qualities.

Why Gordon could be even better than Nico Williams

You don’t attract the interest of Barca without being a mighty fine player and in Williams, you have Spain’s next hope alongside Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank.

Williams certainly isn’t as exciting as Yamal but he’s still one of the most promising young forwards on the European scene.

However, his numbers haven’t actually been too impressive in recent seasons. During 2023/24, the Bilbao star scored just eight times in all competitions. Impressively, he did register as many as 18 assists.

This season, he scored 11 goals while registering seven assists in 45 games with only five of those goals coming in LaLiga action.

In comparison, Gordon’s numbers aren’t otherworldly but they are on par and he’s already been producing it in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old scored nine times and posted seven assists in 42 outings during 2024/25, which wasn’t quite as impressive as his return the campaign prior. In what was the best season of his career, the former Everton man scored 12 and assisted 16 goals.

So, over the last two years, there isn’t a huge amount to separate them, but what do the other numbers say?

Goals

0.29

0.21

Assists

0.21

0.34

Shots

2.31

2.33

Key passes

1.82

1.84

Progressive passes

3.36

2.85

Successful take-ons

1.55

3.26

Progressive carries

4.38

5.52

Well, again there isn’t much to separate them. Williams is more carry-heavy, but if Arsenal are looking for goals, and they are, the “unbelievable” Gordon – in the words of teammate Bruno Guimaraes – is the better option.

Over the last few seasons, Arsenal have simply been too reliant on Bukayo Saka on the right flank to come up with the goods. In 2023/24, he was the club’s top scorer with 20 goals and this season, he was right up there again despite missing half of the campaign with a hamstring injury.

He ended the campaign on 12 goals, just three behind leading marksman Kai Havertz. As for Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, they suffered from long periods of inconsistency throughout the campaign.

The latter scored ten in 56, once every 5.6 games, while the former scored ten in 51, once every 5.1 outings. As for Gordon, he scored once every four matches two seasons ago and once every 4.6 appearances in 2024/25.

So, with Arteta clearly on the lookout for goals, Gordon could just be the man they need this summer. It’s just a pity he boasts an asking price of around £100m. That certainly makes it less likely to happen.

Not just Sesko: Arsenal in talks to sign £84m star who's like Nico Williams

Arsenal are looking to sign new forwards in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 8, 2025

King channels Warne as Rockets blast off at Headingley

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Trent Rockets began their Hundred campaign in fine style, defeating Northern Superchargers by 20 runs at Headingley thanks to a superb performance from their spin arsenal.Chasing 124 on a dry surface, last year’s runners-up could only manage 103 all out in 97 balls, Australian legspinner Alana King starring with 2 for 17 including a beauty that Shane Warne would have been proud of to clean bowl Bess Heath.Lucy Higham top scored with 26 for the Superchargers, as King – in combination with fellow spinners Kirstie Gordon and Ash Gardner – turned the screw, Aussie seamer Heather Graham also impressing with 3 for 13.

Earlier, Grace Scrivens was fast out of the blocks for the Rockets, showing her class with six boundaries in her 32 from 22 balls before picking out Linsey Smith to give Annabel Sutherland the breakthrough.Bryony Smith made 23 from 21 before becoming Sutherland’s second victim and Smith dismissed Gardner and Graham with consecutive deliveries to reduce the Rockets to 87 for 4.Nat Sciver-Brunt made an unbeaten 36 from 34 in a fine all-round display, later picking up two wickets, but was kept in check by an impressive performance in the field from the Superchargers, with Sutherland trapping Katie George lbw to finish with 3 for 14 and restrict the visitors to 123 for 5.They came up short with the bat, though, as the Rockets registered a commanding win.”It was nice to have a bit of turn and grip in the wicket,” King said. “We saw that the wicket did a lot in the first innings so we just had to keep our processes really simple. I love to have a pitch with a little bit of turn and I was happy to play my part.”It felt really nice out of the hand,” she said of the delivery which bowled Heath. “It’s a leg-spinner’s dream, so I’ll take that first pill. I’ve loved having Ash [Gardner] and HG [Graham] join the Rockets this year. We played three Aussies today and we loved getting the win.”

Joe Root: Harry Brook's 317 is just the first of his 'monster' scores

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Batter backs team-mate to challenge his England record runs total by end of career

Matt Roller10-Oct-2024Joe Root believes that Harry Brook’s triple-century in Multan is the first of many “monster scores” in his Test career – and hopes that Brook will one day surpass him to become England’s all-time leading run-scorer.Root and Brook spent 86.3 overs batting together in a partnership worth 454, breaking the world record for the fourth wicket and England’s record for any wicket. Their stand set up England’s declaration with a lead of 267, enabling them to push towards an innings victory despite conceding 556 in their first innings on a lifeless pitch.Having surpassed Alastair Cook to become England’s highest run-scorer in Test history when he reached 71 on the third day, Root went on to reach a career-best score of 262. And while he has the opportunity to put the record out of reach in the coming years, Root believes that Brook’s “complete game” could eventually enable him to catch up.”I hope so,” Root said. “You want to create an environment and a team where things are always improving and always getting better. You want the guys that come in to play with that belief that they can go and do really special things… If guys in the future are breaking records then England are in a good place and they’re scoring a lot of runs, so hopefully that is the case.”I love playing with Brooky. I’ve batted a lot together with him at Yorkshire and seeing him come into this team and fit so seamlessly into Test cricket has been awesome. To get the opportunity to stand there at the other end and watch him go and smack 300 is pretty surreal, really, and to be able to get a big chunk of this score and that partnership myself is pretty cool too.Related

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“He’s got such a complete game. He can score all around the wicket, he plays seam well, spin well and high pace well, and that’s a pretty good recipe for scoring runs. I’m not surprised at all in him going on and doing something special like that, but I don’t think it’ll be the last time we see him with a monster score by his name.”Brook was 18 years old when he first played alongside Root for Yorkshire, and described him as “mega” to bat with. “It makes you feel so comfortable when you’re watching him at the other end,” Brook said. “He makes the game look so easy when he’s playing the ball so late, and making the bowlers look so slow… We just tried to cash in on what was a good pitch.”Root described Brook’s innings as a “masterclass” which reflected the strides he has made in his young career – not least the fitness drive that enabled him to spend seven hours in the middle. “One of the best things with Harry is he’s such a quick learner,” Root said. “He always has been, really.”His natural game, with how freely he scores and plays, especially in the corridor outside off stump, is exactly what you want from someone in the middle order: to be able to apply pressure to bowlers’ best balls… He wasn’t really taking many risks and then he just puts the foot down and can hit 360 [degrees] and make it very difficult for both seamers and spinners to tie him down.”Brook joked after his innings that there was a time, not so long ago, that he might have “made 150 and had a slog”, instead of pushing on towards one of the highest scores in England’s history. But, after missing the tour of India and the subsequent IPL following the death of his grandmother earlier this year, Brook used the downtime to work on his stamina in training, and Root acknowledged that the benefits were plain to see.Highest individual men’s Test scores for England•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“He’s gone away and worked extremely hard on his fitness,” he said. “That’s why you put the training in: not just from a physical point of view, being able to stand up to it, but mentally. When you do that training that you don’t really want to do and you put yourself in a dark place in practice, then when you get there in the game, it becomes that much easier because you’ve done it before.”Brook has now scored more Test runs in six innings in Pakistan than in 21 innings at home, with three hundreds on England’s most recent tour here in 2022. He simply ascribed it to “chance” but his feats have not gone unnoticed among his team-mates: “I’m very glad that he was born in England and not in Pakistan because his record here is just a joke,” Root said.Root has played down the significance of his own status as England’s leading run-scorer, explaining that his ambitions extend beyond that. “When I say that, I don’t mean it in an arrogant way or anything,” he said. “I’ve just never really been driven by it. I’ve never really been one to have goals, because I just feel like if you miss them, then you’ve failed.”The biggest driver for me is how many games can we go on to win now for the rest of my career. How many games can you affect with the bat and contribute towards? There’s no better feeling than – especially in these conditions when it’s so heavily favoured one way and so flat – to be able to potentially go and win a Test match tomorrow. It’s so exciting.”After that first Pakistan innings, not many people would have given us a shout at going and doing that. I guess the exciting thing, and the thing that keeps bringing you back and makes you want to turn up to training and enjoy trying to find ways of getting better, is opportunities like tomorrow. I can’t wait to turn up again and hopefully do something really special as a group.”

Suryakumar Yadav – from distracted hothead to calm run machine

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

At 30, he is poised to become India’s latest T20I debutant, and the call-up will be every bit deserved

Shashank Kishore10-Mar-2021The Indian team management seldom refers to selection calls on social media. But in November, after the team was picked for the Australia T20Is and Suryakumar Yadav, widely touted to earn a maiden call-up, missed out, head coach Ravi Shastri tweeted: ‘Surya Namaskar. Stay strong and patient’. An aching Yadav, not for the first time, had to patiently read tons of consolatory messages. Among those, Sachin Tendulkar’s stood out. He is said to have told him: ‘This is your final hurdle. Surrender yourself to the game.’Related

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How Suryakumar Yadav outshone Mumbai Indians' big names

The next day, Yadav squared off for Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai. Virat Kohli tried to unsettle him, constantly chirping to his in-fielders about Yadav’s apparent discomfort against Yuzvendra Chahal. Yadav remained poker-faced, almost as if he couldn’t hear what was being said. Yadav batted through to make an unbeaten, match-winning 43-ball 79*, and gestured to the dressing room afterwards, as if to say: ‘Keep calm. Why worry when I’m here’, even as a fuming Kohli stormed off. It soon became a meme that spread like wildfire on social media.It’s this calmness that has also defined the second coming of Yadav, who at 30 could become India’s latest T20I debutant. Some teams have no hang ups in picking players at this age. But in India, it’s particularly rare. Among specialist batsmen, you’ll have to go as far back as 1981 to TE Srinivasan for a 30-plus debutant in international cricket. In T20Is, the last such instance was in 2011, when S Badrinath played his first – and only – game in the format. But Yadav’s won’t be an unlikely cap when he gets it. He has been an IPL regular since 2012, has an un-ignorable domestic record: a T20 strike rate of 140 across 150 innings; a List A average of 37.55 and a strike rate of 103 in 87 innings, 5326 first-class runs with 14 centuries and 26 half-centuries.”He’s mentally very tough now, but a few years earlier, I did feel he could have had someone to guide him along the right path,” Chandrakant Pandit, for whose team Yadav turned up as 21-year-old and scored 182 in a club game a day after he was supposedly ruled out for Mumbai with a finger injury in the 2011 Champions League T20, says. Yadav’s career began with this brush of controversy – fit one day, unfit another.Then there were complaints about his “hot headed” avatar when he got involved in an on-field altercation with team-mate Shardul Thakur in 2014. Then there were reports of infighting and indiscipline, and Yadav was stripped of the Mumbai captaincy across formats. It was the lowest ebb to a promising career that appeared to be hitting a dead end.

“He was distracted, demoralised. It was a phase, but you define someone by how they bounce back”Chandrakant Pandit on Yadav’s earlier temperament

But somewhere in 2016, Yadav decided to break the rut, transform his attitude, fitness and batting and mental discipline. That discipline even stopped him from playing certain shots in matches until he knocked off targets set by Pandit. He changed his eating habits, started to develop muscle-strength to hit big, apart from spending hours at the nets. All these changes over the years have contributed in an India call-up. His selection isn’t a punt, but a reward for churning big runs consistently season after season, both in the IPL and for Mumbai. A bit like what Mayank Agarwal did four seasons ago in the Ranji Trophy – breaking the door down and barging his way in.”He was distracted, demoralised,” Pandit says of the bad times. “It was a phase, but you define someone by how they bounce back. He acknowledged there were issues and he worked on it. That is the first step. To know there’s a problem. Hats off to him.”Since the transformation, Yadav made his first big push towards the India cap in 2018-19, when he made 392 runs at a strike rate of 168 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he batted only four times in eight games, but no one had a better average or strike rate (minimum 100 runs) than him.His average (113.00) was higher than that of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made three centuries, including a double-ton in six innings. It was higher than that of one of his middle-order competitors Manish Pandey, who kept piling on runs for fun. Yadav’s strike rate (154.79) was better than anyone else. It made him genuinely believe he was going to “push the door open”.”Keep calm. Why worry when I’m here?”•BCCIIn the IPL too, Yadav has been a key player for the Mumbai Indians since 2018, now having made 400 plus runs for the last three seasons and counting. However, while his role at Mumbai Indians has been that of an anchor who steadily builds, allowing Pollard, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya to don the finisher’s hat, it’s hard to envisage a similar setting for Yadav in the Indian team – given their potentially power-packed top-three in KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Kohli.Then there’s Shikhar Dhawan, who has had a phenomenal IPL, and Shreyas Iyer, an IPL franchise captain, for competition. Rishabh Pant’s recent exploits in Tests – he wasn’t part of the T20Is in Australia – may have virtually sealed his middle-order spot. So Yadav could well be in a situation where he may not get regular opportunities to build an innings. He could find himself having to go from ball one, with Pant and Pandya to follow. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality for anyone looking to break into India’s middle order. There’s just too much competition.But while some of the other middle-order contenders may still get picked ahead of him, Yadav has the advantage of having gotten used to multiple roles. He opened at Mumbai Indians in 2018 until Sharma made that spot his own, played as a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders for much of his five seasons there, and then adapted to anchor the innings on his return to Mumbai. What works for Yadav is also he’s an excellent player of spin. He hardly ever gets out to them – a variety we could see a lot of at the T20 World Cup – and scores quickly. His numbers since IPL 2018 are only behind David Warner and Kane Williamson, as he averages 54.54 while striking at 130.At IPL 2020, he added another dimension to his batting: that of a finisher. He not just averaged 40.22 but struck them at 155.36. He counterattacked in the powerplay and showed the ability to accelerate in the death overs. He struck at 235 between overs 17 and 20 last season, faster than Pandya and just a shade off Pollard, who has struck at 210.25 at the death. Yadav has all the textbook shots and scores a lot of runs with drives through the offside, but he has also used the lap and ramp shots effectively – ask Jofra Archer who was reverse-ramped for six – scoring nearly half his runs behind the wicket this season. The change in gears is significant in Yadav’s push to be an India regular.History hasn’t been too kind to India’s most-recent 30-plus debutants. Three of them – Faiz Fazal, Naman Ojha and S Aravind played all of one game. Stuart Binny left the scene within two years of his debut. But for Yadav, it’s a take-off point. Potentially a good series against England followed by a productive IPL could strengthen his hold of a middle order berth for the T20 World Cup. And with two more World Cups in the pipeline, he could well become a trendsetter for other 30-something players for whom the fire still burns.

'Is he thinking about leaving the national team?' – Rodrigo De Paul’s move to Inter Miami less than a year before the World Cup sparks criticism within Argentina media

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Argentine midfielder arrives at The Herons at 31 after spending four seasons with Atlético de Madrid.

  • Played 187 matches for the Spanish side
  • Scored 14 goals
  • Joins initially on loan through the end of the year

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  • Getty Images Sport

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Rodrigo De Paul’s arrival at Inter Miami is already making headlines – and not just in MLS circles. The Argentine midfielder, a key piece in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, has joined on loan from Atlético de Madrid, a move that has generated negative reactions in his home country just months before the 2026 World Cup.

    "Does De Paul want to play with less pressure and in a second-tier league just to enjoy himself alongside Messi? Is he not concerned about joining a tournament with little prestige, where winning or losing doesn’t really matter to anyone? Is he thinking about leaving the national team, or does he simply feel he’s completed a cycle under the demanding Diego Simeone and now wants to play with less stress?" wrote Argentine journalist Alejandro Fabbri for

    “De Paul’s departure from Atlético Madrid to play for Inter Miami, in a league considered to be of a lower level, surprised both insiders and outsiders alike, as he joins his friend Lionel Messi,” reads an article in the renowned Argentine outlet

    News of De Paul’s departure didn’t sit well with Atlético de Madrid fans, either. The midfielder played 187 matches for the club over four seasons and was named to La Liga Team of the Year last season. After the club made the move official on social media, many users flooded the post with insults and backlash over his decision. Comments like “Thanks for leaving and never coming back,” and “Just go and don’t return,” were among the more common – and milder – reactions from Aleti supporters.

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  • AFP

    WHAT RODRIGO DE PAUL SAID

    “The excitement that brought me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, to win titles, to help write this club’s history,” said Rodrigo De Paul in an official statement released by the team. “It’s a club that is being built to become great, to create a legacy, and for many people to follow this incredible team,” he added.

  • AFP

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Rodrigo De Paul will become the third 2022 World Cup winner to play in MLS, following in the footsteps of Thiago Almada and, more recently, Lionel Messi. He will be the 18th World Cup champion in history to join MLS.

  • Getty Images Sport

    WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

    The Herons will host FC Cincinnati this Saturday in a match where they’ll be without Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, both suspended after skipping the All-Star Game.

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