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Next season may well be Arsenal’s most important in Mikel Arteta’s tenure.

It’s been over five years since the Spaniard was handed the reins, and while he led them to FA Cup glory in his first six months and turned them into genuine Premier League contenders, he hasn’t won anything since.

Fortunately, the club seem to recognise the seismic importance of the upcoming campaign, as recent days and weeks have seen them linked to a host of talented attacking players.

One of the most exciting stars touted for a move to the Emirates has been Rodrygo, although, if recent reports are to be believed, Arsenal could soon secure the services of someone who would be an even better signing.

Arsenal target goalscoring monster

Arsenal have been linked with a plethora of talented wingers in recent weeks and months, from those close to home, such as Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace, to those further afield, like Rafael Leao at AC Milan.

Transfer Focus

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

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However, the name that has seemingly caught the imagination of fans more than any other for the left-side starting berth has been Rodrygo, who has been consistently touted for a move to the Emirates for well over a month now.

The most recent stories claim he could be available for as little as £68m, which is a substantial amount, but might still be a bargain for a superstar who has won two Champions Leagues in recent years.

However, even though we, and many others, are convinced that the Brazilian would be a good signing for Arteta’s side, there is another international game-changer who’d arguably be an even better one: Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Sporting CP striker.

Moreover, the report has revealed that, as things stand, the striker is desperate to leave the Lisbon outfit and that the Gunners are currently at the front of the waiting pack.

However, it could be a complicated deal to finalise, as the report reaffirms prior revelations that Sporting will not let him leave for €70m – £60m – while other reports have claimed he might only be allowed to leave for around €80m, which is approximately £69m.

It would be a lot to spend on one player, but it feels like it would be worth it, especially as Gyokeres could end up being a better signing than Rodrygo.

Why Gyokeres would be a better signing than Rodrygo

It should go without saying that both players would be incredible additions to Arsenal’s squad this summer, but when it comes down to it, there are two reasons why Gyokeres would be the better signing.

The first is down to what is already available to the Gunners, as at the moment both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli can play off the left, whereas up top, the only recognised strikers in the team are Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

However, the former could miss the rest of the year as he recovers from the ACL injury he picked up in January, while the latter is ultimately still a midfielder who’s shown himself capable of playing up top.

The second reason the Swedish international would be the better signing is even simpler: his output.

For example, while the Brazilian’s tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 53 games this season is practically incomparable to what the sheer weight of goal involvements the Sporting star was able to produce.

Gyokeres vs Rodrygo in 24/25

Players

Gyokeres

Rodrygo

Appearances

52

53

Minutes

4248′

3448′

Goals

54

14

Assists

13

11

Goal Involvements per Match

1.28

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.40′

137.92

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In his 52 appearances, which totalled 4248 minutes, the 27-year-old “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a mammoth 54 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to a ludicrous average of 1.28 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Just imagine the difference that even half of that tally would make for the Gunners next season, it would surely be the difference between glory and another runners-up medal.

Ultimately, then, while Rodrygo would be an excellent signing for Arsenal this summer, Gyokeres would be an even better, potentially game-changing one.

Related A big upgrade on Eze: Arsenal discussing move to sign £80m "nightmare"

The international attacker would be brilliant for Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 1, 2025

Liverpool mean business this summer. The finishing touches are being put on a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, while Fabrizio Romano has since confirmed firm contacts have been made with Bournemouth for left-back Milos Kerkez.

And that’s only the beginning.

Arne Slot did a wonderful thing in sealing the Premier League title this season, not yet 12 months into his appointment as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

Some would coin it an unenviable, insurmountable task, but it’s one the Dutchman has passed with flying colours, his side so dominant and controlled throughout the campaign.

The Premier League is Liverpool’s; no one saw it coming. But while the Reds embraced their underdog tag at the start of the term, there’s little question they will step into the new season with heightened expectations, even though Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving.

Especially because Trent is off. Liverpool need to find a new world-class playmaker, and though both defensive wings are being strengthened, it’s Florian Wirtz who could be the vice-captain’s creative replacement.

Liverpool's interest in Florian Wirtz

Liverpool are one of the most fearsome attacking teams in the game, and have been for a good few years. However, Alexander-Arnold’s departure will be to the detriment of Anfield’s forward fluency.

That’s why it’s so important that FSG put their all into winning the race for Wirtz’s hotly-contested services. The Leverkusen man, 22, has hit 68 goal involvements across the past two seasons, winning an invincible domestic double last year.

Bayern Munich are confident they are the favourites, while Manchester City are also fixed in the battle as they prepare to lose Kevin De Bruyne. Liverpool, however, will pounce the moment they see a chance, though £126m would be quite the outlay.

Florian Wirtz – Leverkusen Stats by Competition (24/25)
Competition	Apps	Goals	Assists
Bundesliga	31	10	13
Champions League	9	6	1
DFB-Pokal	4	0	1
DFL Supercup	1	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

His prolific quality makes him a priority for Liverpool, but he’s not the only one. Indeed, with Darwin Nunez reportedly ready for a new challenge, it’s imperative that sporting director Richard Hughes makes the right decision in signing a replacement at number nine.

Liverpool in talks for new striker

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are tussling with Chelsea for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, although early negotiations between the two parties have been difficult given his outfit’s lofty price tag worth £84m.

Leipzig’s failure to qualify for Europe has set them back considerably, with Sesko and Xavi Simons both expected to be sold.

This is music to FSG’s ears, having been locked in talks for Sesko’s signature and now taking more of the cards as the Bundesliga club are surely forced to lower their brow-raising financial demands.

Imagine Benjamin Sesko at Liverpool

Sesko is only 21 but already, across two campaigns in Germany, he’s established himself as an offensive profile capable of thriving for one of the biggest hitters on the continent.

Across 87 total appearances for Leipzig, the Slovenia international has scored 39 goals, also laying on eight assists.

Liverpool have found joy in raiding the German scene for exciting up-and-comers in recent years, and Sesko could be the perfect man to continue this trend, especially if he arrives in conjunction with Wirtz.

The Germany international’s flair and output would certainly go a long way toward helping Sesko find his feet. As per FBref, Wirtz ranks among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

So active and influential across different areas, Wirtz is exactly what Liverpool need to reorient their creative centre and allow a player like Sesko to hit the ground running.

The Leipzig star has already been described as “one of the best young strikers in the world” by Redmen TV contributor Joe Baker, with his thunderous shot power, steely physicality and deceptive pace making him the prototypical modern striker.

Is it any wonder Liverpool are so desperate to get him on the books? Much of Sesko’s potential may be yet untapped, but as per Sofascore, he’s only missed 18 big chances across his two Bundesliga campaigns, scoring 23 goals, which highlights a natural clinical edge that Slot’s current focal frontman lacks.

Of course, you’d think he’d go from strength to strength on Merseyside too. Liverpool are an immense team with weapons from every angle. Sesko would enter a veritable hothouse for player development, fronted by a coach whose prowess can be found in the Premier League’s Player of the Year nomination for Ryan Gravenberch, the huge upswing in performance from Cody Gakpo.

In previous years, fans would be forgiven for assuming such signings lay beyond Anfield’s reach, but there’s something different about the Reds this summer, with plans being made to bolster heartily, signing any number of exciting new stars.

Sesko would be the frontman, and he’d be charged by a Leverkusen machine whose skills are unmatched. This season alone in the league, he’s created 17 big chances and has averaged 5.2 successful duels per game, bespeaking the creativity and completeness needed to form a framework from which Sesko can prosper.

Wirtz and Sesko are already two of the most exciting stars in their position, and they have yet to even reach their peaks. Slot would surely help them grow to the heights touted, and bring Liverpool plenty more silverware in the process.

Liverpool big admirers of £90m Wirtz alternative who's a Bellingham clone

Liverpool are interested in signing Florian Wirtz this summer.

2

By
Matt Dawson

May 18, 2025

Liverpool are champions of the Premier League once again, and you can tell that a weight has been lifted from the shoulders of all involved.

The celebrations raged on for days, Anfield having played host to the title-clinching occasion last weekend as Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword.

It’s been a long and gruelling season, but the squad have worked tooth and nail toward getting back on their perch, with Arne Slot the mastermind. Curiously, the Dutch coach has allowed a fuzz of facial hair to carpet his face, emphasising the loosening of the focus now that gold medals have been secured.

While Slot is finally prepared to enforce some rotation in the top flight, having been stringent in his team selection across the campaign, there’s no question that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are very much headset on preparing for the summer ahead.

That, for sure, is one area of attention that will have only intensified since the jubilation of last weekend, and while a wave of signings are anticipated, Liverpool are also gearing up to present Luis Diaz with a new contract.

Liverpool looking to extend Luis Diaz's contract

Diaz’s future has been a topic of debate throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and while he lulled for a sizeable patch through the middle of the year, the Colombian has been one of Liverpool’s most influential players.

Having plundered 16 goals and eight assists across 47 matches in all competitions, Diaz is behind only Mohamed Salah in Anfield’s goal contribution charts.

However, the 28-year-old is approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week deal and has been consistently linked with a move away in recent months. Barcelona are among the recognised admirers.

Unless a mammoth bid comes FSG’s way, they’d be shrewd to march ahead with plans to tie the left-sided forward down. He’s been brilliant this year, and he perhaps doesn’t get the respect he deserves for his numbers, which are not all that shoddy.

Most Goals + Assists from LWs (Europe’s Top Five Leagues)
Player	Apps	Goals	Assists
Raphinha	31	15	11
Bradley Barcola	31	13	11
Luis Diaz	33	12	7
Vinicius Junior	27	11	7
Vincenzo Grifo	31	8	10
Stats via Transfermarkt

Is he perfect? No, but Diaz is criminally underrated within certain pockets of Liverpool support, having performed dutifully and dynamically under Slot’s wing.

The fact that Raphinha and Bradley Barcola are the only recognised left wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season to have outperformed him from a prolific standpoint says it all.

However, this argument carries substance on both sides, and if Liverpool were to receive an irresistible offer this summer, there’s one man above all others who has been identified as the perfect replacement.

Liverpool target is open to leaving

According to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are ready to sign Real Madrid’s Rodrygo this summer, should Diaz end up leaving, with the wing wizard having ‘doubts’ over his future at the Bernabeu.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazil international, 24, has become disillusioned with his role at Los Blancos, often shunted onto the right flank to accommodate Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

The report suggests that he is, for the first time, ‘questioning’ his future at the club, while remaining ‘open-minded’ over which club he could potentially join next.

Spanish sources suggest it could take a bid worth €120m (£102m) to convince Florentino Perez to part with his club’s forward, but if Rodrygo truly wishes to leave for a new chapter, this towering figure could be reduced.

Why Rodrygo would be perfect for Liverpool

Hailed as a “world-class” part of Real Madrid by Jurgen Klopp, Rodrygo has lived in the Spanish capital since leaving Santos in his Brazilian homeland back in June 2018. He was only 17, with the figure totalling €45m (£38m).

The problem, of course, is that Madrid have packed their squad full of attacking superstars over the past few years, with the likes of Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz also assuming space in the first-team squad.

Rodrygo, though, no doubt feels he is on par with Mbappe and the like, surely doubling his frustrations over being routinely played as a right wing.

The right-footed forward has demonstrated a raised level of prolificness when rarely handed the chance to feature on his preferred flank. This season, he’s only posted 13 goals and ten assists across 50 matches in all competitions, but 12 of those involvements have come from just 12 fixtures as a left winger.

Rodrygo – Career Stats by Position
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists	G/A Rate
Right winger	145	34	30	0.44
Centre-forward	82	22	8	0.37
Left winger	78	23	16	0.50
Attacking midfield	4	0	1	0.25
Stats via Transfermarkt

It wouldn’t make much sense to sign Rodrygo if Diaz was kept on Liverpool’s books, for then he would be jockeying with the Colombia international and Cody Gakpo for a starting berth, or indeed placed out on the opposite flank, though Salah’s contractual renewal makes it rather hard to imagine this would convince him to make the move.

Even though Rodrygo hasn’t enjoyed the finest of seasons, his underlying qualities have still shone through. As per FBref, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.

This is interesting, with Diaz also renowned for his technical ability and crispness when on the ball. He’s also an electric player, with fast pace and a skilful kind of flair in possession.

Rodrygo has reached an important juncture in his career: turn one way, and he may continue to sit in the shadow of some of his Los Blancos peers; dart down the other lane, and the Brazilian could finally forge the career that his ‘world-class’ quality demands.

He’s already done it all for Real Madrid, and if he were to make the move to Merseyside, Rodrygo could not only prove to be an upgrade on Diaz but also become Liverpool’s undisputed talisman once Salah bows out too.

Liverpool could sign their best forward since Salah in £87m "superstar"

This talented player is open to leaving his club this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 2, 2025

Rangers are now certain to end the Scottish Premiership campaign trophyless after bowing out of the Europa League on Thursday night, with all eyes now turning to the summer window and how Barry Ferguson’s side can rebuild.

Rangers out of Europa League after defeat to Athletic Bilbao

The Gers battled for every inch of grass against Bilbao during their blockbuster quarter-final second leg in Spain, but the hosts and star young winger Nico Williams’ quality eventually proved too much for them.

Related Rangers: Attacking 4-3-3 manager wanted at Ibrox is now "ready" for return

He’s been linked with a move to Glasgow.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Apr 17, 2025

One of Europe’s most in-demand young forwards was a nightmare to deal with, and sealed Bilbao’s place in the semi-finals with a late header at Ferguson’s expense – ending the 90 as deserved winners overall.

There are many pundits and supporters alike who are convinced Rangers should’ve been awarded two penalties, one for the glaring shirt pull on Cyriel Dessers, and another for handball inside the box. It’s hard to argue against their case, particularly for Dessers, so the game wasn’t without its controversy.

While they couldn’t quite get past Bilbao on the night, there were promising signs from Ferguson’s men, who fashioned chances of their own against very tough opposition in the La Liga heavyweights, but didn’t quite have the ruthlessness to finish them off.

“The work-rate was there, but the quality at times wasn’t, and I spoke about that to the players after the game,” said Ferguson on Rangers’ defeat to Bilbao.

“They understand that as well. It’s going to hurt, this one, but we need to go away and reflect a bit. That’s not just the players but myself too. Then we need to come on Monday morning and finish the season as strongly as possible. They’re disappointed because they know the qualities we’ve got.

“They worked hard enough and that’s never been in doubt since I’ve come through the door. It’s just that quality in the middle third, and final third that we just didn’t quite get right. I want them to hurt because I’m hurting. We’re all disappointed but we have five games not and we need 15 points.”

Rangers players tipped to leave as part of Ibrox overhaul

With the summer window looming, Rangers must now regroup and prepare for next campaign, where they will be looking to knock Old Firm rivals Celtic off their perch.

BBC journalist Tom English, speaking to Sportsround on Thursday night after the defeat to Bilbao (via Ibrox News), suggested that out-of-contract trio Tom Lawrence, Ianis Hagi and Neraysho Kasanwirjo – who all carry a market value worth of a combined £5 million according to Transfermarkt – could be in line for Ibrox exits, alongside Leon Balogun.

“Tom Lawrence is out of contract,” he said. “[Ianis] Hagi is out of contract, [Neraysho] Kasanwirjo, [Leon] Balogun, so they can maybe do something there, but they need to get rid of more, and they need to bring in more.”

However, before any new arrivals come in, the club must make a decision on whether to hand Ferguson the full-time manager role or employ another name for the hot seat. According to recent reports, Steven Gerrard is among the managerial names in contention for the Rangers job.

A sprint to victory or a draw for the win. Pick between two opposite games as we begin to identify The Greatest Test of the 21st century

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-ENG 2008 Chennai Test moves to the round of 16.

India’s triumph of belief vs England – Chennai, 2008

It was not a match India were supposed to win. For three days and two sessions at the Chepauk, England were on top. India were staring at a target close to 400, when nothing above 300 had ever been chased before in the country (and the highest target chased at the venue was 155).But then the English bowlers were met with a belligerent Virender Sehwag, who laid down the platform for India to push for the win on the fifth day. Gautam Gambhir put in the grind at the top. And then Yuvraj Singh, with his Test credentials under the scanner, joined Sachin Tendulkar at the crease to take India over the line on a pitch with awkward bounce.Tendulkar applied the icing on the cake, hitting the winning runs – which also brought up a fine fourth-innings century. Only six higher totals have been chased in Test history than the 387 by India in Chennai, only two of which have come in Asia, and none in India. It was a win, as ESPNcricinfo’s Editor-in-Chief Sambit Bal noted at the time, forged by unwavering belief to go for the jugular and not just settle for a draw.

South Africa’s blockathon vs Australia – Adelaide, 2012

If this Test was part of a video game, you’d autoplay the final innings once South Africa were 45 for 4. There were 110 overs to go, Nathan Lyon – who had been the curator at the Adelaide Oval, had a two-for. Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle almost hypnotically kept hitting a good length.Faf du Plessis, on Test debut, joined AB de Villiers with a South Africa win out of the window. So, they abandoned the search for runs and committed to the blockathon for 408 balls despite nervy moments.Du Plessis was given out lbw twice but overturned the decision using DRS; he also survived a sharp caught-behind chance with Matthew Wade standing up to the stumps. De Villiers faced 220 balls but when he was bowled by a nip-backer from Siddle, 60 overs still remained in the day.The partnership between Jacques Kallis and du Plessis – 99 runs in 235 balls – wasn’t as stoic but took up nearly 40 overs. Lyon got turn and bounce to dismiss Kallis and Siddle got a couple of tailenders. High resilience and hyper-aggressive fields led to 71 maidens in 149 overs, but couldn’t stop du Plessis from getting a maiden ton and staying unbeaten as Morne Morkel played out Siddle.For nearly four days, only one result seemed possible. Australia had done everything right. They made 550 at a run rate of 5.12 in their first innings on the back of Michael Clarke’s 257-ball 230 and Michael Hussey’s 137-ball 103. They had taken a 162-run lead and set a 430-run target which should have ensured a win.There were no caveats or rain, just a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of defensive batting that denied Australia a series lead. South Africa went on to win the next game and became the first team in the 21st century to win back-to-back Test series in Australia.

It ought to have been a clash of equals, but the unavailability of key players for India could hobble them

Ian Chappell21-May-2023Two staunch rivals in India and Australia will compete in the prestigious World Test championship final at The Oval next month.As it should be, this is a hard match to predict. That’s mainly because of injury concerns and neither team having played a Test since completing a hard-fought series earlier this year. To make matters even more difficult, many of the players involved have only competed in the IPL in the lead-up to the one-off Test.While this may not seem to be the ideal preparation, it’s worth recalling the opinion of former England batter Ravi Bopara. In 2009, Bopara went from the fledgling IPL into a Test series against West Indies and reckoned he was ideally prepared because T20 got his feet moving and put him in a positive frame of mind.Related

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Heft was given to that view because Bopara reeled off successive Test centuries. The modern cricketer regularly has to adapt, going from one format to another, so Bopara’s theory should be even more applicable.Therefore expect the players, especially the batters, to be ready for the Test. It’s up to the bowlers to prepare specifically for the longer spells required in the five-day format.If Australia’s classy pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are available, that makes them slight favourites. They are good bowlers any time, but England in early June should be right up their alley. Nevertheless, an Indian pace attack containing Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav is also strong and only just behind the Australian trio in wicket-taking capability.Mental strength will play a huge part in this Test. The team that displays the most resilience is likely to win as long as the contest is not unduly affected by bad weather. Being able to maintain a decent line and length under attack is now mandatory in the tougher series, and a fully fit Australian attack should benefit if the opposition are overzealous.

The injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant badly affect India. They would be outright favourites with these two playing

Therefore much will depend on how the batters treat the talented opposing pace attacks. Australia rely heavily on Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja’s big scoring ability but the enigmatic David Warner shouldn’t be overlooked. Despite his struggles in England, Warner is a dangerous player because he can score quickly. If he gets a start, India need to be wary because of the danger Warner presents.On the Indian side Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara are a handful because they have enjoyed success in Test cricket. Their job will be tough against a strong Australian attack.The Australian bowlers also need to pay careful attention to Shubman Gill. He tends to play with no fear and has a stroke-making mentality, which will not change even on this momentous occasion. If he is allowed the freedom to score quickly and hit boundaries, Gill will be a headache for Australia.One selection dilemma for India will be Ajinkya Rahane. Judging by the current squad, Rahane is likely to play, which means he will largely be relying on past form against Australia. If he plays, he will help in the slips to the spinners, as he is easily India’s best catcher in that position.India have an advantage in spin bowling because of Ravindra Jadeja’s ability to bat in the top six, which allows them the luxury of including the efficient R Ashwin. While Nathan Lyon is a good bowler, he will be Australia’s sole spinner. However, this shouldn’t be detrimental in England, as allrounder Cameron Green’s genuine pace is well suited to the conditions.The injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant badly affect India, as they would be outright favourites with these two playing. The somewhat surprising unavailability of allrounder Hardik Pandya also harms India, as he could have provided them with the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle.With the match being played under English conditions, this slightly favours the strong Australian pace attack. However, as Bopara showed, you should never underestimate the value of IPL preparation for batters.

Jurgensen reveals Southee’s unusual inswinger was developed at a camp in Lincoln just before the England tour

Karthik Krishnaswamy28-Jun-20211:41

Southee: ‘Not having express pace, I look to skin the cat differently’

There’s a lot more to it, of course, but at its deadliest, Tim Southee’s method is all about that old three-card trick: outswing, outswing, and the one that goes the other way.Except it isn’t just the “one” that goes the other way, but three different ways of delivering a ball that moves into the right-hander.Take the second-innings wickets of India’s openers in the World Test Championship final in Southampton. Both were lbw, playing for non-existent outswing, but the balls that dismissed them were entirely different.Shubman Gill, first to go, was out to Southee’s well-known three-quarter-seam ball, which is delivered with the seam scrambled, and moves into the right-hander off the pitch. Rohit Sharma, however, was bamboozled by something that hasn’t been seen all too often.Every now and again on this tour of England, Southee had delivered the traditional inswinger, with the seam canted towards fine leg, but most had come out of the hand noticeably slower than Southee’s stock ball. The ball to Rohit wasn’t the traditional inswinger; the seam was canted towards slip, like it is for an outswinger, but the ball was flipped around so its rough side – this was the 27th over of India’s innings – was facing the leg side. And unlike Southee’s attempts at bowling the genuine inswinger, this one came out at normal speed.It’s entirely possible that Rohit saw the seam position, judged the ball to be leaving him, and decided to shoulder arms. Instead, it veered in towards the stumps and struck Rohit’s front pad.3:21

Dale Steyn explains the concept of the three-quarter seam

The Dukes ball that is used in England moves significantly more – in the air and off the pitch – than the Kookaburra that’s used in New Zealand, and this allowed Southee to try and develop the inswinger on this tour.”I think all players in any sport are always looking to try and get better and looking at ways you can improve your game,” Southee said in a media interaction on Monday. “I obviously don’t have express pace, so you’re looking to skin the cat differently, and that’s using subtle variations and I obviously rely heavily on my outswing, but with the Dukes ball and the ability to move the Dukes ball a little bit more than what you can with the Kookaburra, a lot of work went in, leading into that series, about just trying to get the ball to move both ways.”Shane Jurgensen, New Zealand’s bowling coach, said Southee came up with the new variation during the camp New Zealand held in Lincoln before they left for England.”I actually think that wicket of getting Rohit out was a long time of Tim trying a few things and always trying to improve,” Jurgensen said. “I think that goes for every bowler in our group and I think that’s really stood out more in the last two years. It has always happened, but I really think it really started in our camps in May at Lincoln, when he was playing around with bit of an inswinger and it was good.”It took him a while to sort of get it and all of a sudden he learnt of possibly turning the ball around the other way and bowling it the exactly same way. [It] probably has a little more pace on it compared to the [traditional] inswinger and I think that’s been a credit to Tim.”He’s always looking to improve and he’s been such an outstanding performer for New Zealand for such a long time; 600-plus wickets for New Zealand now and that breakthrough of Sharma was at a really crucial time. In fact both of those wickets were, to give us a chance to get Virat Kohli in early.”

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم ”فيفا” عن موعد ومكان حفل ذا بيست، والذي يقام في آواخر كل عام، وهي الجائزة التي تضاهي البالون دور.

ويقام حفل ذا بيست في كل عام، حيث تقرر له يوم الثلاثاء المقبل الموافق 16 ديسمبر، في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والثامنة مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.

وأكد فيفا أن حفل ذا بيست سوف يقام مباشرًة، عقب نهاية نهائي كأس إنتركونتيننتال، والذي سوف يلعب بين باريس سان جيرمان وفلامينجو.

وأفاد فيفا في بيان رسمي، أن حفل ذا بيست سوف يقام في الدوحة عاصمر قطر، لأول مرة في الأراضي العربية.

وسوف يحضر حفل ذا بيست أكثر من 800 فرد من بينهم رئيس الفيفا، جياني أنفانتينو ، وممثلو الاتحادات الأعضاء من جميع أنحاء العالم، وسفراء ورواد آخرون لكرة القدم على المستويين المحلي والإقليمي.

الجدير بالذكر أن المرشحين تم الإعلان عنهم في كافة الجوائز بحفل ذا بيست خلال الشهر الماضي، وفي جميع الفئات التي تشمل أفضل لاعب، وأفضل حارس مرمى، وأفضل لاعب شاب، وأفضل لاعبة، وأفضل نادي، وأفضل مدرب.

ويعتبر باريس سان جيرمان وبرشلونة وريال مدريد وليفربول، من بين الأندية التي سوف يكون لها حضور قوي بالفعل في حفل ذا بيست.

وكان فيفا قد أعلن مسبقًا عن المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في حفل ذا بيست وكان من بين أبرزها، محمد صلاح، نجم نادي ليفربول.

وكان فيفا قد أعلن مسبقًا عن المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في حفل ذا بيست وكان من بين أبرزها، محمد صلاح، نجم نادي ليفربول.

ويمكن مطالعة قائمة المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم 2025 من هنا، بينما يمكن مطالعة قائمة المرشحين جائزة أفض مدرب في العالم من هنا.

أما قائمة المرشحين لجائزة أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم من هنا، أما قائمة المرشحين للتشكيل المثالي عام 2025، من ضمنهم محمد صلاح، من هنا.

كما تتواجد لاعبة مصرية في قائمة المرشحات للتشكيل المثالي لعام 2025، فئة السيدات، ويمكن مطالعة التفاصيل من هنا.

وفيما يتعلق بالمرشحين لجائزة بوشكاش، أفضل هدف في العالم للعام نفسه، يتواجد أحد اللاعبين المصريين، ويمكن متابعة التفاصيل من هنا.

Cole Palmer scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League’s top four, but it was another attacking player taking all the plaudits.

Chelsea cruise past Everton 2-0

After four winless matches, Enzo Maresca could hardly have asked for a better moment for his most influential player to announce his return from the groin injury that has wrecked his season up to now, and it came in the 21st minute, the England forward sweeping his side into the lead from Malo Gusto’s clever pass.

Fresh from scoring a first-ever career goal in November, it was Gusto who then got the second from Pedro Neto’s cross before half-time.

Everton’s last win at Chelsea came in 1994 whilst David Moyes had never tasted victory on this ground. After four league wins in five and with the Blues in faltering form, it looked an opportune moment to settle both of those scores, but Maresca’s talisman ensured the day would be all about him.

This has been the most difficult year of Palmer’s career, suffering two significant injuries and making a fraction of the impact he enjoyed during his first 18 months at Chelsea His last goal from open play on this ground came in January, but when his chance came finally to correct that aberrant stat, he took it as though he had been banging them in all season.

Wesley Fofana played a short ball in midfield to Gusto, whose pass through the lines was wonderfully calibrated. Palmer’s run caught Everton cold and he breezed through the centre of their defence and smacked the ball by Jordan Pickford at his near post.

Alejandro Garnacho attempted the spectacular in search of Chelsea’s second with a wicked drive that cleared the bar by a fraction, then suffered a horror miss when he pounced on Carlos Alcaraz’s woeful pass but tapped wide of an open goal.

Chelsea’s second was delightfully simple. Neto made it, zipping around Vitalii Mykolenko on the right and crossing low for Gusto, arriving in the box at speed and knocking it past Pickford.

And it was the Portugal international who left former defender Stephen Warnock feeling relieved he is no longer playing, as he gushed about the 25 year-old during punditry duty for BBC.

Pedro Neto	vs Everton
Minutes	90
Assists	1
Dribbles (successful)	4 (2)
Duels (won)	11 (6)

Jack Grealish missed a golden chance to bring Everton back into it with a shot on the slide that sailed across goal and wide before Reece James was denied from a free-kick by a save by Pickford.

The final chance was Everton’s, Iliman Ndiaye rolling the ball against the post with Robert Sanchez beaten, but Chelsea by then had done enough.

The harsh winter months have proven to be Manchester United’s recent undoing in the Premier League.

Since the 1st of November hit, the Red Devils have reverted back to their inconsistent selves under Ruben Amorim, with three wins on the trot in October then followed up by two unwanted draws on the spin, before a ten-man Everton got the better of Amorim and Co on their own patch 1-0.

They did respond to that home humiliation at the hands of the Toffees with a much-needed 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, but an unsatisfactory 1-1 draw last time out against West Ham United only saw the misery pile up once more.

How will the up-and-down outfit fare across their remaining five fixtures to come across a jam-packed December? Only time will tell.

Whatever does take place, United will be able to take some solace in the January transfer window reopening, as several bumper deals are alleged to be in the works…

Man United's list of transfer targets

Indeed, it does appear as if the red half of Manchester will be very busy during January, as Amorim’s men hunt down some improvements all across the pitch.

A clear priority, when looking at the rampant rumours coming to the surface, is United’s desire for a new central midfield talent, with both Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson incessantly linked to the Theatre of Dreams.

Away from bolstering their personnel in the middle of the park, United also look to be on the prowl for some fresh winger additions, with a spectacular swap deal perhaps in the offing.

As per Football Insider, Paris Saint-Germain are keen on picking up Marcus Rashford in the summer as his Old Trafford future hangs in the balance. To smooth out a potential deal, the French giants could offer Bradley Barcola to the Red Devils who has shone in spurts at the Parc des Princes as a promising attacking talent.

The faltering Premier League side could have to wait it out until the summer for this swap deal to come into play, but it might well be a deal still worth persisting with, as Amorim potentially wins himself his next Amad Diallo in the blistering Frenchman.

How Barcola can be Amorim's next Amad

Amad hasn’t always found his stay at Old Trafford to be smooth sailing.

Under Erik ten Hag, the tricky Ivorian only managed to muster up a paltry three goals and two assists from a limited 24 appearances.

Amorim

41

9

11

Ten Hag

24

3

2

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud Van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Transition to the here and now, however, and the 23-year-old is very much a consistent first-team presence under his hot-and-cold Portuguese manager, with an impressive haul of nine goals and 11 assists next to his name under Amorim’s reign, seeing him be described as an “explosive” threat by analyst Statman Dave.

Barcola would aim to reach these same heights under Amorim’s guidance if he were to swap Paris for Manchester shortly, having also been noted as being an eye-catching winger at the peak of his powers, with “devastating pace” to burn, as per U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Thankfully, the 18-time France international also has some lethal end product to back up all his entertaining tricks and flicks, much like Amad, with Barcola up to 31 goals and 33 assists in total now for his current employers.

Last season saw the 23-year-old put away a stunning 40-goal contributions in all competitions, with United praying that Barcola’s possible entry on the scene can take them to that next level, away from folding at the hands of Everton, as the left winger’s stunning exploits have even seen Luis Enrique’s men lift the Champions League trophy.

Off the back of helping his team clinch this unbelievable honour in Europe’s elite competition, Barcola had certainly lived up to his hype as “one of the best left wingers in Europe” which was handed to him by Como scout Ben Mattinson. The Premier League would be the next big test, though, for the slick number 29.

Looking at what Amad has managed to achieve under Amorim on the flanks, Barcola should be able to enter into a new daunting division and succeed.

It certainly won’t be a cheap deal to pull off, with a whopping £87m price tag previously touted, when Barcola was on Arsenal’s reported shopping list.

But if United want to make their attack even more of a mouth-watering prospect – away from already possessing Amad and the likes of Bryan Mbeumo – sealing a statement move for Barcola could be a phenomenal next step.

He’s "better than PL players": Man Utd have bigger academy star than Mainoo

This academy ace is a player Man Utd fans will see in the first team before long

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 6, 2025