Chelsea have now joined the race for a £25m right-back, but they are set to face competition for his signature from Barcelona and Liverpool, according to a report.

Reece James back to his best

There is arguably little reason for the Blues to make a move for a new right-back this summer, given that they are well-stocked in that area of the pitch, with Reece James now showing signs he could be back to his best after several injury setbacks.

James returned to the England team for the first time in two-and-a-half years against Latvia, and the 25-year-old put in a top-quality performance, opening the scoring in the Three Lions’ comprehensive 3-0 victory.

That said, Enzo Maresca may want to err on the side of caution, given that his captain is very susceptible to injuries, and there has also been speculation about Malo Gusto’s future, with Liverpool shortlisting the right-back as a potential replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As such, a new right-back may be required in the summer transfer window, and Chelsea have now entered the race to sign Feyenoord’s Givairo Read, according to a report from Caught Offside.

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ByDominic Lund Mar 24, 2025

Liverpool and Barcelona are said to be in fierce competition for Read’s signature, with the Merseyside club looking set to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold amid interest from Real Madrid.

Manchester United and Atlético Madrid are also named as potential suitors for the defender, but Feyenoord should be in a strong negotiating position, given that he remains contracted until 2028, meaning they could hold out for €25m – €30m (£21m – £25m)

Read impressing in the Champions League

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the 18-year-old for his performances in both legs of Feyenoord’s Champions League tie against AC Milan earlier this season, while also branding the teenager a “warrior” of a defender.

The youngster was faced with the difficult task of dealing with left-winger Rafael Leao, but he managed to keep the Portugal international quiet across the two legs, helping his side to a clean sheet with a solid performance in the first encounter.

The starlet has also been impressive in an attacking sense this season, picking up six assists in 17 Eredivisie outings, indicating that he is a well-rounded full-back.

Read’s performances for Feyenoord suggest he could be a fantastic long-term addition for the Blues, however, there are question marks over how much game time he would receive, should Gusto stay at Chelsea and James remain injury-free.

He might have scored a goal in the Champions League last week, but it seems fair to say that starting Mikel Merino up top has not worked for Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder saved the day against Leicester City last month, and while he’s done certain parts of the job well, he’s not someone who can be relied on to step into the role amid an injury crisis.

Fortunately, Gabriel Martinelli returned to the team yesterday afternoon and can hopefully start down the middle until the end of the season.

However, with Gabriel Jesus out until next year and Kai Havertz not coming back until preseason at the earliest, Mikel Arteta and Co need to sign a new number nine as soon as possible, and the good news is that recent reports suggest that they may have found the perfect option, a player who’d be a colossal upgrade on Merino.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have drawn up a list of seven striker targets for the summer, with Lautaro Martínez near the very top.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, the report claims that there is currently speculation that the North Londoners are planning to make an offer for the Argentine superstar of around €120m, which comes out to £101m.

However, as things stand, it’s unclear if that will be enough to tempt Inter Milan into selling their prized centre-forward, who was their top scorer last season and is second on that list this year.

It will almost certainly be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line this summer, but given Martínez’s immense ability, it is one well worth pursuing, especially as he’d be a massive upgrade on all of Arsenal’s choices, including Merino.

Why Martínez would be a game-changer for Arsenal

Now, while there are several reasons Martínez would be a game-changing signing for Arsenal, from his track record of winning major trophies to his slick, free-flowing style of play, the most important is that he is a reliable scorer of goals and provider of assists.

For example, in just 44 appearances for Inter last season, the World Cup winner scored 27 goals and provided three assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.46 games.

In comparison, Jesus produced 16 goal involvements in 36 games, while Havertz hit 21 in 51, equating to a goal involvement every 2.25 and 2.42 games, respectively.

Interestingly, even though the Argentine, who renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as “the best 9 in the world,” has been a little less effective this term, he’s still comfortably ahead, with a tally of 17 goals and six assists in 38 appearances.

In contrast, the Gunners’ Brazilian forward has nine goal involvements in 27 games, and the German has hit 15 goals and five assists in 34 games.

Appearances

38

5

34

27

Goals

17

3

15

7

Assists

6

1

5

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

0.80

0.58

0.33

For his part, Merino actually has the best goal involvement-to-game ratio of the lot, as he’s found the back of the net three times and provided one assist in five appearances up top.

However, two of those goals came against Leicester, while the other and his assist arrived in the 7-1 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven.

In the other games, against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, he looked entirely out of his depth with football.london’s Tom Canton awarding him match ratings of just 5/10 for each encounter.

Ultimately, Arsenal have a number of talented forwards, but none can be described as prolific, and while Arteta couldn’t rely on Merino to step up when he needed him to, Martínez’s incredible trophy haul suggests he very much could be relied upon.

Berta can land Rodri 2.0 for Arsenal in one of "the best CMs in the world"

The incredible international would improve Arsenal’s midfield.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 8, 2025

There are signs that Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United project may yet take off.

The summer transfer window will be crucial. How the Red Devils navigate the market months will no doubt hold sway when it comes to the narrative in 2025/26. Will United turn a corner, or loop back to weary road’s already travelled?

Let’s dig into the most noticeable potential departure. Rasmus Hojlund has had a tough time this season, but there’s evidence that he should indeed be sold.

Man United's biggest winner from the international break

Hojlund scored the only goal as Denmark beat Portugal in the opening leg of their Nations League quarter-final tie in Copenhagen on Thursday night.

His reaction fanned the flames of social media discourse, having copied Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘siu’ celebration.

CR7 got the last laugh, as he so often has throughout his incredible career. Portugal defeated the Danes 5-2 (5-3 on aggregate) to advance to the penultimate stage, with 40-year-old Ronaldo notching his 135th goal for his nation.

It served as a reality check for Hojlund, 22, who was well-marshalled after scoring on Thursday. Indeed, he managed to strike on goal once but lost five of eight contested duels, as per Sofascore, failed with both his dribble attempts and failed to impose himself on the game.

Such has been the story of his season. Manchester United’s striker, who joined from Atalanta in a deal worth £72m in 2023, has regressed hugely this term, scoring just three goals across 24 Premier League matches.

Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed there appears to be tentative interest from Italian clubs and that the expectation is the number nine will be sold.

However, he’s not the only one, with another United member flattering to deceive on the same pitch as Hojlund on Sunday evening. He needs to be sold.

Man United's biggest loser from the international break

No, we’re not talking about Bruno Fernandes; the Portugal star is the linchpin of Amorim’s project, posting 12 goals and eight assists across 27 matches.

We are, however, drawing attention to Diogo Dalot, who wasn’t great against Denmark in both legs and may well follow Hojlund out the door this summer.

Journalist Alex Crook commented earlier this month that Dalot, 26, has “regressed” this season, lacking the completeness that United need at right wing-back. With just 22 goal involvements across 202 Man United appearances, he doesn’t have the attacking consistency Amorim would expect either.

Minutes played

66′

81′

Touches

46

48

Accurate passes

25/33 (76%)

26/30 (87%)

Key passes

2

0

Possession lost

10x

11x

Dribbles

0/1

0/2

Tackles + interceptions

2

4

Clearances

1

1

Duels won

1/4

3/8

Errors

0

1

Pencilling down their post-match thoughts after Monday’s win, Portuguese outlet Portugoal handed Dalot a rather flat 5/10 rating, writing: ‘Dalot is not a game-breaker – no shots, no key passes, no completed dribbles, and no surprise if and when Cancelo returns to the starting XI in June.’

Indeed, one careless throw-in after the interval nearly led to a damaging Denmark goal, something which may well have swung the pendulum away from the Iberian nation.

It typifies Dalot’s issues. He’s not sharp enough on the ball, creating little despite squandering possession regularly.

Further, the 26-year-old isn’t strong enough in the duel and doesn’t carry the ball as well as he could.

Man United need to strive for greatness, and selling Dalot will be part of the slow but steady solution.

Man Utd gem who left for £0 would be even better than Dorgu under Amorim

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ByJoe Nuttall Mar 23, 2025

Misbah-ul-Haq will lead the technical committee that will advise the PCB chairman on cricketing affairs. The committee will include two other former Pakistan captains in Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez.Last week, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf had announced the creation of a “high-profile” technical committee charged with reporting to him, to be headed by former Pakistan captain Misbah.Related

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The committee has been given wide-ranging powers, encompassing just about all cricketing activity in Pakistan. “The CTC (Cricket Technical Committee) will provide recommendations on cricket-related matters, including, but not limited to the overall domestic structure, scheduling, playing conditions, appointment of the national selection committees, appointment of national team coaches, central and domestic contracts and plans for the development of umpires, referees and curators,” a statement from the PCB said. “The CTC will have the powers to invite additional cricket experts, and shall report to the head of the PCB Management Committee on a regular basis.”The most immediate task the committee faces is a decision on the fate of Pakistan’s coaching staff. In an interview earlier this week, Ashraf said the committee would share their findings with him before a final decision, which ESPNcricinfo understands will be reached as early as the end of this week.The CTC will also be tasked with preparing for the upcoming Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which begins next month. The domestic structure will undergo a revamp this season, with departments returning to the fray. It is not yet clear if they will play alongside regions in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.”I am delighted to welcome Misbah-ul-Haq, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez on board for the betterment of cricket in our country,” Ashraf said. “These three former captains possess great cricket knowledge and understand the demands of modern-day cricket.”Domestic cricket structure is a pillar of any cricketing nation. We have to make it foolproof and its structure progressive. The presence of Misbah, Inzamam and Hafeez, three of Pakistan’s most experienced and decorated cricketers who rose through the domestic ranks, will help us in providing our cricketers the best system to thrive so that we can produce the best cricketers.”Misbah called his appointment as head of the committee a “great honour” and a “challenging assignment. I have no doubt whatsoever that we will be able to make a positive difference by providing recommendations that improve and enhance the state of the game from the grassroots till the very top.”The committee convenes ahead of Pakistan’s run-in to the World Cup in India in October. Pakistan play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka in August, before the ODI Asia Cup begins on August 30, with Nepal and Pakistan playing the opener in Multan.

The Americans has retained their No. 1 in the latest FIFA Women's World Ranking despite significant gains from competitors

• Spain and Germany apply mounting pressure on Americans
• South American nations demonstrate growing strength
• France returns to top 10 while Netherlands drops to 11th position

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  FIFA released its latest Women's World Ranking, showing the United States maintaining their top position despite a concerning 2-1 home defeat to Brazil in April. The gap between the Americans and their closest challengers has narrowed significantly, with Spain (second) and Germany (third) applying intense pressure after winning all their matches since the previous ranking update. Brazil's victory over the Emma Hayes-coached U.S. squad has propelled the South Americans to fourth place, representing a substantial four-position climb in the rankings.

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• THE RANKINGS

  Rank	Country
  1st	USA
  2nd	Spain
  3rd	Germany
  4th	Brazil
  5th	England
  6th	Sweden
  7th	Japan
  8th	Canada
  9th	Korea DPR
  10th	France

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  South American women's football has demonstrated remarkable progress, with both Brazil and Argentina securing statement victories against established powers. While Brazil defeated the top-ranked Americans, Argentina's victory over Canada contributed to the dropping one position to eighth. These results represent a significant development in the global women's game, where North American and European nations have traditionally monopolized the upper echelons of the rankings. Meanwhile, England (fifth, down one) and Sweden (sixth) maintain their positions in the top six, while Japan have also experienced setbacks against South American opposition.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The United States women face mounting pressure to address vulnerabilities exposed in recent matches as they prepare for upcoming international competitions under Hayes' leadership. The team recently beat Jamaica 4-0 on June 3 and faces the Republic of Ireland twice on June 26 and June 29, and then Canada on July 2.

The allrounder is fully fit for Old Trafford but a tough decision will need to be made to get him back in the XI

Andrew McGlashan14-Jul-20231:54

Will Australia replace Warner for fourth Ashes Test?

Cameron Green believes it would be a “stretch” for him to open the batting in Test cricket as the moment gets closer when Australia’s selectors will need to decide how to balance the playing XI for Old Trafford.Green missed the Headingley Test with a minor hamstring issue – which he said he would have been able to play through if needed – and Mitchell Marsh grabbed his opportunity with a scintillating hundred on the opening day to rescue Australia. Marsh also bowled tidily and the selectors now face a quandary over how – or if – to fit Green back into the team.The least disruptive route would be to take the rare option of not playing a frontline spinner, leaving out Todd Murphy, who was sparsely used in Leeds, and using Green as part of an all-pace attack supplemented by Travis Head, but coach Andrew McDonald has been firm on how he prefers a balanced bowling group.Related

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Therefore, the selection squeeze has turned the spotlight back on David Warner, who failed twice against Stuart Broad at Headingley. While McDonald stopped short of guaranteeing his spot, he did cite the value of the opening stands he added with Usman Khawaja at Edgbaston and Lord’s. Warner has been supported by Ricky Ponting in recent days to retain his spot and leaving him out would also require a reshuffle of the order.Marsh and Green have even been floated as potential options given they have done it in white-ball cricket – Marsh recently in ODIs and Green in T20s – although neither has regularly been higher than No. 4 in first-class cricket, and it remains a very unlikely solution.”I think it’s a bit of a stretch,” Green said of the possibility of him opening the batting in the fourth Test. “I think being an allrounder [makes it a stretch] – probably Shane Watson is the only one who comes to mind doing that – [and] I’m not too sure how much he bowled.”Watson was recalled to open the batting midway through the 2009 Ashes and it went on to be his most successful position in Test cricket, with an average of 41.79. On average, he bowled close to 15 overs in those matches and he claimed the third-most wickets (43) of a pace bowler to have opened the batting. Green currently averages a little over 13 overs per Test.”I think anyone would be happy to bat anywhere to play Test cricket,” Green added. “You always put your hand up for selection but have to wait and see what selectors think.”The other option the selectors will need to consider is whether to bring Green straight back in. His returns with bat and ball on tour, which includes the WTC final against India at the Oval, so far have been underwhelming, with respective averages of 19.16 and 45.60.Cameron Green hasn’t quite found his stride so far•Getty Images”It’s been a tour so far with a lot of learning,” Green said. “Most of the time, I’ve got myself out rather than to do with the conditions. I think that’s to do with the wickets, it’s been quite flat. I am just trying to learn as much as I can and hopefully it holds me in good stead moving forward.”Unlike most of the squad who have taken a complete break in the gap before Old Trafford, Green has continued to train. He said his absence from the third Test was a very precautionary move and he could have pushed through. He picked up the hamstring niggle batting in the second innings at Lord’s and was able to bowl 13 overs afterwards which included the sustained short-ball approach.”[There were] no real issues at the time, it was more it’s just a long tour so I think everyone kind of wanted to get a break throughout one of the games, so that was my game,” he said. “The body is all good. Felt completely fine bowling. Think I just took off for a single and felt something very, very minor.”Green and Marsh are very close and while the latter’s superb return to Test cricket may mean Green now has to wait for his next outing, there was delight in his team-mate’s success.”We both have a great relationship,” he said. “We’re so happy for each other when one gets picked…I kind of look up to Mitch, so I’m so happy to see him play well. There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to come back and play an incredible game, which he did.”

كشف اتحاد كرة اليد عن تقدم 7 لاعبين من لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك بشكوى رسمية ضد القلعة البيضاء.

وجاءت شكوى اللاعبين للمطالبة بالحصول على مستحقاتهم المالية المتأخرة، والتي تُقدَّر بنحو 6 ملايين جنيه.

طالع.. خاص | مصطفى شلبي ونيمار يهددان إتمام صفقة هامة لـ الزمالك

وبحسب نص الشكوى، فإن هذه المستحقات تعود إلى أكثر من موسم، حيث أكد اللاعبون أنهم حاولوا مرارًا التواصل مع إدارة النادي لحل الأزمة بشكل ودي.

وفشلت مساعي اللاعبين للحصول على مستحقاتهم، مما اضطرهم للجوء إلى الاتحاد المصري لاتخاذ ما يلزم من إجراءات قانونية لحفظ حقوقهم.

ووفقًا للوائح الاتحاد المصري لكرة اليد، فإن عدم سداد المستحقات المتأخرة قد يُعرض النادي لعقوبات رياضية، أبرزها حرمانه من قيد لاعبين جدد في الموسم المقبل، حيث تنص اللائحة على ضرورة تسوية جميع مستحقات اللاعبين قبل فتح باب القيد لأي نادٍ.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sem entrar em campo há uma semana, o Vasco segue a preparação para o duelo contra o Bahia, às 16h, domingo, na Arena Fonte Nova, pela 26ª rodada da Série B. Em entrevista coletiva, o meia Nene ressaltou que o elenco cruz-maltino trata o confronto como ‘uma final’ e falou sobre a possível evolução de sua parceria com Alex Teixeira.

+Após reunião com a Ferj, Vasco entra em acordo para o pagamento da dívida e registra SAF na entidade

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– Com certeza vai ser uma final. A gente não ficou preocupado porque foram gols muito rápidos. Se você ver em relação ao jogo em si, não foi uma coisa que queríamos. No primeiro tempo, nos desorganizamos bastante e ficamos ansiosos. Mas você toma o gol em um minuto e no segundo gol uma infelicidade que o cara acaba escorregando e a gente toma 2 a 0, vai por água abaixo toda estratégia da semana – disse, e em seguida emendou:

+ Confira e simule a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro

– É difícil fazer um prognóstico, uma reflexão sobre um jogo onde toma dois gols muito rápido. O time deles estava confortável e em casa com a torcida. Na minha opinião, não é um jogo para se basear com a nossa performance. Mais um jogo fora que buscamos o resultado e tivemos uma reunião com o Emílio – completou:

– Conversamos e com certeza mais estratégicos. Ainda mais em jogos fora de casa, que não podemos perder pontos dessa maneira como foi. Foi muito irregular. Não foi o primeiro que perdemos fora. Estamos com o alerta ligado. Vai ser uma final, jogo difícil e grande. Temos que nos acostumar com esses momentos e o mental tem que estar bem forte nessas horas, para conseguirmos o resultado e não perdermos pontos fora de casa – explicou.

Para a reta final da Série B, Emílio Faro terá a tarefa de fazer com que suas duas estrelas: Nene e Alex Teixeira, consigam render juntos em campo. Segundo o camisa 10, a tendência é que o entrosamento venha com o tempo e a sequência de jogos.

+Vasco terá que superar retrospecto negativo e longo jejum contra o Bahia para voltar a vencer na Série B

– O Alex é um cara de muita qualidade técnica, muito inteligente. Foram poucos jogos, ainda não conseguimos um entrosamento ideal. Tivemos duas derrotas fora de casa. Acho que ele não é um jogador que vai fazer com o que o sistema defensivo melhore ou piore. Mas temos que pensar como ajustar nessa fase decisiva. O nosso diferencial tem que ser na parte ofensiva. Temos que ajustar como compensar defensivamente. E o entrosamento vai vir cada vez mais. Nos próximos dois, três jogos estaremos no nosso melhor – finalizou.

Borussia Dortmund have been left disappointed after seeing their top transfer target snub them for AC Milan.

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Kovac wanted Club Brugge starDortmund needed to sell two players firstAC Milan swoop in as deal nearsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dortmund have had a mixed transfer window as the German giants secured the signing of Jobe Bellingham, but were overlooked by Rayan Cherki as the Frenchman opted to join Manchester City. Now, reports that another top target, Ardon Jashari, has ignored their advances for a move to Italy.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The decisive round of negotiations between the Rossoneri and Club Brugge is set to take place on Friday to finalise the transfer for the 22-year-old. The fee is reported to be €35 million (£30m/$40m), with the two parties still €5m apart, according to the report.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jashari only moved to Club Brugge from Lucerne last summer for €6m and immediately made a big impression. He was named the Best Player of the Year in the Belgian Pro League and also took home the Young Player of the Season award after his side won the cup. Jashari played in 52 competitive matches, setting up six goals and scoring four himself.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Dortmund boss Niko Kovac is said to have been pushing for Jashari's signing, but was told by the club that two players would have to be sold before they could approach the Belgian side. Dortmund reportedly had intensive talks with the Swiss international, but it appears they will have to look elsewhere for a new midfielder.

Overseas drafts for both WBBL and BBL to be held on September 3 in Melbourne

Alex Malcolm17-Jul-2023

Sydney Thunder will have the first pick in the inaugural WBBL overseas draft, while Melbourne Stars will get the first pick in the BBL draft that will be held on the same day on September 3, following the draft lottery that was held last Friday.Cricket Australia (CA) announced the draft lottery results on Monday afternoon and confirmed that the two drafts will be held back-to-back in Melbourne,, with both drafts to be televised on Foxtel and Kayo.CA held the inaugural BBL draft last year and have added an identical WBBL draft this year including a weighted lottery to decide the first pick.Related

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In the WBBL, the four teams who missed the finals last season – Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers – had entries in the first pot to see who would get the first pick. Thunder had four entries, Renegades three, Stars two and Scorchers one, which was based on where they finished on the table last season. Thunder, who finished last and had the most chances in the lottery, gained the number one pick, followed by Renegades, Scorchers and Stars.WBBL draft order 2023-24•Cricket Australia

Last year’s finalists, Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers were placed in a second weighted lottery to determine picks 5 through 8. Hurricanes claimed pick 5, followed by Heat, Sixers and last year’s WBBL champions Strikers.The WBBL draft will follow the same rules as the men’s BBL draft. The overseas players who have been nominated for the draft will be divided into four salary categories, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Platinum players will earn AUD$110,000 to be paid by the clubs from the AUD$732,000 salary cap. Gold players will earn AUD$90,000, Silver AUD$65,000 and Bronze will earn $AUD40,000.There will be four draft rounds with the first round being for Platinum players only and the second round being for Platinum and Gold players. The first two rounds will go in draft order, but in the third round, the order will reverse. In the WBBL draft, Strikers will have the last picks in round one and round two at picks 8 and 16 but will have the first pick in round three with pick 17. They will then have the last pick, 32, in the fourth round as the order reverses again.Stars will get the first pick in the men’s BBL draft after finishing eighth last season. Stars were followed by Strikers, Hurricanes and Renegades in the lottery for the first four picks. Thunder, Sixers, Heat and two-time defending BBL champions Scorchers will have picks 5 through 8 in that order.BBL draft order 2023-24•Cricket Australia

There has been an increase in the men’s BBL overseas salary bands after the salary cap was increased from AUD$1.9 million to AUD$3 million. Platinum players are now set to earn AUD$420,000, up from AUD$340,000 last year although there are caveats for the Platinum players this year. They will only earn the full amount if they are available for the entire season including finals, which runs from December 7 to January 24. If they are only available for 10 matches, they will earn AUD$400,000. If they can only play nine matches the, price will be AUD$380,000. Players only available for eight matches or less in the Platinum category will earn AUD$360,000 regardless of whether they play one game or eight.Gold players will earn AUD$300,000, Silver AUD$200,000, and Bronze AUD$100,000 with no minimum matches required for those players.As of last year, there will be one retention pick available for each club in both the BBL and WBBL drafts. Rashid Khan was the first player retained under this rule in the men’s draft last year after Stars tried to take him ahead of Strikers’ first pick. Clubs will only have to use their next pick in the same round to retain an overseas player who played for them last season.The BBL and WBBL have added a new dimension to the draft with teams able to trade picks in the lead-up to the draft. Picks can only be traded within each round. It is not mandatory to take a Platinum player, with Scorchers opting to pass in the first round last year. But clubs cannot trade out of the first round in order to gain an extra pick in the second or third round and vice-versa.Nominations are open for overseas players to enter the draft, with both league and club officials already commencing discussions with players and agents. Those discussions will likely ramp up during the Hundred in August and CA is expected to announce some of the marquee player nominations in the coming weeks ahead of the draft.