Tottenham Hotspur are now determined to open talks to sign a “spectacular” attacker in the January transfer window, with a £35m bid planned.

Spurs looking to sign new attacking midfielder

Tottenham’s pursuit of a new attacking midfielder lasted for the majority of the summer, before finally getting a deal for Xavi Simons over the line at the end of August, with the Dutchman arriving from RB Leipzig.

With James Maddison ruled out due to an ACL injury, it was clear that Spurs needed to bring in another option in that area of the pitch, but Simons has been utilised as a left-winger so far, with Thomas Frank recently explaining the decision to play the 22-year-old out wide.

Related Tottenham expected to open talks to sign "incredible" £27m star in January

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When asked whether the decision to deploy the former RB Leipzig man out wide was made to introduce him gently, Frank said: “No, I think it’s how we let the team grow and develop,

“Where we came from in the summer. I was thinking the other day, I don’t think I said it, that we last year and the last two seasons, but definitely the last year, it was like Kulusevski, Son, Maddison, Solanke. None of them is available. So it’s a completely new front four.”

As such, there may still be room for Spurs to bring in another attacking midfielder, and they have now set their sights on bringing in a La Liga star in the January transfer window…

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Tottenham are now determined to open talks over a deal for Real Sociedad star Brais Mendez, expressing a strong interest in securing his signature.

Such is their determination to sign Mendez, the Lilywhites have planned a bid, which could amount to €40m (£35m), with the Spanish club said to be in a position where they need to listen to offers.

"Spectacular" Mendez could excel at Tottenham

Claudio Giráldez has spoken very highly of the Real Sociedad star in the past, saying: “He’s a player I like. He’s having some brilliant seasons, with spectacular developments in his game. He’s very complete.”

The 28-year-old certainly deserves the plaudits, having impressed in La Liga over a sustained period of time, picking up 37 goals and 29 assists in the competition, across spells with Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo.

The Spaniard, and fellow transfer target Oihan Sancet, also excel with their long-range shooting, regularly finding the back of the net from outside the box.

Mendez clearly has the talent to succeed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, so it is exciting news that an approach could be made during the January transfer window.

Birmingham City might not be wrapped up with all their dramatic summer business just yet.

At the start of the frantic transfer window, you couldn’t move for rumours suggesting the Blues were going to splash the cash on another exciting talent, with the number of incoming signings standing at 12.

That tally could well sneak over to the 13 threshold before 7pm, as a late loan deal looks to be in the offing to boost Birmingham’s already flashy attack.

Birmingham to sign Premier League attacker

It would be fair to say the whirlwind activity has slowed down in recent times, however.

Expect the pace to pick back up, though, with Football League World revealing that the Blues are plotting a late loan move for experienced Sunderland forward Patrick Roberts, alongside also not giving up on winning the services of Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun.

The report states that Chris Davies wants more ammunition after a lacklustre showing in Birmingham’s recent 2-0 loss to Leicester City, with Roberts ticking the boxes.

Derby have also been interested this summer, but it looks as if the Championship newcomers are lone suitors now chasing after the 28-year-old with Sky Sports reporting on Monday lunchtime that the Blues are ‘set to sign’ the winger on loan.

How Roberts could be Gray 2.0

He might well end up being Davies’ second coming of Demarai Gray, offering the Blues another skilful, yet seasoned head up top.

After all, while he has fallen down the pecking order as Sunderland shot up to the Premier League, Roberts would still be a top asset for Birmingham to possess temporarily, based on his previous EFL heroics.

From 170 games at the notoriously punishing level, Roberts has amassed a healthy haul of nine goals and 22 assists, with nine of those goal contributions coming about just last season, before he was cast aside for Sunderland’s own quickfire business.

Gray has also proven himself to be sharp, tricky performer – much like Roberts down the right flank – whenever he’s plied his trade in the tough division, with eight goals and four assists next to his name from 76 Championship career outings.

Two of those assists have been tallied up since his return to the club, with Birmingham hopeful that the loan addition of another second-tier veteran can propel the Blues further into the promotion reckoning, after a largely positive return to the level so far, minus the disappointment of the 2-0 loss at the King Power Stadium.

24/25

4th (promotion)

42

2 + 7

23/24

16th

32

0 + 2

22/23

6th

42

5 + 7

After all, from his three seasons at the level with the Black Cats to date, Roberts has managed to steer the Wearside outfit to two triumphant playoff finishes, culminating in the glory of promotion at the end of last campaign.

Tony Mowbray would even herald his slick Englishman as “magic” during the 2022/23 season, irrespective of his side unfortunately slipping up in the lottery of the playoffs, with Davies now wanting a slice of Roberts at his very best to improve an attack already boasting Kyogo Furuhashi, Jay Stansfield, and the aforementioned Gray.

The West Midlands outfit has shown they can already cut it with the big boys of the EFL’s elite league, with just one defeat from their opening four league encounters.

But, landing Roberts, who is just fresh off a promotion success, could be a sublime addition to really take Birmingham to that next level, as his know-how, alongside Gray’s further experience, attempts to make back-to-back promotions an insane reality.

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Tottenham’s statement signing of the summer was undoubtedly their £52 million deal for Xavi Simons, and he apparently has something never seen before.

Xavi Simons tipped to shine for Tottenham

The 22-year-old trained with the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar at PSG in his youth, after coming through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy too, and he’s widely regarded as one of Europe’s finest young playmakers.

After two excellent seasons at RB Leipzig, Simons rejected Chelsea in favour of a move to north London during the final days of the summer window, and the cost of this deal could set the Lilywhites back £125 million, when factoring in wages and transfer cost, over a potential seven-year deal (Paul O’Keefe).

Appearances

25

Minutes played

2,157

Goals

10

Assists

7

Bookings

5

Shots at goal per 90 minutes

2

Passing accuracy

82.9%

Average match rating

7.32

via WhoScored

It was quite the investment in what was one of ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s final acts leading the club before he resigned a fortnight ago, with Simons already showing some promising signs.

Thomas Frank has chosen to utilise the Dutchman out wide on the left in his first two games against West Ham and Villarreal.

Simons has already notched his first assist for the Lilywhites, setting up Pape Sarr’s header against West Ham with an in-swinging cross from a corner, and he impressed at the London Stadium overall.

While the young attacking midfielder attracted some criticism after his Champions League debut, given he was arguably fortunate not to get sent off (GiveMeSport), Simons is widely tipped to shine for his new club in the Premier League.

Members of the media tip Simons to be a “sensation” under Frank, and former Man United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has already said that the ex-Bundesliga gem has something he’s never seen before.

Ruud van Nistelrooy said Xavi Simons' mentality is "unprecedented"

Speaking to Voetbal International in 2022, van Nistelrooy hailed Simons’ “unprecedented” mentality, having worked with the player during his loan spell in the Netherlands back in 2022/2023.

Interestingly, this contradicts rumours from Germany that Simons’ attitude is questionable, but Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard was quick to suggest that there may not be anything to these claims about Tottenham’s signing.

Sunderland’s first summer back in the Premier League was always going to be a test of ambition and planning.

After a decade away, the club made headlines with a remarkable £141.5m transfer outlay.

Their recruitment drive was both bold and targeted, bringing in Habib Diarra from Strasbourg, Simon Adingra from Brighton, Chemsdine Talbi from Club Brugge, Brian Brobbey from Ajax, and Nordi Mukiele from PSG.

The early signs suggest that Sunderland’s gamble is already paying off.

A 3-0 win against West Ham on opening day at a sold-out Stadium of Light was the dream start, even if reality soon bit with a 2-0 defeat away at Burnley.

A last-gasp Wilson Isidor winner against Brentford restored momentum, before a gritty goalless draw with Crystal Palace added another point.

With Aston Villa the next visitors, Sunderland are still finding their rhythm, but their blend of youth and experience has drawn comparisons with sides that built stability quickly after promotion.

At the centre of this are two midfielders at very different stages of their careers. One, a veteran leader who has seen it all across Europe.

The other, a 20-year-old whose performances are already hinting at a future transfer value more than double what Sunderland paid.

Granit Xhaka's importance to Sunderland

When Sunderland secured the signing of Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for £17m, many questioned whether the 32-year-old would be the right fit for a newly promoted side.

But Xhaka’s pedigree speaks for itself.

Over seven seasons with Arsenal, he made 297 appearances, won two FA Cups, and established himself as one of the Premier League’s most combative midfielders.

His return to England comes after a remarkable spell in Germany.

Joining Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side in 2023, Xhaka played a pivotal role in guiding the club to their first ever Bundesliga title, going unbeaten in the process.

He was also part of the squad that came agonisingly close to an unbeaten treble, only to be stopped in the Europa League final by an Ademola Lookman hat-trick for Atalanta.

Statistically, Xhaka remains one of the most progressive passers in European football.

Granit Xhaka – 2024/25
Matches Played	33
Goals	2
Assists	7
Progressive Passes	318
Progressive Carries	42
Source: FBref

Last season, he averaged 9.91 progressive passes per 90, ranking him among the best in his position.

His 50.2 carries per 90 also show how comfortably he advances play, while his aerial duel win rate of 61.2% underlines his utility in both boxes.

Now captain of Sunderland and still wearing the armband for Switzerland, he has spoken about embracing “solidarity and suffering” as part of his new challenge.

For Sunderland, his presence provides stability when it is crucial.

Noah Sadiki is Sunderland’s jackpot signing

If Xhaka represents Sunderland’s steadying hand, Noah Sadiki embodies the excitement of the club’s new era.

Signed from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for £15m, the 20-year-old Congolese midfielder is already proving to be one of the bargains of the summer.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, his value has soared to as high as €36m (£31m) after just a handful of games in the Premier League, exceeding the fee splashed out on Xhaka.

Sadiki had already built an impressive reputation in Belgium before his move, with The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor describing him as a “properly complete midfielder”.

Since arriving at Union SG from Anderlecht in 2023, he made over 100 appearances and helped the club win the Belgian Pro League title.

Similar to Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, according to analyst Ben Mattinson, and capable of playing both in midfield and defence, his playing profile is one of his strongest assets.

At Sunderland, however, he has been used predominantly in midfield, where his blend of energy and intelligence has stood out.

Last season, he averaged 1.75 progressive carries per 90, slightly higher than Xhaka, while also posting stronger defensive metrics such as 1.78 tackles and 1.34 blocks per 90.

Despite his youth, he has shown composure on the ball, registering a 30% shot accuracy rate and 0.75 shots on target per 90 – higher than Xhaka’s 0.64.

These contributions have helped him quickly adapt to the physicality and pace of English football.

While Xhaka brings control, leadership, and passing range, Sadiki offers drive, athleticism, and the potential for game-changing contributions.

One thrives on experience and authority, the other on potential and versatility.

Together, they represent a midfield balance that could define Sunderland’s survival and growth in the Premier League.

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Sunderland’s summer was a gamble, but the early evidence suggests they may have struck the right balance between established leaders and rising stars.

In Xhaka and Sadiki, they have captured the two poles of football development – a captain who has experienced everything and a 20-year-old who could yet become one of Europe’s most sought-after talents.

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Everton have splashed the cash on the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium, costing the Toffees an estimated £750m.

Under new owners in the Friedkin Group, those on Merseyside also splashed the cash in the transfer window in 2025, with Jack Grealish being the marquee signing, arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Related Everton's most expensive sales of all time

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But who is Everton’s record signing? Here’s a look at the club’s 20 biggest additions in their history.

Everton’s most expensive signings of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Gylfi Sigurdsson

£45m

Swansea City

2017

2

Tyler Dibling

£42m

Southampton

2025

3

Richarlison

£40m

Watford

2018

4

Amadou Onana

£33m

Lille

2022

=5

Romelu Lukaku

£28m

Chelsea

2014

=5

Alex Iwobi

£28m

Arsenal

2019

7

Yerry Mina

£27.2m

Barcelona

2018

8

Thierno Barry

£27m

Villarreal

2025

9

Beto

£26m

Udinese

2023

=10

Jordan Pickford

£25m

Sunderland

2017

=10

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

£25m

Chelsea

2025

=10

Michael Keane

£25m

Burnley

2017

=10

Yannick Bolasie

£25m

Crystal Palace

2016

=10

Moise Kean

£25m

Juventus

2019

=10

Jean-Philippe Gbamin

£25m

Mainz

2019

=10

Ben Godfrey

£25m

Norwich City

2020

17

Davy Klaassen

£23.6m

Ajax

2017

18

Allan

£22.3m

Napoli

2020

19

Andre Gomes

£22m

Barcelona

2022

20

Theo Walcott

£20m

Arsenal

2018

Here is a detailed look at Everton's 10 biggest signings… 10 Jordan Pickford £25m from Sunderland

Jordan Pickford is one of seven players Everton have spent £25m on, and arguably the most successful.

The goalkeeper has been first choice for the Toffees and England during his time on Merseyside and could well finish his career at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

9 Beto £26m from Udinese

Costing slightly more at £26m was striker Beto, who swapped Serie A and Udinese for a shot at the Premier League with Everton.

The Portuguese striker even scored on his debut 24 hours after putting pen to paper on a Toffees deal which is set to expire in 2027.

8 Thierno Barry £27m from Villarreal

Another forward who arrived for a big fee was Thierno Barry. Following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure from Goodison Park, Everton acted in the 2025 summer transfer market to sign the French forward.

Villarreal recieved £27m, whereas Barry signed a four-year deal on £45,000-a-week.

7 Yerry Mina £27.2m from Barcelona

After just six months at Barcelona, defender Yerry Mina joined Everton in 2018, costing the Toffees in excess of £27m.

The Colombia international spent five years at Goodison Park and left upon the expiration of his contract in 2023 for Italian side Fiorentina.

6 Alex Iwobi £28m from Arsenal

Alex Iwobi ended up costing Everton £28m in 2019, with the versatile midfielder spending four years on Merseyside before he was sold to Fulham.

The Nigerian made more than 100 appearances for the Toffees, who recouped £22m of the fee when Iwobi moved to Craven Cottage.

5 Romelu Lukaku £28m from Chelsea

Clubs have spent more than £300m on Romelu Lukaku during the Belgian’s career to date, and his first big-money move was to Everton back in 2014.

Chelsea sold the striker after a successful loan spell on Merseyside, and Everton would go on to make a huge profit when selling Lukaku to Man Utd for £75m in 2017.

4 Amadou Onana £33m from Lille

Another player who Everton made money on was midfielder Amadou Onana, who had a brief two-year spell at Goodison Park before joining Aston Villa.

Onana set Everton back £33m, but in 2024, they were receiving £50m from those at Villa Park.

3 Richarlison £40m from Watford

Richarlison swapped Watford for Everton in 2018, and the Brazilian striker scored more than 50 goals for the Blues in 153 games.

A £40m fee proved to be worth it for the Toffees, who cashed in on the forward four years later, with Tottenham paying them an initial £50m.

2 Tyler Dibling £42m from Southampton

Everton splashed the cash on teenage attacking midfielder Tyler Dibling in 2025, and the Toffees will be hoping he can go on to prove his worth on Merseyside.

Making the youngster the club’s second most expensive signing of all time appears to be a gamble, but there’s no denying Dibling’s creative ability.

1 Gylfi Sigurdsson £45m from Swansea

Top of the list as Everton’s record signing is Gylfi Sigurdsson, with the attacking midfielder costing a whopping £45m.

The Iceland international never really lived up to the billing, though, and after making more than 150 appearances, left as a free agent in 2022.

Mady Villiers and Mia Rogers shared a stand of 98 as Durham made it back-to back wins in the Metro Bank One-day Cup women’s competition with a six-wicket victory over hosts Essex.Rogers led the charge with an unbeaten 66, while Villiers, back on what was her home ground for more than a decade until her move north over the winter made 46 as the visitors recovered from 55 for 3 to win with 70 balls to spare.Earlier, a catastrophic runout sparked a collapse by the hosts in which they lost seven wickets for 53 runs in 81 balls, Villiers taking 3 for 28, while Ariana Dowse was left stranded on 43 not out.Lissy Macleod was dropped on 2, but that scare aside Essex began well after being sent in. Macleod lofted Grace Thompson back over her head for six, while in-form skipper Grace Scriven unfurled a couple of square cuts as the openers posted a 50-stand in 49 balls.Thompson switched ends to break the partnership with the last ball of the powerplay, Macleod strangled down the leg side. The same combination accounted for Scrivens soon afterwards, the host’s skipper wafting at a wide one outside off stump.Dowse and Sophia Smale steadied matters, the latter driving Villiers for four before sweeping Susie Bates to the legside boundary as the pair added 51 in 12 overs.Smale perished tentatively paddling one from Villiers around the corner to backward square but Essex still looked handily placed at 120 for 3 at halfway.Then came the runout, confusion over a second leaving both batters mid-pitch, Amara Carr unable to turn and beat Villiers’s throw. It was the catalyst for the collapse, in-form Phoebe Turner taking two in an over, including Jo Gardner for a second-ball duck.Dowse stood firm to remain unbeaten on 43, but spin twins Villiers and Katy Levick, proved too much for the home side’s tail.Needing early wickets Essex made a dream start, New Zealand international Bates edging a swinging ball from the excellent Eva Gray to a diving Carr. If that was a good ball, Esmae MacGregor produced a beauty to befuddle skipper Hollie Armitage and clip the top of off.Emma Marlow’s response to adversity was to plunder three boundaries from MacGregor’s next over in racing to 30, but comical runouts were catching and a mix up saw her sent back by Villiers, the square leg umpire adjudging her short of her ground, though replays suggested the batter had made it home.Villiers and Rogers managed the rebuild, both driving Smale for four, while the former clubbed one from Abtaha Maqsood back over her head to raise the 50 partnership.Villiers fell just short of 50 top edging an attempted pull to Gray at mid-on, but Rogers completed her half century with the help of six fours.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has described out-of-favour Joel Piroe as “the best finisher I’ve ever worked with” and says the striker has a crucial role to play this season.

Farke paid tribute to Piroe before Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off against Tottenham at Elland Road having left the Dutchman out of his side’s previous four starting line-ups.

Piroe’s 19 league goals helped fire Leeds to promotion last season, earning him the Sky Bet Championship’s Golden Boot, but he did not even make Farke’s squad for last month’s defeat at Fulham.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has emerged as Leeds’ first-choice striker, while Farke has given fellow summer signing Lukas Nmecha the nod off the bench ahead of Piroe in recent matches, with the Whites boss going into Piroe’s versatile ability.

Farke also described Piroe as a “top professional”, adding: “I’m pretty sure that we will see him on many occasions on the pitch and hopefully he can deliver.”

Leeds will bid to extend their unbeaten home league record to 24 matches on Saturday against Tottenham.

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Farke’s side last lost a league game at Elland Road in September last year – 1-0 against Burnley – while a third Premier League win of the season could lift them into the top half of the table.

Tottenham, who have won five of their last six encounters with Leeds, sit fourth after last week’s 1-1 home draw against Wolves and drew 2-2 in Norway against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman scored twice in Europe for the Under-19s as the junior Gunners succumbed to a 4-3 loss at the hands of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the UEFA Youth League. At just 15 years of age, Dowman is considered one of the brightest prospects in Europe and has already started to play under Mikel Arteta with the senior squad this season.

• Dowman shines bright in Arsenal loss

  Dowman featured in Arsenal U19's starting in the European clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday at Meadow Park. The Gunners took the lead through Harrison Dudziak's third-minute strike but Sergio Vinatea brought the visitors back into the game in the 17th minute. Dowman then scored his first goal of the day before the half-hour mark as Arsenal headed into the break with a 2-1 lead. The Gunners, however, failed to hold on to the lead for long as Sergio Esteban and Ruben Gomez scored in quick succession to put Atletico in front soon after the interval. 

  Dowman then completed his double with a strike from the penalty spot in the 85th minute, but Jesus Barrios scored the winning goal two minutes to clinch a seven-goal thriller for the Spanish club. This was the Gunners' third successive loss in the UEFA Youth League.

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• AFP
  

  15-year-old sensation already in Arsenal's first team

  Even before turning 16, Dowman has made a name for himself and has caught Arteta's eye already. He has been training with the senior squad for nearly a year and trained with the first team at the start of the week. Arteta earlier kept Dowman in his matchday squads as an unused substitute in the Gunners' previous Champions League encounters against Athletic Club and Olympiacos. The teenager has also featured off the Arsenal bench in their Premier League clashes against Leeds and Liverpool in the Premier League as well as versus Port Vale in the Carabao Cup. 

  However, despite his promising performances, Arteta is being very protective about the wonderkid and is using him sparingly before giving him full-fledged exposure to the senior professional game. Just a week ago, Dowman became the youngster player to score for England U19s as they saw off Wales 7-0.

• Dowman created Premier League 2 record

  Last month, the Gunners sensation created history in the Premier League 2. At the age of 15 years and 263 days, Dowman became the youngest player to score a goal in competition's history, a record which was previously held by another Hale End youth graduate in Reiss Nelson.

  After the game, Dowman and his team-mates garnered praise from Arsenal U21 head coach Max Porter, who told the club's official website: "I think it was a bit of a roller coaster. We were 2-0 down and had given away two poor goals from our standards, which was obviously disappointing, but I've got to praise the group, really. The reason I say the group is because it wasn't just the ones on the pitch, it was the players that came on. Our first-team manager, Mikel, mentioned the other week about the importance of finishers. All around, from the players on the pitch and the ones that came on to finish the game, they showed huge courage, they pushed themselves physically, and in the end, we got what we deserved from the game. Even in the first half, even though we weren't as good as the second, I think there were still moments we could have scored. So, we're really delighted because I think the group, particularly the ones that played midweek, showed a huge response, which we want to keep going."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Arsenal seniors ran riot against Atletico

  While the junior side failed to beat Atletico, later on Tuesday, the senior side avenged that defeat in style as they thrashed Diego Simeone's side 4-0 in the Champions League at Emirates Stadium. Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli handed Arteta's team a two-goal lead at the start of the second half before Viktor Gyokeres completed the rout with a double. 

Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are ‘big holes to fill’, says chairman of selectors

Vishal Dikshit24-May-20252:18

Rohit, Kohli retirements ‘chance for others to step up’

A combined 190 matches together, over 13,500 runs, 42 hundreds in the format, and a collective captaincy experience of 92 Tests. The recent Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are “big holes to fill” but when players make decisions to leave the game, even if before a high-profile five-Test tour of England, you have to “respect” them and move on, according to chair of India men’s selection panel, Ajit Agarkar.While announcing India’s 18-member squad that will be led by new captain Shubman Gill, Agarkar revealed that it was Kohli who had reached out to the selectors in the early stages of IPL 2025 to inform them about leaving Test cricket.Related

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Agarkar: 'Don't think Bumrah will be available for all five Tests'

“Virat reached out early April and said he wants to finish,” Agarkar said. “We’ve seen him give 200% to every ball that he plays, even when he is not batting or he’s in the field. He probably felt that he had given everything that he had and if he can’t keep up to the standards that he set for himself over the years, and how good he has been, and maybe it was time for him. It has come from him. You’ve got to respect that. They have earned that respect, both of them. As all great players are, the one thing there is, they are true to themselves, and he was in that conversation. So you’ve got to respect that. We’ll obviously miss [Kohli], when you’ve got a guy who’s played 123 Test matches, 30 Test hundreds, it’s going to be tough to fill.”The England tour will be India’s first after the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli•Associated Press

Agarkar did not explain how the conversation around Rohit’s retirement, which was announced five days before Kohli’s, had panned out but said that the Test side would undergo a “big transition” as they were also without R Ashwin, who had retired in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in December. The five Tests starting June 20 in England will see India field a fairly inexperienced batting line-up, as Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are the only batters in the squad who have played Tests in England before. Agarkar, however, stressed that since the retirement decisions had been taken, it was important to look ahead, groom younger players and build a side for the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle as it will be “someone else’s chance now.””When guys like that retire it’s always going to be big holes to fill,” Agarkar said. “Ashwin retired a few months back as well, so those three guys are stalwarts of our cricket. It’s always difficult. One way of looking at it is an opportunity for someone else. They’ve left a legacy behind.”Needless to say, Rohit has been a leader over the last couple of years since he started leading in the Test matches. It is a new cycle, so it is an opportunity to build something for us as well. That’s why I think we’ve got to show them the respect that they want instead of speculating too many things. It is sometimes a personal call with players and you’ve got to respect that and their performances over the years have shown in the amount of games that they’ve won for India. It is someone else’s chance now but there’s no doubt we’ll miss them. I mean all three of them and [Mohammed] Shami. In Test cricket he’s been incredible. So four guys like that not being part of the squad is going to make it a little bit tougher but it’s an opportunity for other guys.”The 2025 WTC final starting June 11 at Lord’s between Australia and South Africa will be the first such final without India after they were blanked 3-0 at home by New Zealand and then lost 3-1 to Australia at the turn of the year. The tour of England will be India’s first series in the new WTC cycle (2025-27) in which India will host West Indies for two Tests (October) and South Africa for another two (November) this year. With the inclusion of 23-year-old uncapped batter B Sai Sudharsan and the recall of Karun Nair – both on the back of strong domestic performances – for England, India now have the chance to build for the future, although Agarkar said deciding the new No. 4 would be left to the head coach and the captain.”It’s a new WTC cycle so you are looking at all sorts of scenarios for the next two years – what is going to help build a team, leading up to that WTC final,” Agarkar said. “It’s an opportunity for somebody else and that’s our job eventually to pick someone else when someone finishes. These two guys were big players for us in Test cricket and those are going to be big holes to fill.”

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim looks to be on thin ice as inconsistent results have sparked concern about whether he is capable of taking United to the next level, with the manager set to be forced into personnel changes this weekend.

After securing a surprising win against world champions Chelsea, it looked like United were going to record their first back-to-back Premier League wins under Amorim as they faced relegation candidates Brentford. However, two early goals from Igor Thiago shattered United’s hopes, and they went on to lose 3-1.

This defeat has reignited speculation that Amorim may be replaced, with names like former England boss Gareth Southgate being linked. United’s next fixture is against newly promoted Sunderland, who have made a strong start to the season…

Amorim forced into changes despite Wilcox and Berrada faith

Reports indicate that there is internal concern at United that Amorim’s position will become untenable if he doesn’t make a change and suffers defeat to the Black Cats.

Indeed, Teamtalk journalist Dean Jones has shared a scoop from inside Old Trafford that Amorim has to change his personnel in light of his refusal to alter his system, and that failure this weekend could be the nail in the coffin.

“There is no way he can go into the Sunderland game and just play the same old tape yet again. I have spoken to connections close to the club, and there seems to be an expectation that this time, something does change. Realistically, it probably will not be the system.

“Because they have worked so tirelessly on his formation, he will probably roll it out again – but one thing he can do this time is change the personnel. This is the area that people seem to feel is most likely to change.

“It’s a huge game for him! And it really could lead to a big decision over his future if it goes badly. So let’s see whether he is brave enough to make a bold call or two. I get the feeling he might finally do it – maybe in goal or midfield…or both.”

The internal pressure that Jones mentions is reportedly not coming from Jason Wilcox or Omar Berarda, who both want Amorim to have until the end of the season to give him a chance to turn things around. Part of the reason they want this may be down to United leading the league in a number of attacking metrics like chances created this season, and they may be sympathetic with the head coach that his players are failing to capitalise.

How Man Utd could line up against Sunderland

Jones highlighted the goal and midfield as two areas where Amorim could make a change, but there are other positions that could be modified as well.

So far this season, Altay Bayindir has been Amorim’s favoured goalkeeper, with the previous first choice, Andre Onana, being exiled on loan to Turkey. However, a number of mistakes have led to calls for deadline day signing Senne Lemmens to be given a chance in goal. The 23-year-old has reportedly impressed in training, and against newly promoted Sunderland, he may be given a chance to start.

In midfield, the lack of game time for Kobbie Mainoo has upset fans, as it looks like he may push for a move away from the club in January. Re-introducing the Carrington graduate to the starting lineup would likely carry some favour with the United faithful and may help them out on the pitch.

Another change Amorim could make is in the right wing-back position. Diogo Dalot was largely at fault for Brentford’s first goal, and if Amad is ready to play following his leave last week, then that is a positive change that Amorim could make.

Jones said Amorim is unlikely to change his system, and since it’s creating chances, that isn’t surprising. With these potential changes, Amorim could both shore up his defence and add players who can score, but these changes would likely be one of the last rolls of the dice for the manager.