Ayub took a career-best 5 for 24 and then scored 33 to help Panthers chase down 138

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2024Mohammad Hasnain and Saim Ayub put in strong performances to take Panthers into the final of the Champions Cup with a seven-wicket win over Markhors. It was also the first win for the chasing team in the tournament.Batting first after winning the toss, Markhors had a poor start as Ali Raza dismissed Haseebullah Khan in the second over of the game. The real damage, though, was done by Hasnain, who sent back Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan to leave Markhors on 25 for 4 in the seventh over.Salman Agha and Iftikhar Ahmed staged a mini-recovery, adding 77 for the fifth wicket but once Iftikhar was run out, Markhors collapsed again, to be all out for 137 in 36 overs. Their unlikely tormentor was Ayub, who picked up 5 for 24 with his part-time legbreaks. It was the first time he took more than two wickets in any form of senior cricket.Panthers lost Azan Awais early in the chase but Ayub kept them on track with 33 off 36 balls. And even though Ayub and Umar Siddiq fell in quick succession, Usman Khan smashed 54 not out off just 26 balls to take the side home in the 24th over.Markhors will now face the winner of the first eliminator, between Stallions and Lions, on Friday.

Liverpool’s attempts to sign an “incredible” player in the summer transfer window have now collapsed, according to a new update.

New Liverpool kit and squad numbers confirmed

The Reds are edging closer to beginning the defence of their Premier League title, starting with a home clash against a dangerous Bournemouth side on August 15th.

Liverpool will do so in their new Adidas kit, having officially started a 10-year deal with them on Friday, following a stint being sponsored by Nike. Supporters are clearly excited about the strip, getting to see their heroes donning it in the coming weeks.

Not only that, but the Reds’ squad numbers for the 2025/26 season have also been confirmed, with star signing Florian Wirtz being given the legendary No.7 shirt worn by the likes of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suarez, as well as the recently departed Luis Diaz.

Liverpool’s club shop have made a lovely gesture by including the late Diogo Jota in the squad list, too, following his tragic passing last month, as Arne Slot and his players prepare for an emotional campaign without the Portuguese attacker.

Liverpool's move for "incredible" defender collapses

Away from kit news, transfer updates continue to arrive, with The Boot Room claiming that Liverpool’s potential move for Nantes centre-back Nathan Zeze has collapsed.

FSG were willing to pay the £21.5m asking price to sign the defender as a replacement for Jarell Quansah, but he has accepted a huge offer with Saudi based Neom Sports Club instead.

Journalist Graeme Bailey shed further light on the situation, saying: “Neom are making waves following their promotion, but this deal has caught many in Europe by surprise. He is a player on the brink of the France senior squad, who could have moved to England or Spain, but he has opted for Saudi. Although not huge in terms of finances, this is a very big deal for the Saudi Pro League.”

A new centre-back is needed for Liverpool this summer, with Quansah’s move to Leverkusen leaving Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as the only genuine options, with the latter pair plagued by injuries during their respective careers.

Zeze could have been a strong young addition, with the 20-year-old pushing to be a fixture in France’s senior setup, but Neom have proved to be too good to turn down in a financial sense.

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Liverpool sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, and now face the exit of another star player.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 31, 2025

Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has always felt like the ideal centre-back signing for Liverpool this summer, though, and they should continue to pursue him.

It must feel like Christmas Day every day for Arsenal fans at the moment.

Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta have already sealed the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and look set on spending even more.

Noni Madueke has reportedly passed his medical, and a deal has been agreed for Valencia’s promising centre-back Christian Mosquera.

On top of all of that, Viktor Gyokeres could be announced as an Arsenal player at any point this week, and if reports are to be believed, the club are closing in on another international who’d be his dream ten.

Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres

After years of looking for an out-and-out nine to lead the line for them, Arsenal have settled on Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The Swedish international has been linked with the club in prior windows, and even looked to be second-choice behind Benjamin Sesko at one point this summer, but finally, a deal has been agreed for the Sporting star.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Gunners will pay an initial fee of £55m for the 27-year-old, with £9m coming in the way of performance-related add-ons.

It feels like a good deal for someone who’s scored goals for fun over the last two years, and now it looks like the North Londoners are trying to bring in an attacking midfielder who’ll get even more out of him.

At least that’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who reported for Football Insider that Arsenal are still very much interested in Eberechi Eze.

O’Rourke has revealed that the Gunners are closing in on the Crystal Palace star, and that they would be willing to pay his full £68m release clause to get the deal done.

However, due to FFP and PSR concerns, they will not be able to pay it all upfront, and are therefore in talks with the South Londoners over paying it in instalments.

It’d still represent a serious investment from Arsenal, but Eze has proven he’d be worth it, and he’d also be the perfect ten for Gyokeres.

Why Eze would be Gyokeres' perfect ten

It might sound simplistic, but as Gyokeres is quite traditional in the sense that he does most of his work in the penalty area, one of the key reasons he’d love playing with Eze is that he’d be able to get the ball to him.

For example, he can move the ball up the pitch with his dribbling, as FBref ranked him in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons in the Premier League last season and the top 11% for general shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Crucially, he also makes things happen when he gets into dangerous areas, as he racked up 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games last season.

Appearances

43

45

Minutes

3303′

3447′

Goals

14

6

Assists

11

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

191.5′

That was a far better return than the Gunners’ current first-choice attacking midfielder, Martin Odegaard, who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games.

In short, the Sporting star will be able to play ahead of the Palace ace, safe in the knowledge that he’ll be provided with a regular supply of chances, and even have the opportunity to turn provider himself at points.

Finally, what is one of the main drivers behind the former Coventry City star’s desperate desire to join the North Londoners this summer?

It’s to have the chance to win the biggest prizes in the club game, and the English “superstar,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, proved that he’s the man for the big occasion last season.

He scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the final of the FA Cup, so Gyokeres would surely feel confident that his creative midfielder would perform at his very best in the crunch games and not let him down.

Ultimately, while it’d be another massive outlay, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d be a brilliant addition to the squad and someone who could help get the best out of the Swedish goal machine.

Alongside Gyokeres: Arsenal now in "very advanced" talks to sign £17m ace

The Gunners are closing in on a deal to sign a “magnificent” player.

ByDominic Lund Jul 14, 2025

Fielding mishap moments into match deepens long run of injuries for Australia quick

Valkerie Baynes11-Oct-2024

Tayla Vlaeminck dislocated her bowling shoulder just moments into Australia’s T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, deepening her shocking run of bad luck with injuries.Vlaeminck was attempting to stop a boundary off Muneeba Ali’s fine edge on just the fourth ball of the match in Dubai on Friday. Running back from short third, Vlaeminck slid but her knee got stuck in the turf as she reached for the ball and flicked it back before tumbling over the rope, crying out and clutching at her shoulder as she did so.Lying on the boundary’s edge clearly in distress as Australia team medical staff rushed to her aid, captain Alyssa Healy looked visibly concerned.Vlaeminck’s shoulder was later relocated and the extent of the injury will be known following further assessment in the coming days.She had come into the side for the big-hitting Grace Harris, adding pace in what Healy described as an “impact for impact” swap in Australia’s first match of the tournament at the ground, having opened their campaign with wins against Sri Lanka and New Zealand on a slower pitch in Sharjah.It is the latest in a long line of injuries for 25-year-old Vlaeminck, playing her first World Cup match since 2018, Australia’s group game against India, and only the second of her career.Vlaeminck dislocated her left shoulder playing for Victoria in the 2017-18 season. Then, during the Australia A tour of England which coincided with last year’s Women’s Ashes, she dislocated the same shoulder again while bowling, which led to corrective surgery.Before she made her debut for Australia, in 2018, she had undergone two ACL reconstructions. Stress fractures in her foot also forced her to miss the 2020 home T20 World Cup as well as the 2022 ODI World Cup, the Commonwealth Games later that year and the 2023 T20 World Cup. Her foot injuries led her to spend time training with professional dancers at the Australian Ballet as part of her rehab work.

Legislation, NIL deals, academies and the elimination of the draft are reshaping the role of colleges in U.S. women's soccer

For generations, young girls who loved soccer could dream of playing at a high level in America, but rarely beyond the college years. Unlike their male counterparts, the idea of pursuing soccer as a profession simply wasn’t an option.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the launch of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2001, that professional soccer became a legitimate career path for women in the U.S. Although the league was short-lived, its arrival and – and a decade later, the establishment of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013 – changed the landscape of the sport in the country.

Collegiate athletes weren’t facing a hard stop at graduation. This shift not only elevated the level of play at the collegiate level, but also transformed how young players, coaches, and families approached the game. College soccer remains a legitimate path for female players in the country to launch  professional careers, even as the opposite is happening for the men's collegiate game. 

The steady rise of Major League Soccer and the investment in MLS academies has created alternative routes that now dominate the development system, putting men's college soccer at a crossroads.

On the women's side, there is crossroads of a different type – the NWSL eliminated the college draft, opening up more direct pathways for aspiring pros, especially for younger players. Still, college soccer in the U.S. overall remains healthy – in fact, there are 330 women's Division 1 collegiate programs.

"College soccer is the best option for female soccer players to go pro," Andrea Morrow, assistant soccer coach at Boston College, told INDIVISA. "Fortunately, for women's soccer players, they are not required to complete a certain number of years or semesters before entering their pro career."

• Getty Images
  

  College soccer still holds value

  In the U.S., college soccer is still the most common avenue for aspiring professionals. For decades, it was the only route.

  "Research shows that women soccer players typically reach their peak between the ages of 25 and 30," Morrow said. "Those who enter college at 17 or 18-years-old and graduate in four years are looking at being 21 or 22, which is still a few years before they would reach their 'peak.'

  "Some would argue for developmental purposes it's best that they go to college because this provides them the luxury of maximizing their time without having to sacrifice an education or funds, regardless of scholarship, as athletic departments provide nutritional benefits, athletic training, professional coaching, mental health support, etc." 

  Morrow, who played and now coaches college soccer, said the opportunity goes beyond just developing athletic skills. It's also about education.

  "Females and their families value education," she said. "In today's world, the pay for a short career is not more valuable than a degree that will set them up for a majority of years." 

  International players also play at the college level in the U.S. Rachel Daly, an English international who could have played for a top club academy in her home country, instead opted to attend St. John's in New York to play Division 1 soccer. She was drafted sixth overall in 2016 by the Houston Dash.

  Similarly, Deyna Castellanos, a Venezualan international, left her country to play for Florida State and was later awarded a professional contract with Atlético Madrid and ultimately played in the NWSL.

  "Until there are viable professional academies for women's pro clubs in the U.S., college is still the route to women's professional soccer," said Amphone Keovongmanysar, associate head coach for the Columbia University women's soccer team. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  NWSL academies

  Youth academies are a vital part of the men's game, with 29 MLS academies currently running alongside 122 other elite academies under the MLS NEXT umbrella. These academies serve as the main feeder for MLS semi-pro and pro teams. On the women's side, there are only five youth academies paired with NWSL teams and they all operate under different systems.

  Those five clubs include the North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, Houston Dash, Racing Louisville and Seattle Reign. Each club have their own age groups and methods, and unlike the men's side, the academy teams play in external leagues. The biggest leagues for female amateur players in the U.S. are the Girls Academy and ECNL. 

  Each year, there are a handful of women's players who forgo college soccer and go straight to the pros. Those players are typically playing up several age groups for club teams that compete in ECNL and Girls Academy top divisions.

  Mallory Swanson was one of the first notable players to make the choice to bypass the collegiate game. She played in the ECNL for Real Colorado and was committed to play collegiately at UCLA, but instead turned pro in 2016 when she joined the Washington Spirit. That launched her career full speed ahead, with her USWNT debut coming later that year.

  More recently, players such as Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson – both powerhouse stars for the USWNT – opted to directly turn pro. And while those are notable exceptions, it's not necessarily a trend. That said, an expansion of academies on the women's side could change the status quo.

  "Academies could create an alternate pathway to go pro," Morrow said, "but this would / could put a financial strain on professional clubs. They would be responsible to provide the resources for those years between the players' youth careers and professional careers."

• Getty Images
  

  Name, Image and Likeness

  Rachel Breton, a former professional player for Sky Blue FC (now NJ/NY Gotham FC), has been coaching for years. Asked about the importance of college soccer, and the pathway to pro for female players, Breton says "College soccer is pretty critical," adding that "unlike the NWSL, you don't see a lot of older players in the MLS."

  Haleigh Drake, a coach for Cedar Stars in the ECNL and at Stevens College, stressed that playing collegiately has numerous benefits, but that it is not the lone route to the professional game, especially for rising young talent.

  "College soccer gives you a great professional experience post-club soccer, a competitive high-risk habitat and exposure to NWSL scouts and clubs," she said. "However, that's not the only way to the pros. While college is the most 'elite' playing experience you'll get at the moment, it's not the only way to get to the pros. I think 3 or 4 years ago it was college then pro. Now, it's whoever is good enough, straight to pro." 

  Complicating matters is legislation over name, image and likeness, which took effect in 2021. Four years into the new age of college sports, where athletes are allowed to profit from their successes through NIL deals, everyone is still trying to find out what the new normal will be. The complex, often murky, world of NIL has touched every corner of college sports.

  NIL permits collegiate athletes to monetize their personal brand through endorsements, public appearances, and commercial partnerships. So players who previously sought to turn pro earlier in their careesr now have the possibility of being compensated while playing collegiately. The largest NIL payments tend to come in college football and basketball, but the value of deals for women's soccer players has increased. 

  That's an important to note when you consider that in 2013, when the NWSL was first formed, the best players were making $30,000 or less. And while NWSL salaries have grown dramatically, NIL deals at the collegiate level present players with more financial options. In fact, it's providing opportunities to players even before they reach the collegiate level.

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• LOTTO / Lucas Flores Piran
  

  'It means a lot to be their first'

  Loradana Paletta may just be 14-years-old, but she's beyond experienced when it comes to turning heads on the soccer field. When she's not breaking ankles with her quick feet and ability to accelerate and decelerate on a dime, she's making ground-breaking moves off the field.

  In July, Paletta became first NIL partner for Italian sportswear brand LOTTO. The then-middle schooler out of Syosset, New York began playing soccer when she was 4, and now, 10-plus years later, she's in high school and a standout member of the U.S. Youth National Under-17 team. Partnering with LOTTO was an opportunity for Paletta to invest in her journey to become "a pro."

  "It means a lot to be their first," Paletta told INDVISA. "It's a big thing to take in, to carry, but it means I'm doing it with them."

  That came less than a year after Nike signed 13-year-old soccer phenom McKenna "Mak" Whitham to NIL, making her the youngest women's soccer player – and youngest athlete in any sport at the time – to sign an NIL deal with Nike.

  "It means everything to me," Whitham told ESPN. "And it motivates me even harder. I mean, not every kid gets to get signed by Nike."

  And it goes beyond NIL. In June, a federal judge approved terms of a sprawling $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that will upend the way college sports have been run for more than a century. In short, schools can now directly pay players through licensing deals – a concept that goes against the foundation of amateurism that college sports was built upon.

  The settlement calls for roster limits that will reduce the number of players on all teams while making all of those players – not just a portion – eligible for full scholarships. This figures to have an outsize impact on college sports such as soccer, which don’t produce as much revenue as, say, college football.

  Last month, 10 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives asked the NCAA how college sports’ major governing body plans to protect the interests of female athletes, as the largest portion of NIL and revenue-sharing payments continue to be directed to male athletes. The NCAA said its investment in women’s sports has “continuously and significantly increased in the last several years.” 

Former New Zealand captain Tim Southee will be at the centre of a selection debate ahead of the first Test against India as the visitors ponder the balance of their attack for Bengaluru and weigh up whether to play three quicks.Southee stood down from the captaincy after the 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka last month and there’s a chance he loses his place in the XI straightaway after a lean run in format where he has taken eight wickets at 73.12 this year.Related

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He is working to discover the “snap” in his bowling action but though be boasts a handy record in India with 20 wickets at 28.70, including his career-best 7 for 64 in Bengaluru 12 years ago, his place will likely be under scrutiny whichever way New Zealand structure their bowling attack.If they opt for just two quicks Matt Henry has a strong case to partner Will O’Rourke who was impressive in Sri Lanka, while if they played three the choice would then be between Southee’s experience or the extra pace of Ben Sears who made a mark on his debut against Australia in March.Head coach Gary Stead said that the discussions between him and Southee after the Sri Lanka series would remain private but acknowledged they were “delicate” and did concede that without Southee as captain it allowed greater flexibility in selection.Matt Henry will be in the mix to return to the side•AFP/Getty Images

“Like all Test tours and series we have reviews at the end of it and Tim and I had a conversation around it, then he made the decision to stand down,” Stead said. “He thought it was in the best interests of the team. I supported his decision around that.”It allows different players to be considered in roles and as a selector and coach you are always trying to put what you think is the very best team out there. With Tim as captain, he was the guy who was starting for us and leading that team and think we were always looking at the options that were best for the team going forward.”An additional factor with the balance of New Zealand’s attack is the impact on the lower-order batting. Mitchell Santner batted No. 8 against Sri Lanka while Michael Bracewell would be another spin-bowling option, but Bengaluru turns out to help fast bowlers, and three quicks were selected, then either Henry or Southee would need to take on the role of chipping in with some runs down the order.”They’ve both scored fifties so that’s always the balance that possibly in New Zealand you think about more, especially if it’s going to be real seamer-friendly,” Stead said. “Think here the first thing you want to do is make sure you’ve got the bowlers you think can take 20 wickets.”Southee is working with bowling coach Jacob Oram on trying to rediscover his wicket-taking form and has been studying video from successful periods in a career which has so far brought 382 Test wickets, leaving him on the brink of becoming just the second New Zealand bowler to 400.”From my conversations with Tim he recognised he hasn’t been at his best but there’s certainly no desire to not get back there,” Stead said. “He’s working hard in the background, he’s doing everything he can and trying to rediscover what that little thing he feels is missing is.”There’s a couple of little technical points Tim’s working on. He’s working with [Jacob] Oram around them. We’ve looked back at quite a bit of video from previous years and times he’s played in India and had success. It’s just trying to rediscover that and find a little bit, I guess you could call it snap back into his action.”Stead added that Will Young was likely to bat No. 3 in the first Test in the absence of Kane Williamson who is recovering from a groin strain. There remains hope that Williamson will be available for the second Test with a call likely to be made during the first few days of the Bengaluru game.India will be without Mohammed Shami but Stead noted the depth of talent India were able to call on. “If they have an injury it doesn’t seem to effect them like other teams. There’s someone else who can come in who is equally adept,” he said. “They have the mass of numbers they can call but they are also very skilful and are an experienced team with a lot of Test caps. They play a brand of cricket that makes it very difficult for you over here but that’s the challenge that’s ahead of us.”

West Ham United are hopeful of adding some new faces before the Premier League season begins and could be about to up the ante in pursuit of a hot prospect, according to reports.

West Ham United close in on Callum Wilson deal

Following his departure from Newcastle United, free agent striker Callum Wilson is in talks over a move to West Ham to offer experience and depth within Graham Potter’s forward line.

Speaking about his next move, the England cap has claimed he still has ‘so much to give’ at the top level despite doubts from some given his age and scoring record of late.

He stated: “I am 33. I have still got so much to give in the game. I feel mentally and physically still able to more than contribute in however many games in a season.

“It is just difficult, you are playing at a club when you have got arguably one of the best strikers in world football at the moment, in the form of Alex Isak, to break in is difficult. I am never one who shies away from a fight, I would happily be there to push and take my opportunity when it arose, but it just didn’t seem to arise in the back end of the season.”

Aside from the Hammers’ pursuit of a forward, Michael Cooper has been identified as a goalkeeping target for West Ham after his excellent form at Sheffield United.

He'd be the new Kudus: West Ham keen on signing "electric" £23m star

Following Mohammed Kudus’ sale to Tottenham, West Ham are keen to sign a “brilliant talent” worth £23m to bolster Graham Potter’s attacking options.

ByBen Gray Jul 28, 2025

Alphonse Areola may well be replaced, though could another figure from the Championship be the man to offer a challenge between the sticks at the London Stadium?

West Ham United preparing bid for Pierce Charles

According to The Star, West Ham are readying a bid for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles and could look to test the Owls’ resolve in light of their present financial troubles.

Nevertheless, the Championship outfit are unlikely to entertain an approach, with the Northern Ireland international not only viewed as their number one this term, but a player who could grow considerably in value before they sanction a future sale.

Pierce Charles in the Championship – key statistics in 2024/25

Save percentage

66.7%

Clean sheets

0

xG prevented

2.14

High claims

11

Pass accuracy

76.3%

Labelled “excellent” by national boss Michael O’Neill, the 20-year-old managed a solitary clean sheet across 13 outings in all competitions, though his potential is there for all to see at Hillsborough.

With two years left on his deal, it remains to be seen if West Ham could tempt Sheffield Wednesday into a sale. The second-tier outfit need funds to tie them over until any potential takeover. Still, the Owls also don’t want to run the risk of relegation.

The Hammers are trying to recover from flying a little too close to the sun themselves, so it makes sense if they are now focusing the bulk of their activity on securing stars with potential to develop over the coming years.

While the elusive centre forward is yet to arrive, there is no doubt that this has been a great summer for Arsenal in the transfer market.

There’s no Edu-like hesitancy from the recruitment team as Andrea Berta is here and he’s making a stamp on the Gunners.

With a move for Viktor Gyokeres continuing to rumble on in the background, Mikel Arteta’s side have added Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke to their ranks.

Yet, they aren’t done there. It feels like a matter of time before Gyokeres becomes an Arsenal player and a new centre-back in the shape of Cristhian Mosquera has already completed his media duties ahead of being announced.

But, another winger could also arrive before transfer deadline day.

Arsenal looking to further bolster their forward line

Two of the biggest rumours this summer have concerned Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo.

Eze, who was once in the Arsenal academy, has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Gunners but club-to-club talks are yet to open between the north Londoners and Crystal Palace.

If the attacker does make the move to the Emirates Stadium, then it’s likely his £68m release clause will have been activated.

But, how about Rodrygo? Well, this saga is one that looks as though it could continue until the latter stages of the window.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazilian played just 92 minutes at this summer’s Club World Cup and as a result, Xabi Alonso could well be looking to move him on from Real Madrid.

Arsenal have been at the table for a while now, but they are joined by Liverpool in the race. However, according to reports in Spain, the Gunners are now looking to steal a march on the Reds.

Those reports suggest that Arteta views Rodrygo as ‘the ideal player to strengthen the left flank’ and as a consequence, they are preparing an €80m (£70m) bid to bring him to London. It’s unlikely that will be accepted as Madrid have set their asking price at €100m (£87m).

Why Rodrygo could be Arsenal's best left winger since Alexis

While the centre forward position at Arsenal has been a problem for two years now, arguably so has the wide left position in Arteta’s side.

Gabriel Martinelli scored as many as 15 Premier League goals in 2022/23 but since then, he’s not scored more than eight in a single league campaign. As for Leandro Trossard, he did find the net on 17 occasions in 2023/24, but as far as league goals are concerned, it was an inconsistent term in 2024/25 for the Belgian too.

Indeed, the former Brighton winger scored just eight in the top-flight, leading to concerns about the overall makeup of Arsenal’s attack.

It feels like a long time ago now that the Gunners had Alexis Sanchez dominating the left flank. Like Trossard, he also featured as the main centre-forward, but his quality far surpassed both him and Martinelli.

Cast your minds back to 2016/17 and you will recall just how magical the Chilean was, scoring as many as 24 Premier League goals. In all competitions, he found the net 30 times and supplied 18 assists too.

It’s numbers we’ve not seen from a forward player at Arsenal since Sanchez. Not even Bukayo Saka has enjoyed a season as good as that.

Well, Rodrygo could well be the type of winger who can emulate Alexis in north London. Like the Chile international, he’d arrive at the Emirates having played second fiddle to some major names in Spanish football.

Sanchez moved to Arsenal in the shadow of Lionel Messi and Co while Rodrygo is firmly behind the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vini Jr.

Yet, his quality is clear for all to see. In 2022/23, he scored 19 goals in all competitions and possesses a dazzling dribbling ability akin to the club’s former number 17.

Taking a fraction of the data from the best individual seasons of both players’ careers, there are obvious differences, notably in terms of output.

That said, they created an identical number of big chances and their dribbling is very much on par, with Rodrygo only 0.4 down when it comes to their success rates.

To rubberstamp that ability, the Madrid star ranked among the top 20% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues last year for take-ons and the best 14% for progressive carries.

On that evidence, the Brazil international is a captivating star and even though he’s not too consistent with regards to goals and assists yet, he is still only 24. Alexis, in contrast, was 27 during that 2016/17 campaign. There is plenty of time left for him to develop yet.

A dream for Gyokeres: Arsenal chasing "one of the best 10s in the world"

The attacking midfielder would be unreal for Arsenal and Viktor Gyokeres.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 20, 2025

Joseph left the field a couple of times during the game after he was visibly unhappy about some things

Cameron Ponsonby07-Nov-2024Alzarri Joseph, the West Indies fast bowler, has been suspended for two matches for his unsanctioned departure from the field during the third ODI against England, in the wake of a disagreement with captain Shai Hope.Joseph issued a public apology in the aftermath of the incident, acknowledging that “my passion got the best of me”, adding that he had “personally apologised to Captain Shai Hope, my team-mates and management”.”I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans – I understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused.”During the fourth over of the innings in Bridgetown, Joseph was unhappy with a field placement and could be seen remonstrating with Hope. Off the fourth ball, Joseph removed Jordan Cox caught behind, but did not celebrate with his team, instead immediately returning to his mark. At the end of the over, Joseph left the field unannounced and went into the dressing room, forcing West Indies to begin the fifth over with only ten fielders on the pitch.”Behaviour like that is unacceptable on my cricket field,” Daren Sammy, West Indies’ head coach said to TalkSPORT after play. “We will be friends…but in the culture I’m trying to build, that’s unacceptable. We will definitely have a chat about that.”Joseph returned to the pitch for the beginning of the sixth over, but did not resume bowling until the 12th. He bowled two more overs, before leaving the field again after two misfields off his bowling saw England gain two runs through overthrows. He returned later to bowl two more in the middle overs and his remaining three in the death.Joseph finished the match with figures of 2 for 45 from his 10 overs after dismissing Cox and Dan Mousley.”Alzarri’s behavior did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds,” Miles Bascombe, CWI Director of Cricket, said. “Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged.”Sammy, who was appointed as West Indies head coach in May 2023, is widely credited for his man-management abilities, and has convinced several players, such as Andre Russell and Evin Lewis, to return to the international game.”I pride myself on having the difficult conversations,” Sammy said. “But in a way that everybody understands what is needed to be done. To see guys going out there and slowly progressing in the right direction makes me proud.”There’s still a lot of work to be done, but it’s one that I’m quite passionate about.”West Indies won the ODI series 2-1 and the five-match T20 series begins on Saturday, with Sammy hinting that some of the star names who were absent from their recent series against Sri Lanka, such as Nicholas Pooran and Akeal Hosein, are set to return.”We’ve got a couple of senior players who were not in Sri Lanka that we expect to be back,” Sammy said. “Our T20 team is our most successful team and our most settled team. So, yes, we incorporate some new guys to give them that exposure, but our T20 team normally picks itself.”This story was updated at 12am GMT following Joseph’s suspension

With a deal already edging closer to signing Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea have also now reportedly made their first contact to sign a fresh attacking reinforcement.

Chelsea closing in on Hato

As ever, Chelsea have welcomed several fresh faces this summer. As Enzo Maresca gears up for his second season in charge, he now has the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens at his disposal in what remains a squad filled to the brim with quality in depth.

The Blues haven’t quite wrapped up their summer business just yet, however. After showing the door to Noni Madueke, who joined London rivals Arsenal, and Saudi-bound Joao Felix, those at Stamford Bridge still have money to spend and have turned towards Hato as a result.

The 19-year-old left-back now looks destined to become the latest young talent to arrive in West London, as Chelsea continue to build one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.

Hato’s tender age is unlikely to stand in the way of first-team opportunities, though. The Dutchman already has plenty of experience on that front and even graced the Europa League for Ajax last season.

One of many to have praised Hato, Statman Dave recently told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Big Transfer Talk: “When you look at his stats over the season, we are starting to see a player who is very composed and creative. He could potentially go on a similar path to Trent Alexander-Arnold – that is the player I would liken him to in Europe.”

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Alas, it’s not just their backline that Chelsea still want to improve. The Blues have also reportedly made their first move to sign a Serie A star.

Chelsea make first approach to sign Weah

According to SpazioJ, Chelsea have made their first approach to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus, only for the American to turn down a summer switch to Stamford Bridge.

It’s not the first time that the winger has turned down the chance to join a Premier League club, either. Earlier this summer, reports emerged that he had handed Nottingham Forest the same answer that he has now given Chelsea and Tottenham. Just where his future now lies as a result is the big question.

Juventus are still willing to sell Weah for around €20m (£17m) ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether the likes of Chelsea come calling with a second attempt to convince the 25-year-old.

After scoring six goals and providing five assists in all competitions last season, former Juventus boss Thiago Motta took the chance to praise Weah – telling reporters: “I see him very well, the first thing for a full-back is to defend, be aggressive, win duels, and he is winning a lot of them. He is aggressive, he can still improve, I am very happy with what I see, and on top of that, he also manages to score goals.”