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Petersen has dealt with pressure before and come out on top; the challenge this time was of a slightly different order

Firdose Moonda at Basin Reserve25-Mar-2012Before the start of the Hamilton Test, Alviro Petersen was asked what it was like to bat between the superstars. With names and reputations like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers in the same line-up as him, Petersen was essentially being asked if he sometimes got lost in a galaxy of greats. He was asked the question again after his 156 in Wellington, the highest score by a South African batsman on this tour. His answer was the same again.”I don’t know,” Petersen said, with a knowing look on his face, one that suggested he knew exactly how it felt to bat as well as any of those big names. “I am just focussed on my cricket. But, I don’t want to be Jacques Kallis, I don’t want to be Graeme Smith. I am Alviro Petersen.”Who exactly that is, we aren’t sure. We probably won’t know for many more Tests as Petersen establishes himself in the side. What we can say with confidence, is that Petersen is promising enough to be more than a speck of moondust in the atmosphere.Petersen is playing in his 13th Test match and has already scored three hundreds. All of them came at a time when he has had to make a point. The first one was on debut, the second on his comeback after being dropped more because of the prolific form of Jacques Rudolph than any over-riding concern about his own ability and the third here, amid calls for whether he should open the batting despite his last big knock having come just three Tests ago.Why Petersen faced pressure for his place from some quarters in this match remains a mystery. Although his century in the New Year’s Test was overshadowed by Kallis’ all-round efforts which included a double-hundred, it has not been completely erased from memory, especially not the memory of the selectors. He only managed 66 runs from his previous four innings in New Zealand but did not look inept by any means. At worst, he was uncomfortable in previous innings, was guilty of trying to play across the line too often, was lbw twice and adopted an approach that was perhaps too attacking.He was certainly due a knock but it was not a do-or-die situation. The main source of anxiety for Petersen came from Petersen himself, who admitted that he was concerned about how he had played in the previous two matches. “I was under pressure coming into this game because of the standards I set for myself,” he said. “I hadn’t really scored a lot of runs in this series so it was important that I once I got in that I try and score big.”The crucial part was getting in. He looked a little shaky against the away movement but had the luxury of giving himself time to settle in because Amla was playing the role of the aggressor at the other end. He did have one edge go third slip’s way in the early stages of his innings but was lucky to find no-one manning the area. When Amla got out, he had JP Duminy to push on. In that period, he offered another chance that went to Martin Guptill’s right at second slip. Petersen was on 68 then and got away with it again. Then, he capitalised.A hallmark of his play on the second afternoon was his execution of the pull, which came off perfectly almost every time. He said the bounce off the surface was something he enjoyed because it reminded him a little of home. “I grew up playing at the Wanderers so I think I am just used to a bouncier wicket,” he said. “Facing the likes of Marchant [de Lange] in the nets, especially when he tries to take all our heads off, does make things easier as well.”He went to bed on Saturday night on 96 and returned to turn that into 100 by the second over on Sunday morning. With the sun out, the pitch flattened, the pulls from day two became the drives of day three as Petersen rolled them out in conditions which suited. “Today, the wicket played really nicely,” he said. He looked well set to turn his hundred into a double but a lapse in concentration allowed New Zealand to break through and dismiss him the way they have twice before, trapping him lbw.Petersen’s annoyance at having made the same mistake was obvious. He accepted the umpire’s verdict without asking for a review but went back to tap the pitch in a frustration that he lapsed back into a technical flaw he had tried to eliminate. Prior to this match, Petersen studied some footage of himself from previous games to see whether the mistake had crept in recently. “I had a look at some videos, especially of Newlands Test and just worked on a few things,” he said. “I think in this game it came through quite nicely.”This innings has given Petersen a healthy dose of confidence ahead of South Africa’s next tour – to England in July. His challenge will be to avoid waiting for a situation where he to score runs to convince people he is worthy of star status but to keep piling them on regularly. “Every cricketer wants to be consistent and I am no different. It’s just that, I enjoy pressure,” he said. “I have to find a way of trying to put that pressure on every innings and almost play like it’s my last game every time.”

In terms of producing the goods when his team needs a leading role there are few better than Smith

Andrew McGlashan at the Wanderers15-Jan-2010Remove from the equation the fact that Graeme Smith had a huge stroke of luck early in his 105. This was another captain’s innings of the highest order. There are many more graceful batsmen in the game and many who are more technically sound, but in terms of producing the goods when his team needs a leading role there are few better than Smith.It is impossible not to admire his single-minded determination. The situation today was ideal for Smith to take the game by the scruff of the neck, as he did at Newlands last week through his brutal 183, with South Africa needing to push on after routing England for 180. There has only been one side in this match so far and Smith, who hasn’t been shy of making big statements during this tour, is desperate to make England pay this time.”It’s a pretty meaningful one,” he said of his hundred, which followed the recent death of his grandfather. “It’s been a tough month having lost a family member and things haven’t gone as we would have liked. We’ve played good cricket but have just lacked the knockout punches.”We’ve dominated the first two days of this Test. I would like to think we are the hungrier team. I think we’ve played that brand of cricket in this game. Hopefully we can jump on the fact that they are 1-0 up and maybe won’t be giving 100%.”As with his innings at Cape Town this was a knock with distinct phases. Unlike England’s batsmen yesterday, Smith realised the new ball was a time to show respect to the bowlers. On the first evening, and again this morning, he was watchful against the swing and seam movement. Once he had done the hard work, he began to take advantage of the softer ball and the bowlers’ increasing desperation.”This was a big day and I knew it would go around,” he said. “You have to dig deep. I know I’m not the prettiest batsman, but I pride myself on being effective and sticking to my game plans, capitalising when I see my opportunity. Towards the back end of that first session, once I’d got through that tough period, I felt England had tired a bit with their three seamers and it was an opportunity for us against an older ball.”In his first 69 balls Smith struck two boundaries in 24 runs, but when he brought up his hundred it was with his 16th four. The most enthralling period of the innings once again came when he was facing Graeme Swann, who beat Smith with a ripping off-break in his first over. Smith was determined to dominate, however, and although that came with risks it also brought great rewards.The contrast between the form of Smith and his opener partner, Ashwell Prince, couldn’t be greater. Prince did well to survive tough conditions on the previous evening, but never gave any sense of permanency about his stay at the crease and it was no great surprise when, three balls after Smith’s reprieve, he edged Stuart Broad to second slip. If this match goes according to plan for the home side he may not get another innings with which to prove himself, and his place for the tour to India has to be in doubt.It is a tough situation for Prince, who is a middle-order batsman by trade but was shoehorned into the opening role at the end of last year’s home series against Australia. He began with 150 at Cape Town, but admitted before this series that he would be happier back in his traditional position. The problem, though, is a log-jam in the middle order and a shortage of openers.The early signs were promising when he battled to an important 45 on the opening day of the first Test at Centurion, but since then it has been a tale of diminishing returns, while Smith’s contributions have gone the other way. Even if South Africa end up securing a share of the spoils in this campaign, their best opening partnership of the series is the 36 made in this innings. That is not an ideal foundation even if Smith’s own performances are helping to compensate.Alviro Petersen is next in line for the opening slot, having impressed during the one-day series, and has been part of the Test squad throughout England’s tour. Youngsters who are in contention include Dean Elgar, the Eagles batsman, who tops the domestic batting charts with 892 runs at 68.61 but is again a middle-order player. Rilee Rossouw, a 20-year-old who also plays for Eagles, is very highly rated and has enjoyed a strong season in both four-day and one-day cricket, while the other name suggested is Cape Cobras’ Andrew Puttick.One other option, albeit an unlikely one, is to return to the man who had the job before Prince and recall Neil McKenzie, who himself moved from the middle order to forge a successful spell alongside Smith. Prince may yet survive the chop, but which ever route the selectors take in the next few weeks Smith’s own performances deserve a partner who can offer him more support.

Australia have tended to start the stronger … and continue that way as well

Andrew McGlashan21-Jul-2005The first day of an Ashes series is arguably the biggest moment of any Anglo-Australian cricketer’s life. But, as Andrew McGlashan demonstrates, the recent history of opening-day encounters shows that Australia have tended to start the stronger … and continue that way as well.

Nasser Hussain rues his infamous decision to bowl first at Brisbane © Getty Images

Brisbane 1986-87

Before the first Test a British newspaper famously said of England: “There are only three things wrong with this team: they can’t bat, they can’t bowl and they can’t field”. They had suffered a poor preparation against typically fired-up states and had a side which included stars reportedly passed their best. However, England ended the first day at Brisbane on 198 for 2 – nothing extraordinary but vital in blunting the Australian attack and media criticism. Bill Athey – who had struggled for form in the warm-up matches – battled his way to 76 and Mike Gatting, the captain, made 61, on the tour that was to seal his place in English cricket folklore .Headingley 1989

Australia were the underdogs going into this series but, not for the first time, a captain erred at Headingley and stuck the opposition in. This time David Gower inserted Australia after packing the England side with seam bowlers, but was left to rue his decision. Phil DeFreitas and Neil Foster managed an early strike each but Mark Taylor laid the foundations for a huge total, ending the day on 96 not out. Allan Border was at his cussed best, adding 117 with Taylor, as Gower became increasingly short of options. Although this first day would not finish as England’s most painful of the series it certainly set the tone, not just for this series, but for an entire generation.Brisbane 1990-91

A career-threatening hand injury for Graham Gooch threw England into turmoil before a ball had been bowled, and without his talismanic captaincy, the infection spread throughout England’s batting. On a bowler-friendly Gabba pitch, England struggled to 194 all out despite at one stage being 117 for 2. Bruce Reid provided most of the problems with his booming left-arm inswingers, taking four wickets, including Gower, who top-scored with 61. The missed opportunity on the opening day was to be a recurring theme throughout the tour, as England continually failed to nail Australia when they had a glimmer of a chance.Old Trafford 1993

Under Border’s leadership, Australia had lifted themselves out of the malaise that surrounded them during the 1980s, and the nucleus of a potential world-beating team had been formed. Another part of the jigsaw, Michael Slater, made his Test debut at Old Trafford and on the first day added 128 with Taylor in a manner that would become wearily familiar to England’s bowlers. Phil Tufnell and Peter Such, who was also on debut, kept England in the match by reducing Australia from 183 for 1 to 232 for 5. Taylor was caught and bowled by Such for 124 but the success of England’s spinners should have served as a warning – this match was to become the story of a certain Australian legspinner.Brisbane 1994-95

England arrived in Australia on the back of Devon Malcolm’s 9 for 57 against South Africa at The Oval but Malcolm missed the Brisbane Test with chicken pox. In his absence, DeFreitas led the attack, and served up two juicy long-hops in his first over. Slater dispatched them and had smashed 176 by the time he lobbed a catch to Gatting off Gooch in the closing overs of the day – the combined age of England’s fielders (78) summed up one of England’s many failings of the tour. Darren Gough was England’s only shining light, dismissing David Boon and Michael Bevan, but Australia were 329 for 4 at the close and England had been given their first long day of a long, tough tour.Edgbaston 1997

After an hour and a half the score was 54 for 8 – the Australian score that is – as Malcolm, Gough and Andrew Caddick stunned them with pace and bounce on a hot, sultry Edgbaston morning. Taylor had decided to bat – expecting the pitch to deteriorate – but it was their batting that crumbled. Skittled for 118, Australia quickly had England 50 for 3 and spectators were checking their refund policy for the third day. But Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe began constructing England’s best partnership of the 1990s and by the close England already led by 82. England went on to complete a nine-wicket win despite centuries from Taylor and Greg Blewett but as false dawns go, this was huge. Australia went on to win the series 3-2.Brisbane 1998-99

England had sealed a 2-1 win against South Africa – their first in a five-Test series since the 1986-87 Ashes – and Alec Stewart had an attack of Gough, Dominic Cork and Angus Fraser that he thought could challenge Australia. For two-thirds of the opening day they did, and at 178 for 5 England were a wicket away from taking the honours. But Fraser and Hussain grassed a chance each during the final hour as Steve Waugh and Ian Healy launched one of their trademark fightbacks. Australia closed on 246 for 5 so the match was still in the balance, but England knew they had missed their chance and Australia, unsurprisingly, made them pay.Edgbaston 2001

Australia grabbed the series by the scruff of England’s neck and never let go. England had started with genuine hope after winning in Pakistan and Sri Lanka but a demoralising one-day series and a mountain of injuries were hardly ideal preparation. England approached lunch on 106 for 1, but four balls before the break Shane Warne dismissed Mark Butcher. Australia were on a roll, although they were halted by a barnstorming last-wicket stand of 103 between Stewart and Caddick. However, Gough’s opening over went for 18 and any advantage England had was gone. Slater flayed the attack to all parts as 427 runs were scored in the day. The excitement didn’t last; the Ashes were over in 11 days.Brisbane 2002-03

Nasser Hussain made the inexplicable decision to bowl first – although at least one team-mate had suggested this might be the right course to take – and Australia cashed in on a perfect batting track, wayward England bowling and shocking fielding. England did manage to remove Justin Langer before lunch, courtesy of Simon Jones, but during the afternoon session Jones’s Test career was brought to a 16-month halt as he ruptured his knee ligaments attempting a slide near the boundary. It had one-sided enough with a full quota of bowlers, but shorn of their fastest option, England had nowhere to hide. Matthew Hayden ended the day on 186, Ricky Ponting made a classy 123, and a close-of-play score of 364 for 2 gave the Australian media enough ammunition for the rest of the tour.

Vinicius Junior and Thibaut Courtois have been added to Real Madrid's captaincy group after the exits of Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez.

Vinicius and Courtois added to captaincy groupReplace departed Modric and VazquezDani Carvajal now club skipperFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Vinicius and Courtois have been added to Real Madrid's captaincy group, filling two vacancies that had been left by Modric and Vazquez. Modric, who has signed a one-year deal with AC Milan, was previously club captain and that honour has now been passed to right-back Dani Carvajal, who missed most of last season after suffering a cruciate ligament tear.

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Vinicius and Courtois have been prominent voices in the Real Madrid squad for some time now and they sit fourth and third in the captaincy queue respectively, with midfielder Federico Valverde second behind Carvajal. According to , the decision was made by club officials in conjunction with head coach Xabi Alonso.

DID YOU KNOW?

While he's been included in the captaincy group, there is some uncertainty around Vinicius' future at Real Madrid. His contract expires in 2027 and so far talks have not been constructive, while speculation continues to suggest a Saudi Pro League side could try to sign him over the summer.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Real Madrid's first La Liga match of the season is in just under a month's time when they host Osasuna, though there are still a number of transfer moves they could consider before then.

Lavelle makes grand return, one of four different players to score as Emma Hayes' side rack up comfortable win over Ireland

The USWNT were less than perfect in the first half. Still, in Rose Lavelle's return, they got the perfect ending.

The USWNT rolled past Ireland, 4-0, on Thursday night just outside of Denver, highlighted by four different goal scorers. Head coach Emma Hayes once again experimented with new players in the starting lineup, and it once again worked.

It's all is all about balance for Hayes, who clearly puts a lot of thought into how she's spacing and lining up her team. Defensively, there is leadership and experience in Emily Sonnett and Naomi Girma, which allows for creativity out wide.

Thus, Hayes includes a fearless Avery Patterson on one wing and an up-and-coming Lilly Reale – getting her first USWNT cap – on the other side. Now, in the midfield it's a similar situation. Hayes always relies on Sam Coffey as one of the holding mids. Coffey is not only reliable, but she's a visionary and helps piece together the entire puzzle of the game.

Next to Coffey was Claire Hutton, who at 19 is playing well beyond her years. And in the most exciting turn of events, Lavelle made her return to the field – having last played for the USWNT in December, out more than six months with an injury – and was placed in the attacking center mid role. She danced right back into her spot, combining, attacking, and even scored her 25th international career goal.

Up top, Hayes continues to experiment with the No .9 spot. When Catarina Macario is on the roster, it's been her, but it was exciting to see Hayes try Ally Sentnor in that spot. While Sentnor didn't score – very unlike her – she still created all kinds of trouble for Ireland's backline. She had great off-of-the-ball movement and connected lots of of quick passes in the final-third.

Without her vision and speedy play, Lavelle's second-half goal wouldn't have happened. Alyssa Thompson and Michelle Cooper played their outside attacking roles much better as the game went on. Thompson and Cooper were both handed several balls out wide on the platter, but couldn't seem to finish. As the game went on, they found their rhythm and Thompson got a goal to close out the 4-0 win for the USWNT.

As the second half progressed, Hayes turned to the bench to make some changes – including 18-year-old Jordyn Bugg, who earned her debut for the senior team, subbing in for Naomi Girma in the 78th minute. With two more friendlies in the next week, this was a great finish for the USWNT, even if the first-half was a bit dicey.

GOAL rates the USWNT's players from Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Claudia Dickey (7/10): One save, but a clean sheet. Not a bad debut, but also not a very captivating one for the Seattle Reign FC keeper, who earned her first cap.

  Lilly Reale (7/10): She didn't have a ton of pressure defensively, but made the best of her first cap, connecting her passes, distributing well, and getting up the flank.

  Naomi Girma (8/10): Even if it's a slow game in the back, Girma still manages to make every pass, keep her line composed, and make the game look effortless.

  Emily Sonnett (8/10): She and Girma are the center-back duo we all need. Sonnet is a shutdown defender who balances out perfectly next to Girma. She didn't have a lot of defending to do against Ireland, but still took care of the ball.

  Avery Patterson (9/10): Made the most out of her third start for the USWNT. While she didn't do much on the defensive side of the ball, her impact up the pitch was flawless. She not only scored her first international goal, but played incredibly high, creating all kinds of problems for Ireland's backline.

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  Midfield

  Sam Coffey (8/10): In case you didn't know, Coffey is a goalscorer. Her presence in the midfield was essential. Coffey not only plays composed and smart in the midfield, but she also has a vision a step ahead most. She was able to weave together each line, and when she wasn't just keeping possession or pinging the ball effortlessly, she was pushing her game to the next level by getting involved in the final-third.

  Claire Hutton (7/10): Just 19, she and plays like she's been next to Coffey and Lavelle since, forever. Hutton is a very balanced, vision-forward midfielder. She kept great posession of the ball and, in the second half, she picked up her pace and started pinging balls more quickly.

  Rose Lavelle (9/10): This entire game was about her. Lavelle's return was highly anticipated, and lived up to the billing. There was a new level of creativity and pace within the team. Lavelle pushes high up the field, which encourages those around her to fill in the spaces. She did just that, plus added a goal and an assist. Not bad.

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  Attack

  Alyssa Thompson (8/10): Alyssa Thompson had a quiet first half, despite getting served dimes over the top a number of times. In the second half, however, she turned on the jets. Thompson once again is proving herself to be the strongest outside forward option when it comes to her one vs. one ability and just prowess in front of the net.

  Ally Sentnor (7/10): It was a odd day for Sentnor who didn't score, but did just about everything else. She has four goals under Hayes, so when she was put into the No. 9 spot, a goal or two seemed inevitable. While she got close, most of her impact was in her movement and her off-the-ball work. She created numerous chances for teammates by getting out of the way or drawing Ireland defenders into dangerous spots.

  Michelle Cooper (7/10): She was another forward who was involved and did just about everything but score. The first half was a little slow on the attacking front, as the three forwards were clearly trying to adjust to the flow. Cooper's best asset is her strength and service on the wing, so when she stuck to that, it was an obvious asset.

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  Subs & Manager

  Gisele Thompson (6/10): After being ruled out of last camp, it was exciting to see Gisele back in the mix. Subbed into the match in the 59th minute, we didn't get to see a ton of her pace and quick one-twos.

  Olivia Moultrie (6/10): Moultrie is another ruthless midfielder. She came into the match and did all of the right things in the midfield, however, she had big shoes to fill stepping in for Lavelle.

  Jordyn Bugg (6/10): The18-year-old entered the match in the 73rd minute for Girma, getting her first cap. She made a couple passes and did her thing, despite not much happening.

  Lynn Biyendolo (6/10): Didn't see much of the ball, entering the game in the 73rd minute. Positionally she held her own, and was able to post up on a few occasions, despite the limited time.

  Emma Hayes (8/10): Not bad, coach. Hayes once again won in Colorado. She put together a strong starting lineup that featured veterans in Lavelle, Sonnett and Girma, and mixed in newcomers in goal and at outside back. Job well done.

Como president Mirwan Suwarso has confirmed that head coach Cesc Fabregas will not leave the club this summer, emphasising on his key role.

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Fabregas linked with a switch to InterAttracting interest after impressing at ComoPresident clarifies the situationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Fabregas will remain at Como despite recent reports linking him to a move to Inter. The club’s president has firmly denied any agreement with the Serie A giants, reaffirming that the former star midfielder is central to Como’s long-term project. Fabregas played a key role in the club’s rise both on and off the pitch, guiding the newcomers to a respectable 10th-placed finish.

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Fabregas' tactical nous, which helped Como punch well above their weight, has caught the attention of several big clubs across Europe. He has been frequently rumoured to make a jump to the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig among the teams linked with the manager. In recent days, though, the Spaniard was heavily tipped to join Inter to succeed Simone Inzaghi, who is reportedly set to become the new Al-Hilal head coach.

Muwarso, however, rubbished the rumours, saying: "Our journey is long, it will last several seasons and revolves around Cesc Fabregas, who will not leave the club."

WHAT CESC FABREGAS SAID

Fabregas was also present at the same event and acknowledged that he has immense faith in the project being built at Como:  "I really believe in the Como project. I started with this club because I was thinking about a long-term project. I don't want to end my career in a club where there is a project for one or two years, and then everything ends. I really believe in the long-term project of Como, I came here as a player and I am very, very happy because here I can work the way I want. We have the same goals and the same ambition. The president allows me to work the way I want, the way I see things. Fortunately we share the same vision, the same goal, which is to get as high as possible. Together we have become a really good team, in a small city, in a small club — because we are still a small club — but with big, very big ambitions for the future."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Although Inter are determined to acquire the services of Fabregas at all costs, the Como boss' statements might more or less indicate that he will remain at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, at least for the 2025-26 season.

Tottenham Hotspur appear to have a new top manager target to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to an ex-scout’s “sources”.

Tottenham manager rumours with Ange under big pressure

It hasn’t been a second season at Spurs to remember for Postecoglou, although there is still the chance he delivers on his claim of winning a trophy in his second year.

Tottenham, who sit in the bottom half of the Premier League and have done so for large parts of the season, are still in the Europa League and will take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

There have been a number of managers named as candidates to take over from Postecoglou, though, should Daniel Levy and co decide to make a change in the dugout.

Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino recently hinted at the chances of a return to north London, saying: “Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course.

“I am in the USA, I am not going to no, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back. We see the timing, like Daniel said.”

Tottenham and Levy in talks to sign "quick" 29 y/o for free ahead of Bayern

He’s a player in demand.

ByCharlie Smith Mar 26, 2025

Meanwhile, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola was also linked, however, Football Insider think the Cherries boss would be willing to snub Tottenham in favour of staying at the Vitality Stadium.

Marco Silva now top Tottenham manager target

Another manager rumoured to be of interest to Spurs is Marco Silva, who guided his Fulham side to a 2-0 win over Tottenham prior to the international break.

Now, talking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown has heard from his “sources” that Silva appears to be the new leading target for Tottenham.

“Tottenham, unless they put a run together from now to the end of the season, you would think that things might happen [to Postecoglou] there in terms of the sack for the manager.

“Silva would certainly be top of the pops in terms of competition for that [managerial] spot, that’s what I’m hearing from my sources there.”

Games

174

Wins

81

Draws

35

Losses

58

Goals scored per game

1.89

Goals conceded per game

1.46

Players used

65

The 47-year-old has been at Craven Cottage since 2021, and during that time, has taken Fulham back to the Premier League from the Championship and established them as a topflight club once more.

Now pushing for European football with Fulham, Silva is also attracting interest from Juventus, so if Spurs do want him as Brown claims, they may need to act over the coming months instead of waiting and can do so by activating his £6m release clause.

Arsenal have now reached out to the representatives of a Spain international star who is also wanted by Bayern Munich, with the Gunners expected to have a busy summer following the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta.

Arsenal map £300 million transfer plan after Berta appointment

According to GiveMeSport, manager Mikel Arteta could be backed with a £300 million transfer war chest this summer after Berta’s appointment to succeed Edu Gaspar, with as many as seven potential signings being considered.

Arsenal talks for Zubimendi stall as Berta now eyes bargain £34m alternative

The Spaniard has been in advanced negotiations to join.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 14, 2025

Arsenal want to bolster their goalkeeping department with a new second-choice shot-stopper behind David Raya, while GMS report that a left-back, defensive midfielder, left-winger and striker are also being targeted by Berta.

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

They could even look to bring in an alternative to Bukayo Saka following the England star’s troubles with injuries this season, following previous reports that Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo is on Arsenal’s shortlist of options for that role.

However, GMS state that they already have firm targets for the left-hand side to alternate with Gabriel Martinelli, and this includes Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams.

The Spain international, who impressed at Euro 2024 and racked up an incredible 19 assists in all competitions last season, was heavily linked with a switch to Arsenal last year, but Williams elected to remain at Bilbao for another season.

His contract does contain a release clause, which could reach up to £67 million, but his salary is thought to be pretty high. Bilbao pay their players handsomely and Williams is no exception, with the 22-year-old thought to be on around £200,000-per-week in the Basque Country.

On top of this, his wage demands to leave would be extortionate. The Mirror reported back in January that Williams is demanding as much as £300,000-per-week to leave Bilbao this year, which would make him Arsenal’s highest-paid player.

Arsenal open discussions with Nico Williams via representatives

Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped Arsenal from testing the water by opening discussions with the highly-rated forward via his camp.

According to reliable journalist and Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, Arsenal are in contact with Williams’ agents ahead of the summer, but he’s also now a target for Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich, so this could be an intriguing story to follow.

While the attacking sensation’s exit clause is a big part of this potential transfer, Williams’ reported salary expectations could make the cost of this potential transfer very unreachable for Arsenal and Berta, especially if they do intend to strengthen the squad across the board.

There is no denying the “unique” Bilbao forward’s obvious qualities in terms of pace, directness and creativity, but Berta should have alternatives if a move proves unaffordable.

Pat Cummins says he won’t reveal Australia’s first Test XI until the toss on Thursday, but Todd Murphy is firming to make his Test debut, while Peter Handscomb’s chances of a Test recall are increasing as Australia are wary of the problems too many left-hand batters might face on a made-to-order Nagpur pitch.The ground staff at the VCA Stadium were seen carefully curating the pitch two days before the start of the match, including doing selective watering of the surface. They watered the middle of the pitch and the areas outside the right-handers’ off stump at one end, but left those on a good length outside the left-handers’ off stump at both ends bone dry. There was also brushing and selective mowing of certain areas.Speaking from the team hotel on Wednesday morning, Cummins, the Australia captain, was not drawn into a discussion on pitch preparation, but did note that it would be a factor in Australia’s selection for the match.Related

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“I think it is a factor over here,” he said. “With so much traffic from the right-handers bowling, at times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers. The Indian line-up is going to be packed full of right-handers, so I think it plays a small factor.”Cummins ruled allrounder Cameron Green out of the series opener against India. Matt Renshaw had taken his place in Australia’s last Test match, but keeping him in for this one would mean five left-hand batters in the top seven having to deal with the bone-dry area of the pitch that is likely to get chewed up, as both teams have only right-arm quicks in their attack. While Cummins did not explicitly say that put Handscomb ahead in the pecking order, the chances of his recall seem to be increasing.Australia are set to play a four-man bowling attack with Cummins and Scott Boland to play as the two quicks in the absence of the injured duo of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Nathan Lyon will be their lead spinner. That leaves left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and offspinner Todd Murphy fighting for the last spot in the XI.1:11

O’Keefe: Todd Murphy will be a superstar

“I think he’d be as prepared as he could be,” Cummins said of the uncapped Murphy. “He’s been bowling beautifully in the nets over here. He’s started really well for Victoria in first-class cricket. If he got the nod, he’s got Nathan Lyon down the other end that he can work with; he’s ready. Everyone in the squad here has had really good preparation. Whoever we pick is 100% ready to go.”The fear of playing two specialist offspinners – and leaving Agar out – against India’s right-hand dominant batting line-up may have dissipated within the Australian camp after seeing the pitch on Tuesday.”It’s a factor. These conditions, they really spin, so just really good bowling is what you’re after, being consistent time and time again,” Cummins said. “I don’t think you need to go searching for anything more; the conditions will come to you.”You’ve seen Nath be really, really effective over here [with] a lot of bat-pad, leg-slip catches for the right-handers. So ideally, you’ve got variety in any attack, but I don’t think it has to be the case just for that sake.”Cummins has had an incredible record of winning tosses as Australia Test captain, with seven of his last eight and nine of 13 overall so far falling in his favour. He is hoping to keep that run of success going in Nagpur, but believes the toss may not be as big a factor if the pitch is a raging turner.”I think we’ll bat,” Cummins laughed. “I think when the conditions spin from day one, it’s actually not. I think you’ve seen India’s record. They win just as many games batting second as they do batting first. I think it can be overstated when the conditions do spin really quickly.”

Burnley have reportedly made an approach to sign a new forward wanted by promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Burnley keep another clean sheet in draw with Leeds

The Clarets kept a seventh straight clean sheet on Monday evening, drawing 0-0 with Championship leaders Leeds United at Turf Moor.

Scott Parker’s side once again struggled to create in the final third, though, and talking after the game, the Burnley boss said: “It was always going to pan out that way, no denying we are playing against a very, very good side. It was a boxing match against a side with a real attacking threat that have scored at will this year and a side the reverse of that which has been nothing short of remarkable defensively. It always smelt of a 0-0 and that is what it proved to be.”

He'd make Flemming even better: Burnley could secure "excellent" late deal

Scott Parker will hope his Burnley team can become more of a force in attack with this signing.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 30, 2025

Burnley are now preparing for a trip to Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon in what is the club’s final game before the transfer window slams shut on Monday evening.

So far, the club have brought in three new players, two of which have been free transfers for Ashley Barnes and Jonjo Shelvey. Full-back Oliver Sonne was also signed from Danish club Silkeborg, and by the looks of it, more new faces could arrive before the deadline.

The club have been linked with a new forward in West Brom’s Grady Diangana and even tabled a bid for Morgan Whittaker before he joined Middlesbrough from Plymouth Argyle. Now, they are looking outside of the Championship for that attacking reinforcement.

Burnley make approach for Sontje Hansen

As per Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Burnley have made their first move to sign NEC Nijmegen attacker Sontje Hansen. Talks are believed to be ongoing over a loan with an option to buy the 22-year-old for £3.5m in the summer.

Interestingly, second-tier rivals Sheffield United have also been linked with Hansen and tabled a “multi-million offer” earlier in the window. Hansen is primarily a right-winger but can also play as a left-winger or as a centre-forward, so would provide plenty of versatility to Parker’s attacking ranks.

The Netherlands U21 international was on the books of Ajax before joining NEC Nijmegen in 2023, where he has featured heavily ever since.

Sontje Hansen stats for NEC Nijmegen
Appearances	56
Goals	11
Assists	8

Former Netherlands U17s coach Peter van der Veen has also hailed Hansen, saying: “You can see with your own eyes that he is special. He can play as a striker, on either wing, and as a No 10. He’s just on fire at the moment, and hopefully he will keep it up. It’s still a long road ahead but he has all the talent to become a really top player.”

It looks as if a late move to England and Burnley in particular could be one to watch for Hansen.