Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel has become the seventh batter in first-class cricket to be timed out. On day two of the final of the President’s Trophy, a domestic first-class competition in Pakistan, Shakeel, playing for State Bank of Pakistan, emerged late from the dugout after two wickets fell in two balls. Amad Butt, the captain of the opposition side PTV, appealed after Shakeel was not ready to take guard within the required three minutes.ESPNcricinfo understands the swift fall of two wickets left Shakeel unprepared. He arrived at the crease to face the delivery, but Butt appealed, and the umpires agreed he had not been ready within three minutes, following which a timed-out appeal can be lodged. The most recent such dismissal in top-level cricket was also the highest-profile, when Angelo Matthews became the only cricketer to be dismissed in this manner during an international match. It happened during Sri Lanka’s 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh, with Shakib-al-Hasan successfully appealing for timed out.Umar Amin and Fawad Alam fell to fast bowler Muhammad Shahzad within two deliveries, leaving him on a hat-trick. Following Shakeel’s unusual dismissal, Irfan Khan came out to bat, and had his stumps knocked back first ball, giving Shahzad a hat-trick. It meant that State Bank of Pakistan went from 128 for 1 to 128 for 5 in the space of three balls.The rare dismissal is not the only thing that makes the President’s Trophy final unusual. Owing to Ramadan, a period when devout Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset, the PCB decided to play the entire tournament at night, with a day’s play running from 7:30pm to 2.30am, with tea and dinner breaks between sessions.Shahzad’s hat-trick helped PTV dismiss State Bank of Pakistan for 205, with former Pakistan opener Imran Butt scoring 89.
A diretoria do Corinthians está perdida na busca por um novo treinador. Após as recusas de Tite e Mano, a “bola da vez” é Roger Machado. O técnico está disponível no mercado e já sinalizou positivamente ao interesse, mas o departamento de futebol corintiano ainda não está convencido que ele é o nome ideal.
O Timão está na “caça” ao novo técnico desde a última terça-feira (25), quando Cuca sinalizou que deixaria o cargo após o duelo contra o Remo, pela Copa do Brasil, no dia seguinte, independentemente da classificação, ou não, da equipe. A vaga veio nos pênaltis, e com isso houve a tentativa de convencer o profissional a ficar no clube, mas ele já estava decidido a sair.
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+Róger Guedes e Paulinho são os melhores na derrota do Corinthians no Dérbi
Com a confirmação da saída de Cuca, a diretoria do time alvinegro voltou ao mercado em busca de um substituto. No dia anterior alguns contatos já haviam sido feitos, mas como o martelo sobre o pedido de demissão do ex-treinador ainda não havia sido batido, eles não passaram de conversas informais.
Um desses papos foi com uma pessoa ligada a Vanderlei Luxemburgo, onde foi dito que em caso de saída de Cuca, o diálogo seria retomado, mas isso não aconteceu por dois motivos: uma nova aposta por Tite e a resistência do presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves. Ainda que haja um “coro” interno no Timão, que é forte pela contratação de Luxa, o mandatário corintiano não sente confiança nos trabalhos recentes do treinador. Porém, ele concorda que Vanderlei tem o perfil de profissional respeitado e com boa gestão de elenco que é esperado pelo clube alvinegro.
+Assine o Star+ por apenas R$32,90 por mês e acompanhe o Timão na Libertadores quando e onde quiser!
O Corinthians, então, foi atrás de Tite, o grande sonho. Considerado uma unanimidade no Parque São Jorge, ele seria a opção ideal para amenizar as críticas externas e o momento de desconfiança do elenco para com a diretoria, já que os jogadores estão se sentindo expostos com a ausência de comando. Ainda que Adenor houvesse recusado a proposta corintiana na semana anterior, quando o Coringão tentou ele para substituir Fernando Lázaro, o nome foi levantado novamente pela diretoria, que tentou apostar no apego sentimental para convencê-lo.
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O momento de crise institucional do Timão foi explicado para Tite, assim como o fato dele ser considerado o único possível a chegar sem resistência e resolver os problemas. Foi até falado com a esposa do treinador, Rosmari, para quem ele havia prometido que não trabalharia no Brasil. O técnico ficou sensibilizado com a situação e mal em negar novo convite do clube que ele considera o grande responsável por tornar possível a sua carreira internacional.
Tite chegou a pensar na proposta até sexta-feira (28), mas logo no início da manhã respondeu negativamente de novo. Isso porque, em conversa com o seu estafe, foi informado que tinha uma proposta interessante na mesa para trabalhar na Europa e que seria a melhor chance dele realizar o sonho de desenvolver um trabalho no Velho Continente.
Sabendo que não teria o novo técnico a tempo do clássico contra o Palmeiras, que aconteceu no último sábado (29), a direção corintiana conteve a pressa e partiu para a segunda opção: Mano Menezes. Empregado, no Internacional, o Timão estava disposto a pagar a multa rescisória de R$ 1 milhão para tirá-lo do clube gaúcho. No entanto, após algumas conversas com a direção do Colorado, Mano decidiu permanecer no Sul do Brasil. Ele não quis deixar o clube gaúcho pelas portas do fundo e ficar marcado negativamente por lá.
Para entrar em contato com Mano, a direção corintiana precisou, inclusive, conter o orgulho, pois o técnico é rompido com Roberto de Andrade. Diretor de futebol do clube alvinegro até o mês passado, ele foi o responsável por não renovar com Menezes quando assumiu a presidência corintiana, no início de 2015. Atual mandatário, Duílio Monteiro Alves não tem uma relação tão grande de divergências, mas não é tão próximo do técnico gaúcho, por conta da aproximação que tem com Roberto.
Com a segunda negativa, a diretoria corintiana viu o seu planejamento afetado. Vanderlei Luxemburgo segue tendo os seus adeptos, mas continua tendo resistência de Duílio, o que é acompanhado pelo gerente de futebol Alessandro Nunes. Após receber o “não” de Mano, o departamento de futebol fez consulta para técnicos estrangeiros, mas os considerou caros e longe de um custo-benefício que agradasse.
Roger Machado, então, entrou em pauta. Ele recentemente trocou de agente, e o atual representante tem feito contato com a direção do clube desde a confirmação da saída de Cuca. O Corinthians, então, não havia evoluído, mas foi convencido a avançar nas conversas porque tinha na possibilidade de contratação do treinador a chance de passar uma mensagem diferente para a sociedade, após as críticas pela contratação de Cuca, mesmo sabendo da condenação por atentado ao pudor com uso de violência contra uma garota de 13 anos, no fim da década de 80, na Suíça.
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As conversas se iniciaram poucas horas antes do clássico entre Palmeiras e Corinthians, no qual o Timão foi derrotado por 2 a 1, e não evoluíram após o jogo. Há a expectativa que elas retomem neste domingo (30), ainda na esperança corintiana de ter um treinador a tempo do jogo contra o Independiente del Valle, do Equador, marcado para esta terça-feira (2), pela Libertadores, na Neo Química Arena. Como perdeu em casa para o Argentinos Juniors, há duas semanas, pela competição continental, um novo revés pode complicar muito a equipe.
Ainda assim, estão previstas mais discussões internas em relação a Roger, já que ele não possui o perfil de trabalho desejado pela diretoria, que quer um profissional com currículo vitorioso e que comande o vestiário.
When Liverpool smashed not just their own transfer record but the Premier League’s transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, many associated with the Anfield club would be forgiven for thinking that was it.
Marc Guehi has been touted with a move around the £40m mark but another colossal spend was surely out of the question, right? Think again.
Anyone fancy Alexander Isak? Of course, you do. Every club in European football would love to see the Newcastle striker leading the line for them.
The trouble is, he’s rather unattainable. Every player has their price, but it feels unlikely Liverpool will make a bid of £150m, the fee the Magpies could be looking for if they are to enter negotiations.
That being said, reports have indicated in the last 24 hours that the Reds are reportedly willing to put £130m on the table. Talk about making a statement to your rivals.
Yet, with that deal looking incredibly difficult to do, they have turned their attention to Hugo Ekitike.
The latest on the Hugo Ekitike situation
On Monday, Newcastle burst into life, making Ekitike their number one target and thus beginning work on a move. That was according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.
It has since been reported by Fabrizio Romano that the Toon have lodged an official bid to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt forward. Sadly for Newcastle, that was rejected. Frankfurt want more for their French superstar.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Ekitike has attracted the interest of plenty this summer, namely Manchester United and Chelsea. Yet, Liverpool are now at the table.
Romano reports that if they cannot prise Isak away from St James’ Park, then they will make a play for the Bundesliga superstar instead.
It’s a remarkable ultimatum on the face of it. Give us Isak or we’ll poach your leading transfer target instead. It’s older brother behaviour from one of Europe’s elite clubs. Who can blame them, either?
It’s a situation that could become quite messy, hence why Liverpool are looking at further alternatives to bolster their forward line.
Liverpool's Isak and Ekitike alternatives
According to the Daily Mail, FSG and Co have a number of strikers on their radar this summer, including the likes of Ollie Watkins and Victor Osimhen.
One of the more standout names is Brentford striker Yoane Wissa. Also a target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, the report notes that Liverpool have been in talks with several centre-forwards, one of which is the Bees sensation.
The Reds are weighing up their options, alright, and could have to pay around £50m or even more to prise him away from London.
How Yoane Wissa compares to Hugo Ekitike
This summer we are likely to see Darwin Nunez depart Anfield on a permanent basis.
Once a club-record signing, it simply hasn’t happened for the Uruguayan in Liverpool colours, chiefly in 2024/25 when he scored just seven goals in 47 outings.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
He’s a bundle of chaotic energy. Sometimes it’s good, but for the most part, it’s a negative trait. Few forwards in Europe’s top leagues miss as many big chances as him.
During 2023/24, Nunez missed 27 big chances in the Premier League, only second to Erling Haaland. On that basis, you may not think it’s a particularly negative stat. The trouble is, while Haaland missed plenty of chances, he was also burying them at regular intervals, notching 27 league goals that year. Nunez could only manage 11.
So, if Liverpool are to go out and buy a striker to replace Nunez this summer, they need a safe and proven pair of hands. Isak, of course, is the dream buy, but in Wissa, they’d sign a similar player, someone who’s already been there and done it in the English top-flight.
Ekitike has his positives, of course he does. He’s got rangy strides and plays in a similar manner to Isak, cutting inside and burying opportunities. You don’t score 22 goals as a 22-year-old in the Bundesliga without being a good player.
Goals
19
15
Expected goals (xG)
18.59
21.67
Big chances missed
17
16
Assists
4
8
Shots off target *
0.7
1.2
Shots on target *
1.2
1.5
Conversion rate
20%
13%
Scoring frequency
154 mins
172 mins
That said, much like Nunez, he’s still raw. You sense he needs a year or two learning from another frontman should he join a big club.
Wissa, however, is 28. He’s in his prime, he knows his game perfectly, and as a Premier League-proven forward, would surely hit the ground running right away. In the words of former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, he’s “unbelievable.”
The DR Congo international scored 20 goals in 39 matches in all competitions last term, the best campaign of his career to date and he’s improving at a rapid rate. He’s ready for a big move, he’s ready to take centre stage at one of the grandest clubs in Europe, notably scoring more regularly than Ekitike last term and registering a higher conversion rate.
If you still aren’t convinced, then perhaps data-led website, FBRef, can help you out. According to the numbers, Isak was the sixth-most similar striker in the Premier League to Wissa last season. The most comparable was Kai Havertz.
What that tells us is that Wissa doesn’t just possess the carrying ability of someone like Isak, but he’s also strong in the duel. Let’s put it this way: his game feels more refined than Ekitike’s at this moment in time.
The French youngster would not be a bad signing but if Liverpool desire someone a little less chaotic, someone less raw than Nunez, Wissa is your man. He’d also be a great deal cheaper. What’s not to like?
Better than Wirtz: Liverpool preparing £113m bid to sign superstar winger
Liverpool could sign another marquee player this summer.
Sri Lanka’s dominant series win against New Zealand has been one to savour not just for the way they won the second Test but also because it allows, even fleetingly, for them to ponder the prospect of a World Test Championship [WTC] final berth next year.As things stand Sri Lanka are placed third behind Australia and India on the WTC points table, but only 6.94 percentage points behind second-placed Australia, with a home tour against them to come in this cycle.Captain Dhananjaya de Silva, who has navigated Sri Lanka to their best year in Tests since 2006, is not getting too far ahead of himself. Before that Australia series, the next port of call for the Test side will be in South Africa in November-December.Related
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“We’re only looking at it from one match to another,” Dhananjaya said when asked about his side’s WTC final prospects. “If you look too far ahead you can miss out on what’s immediately important.”It’s what I always tell the young players as well, if you do what’s required from one match to another, then what needs to happen in the points table will take care of itself.”Among those young players is Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya’s junior back in their school days at Richmond College who has fast become an integral part of the Test side.But despite that years-old connection, there was no room for sentiment when Dhananjaya called for a first-innings declaration with Kamindu 18 short of a maiden double century. Asked if he had been tempted to continue through till Kamindu reached the milestone, de Silva explained that it was not a decision he would take if it meant impacting the team negatively.”More than Kamindu’s double hundred, I wanted Kusal Mendis to get a hundred because he hadn’t scored one in quite some time,” he said. “But once we got to that point in the match, I think that was the best decision to take.”Kamindu, who sat beside his captain at the post-match press briefing, was quick to back up his skipper when questioned on the same.”We had put a big total on the board, even at lunch I had 136. So the plan even then was to score a little bit more and then put them into bat,” Kamindu said. “I think the decision was taken at the right time because we all know that in Galle batting in the last hour is quite difficult. And I think it’s because of that decision that we were able to bowl them out the following morning.”Nishan Peiris finished with nine wickets in his debut Test•AP
With two wickets picked up in the dying minutes of day two, Sri Lanka rolled New Zealand over for 88 on the third morning to all but guarantee the win. A bulk of the damage in the game was done by another youngster, Nishan Peiris.The 27-year-old offspinner who was making his debut ended up with nine wickets in a stellar first Test outing, and Dhananjaya revealed it was his particular skillset that bolstered the team following a hard-fought first Test.”Nishan had bowled really well in domestic cricket for quite some time, and what I had stressed on was to bring in a bowler that could keep the economy rate low, especially on a turning track,” Dhananjaya said. “That’s how you put pressure on the opposition, with Prabath [Jayasuriya] at the other end. And I think he did his job excellently in this game.”With six Test wins this year, Sri Lanka have moved up to fifth in the Test rankings. For Dhananjaya, this has been reward for the work the side has put in, and the bench strength they’ve developed.”I have been part of the side for six years and we’ve always wanted to come up in rankings but we tried and failed,” he said. “We just couldn’t get the right team makeup, but we have got it right now. And now we also have combinations that can work on any surface, both at home and overseas.”
Isy Parry gets her maiden contract for Otago; Northern Districts sign Carol Agafili
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2024Central DistrictsUncapped right-arm seamer Grace Foreman has been awarded her maiden contract. Foreman, who hails from New Plymouth, has impressed through Taranaki and Central Districts’ pathway systems in recent years.She represented the team at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels and was part of the side that won the 2022 NZC Under-19 national championship. She debuted for a Districts A side last season and was also invited to a NZC Under-19 national camp last season.Related
Dodd opts out of Hinds' list, U-19 star Browning moves to Otago
Foreman joins right-arm quick Anna Gaging as the new face on the list and completes the Districts’ contracted player roster for the 2024-25 season.”I’m really grateful and honoured to get this opportunity with the Hinds,” Foreman said. “I was shocked when [head coach] Jacob Oram phoned me to offer me the contract as it has been a goal of mine for some time now. The prospect of playing with some of my role models is surreal, and I am really looking forward to joining the team.”Foreman hails from a cricketing family. Her elder sister Amy Foreman has coached the Taranaki women’s team in the past and was on NZC’s pathway-to-performance coaching scholarship last season. Their mother, Helen, has also been involved in Taranaki cricket.This list of 15 players also consists of two NZC-contracted players Rosemary Mair and Hannah Rowe who will represent the team when available. Captain Natalie Dodd was unavailable as she is expecting her first child later this year.Contracted players: Aniela Apperley, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Flora Devonshire, Grace Foreman, Anna Gaging, Kate Gaging, Claudia Green, Mikaela Greig, Ashtuti Kumar, Emma McLeod, Thamsyn Newton, Kerry Tomlinson NZC contracts: Rosemary Mair, Hannah RoweCanterburyCanterbury have signed batter Emma Irwin as their 13th and final signing for the season. This will be Irwin’s second stint with Canterbury. Irwin, 20, was part of the New Zealand Under-19 side at the World Cup in January last year.Contracted players: Kate Anderson, Sarah Asmussen, Missy Banks, Natalie Cox, Jodie Dean, Harriet Graham, Abigail Hotton, Laura Hughes, Frankie Mackay, Izzy Sharp, Jess Simmons, Gabby Sullivan, Emma IrwinAucklandFast bowler Sophie Court is Auckland’s final signing for the season. Court’s elevation to the contract list comes after her rise through Auckland Cricket’s Talent and Pathway programme, where she represented Auckland Under-19 and Auckland A. She was part of the Auckland Under-19 team that won the women’s national under-19 tournament in Lincoln earlier this year.”There were a lot of emotions when I got the call,” Court, 19, said. “I would like to thank my parents and all my coaches. Their support over the years has been great. It means a lot to me and I’m excited and honoured to be a part of this group. I’m looking forward to learning heaps and gaining lots of experience.”Contracted players: Olivia Anderson, Bella Armstrong, Elizabeth Buchanan, Prue Catton, Amie Hucker, Bree Illing, Kate Irwin, Rishika Jaswal, Cate Pedersen, Josie Penfold, Saachi Shahri, Anika Todd, Sophie CourtNorthern DistrictsAllrounder Carol Agafili is Northern Districts’ 13th signing as they round up the contracts list for the season. Agafili has represented Districts in the past and also turned out for Samoa in three T20Is earlier this year.Contracted players: Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Caitlin Gurrey, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp, Jess Watkin, Jesse Prasad, Kayley Knight, Marama Downes, Marina Lamplough, Nensi Patel, Shriya Naidu, Tash Wakelin, Carol AgafiliWellingtonRight-hand batter Gemma Sims is the final addition to Wellington’s roster. Sims played six Super Smash matches last season for Wellington but failed to deliver a big performance.Contracted players: Antonia Hamilton, Caitlin King, Hannah Francis, Jess McFadyen, Kate Chandler, Leigh Kasperek, Tash Codyre, Nicole Baird, Phoenix Williams, Rachel Bryant, Rebecca Burns, Xara Jetly, Gemma SimsOtagoIsy Parry has been awarded her maiden Otago contract and is their final signing for the upcoming season.Contracted players: Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Harriet Cuttance, Chloe Deerness, Olivia Gain, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Felicity Robertson, Molly Loe, PJ Watkins, Saffron Wilson, Isy Parry
Fernando finishes with nine in the match to wrap up innings-and-204-run victory
ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024A six-wicket haul by Ben Coad carried Yorkshire to a crushing victory over Derbyshire by an innings and 204 runs on the third day of the Vitality County Championship match at Chesterfield.The pace bowler marked his return from a back injury by taking 6 for 30 with Sri Lankan paceman Vishwa Fernando claiming 4 for 58 to finish with 10 wickets in the match.Derbyshire were bowled out for 171 before tea with the only real resistance coming from skipper David Lloyd with 57 and Ross Whiteley who bludgeoned five sixes in his 52.Jonny Tattersall made 107 before the visitors declared on 451 for 9 leaving Derbyshire to score 375 to make Yorkshire bat again but Coad and Fernando ran through them in less than 43 overs.It was the first time Yorkshire had won back-to-back championship matches by an innings since June 2015 when they beat Nottinghamshire and Durham.The overcast conditions made it a good day for bowling but Yorkshire batted on to secure a fifth batting point and to allow Tattersall to complete his third first-class hundred.He reached three figures by steering Daryn Dupavillon behind point for his 13th four before the fall of three wickets for four runs left Yorkshire in danger of missing out on maximum bonus pointsJordan Thompson was lbw playing across the line at Luis Reece who then beat Coad’s big swing in his next over.When Tattersall pulled Dupavillon into Reece’s hands at mid-wicket, Yorkshire were still three runs short but an edge by Fernando to the third man boundary achieved their first target of the day.Derbyshire’s objective was to show some fight after the debacle of the first innings but they lost both openers without a run on the board.The first ball from Coad was in the channel forcing Mitch Wagstaff to play and Tattersall dived across to hold the edge.When Fernando trapped Reece on the crease in the next over, Derbyshire’s hopes of taking the game into the fourth day were already crumbling and by lunch, they were staring at a crushing defeat.Brooke Guest was pinned in front by another full length ball from Coad and after Lloyd pulled Fernando for six when he switched ends, the Sri Lankan struck again by trapping Wayne Madsen lbw.At lunch, Derbyshire were 57 for 4 but Lloyd showed some defiance after the interval, cutting and driving Fernando for two fours in an over before driving George Hill back down the ground on his way to a 73 ball 50.Lloyd and Aneurin Donald shared Derbyshire’s first 50 stand of the match but it ended when Donald played down the wrong line at Coad and had his off stump knocked back.Whiteley survived a sharp chance when a leading edge off Coad flew high to third slip but in his next over, he moved one away to have Lloyd caught behind.Coad completed a five wicket haul by swinging one back in to have Alex Thomson lbw and the next ball took the edge as Zak Chappell pushed forward to give Tattersall another catch.Sam Conners narrowly survived the hat-trick ball at which point Whiteley decided to go down swinging, driving Coad for a big six before dispatching Dan Moriarty for two more maximums.The left-arm spinner was driven and pulled for two more sixes in his next over but Whiteley then pulled Fernando to mid-wicket to give Yorkshire a memorable victory.
As speculation continues to arrive about Sandro Tonali’s future, Newcastle United are reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who could replace the impressive Italian.
Juventus interested in Sandro Tonali
When Newcastle were without Tonali at the start of the season, it showed. Eddie Howe’s side struggled in pursuit of Champions League qualification and were lacking that added power in the middle of the park. Ever since the return of the Italian, however, the Magpies have dominated the majority of their midfield battles and formed quite the trio between Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.
Starts
28
38
29
Progressive Passes
128
271
116
Tackles Won
32
47
35
Ball Recoveries
117
188
149
The perfect blend of combative midfielders and those who have the ability to step onto the front foot, not many can stand in the way of Newcastle’s bulldozing midfield three at their best.
As a result, interest was always likely to arrive with reports in Italy now indicating that Juventus are interested in signing Tonali in this summer’s transfer window. The Italian giants are seemingly looking to bring the midfielder back to the Serie A for the first time since he left AC Milan in what should send alarm bells ringing around St James’ Park.
Jamie Carragher has been among those to praise the Newcastle midfielder this season, even including him in his Monday Night Football Team of the Season. The Sky Sports pundit said when asked why: “I went for Tonali because Newcastle look like they are going to finish third in the Premier League.
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ByJoe Nuttall May 28, 2025
“I don’t think many people would have predicted that. They’ve won a trophy for the first time in 70 years. But they actually made a poor start to the season. I don’t think their season turned around until Eddie Howe put him [Tonali] in the holding role.”
Of course, it remains to be seen whether Tonali will give into the temptation of Italy, but it seems as though Newcastle have a much-needed plan in place nonetheless.
Newcastle now leading race to sign Matteo Guendouzi
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now leading the race to sign Matteo Guendouzi from Lazio this summer. The former Arsenal midfielder is reportedly valued at just €40m (£34m) and could now be on his way back to the Premier League if Tonali decides to leave St James’ Park.
Starts
28
37
Progressive Passes
128
316
Tackles Won
32
21
Ball Recoveries
117
173
Not only does Guendouzi progress play better than Tonali, he has also outperformed the impressive Guimaraes in that department. Since leaving the Premier League with a whimper, the Frenchman has simply discovered another level to his game.
Matteo Guendouzi at Lazio
Earning plenty of praise ever since his time at the Emirates, football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Guendouzi a “fantastic signing” by Marseille in 2021 and the midfielder has only proved to be equally as fantastic at Lazio.
It’s no secret that Chelsea have been targeting a new striker over the last 12 months, with Enzo Maresca still unable to land the talisman to take the club to the next level.
Nicolas Jackson has been the Italian’s main option at the top end of the pitch, scoring 10 goals in his 30 Premier League appearances throughout 2024/25.
However, there have been doubts over his long-term suitability for the role, especially after receiving a straight red card in the clash against Newcastle United for a deliberate elbow on Sven Botman.
Whilst he scored in the Europa Conference League triumph last night, his terrible first touch when bearing down on goal highlighted the need for new attackers this summer.
With the summer window rapidly approaching, the manager and the hierarchy have wasted no time in lining up potential options to lead the line in their title push throughout 2025/26.
The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker this summer
Given Chelsea’s recent antics in the transfer market, it’s a surprise to no one that they are likely to be busy once again this summer to bolster Maresca’s ranks.
Viktor Gyokeres, Joao Pedro and Emanuel Emegha are just three names that have been mentioned as potential targets, but no deals have yet been completed for any of the aforementioned targets.
Emanuel Emegha
However, they may not need to pursue moves for any of the stars, with the Blues closing in on signing Ipswich Town talisman Liam Delap, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
He claimed on Wednesday that the Blues have taken the lead in the race for his signature, with Manchester United’s chances now decreasing after failing to secure any European football next season. Jacobs also confirmed that the Blues have held positive talks to sign the £30m star.
A move has progressed significantly on Thursday with everything now pointing towards the English talent joining. Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday evening that he will sign his Chelsea contract in the next 24 hours.
How Delap could repeat Chelsea's Palmer success story
Cole Palmer may have endured somewhat of an uncharacteristic drought in front of goal over the last few months, but he’s still managed to play a vital role in the success endured by Chelsea.
Chelsea'sColePalmerreacts
The 23-year-old went 18 games without a goal across all competitions, before slotting home a penalty against league champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge – securing a huge win in their hunt for a top five finish.
Whilst he’s still not managed to score since that triumph back on the 4th of May, he has provided key moments for some of his teammates, including two assists against Betis in the Conference League final on Wednesday.
His latest contributions have taken him to 69 combined goals and assists in his 91 appearances for the club, after joining the Blues in a £40m deal from Manchester City back in the summer of 2023.
However, Maresca could land his next version of the English star this summer, with a deal to take Delap to West London appearing to be entering its final stages.
The pair both plied their trade together within the Manchester City academy as youngsters, looking to do the same in forward areas once again at the Bridge for the Blues in 2025/26.
Should the 22-year-old reach the levels set by Palmer in West London over recent years, he would be a splendid signing by the board, with his £30m clause potentially being a bargain.
When comparing his stats to those of Palmer this season, Delap has managed to outperfrom him in numerous key areas, offering the manager the focal point he craves in the first-team.
He may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has managed a higher goal per shot on target rate, showcasing his clinical edge within the final third.
How Delap compares to Palmer in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Delap
Palmer
Games played
37
37
Goals & assists
14
23
Shot-on-target accuracy
44%
36%
Goals per shot on target
0.3
0.2
Take-on success
47%
45%
Aerials success rate
43%
22%
Fouls drawn
1.8
1.6
Stats via FBref
He’s also completed more take-ons and drawn more fouls, therefore offering Maresca a more all-round option in the final third – which could take the side to the next level as a result.
Delap has also won more aerial battles than the current Blues star, handing the side the needed focal point in which the manager has desired since his arrival.
With a deal appearing to be edging closer to being completed, the Englishman would be an excellent addition, having the ability to develop further in the years ahead at the Bridge.
£30m in today’s market would be a super price for a striker who’s already proven his talents in England’s top-flight, potentially being the missing piece in Maresca’s Chelsea puzzle and creating a deadly partnership with Palmer once more.
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Fast bowler shows worth in match-turning performance, but will sit out final round on England’s orders
Vithushan Ehantharajah18-Sep-2025Josh Tongue’s final act of the 2025 English summer was taking Nottinghamshire to the cusp of the Divison One County Championship title.Tongue’s 5 for 100, his fourth five-wicket haul of the first-class season, completed a thrilling victory against Surrey. Chasing a remarkable four titles in a row, the defending champions now trail Nottinghamshire by 14 points heading into the final round.The new Division One leaders host Warwickshire at Trent Bridge next week, hoping to seal their first Championship since 2010. But they will have to do so without Tongue, who also took 3 for 43 in the first innings, with England erring on the side of caution to preserve Tongue for the Ashes, which begins on November 21 in Perth.Related
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Tongue is currently on an ECB central contract, which is due to be extended next month, and has emerged as a crucial member of the fast-bowling armoury. His high release point, speed and ability to find movement on flat pitches are vital to England’s hopes of wrestling back the urn in Australia.Though unfortunate for Nottinghamshire and Tongue, who only made his debut for the county in April after right pectoral issues and a hamstring tear kept him out of action having joined at the end of 2023, his performances showed why the 27-year-old is worth the cotton wool treatment.He was the difference-maker on day four of this de facto title-decider, bowling 17.2 of a tense final 55.2 overs of the match. A top speed of 93mph was surrounded by consistent pace in the late 80s, and consistent spells – the longest of six overs after the lunch interval. His removals of Rory Burns (ending an opening stand of 74) and Ben Foakes accounted for two of the top four, before a blistering final 3.2 over burst ended a dogged rearguard effort, taking the final three wickets to leave Surrey 21 short of their 315 target.Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores likened Tongue to former England seamer Stuart Broad, for his knack of bending matches to his whim.”The best person I ever coached on sensing moments was Stuart Broad – he knew when to up it,” said Moores, who had two spells working with Broad as England coach, and is on the cusp of becoming the first head coach to win the Championship with three different teams (Sussex in 2003 and 2006; Lancashire in 2011).”The way he [Tongue] impacted the game, it’s reserved for [only] a few people. Bowlers are kings of the game, really, if they have moments like that, because they are the only people that start the process. Everybody else reacts to what they do. But when he’s doing that, and at the top of his mark, we are glued. It’s box office.”Today we saw a player who is enjoying playing the game. He’s talented, he’s got pace and he’s got something I think we should never ignore in a bowler – he’s got an awkward action. You never ignore that. He delivers from past the perpendicular; it looks like it’s coming in but sometimes it’s going away.”England’s caution with Tongue is understandable given his injury history, which includes 15 months sidelined with a potentially career-ending right shoulder issue. That ended up being alleviated unconventionally with botox injections, leading to a Test debut against Ireland in June 2023, followed by an Ashes appearance at Lord’s later that month.Further setbacks kept him out of action entirely in 2024. This year, however, he has delivered the most red-ball overs (382.3) of his career, of which 369.3 have come this summer. Not only was he England’s leading wicket-taker in the Test series against India, with 19 from just three appearances, but he currently has more first-class dismissals (54) than anyone else in the ongoing English season.”I feel like now I’m in a better place physically I can hold that pace for longer periods and longer spells,” Tongue said. “Last year was a tough year for me during my injuries. But I know the hard work that I did over the winter just gone, it’s going to put me in good stead this season.”I did a few long spells during that Test series as well, so I knew I’ll be able to do it for Notts as well. And that’s the main thing, I just want to put all my effort into to winning games of cricket – and thankfully it’s, paid off today.”Tongue is not the only player involved in the title race who will not participate in the final round. Gus Atkinson will also be absent for Surrey’s trip to Hampshire.
The left hander is not keen to talk about higher honours, but he is impressing the right people after a tough start to first-class cricket
Alex Malcolm01-Oct-2023The search for the next set of Australian Test openers is on in earnest. David Warner’s looming retirement and Usman Khawaja’s age have accelerated the public conversation.The names of Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft dominate the debate. But there is a diamond in the rough emerging who could well be the gem that Australia’s selectors are hoping for.Caleb Jewell is starting to make his name in Australian cricket. In three first-class matches for Australia A this year he has posted scores of 66, 78 and an impressive 131 in a losing cause in September under lights against New Zealand A.Jewell is a man who is economical with his words, in stark contrast to his dazzling ball-striking, and is keen to avoid any talk or even thoughts of playing international cricket for now. But he is quick to note that his game has not suddenly elevated to a new level overnight.”I wouldn’t say it’s gone up a level,” Jewell told ESPNcricinfo. “I think it’s probably just more recognisable when you’re playing in those [A] games. I feel like I’ve done our alright for Tasmania the last couple of years, but it sort of gets lost in the games going on everywhere. So when we all come together and play like that it probably gets recognised a little bit more than what it would in the Shield.”He is right. Jewell has been quietly building an impressive resume over the last three seasons for Tasmania. The 26-year-old has made four Sheffield Shield centuries and six half-centuries in his last 41 innings since returning to Tasmania’s side in February 2021 following a near two-year exile.His average of 39.11 in that time does not jump off the page, but for an opener who plays half his games at Bellerive Oval and two others per year at the WACA and the Gabba, that number carries a lot more weight.The quality of his centuries is also worth noting. Three have come against the eventual Shield champions in each season – Queensland in 2020-21, and Western Australia twice in 2022 and 2023. One of those was against an attack featuring Jhye Richardson and Cameron Green in Hobart. Richardson took seven wickets in the match less than a month before his maiden Test-match five-for against England while Green also had a profitable Ashes with the ball that summer. Jewell made 102 and 60 as Tasmania chased down 315 to win in the fourth innings.
My batting was a bit nowhere. I didn’t know what I was. I was a bit at the crossroads to be honest. I pretty much just listened to him for two to three years. He pretty much taught me how to bat againCaleb Jewell on the role of Jeff Vaughan
He is making a habit of playing well in the fourth innings. On top of his fourth innings 131 for Australia A, he also made an unbeaten 108 last summer in a successful run chase against South Australia at Adelaide Oval.His innings for Australia A showcased his talent. He counterattacked relentlessly with his team under enormous pressure. He was savage on any width offered and unfurled some fearless pull shots. There were comparisons coming from within the Australia A camp to Travis Head in terms of the quality of the ball-striking and his ability to put pressure back on the bowlers.And while Jewell is very wary of putting his own name up in lights, his Tasmania coach and batting mentor Jeff Vaughan is more than happy to state how good he could be.”He could play for Australia in all formats of the game, I’m certain of that,” Vaughan told ESPNcricinfo. “I think he’s a wonderfully skilled player. He’s incredibly well disciplined. He’s a great trainer. He’s a good human being. He’s a smart cricketer. He’s brave and has a great skill set.”Part of Jewell’s reticence to look too far ahead comes from his journey to this point. He was a prodigious talent at junior level, representing his country at Under-19 level alongside Richardson and Will Pucovski. He scored Youth Test and ODI hundreds against England’s Under-19s in 2015.No easy start: Caleb Jewell doubted himself after being thrown into Shield cricket very young•Getty ImagesThat was enough for him to be selected for his first-class debut in March 2016, just prior to his 19th birthday. Jewell, by his own admission, wasn’t ready to make that jump, and what followed could have ended his career. He would play just seven Shield games over his first five seasons, scoring one half-century and averaging 11.58.”It was a pretty difficult time to be honest,” Jewell said. “I was sort of just thrown into first-class cricket. I was nowhere near ready to play first-class cricket. I hadn’t even made a century in club cricket at that time.”That period coincided with Vaughan’s arrival as Tasmania’s batting coach in the winter of 2017. Vaughan came from South Australia where he had been an integral part of Head’s development to becoming a world-class batter in all forms. He would have an immediate impact on Jewell.”My batting was a bit nowhere,” Jewell said. “I didn’t know what I was. I was a bit at the crossroads to be honest. I pretty much just listened to him for two to three years. He pretty much taught me how to bat again.”We got drilled pretty hard in how to be disciplined batters. I don’t think the Tasmania batting group back then had a whole heap of discipline.”It’s been the foundation for me. I think I’m known as quite an aggressive player but we did a lot of work on defensive stuff, playing short balls under pressure, and all those sort of things.”While Jewell takes a negative view of his initial foray into first-class cricket, Vaughan thinks it might have been the best thing for him.”Sometimes it’s hard because as a kid you question your ability and question whether you’re up to it,” he said. “But sometimes that exposure is the best learning outcome for young players and particularly young batters. You actually get a chance to go away and work on it.A breakthrough: Caleb Jewell celebrates his maiden first-class hundred•Getty Images”At the time, maybe he didn’t see that as a really good opportunity for him to play and be exposed to first-class cricket, go away, reflect, rebuild, and come back a better player. I think that was a huge thing for him.”Jewell also spent time working with former Queensland batter Wade Townsend, who was his club coach at North Hobart at the time before becoming a Tasmania assistant coach and subsequently moving back to Queensland. What followed was an extraordinary transformation.Jewell went from playing Shield cricket without a grade century to his name after 69 club innings for North Hobart, to scoring 11 centuries for his club side in four years, including five in a season in 2020-21.”He needed to face more balls to have success,” Vaughan said. “Physically he had to be able to negate [difficult batting] conditions and survive them first and then be able to thrive. But emotionally he had to be able to understand exactly what it takes, absorb at different times, and learn how to put pressure back on the opposition.”After 15 months without playing a Shield game between November 2019 and February 2021, Jewell made his first Shield century in his first game on return and hasn’t looked back.”I think in those years where I wasn’t scoring runs in club cricket I’d get 30 or 40 and think ‘how good am I going here’ and then suddenly I’m back in the sheds,” Jewell said. “Whereas I really had to make sure that I just found a way to get to 60 or 70 and then after that, your talent takes over. I probably hold that in Shield cricket now as well.”While his name is beginning to be mentioned as a future Test prospect, such is the fickle nature of being a first-class opener, Jewell isn’t looking further ahead than his next game for Tasmania.”I’ve failed a lot in my career,” Jewell said. “That’s probably what’s holding me in good stead now. At the time it was difficult but you’ve got to go through some bad times to come out the other side.”My goal hasn’t changed. Every year I just want to play every game for Tassie because it means that I’m doing something right or I’m not far away from a score or I’m just hanging in. I’m never going to be someone to think any higher than that because I’ve been in and out of the team so much, I don’t want to be in that spot again.”I always look at the centuries board at Bellerive [Oval] and see who I can pick off next. Because that first hundred for me seemed so far away. I just want to get as many as those as I can for Tassie and then what will be will be after that.”