Newcastle United have been in contact to sign a new striker who has been likened to Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres.
Eddie Howe addresses Alexander Isak’s Newcastle future
The Magpies’ pre-season fixtures began last weekend with a 4-0 victory over Carlisle United, however, on Saturday, Eddie Howe’s side fell to a 4-0 defeat to Scottish champions Celtic.
One man missing from the friendly at Celtic Park was Alexander Isak, amid speculation over interest from Liverpool and clubs in the Saudi Pro League.
Isak
As to be expected, Howe was quizzed on Isak’s exclusion from the squad and his future, to which he said:
Howe then added: “It’s difficult for me to give 100 per cent clarity on any player. Alex is happy at Newcastle, he loves the players, the staff, the team. I’m confident he’ll be here at the start of the season.”
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Even if Isak stays at St James’ Park, Newcastle and PIF are still on the search to bring in a new forward, amid interest in Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike. The Frenchman may well be on his way to Anfield with the Reds looking unlikely to sign Isak, and that has resulted in Newcastle moving on to another French attacking target.
Newcastle in contact over Kolo Muani move
According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle and Manchester United have both entered the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani.
The 26-year-old spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Juventus, and those at the Serie A giants are ‘doing everything to convince him that the Turin project is made for him’.
However, Newcastle and Man Utd have both initiated contact over a deal for Kolo Muani. At St James’ Park, the Magpies are ‘convinced that his well-rounded profile and international experience would make him a key part of the project’.
His speed, versatility, technical ability and intelligence are seeing him become a man in demand this summer, with the France international seemingly now a firm target for Newcastle.
Viktor Gyokeres
Sporting CP
Omar Marmoush
Man City
Lois Openda
RB Leipzig
Evanilson
Bournemouth
Marcus Rashford
Man Utd
As can be seen, Football Transfers have likened Kolo Muani to Arsenal target and Sporting CP star Gyokeres among other top centre-forwards, and the prospect of seeing the Frenchman alongside Isak next season is an exciting one.
He scored 10 goals and provided three assists for Juventus in just 22 matches earlier this year and a move to Newcastle appears to be one to watch.
Everton head into the 2025/26 campaign full of optimism after a solid second half of last term under David Moyes.
The Toffees move into their new stadium and hopes will be high that progress can be made on the field.
In order to move the club up the Premier League table next term, Moyes must spend money this summer; that much is certain.
David Moyes
With Profit and Sustainability regulations to abide by, the manager must balance his ins and outs strategically, which could make business more difficult.
One player who won’t be at the club next year is midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, who departs at the end of his contract.
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Could the Merseyside outfit be eyeing a replacement?
Everton transfer news
According to GIVEMESPORT, Everton are just one of the clubs showing interest in Valentin Atangana this summer.
The Reims starlet is also being tracked by Leeds United. West Ham United, Burnley, and Crystal Palace are also among the potential suitors for the midfielder.
Due to Reims suffering relegation from Ligue 1 at the end of last term, Atangana could be available for a fee in the region of just £9m.
Given the fact Moyes might not have a financial war chest at his disposal, this sort of deal could see the club land a perfect replacement for Doucoure for a decent transfer fee.
Why Everton must sign Valentin Atangana
Doucoure spent five years at Goodison Park, making over 150 appearances for the club, contributing 35 goal involvements during that time.
At 32, he is past his peak, and freeing up his wages could give Moyes some flexibility in the transfer market this summer.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s Everton statistics
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2024/25
36
4
2
2023/24
35
7
3
2022/23
27
5
2
2021/22
34
2
4
2020/21
34
3
3
Via Transfermarkt
Last season, Atangana played 41 matches for Reims, although he couldn’t save the famous club from suffering relegation to the second tier.
Despite his tender years, the teenager shone over a range of metrics last season. Indeed, when compared to his peers in Ligue 1, the Frenchman ranked in the top 2% for percentage of dribblers tackled (73.7%) per 90, while also ranking in the top 10% for touches in the defensive third (3.63) and in the top 8% for aerials won (1.48) per 90.
It is evident based on these statistics that the midfielder offers excellent defensive support in the heart of the pitch, something which Everton have been missing of late.
U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed the teen sensation a few weeks ago, saying: “Defensive midfielder – Box-to-box style, great anticipation and technical ability to initiate attacks. He allows others to express themselves.”
By signing Atangana, Moyes will have someone who is able to prevent attacks and allow more creative players to thrive in the final third, knowing he is there to protect.
For just £9m, it could well be a shrewd move by the Toffees, although they will have to act swiftly to fend off the competition, and a perfect replacement for Doucoure in the middle of the park.
The next few weeks could be interesting indeed, that’s for sure.
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Liverpool are making some statement moves this summer as they bid to retain the Premier League title and could now see another young star join the club, according to a report.
Liverpool agree deal to sign Florian Wirtz
The most high-profile story of the transfer window so far has, without doubt, been Florian Wirtz’s impending move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool following a stellar campaign in his homeland.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that all that remains are formalities to be put in place before the Germany international officially pitches up at Anfield for a British record fee if he meets all the add-ons.
Following Jeremie Frimpong through the door, Bradley Barcola and Anthony Gordon could join the Reds as Arne Slot looks to strengthen the wide areas.
Undoubtedly, the Premier League title race is set to be a rollercoaster next season, with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea all bolstering their ranks. Therefore, it makes sense for Liverpool to ensure they have adequate strength in depth to compete on all fronts.
Victor Osimhen could be a statement striking addition from Liverpool should Darwin Nunez move on this summer. Nevertheless, Manchester United remain in pursuit of the Nigeria international after he turned down Saudi Pro League interest.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, Andrew Robertson, Conor Bradley, FedericoChiesa, Jarell Quansah and Mohamed Salah
Plenty of movement is beginning to occur as the Reds plan for the next few years. Immediate first-team level signings will be the priority, though identifying prodigious talent at youth level will also be an important feature.
In light of that statement, Liverpool now have a teen on their radar that could soon officially become the latest in a potential long line of new assets at Anfield.
Liverpool agree fee to sign Sidy Barhama Ndiaye
According to journalist Nabil Djellit, Liverpool are keen to finalise a deal for Sidy Barhama Ndiaye for a fee in the region of £850,000 after agreeing on a price for the Diambars Academy teen.
After scouting the youngster at the Under-17 African Cup of Nations, he impressed officials and now appears to be primed for a dream move to the Premier League.
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Born in 2009, Ndiaye is capable of featuring on either flank and is renowned for his quick feet and rapid acceleration. Nevertheless, not much is known about the rising star in the public domain.
Ultimately, Liverpool have a duty to explore all avenues in order to bring in untapped talent with room to develop, either readying them for first-team action or to sell on for profit. Ndiaye appears to fit that mould and will no doubt be a name that excites supporters, even if he is one for the future.
As reported by Rob Tanner of the Athletic, the Toffees currently have ten senior first-team players out of contract, which is more than any other Premier League club, with Abdoulaye Doucouré just one of the many high-profile players waving goodbye.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
So, having played their last-ever match at Goodison last Sunday, ahead of moving into their new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock, David Moyes and his staff will have plenty of work to do to be ready for the big unveiling in August, but could they beat off the competition to land one of the league’s hottest prospects?
Everton's search for a new striker
According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Everton manager Moyes has already held a face-to-face meeting with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, in which they ‘presented their project’.
The reporter claims that the Toffees are prepared to offer an ‘important’ salary to convince the England U21 international to make the move to Merseyside, amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester United.
Also, on Friday, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna confirmed in his press conference that “Liam’s looking at his options”, stating that the club “have given him permission to do that this week”, adding “of course there is a lot of interest – and rightly so”.
Following the Tractor Boys’ relegation, it’s been widely reported, including by Jacob Steinberg, Nick Ames and Jamie Jackson of the Guardian, that Delap’s contract includes a £30m release clause, with Manchester United and Chelsea amongst those purportedly said to be interested.
However, could the 22-year-old be convinced to move to Merseyside instead?
How Liam Delap would improve Everton
As alluded to earlier, Everton have a whole host of players out of contract in the summer, one of which is Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Well, according to a report by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, no ‘final decision’ has been made just yet, with Andy Hunter of the Guardian claiming the striker ‘has been offered new terms’, but an agreement is yet to be reached.
Irrespective of whether or not he chooses to remain on Merseyside, it is undeniable that Calvert-Lewin’s importance to Everton has massively declined in recent seasons, as the table below outlines.
2019/20
41
2,996
15
Zero
2020/21
39
3,313
21
6
2021/22
18
1,332
5
23
2022/23
18
1,196
2
24
2023/24
38
2,630
8
7
2024/25
25
1,611
3
15
As the table highlights, Calvert-Lewin actually scored more goals during the 2020/21 season than he has in the four subsequent campaigns combined, partially due to the fact that he’s missed a whopping 69 matches due to various injuries during this time frame.
Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates their third goal, an own goal scored by Tottenham Hotspur's Archie Gray
Nine years on from first arriving at the club, for a reported fee of £1.5m from Sheffield United, the 28-year-old is no longer an important figure for the Toffees.
So, let’s assess how his statistics compare to Delap’s this season.
Appearances
25
36
Minutes
1,611
2,596
Goals
3
12
Assists
2
2
Shots on target %
37.5%
44.6%
Shots per 90
2.69
2.27
Big chances missed
14
10
Goals – xG
-3.3
+2.3
Shot-creating actions
25
62
Touches per 90
29
24
Average Sofascore Rating
6.72
6.86
As the table outlines, Delap would represent a clear and massive upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, registering more impressive statistics pretty much across the board.
The most noteworthy statistic is goals – xG, with Delap’s figure of +2.3 meaning he ranks 20th in the Premier League for this metric, while Calvert-Lewin’s -3.3 means he is second-bottom, above only Savinho of Manchester City.
Prior to their meeting in December, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who worked with him at youth level at Man City, described Delap as a “fantastic player” and a “very good striker”, while Kurosh Moghtader of Total Football Analysis praised his ‘physical frame’, intelligent movement and ‘excellent… link-up play’.
Meantime, Pranav Parameshwaran of Breaking the Lines asserts that he could become ‘England’s future striker’, impressed by his ‘ability to occupy defenders’ and general ‘all-round game’.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapin action with Everton's Idrissa Gueye
So, what is clear is that Delap has the potential to become one of the best centre-forwards in the Premier League, so if Everton are able to convince him to sign for them, it would represent a major coup.
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Glasgow Rangers restored some pride when they avoided defeat to their city rivals in their last match in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.
The Light Blues had already had their second-placed finish confirmed, as Celtic won the league title at the end of last month, but they avoided their misery being compounded with a defeat.
Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring for the Gers in front of their home supporters with a composed finish before the break, but Adam Idah secured a point for the away side with a clever turn and finish inside the box in the second 45.
Whilst it was a decent point for the Light Blues, that result did extend Barry Ferguson’s winless run to six matches in all competitions, and he has won just four of his 12 games in charge so far.
There were some more positives to extract from the 1-1 draw with Celtic, though, including the performance of central midfielder Mohamed Diomande.
The Ivorian star assisted the goal from Dessers and won nine of his 12 duels throughout the game, as he showed that fans can be excited about what he could produce next season.
Why Rangers fans should be excited about Mohamed Diomande
The 2024/25 campaign has been the left-footed star’s first full season at Ibrox, having joined on a permanent deal last summer after his initial five-month loan, and he now has plenty of experience under his belt.
Mohamed Diomande
Diomande has played 70 matches in all competitions for the Light Blues to date, including 51 in the current campaign, and is now primed to kick on as a star for the club next term, having had 18 months of experience in Glasgow.
It did not take too long for the central midfielder to announce himself in Scottish football after his initial loan move from FC Nordsjælland, as he scored against St. Johnstone in February 2024.
His performances in that loan spell led to the club deciding to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2024, with Philippe Clement in charge, and he has kicked on to become a key player in the current campaign.
Diomande showed potential as a goalscorer, as shown by his stunning strike against St. Johnstone, and as an all-action defender in his time on loan, but his creative quality has shone through this term.
Mohamed Diomande (Premiership)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
13
33
Goals
2
4
Big chances created
1
10
Assists
0
7
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
1.8
Ball recoveries per game
4.8
4.3
Duel success rate
52%
55%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star has created nine more ‘big chances’ and delivered seven more assists than he did in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign for the Light Blues.
Rangers fans should, therefore, be excited about what the £12k-per-week star could do next season, after 18 months of adjusting to Scottish football, as he has already shown plenty of signs of promise in the Premiership with his work in and out of possession.
Mohamed Diomande
Diomande provides great value for money, given that he is the 12th-highest earner at Ibrox, but that is not the case for every player in the squad. In fact, one of the players who should be sold by the 49ers this summer, Kieran Dowell, earns even more than the Ivorian.
Why Rangers should sell Kieran Dowell
The English attacking midfielder reportedly earns £16k-per-week, which is more than the likes of Diomande, Hamza Igamane, Jefte, and John Souttar, among others.
He has, however, not provided value for money for those wages because the former Norwich City man was deemed not good enough for the squad in January and was loaned out to English League One side Birmingham City.
Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell.
Dowell enjoyed a successful second half of the season with the Blues, who won the League One title with a staggering 111 points, as he caught the eye with goals and assists.
The left-footed star ended the campaign with five goals, nine ‘big chances’ created, and four assists in 19 appearances in the third tier of English football, and is now set to return to Ibrox this summer.
Birmingham do not have an option to make the deal permanent but manager Chris Davies revealed that they will explore the possibility of a move to bring him back to England ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 49ers, once the takeover is finalised, and sporting director Kevin Thelwell must take advantage of this interest from the Blues in order to ensure that Dowell never plays at Ibrox again.
Kieran Dowell
He has one year left on his contract in Glasgow and this means that the upcoming summer transfer window would be the best time to cash in on the attacking midfielder if they are not planning to extend his contract beyond next year.
Dowell’s performances for Rangers since his move to Scotland on a free transfer from Norwich City in the summer of 2023 do not suggest that the 49ers should be aiming to extend his deal.
Kieran Dowell (Premiership)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
12
12
Starts
5
2
Goals
2
0
Big chances created
1
4
Assists
2
0
Duel success rate
49%
46%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old flop failed to nail down a place in the starting XI on a regular basis under Michael Beale or Clement, and only contributed two goals and two assists in 24 appearances in the Premiership.
His underperformance on the pitch for the Light Blues in his first 18 months at Ibrox led to him being loaned out in the January transfer window, which shows that he was deemed surplus to requirements at the start of the year.
Therefore, Dowell has not done enough to justify his £16k-per-week wages, particularly when the impressive Diomande earns even less than him in Glasgow, and that is one of the reasons why the 49ers must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.
The Gers should attempt to extract a fee from Birmingham for the English dud and ensure that he does not play for Rangers at Ibrox ever again, because the midfielder has not done enough in a Light Blues shirt to suggest that he would be a key player for the next manager coming in.
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Shubman made the highest score by an India captain in Tests, as well as the highest by an India batter outside Asia
Sampath Bandarupalli03-Jul-2025
Shubman Gill now has the highest Test score by an India batter in England•Getty Images
269 – Shubman Gill’s score in the second Test against England at Edgbaston, the highest by an India captain in Tests, surpassing Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune in 2019.Gill’s 269 is also the highest by an India batter in Tests outside Asia. Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 not out at the SCG in 2004 was the previous highest.It is also the third-highest score by an India batter in away Tests, behind Virender Sehwag’s 309 in Multan and Rahul Dravid’s 270 in Rawalpindi on the tour of Pakistan in 2004.Only two Indians had scored double-hundreds in men’s Tests in England before him – 221 by Sunil Gavaskar in 1979 and 217 by Rahul Dravid in 2002, both at The Oval.Overall, Gill’s 269 is the seventh-highest score for India in Tests.ESPNcricinfo Ltd93.28 – Gill’s control percentage during his 269 at Edgbaston. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball logs, only two batters have had a higher control percentage while scoring a hundred in men’s Tests in England since 2006 – 96.45 % by Ian Bell during his 119* against Sri Lanka in 2011, and 94.6 % by Jamie Smith during his 111 against Sri Lanka last year.Related
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2 – Visiting batters with double-hundreds at Edgbaston in Tests before Gill. Graeme Smith scored 277 in 2003, while Zaheer Abbas scored 274 in 1971. Gill’s 269 is the eighth-highest score by a visiting batter in Tests in England.7 – Number of batters, including Gill, with hundreds in their first two Tests as captain. Three of the previous six were Indians – Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli. Jackie McGlew, Alastair Cook and Steven Smith are the others.5 – Batters with double-hundreds in both Tests and ODIs. Gill joins a list dominated by Indians – Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle.4 – Scores higher than Gill’s 269 after being put into bat by the opposition. It is the highest for India.376 – Runs India scored after the fall of Nitish Kumar Reddy at Edgbaston – the most they have added for the last five wickets in a Test innings.3 – Number of 200-plus partnerships involving Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth (or lower) wicket in Tests. Only Adam Gilchrist (six), BJ Watling (five) and MS Dhoni (four) have been part of more such stands. Two of Jadeja’s three such stands have come at Edgbaston.7 – Yashasvi Jaiswal has a 50-plus score in each of his seven Tests against England. Viv Richards and Mark Taylor also had a 50-plus score in each of their first seven Tests against England.
He took a wicket off a no-ball once again and burned two reviews, before finding his groove to help India salvage something from the first day in Indore
Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Mar-2023Two balls, one after the other, behaving in entirely different ways: a defining feature of day one of the third Border-Gavaskar Test match in Indore, where a series of pitches with variable pace, turn and bounce reached a new level of variable.Ravindra Jadeja had been the recipient of two such balls earlier in the day, from Nathan Lyon. He’d successfully reviewed an lbw decision off the first ball, which had skidded into his back pad before he could bring his bat down, but he’d fallen to the next ball, which stopped on him and turned, causing him to drag an attempted square cut far straighter than intended. Aiming to slap the ball through point, he ended up caught by short extra-cover moving to his left.Now, two sessions later, in the 39th over of Australia’s innings, Jadeja bowled two such balls to Usman Khawaja. The first kept low, and the second spat up towards the batter’s gloves. Khawaja kept out the first, jabbing down hurriedly, and survived the next one, fending it between short leg and leg gully.Related
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At that point, Jadeja had figures of 16.3-4-45-2. Excellent, you’d think, until you viewed them in the context of the match situation. India had been bowled out for 109 in a mere 33.2 overs. Australia were 115 for 2 in 38.3 overs.It could have been different, but it wasn’t, and Jadeja had been in the thick of all the coulda woulda shoulda. He’d got Marnus Labuschagne to play on in just his second over, and Australia could have been 14 for 2, but he’d overstepped. It was the third time in the series that he’d had a wicket struck off for that reason.Not too long after that, Jadeja had played a part in burning two reviews against Khawaja. Ball-tracking suggested that both balls would have gone on to miss leg stump comfortably, and the first one also happened to pitch and strike Khawaja’s front pad outside leg stump.In the over after the second review, R Ashwin didn’t get to review a not-out decision when he struck Labuschagne’s front pad. The ball was a near-replay of Labuschagne’s dismissal in the first innings of the Delhi Test, and Ashwin had got his man only after taking recourse to the DRS. In Indore, however, India were perhaps too wary of asking for a review soon after they’d used up two in quick succession.Australia could have been – couldabeen, even – 38 for 2, but they weren’t.And so it went, as Khawaja and Labuschagne built the day’s biggest partnership, by far. They put on 96 runs, and occupied the crease for 198 balls. The entire India innings had lasted 200 balls.It wasn’t that India didn’t threaten to break this stand at various points. But it was the kind of day when nothing seemed to go their way. When Jadeja finally broke the second-wicket stand, the shooter he bowled Labuschagne with was the 49th ball of Australia’s innings to draw a false shot, according to ESPNcricinfo’s control data.Australia lost two wickets over those 49 not-in-control balls. India lost all 10 over the course of 51 not-in-control balls.Luck, it would seem, was on Australia’s side but they also had other things going for them. Pitches with sharp turn reduce a spinner’s margin for error, and both Ashwin and Jadeja took a while finding their groove. They beat the bat regularly from a traditional good length, and in the effort to bowl fuller and find the edge, they offered up more scoring opportunities than they otherwise might have. India couldn’t afford to attack too much given their low total, and their in-out fields were both a necessity and a source of frustration as Khawaja and Labuschagne picked up a steady stream of singles to deep fielders.It was that kind of day, the kind that’s usually reserved for visiting teams in India. But like they did in Pune six years ago, turning conditions can occasionally backfire on India. They know it, but they feel they play their best cricket on such pitches. Vikram Rathour, India’s batting coach, said as much in his end-of-day press conference.Steven Smith was dismissed late in the day as Ravindra Jadeja helped India claw back some lost ground•Getty Images”Of course you can collapse as a batting unit at times, but the thing is that we do prefer to play on turning tracks because I think that is our strength, that is where we are really good as a team,” he said. “How much that wicket turned, to be fair, the earlier two wickets, I don’t think they were bad wickets by any standard, they were wickets which turned, which we prefer.”Pitch preparation isn’t an exact science, and the same intentions applied to three different strips of turf can produce three very different pitches. Rathour said India were taken by surprise by just how much the ball turned on this Indore pitch, but he sympathised with the groundstaff for having had to prepare it at short notice.”Today it was drier than we expected and we saw that it did more,” Rathour said. “First day of a Test match, it did a lot more than we expected. But to be fair on the curators also, I think they hardly got time to prepare this wicket. They had a Ranji Trophy season here, and then it was pretty late that it was decided that the game was shifted from Dharamshala to this venue, so I don’t think they got enough time to really prepare the wicket.”On this pitch, batting seemed to become slightly easier as the day wore on. It may have been down to early moisture drying out over time, or to Australia batting for longer against an older ball, or to a pair of set batters spending a significant length of time at the crease. Whatever it was, it reflected in the control numbers.Australia’s batters achieved a control percentage of nearly 79 over their innings. India’s figure was just above 74%.But the uncertainty India’s bowlers created through Australia’s innings began reaping rewards after tea. The occasional frustrations of Jadeja had defined India’s bowling performance until then; now it became all about the one quality, above all, that’s made him a great cricketer – his persistence.Sometimes it can feel like a mildly negative quality; it took him until his 18th over to try bowling from over the wicket to the left-hander, by which time Khawaja was on 60. The change of angle caused immediate uncertainty out of the footmarks outside off stump, and brought out Khawaja’s sweep – he missed one, and top-edged his next attempt to the fielder at deep square leg.But it’s also a sign of Jadeja’s trust in his methods that it took him so long to try the new angle. The methods, the trust, and the skill underlying it all brought him, soon after, the wickets of Labuschagne and Steven Smith, and Australia’s false-shots-to-dismissal ratio reverted to the mean. By stumps, they’d lost four wickets while playing 69 false shots, and while they were still ahead of the game at 156 for 4, they were not nearly as far ahead as they may have hoped when they’d bowled India out so quickly.Jadeja had been the meme at the centre of it all: If you don’t love me at my *insert overstepping visual*, you don’t deserve me at my *insert wicket celebration*.
Stats highlights from Bangladesh’s fantastic recovery on the second day of the Harare Test
ESPNcricinfo stats team08-Jul-20211 Partnership for the ninth wicket which has yielded more runs than the 191 that Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed added in Harare. The all-time record belongs to Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox, who added 195 against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 1998. The Bangladesh pair missed the record by just four runs. Interestingly, Mahmudullah features twice in the top four: he added 184 with Abul Hasan for the ninth wicket against West Indies in Khulna in 2012.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 Instances of a batter scoring more than 150 from No. 8 or lower in Tests. Mahmudullah is the eighth member of a club that also includes Wasim Akram, Imtiaz Ahmed, Kamran Akmal, Clem Hill, Jason Holder, Ian Smith and Stuart Broad. The previous best score for Bangladesh’s Nos. 8-11 was also by Mahmudullah, when he scored 115 against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2010.336 Runs added by the last four wickets for Bangladesh, which helped them improve from 132 for 6 to 468 all out. Only seven times have the last four wickets added more runs in a Test innings – the highest is 450 by Pakistan against New Zealand in Lahore in 1955, when they recovered from 111 for 6 to 561. Bangladesh’s previous highest for the last four wickets was 212.320 Runs scored by Bangladesh’s last five batters (Nos. 7-11). There are only five instances of more runs being added by the last five batters in an innings. The highest is 363, by Australia against England way back in 1925.ESPNcricinfo Ltd44.68 Mahmudullah’s Test average when batting at No. 8 or lower, which is the highest among all batters who have batted at least 20 times in these positions. The only other batter with a 40-plus average is West Indies’ John Goddard (42.91 in 20 innings). When batting in the top seven positions, Mahmudullah averages 30.36 from 72 innings.16 Batters who have scored two or more hundreds from Nos. 8-11. Daniel Vettori leads with five centuries, while R Ashwin, Jason Holder and Kamran Akmal have three each. Mahmudullah is one of 12 batsmen with two centuries at these positions.
O Flamengo divulgou, na noite deste domingo (14), o estado de saúde de Matías Viña, após choque de cabeça sofrido pelo jogador na partida contra o Atlético-GO. Segundo o clube carioca, o lateral-esquerdo não teve lesão cerebral constatada nos exames realizados.
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Viña deixou o gramado aos 30 minutos do segundo tempo, após dividida pelo alto com o zagueiro Adriano Martins. Os jogadores se chocaram de cabeça e precisaram ser substituídos imediatamente. Seguindo o novo protocolo de concussão estabelecido pela Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), ambos foram encaminhados para o hospital.
Como não houve lesão cerebral detectada, Matías Viña foi liberado para retornar com a delegação do Flamengo para o Rio de Janeiro. O lateral-esquerdo seguirá em observação pelo Departamento Médico Rubro-Negro nos próximos dias.
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Em campo, O Flamengo venceu o Atlético-GO por 2 a 1 neste domingo (14), no Estádio Serra Dourada, na estreia dos times no Brasileirão 2024. Agora, o Rubro-Negro Carioca volta a campo na quarta-feira (17), às 21h30, diante do São Paulo, no Maracanã, pela segunda rodada da competição.
Tottenham Hotspur’s attack in 2025/26 has massively failed to deliver at present, as seen by the measly figures produced by those in such an area of the pitch.
Richarlison is currently the Lilywhites’ top scorer in the Premier League this campaign, but the Brazilian has only managed to score five times in his 14 appearances to date.
Micky van de Ven is the only other player within Thomas Frank’s squad to net more than two goals in England’s top-flight, further showcasing the lack of talent in the final third.
Fellow centre-back Cristian Romero also netted a double in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday night, with the Argentine rescuing a point at St James’ Park.
However, the January window presents an opportunity for Frank and the hierarchy to add needed quality to the attacking department to aid their chance of success.
Spurs looking to bolster their forward line
In an attempt to improve the options within the final third, Spurs have identified Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as a potential option ahead of the January window.
The 21-year-old has been in tremendous form during the 2025/26 season, as seen by his tally of 12 goals in his 20 appearances for the Portuguese giants.
However, such a deal would certainly be a hefty one for Frank’s men, with his current employers demanding a fee in the region of €80m (£70m) to part ways with their talisman.
Samu isn’t the only attacker currently being considered by the Lilywhites hierarchy ahead of the winter window, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo also another target.
According to Sky Sports, Frank’s men have started to intensify their efforts to land the 25-year-old winger, who has already registered nine combined goals and assists this campaign.
They also state that Liverpool are also in the race for his signature, but Fabio Paratici’s early efforts have seen the Lilywhites take the lead in the hunt for his services.
Why Semenyo could be Spurs' new Heung-min Son
Heung-min Son is a player who massively exceeded expectations during his decade in North London, with the South Korean international one of the best to wear the Spurs shirt.
He joined as an unknown quantity to many supporters back in the summer of 2015, but after a decade at the club, it’s safe to say he cemented himself as one of their best-ever attackers.
The winger racked up a staggering total of 173 goals in his 454 appearances for the club, even racking up 101 assists – often being to the go-to man alongside Harry Kane.
However, Frank was unable to rely upon the 33-year-old after taking the reins, with the attacker departing in a £20m deal to join LAFC during the summer window.
Son, who was capable of impressing with both feet, has left a huge hole on the left-hand side of the Lilywhites’ attack, something which has been a huge issue for the Dane.
That could be about to change in the coming months, especially if the hierarchy are able to secure a move for Semenyo in the upcoming transfer window
The Ghanaian international, who has demonstrated his two-footed ability this campaign, has also produced numerous impressive figures – with his underlying figures showcasing his qualities in possession.
Semenyo, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by teammate Justin Kluivert, has managed 0.69 goals and assists per 90, a tally higher than any player in the Spurs squad.
Such a tally ranks him in the 97th percentile of all other attackers in the division, showcasing his incredible ability to produce the goods in front of goal.
Games played
13
Goals & assists
9
Goals & assists (per 90)
0.69
Shots on target
1.1
Take-ons completed
1.8
Carries into opposition box
1.4
Aerials won
2.3
Progressive passes
3.8
He’s also registered 1.1 shots on target and 2.3 aerials won per 90, with both figures also ranking him higher than 95% of other wingers in the Premier League.
Semenyo is an all-round talent who can either go alone or provide the goods for those around him, with £65m potentially being an excellent price for a player of his quality.
Other stats, such as 1.8 take-ons and 1.4 carries into the final third per 90, further highlight his talent in possession, which could hand Frank the talent he craves in attacking areas.
It’s unclear if the board will manage to get a deal over the line in the coming months, but if they want to reach the next level, a move for Semenyo is an absolute must.
His skillset is scarily close to that of Son, with the Ghanaian having the chance to emulate the South Korean and make his own history should he move to North London.
Saved by Romero: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario
Tottenham Hotspur were fortunate to walk away with a point against Newcastle United last night.