Manchester City have now made contact over a deal for a 58-cap international, who is able to play in a number of positions.

Man City looking to increase squad depth after Bayer Leverkusen defeat

Pep Guardiola clearly had a lot of faith in some of his back-up options heading into the Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen, having made ten changes to his starting XI, but his side came up short in a 2-0 defeat.

The Spaniard has since admitted he probably made too many alterations, saying: “I always had the belief of the long season and everyone had to be involved but maybe it was too much. They played not to make mistakes instead of doing what we had to do.

“It was not the performance that we thought. I take full responsibility. We missed something. We missed an incredible opportunity and now we need to fight in the next games.”

Despite limiting the German side to an xG of just 0.51, the Blues conceded two goals for the second game on the spin, and having kept one clean sheet in their last seven games, they have now joined the race for a new defender.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Man City have now made contact over a deal for versatile AS Roma defender Zeki Celik, who is able to play as a wing-back, full-back and at centre-back.

Celik could be available for a bargain fee in the January transfer window, given that his contract is set to expire at the end of the season, but if the Italian club are unwilling to sanction a departure, City could wait to snap him up on a free next summer.

Related Worse than Savinho: Man City star is in danger of becoming another Grealish

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Posts 2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025

There may be competition for the defender’s signature from a plethora of rival Premier League clubs, however, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea also making enquiries of their own.

"Perfect player" Celik impressing for club and country

The 58-cap Turkey international was recently lauded by national team manager Vincenzo Montella, who said: “He’s the perfect player for any coach,”

“Celik is professional, reliable, does his job wherever you play him. In a locker room it is always needed to have guys like him.”

The 28-year-old has also put in some impressive performances for AS Roma as of late, recently scoring and recording a 95% pass-completion rate in his side’s 2-0 victory over Udinese, with the latter statistic indicating he could be ideal in a Pep system.

As such, Celik could be a solid addition to the Man City squad, particularly on a free transfer, with Guardiola clearly keen on bolstering his options at full-back, given that a Bundesliga star has also been identified as a potential target…

Lamine Yamal has grown accustomed to seeing his every move dissected in minute detail, on and off the pitch, with the Barcelona wonderkid claiming to enjoy the level of celebrity that he now boasts. The teen sensation has no desire to shy away from the limelight, despite attracting some unwanted attention, and is revelling in his role as a global sporting superstar.

Superstar status: Yamal happy to be centre of attention

Yamal only turned 18 during the summer of 2025, but he is already a seasoned performer at the very highest level. Having burst onto the scene at 15, La Liga and European Championship crowns have been collected with Barca and Spain – alongside Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy honours.

Comparisons with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi are never far away, despite efforts to quieten that debate, and Yamal is being tipped to become an all-time great in his own right. Remarkable standards will need to be maintained under the brightest of spotlights in order for that to happen, but the youngster has told when asked if he minds being a superstar and the centre of attention for millions of spectators around the world: “No, honestly I don’t. In fact, I like it.”

AdvertisementGettyTaste for success: Where Yamal learned how to entertain

Yamal has always wanted to be the star of the show, with it becoming clear at an early age that he knew how to get supporters on their feet. He added on that process and getting a taste for acclaim: “Where I used to play, in my neighbourhood, there were walls where people would sit and there was no better feeling than getting the people who were sitting there to stand up and laugh at the opponents. I think it’s the best feeling in the world and something that reminds me of that a lot is when I’m playing on the field and the fans get up and are surprised by a play I’ve made.”

He went on to say of retaining that freedom and a sense of playing for fun: “I can’t feel pressure when playing football. I just try to enjoy it. I think that my friends and family have been through harder things than me just playing football.

“Football is everything to me. It’s the first love of my life and it will remain so. It’s one of the sports where everyone is on an equal footing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt pressure playing football. My parents faced real pressure as young parents. Managing family, work, being happy, and buying gifts… that’s real pressure for me.”

Constant attention: Yamal cannot be a 'normal' 18-year-old

While having no fear on the field, Yamal admits that he finds constant scrutiny off the pitch difficult to deal with at times – with headlines having been made in 2025 on the back of his 18th birthday party and striking up a relationship with Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole.

He said: “It’s hard to act like a normal 18-year-old. Even if I wanted to, I would never be able to. Any kid goes from school to home. For me, I go to training with photographers in front of my house and kids wearing my shirt on the street.

“I would like to go eat at a restaurant like a normal person, but I can’t because people will always stop me. It’s normal because I’m famous. So I try to do simpler things, like visiting my mom, brother, or playing video games.”

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GettySource of inspiration: Yamal doing his best to stay humble

Yamal takes great pride, though, from becoming a source of inspiration. He added: “People have told me that they’ve started watching football again because of me. My mother watches all the matches now.

“People had stopped wearing football jerseys to school, now that trend is back. Even tourists, here in Barcelona, get the Barca jersey with the 10 at the back. It has made me realise things.”

Yamal remains adamant that he will not allow himself to become caught up in his own hype, with it important that he remembers where he has come from and where he wants to get to. If he is able to remain humble and focused, then there is every reason to believe that his stock will continue to soar.

Kylian Mbappe has publicly vented his frustration after Real Madrid dropped more La Liga points in a 1-1 draw with Girona, allowing Barcelona to remain top of the table. The French superstar scored but was left visibly irritated as Madrid recorded a third-straight away stalemate, prompting him to declare that the team “needs to change the dynamic” amid growing pressure on Xabi Alonso.

• Real Madrid draw with Girona – Barca go top of La Liga

  Real Madrid failed to reclaim top spot in La Liga after being held by Girona, marking their third consecutive away match without a victory. Azzedine Ounahi’s powerful first-half finish stunned Alonso’s side, who struggled for rhythm and control in a hotly contested game. Mbappe levelled the score from the penalty spot, but his influence was limited as Madrid lacked precision and dominance in the crucial phases.

  The result came a day after Barcelona beat Alaves at Camp Nou, meaning Los Blancos now sit second, one point behind the defending champions in a title race that is tightening rapidly. Real Madrid saw a Vinicius Junior goal ruled out, an Mbappe strike disallowed due to handball, and required Thibaut Courtois to make vital saves to avoid defeat. Despite some late pressure, their final efforts lacked composure, reflecting a deeper trend of attacking inconsistency away from home.

  The stalemate has further intensified scrutiny on head coach Alonso, whose team has dropped the five-point lead they held following El Clasico despite promising early signs in the campaign. Ahead of a demanding clash at San Mames against Athletic Club, concerns are growing around Madrid’s form, concentration levels and inability to assert themselves on their travels. With Barcelona continuing to capitalise, every dropped point now feels increasingly significant.

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  Mbappe vents his frustration at Real Madrid's form

  Mbappe voiced his anger on Instagram after the match, making clear that the team’s performance levels are far from acceptable during this crucial stretch. He wrote: “This isn’t the result we wanted tonight… We need to change the dynamic and show who we are as a team.”

  The Frenchman was particularly disappointed after a night in which he scored but struggled to impose himself consistently due to Girona’s compact defensive shape. “Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long,” he added, reiterating the importance of keeping perspective.

  Despite scoring his 14th league goal of the season, Mbappe lamented how little influence he had in open play as he was constantly crowded out and deprived of service. He has been in exceptional scoring form, including a recent four-goal haul against Olympiacos, but this match once again highlighted Madrid’s struggle to build fluid attacking moves on the road.

• Madrid's dip in form piles the pressure on Alonso

  Madrid’s recent dip in form has created a delicate moment in what was expected to be a strong transitional campaign under Alonso. Their away performances have lacked tempo, sharpness and the assertiveness that previously defined their early-season success. While the team remains firmly in the title race, the accumulation of draws has placed extra weight on every upcoming fixture.

  The Girona match exposed familiar issues: an inconsistent midfield structure, a reliance on individual moments rather than sustained patterns, and an inability to maintain control over 90 minutes. The atmosphere at Montilivi appeared to unsettle the players as they struggled to dictate play with the authority usually expected of them.

  Yet amid the frustration, Mbappe continues to rewrite record books, joining Cristiano Ronaldo as only the second player to score more than 53 goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid. His productivity remains extraordinary even as the team around him falters.

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• Real travel to San Mames up next in must-win clash

  Madrid face a challenging trip to San Mames to meet Athletic Club next, a stadium where points are notoriously difficult to secure and away sides can wilt in the face of the intense atmosphere. Alonso has urged unity and renewed intensity as the squad aims to avoid extending their winless away run. With Barcelona now setting the pace, Madrid must respond immediately to prevent the current dip from evolving into a full-blown crisis.

Head coach believes 50-over struggles are in a category of their own as attention shifts to Perth

Cameron Ponsonby01-Nov-2025Brendon McCullum conceded that England “clearly need to improve” in one-day cricket after they fell to a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand. ‘Go harder’ has been the mantra of this England team, with Harry Brook imploring his side to double down in their efforts with the bat after his side’s first collapse in Mount Maunganui a week ago. Two matches and two further batting failures later, however, McCullum has reset the party line and called for England to adopt a more considered approach.”Harry’s said before that we need to put pressure back on the bowlers, and there are times when we do need to be a little braver and put some pressure on the bowlers,” McCullum said following the defeat in Wellington. “And then there are other times where we’ve got to adjust to their lengths and lines.”Not necessarily in a high-risk sort of way but just by being brave enough – whether that’s coming down the wicket or moving around the crease – just get things going a little bit more and bounce off one another.”Across the series, England lost 11 wickets in the opening 10 overs of the innings, compared to New Zealand’s four, and were bowled out in all three matches. Their innings in Wellington was their longest of the trip, batting for 40.2 overs before they were all out.”I think when we’re confronted with good, flat wickets, we’re a very, very good cricket team,” McCullum said. “I think we play a high-octane style of cricket and those conditions suit us. When the wickets have a little bit in them and they’re a bit more challenging, whether that be spin or seam or swing, we probably can’t quite adapt our tempo quick enough.Fewest runs by a team’s top four•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”We’ve got some talented players but, unfortunately, our performances at the moment in this form of the game aren’t quite up to scratch and we need to rectify that.”England’s top order combined for an historically poor series, managing just 84 runs between the top four, the lowest tally in one-day international history. Of the top six, only Brook, Joe Root and Jos Buttler made a score of 20 across the three matches.McCullum, however, does not believe it is a concern heading towards the Ashes, where Australia are expected to serve up similar styles of wickets. In the longer format, he argues that England have been able to counter different conditions well.”I like to separate it,” McCullum explained. “I think in T20 cricket we’re going really well and in Test cricket we have a pretty decent idea of where we’re at – and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we have a huge challenge ahead of us.Related

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“One-day cricket is clearly the area we need to improve, and my comments are more directed at one-day cricket. I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, we have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about it. It doesn’t guarantee us anything but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”He also believes that, despite a number of players experiencing a poor run of scores, the likes of Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Root will be “better for the run” after getting a number of games under their belt.”They’ve marked centre a few times and gone through the process and I’m sure they’ll be better for it. With the prep that we’ve had with the other Test guys who’ve been here for a while too, we’ll have no excuses come Australia.”McCullum identified Jamie Overton as England’s “huge win” for the tour, after the bowling allrounder contributed with the bat in all three matches and put together his finest performance in ODI cricket in Wellington, scoring 68 runs and taking two for 32 with the ball.”I think there’s times when we think he’s a better player than he does,” McCullum said. “And on this tour he’s fully believed in the player he can be at this level. There’s not too many players around the world who can bowl 140kph, field the way he does and hit the ball as cleanly. It’s been a huge series for Jamie…he’s incredibly well liked within the group and we’re all delighted for him.”England’s next competitive fixture will now be in Perth, with the long-awaited Ashes series finally around the corner after years of build-up.”I’m proper excited,” McCullum concluded. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge Australia is going to present us and we know how hard that tour is going to be.”It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can to try and block out any of the outside noise. But we’re very respectful of who we’re coming up against, we’re so excited to get over there and we can’t wait to get started.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Novo técnico do São Paulo, Luis Zubeldía é apresentado em entrevista coletiva na tarde desta segunda-feira (22). O treinador argentino estava na LDU, do Equador, e foi campeão da Sul-Americana e do Campeonato Equatoriano na última temporada. Ele assina com o Soberano até 31 de dezembro de 2025. Assista à apresentação AO VIVO com o Lance! no vídeo acima.

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اكتملت منتخبات المجموعة الرابعة في بطولة كأس العرب 2025 والتي تضم منتخب العراق بعد مباريات التصفيات المؤهلة إلى المجموعات.

وتنطلق منافسات بطولة كأس العرب يوم 1 ديسمبر بمشاركة 16 منتخباً، مقسمة على 4 مجموعات كل مجموعة تضم 4 منتخبات.

طالع.. مجموعة منتخب مصر في كأس العرب 2025 بعد اكتمالها

يُذكر أن النسخة الأولى من كأس العرب أقيمت عام 2021 في قطر، وتُوج بها منتخب الجزائر بعد الفوز بالنهائي، بينما اكتفى منتخب مصر بالوصول إلى نصف النهائي واحتلال المركز الرابع في الترتيب النهائي للبطولة.

وحسمت كل المقاعد في المجموعة بعد تأهل منتخب البحرين على حساب جيبوتي وتأهل منتخب السودان على حساب لبنان المجموعة الرابعة في كأس العرب 2025

– العراق

– الجزائر

– البحرين

– السودان

Rehan Ahmed and Davina Perrin also honoured in end-of-season awards

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2025

Jordan Cox was named PCA Men’s Player of the Year•Luke Walker/Getty Images for PCA

Jordan Cox and Emma Lamb have been named PCA Players of the Year, capping stellar summers in which both players earned England recalls after consistent seasons in domestic cricket.Cox missed out on a Test debut for England last November due to an ill-timed injury and was left out of their white-ball squads at the start of the summer. However, he earned a T20I recall after scoring his maiden T20 hundred for Essex and finishing the Hundred as the leading run-scorer. He saw off competition from Joe Root, Ed Barnard and Dom Sibley to win the award.”My favourite moment of the year was taking my chance and scoring an international half-century [against Ireland],” Cox said. “It’s probably why I got selected to go to New Zealand, which means a lot. On the Lions trip [to Australia] I want to show the selectors I’m capable of playing Test cricket.”Lamb missed the PCA awards ceremony in west London on Thursday night – which are sponsored by Toyota – as she is currently in Colombo, preparing for England’s World Cup fixture against Sri Lanka. She was the leading run-scorer in Lancashire’s Metro Bank Cup triumph, and pipped Nat Sciver-Brunt, Kathryn Bryce and Georgia Elwiss to the award.Lamb said she was “very surprised” to find out she had won after England’s tense win over Bangladesh on Tuesday. “I wasn’t expecting it, but obviously I’m very happy,” she said. “It’s really lovely that my peers have taken the time to recognise my performances this year. It’s such an honour to receive this award… It’s been a very enjoyable 12 months.”Emma Lamb in action for England•ECB/Getty Images

Rehan Ahmed was named men’s Young Player of the Year after scoring five centuries for Leicestershire as they won promotion in the County Championship, while he also impressed for Trent Rockets in the Hundred. Davina Perrin, who scored a stunning 42-ball century in the Hundred’s eliminator, won the women’s award, having also impressed for Birmingham Bears.”I was a bit shocked to be honest,” Perrin said. “There’s been some great performances from young players, especially Ailsa [Lister] and Ella [McCaughan] who have had unbelievable seasons… The biggest thing for me is that I’m maximising my potential and hopefully the England honours will come.”Rehan said that the award “topped off a great season” for him. “My red-ball season was great,” he said. “I want to be a regular in the England [Test] team – it’s more important to me than the white-ball stuff – so being given the opportunity to perform and then repaying the coaches with my form for Leicestershire has been great.”The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Graham Gooch, for his “incredible support of the game” including his donations to the Cricketers’ Trust, while Adil Rashid and Nat Sciver-Brunt won Rado Recognition Awards for their England careers. The ECB’s Special Merit award went to Andrew Flintoff’s BBC series , while the players voted for Ian Blackwell and Gabi Brown as Umpires of the Year.Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s chief executive, said: “The most prestigious awards ceremony in cricket is always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our fantastic players who have worked so hard throughout the season. Another enjoyable year… culminated in everybody coming together to congratulate our four main winners at the PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota.”2025 PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota:Men’s Player of the Year: Jordan Cox (Shortlisted: Ed Barnard, Joe Root, Dom Sibley)
Women’s Player of the Year: Emma Lamb (Shortlisted: Kathryn Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Nat Sciver-Brunt)
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Rehan Ahmed (Shortlisted: James Coles, Asa Tribe)
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Davina Perrin (Shortlisted: Alisa Lister, Ella McCaughan)
Outstanding Contribution Award: Graham Gooch
Rado Recognition Awards: Adil Rashid, Nat Sciver-Brunt
ECB Special Merit: Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams
Men’s Umpire of the Year: Ian Blackwell
Women’s Umpire of the Year: Gabi Brown

Celtic are in the process of finding their long-term successor to former head coach Brendan Rodgers, who resigned from the role last month after a 3-1 loss to Hearts.

The Northern Irish manager returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, and won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his full seasons in charge.

Celtic are now looking for a manager to come in and build on that success in the months and seasons to come, and Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy appears to be closing in on the job.

The latest on Wilfried Nancy to Celtic

According to Sky Sports, the Premiership champions have been granted permission by Columbus Crew to hold discussions with the French tactician this weekend.

The report claims that Nancy is open to making the move from the MLS to Scotland to replace Rodgers in the dugout, after the 2025 MLS came to an end for his side this month.

It adds that the Hoops want to have a new manager in place for their league clash with St Mirren next weekend, and that they will need to discuss compensation with Columbus Crew if they agree terms with Nancy.

If the French boss does take over the job in the coming days, one player who could benefit from his arrival at Parkhead is central midfielder Arne Engels.

Why Arne Engels could explode under Wilfried Nancy

Just as Matt O’Riley did when Rodgers took over from Postecoglou, Engels could explode with the change in manager from Rodgers to Nancy this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Belgian star could be O’Riley 2.0 with the potential that he has to be an exciting attacking force as one of the two number 10s behind the striker in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Appearances

38

37

Goals

3

18

Minutes per goal

843

181

Big chances created

16

14

Key passes per game

2.2

2.5

Assists

12

13

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international, who now plays for Marseille, scored 15 more goals and provided one more assist in the league under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou.

Engels could benefit in a similar way with this change in manager, as he has mainly played as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system for Rodgers, but he could play further forward under Nancy.

The Belgium international, whose set-piece delivery was hailed as “world-class” by Rodgers, produced nine goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, but has only managed one goal and one assist in ten games this term, with both of those goal contributions coming against Kilmarnock for Martin O’Neill.

Engels has created four ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Europa League this season, being rewarded with one assist, per Sofascore, which is a testament to his technical and creative quality.

The midfield star is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, over a year on from his £11m move from Augsburg, which suggests that the Hoops need to find a way to get more out of him, to ensure that their £11m investment does not turn out to be a poor one.

Playing further up the pitch, as a number ten, as part of Nancy’s preferred tactical set-up would put him in more positions to show off his brilliant technical ability, rather than often being too far from goal as a central midfielder or as a number six under Rodgers.

Celtic now "granted permission" to take biggest step yet in push to hire Wilfried Nancy

The Bhoys are set to make their move…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 15, 2025

Therefore, the Columbus Crew tactician could help Engels to explode and follow in O’Riley’s footsteps if Celtic hire him and he goes through with the 3-4-2-1 system used in the MLS.

It is infuriating talking to an England player at the moment. The biggest series in years is on the horizon. It’s all we’ve been speaking about for months. And rather than indulge in playground gossip like the rest of us, they’re rising above it.”We’re in New Zealand,” says Harry Brook, speaking from New Zealand. So far, so good. “I’m the white-ball captain.” Also correct. “We’ve got a game tomorrow night.” Three from three. “And that’s all I’m thinking about.” Wrong. Tell us that Josh Hazlewood is going to get sent to the moon.This is a refined Harry Brook. Wiser than the man who was once burnt after saying he was glad he could “shut up” Indian fans in 2023, then twice burnt by England fans in 2024 after saying “who cares” if someone gets caught on the boundary. Now, in 2025, he is a man who leads his country on and off the pitch. When England were given a traditional cultural welcome on Friday at the Hagley Oval, it was Brook, in his role as captain, whose responsibility it was to stand and say a few words of thanks to the local Maori leaders at the end of the ceremony. A simple, but important task that earned him a tap on the thigh from head coach Brendon McCullum.Related

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“Like I said. We’re in New Zealand now,” Brook reiterates.Through nothing other than coincidence, Brook’s development as a cricketer has been inextricably linked to the country. His Test captain, Ben Stokes, has his roots in New Zealand. The only Test head coach he’s ever known, McCullum, is one of the most famous New Zealanders of all time. His centuries in Wellington, Christchurch and Wellington again include arguably his finest knock in an England shirt. And his first tour as an England captain is to the country as well. Most recently, Gilbert Enoka, the famous mental skills coach who worked extensively with the All Blacks, has become a figure Brook turns to for advice.”He’s awesome,” Brook said of Enoka’s presence with the England team. “We’ve actually just done a session with him now for an hour or so. To have him in the ranks, just to be able to pull him for a chat for five or 10 minutes is awesome.”Unprompted, Brook, who was recently named as vice-captain of the Test side, spoke about his need to adapt both as a captain and a batter. A question about Jacob Bethell’s ability against spin segued into an answer about Brook’s recognition about the need to be flexible with a batting line-up.”I haven’t liked doing that in the past,” Brook says of switching left-and-right-handers in the order depending on what the opposition is throwing up. In his eyes, that amounts to a bending of the knee to an opponent who should be dictated to, not delegated around.”But whatever’s best for the team at that stage is vital. And like I said before, having them little chats with Gilbert with everybody heading in the same direction, knowing that things might change here and there is vital for the side.”Similarly with his batting, his quickly trademarked but almost impossible to describe roly-poly Dilscoop ramp, that he unfurled in the Hundred, sounds set for a spell on the sidelines. As a shot it is a moment of pure entertainment. But rather than being the sign of a man with unlimited confidence and limitless form, Brook saw it as a sign he was straying too far into the woods.”It’s fun when the crowd’s cheering and whatnot,” Brook told talkSPORT. “But it doesn’t necessarily work every time.”I’ve actually been quite disappointed with the way I’ve played in white-ball cricket. I feel like I’ve been premeditating a lot. And that’s one goal for me this series, just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”Brook’s aim to move away from premeditation stems from a desire, to use a football term, to play the way he’s facing. The fact he is able to play 360 degrees, he feels, is pulling him in too many directions. Literally.”Because I’m hitting it in different areas,” Brook explained of why he wanted to scale back. “Obviously it all depends on the situation of the game and the surface, but when I’m at my best I’m hitting it straight.”Brook got engaged recently. It can be the only explanation for such clarity of thought. A man can only plan so much. And a wedding outranks deciding when to scoop Jacob Duffy.When Brook entered the international set-up in 2022, Stokes made a joke at his expense, calling him “a bit dumb”. Joe Root joined the party a couple of years later when referring (endearingly, it must be said) to Brook as an “idiot”.But the fact of the matter is that Brook is very likely to walk out at some stage across the Ashes series with the England blazer on and as captain of his country. Stokes has missed a match through injury in each of his last four Test series. And the Brook that does so, thanks to those around him, will be very different to the one who debuted just over three years ago.”I want Stokesy to play all five games,” Brook said, knocking back any suggestion he’s thought at all about the prospect of walking out on Boxing Day to call heads in front of 95,000 people. “But now we’re in New Zealand. I’m the white-ball captain, and that’s my main focus. That’s all I’m thinking about at this moment in time. We’ve got a game tomorrow night. And like I’ve said so many times, [I want to] just stay in the moment as much as possible.”Brook is only interested in speaking about New Zealand. And really, given his history here, why would he want to talk about anything else?

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes's abilities on the mound are electric enough—but it's his straightforward public persona that has endeared him even more to long-suffering Pirates fans.

Case in point: Skenes's reaction to the Thursday firing of manager Derek Shelton. When asked about the dismissal, the pitcher refused to mince words.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't shocked," Skenes said via KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh. "At the end of the day, we're (12-26), whatever it is. Someone's gotta be held accountable. Unfortunately, right now, it's him."

Skenes has remained a top hurler this year, starting 3-4 with a 2.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings. However, Pittsburgh is far from contention—and a fanbase that has seen three playoff trips in the past 33 years is running out of patience.

"I don't know if it fixes the root of the issue, which is that we need to play better," Skenes told reporters. "That's been the messaging today. That's been the messaging for a little bit now."