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Despite already reaching a verbal agreement to sign Botafogo trio Igor Jesus, Cuiabano and Jair Cunha, Nottingham Forest have reportedly made an approach to sign another Brazilian ace.

Nottingham Forest set to sign Botafogo trio

Evangelos Marinakis has wasted no time before turning towards the South American market yet again at the City Ground. The Greek owner has had previous success when welcoming the likes of Murillo and may have completed another act of genius by reaching an agreement to sign the aforementioned Botafogo trio.

Jesus particularly stands out among the three. The impressive striker could quickly become the air to Chris Wood’s striker throne at the City Ground, having scored eight goals in Brazil throughout the 2024/25 campaign after netting 25 in all competitions in the season prior at both Botafogo and at Shabab Al-Ahli Club.

Meanwhile, if Nottingham Forest fans needed any further introduction to Jesus and Cunha, then one glimpse at the Club World Cup should have given them exactly that. Both players scored in Botafogo’s 2-1 win against Seattle Sounders, whilst Cuiabano also featured from the bench.

All signs point towards excellent business by Nottingham Forest, but the Tricky Trees are not done there. With European football to look forward to next season, those at the City Ground are in their strongest position for a long time to attract some top talents.

It’s not something that Marinakis is keen to waste, either. With three Brazilian talents already on the way, Forest have also been linked with moves for the likes of Yoanne Wissa. The Brentford forward was the subject of interest from the City Ground in January and now that interest has reportedly been reignited.

Meanwhile, Forest aren’t done in South America either amid reports that they’ve made an approach to sign a fourth Brazilian talent this summer.

Nottingham Forest make Romulo Cardoso approach

According to GE Globo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign Romulo Cardoso from Goztepe this summer. The impressive forward is still just 23 years old and would be arriving off the back of an excellent campaign which saw him score 17 goals and create another 13 in Turkey.

That said, Forest aren’t alone in the race to sign the forward. Joining them, RB Leipzig and Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers are also reportedly interested in signing Romulo this summer. The Bundesliga club will become a particular threat if they are forced to replace Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko in the coming months.

Nottingham Forest negotiations to sign "superb" ace down to just £4m difference

Forest are in talks over signing a new attacker, but the clubs remain apart in their valuation.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 16, 2025

Whether Forest’s growing Brazilian contingent helps to convince the clinical goalscorer will be interesting to see too. The City Ground is quickly becoming the place to be for South American stars on the rise and Romulo could become the latest to make his way to the Midlands.

With contact already made and a number of clubs chasing his signature, Romulo has arguably the biggest decision of his career to make so far this summer.

After confirming their first season without a trophy in four years, incoming sporting director Hugo Viana and Manchester City have reportedly made their first move to sign a Crystal Palace star who cost them the FA Cup.

Man City defeated in FA Cup final by Palace

Last year it was Manchester United who overcame Pep Guardiola’s side at Wembley to cause a great shock, as Manchester City entered the final in a partying mood fresh from Premier League title success. This time around, it was Crystal Palace sending great shockwaves. But this year, there has been no title for Manchester City to celebrate. In fact, it’s been their toughest year of Guardiola’s reign altogether.

When Eberechi Eze swept home from a blistering Crystal Palace move in the first half, it became an all too familiar story for the Citizens, who dominated the early stages only to lack the ruthlessness which saw them win four Premier League titles in a row.

Defeat didn’t come without controversy, however. Manchester City may feel as though Dean Henderson should have been given his marching orders for palming the ball away from outside of his area. And given that he then went on to save Omar Marmoush’s penalty later in the half, the Citizens should feel rightly frustrated by the decision.

Guardiola had his say on the defeat and answered whether it was his decision for Marmoush to take City’s penalty over Erling Haaland, telling reporters: “I didn’t speak with them [Haaland and Marmoush].

“They take a decision, penalties are like that. I like guys who take initiative and they decide. In that moment, it’s how they feel. They decided Omar was ready to take it.”

As bad as Marmoush: 5/10 Man City flop proved why Pep must axe him

Crystal Palace defied the odds to overcome Man City at Wembley.

1 ByDan Emery May 18, 2025

For all the moments to forget against Palace, though, the Citizens did at least get a first-hand look at a player they’ve already reportedly made their move for ahead of this summer.

Man City make first move for £59m Eze

According to reports in Spain, Viana has now made an opening move to sign Eze for Manchester City this summer. The FA Cup final goalscorer reportedly has a release clause worth as much as €70m (£59m), and those at the Etihad now want to activate it.

Of course, it’s no secret that Manchester City want a No.10, either, amid their chase to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz. As things stand, however, reports are pointing towards a move to Bayern Munich rather than the Premier League, which could open the door for Eze to complete his move.

Losing possession just once against the Citizens, earning three fouls and completing five recoveries, Eze was everywhere to be seen at Wembley whilst also netting the all-important winning goal.

The midfielder’s season had been leading up to such a moment, and Oliver Glasner’s earlier praise should have come as no surprise this season. Describing Eze as “unbelievable” in September, the Crystal Palace boss will be well aware of just how capable his star man is of performing at the highest level.

Second season syndrome. It’s sure to be a phrase bandied about online when rival fans discuss Liverpool’s chances under Arne Slot’s management for the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool must ensure they put paid to such notions by bolstering effectively in the summer transfer market and adding the depth that has been somewhat lacking this term.

Slot has worked wonders since replacing Jurgen Klopp last summer and it’s difficult to find faults to pick at, but a resistence to rotation is definitely one area the Dutch tactician has drawn criticism, with some intimating that Liverpool’s recent drop in fluency and sparkle is a by-product of certain players being overplayed.

But this is a minor blemish on a man whose arrival at Anfield has left the city aglitter, with the Premier League title a stone’s throw away and promises already being made of significant summer investment.

However, out with the old and all that. Some players have failed to win their boss over this season and simply have to be sold to make room for fresh faces.

Who Liverpool need to sell this summer

First and foremost, Darwin Nunez needs to be sold this summer. The misfiring striker didn’t even make the bench on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool beat West Ham United at Anfield. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool expect to sell him this summer.

Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota have also endured differing problems this year and either could be deemed expendable if the right bid were to come in, especially now that Mohamed Salah has extended his contract and the likes of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak are being eyed.

It might be a tad harsh to suggest Liverpool need to sell Andy Robertson after his struggles at left-back this term, but with concrete interest confirmed in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, either the Scotsman or his deputy, Kostas Tsimikas, will need to leave.

Several others – Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott – may be sold if the right circumstances present themselves. However, there’s another Liverpool star riding the crest of a wave right now who may also need to go.

Luis Diaz is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, and FSG should cash in for maximum value while they can.

The latest on Luis Diaz's future

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are now willing to accept offers for Diaz this summer in spite of his recent form, should bids reach the ballpark of €80m (about £68m).

The Colombian is one of the best forwards in the Premier League and has rediscovered his touch in the final third over the past few weeks, but aged 28 and approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract, it might be the right time for Liverpool to cash in.

Barcelona hold a long-standing interest in the player, while Spanish reports suggest Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League are preparing a bid ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure at the end of his contract this summer.

Diaz has been one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s anticipated Premier League triumph, but he’s not irreplaceable and some difficult decisions will need to be made soon.

Across all competitions this season, the 28-year-old has scored 15 goals and supplied eight assists for his teammates, having registered goal involvements in each of his past five Premier League appearances.

An electric-paced forward with an energy that’s charged not by pace but tenacity, Diaz is the real deal, coveted by the likes of Manchester City last year and heading toward the championship having been outscored only by Salah in Liverpool’s squad, which is nothing to be ashamed about.

Ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref, he’s got the technical capacity to thrive too. Klopp even hailed him once for his “world-class” passing.

Diaz has been indispensable this season for his tactical flexibility, able to skip around the frontline and fill in as a make-do centre-forward, owing to his gifted ability but highlighting the need for a recognised, hard-to-handle number nine.

While he’s at his most clinical when placed as the focal frontman, he might find his opportunities limited in that area next term, given Liverpool are headset on signing an out-and-out striker, one who will likely cost quite the figure to bring over to Anfield.

They’ll need to get it right, but the same thing happened when Nunez was brought in from Benfica in the summer of 2022 as Sadio Mane took his leave.

Mane joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth £35m that summer, draping the curtain on an illustrious career at Liverpool. Given that he had turned 30 years old and was a year away from his contract’s conclusion, FSG’s decision was understandable.

Mane still had mileage in the tank but renewing his deal at that point of his career could have knocked the club’s wage hierarchy askew, with Salah being an exception to the rule.

And so history is shaping up to repeat itself. Diaz has been a more than able replacement for his Senegalese counterpart and now faces a similar fate, but given that he is set to consider a departure from the English Champions Elect, it could be a move that benefits all parties.

Back to the present, Cody Gakpo has nailed down the starting berth on the attacking left flank this year, scoring 16 times from 35 matches in the position.

The Netherlands international might have stepped away from the limelight over recent weeks due to injury, but he ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.

There may well be a conflict of positional interest if these players remain at Liverpool and fight for a place alongside Isak or Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, for example.

The same, curiously, occurred when Mane, Salah and Diaz all played together for five short but sweet months in 2021/22, with Klopp’s new recruit making waves, notching seven goal involvements across 11 Premier League fixtures while winning 5.3 duels per game.

Liverpool wouldn’t grumble if Diaz was still in their mix next season, for sure, but if clubs present bids north of £60m for a player who is entering the later stage of their contract and is not that far away from their 30th birthday, it feels like it could be a no-brainer for sporting director Richard Hughes.

Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid

Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 14, 2025

A look at some of the takeaways from the men’s and women’s Super Smash that ended with Central Stags and Wellington Blaze winning respective titles

Deivarayan Muthu04-Feb-2025

Stags’ youngsters roar

No Doug Bracewell (at the SA20 with Joburg Super Kings). No Ajaz Patel (injury). No Seth Rance (retired). No Josh Clarkson (impending fatherhood). No problem for Stags as they toppled a powerful Canterbury Kings side that included as many as ten players who have played international cricket for New Zealand.For the Stags, it was William Clark, 23, and Curtis Heaphy, 21, who sealed their chase of 136. Toby Findlay, another youngster, sparkled in the final, coming away with 3 for 29 in his four overs, including the big wicket of Daryl Mitchell. Having sussed out that the pitch was two-paced, Findlay used his variations well, often digging the ball into the track to mess with the timing of Kings’ batters. In his first season as a contracted CD player, Findlay emerged as a Super Smash champion and promises more for the future.Blair Tickner, the senior Stags seamer, finished with a chart-topping 16 wickets in nine innings at an average of 18.43 and economy rate of 9.21.Amelia Kerr shone with bat and ball in the Women’s Super Smash•Getty Images

Amelia Kerr at it with ball and bat

Having won the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in 2024, Kerr added the women’s Super Smash trophy to her cabinet. She racked up 441 runs in 12 innings – the highest in the men’s or women’s Super Smash this season – to go with 15 wickets in 11 innings at an economy rate of 6.06. Two of those wickets came in the final where Blaze successfully defended 104 in front of their home crowd.Kerr was also in the thick of the action in the Eliminator against Northern Brave, following up her 29 off 24 balls with 4 for 19. Blaze’s imports from across the Tasman, Hannah Darlington and Maitlan Brown, also played their part in them becoming back-to-back champions in the women’s competition.

Jamieson, Shipley, Sears return to action

Kyle Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Ben Sears, who were injured before the Super Smash, returned to action and hit full tilt in the competition. Having proved his fitness – and form – Sears also made New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy.Kyle Jamieson made a successful return from injury in the Super Smash•Getty ImagesAs for Jamieson and Shipley, they were part of an all-New Zealand Canterbury attack that troubled a number of batters. Jamieson, who didn’t play any competitive cricket for 10 months prior to the Super Smash, marked his return from back injury, with 2 for 26 against Otago Volts at Molyneux Park. Midway through the Super Smash, Jamieson earned a PSL deal with Quetta Gladiators and continued to operate without any apparent discomfort.In the men’s final, Jamieson burst through Jack Boyle’s defences with a sharp inducker and proceeded to dismiss Dane Cleaver, who had top-scored for Stags, but it was not enough for the Kings to wrest the title. Jamieson ended the tournament with 14 wickets in 12 innings at an excellent economy rate of 5.95.Shipley, who was also working his way back from a back injury, took 12 wickets in eight innings at an economy rate of 8.04. He also made some cameos with the bat in Kings’ run to another final.

Meet Matt Boyle, the breakout star of the tournament

Though New Zealand don’t have the depth of India or England, they have some young talent bubbling through. Twenty-two-year-old Matt Boyle is the latest talent who is already being talked up as a future Black Cap. A tall left-hander who can hit the ball long and far, Boyle emerged as the top run-getter in the men’s Super Smash, with 377 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.70 and strike rate of 156.43 for Kings. Matt is the younger brother of Jack, who has moved to Central Districts from Canterbury and son of Justin Boyle, who played for both Canterbury and Wellington.Central Stags are Men’s Super Smash champions•Getty ImagesBoyle had also showcased his power for New Zealand XI in December last year, when he clattered an unbeaten 57 off 34 balls against a Sri Lankan attack, which included mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and slinger Nuwan Thushara, in a ten-over tour game in Lincoln.

Bevon Jacobs watch

After having secured an unexpected IPL deal with Mumbai Indians and having broken into the New Zealand squad, Bevon Jacobs turned up at the Super Smash for Auckand Aces, hitting 263 runs in eight innings at an average of 37.57 and strike rate of 140.64. His unbeaten 90 off 56 balls against Northern Brave in Hamilton was arguably the innings of this season. Having entered the fray at 30 for 3 in the fifth over, Jacobs propelled Aces to 187 for 5. Though Brave chased down the target, Jacobs served a reminder of his raw power and potential.After Aces were knocked out of the Super Smash, Jacobs headed to the UAE to link up with MI Emirates, the affiliate of his IPL side, in the ILT20.

England’s No. 3 on missing out on the World Cup final, and his ambitions to make the 50-over cut

Andrew Miller11-Jan-2023A penny for Dawid Malan’s thoughts, an onlooker from the sidelines at the MCG in November, as a senior England batter marshalled a World Cup-winning run-chase against Pakistan with an unflappable 52 not from 49 balls.The man in question, of course, was Ben Stokes – the Red Adair of England run-chases, air-lifted back into the T20I side after an 18-month absence and proving once again that his big-match temperament is second-to-none.That match situation, however, could have had Malan’s name all over it. A middling target of 138 to aim for, and loss of two early wickets affording the incomer the right and rationale to build cautiously into his work, as would have befitted a man with a proven, former world No.1-ranked, record at No.3 across 44 of his 55 T20I appearances for England.But Malan himself was denied the perfect pay-off. His campaign was curtailed by a groin injury, picked up during England’s tense group-stage win over Sri Lanka, and despite believing he’d done enough to be trusted for a recall in the final against Pakistan, it wasn’t to be.”It was tough,” Malan tells ESPNcricinfo. “Initially we discussed that we were just going to treat the symptoms, but then on the day before the World Cup final, I ended up having a scan which I was not too happy about, because I was felt that I was okay.”I did the fitness test and everything that was required, and I was able to get through everything that was asked of me in a two-and-a-half hour session, with just a bit of throbbing to some extent.”But after the training session, when Jos [Buttler] and Motty [Matthew Mott] called me in, they said ‘look, even though you’ve passed everything, there’s still a risk’.”The issue, Malan adds, came down to the vast dimensions of the MCG, and the dangers of aggravating not only his niggle, but that of Mark Wood too – another key influence whom England opted to do without, despite appearing to overcome a hip flexor problem that had ruled him out of the India semi-final.”If we were playing at a smaller ground like Bangalore, where you are not going to rely on running threes and twos and chasing down balls in the outfield, definitely it would have been worth the risk,” he adds.”But playing the MCG, when every run would have counted in a World Cup final … as a cricketer, you have to put your ego away sometimes, even though you’re gutted at the decision. It’s about winning the World Cup as a team, it isn’t about putting your own personal pride in front of the team. Even though that’s a tough pill to take, it is the right decision. We won the World Cup by not risking two players that were touch-and-go on fitness. The rest is history.”That history now shows that England are the concurrent 50- and 20-over World Cup champions, the first men’s team to achieve such a feat. And while Malan was not involved in the epic 2019 campaign, he has been an integral member of the T20 team in between whiles, including the side that succumbed in the semi-final in the UAE 12 months before the MCG triumph – a campaign that he says came with significantly more expectation than the one just gone.”The disappointment of losing that semi in 2021 was there for everyone to see,” he says, recalling a penultimate-over loss to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. “With what we had available as a team, we were gutted that we didn’t win the World Cup that year, but I guess expectations probably weren’t as high this time around. We obviously wanted to win, but I didn’t think it would be realistic.”Dawid Malan launches a six over the leg side against South Africa in the summer•Getty ImagesThe reasons for such reticence were myriad. The retirement of Eoin Morgan had bled into a transitional summer in which England failed to win any of their four home white-ball series against India and South Africa, while injuries to key personnel – in particular Jofra Archer and Jonny Bairstow – meant they were far from being the frontrunners that had gone into previous ICC events.”If we played as well as we could, we could definitely win, but after the summer that we had, I didn’t think the pressure was on us as much as a team,” Malan says. “Australia and India were in better form than we were.”But it’s been a long journey, from when Morgs took over in 2015, to where it is now with Jos and Motty as the leaders in the group. I was on the outside initially, watching how they went about their business, but they’ve stuck to their guns for seven years now. Everyone in the country has bought into that, and to win two World Cups in the last couple of years is incredible.”Nevertheless, you get the sense that Malan would have relished a touch more vindication for this own methods in the course of England’s latest trophy-winning campaign. His tally for the tournament finished at 56 runs from 68 balls across three innings, including an ill-paced 35 from 37 that contributed to their rain-affected defeat against Ireland, and a cameo of 3 not out from one ball against New Zealand, after being shunted down to No.8 to make way for the perceived heavier hitters.Despite some eye-popping feats in the course of his England career, including 1000 T20I runs in the space of a record 24 matches, and a 48-ball century against New Zealand in 2019, criticism has been a constant companion for Malan. Specifically, the perception that he tends to be slow out of the blocks.In the course of his T20I career, Malan has made 30 scores of 30 or less, at a strike-rate of less than a run a ball (97.05). Once he’s into his stride, however, few opponents can live with his acceleration – as evidenced by a strike-rate that soars to 165.56 on the 15 occasions that he’s gone past fifty.And it was this point upon which Mike Hussey, England’s batting consultant, chose to dwell when presenting Malan with a cap to mark his 50th appearance during the World Cup. In particular, Hussey zeroed in on his “BASRA”, which is no longer simply a port in Southern Iraq, but now a means of assessing a player by their “batting average [and] strike rate aggregated” – which in Malan’s case is currently a lofty 174.55 (38.84 and 135.71), behind only Kevin Pietersen and Jos Buttler among England players.

“We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel. There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant.”Dawid Malan

“It was the first time I’d heard of it,” Malan admits. “But when you hear someone like that give you praise like that, it’s an unbelievable feeling and gives you a lot of confidence.”Batting at 3 in T20s is a tricky position,” he adds, “because if you want to be positive and take it on in the first over of the game at 0 for 1, if you get out, you’re 10 for 2, and you’re probably not going to be scoring the 180 that you need to on that specific wicket. Then sometimes you walk in in the last over of the powerplay, or in the eighth over with all the fields out, and there’s a different match-up to what you’re used to.”When you open the batting, you can play the same way every single game, it’s the easiest thing to do, whereas there’s a bit more responsibility when you bat at No. 3. Yes, I found that quite tricky at times, but I’ve had leaders like Morgs and Jos giving me the confidence to just play it as I see it, and that’s massive for me because then I can shut out the criticism.”There’s always criticism, sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it isn’t, but we’re man enough as players to hold our hands up when we get it wrong. Sometimes you feel it’s the same topics over and over, no matter what you do, but all it is, is people looking at stats instead of looking at what’s actually in front of you.”There is, however, one other stat that matters where Malan is concerned. More often than not, he ends up on the winning side – in 33 of his 55 T20I matches, in fact, or 60%, which places him second among England players with 50 or more caps, behind only the Player of the World Cup final (and star pick at the IPL auction), Sam Curran.”We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel,” Malan says. “There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant. Your team is judged on success. You’re judged on how many games you win as a player, not how many big bombs you hit.”I’d much rather average 20 at a strike rate of 130 and win every game than hit a couple of good sixes at 160, and do nothing else. You don’t win games of cricket like that.”Malan drives through the covers•Getty ImagesHe’ll be getting plenty opportunities to hone his methods in the coming months. Despite a rare period of downtime in December, in which he enjoyed Christmas at home for the first time in five years, Malan is already back on the road. His first stop is a stint at Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League, and then – later this week – he embarks on the start of the ILT20 in the UAE, where he will link up with his fellow World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes at Sharjah Warriors, not to mention his Yorkshire team-mate Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Warwickshire’s Chris Benjamin.”We’ve got a group of English guys and a few of the Afghani guys as well, so it’s going to be brilliant,” Malan says. “Any franchise tournament is fantastic. But with so many overseas players allowed in each team, that pushes the standard up so much more.”It’s an exciting time. The IPL investment [in the ILT20] means it’s likely to have the biggest purse for players and attract the biggest names. And I guess that’s ultimately what attracts players to different tournaments, how much they get paid to some extent, not only the brand of cricket and the conditions that you play in. It has the makings of being a fantastic tournament.”It could be another significant year for Malan too, with England’s defence of the 50-over World Cup looming in India in the autumn. And while his ODI career has been restricted to just 12 appearances so far, he would appear to be in the right place at the right time, with Morgan’s retirement and Stokes’ withdrawal from the format creating openings, not just for new players but for experienced ones too. He responded with two centuries in his six matches in 2022, including a Player-of-the-Match performance against Australia in Adelaide, and believes his game is well suited for England’s needs.”It’s a bizarre one,” he says. “You’re good enough to play T20 cricket but not for the 50-over team, but within this group and with players retiring there has been more of an opportunity. Hopefully I’ve taken those opportunities in the last few series, because it’s something I want to be part of, I want to play in that 50-over World Cup, and I’ve had some good chats with Motty and Jos about moving forward.”And while Malan does not seem to harbour similar ambitions to regain his Test place, after the rigours of last winter’s Ashes, he – like many others in the English game – has been a fascinated onlooker as Stokes and Brendon McCullum have set about reviving the team’s fortunes with a heady mix of positive cricket and even more positive reinforcement within the dressing-room.”That’s unbelievable, isn’t it?” he says. “It’s fantastic to see how things have changed around and it just shows you what happens when leaders are confident and back their players to express themselves, instead of worrying about the media and the negative side of it.”I guess that’s what Eoin did in the 50-over cricket. He said ‘these are the players I’ve identified and I back them to the hilt’, and gave them a decent opportunity, whether the press or commentators agreed with it or not. It’s amazing when players feel backed how often they go out and perform.”

What’s changed for Maxwell, and are the Knight Riders wasting Shakib?

Alagappan Muthu18-Apr-20212:38

Brendon McCullum – We should have bowled Chakravarthy against Maxwell

What makes de Villiers a great death-overs batterThere are over 200 players who have faced more than 30 death-overs deliveries over their IPL careers. AB de Villiers stands above all of them. The undisputed No. 1. The phenom. The punisher more than just a finisher with a strike rate of 233.97.How does he do it? How does he come in at the 12th over of a T20 and hit an unbeaten 76? How does he come in at the 39th over of an ODI and score a hundred?Well, for one, there’s his balance. After a shuffle across his stumps and a crouch, he is perfectly still until the ball comes down, which opens up every part of the ground.Second, he tries not to premeditate. Sure, he walks across his crease when he scoops and everything, but for the most part, he just reacts to the ball.”I follow my instincts,” de Villiers said in 2016 after leading a badly, laughably crumbling Royal Challengers into the IPL final. “I try and watch the ball closely. I’ve played the game for many years now and I know my talent will take over if I just watch the ball and enjoy myself out there.”For proof of those words, take a look at ball number 17.5 from the Royal Challengers innings today. It’s from Andre Russell. So it’s quick. He’s also coming around the wicket, so it’s cramping him for room. Plus, there’s the added complication of it being a high full-toss.But de Villiers’ instincts have already kicked in. They tell him to just get low. And to bend to the leg side so he would have room to thrust his hands up from under the ball. And just like that, he conjures a boundary out of nowhere.Instinct. And de Villiers’ is still the best.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat’s changed for Maxwell?On a pitch where it has never looked easy to time the ball. Glenn Maxwell at one point was 60 off 34. That’s a strike rate of 176.47Royal Challengers bought him with the intention of making him one of their key players. They gave him the No. 4 spot – even if it meant fewer deliveries for de Villiers, arguably their biggest match-winner. He has slotted into the leadership group as well, often seen in discussions with Kohli on the field.All of this is exactly how he plays for Australia. They bat him high up the order. They give him extra responsibility. They get the best out of him.In T20Is, Maxwell has batted at No. 5 or lower in only 19 of his 65 innings. That’s about 29%.In the IPL, he’s been forced to bat at No. 5 or lower in 31 of his 82 innings. That’s 37%.The finisher hype had messed him up in previous seasons of this tournament. Now he’s been given time to shape a whole T20 innings and he’s risen to the challenge. Big time.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy is Chakravarthy dangerous?A man who taught himself to bowl by watching Sunil Narine videos on YouTube is now keeping Sunil Narine out. How about that?Varun Chakravarthy may well be the Knight Riders’ most important bowler this IPL for two simple reasons: he turns the ball both ways and is hard to read out of the hand.Kohli couldn’t read him. Went for a big shot – aiming for long-on – and was caught at cover instead.Rajat Patidar couldn’t read him. He was too late on a ball that broke his stumps.Even de Villiers didn’t dare attempt anything flash. The Knight Riders wanted to save Chakravarthy for the Royal Challengers talisman. So they took him out of the attack after a double-wicket first over and brought him back on as soon as de Villiers came to the crease.The battle lasted seven balls. Except it could have easily ended in the fifth, with Chakravarthy getting de Villiers’ outside edge, but there was no slip in place.Can India make the most of his talent in what is a T20 World Cup year?Varun Chakravarthy landed two early blows or KKR against RCB•BCCI/IPLAre Knight Riders wasting Shakib?Shakib Al Hasan’s subtle variations in pace and length have led to the downfall of many. And each of them will have wondered “what just happened – I thought I had him!” Left-arm orthodox has never been so funky.But Shakib is a fine batter too. At the 2019 World Cup, having demanded the No. 3 position for Bangladesh, he scored 606 runs at an average of 87 and a strike rate of 96. A top-order slot with time to get into his groove is the best way to maximise on his batting potential but the Knight Riders are a bit too packed up there.Shubman Gill can’t bat anywhere else. Nitish Rana has earned the chance for a longer rope. And Rahul Tripathi is high-impact in the powerplay. Then captain Eoin Morgan wants the No. 4 spot – that’s his in the England team as well. So Shakib is, well, a bit stuck.

Who is Liverpool’s star forward? Is it still Mohamed Salah?

Only in May was the 33-year-old handed many individual awards to surmount his team triumph with Liverpool. For his defining role in Arne Slot’s triumphant debut campaign, Salah has put to rest any doubts that he is one of the greatest players in Premier League history.

But even Salah will one day retire, and his start to the 2025/26 campaign has brought to mind the concerns that he has passed his prime and is part of the problem Slot is wrestling with, Liverpool having lost three in a row this season and lacking any of the fluency and zip on show for most of last season.

Given that the Egyptian King signed a new two-year contract on Merseyside in April, it’s clear that he and FSG feel that this story is not yet over, but sporting director Richard Hughes has nonetheless added quality to Liverpool’s attacking ranks, with Alexander Isak the showpiece.

Why Liverpool signed Alexander Isak

For nine years, Liverpool have boasted Salah as their star goalscorer, but the record-breaking addition of Isak from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day underscores a shifting of the plates at Anfield. The balance of offensive power has swung.

Last season, Isak scored 27 goals across all competitions for Newcastle. He scored what proved the decisive second strike in a 2-1 win over Slot’s Reds at Wembley in March. It was there that he lifted the Carabao Cup.

Many attacking departures this summer led to FSG deciding to break the bank for a striker already established as one of the best in the business. Isak, now, will be expected to produce the goods over many years to spearhead a trophy-laden chapter.

Salah, Liverpool’s adopted son. But he’s getting old, and should he recover that same giddy level of 2024/25, it is sure to be a short-lived thing when viewed against the potential of some of his Liverpool teammates.

Like Isak. The Sweden international is 26 years old and fully settled into his Premier League career. Already, he has been described by pundit Ally McCoist as being “the best all-round centre-forward” in England.

However, he’s not Salah. Instead, Liverpool might find another within their ranks to look more like the natural replacement for the £400k-per-week superstar, albeit not quite positionally.

Slot's own Salah-type signing

When Salah first arrived at Liverpool, he arrived under scrutiny. Scroll through the archives and you will find plenty of criticism when Jurgen Klopp oversaw a £34m purchase of Roma winger Salah, formerly of Chelsea, where he failed to impress.

But nine years later, he is a Liverpool legend, having won more than his share of silverware and scored more than his share of goals.

With Salah now winding down, Hugo Ekitike could step up as the new version of the talisman, with some interesting parallels between the two.

Having joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer for an initial £69m fee, Liverpool felt they had signed one of the finest young forwards in the business. Indeed, talent scout Jacek Kulig said of the Frenchman during his days with Eintracht Frankfurt: “He could definitely reach world-class striker levels.”

But that’s a big some for a 23-year-old who had previously struggled at a big club. Before moving to Germany, Ekitike had swapped Reims in his homeland for the Paris Saint-Germain superpower, arriving in July 2022 for a €35m (about £30.5m) fee.

But, described as a “goal machine” by Liverpool correspondent David Lynch, Liverpool have landed themselves a far more complete and primed verison.

Four goals were all he scored in the French capital, having played 33 matches. This is somewhat similar to Salah’s return at Chelsea, posting two goals and three assists for the Blues before being sold to Roma.

Liverpool’s scouting team have long known their stuff, though, and Ekitike’s underlying data is a thing to behold. In fact, looking at his performance across the past year, it’s hard to distinguish the up-and-comer from the mighty Isak, which is a towering testament to his quality.

There’s not a lot to separate the two. Isak is the more refined and effective goalscorer, but Ekitike is more complete and aggressive when on the ball, and better with his head besides.

These are rare breeds of centre-forward, and Liverpool now have frontmen with the quality to take the reins from Salah over the next couple of years and lead Slot’s side to more glory. Isak is a product of several years of successful development in the Premier League, but Ekitike knows what it’s like to fall by the wayside at one of the continent’s biggest hitters, and he shares that with Salah.

With five goals and an assist across his first ten matches as a Liverpool striker, Ekitike has started life as a Red on strong footing. Salah did too, breaking the record for goals in a 38-game Premier League campaign when he first returned to English shores.

Whether Ekitike will quite achieve the same degree of success is debatable, to be sure, but the fact remains that Liverpool have pulled off some exceptional business this summer, and while FSG must turn toward identifying a successor on the right wing in the coming windows, Salah’s proverbial heir has been located and welcomed in the form of Ekitike.

He is set for the top.

Liverpool determined to sign Salah upgrade who's 'one of the world's best'

Liverpool’s up-and-down start to the season has caused FSG to glance at the transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 10, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.

Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank

Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.

The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.

The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.

“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”

Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.

Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.

That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.

In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.

Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update amid mounting Tottenham pressure

The reliable journalist has some information.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”

Tottenham in 'very advanced' talks with £88m Semenyo alternative over Spurs move

Tuesday night's Chicago Cubs walk-off 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers was one for the 2025 MLB season books. Wrigley Field, as usual, brought an extremely high energy level throughout the whole game.

The excitement was there right from the start, with the Dodgers scoring three runs followed by the Cubs answering with five runs in the first inning alone. Things got a bit quiet, with the Dodgers scoring a run here and there, until the Cubs scored two more runs in the fifth thanks to Pete Crow-Armstrong's monster home run.

The Dodgers really jumped off in the seventh inning, scoring five runs to go up 10–7 over Chicago. The Cubs inched closer in the eighth, scoring two more runs to be down just one. Miguel Amaya saved the day first when he hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game.

But, it was Ian Happ who will be remembered as Tuesday night's hero thanks to his walk-off single in extra innings that brought pinch runner Vidal Brujan home to score the winning run.

As Brujan was rounding the bases all the way to home, Wrigley Field erupted in cheers. A video caught just how loud Wrigley was during the winning moment, and it's sure to bring you goosebumps. Don't play the video loudly; it could hurt your eardrums.

It would be awesome to see what the decibel levels were looking like during this moment.

The Dodgers play again on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. We'll see if that game can bring the same level of energy.

It’s still early on in Thomas Frank’s tenure, but there are a lot of problems at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.

Now, they are certainly harder to break down under the Dane and sit much higher in the Premier League than they did under Ange Postecoglou.

However, the North Londoners are one of the worst teams to watch in the league and were utterly hopeless in the derby against Chelsea, a game in which they amassed an expected goals figure of just 0.05.

One of Frank’s most significant issues at the moment is that summer signing Xavi Simons isn’t firing, so it’s fans should be excited about reports linking them to an attacker who could help get the Dutchman back to his mercurial best.

Spurs target attacking reinforcements

In stark contrast to last season, Spurs are simply not scoring enough goals this year, with their return of 17 being the same as Manchester United, who not long ago were in yet another crisis.

Transfer Focus

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

Moreover, across all competitions, their top goalscorer is Micky Van de Ven, with five.

However, while scoring has been a problem for the North Londoners, there is a massive caveat: the number of players out injured, including Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski.

Fortunately, it appears as if the club are looking to address this lack of available firepower in the January window.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Spurs are interested in Porto striker Samu Omorodion.

The report has revealed that, alongside Chelsea, the North Londoners are leading the race for the Spanish striker and could make a move for him as soon as January.

However, with a release clause of €100m, which is approximately £88m, it could be a complicated deal to get over the line.

With that said, given his record, it would be a deal worth working on, especially as he could help Simons rediscover his form.

Why Samu would be a dream for Simons

While it sounds simplistic, the most significant reason Samu would not only be an excellent signing for Simons but also for Spurs is his goalscoring ability.

For example, despite being his first year with a new club, the Spanish marksman managed to rack up a brilliant haul of 27 goals and three assists in 45 appearances, which translates to an average of a goal or assist every 1.50 games.

This season has seen the 21-year-old score nine goals and provide one assist in just 12 appearances, two of which have come in the Europa League.

In other words, he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.20 games, which would be impressive for a seasoned professional, let alone someone so young.

Now, were Simons to play alongside, or just behind someone, talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed “one of Europe’s most prolific players,” then there it would be reasonable to expect his assist tally to soar.

Appearances

45

12

Goals

27

9

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

0.83

However, it’s not just the output that would make Samu a perfect teammate for the Dutchman, but also his physicality.

Standing at 6 feet 4, the Melilla-born poacher is also incredibly strong and could help compensate for the lack of physicality that the former RB Leipzig ace has.

Moreover, this strength could help him hold up the ball for the North Londoners, in turn allowing the likes of Simons and Kudus to run beyond and cause chaos.

Ultimately, while it wouldn’t be cheap, Spurs should do all they can to sign Samu, as not only could he get Simons firing, but he could also rejuvenate the entire front line.

Spurs can fix Simons problem by unleashing "one of England's best talents"

The young talent could one day be an even bigger star for Thomas Frank and Spurs than Simons.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 4, 2025