Manchester United are now expected to accelerate talks to sign a “fantastic” forward, who is set to be available for a fee of £35m, according to a report.
Man Utd set to miss out on Gyokeres
It was always going to be a tall order to convince Viktor Gyokeres to move to Old Trafford, having missed out on Champions League Football, and it now appears as though the striker is edging closer to joining one of Man United’s Premier League rivals.
As such, the Red Devils will likely need to move on to alternative targets, and they have identified a number of potential options, many of whom have experience in the Premier League.
Player
Current club
Goals in 2024-25
Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
17
Dusan Vlahovic
Juventus
15
Ivan Toney
Al-Ahli
30
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Free agent
3
Victor Osimhen
Napoli
37
According to a report from Spain, Man United are also expected to accelerate talks to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, with negotiations over a potential £35m deal likely to move quickly, given both clubs’ willingness to make a deal.
At the moment, discussions are in their early stages, but United are looking to strike an agreement soon, having made it clear they want to take the forward to Old Trafford, with more talks set to take place in the coming weeks.
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ByBrett Worthington Jul 7, 2025 "Fantastic" Nkunku could reignite career at Old Trafford
The Frenchman’s time at Stamford Bridge hasn’t gone exactly to plan, picking up just three goals and two assists in the Premier League last season, but his previous exploits in the Bundesliga suggest he has the quality to succeed in England.
During his final two seasons in Germany, the 27-year-old amassed a remarkable 36 goals in the league alone, and given his age, he still has plenty of time to rediscover his previous form in front of goal.
Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku in action with Southampton'sTaylorHarwood-Bellis
Former Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was also left impressed by the France international’s exploits in a RB Leipzig shirt, saying: “He is a player, a fantastic player, that was top scorer in the Bundesliga and he can play in different positions. His quality is amazing.”
Paul Merson has insisted that Nkunku is unlucky to be behind Cole Palmer at Chelsea and could flourish at another club, but it may also be worth bringing in an out-and-out striker alongside the former Leipzig man, given that he most commonly plays in attacking midfield.
Having already welcomed Lukas Nmecha and Jaka Bijol, Leeds United are now reportedly targeting a move to sign an alternative option to recent target Noah Sadiki.
What Leeds are planning next after Bijol
After splashing out to sign Bijol from Udinese, reports suggest that the 49ers are not done. Names such as Habib Diarra and Sadiki have found themselves on Leeds’ radar as of late and it looks as though adding another midfielder to Daniel Farke’s squad will be among the priorities in the coming months.
The Whites have even reportedly made an official offer worth as much as £24m to sign Diarra and could be closing in on their target sooner rather than later if reports are to be believed. Meanwhile, Sadkiki has also been the subject of a reported bid with the 49ers clearly ready to follow up the signing of Bijol by spending big again.
The Union St.Gilloise star would be another impressive signing and could partner Ao Tanaka at the heart of Farke’s side to form a midfield duo capable of achieving Premier League survival and more next season.
What may help their pursuit to sign Sadiki is the news that rivals Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2 amid financial problems. Without a direct rival for the midfielder’s signature, those in the Midlands could have a simple route towards his arrival.
He'd be unstoppable with Tanaka: Leeds make offer to sign "complete" star
Leeds are looking to sign a new midfielder this summer
ByJoe Nuttall Jun 26, 2025
If that does not prove to be the case, however, then it could be another interesting midfield talent who arrives to offer those at Elland Road an instant boost.
Leeds targeting Mahdi Camara
According to Footen France, the 49ers and Leeds are now targeting a summer move to sign Mahdi Camara, who could arrive as an alternative to Sadkiki. The Stade Brest midfielder is reportedly available for as little as £13m this summer in what could quickly turn into a bargain deal in Yorkshire.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Ao Tanaka
Mahdi Camara
Minutes
3,584
2,659
Goals
5
5
Progressive Passes per 90
7.04
3.76
Ball Recoveries per 90
5.90
3.32
Whilst Camara struggled to match Tanaka in possession last season, the Frenchman did showcase his goalscoring ability from midfield in what could offer Farke an unexpected threat going forward.
Forming a midfield partnership capable of scoring 10 goals between them would certainly go a long way towards survival for those at Elland Road given how the Premier League has a history of blunting previously sharp Championship frontlines.
Mahdi Camara for Stade Brest.
What’s more, the fact that Camara is represented by the same agent as Sadiki may help any deal this summer. If the latter fails to complete a summer move to Elland Road, then it could be an easy transition to negotiate for Camara, who would be an excellent alternative option.
Several days on and Liverpool fans can still rest easy knowing Florian Wirtz plays for their football club.
The Germany international is only 22 but has already established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world, instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal wins in 2023/24.
He links right back up with Jeremie Frimpong, whose £29.5m release clause was activated last month, leaving the BayArena to become Arne Slot’s first recruit of the summer.
Milos Kerkez is set to follow, having made clear his excitement of joining Liverpool ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, potentially replacing Andy Robertson as the 31-year-old considers a change of setting in La Liga with Atletico Madrid.
The Reds also want a centre-back to replace Jarell Quansah, who is set to join Leverkusen. However, it’s a centre-forward Liverpool needed when heading into the market, and they need one still.
Why Liverpool are pressing to sign a new striker
Farewell, Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan striker hasn’t actually left the club yet, but it’s been widely reported that Liverpool are looking to offload him, and indeed, the 25-year-old is hoping to move too.
Darwin Nunez applauds Liverpool fans
Napoli are focusing their efforts on bringing Nunez over to Serie A, and you can envisage him doing well on the Italian scene. He’s a maverick, lively, vibrant. However, Liverpool wanted something more prolific to marry into that athletic underlayer which has never quite clicked in the Premier League.
What Liverpool need is their next Fernando Torres. Easily achieved, of course.
Once upon a time, Rafa Benitez claimed Nunez, who joined Liverpool from Benfica for an initial £64m (the potential £85m figure has not been met) in 2022, moved with echoes of the silky Spaniard, admiring his movement, pace and instinctiveness. He even declared that El Nino “was not a great finisher” at the beginning of his Merseyside career, signing from Atletico for a £20m fee, aged 23, in 2007.
Ah, to have another incarnation of the iconic forward. Well, FSG might have their sights set on just the player.
Liverpool prepare bid for new striker
Liverpool’s interest in Alexander Isak will come as no surprise, but Spanish reports believe that curiosity could be taken a step further in the coming weeks, with a bid being prepared for the Newcastle United centre-forward.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, Sunday’s report reveals an offer worth €120m (£103m) is being packaged up in the Merseyside post office, ready to ship over to Tyneside and test Newcastle’s resolve.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein has previously allayed Magpies fears of a summer sale, with Eddie Howe’s success in winning last year’s Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League strengthening his side’s position.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
However, Liverpool aren’t going away…
Why Liverpool want Alexander Isak
Newcastle might be confident that they can keep Isak at St. James’ Park, and indeed, a recent report from the Telegraph claims that Liverpool would have to pay an earth-shattering £200m fee to prise him away.
Let’s hope such claims are wide of the mark, and merely propaganda to deter hungry suitors such as Liverpool. Isak, after all, has been regarded as “the best striker in the world” over the past year by analyst Raj Chohan, having scored 27 goals across 42 matches for Newcastle.
His killer instinct is a thing to behold, but Isak is so much more than a mere marksman. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 16% of strikers over Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 17% for key passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-on per 90.
He’s regarded as something of a nightmare for defenders, and in that way, Isak is reminiscent of Torres in his Liverpool heyday, so dangerous and dynamic as he drives forwards and strikes on goal (or sparks neat interplay with a teammate).
Steven Gerrard once called Torres “the best striker in the world”, and it was for more than his ability to find the back of the net. The Spain star had an unnatural ability to score with any instrument: right foot, left; fizzing long shots or poaching from close range; finding space and leaping to guide in a cross with his head.
Isak mirrors this, with pundit Alan Shearer dubbing him “the complete striker” and a “conduit” for his teammates, as is evidenced by FBref’s data.
Looking at how Isak and Torres match up across their respective Liverpool and Newcastle careers, there’s certainly a semblance of output on the prolific front too.
Games
109
142
Goals
62
81
Goal rate
0.57
0.57
Assists
11
19
Assist rate
0.10
0.13
G/A rate
0.67
0.70
Remarkably, Isak is scoring at exactly the same rate as Liverpool’s one-time superstar, while marginally behind on the rate of assists. It is no wonder to see him described as a “frightening” forward by LaLiga host Rimedi.
When you consider how both forwards’ styles are defined by swift mobility and an emphasis on intelligent team play, enhancing the squad’s overall tactical synergy, it becomes clearer still that Liverpool would hit the jackpot with the Sweden international.
Furthermore, like Torres, Isak arrived in the Premier League from Spain, joining Newcastle from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m (Torres became Liverpool’s record arrival when he joined all those years ago).
It’s unclear just how Newcastle would react to an offer almost halfway below last week’s revelations that PIF are seeking £200m to even consider parting ways with their talisman, but the fact that a bid is being prepared at all tells us two things.
One: Slot, Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes all in concert as to the hopes of signing a striker this summer; and two: not only is Isak right at the top of the wist list, but there appears to be a grain of confidence that this saga might just reach a positive conclusion for the Anfield side.
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Liverpool are looking to bolster their backline with Marc Guehi touted.
And was USA’s defeat of Pakistan the biggest World Cup upset?
Steven Lynch11-Jun-2024Was the United States’ victory over Pakistan the biggest shock in a World Cup?asked Jack Wilkins from England
There aren’t official rankings for this sort of thing, so this will be a personal view, but the USA’s win over Pakistan after a Super Over in Dallas last week must be near the top of the list. In terms of the T20 World Cup, it was the 14th win by a non-Test-playing country over a Test nation (the 15th soon followed, when Canada beat Ireland in New York.) That number includes two wins apiece by Afghanistan and Ireland before they had Test status.I’m inclined to think that Netherlands’ victory over England at Lord’s in the opening match in 2009 was actually more of a shock, given that it was 15 years ago and the Associate nations were less well prepared then. The Dutch beat England again, by a whopping 45 runs, in Chattogram in 2014, and upset South Africa in Adelaide in the last T20 World Cup in 2022. Also in that tournament, Scotland beat West Indies convincingly in Hobart, the day after Namibia hammered Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the opening match of the tournament in Geelong.There have been 16 similar upsets in the one-day international World Cups, nine of them by teams who later acquired Test status (five by Ireland alone). The biggest surprise probably remains Kenya’s big win over West Indies in Pune in 1996, although Ireland scoring 329 to beat England in Bengaluru in 2011 must be high on the list too. And in last year’s 50-over World Cup, Netherlands beat South Africa by 38 runs in Dharamsala, and a week later crushed Bangladesh by 87 in Kolkata.Frank Nsubuga conceded only four runs in Uganda’s T20 World Cup win the other day. Was this a record?asked Samuel Nagendra from Uganda
Offspinner Frank Nsubuga had the outstanding figures of 4-2-4-2 in Uganda’s T20 World Cup win over Papua New Guinea in Providence (Guyana) last week. This wasn’t quite the most miserly four-over spell in all T20Is: for Canada against Panama in Coolidge (Antigua) in November 2021, slow left-armer Saad Bin Zafar delivered four maidens, finishing with 4-4-0-2.His figures were, however, the most economical for a full four overs in a T20 World Cup match. Going into the current tournament, the record was eight runs conceded, by three bowlers, the most notable figures being Ajantha Mendis’ 6 for 8 for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in Hambantota in 2012. However, two days before Nsubuga’s performance, Anrich Nortje finished with 4-0-7-4 for South Africa against Sri Lanka in New York.Nsubuga has done this sort of thing before: against Tanzania in Kigali (Rwanda) in December 2022 he had figures of 4-1-4-2, while against Rwanda in Kigali in October 2021 he returned 4-1-5-2.At 43, Nsubuga is the second-oldest player to appear in a T20 World Cup, after Ryan Campbell, who was 44 when he represented Hong Kong in March 2016.How many people have been out for 299?asked Kyle Longworth from England
Only two batters have had the mortification of being dismissed for 299 in first-class matches. The first was New Zealand’s Martin Crowe, in a Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 1990-91. Distracted by the upcoming milestone, he pushed at a gentle medium-pace devliery from his opposite number as captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, and was caught behind. “I had choked,” wrote Crowe. “I didn’t concentrate. I forgot to say ‘Keep still, watch the ball’. Out for 299 – tell me it’s not true! Tears streamed down my face as I realised that this opportunity might never happen again.” It didn’t, for Crowe anyway: and it was another 23 years before Brendon McCullum finally completed New Zealand’s first Test triple-century, against India in February 2014, also at the Basin Reserve.A similar fate befell Glamorgan’s Michael Powell in a Championship match against Gloucestershire in Cheltenham in 2006: after 667 minutes, he was caught behind for 299. According to one report, Powell “trudged off the field as if he had just got a first-ball duck”, after narrowly failing to match WG Grace, the only other man to score a triple-century at Cheltenham College.There have also been two scores of 299 not out in first-class cricket. The first was by Australia’s Don Bradman, in a Test against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32. He was left stranded when the No. 11 Hugh “Pud” Thurlow was run out. Irving Rosenwater, in his exhaustive biography of Bradman, puts the lie to the generally held belief that the run-out was caused by Bradman trying to reach 300: “In fact, had Thurlow made his ground safely, Bradman’s score would still have been 299… Thurlow was run out, having been sent back by Bradman.” A seamer from Queensland, Thurlow did not score a run, take a wicket or make a catch in what turned out to be his only Test.Many years later, in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in Pune in 1988-89, Maharashtra’s Shantanu Sugwekar also finished with 299 not out. He could have fewer complaints about his No. 11: Anil Walhekar survived for 110 minutes, scoring 38 and helping to add 102, before being bowled with Sugwekar one short of 300. Sugwekar was more worried about his partner: “The moment he saw the stumps rattled, he started crying,” he told journalist Akash Sarkar in 2014. “He was crying so much, I didn’t know how to react. I told him jo hota hai hota hai [whatever happens, happens]. Only after I came back and sat down in the pavilion, I realised I had missed a triple-hundred.”Martin Crowe was the first man to be out for 299 in Tests, against Sri Lanka in 1991•Getty ImagesFurther to last week’s question about the men who scored two centuries in the same Test, has a woman ever done this?asked Joslyn Richardson from Australia
I did remember to check this in connection with last week’s answer. No woman has ever scored two centuries in the same Test: the closest was by India’s Sandhya Agarwal, who made 143 and 83 against Australia in Mumbai in 1983-84.New Zealand’s Emily Drumm had a notable double of 161 not out and 62 not out against Australia in Christchurch in 1994-95, and there were similar what-might-have-beens for the distinguished England trio of Rachael Heyhoe-Flint (113 and 59 not out against New Zealand in Scarborough in 1966), Enid Bakewell (114 and 66 not out vs New Zealand in Christchurch in 1968-69) and Jan Brittin (146 and 59 not out vs Australia in Guildford in 1998). For the list of those who have scored two half-centuries in the same women’s Test, click here.I’ve been told that two of the not very many instances of a bowler taking ten wickets in a first-class innings happened on the same day. Is this true? And when was it?asked Jamie Friston from England
There have only been 84 instances of a bowler taking all ten wickets in an innings in 11-a-side first-class matches. But it’s correct that two of these happened on the same day – Monday, June 20, 1921. At Cardiff Arms Park, Glamorgan (in their first season in the County Championship) were starting the second innings of their match against Derbyshire, in which 20 wickets had fallen on the first day. The procession continued: Glamorgan were all out for 106, with seamer Billy Bestwick taking all ten wickets for 40. Bestwick was 46 at the time, and remains the oldest bowler to have performed this feat in first-class cricket. He was well known for enjoying a pint or two of beer, as the Derbyshire historian John Shawcroft recalled: “It was a remarkable performance, and it indicates just why the county adopted a tacit policy of turning a blind eye to some of his drinking adventures. Derbyshire accepted Bestwick for what he was – a magnificent bowler whose behaviour, because of his drinking, was sometimes erratic, but who gave of his best on the field.”Meanwhile, not far away at New Road, Worcestershire were resuming their first innings against Somerset, having reached 108 for 4 overnight. Slow left-armer Jack White, who would make his Test debut for England a couple of weeks later, had taken all four – and he now worked his way through the rest, finishing with 10 for 76 as Worcestershire advanced to 237, exactly equalling Somerset’s first-day total. White was an amateur, a point made by the Times in their headline: “Ten wickets in an innings – Mr JC White and Bestwick”.By chance, two days later Derbyshire met Somerset in a Championship match in Derby. White took 13 more wickets as his side won, while Bestwick collected five. There’s a photograph in the Somerset museum of the two all-ten men shaking hands.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
The allrounder’s quick runs from No. 3 in the first T20I was no surprise – he’s done it before, after all
Deivarayan Muthu11-Jun-20220:45
van der Dussen: Dwaine is probably one of the hardest hitters
At the IPL, which he described as part of his “bucket list”, Dwaine Pretorius got the opportunity to work with Chennai Super Kings batting coach Mike Hussey, who has had a strong influence on his approach.When Pretorius asked Hussey what made him tick, the former Australia batter said that he used to make notes of the things that worked for him over a period of time and repeat those at the crease. Pretorius took a leaf out of Hussey’s playbook at the IPL and made his own list of five points, on his personal website, that were “very important” for him while batting.
I believe whenever my body language is good and my energy is up and my mind is alert. Then that is when I play my best cricket so the first one as I’m walking out onto the field is to charge out for like five or six meters, have good intensity, run, lift my legs up, or whatever it is that makes me tick on the day but just get my energy up and I’m saying go let’s go.
The second one is the method, what am I going to do now in the next 3 balls? Take my time or am I going to play? What is my method? What am I thinking? Yeah, and then after that I have decided my method.
I get clarity on what type of shots I’m looking to play. Am I looking to go aerial? Am I looking to just defend it? Am I looking to get through the next three balls or am I looking to explode in the next three balls? This creates a lot of clarity for me.
Next, my fourth thing that I really make sure that I remember is a very important thing for myself and that is when I’m triggering I need to trigger quite early. So for me, the word that I think of is Get ready.
The last one is to watch the ball onto the bat or make good contact with the ball. That is the last thing that I would tell myself as the bowler is running in to make good contact.
Bumped up to bat at No. 3 in a steep chase of 212 against India in Delhi on Thursday, Pretorius ticked most of those points while clattering a 13-ball 29, which set the scene for South Africa’s highest successful T20I chase. According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, which adds context to every performance, Pretorius’ knock was worth 38 runs.Related
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In the Covid-19-enforced absence of Aiden Markram, South Africa had promoted Pretorius as a pinch-hitter after they lost Temba Bavuma in the third over. What stood out from the get-go was the third point: clarity. Pretorius scythed his second ball, from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, for four and then he unsettled India’s premier spinner Yuzvendra Chahal by slog-sweeping his second ball over midwicket for six.India turned to Hardik Pandya, fresh off a sensational spell for Gujarat Titans in the IPL final. Hardik’s first ball burst from a short of a length and whizzed past the shoulder of Pretorius’ swinging bat. Some balls were zipping through like that while others didn’t come on to the bat on a tricky track, but that didn’t cloud Pretorius’ clarity of thought.Despite the presence of deep square-leg and long leg, Pretorius launched three leg-side sixes in four balls, taking South Africa up to 60 for 1 in five overs. When Pretorius tried to maximise the last over of the powerplay, Harshal Patel castled him with a signature slower dipper. Pretorius had done his job, though, as David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen launched from the platform he had laid.Pretorius’ promotion shouldn’t have come as a surprise to the South African audience. After all, his highest T20 score of 77 not out came from No. 3, against Sri Lanka at the Wanderers in 2019. In the Mzansi Super League final the same year, he marked his return from a hand injury with a 21-ball 43 in a similar pinch-hitting No. 3 role, helping Paarl Rocks secure the title.ESPNcricinfo Ltdvan der Dussen, Pretorius’ former team-mate at Lions and Jozi Stars, certainly wasn’t surprised with what he saw. “I think Dwaine is probably one of the guys in world cricket that hits the hardest, if you look at his domestic and international stats,” he said at the post-match press conference. “No. 3 is a position that he has been successful at before and the thing tonight [was] he had clear instruction to go in and put the bowlers under pressure.”A total of that nature you sort of know you have to go hard for 20 overs. And we know when Dwaine gets it right it’s really, really tough to bowl to him because he’s just so powerful. He played brilliantly and got out to a really good ball from Harshal, but I think he will take a lot of confidence from that and going into the series, I think he’s definitely going to put the bowlers under pressure.”With Markram still recovering from illness and young Tristan Stubbs just working his way into international cricket, Pretorius will have greater responsibility with the bat in a thin line-up during this series in India.At the T20 World Cup last year in the UAE, Pretorius had called bowling at the death as an “ugly job”. Similarly, you don’t have to look pretty while batting in the powerplay. If Pretorius can keep doing that job – with bat and ball – and keep ticking things off that list, it will give South Africa a leg-up, in the lead-up to another World Cup.
Pakistan’s proud record on tour in England faces a stern test, but they’ve got the personnel to compete
Gaurav Sundararaman03-Aug-2020Compared to most other touring teams, Pakistan have been consistently successful against England in England over the last three decades. They drew their last two tours in 2016 and 2018, and have not lost a series home or away since 2010. Can they go further to beat England in England? We take a look at some of the key battles to look forward to in the Test series. Shan Masood v James Anderson
Opening in England is currently one of the toughest jobs in Test cricket, with an average of just 24.82 since 2018 – which is the third-lowest among all countries. However, if you dive a little deeper and look at the visiting team openers, that average dips further down to 17.67. One of the key factors in that is the enduring class of England’s new-ball specialist, James Anderson, and Pakistan’s opener Shan Masood has been a regular victim. He’s been dismissed by Anderson six times from 57 deliveries so far in his career, and on four of those occasions, he’s made a score of 2 or less. But he comes into this Test series with two centuries and one fifty in his last five innings, albeit in favourable batting conditions. If Pakistan hope to challenge England, Masood has to survive the Anderson burst and then build on his start, but can he find a way?ESPNcricinfo Ltd England batsmen v Shaheen Shah Afridi England’s batsmen have not had much experience of left-arm seam in recent home campaigns, with Mohammad Amir and Mitchell Starc claiming 11 wickets at 25 between them in 2018 and 2019 respectively, and conceding 275 runs from 559 deliveries in the process. However, in the winter just gone against New Zealand and South Africa, England lost 20 wickets at 26.55 to left-arm seam, with Dom Sibley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Jos Buttler all being dismissed in that manner twice. Sibley, Pope and Buttler average 22, 26 and 13 respectively while only Root has found a consistent means to combat the style, averaging 47.50. With Shaheen Shah Afridi playing a Test series in England for the first time, he could be a bowler who causes England problems. Azhar Ali v Anderson and BroadAzhar Ali is another key batsman for Pakistan but has not done very well in English conditions. In 24 innings, he averages 29.68 with one century and just three fifties. And the cause of his struggles have been a pair of familiar opponents. Since his first tour in 2010, Ali has fallen seven times to Anderson and six times to Stuart Broad, and he hasn’t managed to get on top of them in between dismissals either. He has scored 153 runs from 443 balls against Anderson while against Broad it is 150 runs from 512 balls. He needs to rectify that record if Pakistan are to score enough runs to challenge in the series.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Yasir Shah v England BatsmenWhen Yasir Shah last toured England in 2016, he was instrumental in their two Test victories, claiming 15 wickets for 272 runs at Lord’s and The Oval, compared to four wickets for 502 runs in their defeats at Old Trafford and Edgbaston. He missed the 2018 tour due to injury, and since start of 2019, he’s managed just 10 wickets in five Tests. Shah will be key to Pakistan’s success, especially as England have not faced many legspinners in the intervening years – just West Indies’ Devendra Bishoo and Shah’s own team-mate Shadab Khan. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Pakistan played both Yasir and Shadab at some stage in this campaign. Babar Azam v England In terms of a statistical match-up, this contest is based on too small a sample size to make any definitive judgements – Babar’s sole innings against England came in the Lord’s victory in 2018, when his attractive 68 was ended by a broken wrist, courtesy of a Ben Stokes bouncer. However, since that day, his reputation has soared, and when in full flow there are few more attractive players in the world. You won’t want to take your eyes off the action when he comes out to bat.
Leeds United are in crisis up front. The Whites have simply not been good enough in front of goal in the 2025/26 campaign, which is no doubt one of the reasons why they are relegation contenders in their first season back in the Premier League.
This term, Daniel Farke’s side have only found the back of the net 11 times in just 12 games. That is worse than all but one side in the top flight, bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Their expected goals tally is not much better, standing at just 15.21xG. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has one goal this term, have not yet got going.
With the January transfer window around the corner, it might not be a surprise to hear the West Yorkshire side are targeting a new number nine.
Leeds’ hunt for a new centre-forward
It is certainly frustrating for Leeds that they are in the position of needing a new striker.
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Of course, they signed Calvert-Lewin on a free this summer after his deal at Everton expired, and Lukas Nmecha on a free following the expiration of his Wolfsburg contract.
Yet, here we are again, with the Whites back in the market for a number nine.
According to talkSPORT, the player could be AZ Alkmaar and Ireland striker Troy Parrott. The 23-year-old is said to be ‘high on their list of striker targets’.
However, they are not the only Premier League side looking to get a deal for the 33-cap Ireland star.
Fellow strugglers, Wolves are also looking into a deal, with the report suggesting a fee of at least £20m is what it would take to sign him.
Why Parrott would be a good signing
It would certainly be a good addition for Leeds if they were able to bring Parrott to Elland Road this winter.
He has been in scintillating form for Alkmaar, with 14 goals in 15 games this term, taking his total up to 34 strikes in just 62 appearances.
He is certainly a “rejuvenated” striker, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Indeed, his underlying stats are impressive too. This season in the Eredivisie, the former Tottenham Hotspur academy star is averaging 1.04 goals and 0.74 goal-creating actions per game, which rank him in the top 7% and 2% respectively.
Those stats show just how effective he is in the final third.
Goals
1.04
93rd
Shots on target
1.63
93rd
Expected goals
0.93xG
98th
Take-ons completed
0.5
9
83rd
Goal-creating actions
0.74
98th
Of course, it is not just for his club where Parrott’s form has been excellent. In November, he became a hero of Irish football, scoring two goals against Portugal and then a hat-trick against Hungary to see his nation reach the World Cup playoffs.
The third goal against Hungary was an extraordinary 96th-minute winner.
If he were to move to Elland Road, the 23-year-old would no doubt love to replicate another former Irish striker who impressed in West Yorkshire.
Robbie Keane spent 18 months at the club between December 2000 and August 2001. After initially joining on loan from Inter, he made the move permanent that summer, before joining Spurs a year later.
He only played 56 times for the club, but certainly left a mark.
Keane bagged 19 goals in that time, which included three goals in the UEFA Cup and a memorable brace away to Manchester City at Maine Road.
It is easy to see the comparison between Parrott and Keane, as two clinical, highly-rated Irish strikers. The younger man, for instance, was even hailed in the past as the “best prospect” to have come out of Dublin since his compatriot, in the view of then-Belvedere F.C. Director of Football Affairs Vincent Butler.
The Alkmaar star is slightly older than the former Inter man was when he signed, yet both additions are examples of the Whites buying into potential and investing in the future.
If Parrott were to make the move to Elland Road this summer, he would no doubt love to follow in the footsteps of Keane and have the same sort of impact as his countryman did at such a young age.
Biggest error since Aaronson: 49ers have "wasted funds" on huge Leeds flop
Leeds United now has a bigger waste of money than Brenden Aaronson in flop, who is struggling to settle in the Premier League.
The trade is likely to be an all-cash deal worth INR 10 crore
Nagraj Gollapudi14-Nov-202511:57
Is time running out for Mayank Yadav at LSG?
In another deal involving a high-profile India player, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have agreed to trade Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).ESPNcricinfo has learned that it is likely to be an all-cash deal, with LSG paying SRH INR 10 crore (US$1.12 million approx.), the price Shami was bought for at the IPL 2025 mega auction.It is understood that both franchises have agreed in principle on the trade, pending Shami’s consent. The IPL has set 3pm on November 15 as the deadline for the franchises to submit the list of players they want to release from their 2025 squads.Related
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Shami, 35, has not regained his spot in the India team since he played the Champions Trophy final in March. While he has been playing for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Shami admitted he was going through a “difficult phase” after he was not picked for the home Test series against West Indies in October and the ongoing two-Test series against South Africa.He was not considered for the five-Test tour of England as well this summer, immediately after he had a poor IPL season. Shami played only nine of SRH’s 14 matches and took six wickets at an average of 56.16 with an economy rate of 11.23. His economy in Hyderabad, SRH’s home venue, rose to 12.35; he also conceded 75 runs in a wicketless game there against Punjab Kings – the second-most expensive spell in IPL history.SRH had bought Shami for INR 10 crore at the auction ahead of IPL 2025 after he had made a strong impact in the powerplay during his stint at Gujarat Titans (2022-24). In IPL 2022 and 2023, he took 28 wickets in the first six overs; the next best in that phase was Trent Boult (20) and Mohammed Siraj (15). He missed IPL 2024 with injury, and his powerplay performance in IPL 2025 was woeful: five wickets in nine innings with an economy of 10.3.Mohammed Shami will team up with Bharat Arun at LSG•BCCIWith Shami struggling with his fitness, rhythm and speeds, the question about whether SRH would keep him for IPL 2026 or not had come up. It is understood the franchise’s think tank, led by head coach Daniel Vettori, had been deliberating the decision until the trade offer from LSG came this week.At LSG, Shami is set to rejoin forces with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who is the head of talent development at the franchise. Arun had played an important role in India developing one of the most successful bowling units of the last decade when he worked closely with the group comprising Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.It’s likely that Shami’s addition could be linked to the fitness of LSG’s Indian fast bowlers Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan. All three are currently in rehab from various injuries and not playing domestic cricket. Mayank had surgery in June to deal with a lower back injury; Mohsin is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered in December while playing for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Avesh is recovering from a cartilage issue in his right knee.The Shami deal is the second big-player trade in the past week. The first involved Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who agreed to swap Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran with Sanju Samson. Like with that trade, this one also requires SRH, LSG and the player to complete the necessary paperwork before it gets ratified by the IPL. Both teams have been contacted for a response.
Big picture – New Chandigarh makes men’s international debut
There is a feeling India are such strong favourites for the home World Cup in two months that the one way to deny them a successful title defence is to catch them on the wrong side of the toss on a damp pitch or a dewy night.South Africa discovered first-hand in Cuttack that India are formidable even on such a night. They will now scramble from eastern India to the north-west with no training day in New Chandigarh and go again on Thursday evening.Related
Hardik shows what he can do when fit and firing
India will be aware that despite their 6-2 head-to-head record against South Africa in recent encounters, T20s can surprise any team on a given night. They want to have reacted to almost every kind of contingency in their nine remaining matches at home before the World Cup. New Chandigarh will be just one such stop.This, incidentally, is the first men’s international at the venue. India and Australia played two women’s ODIs there in September this year.
Form guide
India WWWLW South Africa LLLWLThere is nothing wrong with South Africa’s combination, but India might just be a bit too strong for them in these conditions•Associated Press
In the spotlight – Arshdeep Singh and Quinton de Kock
The first over of the chase in Cuttack set the tone for the rest of the night. Arshdeep Singh sought to make the most of whatever movement was on offer, and he got the dangerous Quinton de Kock in the first over. It is a match-up that Arshdeep has had the better of in all T20 cricket: 41 balls, 38 runs, five wickets. Watch out for this contest again. Perhaps South Africa might let Aiden Markram take first strike because de Kock is a key batter for them.
Team news – Changes only if conditions ask for them
In Cuttack, India were close to their best XI if you leave aside the question of Rinku Singh. If the pitch is dry, they can stick in Kuldeep Yadav for Arshdeep; if they worry about batting depth, Harshit Rana can play in Arshdeep’s place. Other than that, they don’t need to fiddle.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.South Africa might have lost big but the combination didn’t have much wrong. At a pinch, they might think of an allrounder in Lutho Sipamla’s place.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Donovon Ferreira, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Lutho Sipamla/Corbin Bosch/George Linde, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Anrich Nortje.1:29
Jitesh on competition with Samson – ‘He’s like a big brother’
Pitch and conditions
With no tall stands around it, the playing surface of New Chandigarh tends to not get affected too much by the dew. Teams batting first in the IPL hold a 6-5 record in New Chandigarh. Scores of above 200 have been defended successfully, as has been a 111. Fast bowlers tend to hold sway there.
Stats and trivia
Only three players have hit 100 sixes and taken 100 wickets in T20Is. Hardik Pandya is one wicket short of joining this list of Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Nabi and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh.
Arshdeep has taken the joint-highest powerplay wickets for India: 47. He is tied with Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Jasprit Bumrah is only the fifth player to have taken 100 wickets in each of the three international formats. Shakib Al Hasan, Lasith Malinga, Tim Southee and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the others.
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a topsy-turvy spell over the last couple of years, with Ange Postecoglou’s reign one that was as turbulent to say the least.
The Aussie achieved a fifth-placed Premier League finish in the 2023/24 campaign, but he was ultimately unable to replicate such levels in his final year in North London.
He could only guide the Lilywhites to a 17th-placed finish last time around, subsequently losing 22 games in the process – the most of any side who haven’t been relegated from England’s top-flight.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou
However, the 60-year-old did win the Europa League last campaign, ending the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the role in North London.
He was subsequently sacked in the summer, with Thomas Frank taking the reins as a result, with the Dane potentially wanting to offload numerous of the Aussie’s additions in the upcoming window.
The players who could leave Spurs in the January window
During Postecoglou’s tenure at Spurs, he made numerous high-profile additions, with Dominic Solanke arriving in a club-record £65m transfer from Bournemouth in 2024.
Such excitement was generated given the nature of the transfer fee, but ultimately, his move to North London has been a failure, with injuries massively halting his progress of late.
The 28-year-old has only featured for a total of 31 league minutes in 2025/26, with Frank often unable to call upon the Englishman when needed during the early months of his tenure.
As a result, the manager may look to move the centre forward on in January, according to recent reports, which could allow for added investment in a new striker to bolster the attacking department.
He could also be joined in departing the club by numerous other players, with Manor Solomon a player who is seemingly edging closer to the exit door.
Like Solanke, the Israeli international joined under Ange’s guidance, but he’s also struggled to make the impact he would’ve envisaged upon his switch to North London.
yago-santiago-manor-solomon-tottenham-opinion
He’s only made six senior appearances for the Lilywhites, even being sent on various loan spells – with the 26-year-old currently spending the year on loan at Spanish side Villarreal.
However, his tally of five combined goals and assists in just six games could lead to a permanent exit, which could bring his two and a half year spell at the club to an end.
The Spurs player who may now need to leave
The lowly Premier League finish last season highlights the job Frank has had on his hands since taking over, but the Dane has been unable to fully fix the problems at Spurs.
His side currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League 2025/26, even sitting 10th in the Champions League table, but the underlying problems are still evident.
The Lilywhites have only won one game on home soil in England’s top-flight to date, with such a record placing them second bottom for home form in the division.
However, away from home, the club appear unstoppable, with Frank’s men winning four and drawing one of their five league outings – subsequently boasting the best record in the league.
Other problems are also evident within the first-team squad, with Brennan Johnson a player who has seen his form take a nose-dive over the last couple of months.
The Welshman joined in a £47.5m transfer from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the fee.
Last season was by far and away his best of his career in North London, as the 24-year-old ended 2024/25 on a total of 18 goals across all competitions – the highest of any player in the squad.
However, Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has pushed the Welsh international down the pecking order and highlighted his struggles which were masked by his goalscoring tally last year.
Johnson has only started five times in the league to date, only scoring on two occasions, with his last effort in England’s top-flight coming way back in August.
His underlying figures further suggest he’s underperforming this year, with Frank desperately needing to sell the £100k-per-week star in the upcoming window.
Johnson has only completed 0.5 dribbles per 90 at a success rate of just 42%, which has led to criticism from the supporters over his lack of talent at getting past his opponents.
Games played
11
Games started
5
Goals scored
2
Dribbles completed
0.5
Dribble success rate
42%
Shots on target
0.3
Shot on target accuracy
30%
Big chances missed
2
In front of goal, he’s been just as terrible, only achieving a total of 0.3 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of just 30% – with the winger unable to match his goalscoring heights from last year.
In the view of talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, he’s a “work in progress” and a “speedboat without a brain”.
Given Kudus’ arrival and Johnson’s lack of impact, it would be a surprise to no one if the club decided to cash in on his services to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.
It’s clear both parties need a fresh start in the months ahead, which could allow the club to invest needed funds in other areas to help them rise up the Premier League table in the second half of the season.
Spurs have another Kane in the making but he's likely to leave like Parrott
Tottenham have to watch from afar as Troy Parrott emerges as a clinical forward on the global stage.