What was looking like a rather dull summer for Arsenal fans just a week or so ago has since burst into life.

Kepa Arrizabalaga might be the only signing to have been officially announced as things stand, but that doesn’t look likely to remain the case.

The paperwork for Brentford star Christian Norgaard has reportedly been signed, and Martin Zubimendi is expected to be unveiled before the end of the week.

On top of that, Mikel Arteta looks to finally be getting some attacking stars in, with Eberechi Eze looking like a likely addition, and now reports linking the club to someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him.

Arsenal target dream Eze teammate

While the start of the window was dominated by stories linking Arsenal to one of Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, Eze has now taken centre stage.

Transfer Focus

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

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Stories touting him for a move to the Emirates started to gain traction midway through last week, but then really gained momentum in recent days, with some claiming that Arteta had been involved in positive talks with him over the weekend.

Then, in yet more good news, some of the most recent reports have stated that the Englishman is now “desperate” to join the Gunners.

That desire to move to N5 might only increase now that the North Londoners have also been linked with someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him: Ollie Watkins.

That is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, revealed that Arsenal have once again made contact with the Aston Villa player.

They claim that even though the Englishman is not currently the club’s priority striker signing, he is high up on the list, and that, as a boyhood fan, he would personally “love to play” for them.

In terms of the money involved, other stories from this summer indicate that a fee of around £40m could be enough to tempt the Claret and Blue into selling.

At that price, this potential transfer feels like a no-brainer, especially as he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze.

Why Watkins would be perfect for Eze

Unsurprisingly, the first and without a doubt the most significant reason Eze would love playing alongside Watkins at Arsenal, or anywhere for that matter, is his output.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 season, the often unplayable “nightmare,” as dubbed by Conor Coady, has scored a staggering 44 goals and provided 29 assists in 107 appearances in all competitions, totalling 7901 minutes.

In other words, the former Exeter City gem has averaged a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or one every 108.23 minutes, which really has to be considered world-class.

Watkins recent form

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

53

54

Minutes

4323′

3578′

Goals

27

17

Assists

15

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.79

0.57

Minutes per Goal Involvement

102.92′

115.41′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, just imagine how much better Eze’s already impressive numbers of 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season would be next year if he were playing just behind a striker as effective as the Villa ace.

Moreover, another reason the Palace star could love playing alongside the 29-year-old is that they are both now England internationals.

Therefore, they could have the chance to further develop their partnership at both the domestic and international levels, which in turn could help them secure more game time under Thomas Tuchel.

Ultimately, the best players in world football want to play alongside the best, and based on his performances for Villa in recent years, we expect Eze would be thrilled to start alongside Watkins at Arsenal.

Therefore, Andrea Berta and Co should be doing all they can to sign both of them this summer.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 3, 2025

Amid rumours that they’ve joined the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, Manchester United are now reportedly considering a summer swoop to sign another Bundesliga star for Ruben Amorim.

Man Utd join Ekitike race

Despite finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League and missing out on European qualification, Manchester United have still managed to put themselves in interesting conversations this summer. The Manchester United name seemingly still carries strong and has already convinced Matheus Cunha to arrive from Wolverhampton Wanderers. But INEOS are not done there.

According to recent reports, the Red Devils have now joined the race to sign Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer. The German club value their forward at a hefty £84m but that has not been enough to deter those at Old Trafford from making their approach in an attempt to beat rivals Liverpool to a summer deal.

Minutes

2,563

2,004

1,402

Goals

15

4

3

Assists

8

0

1

Expected Goals

21.6

5.3

4.8

It’s easy to see why Manchester United are interested in Ekitike. The Frenchman outscored Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined last season and whilst his underperformance when it comes to XG may be a concern, there’s no denying that he’d be an instant upgrade on Amorim’s current options.

Of course, it’s at Old Trafford that Ekitike could form an impressive partnership with Cunha. The Brazilian was officially unveiled as a Manchester United player earlier this week and told the club’s media channels: “It is the most common phrase that you can say at this moment, but this is the dream come true. Maybe outside, I think maybe my decision, they don’t understand. But when you have always dreamed to play here, it’s easier to pick this decision.”

"World-class" £150,000-a-week World Cup winner wants to join Man Utd

He would be an upgrade on a current player.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 13, 2025

After Cunha and perhaps even after Ekitike, however, INEOS could still be on the hunt for fresh faces, which could yet include a Bayern Munich defender.

Man Utd considering Kim Min-jae move

According to Bild reporter Christian Falk, Manchester United are now considering a move to sign Kim Min-jae from Bayern Munich this summer. The defender is set to fall down the pecking order in Germany following the arrival of Jonathan Tah and could, therefore, be on the move in the coming months.

Falk told Caught Offside: “No decision has yet been made on Kim Min-jae’s future. There have also been no negotiations with the player’s side. But, there is interest from Saudi Arabia. Kim has not ruled it out.

“However, we are still waiting to see whether Liverpool and Manchester United become concrete. There are also rumours that the two Premier League clubs are interested. The fact is: FC Bayern can imagine a sale. However, there is still no offer for the defender.”

Dubbed a “technical leader” by former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung, Min-jae could solve Amorim’s defensive problems once and for all by completing a summer move to revive his career following Bayern frustration.

Having initially cost the Bavarians around €50m (£43m) in 2023, however, there will be big questions as to how much they will demand to sell their centre-back this summer.

سلط نادي مانشستر سيتي الضوء على مشاركة النجم المصري، عمر مرموش، في مباراة المنتخب مساء يوم الجمعة ضد نظيره منتخب إثيوبيا، في فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر سبتمبر.

وخاض منتخب مصر مباراته في تصفيات قارة إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، الجولة السابعة، ضد نظيره إثيوبيا.

وتمكن منتخب مصر، بقيادة المدرب حسام حسن، من تخطي إثيوبيا بهدفين دون رد، بفضل محمد صلاح وعمر مرموش، ليصبح الفراعنة على بعد خطوة من التأهل إلى البطولة العالمية.

وقال نادي مانشستر سيتي، عبر موقعه الرسمي: “سجل عمر مرموش ركلة جزاء، ليقود مصر للفوز على إثيوبيا 2-0، في تصفيات كأس العالم على استاد القاهرة الدولي يوم الجمعة”.

وأضاف: “خاض لاعبنا، عمر مرموش، 63 دقيقة كجزء من وحدة خط وسط هجومية قوية لدعم المهاجم أسامة فيصل”.

وواصل: “افتتح محمد صلاح، لاعب ليفربول، التسجيل من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 41، قبل أن يُكرر مرموش ذلك من مسافة 12 ياردة قبل نهاية الشوط الأول”.

وأردف: “يتمتع منتخب مصر الآن بمركز الصدارة في المجموعة الأولى من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس العالم، الصيف المقبل، حيث لديهم 19 نقطة من سبع مباريات، بفارق خمس نقاط عن بوركينا فاسو، صاحبة المركز الثاني، مع تبقي ثلاث مباريات”.

ويواجه منتخب مصر خصمه بوركينا فاسو، في ملعب الأخير، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل 9 سبتمبر، في مباراة الحسم للمنتخب الوطني من أجل التأهل إلى المونديال.

واختتم النادي تقريره، قائلًا: “سجل مرموش 8 أهداف في 27 مباراة منذ انضمامه إلى مانشستر سيتي في يناير، بينما لديه سبعة أهداف في 38 مباراة مع منتخب بلده”.

من جهة أخرى، أشاد الحساب الناطق باللغة العربية لـ مانشستر سيتي عبر “إكس” باللاعب صاحب الـ26 عامًا، بطريقته الخاصة المميزة.

البرنس عمر مرموش يسجل هدف ليساهم في فوز منتخب مصر على إثيوبيا بثنائية 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U3JcMtBwci — مانشستر سيتي (@Cityarabia) September 5, 2025

Chelsea continue to be extremely busy in the transfer market.

Just last week, both João Pedro and Jamie Gittens arrived, with the Brazilian thrown straight in for his debut off the bench against Palmeiras in Friday night’s Club World Cup quarter-finals.

That 2-1 victory in Philadelphia means Enzo Maresca’s team faced Fluminense in the semi-finals, and Pedro truly delivered, scoring twice as the Blues progressed through to Sunday’s final, where Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid will await at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Meantime, back at home, Chelsea’s recruitment staff continue to be the hardest-working people in football, so could the Blues snap up yet another highly-rated young talent?

Chelsea's search for more attacking talent

With all their arrivals, The Times are reporting that Chelsea ‘need to raise’ in excess of £60m through player sales to be compliant with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.

With that in mind, reports suggest that Arsenal are ‘advancing their pursuit’ of Noni Madueke, who they believe is valued at around £50m, noting that personal terms have already been agreed.

If that deal goes through, will they be able to use that money to sign another English talent?

Well, Simon Johnson of The Athletic notes that the Blues are ‘big admirers’ of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, adding that Chelsea’s summer transfer activity is unlikely to be finished yet.

One sticking point is likely to be the player’s price, with talkSPORT previously quoting that the England international is valued at something in the region of £100m.

How Morgan Rogers would improve Chelsea

Should this come to fruition, he would be yet another former Manchester City academy player, or indeed coach, to end up at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca

2022-23

2024

Cole Palmer

2010-23

2023

Liam Delap

2019-20

2025

Jamie Gittens

2018-20

2025

Roméo Lavia

2020-22

2023

Tosin Adarabioyo

2003-20

2024

Rogers featured for Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy, FA Youth Cup and PL2, without ever making a senior appearance, departing for Middlesbrough before exploding on the scene at Aston Villa.

Now though, could the 22-year-old swap the West Midlands for West London?

Rogers certainly impressed at Villa this season, registering 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, including a Champions League hat-trick against Celtic in January.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he enjoyed a “magnificent campaign”, while former defender Jamie Carragher noted that he was truly “unstoppable” in the Premier League.

Another former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, also an ex-Villa boss of course, believes Rogers is worth at least £80m, underlining his exponential improvement, having joined the Villans for up to £15m just 18 months ago.

But the question remains: is Rogers a bigger talent than the recently arrived Gittens, as well as the potentially departing Madueke? Let’s find out.

Games

54

45

49

Minutes

4,496

2,625

2,803

Goals

14

11

12

Assists

15

5

5

Stats below: per-90 league & UCL only.

Shots

1.5

2.6

1.8

Shooting accuracy %

50.84%

56.14%

50.74%

Chances created

1.5

1.4

1.1

Take-on success %

50.3%

49.45%

49.53%

Touches

46

47

49

Touches in the box

4.6

8.8

6.2

As the table outlines, many of the attacking metrics included are generally comparable across all three players assessed.

Rogers scored more goals and registered significantly more assists than both Madueke and Gittens, albeit doing so in almost twice as many minutes on the pitch, albeit he also came out on top for chances created, on a per-90 basis, and take-on success percentage too.

That suggests that Rogers isn’t just a livewire in the final third but he’s also got the end product to boot.

Where he would fit in, and how much it would cost to get him out of Aston Villa, well, those would be the tough questions? Either way, coming off the back of an outstanding campaign, he would well be set to better Madueke and Gittens.

A better move than Nwaneri: Chelsea looking to land their own Rice for £51m

Chelsea are in the market for another defender or two this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 7, 2025

Joe Root says he is sad to see James Anderson retire but understands England’s decision to move on from the legendary fast bowler to plan for the next tour of Australia.Anderson bade farewell to international cricket at Lord’s on Friday, finishing on 704 dismissals as England made light work of West Indies, winning the first Test by an innings and 114 runs. Although retirement was forced upon Anderson, the 41-year-old seemed at peace after his 188th and final cap. He will now take on a bowling mentor role with the team for the next two Tests, and the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.Root has been along for most of the ride, playing 110 Tests with Anderson. He captained Anderson 46 times, the second-most behind Alastair Cook (49). Having debuted in December 2012 at Nagpur with Anderson in the team, Root admitted he will miss his good friend “terribly” on the field.Related

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“For me, all I’ve ever known for England is playing alongside Jimmy and that’s been for 12 years,” Root said.”It’s a bit of a weird one, seeing Stuart [Broad] go last year and [now] Jimmy. I’ll terribly miss playing alongside him, but the fact that he’ll be around for the summer will be great for the young bowlers coming through and for us to keep using that experience and everything else he has to offer the dressing room. I’m really pleased that he’s been able to have the send-off that he deserves but also, it’s in some ways, a little bit sad to see him go.”Anderson’s new role will begin next week at Trent Bridge, the first of 17 Tests between now and the 2024-25 Ashes series. That England are looking that far ahead has been a huge point of contention given they currently reside at the foot of the World Test Championship.But the desire to regain the urn since losing it in 2017-18 is great, particularly after last summer’s 2-2 stalemate. The emergence at Lord’s of Gus Atkinson, with 7 for 45 and 5 for 61, and Jamie Smith’s 70 along with four catches as the new wicketkeeper, are the first steps of that future-planning.Root knows better than most about the importance of building towards an Ashes tour. He has lost three in his career, two of them as captain, and remains without a Test win (or century) in Australia. As such, he can see the logic adopted, particularly after a chastening 4-0 defeat in 2021-22 during the Covid-19 pandemic – a series he feels should not have happened in the first place.”Arguably we shouldn’t have gone last time, should we, in retrospect? Thinking of Covid, it was about keeping the lights on last time we went.”It’s a new opportunity for us. We did what we thought was the right thing at the time. We’ll be in a completely different place going into next time. I think the key is, you can plan and you can have all the best intentions of getting a result, it still has to fall into place.Joe Root has spent his entire England career playing alongside James Anderson•PA Photos/Getty Images

“I think, as a player, they’re the series that you’re always looking forward to, they’re the ones you’re always building towards. More than anything, you look at what we’ve had in previous tours in Australia and what we feel like is going to be successful out there in those conditions.”When teams have gone out there what they need for those conditions is someone like Gus that can bowl at the late 80s and early 90s [mph] and still move the ball around and make things happen at high pace. It was great to see him come in and do that on such a slow wicket here.”On the subject of touring Australia, West Indies’ emergence from their trip earlier this year with a 1-1 draw has Root wary of a fightback. A famous win in Brisbane, inspired by Shamar Joseph, speaks to the quality of this touring side, even if they underwhelmed with scores of 121 and 136 on slow Lord’s pitch, in overcast conditions.”We’ve not seen what they’re capable of with the bat yet, and we won’t be taking that for granted and taking that lightly,” he said.”And then when it came to the ball, they’ve got some very skillful bowlers. You only have to look back to January and what they’re capable of doing out in Australia at Brisbane, which is such a hard place to win a Test match.”As for Root, the addition of 34-year-old Mark Wood for the remainder of the series following Anderson’s retirement means he remains the fourth-oldest in the squad. And despite watching Broad and Anderson bow out to great fanfare in successive home Tests, retirement is far from his mind.”Oh here we go,” he answered dismissively when asked if he had thought about his own curtain call. “Not at the minute. I’d like to think I’ll be playing for a good while yet. And when that day comes, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”You’ve got to earn the right to have that sort of fairytale ending, like the likes of Jimmy, Stuart, Cookie [at the Oval in 2018] have had. My focus purely is on scoring as many runs for this team as I can and helping us win as many games as we can.”Until that focus changes and until that drive changes, then I’ll continue to solely focus on that and we’ll worry about that hopefully a long way down the road.”

Manchester United aren’t acting like a team who languished their way toward a 15th-placed Premier League finish last season, moving purposefully in the transfer market as they are.

Defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League proved the final nail in the coffin, severing the last hopes of salvaging something from a rotten year, closing the door on a campaign on the continent in 2025/26.

But Ruben Amorim has a plan, and INEOS are showcasing the club’s unbreakable transfer pull, having signed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal worth £62.5m.

Amorim has his work cut out, all right, but this new policy of identifying Premier League-proven product might just pay dividends in the long run.

Let’s have a look at how they sealed the Brazilian star’s signature.

Why Matheus Cunha joined Man Utd

It’s remarkable to see that top players are still drawn to the Theatre of Dreams even when Man United are in the deepest throes of their decline, and Cunha is the perfect representation of that fact.

Sure, United activated his release clause, but the 26-year-old was also coveted by Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, all of whom will play in the Champions League next season. Aston Villa had also expressed an interest.

If Amorim can get the Red Devils back to a position of strength, just imagine the kind of success the outfit could have in the transfer market with a strategy far away from the scattergun approach of the past decade.

Signing players who have showcased their quality consistently in the Premier League seems to be a track that United are heading down, for Cunha’s not the only one driving a deal toward Old Trafford from another part of the country this summer.

Man Utd's next transfer expected 'soon'

According to reports in Italy, Manchester United have already agreed personal terms with Bryan Mbeumo, although negotiations continue with Brentford as to the structure of the financial package.

Transfer Focus

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

Saying that, United are willing to pay £63m plus add-ons to sign the goalscoring winger, who has been expected to leave the Gtech Community Stadium for several months now. The final details with Brentford still need to be defined but it’s reported that an agreement is ‘expected soon’.

Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Thomas Frank has renewed Spurs’ hope that they could hijack the deal, but the player’s preference is to sign for the Red Devils in spite of their lack of European football.

How Bryan Mbeumo will improve Man Utd

Last season, Mbeumo bagged 20 goals across 38 Premier League matches, with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland the only players to outscore him.

A tenacious forward with a fixed winning mentality, he’s exactly what Amorim needs to turn the ship around. Indeed, the Cameroon international has been hailed for his “technique and work ethic” by journalist Henry Winter.

This is further represented through his underlying data; not just a goalscorer, the 25-year-old ranked among the top 9% of positional peers in the Premier League last term for crosses, the top 10% for clearances and the top 20% for touches in the defensive third per 90, as per FBref.

That latter metric, in particular, highlights Mbeumo’s willingness to drop deep and help the Bees in transition.

This vibrant range of qualities actually led the data-driven site to draw Cunha up as one of his most comparable players.

Cunha is a maverick, stylish on the ball and happy to step up and make things happen when no one else seems willing to. Man United need some of that.

When looking at the forwards’ respective top-flight campaigns, you begin to see exactly why United have been so desperate to secure these deals, with the players partnered on the flanks sure to add a whole lot to a frontline that has been lacking.

Prem 24/25 – Matheus Cunha & Bryan Mbeumo
Stats (* per game)	Cunha	Mbeumo
Matches (starts)	33 (29)	38 (38)
Goals	15	20
Assists	6	7
Shots (on target)*	3.3 (1.3)	2.2 (1.1)
Big chances missed	2	9
Pass completion	79%	74%
Big chances created	13	17
Key passes*	1.8	1.8
Dribbles*	1.8	1.4
Ball recoveries*	3.8	4.1
Tackles + interceptions*	1.7	1.7
Duels won*	5.5	4.7
Data via Sofascore

As you can see from the table above, they are not all that dissimilar, Cunha and Mbeumo. In fact, with the forwards, favouring the left and right flanks respectively, both proven in the Premier League to be high-level goalscorers with creative flair and defensive application, it looks the perfect way to dynamise Amorim’s frontline.

The centre-forward picked to settle in the middle of the exciting stars will be a lucky man indeed. Though the Red Devils have faced countless disappointments after first finding such excitement in a big-money acquisition, INEOS have focused on two players capable of lifting the club’s attacking quality to a top level.

They will add goals, they will create, and they will improve the overarching fluency of a fallen giant. It’s unlikely to be a surprise that Mbuemo and Cunha are two Premier League forwards with similarly dynamic skill sets, tailor-made for a place in Amorim’s vision, a vision which has not yet been sighted properly on English shores.

While many supporters will understandably reserve judgment until the 2025/26 campaign is well and truly up and running, Mbuemo is a superstar, “unplayable” on his day, as was noted by Frank last season after scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle.

With a like-minded player in Cunha mirroring him on the other side, Amorim’s team are well poised for a much-needed resurgence.

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1

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Ethan Lamb

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Half-century anchors run-chase as Kent are outgunned

ECB Reporters Network25-Aug-2024Worcestershire secured their second successive win in the Vitality County Championship to bolster their hopes of retaining Division One status as they overcame bottom-placed Kent by eight wickets at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Tom Taylor and Joe Leach picked up the final two Kent wickets this morning to leave Worcestershire, who were promoted last summer, with a modest victory target of 101.Although Worcestershire openers Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby fell cheaply, Kashif Ali (52 not out) and Rob Jones (23 not out) saw their side over the finishing line with an unbroken stand of 69.Worcestershire’s 23-point haul followed on from victory in their previous game against Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside, albeit nearly seven weeks ago.They were in the ascendancy for the bulk of the game once Kent had lost 10 wickets for 98 runs in their first innings after being 73 for 0 at one stage.It was two of their players returning from lengthy spells out through injury who made significant contributions.Joe Leach, who is retiring at the end of the season, rolled back the years with a six-wicket haul in Kent’s first innings his first appearance for three months after a recurrence of a knee problem.Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira has been troubled by a shoulder injury for a year but he returned after having extensive rehab during the past month to score 97 from 90 balls and change the momentum of the game in Worcestershire’s favour.Gareth Roderick, with a half century and seven catches behind the stumps, Rob Jones and Ethan Brookes also produced key roles with the bat while Tom Taylor bowled well throughout and deserved a more tangible reward than his five wickets in the game.Kent are now facing an uphill battle to maintain their top flight status after suffering their sixth defeat in 10 games.The big plus point for them was the stunning form with the bat of Tawanda Muyeye who hit a half century and a career best 211.Kent resumed on 353 for 8 – an overall lead of 76 after the last over dismissal of Muyeye yesterday evening.Akeem Jordan, who had picked up five first-innings wickets on his Championship debut, cover drove Taylor for four.Taylor continued his impressive form with the ball demonstrated throughout the game and went past the outside edge on several occasions.He claimed his fourth wicket when Jordan’s off stump was sent cartwheeling out of the ground after he attempted a drive.Leach wrapped up the winnings when George Garrett (6) pushed forward and Gareth Roderick held onto a low chance away to his left.It was Roderick’s fourth catch of the innings and seventh of a game where he has gone past 100 dismissals for Worcestershire.Jordan struck an early blow for Kent when Worcestershire set off in pursuit of their modest target in holding onto a return catch from Roderick.Jake Libby then shouldered arms and was bowled by Garrett at 33 for 2 and rain caused a 40 minute delay after lunch and the loss of 10 overs.But Kashif was soon into his stride with a succession of boundaries to banish any fears of a late twist in the outcome of the match.He twice cut on loan Alfie Ogborne for four and turned the same bowler off his legs to the ropes.A slash to third man off Ogborne brought Kashif his 50 from 67 balls with 10 fours and clinched the victory.

Senior players like Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah and Ashwin are likely to miss the tournament before the international season begins

Shashank Kishore12-Aug-2024

Some high-profile players apart from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to feature in the Duleep Trophy•BCCI

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah won’t be available for India’s season-opening Duleep Trophy from September 5, ESPNcricinfo understands. The teams for the tournament will be picked later this month by the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar. However, most other centrally-contracted players are set to feature in the four-team competition.Among those who will be keenly watched are KL Rahul, who missed four of the five England Tests earlier this year due to injury, and Rishabh Pant, who could be featuring in his first red-ball game since returning to full fitness following a car accident in December 2022. Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Suryakumar Yadav and Rajat Patidar are some of the others specialist batters likely to be picked across the four teams.There is also a possibility that Mohammed Shami, who is nearing full fitness, will be asked to play in one of the matches to prove match fitness. Shami is currently in his last stages of rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru and has slowly eased into greater bowling workloads over the past week.Related

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'Want to play for India in all three formats' – Suryakumar hopes to make a Test comeback

India hope Shami will be ready for Tests against Bangladesh

With India set to play 10 Tests over the next five months – five at home and five in Australia – the senior players will be given an extended break leading into the first of those assignments, the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting in Chennai on September 19.One of the two Duleep Trophy games that will be held simultaneously from September 5 is likely to be moved from Anantapur to Bengaluru owing to logistical considerations. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has been sounded out informally to be available to host the fixture.The move to have several contracted players feature in the competition is in line with the BCCI’s push towards ensuring domestic cricket is prioritised. In February, secretary Jay Shah had sent out a letter that prioritising IPL over domestic cricket would lead to “severe implications”, which had later led to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan losing their central contracts after they missed some of the Ranji Trophy games just before the IPL.Originally a zonal competition picked by a convener from each of the six zones (North, South, East, West, Central and North-East), the format of the Duleep Trophy was tweaked prior to this season, upon the recommendation of a BCCI working group comprising former head coach Rahul Dravid, NCA chief VVS Laxman, Agarkar and BCCI general manager Abey Kuruvilla.One of the reasons for this move was to ensure the selectors are able to give a wider pool of players, including those in the targeted group, enough opportunities heading into India’s Test season. The four-team tournament is set to run until September 22 with each side set to play the other three in a round-robin format. The topper at the end of the standings will be the winner.

نجح منتخب مصر لشابات كرة اليد، في الفوز على غينيا بنتيجة 25-22، في المباراة النهائية ببطولة إفريقيا، التي جمعت بينهما اليوم السبت، ليتوج الفراعنة باللقب.

وكان منتخب مصر لشابات كرة اليد قد تأهل للمباراة النهائية، بعد الفوز على أنجولا في لقاء نصف النهائي بنتيجة 26/25.

ويعد فوز الفراعنة على غينيا هو التتويج الأول في تاريخ مصر بالبطولة التي أقيمت في الجزائر، خلال الفترة من 6 إلى 13 سبتمبر الجاري.

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رغم الإنجازات العالمية لمنتخب اليد على كافة الأصعدة، إلا انها المرة الأولى التي يتوج فيها ببطولة إفريقيا في هذه الفئة العمرية، ويتأهل رسميًا لكاس العالم.

ترأس البعثة الكابتن عمرو فتحي الذي كان له دور هام في قيادة البعثة في الجزائر وتحقيق الإنجاز.

وتضم قائمة شابات كرة اليد، كل من: “جهاد وائل، جنة نور الدين، جيداء كامل، جودي محمد، نهى إيهاب، شهد صفي الدين، سما يامن، جنى محمود، شروق محمود، جودي وليد، سلمى أسامة، بسملة أحمد، رقية ياسر، سرمدة دعبس، ندى تامر، ملك طه، جنى ياسر، ملك عمرو”.

ويضم الجهاز الفني لمنتخب الشابات كل من: “حلمي مصبح المدير الفني وأحمد عبدالجواد المدرب العام ومنة الله كرم  المدير الإداري وديانا يحيى أخصائي علاج طبيعي ومحمد عبدالمنعم مدرب الحراس ومحمد كمال محلل الأداء”.

Leeds United are believed to be interested in signing a “special” player in the summer transfer window, with Daniel Farke a big admirer of the individual in question.

Leeds preparing for Premier League return

The Whites are edging closer to their first game back in the Premier League, with Farke and his players preparing hard after their return to pre-season training.

Leeds’ first match is a home clash with Everton on August 18th, with Elland Road likely to be in raucous spirits under the lights and in front of the Sky Sports cameras, following a couple of seasons away from the top flight.

It has been a productive summer transfer window for the Whites to date, with the likes of Jaka Bijol, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Sebastiaan Bornauw all brought in, but further fresh faces are required, in order to give Farke’s side the best possible chance of avoiding a swift return to the Championship in 2025/26.

Leeds have reportedly made an offer for Fenerbahce and Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, as they look to find an upgrade on Illan Meslier between the sticks, but it looks as though another player who Farke knows well could be an alternative option in the coming weeks.

Leeds keen on signing "special" free goalkeeper

According to journalist Barry Anderson on X, Leeds are interested in signing goalkeeper Angus Gunn this summer, with the Scot available on a free transfer after leaving Norwich City at the end of last season.

Gunn could be such a shrewd signing by the Whites, not only because he would arrive for free, but also due to the vast experience he now possesses.

The 29-year-old is a 16-cap Scotland international, being hailed as “special” on the international stage by David Marshall, and Farke is a huge fan, saying of him all the way back in 2017:

“Angus is very highly-rated and a really talented goalkeeper. He’s brilliant with his feet as well as his hands and is tall too. We’re happy to have him here for the next season and are thankful to Manchester City for helping us with this deal. I’m looking forward to working with such a great talent.”

Gunn has come up against Leeds so many times in his career, losing on five occasions at Elland Road in total, four of which came as a starter, but he could bring great quality in goal for plenty more years.

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He already has 31 appearances to his name in the Premier League, as well as 166 in the Championship, and he could be a safe pair of hands for the Whites, even as a second or third choice option.