تحدث واين روني مهاجم مانشستر يونايتد ومنتخب إنجلترا السابق، بشكل صريح عن شائعات كرهه لزميله السابق في الفريق، كريستيانو رونالدو.

وكان روني قد تزامل مع كريستيانو رونالدو خلال فترة لعبهما تحت قيادة السير أليكس فيرجسون، وكانا صديقين مقربين وشكلا ثنائية رائعة على أرض الملعب، ومع ذلك يبدو أن العلاقة بينهما قد انهارت نوعًا ما في السنوات الأخيرة.

وقال روني في بودكاست مع ريو فيرديناند قائد مانشستر يونايتد السابق والذي نشره عبر صفحته الرسمية على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي: “يعتقد الناس أنني أكره رونالدو لكنني أحبه”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. جوارديولا يسخر من مقارنته بـ مورينيو بعد تعادل مانشستر سيتي مع آرسنال

وأضاف: “أعتقد أن كريستيانو رونالدو عبقري بحق، وما يفعله مذهلاً، أحب كريستيانو رونالدو، لا أعتقد أن الناس يدركون مدى قربي منه”.

وواصل: “لقد كان هداف الدوري السعودي في المواسم الثلاث الأخيرة، أنا أحب ميسي بشدة وأحب مشاهدته يلعب وهذا هو السبب الوحيد لقولي إنه أفضل، لأنني أعتقد أن ميسي يمتلك مهارة أكبر في طريقة لعبه وأسلوبه في التعامل مع اللاعبين وما إلى ذلك”.

وتابع: “رونالدو لاعب خارق، يظن الناس لمجرد أنني قلت ميسي أفضل من رونالدو أنني لا أحبه أو احتقره، أنا فقط معجب بموهبة ميسي وهذا كل ما في الأمر”.

وختم: “كريستيانو عبقري بالفعل، أرفع له القبعة، لا أستطيع أن أقول عنه كلمة سيئة، بصراحة على مدار العامين الماضيين، أعتقد أنه سيكون في القمة عندما ننظر للوراء”.

The American winger has struggled for call ups and playing time, but showed his quality with incredible opening goal

Zendejas scores second USMNT goalScored on a tight volley vs JapanAssisted by Max Arfsten in first halfFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. international Alejandro Zendejas got a rare start against Japan on Tuesday, and he took full advantage, scoring an incredible volley off a whipped cross from Max Arfsten in the 30th minute to give the U.S. men's national team a 1-0 lead over he Samurai Blue

It was his second goal for the USMNT, coming in just his 13th appearance for the national team. 

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Zendejas's status with the USMNT has come under question since Mauricio Pochettino arrived as manager almost a year ago.  The Club America winger, who has won league titles in four of the last five years, only received one call-up from the Argentine manager, and it came under his first camp.

Zendejas, for his part, was diplomatic when asked about it during the MLS All-Star break. 

"That's his decision for him to make, and I respect it 100 percent," he said. "What I can do is my job, you know, I got to perform on the field, and then hopefully that call up will come."

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WHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

The U.S. will focus on upcoming friendlies in October as they're set to lineup against Ecuador and Australia. 

He will play multiple roles in the franchise’s set-up, including that of a talent scout

Nagraj Gollapudi23-Oct-2024

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel is set to join the Gujarat Titans coaching staff. ESPNcricinfo has learned Parthiv will perform multiple roles including that of assistant coach in the support staff led by Ashish Nehra as well as being one of their talent scouts.This is the first coaching role in the IPL for Parthiv, who retired in 2020. Immediately after that he was a talent scout for Mumbai Indians for three seasons until 2023, and also the batting coach for MI Emirates in 2023, the inaugural season of ILT20. Incidentally, Parthiv is the second former India wicketkeeper, after Dinesh Karthik at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to join an IPL team’s coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season.Parthiv, 39, played for six IPL franchises between 2008 and 2019, winning the title three times: in 2010 with Chennai Super Kings and twice with Mumbai in 2015 and 2017. In 139 matches, Parthiv, scored 2848 runs primarily as an opener at a strike rate of 120-plus.At Titans, who finished seventh in 2024 after winning the title in 2022 and were runners-up in 2023, Parthiv will play a key role in the think tank which includes Nehra (head coach), Vikram Solanki (director of cricket) and Aashish Kapoor (assistant coach). Former South Africa batter Gary Kirsten, who shared the coaching duties with Nehra at Titans between 2022-24, left after IPL 2024 to take over as Pakistan’s white-ball coach.

The series, which Pakistan won 2-1, drew widespread attention for the pitches that were prepared

Danyal Rasool07-Nov-2024The surfaces Pakistan prepared for the recently concluded three-Test series against England have been given a seal of approval by the ICC, who labelled the pitches for all three Tests “satisfactory”.The series, which Pakistan won 2-1, drew widespread attention for the pitches that were prepared. In the first Test, the surface appeared exceedingly flat, with Pakistan posting 556 before England racked up 827 for 7 declared, the highest total ever made in Pakistan, and the fourth highest in the history of Test cricket. It was only a third-innings collapse from Pakistan that forced a result that had appeared exceedingly unlikely when, halfway through the fourth day of the Test, the second innings was yet to conclude.Related

ICC rescinds demerit point for Rawalpindi pitch

Rawalpindi pitch gets 'below average' rating

Following that innings defeat, Pakistan radically changed their pitch-preparation philosophy. A new selection committee that included Aleem Dar and Aqib Javed decided to reuse the same surface for the second Multan Test, using giant fans to dry the pitch out. Preparation for the third Test in Rawalpindi – a venue that has historically taken little spin – also involved large fans as well as wedding-style heaters with windbreaks to help break the surface up.Both strips gave spinners plenty of help, with sharp and early turn as well as uneven bounce, and all 40 of England’s wickets in the last two Tests fell to spin. Pakistan won the second Test on the morning of the fourth day, while the Pindi Test didn’t even make it to lunch on day three.There was little public complaint from England, and Pakistan maintained they were within their rights to prepare surfaces that offered them home advantage following their chastening defeat on a flat track in the first Test. The ICC appears to have accepted that view, giving each of the strips the lowest rating that does not amount to a censure.The ICC rates pitches, and outfields, for all international games on a scale of very good to unfit: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and unfit. One demerit point is awarded to venues for an unsatisfactory rating, and three for an unfit rating. If any ground receives five or more demerit points in a five-year rolling period, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months.This was the third consecutive Test in Pindi where the pitch came under scrutiny. In March 2022, the surface was given a “below average” rating on the scale the ICC used at the time, and docked a demerit point. It was given the same rating for the Test against England later that year and awarded another demerit point, though this was later rescinded on appeal.

Peter Crouch turned heads when the ex-Liverpool man turned up as a mascot for a non-league team after losing his Fantasy Football league.

• Crouch last in Fantasy Football league
• Ex-Liverpool man told to do a forfeit
• Acts as mascot for non-league side

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The ex-England international finished bottom of his fantasy football league with That Peter Crouch Podcast hosts, Chris Stark and Steve Sidwell. As a punishment, the 6ft 7in star walked out as a mascot for Farnham Town before their Southern League Premier Division South game against Sholing on Saturday.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The popular former Stoke City ace took part in pre-match player meet and greets, was part of a half-time show, and ate dinner with the other mascots. And best of all, the 44-year-old wore a Farnham kit to blend in with the Surrey outfit, to the delight of many at Memorial Ground. Incidentally, the game ended in in a 2-2 draw. 

• WHAT CROUCH SAID

  Alongside a clip of him walking onto the pitch before kick-off, Crouch tweeted: "Having the best day at Farnham Town today as mascot."

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Crouch's actions went viral on social media, with many praising the big man. Some may wonder if the retired footballer will be attending any more Farnham games this season, as they try to secure promotion from the seventh tier of English football.

Pune is preparing to roll out a bald, low-bounce black-soil pitch to negate New Zealand’s seamers, who had set up their first Test win in India in 36 years in Bengaluru, but the visitors aren’t too fussed about it, according to Daryl Mitchell. After New Zealand finished their first practice session by noon on Tuesday, the groundstaff cut some amount of grass off the pitch and it might be shaved bare on the eve of the second Test.”One thing we can’t do is we can’t change the surface,” Mitchell said two days out of the Pune Test. “So for us, it’s reacting to what’s coming at us and adapting on the fly. We as Kiwis, that’s what we pride ourselves on, we get stuck into the moment, we stay where our feet are and we be as present as possible. We can’t change the wicket. What will be, will be. But I’m sure we’ll come up with a plan and find a way to take 20 wickets and hopefully score a few runs as well.”While Mitchell is often proactive against spin – he is adept at stepping out and also sweeping and reverse-sweeping – he has been searching for some form. Since scoring a century against Sri Lanka at his home ground in Christchurch in March last year, Mitchell has managed only 406 runs in 16 innings at an average of 27.06, which is almost 20 points below his overall average of 46.08 in Test cricket. Mitchell, however, isn’t reading too much into it.Related

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“Look, that’s the nature of the game that we play, especially Test cricket,” he said. “You know, you have little patches where you score a lot of runs and you have patches where I guess you get starts and you want to keep trying to convert. So, look, for me, I just love playing for New Zealand. It means a hell of a lot to pull on that baggy and play Test cricket. And I know that if I keep doing my job for the team, then personal milestones and things like that will take care of themselves.”With Kane Williamson unavailable for the second Test too, as he continues to recover from a groin strain, Will Young is set to keep his place at No.3. He forged an unbroken 75-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra in the fourth innings to settle New Zealand’s small chase of 107 after Jasprit Bumrah had taken out both Tom Latham and Devon Conway in another sensational burst. Mitchell’s Canterbury team-mate Will O’Rourke, who was playing his first Test in India, also made a serious impression by coming away with a match haul of seven wickets, including the first-innings scalp of Virat Kohli. Mitchell hailed their smooth transition from domestic to international cricket.Daryl Mitchell has managed only 406 runs in his last nine Tests•AFP/Getty Images

“Youngie and Rachin have been around our group for a long time even though they haven’t played a lot of cricket,” Mitchell said. “They’ve been able to see how the culture works and how we want to go about playing as Black Caps. And they’ve fitted seamlessly into their roles.”Will O’Rourke, he’s a young talent. He’s from my domestic team back home, so I’ve had to face him plenty of times in the nets and it’s not much fun. So look, he’s a great talent and I’m sure he’ll continue to do amazing thing for New Zealand in the future.”While O’Rourke’s 6’4″ frame – and high release point – has provided New Zealand’s attack a new cutting edge, he is also capable of locating a fuller length and moving the ball both ways at speeds north of 140kph. Mitchell, who has followed O’Rourke’s progress from close quarters, gave his take on why O’Rourke is an awkward bowler to face.”He’s a big unit first of all,” Mitchell said. “He’s tall, he bowls from a height but he also can get the balls to go both ways which is always a challenge especially in Christchurch at Hagley [Oval]. There’s a bit of bounce in those wickets, so as you can imagine it can be quite tough at times. “But yeah look, he’s first of all a great man as well. He doesn’t say a lot but when he does it’s pretty funny and yeah, he’s good to have around.”

India’s quicks made three late inroads in a dramatic conclusion to third day to put them on track for a huge victory

Tristan Lavalette24-Nov-2024In the same city where Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli scored legendary centuries, India’s latest batting prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a masterclass of his own with a majestic 161 to decimate a listless Australia in the first Test at Optus Stadium.Kohli then rammed home the advantage late on day three with a drought-breaking century to add to his epic ton on the same ground in 2018. On that occasion his heroics were in vain, but this time around will almost surely be different after India declared their second innings at 487 for 6.Related

The Kohli hundred that snuck up on everybody

Undercooked Australia lose the plot in Perth

Live blog – Bumrah and Siraj wrap up comprehensive India win

Rahul and Jaiswal show defence is (sometimes) the best form of defiance

Stats – Jaiswal converts yet another ton into a 150-plus score

Chasing a record 534, Australia crashed to 12 for 3 in a dramatic 4.2 overs bowled in the shadows before stumps. They had a horrible start when opener Nathan McSweeney fell in the first over for a duck as a wicked delivery from stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah crept low and smashed into his pads. It capped a tough debut for McSweeney, who made 10 in the first innings.With 20 minutes until stumps, captain Pat Cummins came in as the nightwatchman but didn’t last long as he edged quick Mohammed Siraj to leave Australia at 9 for 2.Marnus Labuschagne belatedly came out but could not stop the unplayable Bumrah as he unsuccessfully reviewed the lbw decision having shoulder arms. After a five-wicket haul in the first innings, Bumrah had the remarkable figures of 2 for 1 from 2.2 overs.It completed a day of utter domination for India after their long-time talisman and his protege completely broke Australia’s spirits on an oppressive day in Perth where temperatures reached 36 degrees celsius. Much like on day two, Australia went through the motions in a performance set to attract plenty of scrutiny.The much discussed pitch appeared benign earlier in the day until coming alive with notable signs of uneven bounce that will further buoy India. Having batted through the final two sessions of day two, Jaiswal and KL Rahul started the day’s play with a golden opportunity to put India into an impregnable position.Yashasvi Jaiswal soaks in a century at Perth•Getty ImagesThey were confronted by an Australia attack that was keen to make amends for a lacklustre performance on the second day where they appeared weary and rattled by the sudden changing nature of the pitch.Australia had their eyes on the second new ball, but before then Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood gave it a crack with the old ball. After some conservative tactics from Australia turned heads on day two, Starc and Hazlewood started with attacking lengths as they preyed on the nerves of Jaiswal, who played and missed several times in the 90s.But Jaiswal was not to be denied and, befitting his audacious skills, he reached his century in the most spectacular fashion. On 95 he looked to ramp a bouncer from Hazlewood over the slip but instead hit to fine leg where the ball smacked into the boundary marker on the full. Starc fielding nearby signalled a six, but the umpires had to check leaving Jaiswal with a nervous wait. The all clear came as Jaiswal took his helmet off before raising his arms aloft and punching the air.There was a brief loss of concentration when the openers had a mix-up and Jaiswal would have been run-out by a mile only for Cummins to miss the direct hit from mid-off. It wasn’t the first time the openers had miscommunicated between the wickets as a run-out appeared a flagging Australia’s best chance of a breakthrough.Jaiswal and Rahul became the first India openers to produce a double century partnership in Australia, but on the next delivery the 201-run stand finally ended when Rahul on 77 was caught behind poking at a delivery in the channel from Starc. There were muted celebrations from Australia, more relief, at ending the sixth highest opening partnership from overseas batters in Australia.Virat Kohli goes up and over the off side•Getty ImagesNo. 3 Devdutt Padikkal, who had his chance in the absences of captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, made an excruciating 23-ball duck in the first innings. But he had a much better chance to succeed with a massive platform built and in better batting conditions. Padikkal got off the mark from his fourth delivery with a push through gully as he combined well with Jaiswal through to lunch.Jaiswal was unstoppable and had an answer for every Australia strategy. Cummins resorted briefly to a short-ball tactic to no avail. Labuchagne was utilised but he started with a wayward bouncer that was called a wide and he didn’t threaten to the extent that later in the day he reverted back to legspin.The second new ball was taken before lunch but Jaiswal and Padikkal had no issues as they scored freely. Padikkal, however, fell to Hazlewood, clearly Australia’s best bowler in the innings, on the first ball after the interval as a determined Kohli came out eager to end his form slump.Underlining his desire, Kohli had spent much of the first session padded up with his helmet on and he quickly showed that he had learned from his baffling brief stint at the crease in the first innings when he batted well out of his crease. This time around, Kohli made a change in his set-up and did not bat nearly as far out of his crease. He looked far more comfortable, albeit in easier circumstances, and he was content to let Jaiswal hog the limelight.Jaiswal once again passed 150, but one run later he had a let off after wicketkeeper Alex Carey dropped a tough chance down the leg-side. Australia’s torture continued when Jaiswal smashed Cummins with disdain through mid-off before, out of nowhere, he carved a short and wide delivery from Mitchell Marsh straight to point.KL Rahul congratulates Yashasvi Jaiswal on his hundred•AFP/Getty ImagesJaiswal threw his head back in disbelief and the 26,000 crowd too was stunned before giving him a deserved standing ovation as he took off his helmet and looked up the heavens on his way off the field.Australia had their best passage of play since the middle of the opening day when Lyon outfoxed Rishabh Pant to have him stumped on 1 before Cummins finally claimed a wicket after trapping Dhruv Jurel lbw as India lost 3 for 8.But Kohli was on a mission and in an aggressive mood as he carved Starc over the slip cordon for six in a blow that unfortunately hit a sitting security officer on the side of the head.With a declaration in their sights he put his foot down alongside debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who unfurled T20 style batting. Having last scored a Test century in July 2023, Kohli reached his 30th Test ton in style with a boundary to deep fine leg. He took off his helmet, blew a kiss to his wife and walked off the ground amid India’s declaration as a famous win beckons for the tourists.

This summer has been an exciting one for Arsenal fans to watch. Gone are the days of Edu dragging things out and missing out on key targets; Andrea Berta has come in and been aggressive in the window.

The Gunners have only played two pre-season games but have already signed six players.

That being said, the saga that revolved around new centre-forward, Viktor Gyokeres, was certainly a tiring one. That wasn’t Berta’s fault, however.

Arsenal had predominantly earmarked two strikers this window; Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko. However, despite approval from most at Arsenal, Sesko’s agent priced him out of a move and the Swede was pursued instead.

The Gunners are no doubt happy with their business. This is a player who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season. Even half of that tally in 2025/26 and this will have been a successful acquisition.

But, what’s next? Well, Berta is already hard at work.

What's next for Arsenal after Gyokeres

It’s likely that for a short while, Arsenal will focus on moving players out of the club. The arrival of Gyokeres took their spending to over £200m this summer, so sales may well be necessary.

Fulham are said to be in talks to sign Reiss Nelson but there’s also interest from Crystal Palace, and that’s where Arsenal’s next deal could take them.

It’s no secret that the north Londoners are keen on signing Eberechi Eze this summer and according to journalist Ben Jacobs, they are now in talks with Palace over a move.

Up to this point, there had only been an agreement between Eze and Arsenal on personal terms.

There have been plenty of developments over the weekend, however, with Football Transfers noting that Mikel Arteta’s side have agreed to pay an initial £30m for the England international and talks are now focused around the payment structure of the remaining £38m of his release clause.

The Independent’s Miguel Delaney reports that sources close to the player believe that he will become an Arsenal player in the next few weeks, confident that a deal will get done.

The Emirates Stadium outfit are said to be Eze’s top choice this summer, but Berta and Co hope to be able to agree a fee of around £60m for his services.

Why Eze could be Arsenal's new Tomas Rosicky

During the days of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, the team was filled with technical geniuses. Not forgetting the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, the later years of the Frenchman’s tenure saw players like Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez come to the fore.

There were others too. Think Andrey Arshavin, the scorer of four goals at Anfield, Alexander Hleb and a player cut from a similar cloth, Tomas Rosicky.

Signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of just £6.8m, he arrived as one of the most exciting young attacking midfielders on the continent.

The Czech Republic international had a fierce ball strike on him, something we saw when he cracked home his first goal but he also possessed the ability to dazzle defenders, dribbling past them with ease and explosively driving forward.

As Wenger once said: “He always makes things happen, not with individual dribbling but with individual acceleration and his passing. I think when he arrived here he was less of a tactical player and more the ‘Mozart’ from Prague – he was purely a creative, offensive player.”

Injuries really destroyed Rosicky’s career in London, ultimately meaning his numbers didn’t look particularly impressive, scoring 28 goals and supplying 23 assists. Yet, his qualities are still remembered fondly by supporters of a certain generation.

Take injuries out of the equation, and Eze has been built in a similar lab. As The Telegraph’s Sam Dean says, the Palace sensation is a “magician” and the “exact sort of player Arsenal have been missing.”

It’s hard to dispute that claim. Like Rosicky, he’s creative, he’s a goalscorer and like Wenger noted, he’s a bit of a Mozart on the ball.

Eze’s first game of pre-season showcased exactly that, nearly scoring a remarkable solo goal. A little like Rosicky, he bursts forward in possession of the ball. What happened next was audacious, nearly chipping the goalkeeper.

£68m please, Berta, that’s all it’ll take to bring this creative genius to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Arsenal have plenty of players who put fun into football. Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are chief among them. Yet, what Arteta has done since arriving at Arsenal is build a team of giants.

Mikel Merino suggested that “we [Arsenal] look like a basketball team” when he first moved to the Premier League and within that, some of the technical aesthetics have been lost.

Eze, however, would bring that back to Arsenal. He was the scorer of 14 goals and the creator of 11 assists in 2024/25.

That wasn’t a one-off either. He’s hit double figures throughout the last three campaigns and is only getting better. Last season was his finest in the red and blue stripes of Palace to date.

He’s a Premier League-proven star and like Declan Rice, would surely settle into things at the club with ease.

He'd be better than Rodrygo: Arsenal "are looking" at signing £100m winger

Arsenal are ready to complete their summer transfer window with a big-money signing.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 25, 2025

Starc’s career-best figures of 6 for 48 saw India fold for 180 before the batters kept Bumrah and Co at bay

Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-2024

Mitchell Starc’s sizzling spell with the pink ball headlined the opening day of the day-night Test in Adelaide as Australia responded to their 295-run drubbing in Perth by dismissing India for 180.Jasprit Bumrah then got rid of Usman Khawaja in the twilight but the under-pressure Marnus Labuschagne and rookie opener Nathan McSweeney navigated a tricky passage of play to guide Australia to stumps without any further damage. Their unbroken 62-run partnership helped Australia cut their deficit to under 100 and ensured that the first day belonged to them.The first ball from Starc was a portent for what was to follow. He struck in the first over of each of his three spells, asserting his supremacy in pink-ball Tests. He came away with career-best Test figures of 6 for 48, which extended his pink-ball tally in Australia to 72. It is twice as many as Pat Cummins (36) has taken and 29 more than what Nathan Lyon, Starc’s closest contender in pink-ball Test cricket in the country, has managed.It all started with that first ball to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had told Starc that he was “coming on too slow” in Perth. On Friday in Adelaide, Starc let rip a full, fast one that threatened to angle down leg before swerving back into the line of the stumps and seaming in the other direction off the pitch to beat the attempted flick and thud into front pad. It was so plumb that Jaiswal didn’t even bother to review. Starc roared at the departing Jaiswal and had the Adelaide crowd, which grew to 50,186 by the close of play, roaring with him.Related

India meet the Australia of their expectations

Starc gives Australia just the day they needed

Stats – Starc gets to Adelaide fifty, Bumrah to 2024 fifty

Cummins hopes for more proactive Labuschagne in pink-ball Test

Shubman Gill, who returned to India’s Test XI after missing the Perth Test with a hand injury, and KL Rahul then briefly settled India’s innings with a 69-run stand for the second wicket. Gill showed little signs of rust and laid into drives whenever Australia’s quicks veered away from their lengths and the stumps.At the other end, Rahul was more circumspect, playing out Cummins for three maidens, before fending at Scott Boland’s first ball, which reared up to threaten the shoulder of his bat. Rahul walked off, thinking he had nicked it behind but a front-foot no-ball from Boland earned him a reprieve. There was nothing on the Snicko either. Five balls later, Boland hit Rahul’s outside edge but Khawaja grassed the chance at first slip.Rahul’s luck, however, ran out when Starc returned for his second spell and struck with his fourth ball. He extracted extra bounce and had Rahul edging to gully for 37 off 64 balls. In his next over, Starc took out Virat Kohli for seven off eight balls with a similar prancing delivery. Soon after, Boland nipped one into Gill’s pads as India lost 3 for 12 in a chaotic 15-minute period before the dinner break.India’s slump continued after resumption, with Boland pinning Rohit Sharma’s pads this time. Playing in his first Test match in over a year, in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood, Boland kept it on a good length, or just back of it, and kept gleaning seam movement. Rohit, who had slid down the order to No. 6 to accommodate Rahul at the top alongside Jaiswal, fell for 3 off 23 balls.Cummins then joined the fun when he bounced Rishabh Pant out, with a back-of-a-length delivery that kicked up at his ribs, for 21 off 35 balls. It meant so much to Cummins that he celebrated it with a big roar. The Australia captain had looked underdone in Perth and wasn’t at his sharpest with the new ball on Friday, but redeemed himself with the big scalp of Pant.Nitish Kumar Reddy pulled a Joe Root on Scott Boland•Getty Images

Despite wickets falling at the other end, Nitish Kumar Reddy remained unfazed and rolled out the big hits. When Starc pitched one too full, Reddy audaciously drilled him over extra-cover for six and in the next over he lined up Boland for a sequence of 6,4,6. The first six was jaw-dropping reverse-swat over the slip cordon, which cleared one of the biggest boundaries at the ground at deep third. It even put a smile on Bumrah’s face, but the joy was short-lived as Starc combined with Cummins to wrap up India’s innings.After having top-scored for India in his debut innings in Perth, Reddy did the same in the first innings in Adelaide, finishing with 42 off 54 balls, including three fours and a six. Reddy was the last Indian batter to be dismissed, with Starc having him hole out to mid-off.R Ashwin, who was picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, looked good during his run-a-ball 22 before Starc made him look silly with an inch-perfect inswinging yorker with a 39-over-old ball. The blow to his foot kept Ashwin off the field for the start of Australia’s innings, but India’s team management must have been relieved when he bowled the penultimate over of the day without any apparent discomfort.Bumrah was potent with the new ball and produced India’s only breakthrough on the day when he went around the wicket and had Khawaja jabbing behind with a beauty for 13 off 35 balls. India also had a chance to dislodge McSweeney cheaply when Bumrah found his outside edge, but a diving Pant shelled it. Rohit, at first slip, couldn’t grab it on the rebound either, with the ball hitting his wrist and going down.McSweeney was on 3 at that point, having got off the mark after 17 balls. At the other end, Labuschagne, who is facing considerable heat for his recent lean run, took 19 balls to get off the mark. A freebie on his pads from an erratic Mohammed Siraj then got him going.Harshit Rana lobbed some verbal volleys at the Australia batters and banged the pink ball into the pitch. But McSweeney was ready to fight fire with fire and firmly pulled the chirpy Rana over midwicket for four. After having seen off the new-ball spells of Bumrah and Siraj under twilight, McSweeney picked away five fours off Rana and Reddy and set Australia up for a batting day against the older ball under natural light on Saturday.

Manchester United’s summer transfer window has already been a success for manager Ruben Amorim, but there is still plenty of work left to do before the September 1st deadline.

The 40-year-old has already cleared out some of the deadwood on the books at Old Trafford, releasing Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans at the end of their respective contracts.

Other outgoings will undoubtedly take place over the next couple of weeks, which could allow for added funds to be reinvested into the side ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have all joined the Red Devils, costing £200m combined, completing a deadly trio at the top end of the pitch.

However, other areas of the side are still in desperate need of reinforcements, which could result in numerous players being landed in an attempt to rise up England’s top-flight.

Man Utd preparing move for Carlos Baleba alternative

Carlos Baleba has been one of United’s key targets in recent days, after talks were held between the Red Devils and the player’s entourage over a potential switch.

Despite the interest in the Brighton midfielder, a deal could now be unlikely given the Seagulls’ reluctance to allow the youngster to leave, subsequently putting a £100m price tag on his head.

However, not landing a deal for the 21-year-old may not be the end of the world, with the hierarchy also currently exploring a move for Sevilla star Lucien Agoume, according to TBR Football.

They report that despite their keen interest in Baleba, alternatives to the former Lille star have been drawn up, with the Frenchman just one player in their sights.

It also states that he’s seen as a cheaper alternative this summer, potentially able to follow a similar path over the next few years and become their own £100m talent.

Why United’s Baleba alternative would be their next Pogba

Just a handful of years ago, United’s midfield department was home to numerous elite-level talents, one of which was Paul Pogba – who cost a club-record £89m in the summer of 2016.

The Frenchman rejoined the club just a few seasons after leaving on a free transfer to join Juventus, moving back to Old Trafford as a completely different player.

He registered over 200 appearances during his second spell in the North West, often producing a spectacular effort, helping the side win the Europa League in his first season back in England.

However, he would leave on a free transfer in 2022, ultimately tailing off after his excellent start, with his attitude and commitment towards the Red Devils often coming into question.

Regardless of his struggles, Pogba will forever be remembered in Manchester as a player who made the game look easy, often dominating the opposition, with Agoume having the chance to follow in his compatriot’s footsteps in 2025/26.

The 23-year-old has endured an erratic start to his career, featuring for seven clubs in seven years, but he appears to have found his home in Seville over the last few months.

He made 35 appearances in LaLiga last season, often catching the eye with his displays, which has seen journalist Zach Lowy comparing him to former fan-favourite Pogba.

Games played

35

Goals & assists

4

Pass completion rate

82%

Progressive passes

5.8

Tackles made

2.9

Interceptions made

1.8

Take-on success

73%

Passes into final third

5.4

Agoume, who’s been labelled “extraordinary” by former boss Enrique Sanchez Flores, completed 82% of the passes he attempted last season, with 5.8 of which being defined as progressive – able to thrive in possession, just as Pogba did during his time at United.

He also made 2.9 tackles per 90 and 1.8 interceptions per 90, with the latter tally ranking him within the top 2% of all players in Spain’s top-flight – handing Amorim the perfect box-to-box option in midfield.

Added talent across the board is highlighted in his tally of 73% take-ons completed, able to glide past opposition players, emulating the skillset of his compatriot in the process.

There’s no denying that, given Baleba’s two-year spell in England’s top-flight that he would be many of the fans’ first choice to bolster the midfield department this window.

However, given the money spent in other areas, cheaper options will have to be considered, with Agoume arguably being a bargain addition if he can match Pogba’s success at the Theatre of Dreams.

A dream for Cunha & Mbeumo: INEOS submit bid to sign £69m star for Man Utd

Manchester United have once again splashed the cash during the current summer window.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2025