Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is now personally keen for the Gunners to sign a Premier League rival star, with the transfer target in question also “pushing” to leave this summer.
Mikel Arteta's rumoured transfer ideas to strengthen Arsenal
Arteta recently had to affirm to the press that both him and new sporting director Andrea Berta are on the same page when it comes to the club’s recruitment strategy, following some reports of disagreements between the pair.
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Naturally, while Berta’s arrival from Atlético Madrid is seen as an undoubted boost for the north Londoners, following 12 successful years in La Liga, Arteta will have his own ideas on how to reinforce his squad this summer.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Journalist Simon Phillips even reported last week that Arteta would prefer Arsenal to sign RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko over the heavily-linked Viktor Gyokeres, coming after the Slovenia international rejected their advances last year.
The 43-year-old, as per Spanish media sources, is also a big admirer of Athletic Bilbao attacking midfielder Oihan Sancet, who’s scored 17 goals in all competitions and could leave Bilbao for the value of his £67 million release clause.
Now, as per The Sun and journalist Anthony Chapman, £195,000-per-week Chelsea winger Christopher Nkunku is attracting Arteta’s personal attention as well.
The France international isn’t exactly a mainstay under Enzo Maresca, despite scoring 14 goals in all competitions, and this has led to reports that Nkunku is eyeing an exit from Stamford Bridge when the window reopens.
Mikel Arteta thinks Christopher Nkunku would be a good Arsenal signing
Chapman reports that Arsenal are “lining up a move” for the versatile forward, who can play almost anywhere in the attacking third.
It is also claimed that Arteta sees Nkunku as a potential “good” signing for Arsenal this summer.
One thing worth noting is that, barring his sky-high salary, Nkunku may turn out to be a fairly astute deal. Chelsea have apparently set his price tag at around £35 million, and are willing to make a £17 million loss by shipping him out of the door, just two years after signing him for £52 million.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry heaped praise on the ex-RB Leipzig sensation in 2022, admitting back then that Nkunku is a player he loves watching, and it would appear that Arteta is in full agreement. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea would be willing to sell to a direct rival.
Liverpool will sign Jeremie Frimpong in the coming weeks (perhaps even sooner). The Bayer Leverkusen star was swiftly identified by FSG as the perfect player to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will join Real Madrid when his contract expires next month.
Though some fans will point toward Frimpong’s advanced role in Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side and reserve judgment until a personal gauge on his defensive ability can be delivered, there’s no question he’s an exciting profile, different to Trent but still a “monster in the final third,” as said by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker.
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong
With the balanced Conor Bradley already making headway in Arne Slot’s team, this contrast of profiles on the right could work a treat for the Merseysiders as they look to defend their Premier League title and challenge for silverware across other fronts.
But it stings that Liverpool have been forced into replacing Alexander-Arnold all the same, with the atmosphere around the vice-captain souring since he intimated his decision to the world earlier this month.
Trent and Carragher
Especially when Los Blancos constantly prove to be the scourge of the Anfield side, with their success in signing Dean Huijsen proving a double whammy.
Why Liverpool wanted Dean Huijsen
Liverpool have two of the finest defenders kicking about today in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, but the skipper is nearing the twilight of his Premier League career and the latter has just one year remaining on his current deal.
And you can bet your bottom dollar Real Madrid have a vested interest in bringing him to the Spanish capital.
Huijsen was one of Liverpool’s top targets for the summer, but the Bournemouth centre-back has indeed agreed to join Alonso’s new crew, so will partner with Trent in the Madrid backline.
Slot’s side were thought to have had the lead in the young Spaniard, whose breakout campaign in England has drawn plenty of praise, talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing his “extraordinary rise.”
Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen.
The prototypical modern centre-half, Huijsen’s technical control, rangy physique and natural intelligence make him the perfect player to slot right into the Liverpool project – and he’s left-footed besides.
However, this one’s done, and FSG need to turn their attention elsewhere. Luckily, sporting director Richard Hughes is on the case.
Liverpool make new CB a top target
Liverpool need to sign a centre-back, to be sure. Konate’s actually the last senior signing in that area, arriving from RB Leipzig for £36m four years ago.
Slot needs a rising star, and he might just find one in Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie, with the 23-year-old understood by Spanish sources to be the Premier League champions’ favourite now that Huijsen’s out of reach.
Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.
The defender still has four years left on his current deal and is a player of significant potential, with Chelsea quoted at £59m when asking about the Ecuadorian’s availability back in January.
What Piero Hincapie would bring to Liverpool
Hincapie has made 164 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring seven goals, assisting five more, winning an invincible domestic double last season.
Described as a “prodigy” by journalist Jose de Jesus Ortiz two years ago, Hincapie has made incremental progress in Germany, signing from Argentine club CA Talleres as a 19-year-old in 2021.
Piero Hincapie’s Leverkusen Stats by Season (all comps)
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
Titles
24/25
45
3
2
1x
23/24
43
1
1
2x
22/23
43
1
1
0x
21/22
33
2
1
0x
Data via Transfermarkt
With Van Dijk set to stay for the next couple of seasons, Hincapie could make a shrewd career move by moving to Merseyside and serving as the defensive great’s understudy before ascending to superstardom himself.
He certainly has the attributes to make his mark. As per FBref, the 6 footer ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal involvements, the top 16% for passes attempted and shot-creating actions, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.
Piero Hincapie in action for Bayer Leverkusen
As you can see, he’s got the skill and gifted approach to make a real difference in Slot’s squad, capable even of becoming an even better player than Huijsen.
Also hailed as an “absolute beast” who “can become one of the world’s best centre-backs” by journalist Antonio Mango, Hincapie might have even outperformed Bournemouth’s star defender this term.
League Stats 24/25 – Dean Huijsen vs Piero Hincapie
Stats (* per game)
Huijsen
Hincapie
Matches (starts)
30 (25)
32 (28)
Goals
3
2
Assists
1
2
Touches*
64.4
78.5
Pass completion
84%
89%
Key passes*
0.5
0.5
Ball recoveries*
3.4
3.1
Tackles + interceptions*
2.9
2.6
Clearances*
6.0
3.3
Duels (won)*
3.8 (57%)
5.2 (62%)
Stats via Sofascore
Left-footed, he’d also be a suitable successor for skipper Van Dijk, who has renewed his Liverpool contract by two years but turns 34 this summer.
There’s indeed a case to be made that Hincapie is playing at a superior level to Huijsen right now. That’s not to discredit Los Blancos’ new recruit, who already coats himself with the trappings of something special, world-class, but rather, highlights the quality of Leverkusen’s rising star, whose dynamism and athleticism have even permitted him to play on the left flank 11 times this term.
Hincapie is more active in the duel and more accurate too, with several years more experience that have tuned his completeness to a degree that would see him thrive alongside Van Dijk before finally taking his place.
If Liverpool are able to engineer a deal for a figure not too far north of Huijsen’s £50m release clause, something they were willing to meet, this could prove to be an exceptional deal for the Reds.
Having proven himself and then some as one of the best young defenders in the game, Hincapie could veritably explode under Slot’s wing in the Premier League.
He'd be incredible with Kerkez: FSG want to sign £50m "tank" for Liverpool
Liverpool are looking to make sweeping changes in the summer transfer market.
Sheffield United have clawed their way to the top of the Championship and could now be ready to pinch one of their rivals’ star assets should promotion be achieved at Bramall Lane, per reports.
Sheffield United look to build on slender Championship lead
Nerves are starting to kick in across the board in England’s second-tier as Sheffield United, Leeds United and Burnley battle it out for an automatic place in next season’s Premier League.
The Blades hold a two-point advantage at the Championship summit over their direct rivals for promotion, while Sunderland, Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion occupy the remaining coveted playoff slots.
SheffieldUnitedmanagerChris Wilder reacts after the match
Since their agonising defeat at home to Leeds, Sheffield United have gone on a five-match unbeaten run at the perfect time and will take encouragement from monumental recent triumphs over Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry.
Coinciding with Daniel Farke’s Whites losing momentum, this period of the campaign may be looked back on as a sliding doors moment when all is said and done.
Nevertheless, Sheffield United are active in the transfer market and Jimmy Dunne is a target regardless of what division they end up in come May. Queens Park Rangers are holding out for £3 million after the Republic of Ireland international came close to joining the Blades during the January window.
Sheffield United’s run-in as Chris Wilder looks to secure promotion
Oxford United (A)
Kassam Stadium
Millwall (H)
Bramall Lane
Plymouth Argyle (A)
Home Park
Cardiff City (H)
Bramall Lane
Burnley (A)
Turf Moor
Stoke City (A)
bet365 Stadium
Blackburn Rovers (H)
Bramall Lane
Chancing their luck with divisional rivals’ star assets could be a running theme if promotion is achieved in Yorkshire, with Wilder now lining up a swoop for another proven Championship performer.
Sheffield United line up move for Sunderland star Ballard
According to Football League World, Sheffield United are chasing Sunderland defender Daniel Ballard’s signature and are ready to pounce for the Northern Ireland international if they manage to claim promotion to the Premier League.
Reported to earn around £25,000 at Sunderland, the Stevenage-born star has become a target due to Harry Souttar’s season-ending injury in Yorkshire, which has prompted Wilder to evaluate dipping into the market for defensive reinforcements.
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Despite being a leading light for the Black Cats, Ballard has been restricted to 19 appearances this term due to injury problems, yielding two goals and an assist across all competitions.
Labelled “a natural leader” by Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill, the central defender has been a dominant presence for Sunderland, winning 85 duels and making 42 recoveries in the Championship.
Ultimately, Sheffield United will have to be creative when tasked with where to utilise their resources if they end up in the Premier League next term, so it makes sense to target players whom they have already had the opportunity to profile at close quarters.
What must it be like to bowl fast in Tests for a non-Big Three nation? Just ask Asitha and Vishwa
Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jun-2025If you are a seam bowler specialising in Tests, and hail from a non Big-Three nation, as Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando do, you are charting one of the most difficult and least-rewarding courses in international cricket.Most difficult, because fast bowlers must put their own bodies on the altar of this sport in far more profound ways than batters, spinners, or even wicketkeepers. With every delivery there is the steaming in from dozens of metres away, the ridiculous force that goes through the front leg at the point of delivery, the shoulders, spines, obliques, groins, glutes, calves, feet, all being required to contribute some power to the occasion, and a follow-through that must be navigated safely. If any one of these sectors of your body is even slightly injured, it incapacitates a seam bowler more than similar injuries do for batters or spinners.Related
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Let’s take Lahiru Kumara as one example. He was the highest wicket-taker against Bangladesh in the away Test series last year, claiming 11 dismissals at an average of 12.63. The man had not played a single international since his last Test in early February, but had played most of a season of domestic cricket since then, and had been in good shape to make an impact on this home series against Bangladesh. But a week out, he busted a hamstring while fielding at training, and was ruled out of the series. He doesn’t get picked in many international white-ball XIs, so this injury will be taking a pretty serious playing opportunity out of his hands. And with a further 11 months before the next Sri Lanka Test is to be played, he has to show substantial willpower to stay in the game till then.(Side note: Lankan seam-bowling hamstrings in the last two decades have had artists’ temperaments. They are capable of jaw-dropping wonders like Dhammika Prasad’s spell on the fourth evening at Headingley, or Lasith Malinga’s rip-snorters. But if hamstrings had ears or lovers, Lankan fast bowling hamstrings are the type that would cut off their own appendages, or fall apart completely after a break up. They are sublime as part of a creative flow state, but absolutely never to be relied upon.)Asitha Fernando toiled hard on a surface not suited to his style•Sri Lanka CricketLeast-rewarding because, three league stints in a year (they don’t even really have to be the fancy leagues) will probably net you more money, for way less work. Plus, you know, the promotional dinners, and the parties. Non Big-Three Test cricket tends not to have a lot of parties. Why train your body to bowl 15-20 overs a day, when you can focus on being at peak performance for four?Matheesha Pathirana, as another example, is very likely the fastest bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced. But at this stage, seems unlikely to ever to play a Test. Chennai Super Kings’ scouts got to him before the Sri Lankan cricket system really had, and CSK have genuinely played a role in developing that talent, and have essentially called dibs. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if at the end of his career, Pathirana is remembered most for his IPL exploits, he will probably have earned more money by several orders of magnitude than he would if his career ends with Sri Lanka performances being the highlight.So pretty soon, it starts to feel like bowling 15-20 overs a day in Test cricket is like getting a several-year loan to buy a reliable Toyota for your family, only for some Crypto kid to pull up next to you at the colour-light in their fully paid-for Bugatti.Cricket slavishly follows the money now, rather than any other kind of value, and yet the likes of Asitha and Vishwa are still out here doing Test cricket justice by bringing everything they have to it. Asitha has bowling figures like 0 for 110, and 0 for 77 on his record, and yet somehow his work has never felt like “toil”. The word implies a physical limpness that Asitha has simply not allowed to enter his cricketing consciousness.Vishwa Fernando struck twice on the first day•Sri Lanka CricketHe may be a limited bowler in terms of height, pace, and skill, but to watch him operate in Tests is to watch naked and more-or-less relentless ambition. He took 2 for 43 on day one, on an SSC track not especially suited to his bowling (it was a bit slow for a seamer who tends to skid it on). He had had Anamul Haque dropped before he eventually took that wicket in his second over. Late in the day, he got one to pitch on a length, seam away, and hit the top of Nayeem Hasan’s off stump. He was pumped. But then he usually is.Vishwa, meanwhile, has always had the more laidback temperament. His mode of operation has been swing and seam, and he wiled his way through day one, less physically domineering than Asitha, but no less relentless, no less intense in the challenges he poses to batters. He moved it a little into the left-handers early on, but the seam movement had disappeared by the time a ball in the channel drew Najmul Hossain Shanto’s outside edge. Vishwa, a less-than-six-feet medium-pace bowler, will point to the bouncer he bowled the previous ball as a perfect set-up delivery to the wicket-taking one. You could doubt that explanation, but there’s no doubting figures of 2 for 35 off 16 overs – that economy rate being 2.18. There is almost no scorecard in the world in which those are not good figures.Sri Lankan Test seam bowling doesn’t necessarily have so rich a tradition, only three of their quicks (Chaminda Vaas, Malinga, and Suranga Lakmal) have ever taken more than 100 Test wickets. But as Test cricket appears to be winding down in several of its markets, it feels like Asitha and Vishwa are now partakers of a separate, global club of Test bowlers, who have trained their bodies to bowl 15-20 overs a day, and find themselves less valued than bowlers who send down only four.In this group, there are players such as Chris Martin, who took 233 Test wickets for New Zealand and was taking university courses (presumably to broaden job opportunities) well into his 30s, while sharing a dressing room with the likes of Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor – each IPL millionaires. Others like Kemar Roach, owner of one of the most vicious inswingers in world cricket, has watched other careers take off into the T20 league stratosphere, while his remained moored to a middling West Indies Test side. Mohammad Abbas, Neil Wagner, Ebadot Hossain, Vernon Philander, Blessing Muzarabani – all these bowlers belong to this genre.Chris Martin leads a pack of Test fast bowlers who are valued lesser than T20 ones•Associated PressFor many in the non Big-Three sphere, it has begun to feel as if the publicity gained from “Saving Test Cricket” has become more profitable than the saving of Test cricket. This is why Bazball is able to equate the health of this format to scoring at between 4 and 4.5 per over, for example, while England has not hosted Bangladesh in the last 14 years, or Zimbabwe in more than 20 until the current summer. Australia have, in previous administrative eras, been hesitant tourists to South Asia. India’s modern top players play roughly half their Tests against the other Big Three teams. Jasprit Bumrah has played 59% of his 46 Tests against Australia and England.Still, what is happening at the SSC is Test cricket too, at least under current definitions. And increasingly Test cricket feels like a concept divorced from merit. Two of the three World Test Championship winners are sides with ailing Test programmes. Cricket has no serious will to fix that.The likes of Asitha and Vishwa will never have the chance to develop their Test-bowling skills as much as bowlers from nations that have stronger cricketing economies do. These are the margins of Test cricket that are most at-risk. If Asitha and Vishwa don’t make it, then who is going to inspire the next generation of Lankan red-ball bowlers?But at least in 2025, these two are still here, still putting their bodies through the seam-bowling rigours, and still taking important wickets. Test cricket is lucky to still have them.
Boult also went past Richard Hadlee for the most five-fors for New Zealand in an action-packed first innings at The Oval
Sampath Bandarupalli13-Sep-2023182 Ben Stokes’ score against New Zealand is now the highest for England in ODI cricket, surpassing Jason Roy’s 180 against Australia in 2018 at the MCG.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Number of individual scores higher than Stokes’ 182 while batting at No. 4 or lower in ODIs. Viv Richards’ unbeaten 189 against England in the 1984 Manchester ODI remains the highest, which came while batting at No.4.2 Players with a higher individual score against New Zealand in ODIs than Stokes’ 182. Shubman Gill scored 208 at the start of the year, while Sachin Tendulkar made an unbeaten 186 in 1999, both in Hyderabad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Stokes’ 182 is also the highest individual score in ODIs at The Oval, surpassing Evin Lewis’ 176 not out against England in 2017. The previous highest score for an England batter at the venue was Roy’s 162 against Sri Lanka in 2016.Related
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84 Runs scored by Stokes in the midwicket region with eight fours and five sixes. Out of his 182 runs, 141 came on the leg side including 12 fours and eight sixes.368 England’s total against New Zealand is the second-highest all-out total in the men’s ODIs, behind West Indies’ 389 all-out against England in 2019.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 England’s total of 368 is also the second-highest in ODIs at The Oval, behind New Zealand’s 398 for 5 against the hosts in 2015.31 Runs aggregated by England’s bottom six batters (6-11) in the third ODI. It is their lowest in an all-out innings in ODIs since the 2015 World Cup game against New Zealand, where the bottom six batters collectively scored only nine runs.6 Five-wicket hauls for Trent Boult in ODIs, the most by any bowler for New Zealand in the format, going past Sir Richard Hadlee’s five five-fors. It was also Boult’s maiden five-wicket haul away from home.6 Instances of a batter scoring 150-plus runs and a bowler taking five-plus wickets in the same ODI innings. Stokes’ 182 is the highest individual score in an ODI where an opposition bowler has taken a five-wicket haul.
Thirty-five years on, a look back at the last-ball six that marked a high point in Pakistan’s cricket history
Osman Samiuddin18-Apr-2021The mid-pitch conference at Sharjah lasted at least twenty seconds. Javed Miandad, one hand on hip, one on bat, lush moustache dominating face, now remembers remarkably little of it. ‘It was one of those nothing ones, where you just hang around, catch a breath,’ he says. The conference the ball before had been, he believes, the crucial one. ‘That was when I had told him that we have to take a single, no matter what.”Him’ remembers it differently, as perhaps he would. Tauseef Ahmed–no off-spinner so resembled Lionel Ritchie–wasn’t even supposed to be there. The wicketkeeper Zulqernain had been sent above Tauseef, after Ramiz Raja told captain Imran Khan that he hit big sixes in club games in Lahore. He could, but he didn’t–despite Tauseef telling him to go for a single to get Miandad on strike just before he went out–and when he was bowled attempting one of those sixes, two balls were left, five runs needed.Tauseef’s memory is sharper, and in it, he inverts what Miandad wrote in his autobiography. Perhaps his children believe him. ‘I told Javed when I came out that we simply had to take a run no matter what, even if the ball went to the wicketkeeper. Javed asked me whether I was sure, and I said we don’t have a chance otherwise.’ So Tauseef bunted towards cover and ran. Mohammad Azharuddin, one of the world’s best fielders, ran in, picked up and missed the stumps from no more than four feet.Related
Six and done – Javed saves the best for last
Miandad seals it with a six
Then came the mid-pitch conference. ‘He came to me and asked me, “What do you think he’ll try to do?”’ continues Tauseef. ‘I said he’ll definitely go for a yorker. Javed said, “Yes, and that means it could also become a full toss if he doesn’t get it right.” In any case, Javed was standing out of his crease a little.’Chetan Sharma bowled perhaps the world’s best-known yorker gone wrong•Adrian Murrell/Getty ImagesNineteen years later, on a train ride from Visakhapatnam to Jamshedpur, a group of Indian and Pakistani journalists sat in a berth with Chetan Sharma, once cricketer of India and planner of that yorker, then reporter for Zee TV. The journey was twenty-seven hours in the middle of a hectic tour, so talk naturally could be of one thing alone. A few beers down, surreptitiously consumed as if he was doing so in a dorm at boarding school, Sharma was the entertainment. Story after story came out, achievements and disappointments, selectorial slights, a*****e teammates, of what is wrong with everything in Indian cricket, the media, the world. Journalists being journalists, especially Pakistani ones, and fond of dealing in misery, there was only one story everyone wanted to hear. It wasn’t about Sharma’s unexpected ODI century as a pinch-hitter against England. It wasn’t even about a World Cup hat-trick. After a cigarette break, it was decided that the question would finally be asked; having held out for five hours, the great, stinking big elephant in the room would have to be poked. Two hours in, an outsider walking by recognizing Sharma, had stepped in excitedly wanting to chat; the journalists felt could’ve been the moment but he merely asked about Sharma’s hat-trick and left.Finally, the man from Reuters asked: ‘Chetan bhai, tell us one thing… what were you…’ Sharma interrupted. He knew this question. He had probably answered it to himself a million times over. ‘Arrey yaar, I just wanted to bowl a yorker.’He wanted to, but he didn’t. After the mid-pitch chat, Miandad stood at his wicket looking around the field. He needed four somewhere. He counted fielders around the ground–perhaps hoping it had swallowed a few–and took guard. Had Miandad successfully petitioned God for the ideal delivery, he could not have conjured up a better one; a thigh-high full toss, swinging in to his legs. He put it somewhere in the region of the stands at midwicket, arms raised almost in one motion from finishing the shot, and off he ran. Iftikhar Ahmed, the TV commentator, waited three seconds before concluding: ‘It’s a six … and Pakistan have won … unnnnbelievable win by Pakistan …’ He was calmer than many could hope to be and certainly more than the strangled screech heard just before his voice, a more manic subcontinent predecessor to Budweiser’s ingratiating ‘Waazzzup’; that it came from the short, round Mushtaq Mohammad, only nominally an impartial expert in the commentary box, is unsurprising.Like cartoons running away from a building on fire, Miandad and Tauseef hurtled to the pavilion from where a sizeable crowd was already pouring out. Smartly, Miandad–just behind Tauseef–curved away off-screen, while Tauseef went straight into the fans. He was greeted by fast bowling teammate Zakir Khan just before a , local police, seemed to knock him down with his baton, trying to control the crowd. ‘No, no, he didn’t hit me,’ Tauseef busted one enduring comic myth, ‘he just bumped into me and knocked me over.’Going downtown again: Miandad smacks one in a Benson and Hedges Cup game in Perth in 1987•Associated PressThat one shot was like a mince grinder in reverse. Into that burst went every strand of the transformation Pakistan had undergone over the preceding decade and half; the emergence of a superstar core, the spread of the game, the growing power of the player, the administrative vision of Abdul Hafeez Kardar and Nur Khan, the birth of departmental cricket, the rise of TV, more money. On the other side came out one solid lump of a golden age, the most golden age, in fact, Pakistan has ever had.Until came the logical conclusion in 1992 of the World Cup triumph, Pakistan were arguably the best side in the world alongside the West Indies. They lost just one Test series till 1993 (and only three in the decade between 1985 and 1995) and won a host of ODI tournaments, not least in Sharjah itself. Until 1999, by which time they had fallen–but still only lost six series from thirty-six–they remained one of the top sides in the world.To Miandad, describing the innings is dependent on his mood and bearing. Sometimes it is a simple gift from God. ‘Let’s take it from the start,’ he begins, and he really does. ‘I believe in Quran and its verses. I read it right? So I used to always pray to God that in my own field, help me do this one big feat that will always be remembered. This was my prayer.’I saw there were bigger players before me, who weren’t remembered. So I always prayed that I do something big. I used to tell myself, even if I die in the field, I don’t care. It’s like a soldier dying on duty. It is (martyrdom). That innings was like a gift to me. I didn’t play cricket like that, ever. That match … it was like a film. When I dream, it was like a film whose story has been written and now the film is being made. You cannot imagine one of the best fielders, from a few yards away missing three stumps, that you went in such crisis, wickets are falling, you are saved from a run-out, one four is stopped in last over, last ball finish, where the match was and where it went. This is a gift. To describe it is impossible. This was a gift from God.’Sometimes he takes recourse in rationality. ‘When I started, we’d already lost a few wickets, so the plan was to bat till the end so that even if we lost, we did with some dignity. Gradually, I started taking chances. Mostly I took risks with the running, but I’d hit a boundary and then stop for a few overs, before trying it again. We got to the last 20 overs still needing 9 or 10 per over. That was when I started actively working it out in my head, what we needed every over, where to get it, who to work with. By the time the last ball was to be bowled, I had become a computer: I knew exactly what Chetan was going to do, so I stood well out of my crease. He tried a yorker but being that far out, it became a high-ish full toss and I just swung. As soon as I connected, I knew it was gone.’
Elly De La Cruz is a first-time All-Star this season and among his experiences this week, meeting his favorite player will probably rank at the top.
On Monday night, as De La Cruz sat at Fox's baseball desk for an interview, he revealed his favorite player was sitting there with him. The 22-year-old Cincinnati Reds shortstop said, "I grew up as a [Derek] Jeter fan. He was my favorite player growing up." At that, Jeter reached across and shook his hand.
That's an incredibly sweet moment. A young star and a Hall of Famer connecting on the field at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. Beautiful.
De La Cruz is one of baseball's brightest young stars. He finished the first half slashing .256/.346/.483 with 17 home runs, 43 RBI, a .830 OPS, 3.2 WAR and an MLB-best 46 stolen bases. He's electric and seeing him turn into a fanboy in the presence of Jeter was great.
An “elite” midfielder has now risen to the top of Ruben Amorim’s shortlist, with Manchester United very keen to strengthen in the engine room.
Man Utd eyeing new midfielder amid Mainoo's lack of minutes
Kobbie Mainoo has played just 171 minutes across nine Premier League matches this season, most recently being brought on in stoppage time to help Man United close out a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace.
Falling down the pecking order is far from ideal for the Englishman, who will have ambitions of going to the World Cup next summer, having played a vital role in the Three Lions reaching the final of Euro 2024.
The Devils’ Advocate co-host Joe McGrath has now claimed United should sanction a loan move this winter, saying: “We had a player worth – and is still worth – £80m or £90m. A young England international. He’s so good. We can’t let his standards drop and we need to let him go on loan.
Should that happen, the Red Devils will need to bring in a replacement, and Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson has now emerged as Amorim’s top target, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing the 23-year-old is their ‘clear favourite’.
There are a number of other options on the shortlist namely Adam Wharton, Joao Gomes, Conor Gallagher and Morten Hjulmand, with United clearly determined to bring in a midfielder.
Signing Anderson is now Amorim’s priority, however, even though it could take a huge bid to get a deal over the line, with the Tricky Trees planning to hold out for around £100m.
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A number of top Premier League clubs are now queuing up to sign the England international, including Manchester City and Liverpool, so Man United would be making a real statement if they were able to win the race for his signature.
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It is no surprise so many teams are eager to sign the Forest star, given the impression he’s made for both club and country, with Thomas Tuchel recently lauding the central midfielder as “elite”.
The former Newcastle United man has also been in top form in the Premier League, completing a total of 736 short passes, the fifth-highest number of any player.
It is the correct decision to pinpoint Anderson as the top target, but United’s ability to compete for his signature will likely depend on whether they qualify for Europe, amid rival interest from some top clubs.
Suspended Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is in line for a surprise return to action next month after not featuring for over a year, according to reports.
Mykhailo Mudryk banned for positive drugs test
Mudryk’s absence from Chelsea’s first-team setup has now exceeded twelve months, with the Ukrainian international last appearing competitively on November 28 last year before his career ground to a dramatic halt.
The 24-year-old tested positive for meldonium, a performance-enhancing substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations.
Following confirmation of his B sample analysis in June, the FA formally charged Mudryk, leaving him facing a potential ban ranging between two and four years if found guilty.
Throughout the ordeal, Mudryk has maintained complete innocence, and even voluntarily undertook a lie detector test which supported his version of events.
Ukrainian sports journalists have theorised that contaminated stem cell treatment administered during international duty may explain the adverse finding, suggesting the injection originated from cattle previously exposed to meldonium.
Chelsea sanctioned the record £88.5 million transfer from Shakhtar in January 2023, initially viewing him as a transformative attacking signing after hijacking Arsenal’s deal.
However, his Stamford Bridge career proved underwhelming even before the suspension materialised, with inconsistent performances failing to justify the enormous investment.
The club reassigned his prestigious number ten shirt to Cole Palmer following Mudryk’s suspension, signalling their acceptance of a prolonged absence.
Chelsea also reinforced their attacking options by striking deals for Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer, further blocking any potential pathway back into Enzo Maresca’s plans.
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Reports have suggested that, once Mudryk is eligible to play again, Chelsea could allow the forward to join sister club Strasbourg on loan in a bid to reignite his career.
Mykhailo Mudryk in line for January return as Sevilla eye Chelsea loan deal
Now, according to journalist JM Villalba and Canal Sur Radio, that eligibility could be as early as next month.
Speaking to the Spanish broadcaster, Villalba has reported that Mudryk will be able to play again after January 17, and this has piqued interest from La Liga side Sevilla.
Chelsea's MykhailoMudryk
The club are considering a deal for Mudryk once he comes back midway through next month, which is a surprise when factoring in how very little we’ve heard about the winger’s return timeline.
If Mudryk is indeed eligible for a January renaissance, BlueCo should certainly green-light a temporary move away for him.
He quite simply needs game time and renewed confidence following the lengthy layoff, controversy and serious drop down Maresca’s pecking order, with the Spanish top flight potentially providing that needed reintroduction to competitive action.
That being said, it should be a dry loan with no option or obligation to buy, with Chelsea poised to make a key decision about Mudryk’s long-term future.
He still has six years remaining on his current contract, giving the Blues plenty of time to do so.