Thomas Frank’s time in charge of Tottenham Hotspur may not be going exactly to plan at this moment in time, as his side have been in concerning form of late.

The Lilywhites have conceded 11 goals in their last three games in all competitions, losing 5-3 to PSG and 4-1 to Arsenal in their last two outings since returning from the international break.

Tottenham have won one of their last six games in all competitions, keeping one clean sheet in that time, and this shows that Frank and his staff have plenty of work to do to improve the team’s defensive record.

Spurs let in 65 goals in 38 Premier League games in the 2024/25 season under Ange Postecoglou, which shows that this is not a new issue, and it may take time for the problem to be solved.

Whilst there is plenty of attention on the defensive side of their game, and rightly so given recent results, there should also be attention given to where they need to improve at the other end of the pitch.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with one assist, was one of the standout performers for PSG, as he moved to eight goal contributions for the season, but Spurs do not have similar quality in their wide areas.

Ranking Tottenham's wingers this season

The Lilywhites spent £55m to sign Mohammed Kudus from Premier League rivals West Ham to bolster their ranks out wide in the summer transfer window, and he has been arguably the best winger at the club this season.

In the 2025/26 campaign, the Ghana international has more assists (five) than any other player in the squad for Spurs, with one assist on top of all of that creativity, per Transfermarkt.

However, even then, there is plenty of room for him to improve because of a return of one goal in 17 appearances in all competitions is far from an exceptional return for a £55m signing.

On the flip side, Brennan Johnson has scored four goals in 18 matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, yet he has failed to provide a single assist for his teammates, which shows that he needs to improve on the creative side of the game.

Ranking Tottenham’s wingers this season

Rank

Player

1

Mohammed Kudus

2

Brennan Johnson

3

Wilson Odobert

4

Xavi Simons

5

Mathys Tel

As you can see in the table above, Wilson Odobert ranks just below the two of them, because he has one goal and two assists in just 751 minutes of football as a young player who is still learning and improving.

Xavi Simons, signed for £52m from Leipzig, and Mathys Tel, who have both played centrally and wide, have each registered just two goal contributions in all competitions, which is why they must rank fourth and fifth.

All of this shows that Frank does not have many amazing options in the wide areas, but that could change for the second half of the season if things go to plan.

Spurs told that £50m bid will be accepted for Premier League forward

According to former Aberdeen, Everton, and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness, Tottenham Hotspur could sign Savinho from Manchester City in the January transfer window.

The ex-Premier League chief has told Spurs that a bid of £50m could be enough for them to tempt the Cityzens into cashing on the Brazil international, after the Lilywhites failed with a £60m approach for the forward in the summer.

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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Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness said: “There are a lot of City fans complaining about him, et cetera, et cetera. But I do think he’s a quality player.

“I think a change of scenery would obviously do him the world of good. And I think it’ll give Spurs a chance to get a better deal with City. And I do expect something like this to happen in January. So I do expect probably a bit of not so much cut-price, but certainly lower than expected, maybe around a 50 million mark even with bonuses for a player of that quality.”

Savinho has only started four matches in the Premier League for Manchester City so far this season, with the likes of Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku ahead of him, and Wyness seemingly believes that his lack of game time could open the door for Spurs.

It is now down to Fabio Paratici and Frank, though, to do a deal with City and to convince the Brazilian star to make the move to North London, because he could be their own Kvaratskhelia.

Why Spurs should sign Savinho

Like Kudus, Savinho is not a winger who is likely to come in and score 20 or more goals a season like Mo Salah or Vinicius Jr, because he has only scored four goals in all competitions since the start of last season, per Sofascore.

However, the 21-year-old talent is an exceptional dribbler and creator who could provide an exciting presence for supporters to watch out wide in the second half of the season and beyond.

Kvaratskhelia, who is valued at £79m, is one of the best wingers in the world, having won Ligue 1 and the Champions League, scoring in the final, last season, so it would be unrealistic to expect Tottenham to sign a winger who is exactly like him in every area of the game.

However, as you can see in the chart above, Savinho is very much like the Georgian star when it comes to creating chances and dribbling past opposition players on the wing, based on their respective statistics over the last 365 days.

In fact, the Brazilian Spurs target was one of the most creative players in his position in all of the top five major European leagues in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the table below.

Most LW assists in Top 5 Leagues (24/25)

Player

Assists

Raphinha

12

Bradley Barcola

11

Vincenzo Grifo

11

Vinicius Jr

10

Rafa Leao

10

Moses Simon

10

Alex Baena

10

Heung-min Son

10

Savinho

10

Zuriko Davitashvili

8

Stats via Transfermarkt

Whilst he may not be in the best moment at Manchester City, with one goal and two assists in 15 appearances, his form last term shows that he is capable of being an elite creator and dribbler in the Premier League.

Savinho, who Paul Merson claimed could be a “superstar”, ranked in the top 6% of his positional peers for xAG (0.27) in the Champions League and the top 4% in the Premier League with 0.35 xAG, per FBref.

These statistics and his statistics in comparison to Kvaratskhelia suggest that Spurs would be signing an exceptional young creator on the wing if they snap him up in January.

That is why Paratici should hope that Wyness is right and that a deal could be done for £50m, because the Brazilian could arrive in North London as their own version of the PSG superstar because of his creative and dribbling skills.

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

INEOS have not been afraid to splash the cash since taking the reins of Manchester United.

The 13-time Premier League champions are in dire straits, with manager Ruben Amorim yet to string a convincing run of games together, having won just 12 Premier League games in as many months in charge.

However, that is not for lack of backing in the transfer market. Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought four expensive players, including a new look attack consisting of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha.

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also joined the club to help shelve issues between the posts.

However, it does not seem like United’s heavy spending will be done there, with the club reportedly targeting another star attacker.

United’s latest attacking target

The Red Devils have certainly been linked with some superstars in recent days.

Transfer Focus

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

One of those is Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, although they face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal for the £123m-rated attacker.

Aside from the Frenchman, it seems like United are in the race to sign Real Madrid and Brazil attacker Vinicius Junior.

According to Football Insider, Amorim’s side are one of the clubs ‘interested’ in signing the Los Blancos star, who has reportedly fallen out with manager Xabi Alonso.

This has led to claims that the 25-year-old has refused to sign a new deal at the Bernabeu, and, with his contract up in 2027, he could be available at a cut-price fee.

Indeed, that is still as high as £80m, but given his quality and the state of the market, that seems a good price. United would have to rival Liverpool for his signature.

Why Vinicius would be a perfect Cunha upgrade

There are few players in the world as deadly in attack as Madrid’s number seven, Vinicius. Although this season under Alonso has been tougher than previous campaigns in the Spanish capital, his quality speaks for itself.

Yet, even then, his 2025/26 season so far has been impressive. The former Flamengo star has managed five goals and four assists in 13 La Liga games, and 901 minutes.

That leaves him with a goal involvement every 100 minutes.

Surprisingly, he’s yet to score or assist in the Champions League this season, but that is a competition where he’s had plenty of prior success.

The 2021/22 campaign, where Los Blancos lifted the trophy, saw him register 11 goal involvements. Two years later, they won it again, with Vincius scoring six times and assisting five in just ten games, including a goal in the final.

If Vinicius were to move to Old Trafford, he could be considered an upgrade on Brazil teammate Cunha.

Of course, the new Red Devils number ten only moved to Old Trafford this summer, joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £62.5m.

In terms of his sheer goals and assists output, the 19-cap Brazil star has only chipped in with one Premier League goal, an excellent finish against Brighton and Hove Albion.

He has seemingly impressed Amorim, who said he is a “maverick” footballer.

Yet, there is little doubt that Vinicius, described by Statman Dave as “the best player on the planet” back in the Champions League-winning season of 2023/24, would be an upgrade on his countryman.

Aside from his output, his pace and skill in one-vs-one situations are deadly.

Indeed, the stats from the current season back that up. For example, the Los Blancos number seven averages 3 successful take-ons and 8.9 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to 1.97 completed take-ons and 2.63 progressive carries for Cunha.

Vinicius & Cunha – 25/26 compared
Stat (per 90)	Vinicius	Cunha
Goals and assists	0.9	0.13
Key passes	2.9	1.32
Goal-creating actions	0.8	0.13
Progressive carries	8.9	2.63
Take-ons completed	3	1.97
Stats from FBref

Whilst Cunha has enjoyed a good start to life at Old Trafford, Vinicius could take Amorim’s side to a whole new level. His deadly dribbling ability and eye for goal make him a complete attacker, one of the world’s best.

£80m isn’t the most outlandish fee for the quality of player. Perhaps the Brazilian could be the man who can finally make things click for Amorim at United.

Mbeumo upgrade: INEOS want to sign "best player in the world" for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to target another elite-level talent for Ruben Amorim in the months ahead.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2025

The Australian model goes significantly further than the version implemented by the BCCI since the ICC allowed domestic competitions to trial injury subs

Alex Malcolm29-Sep-2025Cricket Australia will trial an injury replacement rule in the first five rounds of this season’s Sheffield Shield competition, and allow the opposition to make a corresponding substitution, with a view to passing on the findings to the ICC as discussions continue about the introduction of injury substitutes in Test cricket.CA has communicated with the six state teams in recent weeks, outlining the details of the rule which will be implemented across the first half of the season, which starts on Saturday. It will differ significantly from the “serious injury replacement substitute” rule the BCCI has brought into India’s domestic first-class competition recently.The Australian version has been designed with the aim of covering all injuries, preventing fit fast bowlers from being overloaded for the remainder of the match if they lose a fast-bowling mate early in the game, and to maintain competitive balance within matches while trying to avoid any manipulation.Related

• Abbott first to be subbed out under new Sheffield Shield injury rule

• Salzmann, Lyon give New South Wales hope after Konstas misses again

• Van Heerden becomes first injury substitute under new trial

• Gambhir bats for injury replacements in Tests, Stokes finds idea 'ridiculous'

• BCCI introduces 'serious injury replacement substitute' rule in multi-day competitions

Currently, teams can make unlimited concussion substitutions across all four days of a Shield game – and that will remain unchanged – but under the trial there will be an additional like-for-like injury replacement available to both teams up until stumps on day two.Teams will be allowed to replace any player with another player of the same skill set (for example, a fast bowler for a fast bowler, a batter for a batter, a spinner for a spinner) as a result of any injury or illness that has occurred from any point after the toss. Teams will need to make a request to the match referee, who will determine the legitimacy of the injury and approve the replacement.This differs from the BCCI rule, which dictates the injury has to have happened during the game and needs to be external (like taking a blow resulting in a deep cut or fracture) rather than internal (like a hamstring strain).The issue was in the spotlight during the recent England-India Test series where both sides had players suffer significant external injuries: Rishabh Pant with a fractured foot at Old Trafford and Chris Woakes with a dislocated shoulder at The Oval.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

An interesting element to what CA is introducing is the ability for the opposition to match a substitution. If a team uses the injury replacement rule, the opposition will be allowed to bring in a “tactical substitute” in response by the close of day two. But that substitute must be the same type of player as was injured in the opposition.For example, in the round one clash this week between Western Australia and New South Wales at the WACA ground, if a WA fast bowler was injured and was replaced by another WA fast bowler, NSW could make a tactical substitution but could only swap out a fast bowler for a fast bowler. They could not make a tactical substitution like swapping a batter for a batter because of form in the first innings.The match referee can also put restrictions on the involvement of both replacement players. A batter may be instructed that they cannot bowl if they are replacing a batter who does not regularly bowl. The replacement players also automatically inherit any warnings that have been imposed on the replaced player, such as for running on the pitch.Another key element is that in the case of the player who is ruled out through injury or illness, they will undergo a mandatory 12-day non-playing period that starts from the second day of the match that they were subbed out of.This means that if a player were to be replaced for injury in the first two days of round one, their non-playing period would start from October 5, meaning they would not be eligible to play in the One-Day Cup matches on October 9 or the second Shield round, which begins on October 15.There is a slight wrinkle for the states to manage in that teams will only initially be permitted to travel with 12 players, as has been the norm in Australian domestic cricket for many years, with the exception being Western Australia or teams travelling to Western Australia due to the length of that flight and the difficulty in getting other reserve players there on short notice. WA, when they travel interstate, and teams who travel to WA, are permitted to have a squad of 13.Teams who are playing away from home on the east coast will be able to fly an injury replacement in at short notice if needed on the first two days of a game if the 12th man is not a like for like. The states have been encouraged to carry a spare fast bowler as the 12th player on most occasions as the majority of replacements will be to fast bowlers based off the injury data CA has used to help form this new rule. CA wanted to avoid teams carrying large squads unnecessarily.The ICC has agreed that all matches during the trial period will retain first-class status. During the first five rounds, CA will be sourcing feedback from the states on the success of the trial and it is leaving open the possibility of continuing it further into round six and or round seven. CA will also look at potential alterations to the trial from round seven onwards or cancelling it altogether.

Having declared overnight, India completed their demolition of WI after lunch on day three

Alagappan Muthu04-Oct-20255:02

Chopra: Gulf between India, West Indies there for everyone to see

Ravindra Jadeja has been building a case to be one of the best allrounders in the game. A four-for to follow a hundred against West Indies to start the new home season was just the latest evidence he offered in favour of that argument. On the back of his 104 not out and 4 for 54, India completed an innings win with two-and-a-half days to spare.A proud record stood tall between February 22, 2013 and October 25, 2024. It buckled 24 hours later. India lost a Test series on home soil for the first time in nearly 12 years. Many of the players who had contributed to that run are now retired, including Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara. But Jadeja remains.He was there when India began that run against Australia in Chennai. He was there when New Zealand broke them last year in Pune. And he was there once again, lifting them back up against West Indies now. At 36 years old, it is unclear how much cricket is left in him but it was poetic that in the first of 66 Tests that India had to play at home without R Ashwin, his old pal came up with a hundred and a four-for.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Alick Athanaze carried the West Indies flag, showing why he is rated as a good player of spin. He picked up length well. He was decisive going forward or back. And he remembered to put pressure back, two rock-solid reverse sweeps for four and one sumptuous cover drive for three highlighted his process. All of those scoring shots were against half-volleys that were well wide of the stumps. This is the judgment and the competence that convinced the coach Daren Sammy and the management to bring him back into the Test side.India, though, kept placing new threats in front of Athanaze. Jasprit Bumrah hit him on the helmet. Washington Sundar tested him with the ball turning away. They were waiting for Athanaze to be just slightly off with his process and eventually, after 73 balls, he was, closing the face of the bat, baited by an offbreak that pitched on middle. Washington took a simple catch, which then led to a symbolic representation of West Indies’ batting in this Test.Jomel Warrican tried to impose himself on Mohammed Siraj, swinging as hard as he could, only for his bat to fly out of his grip and land at square leg. The ball meanwhile settled in mid-off’s hands.Alick Athanaze offered some resilience for West Indies•Getty Images

West Indies are a side still building its best batters. Ahead of this tour, they were shorn of two of their best bowlers. This informed the challenge they could pose. They are struggling to find a better opener than John Campbell, 32, who is the third-most experienced player in this XI. He has 23 caps and in all that time, he has no centuries. Even in first-class cricket, after 101 matches, he has only nine centuries. In Ahmedabad, he fell for 8 and 14. The only slightly younger Tagenarine Chanderpaul finished with 0 and 8. Top-order returns like that just won’t do.Jadeja is sometimes accused of being that left-arm spinner who just fires the ball in and lets the pitch do its work. But he knows how to work batters out too. He saw Brandon King lunging forward to try and smother the turn and that helped him once. He hit a crisp cover drive for four. It also led to his downfall as Jadeja recalibrated his flight. It was still full so it triggered King’s instinct to get on the front foot. But he had no way of getting to the pitch of this one. Having committed to the shot, he ended up vulnerable to the turn and presented a straightforward catch to slip. All this happened in the space of two overs. In that small period of time, Jadeja turned what the batter thought was a strength into a weakness.Siraj was the other bowler among the wickets, taking five or more over the course of a home Test for the first time.West Indies lost 10 wickets in two sessions on the first day. They did it again on the third day. Only two players got into the 30s. Only two faced 50 or more balls. They have five days to address these problems before the start of the second game in Delhi. The wait to win a Test match against India in India, which is into its 31st year, continues.

Newcastle United have now reportedly been offered the opportunity to finally sign James Trafford in a deal that would see Tino Livramento head in the opposite direction to Manchester City.

The Magpies certainly have a lot to think about ahead of 2026. With new sporting director Ross Wilson in place, they’ll be hoping to avoid the chaos of missing out on top targets to hand Eddie Howe some much-needed reinforcements.

He'd revive Elanga: Newcastle could hire "one of the best managers in the PL"

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 20, 2025

Howe’s side enter this weekend’s clash against Man City in desperate need of three points, having entered the international break off the back of a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford. Currently sat as low as 14th in the Premier League, the Newcastle boss reiterated that he’s looking for a response from his players on Saturday night.

There would be no better way to get back on track than a victory against a side with Man City’s quality, but then it’s about consistency for the Magpies. On the pitch, they must turn things around in preparation for what could be a busy January transfer window.

Already, reports are claiming that they’re still interested in signing Trafford and could be handed an interesting opportunity to do so in 2026.

Newcastle offered chance to sign James Trafford

As reported by TeamTalk, Newcastle have now been offered the chance to sign Trafford by Man City, who are looking to strike a swap deal involving Livramento. The Citizens were interested in the versatile right-back in the summer, but were priced out of a move thanks to the Magpies’ eye-watering £80m price-tag.

Now, just months later, it looks as though City are once again interested in a move for the England international and are already willing to cut ties with Trafford to make a move happen.

The shot-stopper returned to the club with the hope of finally becoming their number one, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival to bring an end to those plans. Left to watch on from the bench ever since, he could certainly do with another call from those in Tyneside.

That said, whilst Newcastle’s admiration for Trafford is clear, it remains to be seen whether he’s valued higher than Livramento in Tyneside. The goalkeeper has been described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola, but even that may not be enough to convince Newcastle to sacrifice their star defender.

Bigger talent than Anderson: Newcastle have 'one of the world's best teens'

Unai Emery hailed Morgan Rogers’ match-winning brace in Aston Villa’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds – but warned the forward that his brilliance stemmed from being “hungry and angry” to deliver more goals. After a difficult start to the season, the England international erupted with a stunning performance that left his manager demanding even higher standards.

• Rogers bags spectacular brace in Aston Villa's Leeds win

  Aston Villa secured their sixth win in seven league matches as Rogers delivered a sensational brace to overturn an early Leeds lead at Elland Road. The 23-year-old equalised with an inventive near-post flick before stepping up again after the break to bury a superb free-kick, echoing Emi Buendia’s memorable strike against Bournemouth. His goals arrived at a crucial moment for a player who has been under scrutiny after a slow start to the 2025/26 season.

  Rogers had entered the campaign facing heightened expectations following last year’s breakout, but his form initially dipped as Aston Villa adjusted tactically and opposition sides paid closer attention to him. His brace against Leeds, though, represented a decisive resurgence, reaffirming his importance to Emery’s system.

  The Elland Road display came on the back of a confidence-boosting equaliser against Tottenham last month, suggesting Rogers is beginning to recover the sharpness that defined his 27-goal contributions last year. With Villa aiming for greater consistency in attack, the return of Rogers’ decisiveness could not have been better timed. His performance ensured Villa departed Leeds with momentum and renewed optimism.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Emery wants Rogers to remain 'angry'

  “Through numbers it is more brilliant and really relevant, his work today,” Emery said when speaking to reporters about Morgan. “His impact was positive with goals. Always he plays well. He does his task and he is versatile across different positions.

  “Maybe today he showed that he is angry to score. Being angry, he scored two goals, focusing on how he could get numbers. He did it, helping the team and for our victory today. He is a player who can get numbers. Last year he got double numbers for goals and assists. This year I think he will get this again.

  “He was playing fantastic before this match, not getting numbers, but helping the team. With those goals today, it’s more brilliant. I think Morgan is very important when he is scoring and when he is not scoring. He is working tactically, being versatile, and performing very consistently.”

  Asked what he meant by angry, Emery said: “Hungry and angry to score. Both. It is in this direction.”

• Emery opens up on Aston Villa's resurgence after poor start

  Emery continued on to talk about Aston Villa's overall performance: “Overall, I am happy with the team. Through our structure, tactically, we were disciplined and organised. We played with personality. Each player felt comfortable in their best position and getting confidence.”

  “There is still some work to do for some players, but how we are progressively getting better is really something I am proud of. I am very demanding in our way because now we are better in the table.”

  “My message is the same. We are not contenders for the top six or top four. We fought fantastic to be there or competing for those positions. Now we want to do the same.”

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Aston Villa finally picking up form ahead of festive period

  Rogers’ brace sets up a pivotal stretch in which Villa will look to maintain their form heading into a tightly packed December schedule. First off, they will face off against Young Boys on Thursday, November 27. They will then face off against Wolves and Brighton before a crucial test against Arsenal at Villa Park.

  For Rogers, the challenge now is to turn a brilliant afternoon in Leeds into a sustained run of form after a testing start to the campaign. His underlying numbers have suggested a player close to finding rhythm, and the brace may prove the catalyst for an extended resurgence.

CA chief says approval has come through and players will join the league as scheduled

Andrew McGlashan25-Oct-2025Pakistan players with deals in the BBL have been given approval to join the competition after concerns they would be caught up in the PCB’s refusal to issue No Objection Certificates for overseas tournaments.In late September, the PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed sent a notice informing players and agents of the board’s decision to stop players joining T20 leagues. However, on Saturday, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the Pakistan players would arrive for the BBL as scheduled.”That came through last week,” Greenberg said. “So they’ll all be playing, they’ve all been cleared to play, which we’re really excited about because we’ve got some great Pakistan players in the BBL, so looking forward to seeing them here this summer.”Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder) are those with deals for the tournament that begins on December 14 and runs to January 25.An eagerly anticipated head-to-head are the contests between Babar and Shaheen which will take place on January 5 and 18. The Pakistan players will also come up against R Ashwin when they face Sydney Thunder, while he and Shadab will be in the same squad.Related

R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

Thunder’s signing of Ashwin was a significant moment for the BBL with the deal becoming season-long after he was not bought at the ILT20 auction. It has prompted talk of whether more Indian players later in their careers will follow Ashwin’s path of retiring to explore overseas opportunities, with Virat Kohli’s name naturally high on the list even though he has given few clues about his future.”Short, medium term I think it is realistic over time,” Greenberg said of whether more Indian players could join the league. “We’re going to keep the dialogue open. I think that Ravichandran Ashwin coming is a really important moment for the BBL and it will highlight the strength of bringing Indian players into the league. What that manifests over time I think is to be seen. Some of that will depend on whether we take private capital into the BBL which is an open conversation for us at the moment.Cricket Australia is currently exploring the potential of private investment in the BBL with Greenberg and chair Mike Baird hopeful of progress being made by the end of the year although there remains some uncertainty of the best path forward among some states.”We should have aspirations to make sure the very best players, both here in Australia and globally, can play in the BBL,” Greenberg said. “That costs money because players have leverage and opportunity to play all over the world. That’s one of the primary drivers [for] why we would consider bringing private capital into the BBL so that we can compete on the global stage. We’re a small domestic market here, but we’re competing globally and to do that we’ve got to be the best version of ourselves.”A critical extension of that is keeping hold of the best Australian players. A report in newspapers earlier this month said that Pat Cummins and Travis Head had turned down A$10 million offers to sign long-term deals with one of the IPL franchises which has teams around the world.Greenberg did not have significant concerns about the current group of senior Australia players walking away but said that it could develop into a major issue for the next generation.”I think it’s a realistic concern for everybody that players have leverage and choice to ply their trade all over the place,” he said. “But I’d say this, though, every player I talk to, priority A is to play for their country…so that’s a really important marker.”But, and there’s a big but here, the next generation is really what I’m focused on. It’s not this current crop that I’m as concerned about as the next generation of players. We’ve got to make sure we find ways for them to stay in Australian cricket, still generate central contracts, still want to play for their country in the same way generations have and this current generation does.”Greenberg was speaking as CA launched a new cricket format at community level for the summer, with the six-a-side Smash Series designed to be played within 60 minutes. The format is viewed as an introductory level to the sport, with six-a-side games, players batting in pairs and the use of different types of softer balls.

Arsenal take on Chelsea this weekend in a blockbuster Premier League clash which could help to define this year’s title race, and Mikel Arteta has provided some team news ahead of the clash.

Arsenal take on Chelsea in mouth-watering Sunday encounter

Arsenal’s emphatic 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening has catapulted the Gunners into Sunday’s London derby with serious momentum.

Arteta’s side complemented their 100 per cent Champions League record with a dominant display that overwhelmed the Bundesliga champions, who were unbeaten in all competitions before their defeat at the Emirates.

It was a massive performance by Arsenal on a real night to remember, but attention now turns immediately to Stamford Bridge, where the league’s top two meet in what represents a genuine six-pointer.

Arsenal arrive at Chelsea’s home ground boasting a formidable recent record against their London rivals.

The north Londoners are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Chelsea, recording five wins and two draws over that mightily impressive run.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea currently sit six points behind Arsenal, meaning victory for the hosts would reduce that gap to three and reignite their title challenge.

However, a triumph for Arsenal would establish a potentially insurmountable nine-point cushion over their closest challengers, effectively ending Chelsea’s realistic hopes of catching the leaders barring a miracle.

Both sides enter the fixture riding waves of confidence following midweek European statements.

Arsenal hold 'initial talks' to sign Real Madrid target who Arteta thinks is 'ideal'

The Gunners are moving in ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

Chelsea demolished Barcelona 3-0 with teenager Estevao producing a moment of magic to live long in the memory, while Arsenal’s dismantling of Bayern demonstrated their credentials as genuine Champions League contenders.

Captain Martin Odegaard made his long-awaited return from injury after coming on as a late substitute, gifting Arsenal a major boost ahead of Chelsea after both Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli also made their comebacks recently.

Supporters are now waiting for updates on Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard, with the latter subbed off against Bayern after picking up a knock.

Mikel Arteta shares Gabriel injury update out of Arsenal

Now, speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta has provided some news.

Arteta confirms that Gabriel will miss Arsenal’s trip to Chelsea after a further scan, with the Brazilian still not ready to take part.

Being without the “underrated” star for a little while longer is unfortunate, but there is some positive updates.

The Spaniard says that there is a ‘potential chance’ that Trossard could be available to play Chelsea, and refuses to rule out Gyokeres and Havertz playing a part too, with all three subject to late fitness tests.

When asked about Havertz and Gyokeres, Arteta explained:

As things stand, the Arsenal trio all have a chance for the matchday squad tomorrow, it would seem, which comes as a massive boost given their real shortage of attackers in the last two months.

Havertz hasn’t played since the start of the season due to a knee injury, while Gyokeres has been sidelined since Arsenal’s 2-0 win away to Burnley.

Bowling through heartbreak and hardship, he rose from life’s roughest pitches to script a spell of unforgettable highs

Sidharth Monga07-Jul-20252:38

Aaron: Akash Deep has been through so much turmoil

In another timeline, one in which India fail to win at Edgbaston or win it through someone else’s heroics, Akash Deep wouldn’t have been interviewed, he wouldn’t have been overcome with emotion, we wouldn’t have discovered the ordeal life has put him through yet again, and he would have quietly just gone on with his ill fortune, as he has done much of his life.It was a poignant moment, with ecstatic scenes of a Test win around him: Akash Deep telling Cheteshwar Pujara he wanted to dedicate the win to his sister, who had been diagnosed with cancer two months ago. One match-winner to another, who is now a broadcaster, somebody who lost his mother to cancer as a young boy. Veterans of hard knocks in life, well aware of what it is to be a common person in India and the desperation needed to come out of that commonness through cricket, one of the rare legal routes to upward mobility in India.Eight or so years ago, Akash Deep lost his father after a stroke and consequent paralysis. A couple of months after that, one of his brothers caught a cold, a common cold. In his small town, he wasn’t diagnosed properly and died on the way to the nearest city, Varanasi.Related

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Akash Deep was born an ordinary Indian with an ordinary build into an ordinary Indian family in an ordinary small town of an ordinary state that didn’t have a cricket association. He was given more than his fair share of misfortune, but also the rare gift to endure it with equanimity and find the heart to keep moving on, to to be happy after experiencing all kinds of trauma.His happiness was cricket. Even when his father was alive and disapproving of the game, Akash Deep left home on the pretext of looking for a job but kept at cricket and started to send home a part of the stipend he was making playing for small-time clubs.We wondered if he was on a hiding to nothing when asked to replace Jasprit Bumrah in what has been carrying an image of being a Bumrah-or-nothing team. Such thoughts would have entered his mind only if he had ever got anything easy in life. The flat pitch minus Bumrah in the attack was a challenge but it must have paled in front of the ones he had overcome.While doing so, Akash Deep developed a bowling style that gave him a chance. Incidentally, a meeting with Mohammed Shami when Akash Deep was still an erratic newcomer in the Bengal team turned it around for him. Shami told him what he needed to stay fit to be able to sustain the intensity and the accuracy.Akash Deep produced a lion-hearted performance at Edgbaston•Getty ImagesAkash Deep came to the India team as the closest resemblance to Shami in world cricket. The release is perhaps not as pristine as Shami’s, but he runs through the crease, extracts any seam movement that there might be, and always appears to hurry batters up. All these things happen because Akash Deep has a high release and quick arm action.Of all the fast bowlers India have in England, only Prasidh Krishna has a higher release point, but only slightly. Their average release height is only 0.013 metres apart despite a 0.03m difference in height. Akash Deep releases the ball from a higher point than Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes. A higher release point and the near-perfect upright seam on release are what help him draw seam movement from the surface. It is possible that when the ball seams, it makes the batter react in a hurry, which gives the impression that he is a skiddy bowler.Akash Deep also taught a lesson or two to the host bowlers on how to bowl on a designer flat pitch. He repeatedly kept going wide on the crease to target the channel around the off stump. When he wanted the ball to seam away, he went wider on the crease and really full. It doesn’t always work. You can only aim for it. When it does, it becomes memorable as in the wickets of Ollie Pope in the first innings and Joe Root in the second. Between the two innings, Tongue used the same ploy to get KL Rahul out.2:12

What makes Akash Deep stand out?

Like Shami, Akash Deep kept going when on a roll. On the final morning, Shubman Gill gave an over to Prasidh to execute a change of ends to bring Akash Deep to his desired end. However, Gill saw that Prasidh was in good rhythm and gave him a spell.It didn’t bother Akash Deep at all – he bowled a spell of 6-1-22-2 from the “wrong” end to kickstart India’s final push for victory.This was nothing but Akash Deep putting his head down quietly expecting his poor luck in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 – when he kept going past the bat without success, drawing special praise from Steven Smith, and then getting injured – to continue. In between Tests, he perhaps spent more time in hospitals meeting specialists than on the cricket field. During IPL 2025, where he represented Lucknow Super Giants and played six matches, he would visit his sister in the hospital almost every night that he was in Lucknow.An unlikely hero in Birmingham, Akash Deep is the first India fast bowler to take a ten-wicket match haul since Umesh Yadav. Even Bumrah doesn’t have one. He told Pujara he just wanted to see a smile on his sister’s face. There are many more smiling, Akash Deep, and marvelling at your ability to keep going without complaining.

Sam Konstas’ hopes of playing in the first Ashes Test are fading fast after he fell for a duck to Scott Boland at the Junction Oval on a day when Sean Abbott became the first player to be subbed out of a Sheffield Shield game through injury under Cricket Australia’s new trial rule.Konstas’ tough start to the Shield season continued as he was trapped lbw for a fourth-ball duck by Boland in the first over of New South Wales’ reply after Victoria had been bowled out for 240 on a very seam-friendly surface.Related

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Konstas left the first three length balls wide of off stump but then missed a full, straight delivery that would have crashed into middle and leg. It was the fifth time that Boland has dismissed Konstas in Shield cricket and the third time in the last three innings he has faced him.”It’s amazing just watching Scotty doing his thing and just going about his process each time he bowls, he’s better and better and better,” Victoria batter Peter Handscomb said after play. “He just peaks nicely come summer time for the Australian summer. So I’ve got no doubt in my mind that if selected [for the Ashes] which hopefully he is, he’ll do a great job.”It leaves Konstas with scores of 4, 14 and 0 to start the Shield season, although he has batted on some very difficult surfaces, and he has potentially three innings remaining before the Test squad his named.Victoria’s top three had also crumbled in the morning while NSW’s did likewise in the final hour on a day when 13 wickets fell overall for just 279. The home side’s new ball pairing of Boland and Fergus O’Neill relished the friendly conditions in the evening sunlight, just as NSW’s seamers had earlier in the day.Following Boland’s breakthrough, O’Neill had Kurtis Patterson caught behind for 5. Blake Nikitaras fought his way to 20 before O’Neill breached his defence from around the wicket to disturb his off stump. Matthew Gilkes and nightwatcher Ryan Hadley fought hard to get to stumps at 39 for 3 without further loss.Earlier, Handscomb continued his sparkling form making a superb 85 while Mitchell Perry made his fifth first-class half-century to rescue Victoria from a perilous position while Liam Hatcher taking his first five-wicket haul in Shield cricket.Handscomb and Perry came together at 66 for 5 after Abbott and Jack Edwards torn through the top-order following NSW’s decision to bowl on a lively Junction Oval pitch that was firm underneath with a thick coverage of green grass.Peter Handscomb continued his excellent form•Getty Images

Handscomb looked a class above, navigating some hostile bowling from Abbott and Hatcher in particular. He had some luck, playing and missing several times, while a gloved ball cleared the keeper and two other top edges yielded boundaries.But his calmness shone as he sat deep in the crease and used the pace with some deft cut shots and controlled drives down the ground. Perry also batted impressively having been elevated above skipper Will Sutherland to No. 7. He played some outstanding drives through the off side to several over-pitched deliveries.Both played the ball much later than others in Victoria’s top order. Campbell Kellaway dragged on for 3 trying to drive a full ball wide of off stump. Another Test aspirant Marcus Harris also fell playing an expansive cover drive, edging Edwards behind. In between those dismissals, Abbott nicked off Harry Dixon with a beauty that nipped across the left-hander from back of a length.Victoria were 13 for 3 and then 38 for 4 when Edwards scratched the outside edge of Ollie Peake with another delivery that angled across the 19-year-old left-hander. Sam Harper was Hatcher’s first victim, edging a good length delivery to gully for a brisk 20 that included four boundaries.Handscomb and Perry then combined for a 130-run stand which was a complete outlier among the flurry of wickets that fell at either end of the day. Nathan Lyon bowled 13 overs but did not get any purchase on a surface where the seamers dominated.Abbott’s injury changed the course of Victoria’s innings. With the first ball of the 43rd over, Abbott’s ninth, Handscomb struck a firm drive back at him and the ball split the webbing between the second and third fingers on his right hand. Abbott walked straight off for treatment and never returned.Shortly after it was announced that he had been subbed out of the game under CA’s new injury replacement rule given he could not bowl again due to the injury. Charlie Stobo replaced him and bowled his first over of the match straight after the tea break. He struck in his third, luring Handscomb to drive a delivery that shaped away late with Edwards pouching the catch at a floating slip.Hatcher then cleaned up the tail with pace. Edwards took another sharp chance at first slip to remove Perry after dropping a tough one-hander moments before.Todd Murphy provided some excellent late hitting against a barrage of short balls. He clubbed 31 off 25 deliveries, including five boundaries before holing out to cover to end the innings.