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David Moyes is keen to make a series of rousing signings at Everton as he leads his squad toward a new home at Bramley-Moore.

Having succeeded in guiding Everton away from the relegation rabble and indeed settle into a 14th-placed Premier League spot with just three fixtures left before the summer, the Scottish manager has struck a tuneful chord with the Merseysiders once again, 12 years after relinquishing his seat in the dugout to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

The 62-year-old reunited with his former protégé, Wayne Rooney, at the Theatre of Dreams, and while things went awry, he’d love to have such a player in his current Toffees brood.

He may not be a forward, but Everton do appear to have set their sights on a Premier League legend ahead of the market.

Everton chasing Premier League legend

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, John Stones’ future at Manchester City is “far from certain,” and Everton are keen on bringing their former prospect back onto Merseyside.

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He told the publication: “If he [Stones] does indeed hit the open market, I believe that Everton would be open to the prospect. Stones is settled in the North West so it could be an option. But we have to see the plans new City sporting director Hugo Viana puts into practice, but the defence is a major area they want to work on.”

Stones left Goodison Park to join Pep Guardiola’s fledgling project in a £47.5m move back in August 2016, and he’s since become one of the most decorated Englishmen of his generation.

Though the dynamic defender has offers from the Saudi Pro League, he may feel he has more to offer European football, and Everton’s new chapter could entice him to retrace his once-walked path.

Why Everton should sign John Stones

Like Rooney did eight years ago, Stones could return from a successful career in Manchester to make an impact at his former Merseyside outfit as he approaches the later stage of his career.

Crucially, Stones still has enough quality to help Everton climb toward the upper levels of the Premier League, maybe even knocking on the door of European competition.

Stones went on to play 95 times for Everton before City came calling. He was described by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa as being “world-class” last year but always carried the seeds of such ability at Everton.

An astute deal for Stones wouldn’t come without its caveats. Stones might be one of the most accomplished defenders of modern times, but he’s been reduced to a bit-part role in Pep Guardiola’s team over the past several years, with incessent injury blows limiting him to just 18 top-flight starts across the past two seasons.

John Stones – Man City Career by Season (PL)

Season*

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

11 (6)

2

0

23/24

16 (12)

1

0

22/23

23 (21)

2

2

21/22

14 (12)

1

0

20/21

22 (22)

4

0

19/20

16 (12)

0

0

18/19

24 (20)

0

0

17/18

18 (16)

0

0

16/17

27 (23)

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

However, the 30-year-old is one of the most gifted defenders kicking a ball today and would add a dimension to Moyes’ unit. If Everton retain Jarrad Branthwaite’s services this summer, a continued partnership of him and James Tarkowski would reduce the weight of Stones’ responsibility.

Thrusting him into the Bramley Moore project with the expectation of week-in, week-out starts would surely see him sink like a… stone, but as with Rooney, if he’s managed correctly, it would prove to be a boost that could result in the collection of several invaluable points come season’s end.

Rooney was, of course, brought onto the professional scene by Moyes. The versatile forward posted 59 goal contributions across 116 matches under the manager.

After scoring that goal against Arsenal in his breakout campaign, the teenager was clearly destined for greatness, and after achieving that at Old Trafford, Rooney returned to his boyhood club in the twilight of his career and scored ten goals during the 2017/18 term before moving over the pond.

Stones could repeat that feat. He’s still a brilliant performer when fit and Moyes has demonstrated through the right-back placement of Jake O’Brien that he’s willing to field his stars in unconventional roles, something Stones would surely relish given his multi-facetedness.

With the £80k-per-week Michael Keane among those nearing the end of their contract this summer, making a shrewd move for an experienced head in Stones, with the perfect mentality too, could prove a huge success as Moyes looks to really get his vision up and running.

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Posts ByMatt Dawson May 4, 2025

Chelsea’s transfer policy under owner Todd Boehly has seen them sign plenty of under-21 starlets over the past few years. It has been a real focus of the Blues since Boehly became the majority owner at Stamford Bridge, with one of the best examples being Cole Palmer, who Jamie Carragher said in October is “the best player in the Premier League”.

However, the England international, who has been sensational in a Chelsea shirt, is not the only under-21 to excel at Stamford Bridge. One example would be Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia, described as “one of the best midfielders” when at full fitness by manager Enzo Maresca.

Well, Chelsea could be looking to add to the list of talented players to join the club as an under-21, if one transfer rumour is to be believed.

Chelsea’s latest under-21 transfer target

As we know, the Blues have not been afraid to bring highly-rated young players. 2025 will be no exception, with deals for attacking pair Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian, plus young midfielder Dario Essugo, already agreed.

The next player to add to that list could be Dean Huijsen. The 20-year-old Bournemouth centre-back has been linked with the Blues by Fabrizio Romano. The highly-reputable journalist reports the Blues are ‘ready to trigger’ Huijsen’s £50m release clause, and are looking to do the deal in the next month or so.

However, they are not the only side that will try to sign Huijsen. The Spain international is also a target for Spanish giants Real Madrid, and the Blues’ Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool will also look to trigger his release clause.

Why Huijsen would be a good signing

There is no doubt that winning the race to sign Huijsen this summer will be tough for Chelsea, but if they manage it, they will be adding an elite talent to their squad. The Spaniard is a “sensational” player, according to football analyst Ben Mattinson.

He has been a pivotal figure at the back for the Cherries this season, who have been excellent in the top flight. He has featured in 34 games across all competitions, notching up 30 of those in the top flight, managing to score three times, too.

Chelsea will surely be encouraged by the fact that the 20-year-old machine has been part of one of the Premier League’s best defences this season. According to Sofascore, the 43 goals Bournemouth have conceded are bettered by just two sides, and they have kept eight clean sheets.

Signing Huijsen this summer could be ideal for the West Londoners if they miss out on signing Marc Guehi. According to a recent report from TEAMTalk, Newcastle United have ‘leapfrogged’ Chelsea in the race to sign their former academy star from Crystal Palace.

Just like Bournemouth’s Spanish defender, Guehi has been a key man at the heart of the Eagles’ defence, in what has been a fantastic season so far.

He has played 43 games across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and helping lead his side to an FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

Cost will surely not be a factor in the Blues’ decision this summer. There is just £4m difference between the pair, given Palace reportedly want £46m for Guehi. Thus, it seems like a decision Chelsea will surely make based on who they think is a better player.

The stats on FBref actually suggest that Huijsen might be a better signing than Guehi for the Blues. For example, in the Premier League this season, the Cherries defender averages 3.33 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, compared to 2.62 tackles and interceptions each game for Huijsen.

Huijsen vs. Guehi key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Huijsen

Guehi

Progressive passes

4.96

3.94

Tackles and interceptions

3.33

2.62

Clearances

7.17

4.76

Progressive carries

1.55

0.65

Aerial duels won

2.56

2

Stats from FBref

There is certainly plenty of evidence to support the fact that Huijsen would be a better addition to the playing staff at Stamford Bridge. His quality in and out of possession would certainly raise the ceiling in West London.

Although £50m is a sizeable amount of money to invest, there is no doubt about the quality of player Chelsea would be signing.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb May 13, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to trigger an “unbelievable” player’s release clause this summer, according to reports, with chairman Daniel Levy and co apparently eager to make him a Spurs player before 2025/2026.

Tottenham kickstart summer transfer plans regardless of Postecoglou

Right now, the uncertainty surrounding Ange Postecoglou and his long-term future at Spurs is taking centre stage.

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini May 20, 2025

Postecoglou’s immediate focus is on ending Spurs’ 17-year wait for a major trophy and guiding them to a place in the Champions League draw for next season, but even if he seals a fairytale ending to an otherwise dismal campaign, the Australian is still expected to part company.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.85

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

David Ornstein and other reliable media sources report that Postecoglou will likely leave Tottenham, even if they win the Europa League, so Levy and the Lilywhites could soon have a managerial conundrum to resolve before next term.

That being said, there are suggestions that the club have still kickstarted summer transfer plans, regardless of who is eventually confirmed as their head coach.

French newspaper Le Parisien recently stated that Tottenham are in talks with Lille star Jonathan David, after the striker confirmed that he’ll be leaving when his contract expires this summer.

The north Londoners could sense a real opportunity here to strengthen their ranks at zero transfer cost, which is made all the more imperative by credible information that Tottenham could be set for a ‘sell to buy’ summer (The Telegraph).

Davie’s potential arrival would also allow Spurs to free up funds for other targets, like Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

The England international has enjoyed another terrific campaign at Selhurst Park, ending it by scoring the FA Cup final-winning goal for Palace at Wembley on Saturday, which clinched the club’s first ever piece of major silverware at the expense of Man City.

Tottenham ready to trigger Eberechi Eze's release clause

Eze added to his tally of 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions against City, and it seems pretty inevitable that an elite club will make a serious effort to prise him away from south London.

His contract expires in 2027 too, and the attacking midfielder hasn’t committed his long-term future to Palace, indicating that he could be open to another opportunity away from Palace, five years after he joined from QPR.

Tottenham are believed to be contenders for Eze this summer, with one Spanish media source sharing a pretty significant update on the matter.

Indeed, the report from Spain states that Tottenham are ready to pay £68 million for Eze and trigger his release clause, and the £100,000-per-week forward could be living out his “final months” at Palace.

Postecoglou’s side will, of course, have competition for his signature, so it is by no means a certainty that they win the race for Eze, but there is little doubt he’d be a serious upgrade to the squad.

“Who’s a better player than Eze? For me he’s absolutely top, if he was luckier this season he would have five or six goals,” said Oliver Glasner about Eze at the very start of the season.

“He’s always dangerous because he has the quality and ability at 1-1, he’s such an unbelievable finisher. In some situations, he can improve, he’s a guy who can always score, and he’s someone who everyone likes.

“This is why he’s on the pitch, because he’s able to score goals.”

Chelsea are leading the race for a £67m “monster”, and they are now pushing hard to get a deal over the line, according to reports.

Blues set sights on another striker after Delap

The Blues are looking to make improvements to their squad prior to the Club World Cup later this month, and they now appear to be closing in on an early deal for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, with the signing set to be announced imminently.

However, perhaps given that Delap is still relatively inexperienced, the Blues remain keen on bringing in another striker this summer, and they continue to battle it out for the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

RB Leipzig centre-forward Benamin Sesko is another name to have regularly been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, and a report from Caught Offside has now revealed that Chelsea are leading the race for the Slovenian, alongside competition from Arsenal.

Leipzig are set to hold out for a fee of €80m (£67m) for Sesko, with the Blues among the frontrunners, having identified the 22-year-old as the perfect fit for BlueCo’s long-term project, given his eye for goal and raw power.

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The Gunners could provide competition for the striker’s signature, however, with Mikel Arteta believed to be a fan, and sporting director Andrea Berta has already held direct talks with the German club over a potential deal.

"Monster" Sesko could be fantastic signing for Chelsea

The deal for Delap may well be edging closer to completion, but it would not be a bad idea to bring in another top striker this summer, and the Blues are now believed to be pushing hard to get a deal for the Leipzig star over the line.

With Enzo Maresca’s side set to return to the Champions League next season, the manager could do with greater strength in depth, and the Slovenia international is held in high regard by scout Ben Mattinson, who described him as a “monster”.

The 6-foot-5 forward also maintained a solid record in front of goal throughout the 2024-25 campaign, regularly finding the back of the net in all the competitions he featured in for Leipzig.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Bundesliga

33

13

5

Champions League

8

4

0

DFB-Pokal

4

4

1

As such, Sesko could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, as they look to build on the 2024-25 campaign and start competing for major trophies once again.

Chelsea are involved in the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA this summer, looking to become the inaugural winners of the new-look competition.

The Blues took advantage of the first summer transfer window by signing striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, with Todd Boehly activating the forward’s £30m release clause.

Delap has been included in Enzo Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, as are fellow summer signings goalkeeper Mike Penders, centre-back Mamadou Sarr and midfielder Dario Essugo.

However, there is still plenty of time for Chelsea to make more signings, with the second market not closing until September 1.

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With more arrivals on the cards at Stamford Bridge, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Chelsea could make this summer.

AI predicts 5 players Chelsea will sign this summer 1 Victor Osimhen Napoli (£60m)

Starting with another striker after Delap, Chelsea continue to be linked with a move for Victor Osimhen.

After spending last season on loan at Galatasaray, Osimhen has returned to Napoli but could be on the way out this summer.

The Nigeria international’s entourage were working on a Stamford Bridge transfer, and Grok say a £60m transfer would see Osimhen ‘provide a focal point in attack, complementing Delap and Nicolas Jackson’.

2 Jamie Gittens Borussia Dortmund (£55m)

A player who Chelsea wanted to sign before the Club World Cup, Jamie Gittens could still make the move to London in the second summer transfer window, and Grok can see a move materialising.

The Blues had a £42m bid rejected for the English winger, and Grok say they’ll need to get to £55m for a transfer to happen.

Grok say ‘Gittens would bring pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability to the flanks, fitting Maresca’s attacking system’.

3 Jarrad Branthwaite Everton (£50m)

Despite signing Sarr, more central defenders could also be on the to-do list at Stamford Bridge to rival the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill.

Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite has been catching Chelsea’s eye, and there have been rumours of the Blues weighing up an offer later in the window.

A figure of at least £50m has been mooted by AI, however, stories elsewhere suggest the England international could cost more at £75m.

4 Alejandro Garnacho Man Utd (£40m)

After coming close to a deal in January, Man Utd winger Alejandro Garnacho is set to depart Old Trafford and has told his agents he is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine wants to remain in the Premier League, which should give the Blues an advantage, with Grok believing a deal could be worth £40m.

Garnacho can play on the left or right-hand side, so could be a replacement for Jadon Sancho, who returned to the Red Devils following his Chelsea loan.

5 Marc Guehi Crystal Palace (£50m)

It might not be all new faces this summer, though, with Marc Guehi linked with a return to Stamford Bridge, four years on after leaving for Crystal Palace.

Marc Guehi games played

Appearances

Crystal Palace

155

Swansea City

59

Chelsea

2

England

23

The England international has been going from strength to strength at Selhurst Park but now has just a year left on his current contract, resulting in rumours of an exit this summer.

Claims in May said that Guehi was tempted to move back to Chelsea and that the Blues were confident of a deal. Now, with Champions League football on offer, that confidence could have grown.

Leeds United are now reportedly pushing to sign a midfield star after already announcing the arrival of Lukas Nmecha and reportedly agreeing a deal to sign Udinese’s Jaka Bijol.

Leeds set to sign Bijol after Nmecha

Following a quiet few weeks, Leeds’ summer transfer window has suddenly burst into life. First through the door has been Nmecha on a free transfer from Wolfsburg. The Manchester City graduate has returned to English football for the first time since leaving the Citizens and will be on the hunt to finally make his mark on Premier League football.

Set to join the forward at Elland Road is Bijol. The central defender enjoyed a solid season in Serie A with Udinese and is now reportedly set to join the Whites in a deal worth €22m (£19m).

The 49ers have wasted little time on the transfer front and they may just be getting started. Like Burnley and Sunderland, Leeds will be well aware of the importance of getting things right in the transfer window if they are to stand any chance of avoiding instant relegation back to the Championship.

All three sides will be desperate to end a worrying trend which has seen all of the last six promoted sides suffer instant relegation from the Premier League. Having so far backed Daniel Farke and his side, however, it seems as though the 49ers are particularly ready to interrupt that trend.

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Only adding to that belief, the American owners have already reportedly turned their attention towards another summer target after Nmecha and Bijol.

Leeds pushing to sign Noah Sadiki with £8.5m bid

Noah Sadiki has been a name at the centre of headlines this week. According to Sacha Tavolieri, Leeds have submitted an initial offer worth €10m (£8.5m) to sign Sadiki and have made contact with Union Saint-Gilloise about a potential deal.

In a contrasting report, however, reporter Joe Donnohue has claimed that a bid is yet to take place, but Sadiki is a name on Leeds’ radar this summer. Tavolieri, who reports for Sky Sports, has insisted that an offer has been made to only add to the headlines and belief that the 20-year-old midfielder could be on his way to Elland Road sooner or later.

Praised for an “excellent” performance against Ajax by U23 scout Antonio Mango last season, Sadiki is certainly one to watch this summer. Whether Leeds reported move is successful remains to be seen, however.

Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, and the Chicago Bulls legend once told a football superstar they shared the same status in their respective sports, even above Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Since bursting onto the global stage in the mid 2000s, Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the world of football. The Argentina and Portugal legends have won 13 Ballon d’Ors between them – eight of which belong to Messi – while scoring a combined 1,804 goals.

“It was spectacular and a great memory for everyone who enjoys soccer,” Messi said recently of his competition with the Real Madrid and Manchester United legend.

Ronaldo has also been full of praise for his long-time rival: “Amazing player, is magic, top. As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years, we share.”

Who has won the most Ballon d'Ors in football history?

Player

Ballon d’Ors

Years won

Lionel Messi

8

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo

5

2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017

Michel Platini

3

1983, 1984, 1985

Johan Cruyff

3

1971, 1973, 1974

Marco van Basten

3

1988, 1989, 1992

Franz Beckenbauer

2

1972, 1976

Ronaldo Nazario

2

1997, 2002

Alfredo di Stefano

2

1957, 1959

Kevin Keegan

2

1978, 1979

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

2

1980, 1981

Not only have the pair dominated the individual honours, they have also led their clubs to incredible periods of superiority. Ronaldo tops the UEFA Champions League scoring charts with 141 and won the competition five times during his time in Europe, while Messi is not far behind with 129 goals and four winners medals to his name.

Success on the continental stage is often considered the benchmark for greatness in football, but NBA superstar Michael Jordan thinks differently, once telling an iconic player who never won Europe’s elite competition that he is the ‘MJ of soccer’.

Michael Jordan names the greatest football player of all time

Jordan, who won six NBA titles during his time with the Chicago Bulls, is known to be a football fan and is often spotted at Paris Saint-Germain games due to his brand’s collaboration with the club.

But despite his connection to one of the Messi’s former teams, Jordan once told Ronaldo Nazario, often referred to as ‘R9’, that they share a similar status. The Brazil striker revealed the compliment after the pair met at Nike’s headquarters in Oregon, USA.

Messi himself called Jordan the greatest athlete of all time, so his opinion certainly holds some weight, and the Inter Miami star also once revealed that Ronaldo is actually his own favourite player: “Ronaldo Nazario was a phenomenom. Of all the strikers I have seen, for me he was the best. An impressive player from any aspect.”

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While Ronaldo never won the Champions League, he was crowned the best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony on two occasions, and his performance at the 2002 World Cup is one of the greatest sporting accomplishments of all time, returning from a serious knee injury to lead his team to victory.

“Without Ronaldo, Brazil were a shambles, fortunate even to get to the tournament,” South American football writer Tim Vickery wrote, as the then 25 year-old scored eight times en route to a famous triumph, including both goals in the final.

Although injuries cut his career short, there is no doubt Ronaldo’s ability to drag his team through matches almost single-handedly makes him comparable to Jordan.

From Canada’s point of view, Aaron Johnson’s 44-ball 52 and Dilon Heyliger’s 2 for 18 were impressive efforts

Ashish Pant11-Jun-20241:03

Mumtaz: Amir was brilliant and relentless

There was finally something at the T20 World Cup for Pakistan to be happy about as they produced a strong all-round show to record their first win of tournament, beating Canada by seven wickets in New York.The win was set up by the fast bowlers, who combined to pick up six wickets to restrict Canada for 106 for 7 in their 20 overs despite an Aaron Johnson 44-ball 52 – that score was quick by the standards at the New York venue, and Canada’s total was not insignificant at all.In reply, Pakistan stumbled in the powerplay.They had brought in Saim Ayub in place of Iftikhar Ahmed, and Ayub walked out to open with Mohammad Rizwan, thus splitting the Rizwan-Babar Azam partnership up top. The decision did not pay dividends, though, as Ayub fell for 6 off 12 balls.But Babar and Rizwan brought their experience into play, adding a 63-run stand off 62 balls for the second wicket. Babar fell with victory in sight, but Rizwan stayed put, crafting an unbeaten run-a-ball 53 to give Pakistan victory 15 balls to spare.1:24

O’Brien: ‘Ultra-aggressive’ Johnson perfectly suited for this surface

Johnson smashes, Amir strikesBabar won another crucial toss and had no hesitation in fielding first.He would have hoped for “first-over Shaheen Afridi” to do his magic. But instead, it was first-over Aaron Johnson setting the stage alight. He flicked the first ball of the innings, a shin-high full toss, through mid-on for four, before pumping Afridi straight down the ground for four more next ball.This was the first time the first two balls in a men’s T20 World Cup match had been hit for boundaries. The third ball would also have gone for a straight four if not for the sluggish outfield.Johnson then smashed Naseem Shah over backward point with Pakistan looking off the boil.Mohammad Amir was the only one who got his length spot on from the get-go and he was duly rewarded. Navneet Dhaliwal picked him for a four through point first ball but Amir exacted revenge by sending a searing in-dipper that flattened Dhaliwal’s middle stump.Afridi and Naseem, too found their lengths soon. And though Johnson continued to play his shots, there were plenty of plays and misses. And Afridi changed his bowling end and had Pargat Singh edging to first slip as Canada reached 30 for 2 after six overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Pakistan quicks take controlThe most crucial moment of the Canada innings came in the seventh over, when Nicholas Kirton, their best batter so far in this competition, was run out by a direct throw from Imad Wasim from the covers.Johnson stayed put, but Canada kept losing wickets at the other end after that.Haris Rauf struck twice in three balls when he removed Shreyas Movva to claim his 100th T20I wicket and then had Ravinderpal Singh caught at slip – Canada, after their bright start, had slipped to 55 for 5 after ten overs.Johnson deposited Wasim twice over the ropes in two overs, the second hit fetching him his sixth T20I fifty off 39 balls. But he failed to carry on, falling for 52, his stumps rattled by Naseem.Canada failed to inject any momentum into their innings after that, as Pakistan only conceded 29 runs in their last five overs, which included two fours and a six. In all, Canada faced 76 dot balls, the most in an innings at the men’s T20 World Cup.1:15

Do Pakistan need to improve their batting approach?

Another powerplay struggle for PakistanESPNcricinfo’s forecaster gave Pakistan a 93% of winning the game at the halfway stage. But the pitches in New York have often disrupted calculations.Kaleem Sana gave away five wides in the first over, but apart from that, Canada were really tight with their lines. Ayub tried his shots before edging Dilon Heyliger behind. Babar, at No. 3, then had a tense moment when an appeal for a caught behind down leg was sent upstairs. But replays suggested the ball had gone off his pad.The only four off the bat in the powerplay was struck by Rizwan in the sixth over. In comparison, Canada had hit five fours in their first six overs.According to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, 31 of the 36 deliveries from Canada in the powerplay were on a length or short of a length. And the Pakistan batters struggled to deal with them.1:35

Mumtaz on Kirsten’s comments: ‘High time someone from the inside spoke’

Pakistan get the ‘W’Junaid Siddiqui and Saad Bin Zafar had the Ireland batters in a spin in Canada’s previous game, but Babar and Rizwan weren’t having any of it.Rizwan first swept Saad’s full delivery through deep-backward square-leg, before Babar walloped Junaid for a six straight down the ground. The two added 31 runs between overs six and ten, and put the chase right back on track.They kept the scoreboard ticking over before Babar fell edging Heyliger behind the stumps. Babar walked off in disgust. But Rizwan ensured he stayed till the end. He reached his 29th T20I fifty off 52 balls. It was the slowest by a Pakistan batter in the format but such were the conditions, and the win was more important.Usman Khan hit the winning runs as Pakistan reached home in 17.3 overs. The win did not lift their NRR above that of USA, but it wasn’t a bad start in trying to turn the qualification race in their favour somewhat after back-to-back losses.

كشفت تقارير صحفية مدة غياب لاعب فريق آرسنال، ويليام ساليبا، عن الملاعب، إثر الإصابة التي تعرض لها في مباراة ليفربول، في وقت سابق من شهر أغسطس الماضي، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه ليفربول خصمه آرسنال على ملعب “أنفيلد” في قمة منافسات الجولة الثالثة من الدوري الإنجليزي، 2025/26، حيث حقق فوزًا بهدف دون رد.

وتعرض المدرب ميكيل أرتيتا لضربة مبكرة في تلك المباراة، بعدما عانى ويليام ساليبا من إصابة أجبرته على الخروج في الدقيقة الخامسة من عمر الشوط الأول.

اقرأ أيضًا.. آرسنال مهدد بفقدان نجمه بسبب قضية قانونية

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية، فإن ويليام ساليبا عانى من إصابة على مستوى الكاحل خلال عمليات الإحماء قبل انطلاق المباراة ولكنه قرر المشاركة، قبل أن يتجدد ألمه ليضطر إلى الخروج.

وأوضحت أن ساليبا سيضطر إلى الغياب عن آرسنال لفترة تتراوح ما بين ثلاثة إلى أربعة أسابيع، مما يمثل ضربة قوية لـ آرسنال على مستوى الدفاع.

وسيخوض آرسنال عدة مباريات خلال شهر سبتمبر، حيث يلتقي مع نوتينجهام فورست، مانشستر سيتي، نيوكاسل يونايتد في الدوري الإنجليزي، أتلتيك بلباو في دوري أبطال أوروبا ونورث فايل في كأس كاراباو.

India captain provided the star turn with the ball, and his captaincy, as his team defended 137

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-20244:05

Takeaways – Suryakumar the captiain as funky as the batter

It was 30 needed off 30 balls again and India still pulled it off and like at the T20 World Cup final a month ago, Suryakumar Yadav was one of their heroes. Only this time he did it as bowler of the 20th over, where he defended five runs by picking up two wickets.Sri Lanka’s batting has been extremely brittle in this T20I series. They collapsed three times in three games – 9 for 30, then 7 for 31 and finally 7 for 22. Tuesday’s debacle would hurt particularly badly because they lost two wickets to Rinku Singh in the 19th over. He had only ever bowled 60 deliveries in his entire T20 career, which began way back in 2014. And two more wickets fell with the captain taking the ball. He’d only bowled twice in the last five years across first-class, List A and T20 cricket.Suryakumar’s inventiveness as captain – trusting two brand new bowlers to bowl the last two overs – pushed the game into a Super Over, where he hit the winning runs. At the presentation, he said he fully believed the win was possible even though India had only 137 on the board.”More than the last over, I feel when we were around 30 for 4 and 48 for 5, how the boys showed character in the middle and took the game away from them, I felt 140 was par score on that track and the way they batted. When we were going in during our fielding sessions, I told them I had seen such kinds of games. I think if we put our heart in for one, one-and-a-half hours we can pull it off.”All three games offered spin-friendly conditions which Suryakumar might have factored into his calculations because his bowling the 20th over was far from the plan.”It was fun,” Riyan Parag said, “And that’s why actually we didn’t feel the nerves. We planned it in such a fun way, it was very spontaneous, Rinku bowling the 19th over. I was pretty sure Siraj was going to bowl the last over but then Surya just came on to bowl and got it to a Super Over. So I think everyone was pretty chill. We were having fun. That’s one of our motto as well. We are being ruthless but we have fun and enjoy the game and that’s why we were able to pull this off today.”The specialist bowlers did their job too. Washington Sundar took two wickets in two balls in the 17th over, dismissing the Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka and their premier allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga to create chaos in the chase. Then he fronted up for the Super Over and took two wickets in two balls there as well.”I guess all work I’ve done, and a lot of blessings from God definitely helped me,” Washington said. “I just wanted to try and stay calm and just focus on what I’m supposed to do and very grateful to Surya especially to throw the ball to me in that [Super Over] situation.”We did a bit of homework against their batsmen. Obviously, there was a little bit of purchase in the wicket as well, so I didn’t really have to do too much. I just had to hit the right lengths often. The rest was there.”Suryakumar’s willingness to try unorthodox things was on show even in previous games, when he turned to Parag’s part-time spin to bowl in the death overs in previous games. Parag is actually India’s second most used bowler of the series (9.2 overs), behind only Ravi Bishnoi (12 overs). He was particularly pleased with the way his legbreaks are coming out.”I’ve been working on it,” Parag said. “Its taken some time. I’ve tried it out in domestic games. I had a few net sessions prior to the tournament and it was coming out pretty well. I just expressed myself. Surya said just go for it. I bowled it with a free hand and it turned out pretty well.”Parag’s plan in the third T20I, where he bowled four overs for 27 runs was simple. “It’s always easy to get carried away when its turning so much so the goal and the ideology behind todays’ bowling was to keep it stump to stump, get a lot of revs behind the ball and the wicket was helping so I didn’t really have to do much. I just had to hit the right areas. And then Rinku and Surya at the end [laughs]”