Alyssa Healy is racing the clock to play in Australia’s looming ODIs against India after being ruled out of the remainder of the WBBL with a knee injury.Sydney Sixers on Saturday said Australia’s captain would not play for them again this tournament, after picking up an injury in her left knee. Australia’s three-match ODI series starts four days after the WBBL final, leaving Healy in significant doubt for international duties.Related

• Healy ruled out of India series, Voll in line for Australia debut

• Healy opens up on injury: 'Probably took the wrong risk'

• 'Just go all out': Rodrigues looks to Australian mindset

• Heat boost WBBL finals hopes, burn Sixers' chances

Healy did not keep in Sixers’ last-start loss against Brisbane Heat because of body management, and had entered the tournament with a foot injury that ended her T20 World Cup early. Australia host India in three ODIs, before travelling to New Zealand over Christmas for three more one-dayers.It’s understood Healy will be assessed in the next fortnight ahead of those two series, with a squad to be announced next weekend.The injury is not believed to be serious enough to have her in any current doubt for the multi-format Ashes, which begin with an ODI at North Sydney on January 12.Healy had warned on her return from her foot injury that she may need to be managed through the summer.”There are higher powers sitting above that are quite vocal in what can and can’t happen, which I completely understand,” Healy said earlier this month.  “Being skipper as well is a fairly big role for me. I want to be available for as much of the summer as I can.”I’ve hardly played a game for the Sixers for the past two seasons, and it’s a place I really enjoy playing cricket.  I want to be available for every game that I possibly can, but the reality is that might not be the case.”It’s going to be managing the pain, function and what I can and can’t do [all summer]. How I pull up from games is going to be really important as well.”Healy’s injury comes as a serious blow to Sixers, who face the prospect of needing to win their last three matches to make the WBBL finals.If Healy does miss international matches, Tahlia McGrath would be expected to deputise as captain again after doing so in the World Cup.

da dobrowin： Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of investment from the hierarchy this summer if they are to reach the next level under Thomas Frank’s guidance.

da betcris： The Dane has been appointed to help build on their Europa League triumph at the end of the recent season, but if he is to do that, he will need to receive funds from the board.

However, despite their European success in 2024/25, their Premier League standing was nothing short of a disaster, finishing in a measly 17th position, losing 22 matches out of their 38 outings.

The new boss will have to find the right balance between their Champions League efforts and their attempts to rise back up the table, something which has become vital to owner Daniel Levy.

As previously mentioned, the lack of squad depth could be a huge hindrance to Frank’s efforts, needing to make key additions if he is to be an immediate success in North London.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Striker Arnaud Kalimuendo has been a key target for Spurs throughout this window, after registering 18 goals in 34 outings for French side Stade Rennais this season.

Xavi Simons is another player on their radar throughout the off-season, as the Lilywhites aim to add a new dimension to their forward line ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, another name has entered the frame in recent days, with Belgian centre-back Koni de Winter emerging as a potential defensive reinforcement, according to Corriere dello Sport via Sport Witness.

The report claims that Frank’s side are currently leading the race for the Genoa star, who could be available for as little as £25m throughout this summer.

It also states that the 23-year-old is subject to a lot of interest at present, with Crystal Palace also in the race for his signature, but that the Lilywhites currently hold the advantage in the pursuit of his services.

Why De Winter would be a better signing than Semenyo for Spurs

Antoine Semenyo is an attacker who has caught the eye in the Premier League this season, registering 16 combined goals and assists for Bournemouth.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough year in England’s top-flight, something which has captured the attention of Frank’s side – subsequently entering the race for his signature.

However, Manchester United are also in the race to land the Ghanaian international this window, with the Cherries demanding a fee in the region of £65m to part ways with the star man.

Given his tally in front of goal this campaign, he would certainly provide needed depth within the final third, but De Winter would certainly be a better addition for Frank this window.

Cristian Romero has been hugely touted with a move away from North London during the off-season, with Atlético and Real Madrid both keen to land the Argentinian.

Such a move would leave a huge hole in the starting eleven, something which the manager would need to address, with De Winter arguably the perfect fit for the backline.

The 23-year-old, who’s been labelled “imperious” by journalist Sacha Tavolieri, has completed 87% of the passes he’s attempted, with 1.7 per 90 going into the final third – handing an option for the side to play out from the back if needed.

Koni de Winter’s stats for Genoa in Serie A (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

25

Goals scored

3

Pass accuracy

87%

Passes into final third

1.7

Tackles won

58%

Aerials won

3.2

Recoveries made

4.8

Stats via FotMob

He’s also won 58% of the tackles he’s entered, whilst winning 3.2 aerials per 90, offering an extremely talented defensive option that would improve the situation in the defensive third.

De Winter has also made 1.1 interceptions per 90 and 4.8 recoveries, helping the Italian side keep 10 clean sheets and secure a mid-table finish in 2024/25.

£25m in today’s market would be an excellent deal for the Lilywhites, handing Frank the platform he needs for success during his first year at the helm in North London.

Whilst Semenyo would be a superb signing, the need for added defensive reinforcements will be needed, especially if Romero departs, with the Belgian having the tools to fill any void.

Related Frank's own Kane: Spurs in talks to sign one of the "best STs in the world"

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making moves to land a new talisman this summer.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 26, 2025

Fast bowler commits to three-year county deal that could free him up for franchise stints

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2024Saqib Mahmood insists he “still has an ambition” to play Test cricket for England, despite committing to a white-ball deal with Lancashire for the next three years.Mahmood, 27, made two Test appearances in the Caribbean in March 2022, claiming six wickets at 22.83, but has been beset by injury in recent seasons, including consecutive stress fractures of the back in 2022 and 2023.He has not played a first-class match for Lancashire since a wicketless display against Durham in May, but returned to the England set-up in last month’s T20I series against Australia, having confirmed he was back to his best with a matchwinning haul of 3 for 17 for Oval Invincibles against Southern Brave in the Men’s Hundred final in August.Mahmood played nine Vitality Blast matches for Lancashire this summer, taking 12 wickets in their progression to the quarter-finals, and will continue his international comeback next week after being named for England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean.While his three-year deal includes “options” to appear in the County Championship, schedule and fitness permitting, and thereby stake a claim for an England Test recall, Lancashire’s priority is to manage Mahmood’s availability around their full Blast schedule, with the likelihood that he will be in demand for franchise competitions that overlap with the English season.”In the ever-changing landscape of cricket, this contract allows greater control over Saqib’s availability during the Vitality Blast blocks in the summer,” Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said. “This is something we will work closely with Saqib on, particularly around his franchise commitments, which may include the PSL in the early part of next season.”Following a tough few years for Saqib, with two stress fractures of the back, it was great to see him back on the park this summer performing for us in the Vitality Blast before earning a well-deserved England recall.”Mahmood, who is a product of Lancashire’s academy, joined the club in 2012, aged 15, before making his senior debut in 2015 and being awarded his county cap in 2021.”I am delighted to commit my future to Lancashire in the Vitality Blast for at least the next three seasons,” he said.”2022 and 2023 were both difficult years for me injury-wise, but it was brilliant to get through this summer fully fit. I’d like to thank the medical team at Lancashire for their hard work throughout this period and having their continued support was a key factor in signing this new contract.Related

Saqib Mahmood suffers recurrence of back stress fracture

Saqib Mahmood turns his eyes to the light after two years of injury hell

England hand Bethell, Hull, Mousley maiden white-ball call-ups

“While this is a white-ball contract, I still have an ambition to play red-ball cricket for England again and for Lancashire in the County Championship, which is still the biggest test of skill and fitness outside of Test match cricket, and there are options within this contract for that to happen.”While Mahmood’s deal does not preclude him from forming part of the “stable” of fast bowlers that Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, has said he wants to be able to call upon ahead of next year’s Ashes tour, it represents a potential retreat from availability, with his previous injury issues meaning that a future on the T20 franchise circuit might be a prudent option for his longevity, not to mention a lucrative one.Speaking in Multan earlier this week, Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, acknowledged that the encroachment of such tournaments on the English season was a challenge to the county game that will require a coherent response going forward. He cited concerns raised by Daniel Gidney, Lancashire’s CEO, that county contracts risked becoming “diluted” unless the board took a more robust approach to the issuing of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas tournaments.”We are certainly hearing from our clubs and our members that we need to control things a little bit,” Gould said.”Last year there were 74 English players, men, that played in franchise tournaments around the world. The next best was Pakistan with 45. It’s great that we’ve got them out there playing but we have to protect what we’ve got.”I do think there will be added protections that come in. We’re having discussions, I saw that Lancashire made some comments a couple of weeks ago. We have to be proud of what we’ve got and protect it.”

A look at the form in the first half and the challenges ahead for the top four teams on the points table

Gaurav Sundararaman15-Sep-2021The IPL resumes on September 19 with its El Clasico, Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians. A lot has happened since it came to an abrupt halt in early May after the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the tournament bubble. Players have pulled out due to fatigue, workload management and injuries. Not only will there be some new faces, but the remaining 31 matches will also be played at different venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – as opposed to the first half of the IPL, which was played at four venues in India.The second half of the IPL is vastly significant not just for the franchises but also the players and the various international teams as the men’s T20 World Cup will be played in the UAE and Oman from October 17. ESPNcricinfo runs a comb through the eight teams identifying not just the strengths but also the areas they need to work on.Related

• Ricky Ponting: Shreyas Iyer's return 'makes the make-up of our team look more complete'

• Kohli: Skillsets of Hasaranga and Chameera will be of huge help in UAE

• IPL returns to UAE as familiar foes Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings take centre stage

• IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant to continue as Delhi Capitals captain

• IPL 2021 returns: Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad look to turn fortunes around

Delhi Capitals

Squad changes from first phase
In: Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Kulwant Khejroliya
Out: Aniruddha Joshi, Chris Woakes, M Siddharth
Strengths
A strong start in the first half has ensured Delhi Capitals are now favourites to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Two further victories will assure them of that prize. Despite the absence of regular captain Shreyas Iyer (who is back having recovered from shoulder surgery), Capitals’ batting did not suffer with the opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan adding 512 runs at a run rate of 9.25 and a handsome average of 64. It was in the powerplay phase where Capitals sealed the deal in most games. They also displayed adaptability in terms of conditions by winning in Chennai, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. They boasted the best performing spin attack in the competition during the first phase.2020 UAE strategy
Their bowling was their strength last time around. Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada were crucial to their success as was the variety provided by spin twins Axar Patel and R Ashwin.Challenges for 2021
While Avesh Khan emerged as a match-winner during the first phase, the rest of the Capitals fast men struggled. They took just nine wickets at an economy of 11.17, which was the second-worst among all teams. Avesh’s success meant Capitals could afford to leave out Nortje but expect him to be back in the UAE. The other issue will be picking between Steven Smith and Shimron Hetmyer for the middle order, which will be reinforced by Iyer’s return. Last year in the UAE, both Shaw and Rishabh Pant, who will continue as captain*, had struggled. How they fare this time could decide whether Capitals win a maiden IPL title.Potential XI: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Steven Smith/Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will kick off the second phase•BCCISquad changes from first phase
In: Josh Hazlewood
Out: Jason BehrendorffStrengths
If not for a Kieron Pollard blinder in Delhi, Chennai Super Kings would have been sitting on top of the table with six wins from seven matches. Having finished in the bottom half in 2020, MS Dhoni’s team surprised everyone by shedding their usual conservative approach to batting. With an unmatched depth – Deepak Chahar slots in at No. 11 – Super Kings scored at a rate of 9.47 between overs 7 to 16. A lot of credit goes to the opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis who set strong foundations upon which the likes of Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja could build big totals. On the bowling front, Chahar and the spinners were the key playmakers.2020 UAE strategy
The UAE was not a happy hunting ground for Super Kings last season. Injuries, absentees and lack of practice meant they peaked too late. Hardly any of their moves worked because virtually everyone was out of form. This time around they have been practising for over a month and would look to keep faith in what has worked in IPL 2021 rather than going back to what worked in previous seasons.Challenges for 2021
The form of their fast bowlers – Lungi Ngidi, Josh Hazlewood, Shardul Thakur and Dwayne Bravo – will be crucial for the multiple-time champions to extend their good start. There will be pressure on Suresh Raina too, who has managed 123 runs in six innings at an average of 24 with a solitary half-century. If Raina can perk up the middle order with some impactful cameos, it will ease the burden on the finishers.Potential XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Ambati Rayudu, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Dwayne Bravo/Josh Hazlewood/Imran Tahir

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Will Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore make it to their second straight playoffs?•BCCI/IPLSquad changes from first phase
In: Tim David, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, George Garton, Akash Deep
Out: Finn Allen, Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Washington SundarStrengths
Contributions from Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal showed that Royal Challengers Bangalore were no more dependent on just Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. The franchise has also got some attractive replacements who have the potential to be X-factor players.2020 UAE strategy
That revolved around Yuzvendra Chahal and Chris Morris, both of whom played a key role in the last IPL. Chahal will be hurting after failing to make the World Cup squad, but he remains the lead spinner for Royal Challengers and his form could once again be a key factor.Challenges for 2021
Can Royal Challengers qualify for the playoffs as they did last year? Perhaps, if they find the right balance in the absence of Washington Sundar, who is recovering from a finger injury picked up at the outset of the Test series in England. For a like-for-like replacement, they might have to look at their overseas contingent, which will force at least one more change. Also, in case Harshal’s cutters fail on the faster UAE pitches, the team will need to find the right bowling combination without losing momentum.Potential XI: 1 Devdutt Padikkal, 2 Virat Kohli (capt), 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Kyle Jamieson, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Mumbai Indians

Recent ups and downs in form have turned him into a different kind of player

Karthik Krishnaswamy16-Jul-20231:16

Dasgupta on Kohli: Very good innings on a difficult pitch

Virat Kohli has played every kind of cover drive you could think of. The front-foot cover drive, the back-foot cover drive, the step-out-and-step-away inside-out cover drive. The cover drive to the left of the cover fielder, the cover drive to his right. The straight-bat, punchy cover drive, the bottom-handed topspin cover drive with twirly flourish. The middled cover drive, the edged cover drive.It took until his 110th Test match, however, for Kohli to play a cover drive followed by a punch-the-air celebration when he hadn’t brought up 50, 100 or multiples thereof.Kohli celebrating a milestone, however. He had just hit the first boundary of his innings, off the 81st ball he had faced.It was that kind of innings. The pitch for the first West Indies-India Test in Dominica was a slow turner with a bit of bounce for the spinners, ingredients that limited batters’ ability to drive the ball unless it was pitched right up, or use the bowlers’ pace to score their runs.And so it was that Kohli took 81 balls to hit his first boundary, another 43 to hit his second, and another 36 to hit his third, by which time he had already passed 50.It was far from Kohli’s most fluent innings, and there were slices of luck along the way – two dropped chances on 40 and 72, and a missed run-out chance on 45 – but he was doing what he needed to do. India were looking to bat once and bat big after bowling West Indies out for 150 on the first day, and he was helping them do just that. He was happy to bat time, grind out his runs, and pump his fists whenever a boundary happened to come along.Related

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Two Ashwin wickets, and what they say about his craft

A broad grin accompanied these boundary celebrations, suggesting both that he was enjoying his struggle and aware of how mortal it was making him look. Great batters don’t score runs only when every ball is pinging off the sweet spot; they often place greater value on the times they had to fight their own lack of fluency but scored runs nonetheless. They love waging heroic battles against the greatest bowlers on difficult pitches, and they also love days when they are themselves their stiffest opponents.The most remarkable thing about Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 not-out in Sydney wasn’t so much that he shelved his cover drive but the fact that he shelved it on one of the flattest pitches he ever batted on, against a middling Australia attack. It takes a lot for one of the greatest batters of all time to acknowledge that he wasn’t playing one of his bread-and-butter shots well enough to use it even in those circumstances.Virat Kohli took 81 balls to score his first boundary in the first Test against West Indies•AFP via Getty ImagesOver recent months and years, some of Kohli’s longest Test innings have featured this sort of self-denial: for instance the 79 in Cape Town, which featured one of the highest leave percentages of any Test innings in recent times, and the 186 in Ahmedabad, where he went 122 balls before hitting his first boundary of day four. He’s been happy to pare his game down to its most prosaic components when required to, almost revelling in the setting aside of his ego.But sometimes it’s felt different from the kind of situation-specific curtailing of shots that Tendulkar would perform every now and then. With Kohli over recent seasons, it feels like something may have changed in his game, perhaps even irrevocably.Until the end of 2019, Kohli scored his Test runs at a strike rate of 57.81. Since the start of 2020, he’s gone at 44.43.This, of course, is partly an effect of his diminished returns in this period – he has only averaged 30.75 in the pandemic and post-pandemic eras – and partly an effect of the quality of attacks he’s faced and the bowling-friendly nature of the pitches he’s batted on. Kohli has been far from alone among India’s batters in seeing his average and strike rate drop significantly since the turn of the decade.The difference with Kohli, however, is that when he had scored runs against quality attacks in testing conditions in the pre-pandemic period, he had often done so at a significant clip. Take three celebrated innings from 2018: the 153 in Centurion came at a strike rate of 70.50, his 149 in Birmingham at 66.22, and his 97 in Nottingham at 63.81.It isn’t easy to say why Kohli has slowed down to the extent he has, post-2020. The fundamentals of his game don’t seem to have changed to any great extent, but his limitations may be hampering him now in a way they didn’t in his prime. These limitations have always been evident. He’s a superb puller, for instance, but he’s never had much of a back-foot repertoire on the off side; against spin he only rarely sweeps or hits over the top or uses his feet to get down the pitch. In Dominica, for instance, he didn’t sweep or use his feet even though he faced a lot of bowling from West Indies’ part-time spinners.It could be that his eye isn’t quite what it used to be, and he isn’t hitting his go-to shots in quite the ruthless way he used to. Or it could be that bowlers are denying him his go-to shots more successfully now than they used to.Whatever the reasons may be, Kohli hasn’t changed his game or added new shots to his repertoire. And by not changing his game, Kohli has paradoxically turned into a different kind of player. He scores his runs slower now, and perhaps with less certainty than before, though he seems to be over the worst of his lean run – he averages 48.44 this year, compared to 26.20 in the 2020-22 period. What hasn’t changed, as Dominica showed, is how much he relishes a scrap – even if his fiercest opponent happens to be himself.

There’s been a bit of upheaval in the directorial department at Newcastle United over the past year, but Ross Wilson has forged a neat working relationship with Eddie Howe, and the pair are looking to make improvements at St. James’ Park.

Last year, Howe and his squad defied many odds to lift the Carabao Cup and restore a place in the Champions League. It all came together, and while the sale of talisman Alexander Isak this summer threatened to knock things out of kilter, United have made progress in recent weeks, with new heroes emerging.

Bruno Guimaraes remains the Magpies’ all-inspiring leader, but Malick Thiaw has risen to the occasion since arriving in the Premier League this year, becoming a different kind of driving force for the Tynesiders.

Howe's new leaders at Newcastle

Isak was never a vocal talisman in Howe’s Newcastle squad, but, before the summer transfer window, he led by example on the field, scoring 27 goals across all competitions last season and notching in the Carabao Cup final.

However, Newcastle banked a record fee for his signature, and Guimaraes has only raised his game this term, both from a technical and leadership standpoint.

Though a new forward focal point has yet to properly establish himself, Thiaw has taken to life in the Premier League seamlessly, and Bruno has actually remarked that the imperious German defender is “the future of this club”.

It says something of his character and technical quality that he has arrived from AC Milan for around £35m and swiftly stepped higher than Sven Botman. As per Sofascore, Thiaw, 24, has won 74% of his aerial duels in the Premier League, completing 88% of his passes and yet to make an error.

He’s some player, and Bruno is too, but United may actually have a younger member of their squad who is shooting through the form rankings in the English game, starting to prove he could be the pick of the bunch.

Newcastle made a better signing than Bruno & Thiaw

When Newcastle signed Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28m (after a season-long loan move throughout the 2023/24 campaign), they knew they had struck a bargain for a young full-back with a wealth of potential.

However, injuries have damaged the 21-year-old’s chances of establishing fluency since that move became permanent, and so it’s interesting to see him playing so well in recent weeks, finally building toward the elite player he could, should, become.

Described as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith after his monstrous display against Tottenham, Hall has overcome his injury problems and is now reminding the Premier League that he is one of the best in the business. Indeed, with more performances like these, it won’t just be those of a Toon persuasion advocating for him to be on the Three Lions plane across the pond next summer.

Minutes played

90′

Touches

75

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

Accurate passes

36/43 (84%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

6

Tackles won

4/4

Interceptions

2

Clearances

4

Duels won

8/15

As per FBref, Hall actually ranks among the top 7% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for progressive passes, and the top 5% for through balls and tackles won per 90.

This is a frighteningly rounded player, his formative career as a centre-midfielder fostering a dynamic skillset that is charging his journey to the top. If the England international can keep fitness levels on his side, then he will only get better and better on Tyneside, potentially even becoming Howe’s main man.

In this, he might become one of the best signings of the PIF era. Already, it is clear that his name belongs in such a conversation, but Hall needs consistency now. Who knows, maybe he could climb up to loftier ground than the likes of Bruno and Thiaw stand on.

There’s also the matter of him arriving from Chelsea after being awarded the Cobham side’s Academy Player of the Year award. Pinched from a direct rival, Hall is developing into a player who will rival the likes of Marc Cucurella for the left-back crown down the line.

With so much room still for growth, there’s every chance that Hall could be Howe’s main man in the not-too-distant future.

Bigger waste of money than Wissa & Elanga: Howe must drop Newcastle dud

Eddie Howe must now axe this big Newcastle United waste of money ahead of the tense Tyne-Wear Derby.

ByKelan Sarson 2 days ago

Real Madrid defender Ferland Mandy is ready to fight for his place in Real Madrid’s starting XI under new manager Xabi Alonso amid transfer rumours.

• Mendy determined to stay and fight for left-back spot
• 30-year-old will face competition from Carreras and Garcia
• Frenchman under contract at Real Madrid until 2028

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the French full-back is not looking for any move away from the Santiago Bernabeu this summer and is prepared to fight for his place in the club's starting XI under new manager Xabi Alonso. The 30-year-old underwent surgery in April to repair a rupture in his right quadriceps and hasn’t featured since the Copa del Rey final that month.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mendy joined Real Madrid from Lyon in 2019 for an initial €48 million (£41m/$52m) and last year extended his contract until 2027. However, the Frenchman has struggled with injuries since then. The 30-year-old started just 12 La Liga games last season and scored only one goal. With Madrid completing a €50m (£43m/$58m) transfer for Carreras, Mendy is expected to go down the manager’s pecking order.

  The French defender is also expected to face tough competition from Fran Garcia, who made quite an impression at the Club World Cup. The 25-year-old played every minute of the tournament until their defeat to PSG in the semi-finals.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Madrid’s disappointing 2024-25 campaign saw them finish without a major trophy despite Kylian Mbappe’s blockbuster arrival. They were knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals and finished behind arch-rivals Barcelona in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. With Alonso now in charge, the emphasis is on squad depth and competition across every position, including left-back.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR FERLAND MENDY AND REAL MADRID?

  Mendy, who is currently on vacation, is set to return to the Bernabeu on August 4 as Real Madrid begin their pre-season training. Notably, this will be the first time in many years that Los Blancos will not play any pre-season matches before the start of La Liga. Their opening fixture will be against Osasuna at home on August 19.

Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce are plotting a move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios, with Erik ten Hag facing another key exit.

Fenerbahce preparing €20m bid for PalaciosMourinho wants Argentine as midfield reinforcementTen Hag facing uphill battle to stabilise squadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to GOAL sources, Fenerbahce are preparing a €20 million (£17m/$22m) offer for Leverkusen’s Palacios. The Turkish giants, led by new sporting director Devin Ozek, are willing to structure the deal as a permanent transfer or a loan with an obligation to buy. The Argentine has been identified as a priority target for Mourinho’s midfield rebuild ahead of their Champions League playoff against Benfica next week.

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Die Werkself have already suffered a mass exodus this summer, losing Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool, Granit Xhaka to Sunderland, Odilon Kossounou to Atalanta, Lukas Hradecky to Monaco, and Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich. With Ten Hag just beginning his reign, losing Palacios would deepen the rebuilding challenge. The 26-year-old played a key role in Leverkusen’s remarkable 2024 Bundesliga triumph, going unbeaten throughout the entire campaign. Given their depleted squad, the German club may prefer reinforcements over further departures.

TELL ME MORE…

Palacios joined Leverkusen from River Plate in January 2020 for €22m (£18m/$24m). In 108 Bundesliga appearances, he has scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists. Though not always a guaranteed starter, he has been a consistent squad contributor. Fenerbahce want him integrated quickly to boost their European push.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Fenerbahce aim to seal a deal before their Champions League play-off first leg against Benfica. Leverkusen face Sonnenhof in the DFB-Pokal before opening the Bundesliga season against Hoffenheim on August 23.

Dhawan suggested that the England allrounder had pulled a muscle in his first training session

Matt Roller14-Apr-20234:13

Punjab set to face their old boys in Lucknow

Big picture: Lucknow’s KingsKL Rahul captaining. Andy Flower in the coaching staff. Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran in the middle order. K Gowtham and Ravi Bishnoi bowling spin. There are several similarities between Punjab Kings’ class of 2020 and Lucknow Super Giants’ 2023 vintage, but one clear difference so far: results.While Kings finished that season in sixth, Super Giants are among the early pace-setters this year. They have already established themselves as a team who are hard to beat at home, winning both games at the Ekana Stadium, and their last-gasp win at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night means they are joint-top of the nascent league table with three wins from four.Several of those former Kings players will be particularly keen to perform against their old franchise on Saturday night, but none more so than Pooran. The West Indies left-hander had a miserable final year for Kings in 2021, making 85 runs at 7.72 across the season, and was released ahead of the mega auction.Since then, Pooran has averaged 40.63 and struck at 161.95 in the IPL, bringing his Sunrisers Hyderabad form from 2022 into the early stages of this season. Super Giants invested heavily in him, spending INR 16 crore to buy him in December’s auction; the early signs are that he is worth the money.Form guide (most recent match first)Lucknow Super Giants: WWLWPunjab Kings: LLWWTeam news: Livingstone still a doubt?Kyle Mayers’ early success at the top of the order has seen Quinton de Kock carrying drinks since his arrival in India, but Super Giants may look to make a change after Mayers’ back-to-back failures against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore.Liam Livingstone arrived in India late after knee and ankle injuries, and Shikhar Dhawan suggested on Thursday night that he had pulled a muscle in his first training session. “He’s just got off a flight,” Brad Haddin, Kings’ assistant coach, said.”We’re just monitoring him for the next couple of days to see where he’s at. He’s just come back from a long-term injury.” He appears unlikely to feature on Saturday, but could come into contention to play against RCB next week.There is also a chance Kings will consider rotating their seamers, playing their second game in 48 hours. If so, Kagiso Rabada – who was expensive against Gujarat Titans – might make way for Nathan Ellis again.Meanwhile, Super Giants have replaced medium-pace bowler Mayank Yadav with Arpit Guleria in a like-for-like change, with an injury ruling Mayank out of the tournament.*Super Giants’ musclemen Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis hit 127 runs in 49 balls between them in Bengaluru•BCCIToss and Impact Player strategyLucknow Super Giants
Super Giants have used Ayush Badoni as their Impact Player when bowling first this season, and could bring him in for Amit Mishra like they did in their one-wicket win over Royal Challengers. If they bat first, Mishra – or another bowler – could replace Badoni.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 KL Rahul (capt), 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Krunal Pandya, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 Ayush Badoni, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Mark Wood, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh KhanPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 KL Rahul (capt), 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Krunal Pandya, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 7 Amit Mishra/Krishnappa Gowtham, 8 Jaydev Unadkat, 9 Mark Wood, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh KhanPunjab Kings
Rahul Chahar came into Kings’ team halfway through their defeat to Titans on Thursday, and will likely replace either Prabhsimran Singh or Bhanuka Rajapaksa during the innings break if they bat first again. If they bowl, they will probably pick an extra bowler and then sub a batter in.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 3 Matthew Short, 4 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Sam Curran, 7 M Shahrukh Khan, 8 Harpreet Brar, 9 Rishi Dhawan, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Arshdeep SinghPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Matthew Short, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa/Prabhsimran Singh, 4 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 5 Sam Curran, 6 M Shahrukh Khan, 7 Harpreet Brar, 8 Rishi Dhawan, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Arshdeep SinghStats that matter Shikhar Dhawan has dominated Jaydev Unadkat when they have faced one another in the IPL, scoring 70 runs off 44 balls against him for once out. Super Giants’ innings of 193 for 6 in their first home game this season was the first time in 16 T20s held in Lucknow that a team had posted a score in excess of 190. This will only be the second meeting between these teams, following Super Giants’ 20-run victory last season.Pitch and conditionsKeep a close eye on the colour of the soil used at the Ekana Stadium. Lucknow played their first home game against Delhi Capitals on a red-soil pitch which played relatively true; in their second, against Sunrisers, they played on a black-soil pitch which offered sharp turn from the outset. The venue is quickly becoming a fortress for them, with two home wins from two so far.Quotes”Watching the game last [Thursday] night, it came down to the last two balls, even on the Mohali wicket which is a really good wicket. We must respect their bowling line-up: they have international experience and quality spinners.”
“Whenever a team plays 56 dot balls, they end up losing the game so we have to rectify that. And of course, losing early wickets puts the batting side on the back foot and we have to work on that.”
*The line was added after confirmation through an IPL media release

Australia captain convinced that Jonny Bairstow’s stumping is a “non-event'”, but is ready for strong reaction at Headingley

Andrew McGlashan05-Jul-202311:37

What is the spirit of cricket? And why is it always England?

Pat Cummins has said that England should look at themselves and their own performances rather than invoking the spirit of cricket amid their anger at Jonny Bairstow’s stumping at Lord’s.The dismissal on the final day of the second Test – which Australia ended up winning by 43 runs despite a magnificent 155 from Ben Stokes – left the home side incensed, and reaction has reached fever pitch on both sides of the world since, including the Prime Ministers of each country getting involved.”For what I think is a pretty common non-event, it does seem like everyone has a pretty strong opinion about it,” Cummins said. “I don’t think there’s any discussion; it’s out. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn’t be looking at the opposition, I’d probably be thinking [about] our own batter, and would be thinking it’s pretty silly.”Related

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England will have to become just the second side ever to come from 0-2 down if they are to regain the Ashes. Asked whether their reaction to the Bairstow dismissal has been a way to deflect from defeats, Cummins was not drawn directly into it, but added how impressed he was with how his team had handled the situation – from the immediate moment and the confrontations in the Long Room, to the 48 hours since, where the players themselves have said nothing unless asked.”I know what our team does, and that’s we concentrate on ourselves,” he said. “When we haven’t been playing up to scratch, we look pretty deeply at what we are doing, and try to make amends. We don’t apportion blame to conditions or opposition or anything else going on. I’m really proud of how our boys have conducted themselves [on] this tour, especially on that day five. I thought the way they maintained respect for the opposition, the umpires [and] the crowd, their dignity was first-class.”In his column for the , Stuart Broad wrote that he believes Cummins will come to regret the decision not to withdraw the appeal, while England coach Brendon McCullum referenced his own experience of controversially running Muthiah Muralidaran out, which in later years he apologised for. It was a tone Joe Root used again, while speaking ahead of the third Ashes Test at Headingley, which is his home ground.”I think Ben spoke very well on it at the end of the game. As a team, we want to play our cricket a certain way and want to leave a certain legacy,” Root said. “As a player, you want to play the game as how you want to play it. It was within the rules; it was technically out. If you’re happy with that, then fine. If not, I don’t think you can [criticise] other people that play the game slightly differently.””I don’t think there’s any discussion; it’s out”, Pat Cummins on Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal•AFP/Getty Images

Cummins, for his part, doubted his view would change. “Maybe ask me in years to come,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t think a conversation about the spirit of cricket even comes into a dismissal like that. It was plain and simple a stumping.”Cummins is expecting a hostile reception at Headingley – the scene of England’s remarkable Stokes-inspired victory in 2019 – although Australia’s captain reckons that would have been the case anyway. He said it was inevitable that players would face abuse from the public, and added that Australian crowds were as bad as anyone, but insisted it doesn’t bother his team.”People pay for their tickets, they can turn up… whilst I hope that I would never go to a sporting event and try to abuse players, some people do,” Cummins said. “I’m sure it’ll be a pretty fiery week from the crowd. But again, we’re on the field. I think in Australia, we’re as guilty as anyone a lot of the time. So I think it’s reality, to be honest.”If you’re going to play professional sport, unfortunately, that’s one of the things that you’re going to have to deal with. It’s nothing new. I think you could talk about it till the cows come home, but I doubt it’s going to make much of a difference.”Root, meanwhile, called on the fans who come to the Test to simply “support” England, but appeared to caution against things going too far.”I think that’s the most important thing – that you come in to support your nation. [It] doesn’t need to go beyond that,” he said. “It shouldn’t ever go beyond that. Everyone should be here to enjoy the cricket on the field. And, you know, that’s what it should be about, and shouldn’t be about anything other than that.”Cummins said that beyond the post-match presentation at Lord’s, he has not had any further conversations with Stokes, and had noted McCullum’s comments about the teams not sharing a beer, which Australia coach Andrew McDonald had termed “disappointing”.”I’ve got no problems at all with Baz,” Cummins said, having himself worked with McCullum in the IPL. “I know how much he loves a beer, so that was surprising. Maybe we just see this one differently, which is totally fine.”