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Arsenal chief Andrea Berta is continuing his mission to tie down Mikel Arteta’s most crucial stars with brand-new deals, and the Gunners are now prepared to do something they’ve never done in their history.

Arsenal favourites for Premier League title after near-impenetrable start

Right now, Arsenal aren’t just Premier League title contenders — they’re the team to beat.

Arteta’s side sit pretty atop the table, and it’s no surprise given how they’ve combined defensive solidity with set-piece menace to frustrate opponents week after week so far.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

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

Opposition sides have found it near-impossible to carve out clear chances against an Arsenal side who’ve leaked just three goals in all competitions this season, the best record of any team in Europe right now.

Surprise Serie A title contenders Roma have also conceded just three in the league so far, but unlike Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, Arsenal are just as unbreakable in Europe as they are domestically.

Arsenal’s threat from dead balls has also been a nightmare for teams to deal with.

Time and again, they’ve capitalised on corners and free-kicks, with Gabriel already racking up four goal contributions as a direct result from set pieces this term.

The arrival of Gabriel Heinze to Arteta’s coaching staff has been pinpointed as a key reason why Arsenal have built themselves into even more of a rock-solid force at the back, and if they continue in this fashion, a first league title in 22 years looks pretty inevitable.

While their guerrilla tactics from dead balls and long-throws aren’t exactly easy on the eye, with pundit Jamie O’Hara boldly claiming that Arsenal are ‘killing the Premier League’ with this style of play, Arteta won’t be caring in the slightest right now.

Excitement around the Emirates Stadium is brewing, and the future is looking very bright as Berta looks to convince Arsenal’s star men to commit their futures at N5.

The Italian, who led a near-£270 million spend on summer transfers in the last window, has already managed to tie down the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel and William Saliba in the last few months alone.

Berta also rewarded the likes of David Raya and Leandro Trossard with pay rises, showcasing a determination to acknowledge certain members of the squad for their fine form, while it is believed that talks have been held over fresh terms with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber as well.

However, their most vital contract discussions have centered around star winger Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal poised to hand Bukayo Saka record-breaking pay rise

The England international is back to his best and playing week in, week out after hamstring problems, with Saka causing Atlético Madrid nightmares in the Champions League this time last week.

While Saka is yet to register his first assist of the campaign, he’s already netted crucial goals against the likes of West Ham and Olympiacos to put those games beyond doubt, and the 24-year-old is vital to the way Arteta likes to play.

The Hale End academy superstar’s current deal expires in 2027, and it is imperative that Berta seals his extension sooner rather than later.

Reports suggest that Arsenal are optimistic Saka will pen an extension by Christmas, and according to journalist Wayne Veysey, the club could break a record by doing so.

Writing for Football Insider, Veysey reports that Arsenal could make Saka the club’s first-ever £300,000-per-week player, with talks ongoing over a new deal that will likely make the winger their new highest-paid star above Kai Havertz, who is on £280,000-per-week.

Over a potential five-year contract, Saka is apparently in line to earn over £75 million, which doesn’t even take into account performance-related bonuses or other add-ons.

Negotiations are said to be progressing well, and Saka is likely to sign in the “upcoming period”.

Saudi Arabia's efforts to make waves in the sporting world look set to continue when the wealthy Gulf nation hosts the 2034 World Cup. But a football stadium 350 metres off the ground seems ambitious even for them following the viral emergence of concept designs for a brand new venue dubbed the NEOM Stadium. A list of 15 host stadia complete with concept art was first revealed in the summer of 2024.

• 'Most unique stadium in the world'

  It's certainly out there to want to construct a football stadium in the sky, but fans on social media can't get enough of the idea. The so-called NEOM Stadium could, one of 11 new venues planned for construction over the next eight years to complement four existing stadiums that will be renovated already has a big reputation to live up to.

  Saudi Arabia's bid book submitted to FIFA stated: "Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world. With a pitch situated more than 350m above ground, stunning vistas and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be an experience like no other.

  "Within The Line, mass transport and personal transport will be enabled by a network of tram-like Autonomous Rapid Transit vehicles and Personal Rapid Transit, operating on five primary horizontal transport corridors."

  'The Line', announced in 2021, is a proposed smart city in a single long building measuring 170km by 200 metres and up to 500 metres high, designed to have no cars, streets or carbon emissions, and be big enough to house nine millione people, a quarter of Saudi Arabia's existing population. Although already under construction, full completion of the city itself is not actually expected until 2045, 11 years after the World Cup.

  What isn't clear is if the new concept images doing the rounds are part of any official plans, as the stadium doesn't appear to be incorporated into what 'The Line' would look like.

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  350m in the air

  NEOM Stadium proposes to accomodate 46,000 fans from is vantage point 350 metres above the ground. The other proposed venues for the World Cup will be spread across four existing cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Abha. But all are set to incorporate unique architecture and themes, including one dazzling with colour, another made up of crystal-like shards and another built specifically from locally-sourced materials.

• Saudi Arabia stood unopposed in bidding process

  Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host nation for the 2034 World Cup during an Extraordinary FIFA Congress on December 11, 2024. Despite FIFA lowering the existing stadium capacity requirements from seven with 40,000+ to just four, there were no other bidders. FIFA's rotation policy, which ensures that World Cup tournaments are spread evenly around the planet, meant that only bids from Asia or Oceania would be accepted anyway. Potential hosts were also given just 25 days to express an intent to host, which only Saudi Arabia did.

  It will be the third World Cup in Asia in the 21st century, following from South Korea and Japan's joint effort in 2002, and Gulf neighbour Qatar in 2022. Saudi Arabia will actually end up being the first single host nation since Qatar by the time 2034 rolls around, due to 2026 being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and 2030 being the shared responsibility of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with games also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as part of FIFA's World Cup centenary celebrations.

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  World Cup plans between now and 2034

  Saudi Arabia still has the best part of a decade to plan and build and/or renovate its venues for the World Cup. But the eyes of the world are unlikely to pay too much attention until much nearer the time. For now, the 2026 World Cup in North America is just over seven month away from its opening match on June 11. As many as 48 countries will compete for the first time following the tournament's expansion, including debutants Jordan, Uzbekistan and Cape Verde, but fans will need to wait another five weeks until December 5 for the group stage to take place and the fixture list be revealed.

  2026 could very likely be the last dance at the World Cup for both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Manchester United recruited a new-look front three for Ruben Amorim over the summer. With Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho both leaving the club, the Red Devils needed depth in forward areas.

To add that strength up top, Sir Jim Ratcliffe spent more than £200m constructing the new forward line. Matheus Cunha joined for £62.5m from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Their new number nine was Benjamin Sesko. He signed late in the window from RB Leipzig, costing United £74m. He scored in back-to-back games heading into the recent international break.

Bryan Mbeumo was the other signing from Brentford, costing £71m including add-ons. It has been a strong start to the campaign for the Cameroonian star, too.

How Mbeumo’s start compares to other Big 6 wingers

Naturally, there was going to be a lot of pressure on United’s new number 19. He had an exceptional season for Bournemouth last season, with 28 goals and assists in 38 Premier League matches.

However, the 26-year-old has started the season well. He’s already scored twice for United and has an assist in eight games.

His first Premier League strike came against Burnley, and he set up Mason Mount against Sunderland.

But, how do those stats stack up to some of the other right-sided attackers in the Big 6? Well, Mohamed Salah’s start to the season has been somewhat underwhelming, although he has two goals and two assists in the Premier League so far. Those are the same numbers Phil Foden has across all competitions.

Arsenal’s main right-sided option, Bukayo Saka, has scored three goals in all competitions, and Tottenham Hotspur’s Mohammed Kudus has set up five goals. As for Chelsea, Estevao has been their chief destroyer on the right, with a goal and assist, including that late winner against Liverpool.

Overall, Mbeumo’s numbers stack up well to some of his rivals. What is scary for their opponents is that United have a homegrown version of the Cameroon star brewing at Carrington.

United’s homegrown Mbeumo

Although Mbeumo is only 26 years of age and not even in his peak years, it is always nice for United fans to know that they have an extremely talented right-sided attacker in their academy.

The Cameroonian international will be perfect for him to learn from.

Indeed, Red Devils fans can surely get excited about 17-year-old winger Bendito Mantato. The England under-18 international has shone for their academy over the past couple of years, so much so that Amorim invited him to join first-team training this week.

The forward is a versatile player who can play on both flanks and even at left-back. However, when operating as a right-winger under Darren Fletcher in the under-18s squad, he’s scored and assisted in just two games.

Indeed, those numbers are impressive, but his overall stats for the under-18s at Carrington show he’s posed a threat to opposition defenders for a few seasons. He’s scored 14 goals and assisted three times in just 23 games in the Under-18s Premier League.

2022/23

4

0

2023/24

7

6 goals & 2 assists

2024/25

11

7 goals

2025/26

1

1 goal & 1 assist

The 17-year-old is a player who possesses a good instinct in the penalty box, a great threat for a winger to have. This strike against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup last season demonstrates just that.

It is also similar to Mbeumo’s goal against Burnley this season, highlighting the similarities between the pair.

Mantato is certainly an exciting prospect, with Academy Scoop, a Red Devils academy page over on X, calling him “one of the biggest talents at the club.” That is certainly high praise, given the quality in the academy ranks at Carrington.

It will be fascinating to see how Mantato’s development goes and how similar to Mbeumo he is when he does eventually break into first-team football.

Not Sesko: Carrington's "machine" is destined to be Man Utd's next No.9

Manchester United have their next number nine brewing at Old Trafford…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 16, 2025

تعرض أحد لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، للإصابة خلال مباراة ديكاداها الجارية الآن في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع الفريق الصومالي، ضمن منافسات إياب دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية على ملعب استاد السلام.

طالع.. تشكيل الزمالك لمواجهة ديكاداها الصومالي في الكونفدرالية.. الجزيري يقود الهجوم

أصيب أحمد شريف لاعب الزمالك قبل نهاية الشوط الأول من عمر المباراة حيث نزل الجهاز الطبي لعلاجه لكنه لم يستكمل اللقاء.

وحل خوان بيزيرا لاعب الزمالك بدلًا من أحمد شريف بعد مغادرة الملعب.

وتشير النتيجة إلى تقدم الزمالك، بهدف نظيف سجله سيف الدين الجزيري، في الدقيقة 39 من عمر اللقاء عن طريق ركلة جزاء.

وكان الزمالك قد حقق الفوز في لقاء الذهاب على ديكاداها الصومالي، بسداسية نظيفة، يوم السبت الماضي، على ملعب القاهرة الدولي. لحظة إصابة أحمد شريف

Spurs somehow came from two goals down to rescue a late 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt, despite an absolutely appalling performance in the Arctic Circle. Bodo missed a penalty and also had a 2-0 lead, but could not get over the line, as the north London side showed some real grit and determination to earn a point on the road in Europe.

Bodo/Glimt, perhaps surprisingly, dominated the opening half-hour and were rewarded with a penalty when Rodrigo Bentancur lunged into a terrible challenge in the area. Kasper Hogh, up front for the Norwegian team, took one of the worst penalties perhaps ever seen in Norway, as he managed to balloon his effort well over the bar – his second penalty miss in two games. 

At half-time, Thomas Frank, astonishingly, made no changes, and Bodo had the lead within 10 minutes, as Jens Petter Hauge found his way into the penalty area, shimmied, and finished brilliantly beyond Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs, though, thought they were level after 60 seconds; a free-kick from Pedro Porro on the left wing hit the post as it evaded all defenders, and Rodrigo Bentancur turned the ball home. However, a VAR review showed a foul by Micky van de Ven in the build-up, and the equaliser was ruled out. 

Spurs' sense of injustice only deepened as Hauge added a second in the 66th minute, once again taking advantage of lax Spurs defending to work an opening and score from range.

Micky van de Ven pulled a goal back two minutes later with a very good header after a fine Pedro Porro cross, with Tottenham suddenly emboldened to chase a comeback, and Wilson Odobert hit the crossbar late on, as did Andreas Helmerson in a helter-skelter final period. 

But it was Richarlison who found the net, as Bodo goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin could only parry Archie Gray's shot against the Brazilian, with the ball rolling over the line. A lengthy VAR check followed but the goal was allowed to stand. 

GOAL rates Spurs' players from Aspmyra Stadion…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Guglielmo Vicario (5/10):

Managed to put Hogh off, as his penalty flew into the Norwegian night. Well beaten by each of Hauge's strikes, and looked consistently alarmed by the defensive mess in front of him. 

Pedro Porro (5/10):

Hit the post before Bentancur's ruled-out equaliser. Struggled defensively on the plastic pitch and was often out of position but he is so capable on the ball, and provided a brilliant cross for Van de Ven to score.

Kevin Danso (4/10):

Can put his foot through the ball well and he's always willing to put his body on the line but he struggled against wave after wave of Bodo attacks. 

Micky van de Ven (6/10):

Conceded the foul that saw Bentancur's equaliser ruled out. Booked swiftly after as he threatened to lose his head but restored some calm as he scored to bring Spurs back into it. 

Djed Spence (5/10):

Probably Spurs' most effective defensive player but a terrible giveaway on the left flank led to Hauge's second. 

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Lucas Bergvall (5/10):

Struggled with the conditions. Better than most of his team-mates on the ball but didn't offer enough defensively. Subbed for Xavi Simons. 

Rodrigo Bentancur (4/10):

Lunged into a moronic challenge in the area and conceded a penalty. Fortunate that Hogh's finish was equally as dreadful as his tackle. Thought he had gone from villain to hero with the equaliser but VAR had other ideas.

Pape Matar Sarr (5/10):

Can pass the ball well and did so across short distances here but Bodo very effectively cut off his ability to carry it up the pitch. Subbed for Palhinha in the second half. 

AFPAttack

Brennan Johnson (2/10):

Subbed for Mohammed Kudus. The only noteworthy thing about his performance is that he lasted an hour. Anonymous.

Richarlison (4/10):

Wasted an early opening as he did not seem prepared to shoot when the ball came to him. Offers nothing when it comes to being a focal point but he was in the right place at the right time to somehow bundle in an equaliser. 

Wilson Odobert (5/10):

Capable of dribbling beyond but just doesn't take his man on enough. Frustrating to watch given his talent. Hit the bar with a late header. 

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Xavi Simons (5/10):

One very poor pass led to a Bodo counter-attack that had Spurs scrambling. Didn't get on the ball enough in the final third, unfortunately. 

Mohammed Kudus (6/10):

Simply a much better option on the right than Johnson as he is willing to take players on. Bodo struggled to deal with him but he could only show flashes, such was the nature of the game. 

Joao Palhinha (6/10):

Came on for Sarr. Made one very good last-ditch tackle to keep Spurs in with a shout. 

Archie Gray (7/10):

On for Bentancur. Slotted into midfield and made a couple of promising runs, one of which led to Richarlison's late equaliser. A fine cameo. 

Destiny Udogie (6/10):

Replaced Spence. Great cross for Odobert but he could only hit the crossbar.

Thomas Frank (3/10):

Got very, very lucky. This really should have been a chastening defeat, especially after Spurs did not train on the plastic pitch, but he can thank his lucky stars that Richarlison was in the right place at the right time. Nevertheless, this is a second consecutive uninspiring Champions League display for Frank's Spurs. 

Morris and Bancroft named for WA, Lyon to miss the remainder of the season for NSW, Khawaja and Kuhnemann set to return while Peake is in-line for Victoria debut

Alex Malcolm05-Mar-2025

Western Australia quick Lance Morris is set to be unleashed against New South Wales amid a complicated balancing act with his bowling load management as WA push to try and qualify for a fourth straight Sheffield Shield final.Meanwhile, Test offspinner Nathan Lyon will not play again this season for NSW as he continues to rest and rehab a hip complaint he managed through the tour of Sri Lanka. Lyon’s spin partner in Sri Lanka, Matthew Kuhnemann will return for Tasmania after being cleared of throwing following ICC testing while Usman Khawaja has also been named for Queensland.Related

From first to last: Western Australia's Shield dynasty hits a crossroad

Green unlikely to play Shield cricket before county stint

Kuhnemann 'never doubted' his bowling action, looks to the future

South Australia target rare double after finding winning 'belief'

Kuhnemann cleared of suspect bowling action by ICC

Morris has been named in WA’s 14-man squad alongside Cameron Bancroft who will return from the broken shoulder he suffered in the BBL to play his 100th Shield match against NSW at the WACA ground.Morris’ inclusion is the most noteworthy given he is contracted to Cricket Australia and they have been managing his playing schedule this summer. Morris, who turns 27 later this month, has played just three Shield matches this season, including WA’s most recent win against Queensland in Brisbane, but has been playing with a maximum overs restriction of 25 per game coming off a stress fracture last winter as well as a quad strain late in the pre-season.It is understood he was initially set to be rested from the match against NSW with a view to being made available for WA’s final home and away game against Victoria next week at the WACA ground. Such a schedule could have left him unavailable for the final as CA’s medical team are understandably very cautious about Morris playing back-to-back Shield games at the moment due to his extensive injury history, given he is a developing international prospect as one of the few bowlers in Australia capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150kph consistently.Morris is understood to be frustrated at being held back despite being in good shape having bowled well in the second innings at the Gabba after some rust in the first innings. Morris articulated his frustration earlier in the summer in an interview with ESPNCricinfo explaining that scans have shown a stress issue that is not causing him pain. WA have also had difficulty trying to manage his overs restrictions in games while trying to qualify for the Shield final. Morris has not bowled more than 25 overs in a match since November 2023 and has not played four Shield games in succession since late 2022.Morris’ case is a prime example of why CA has appointed Adam Griffith as the new national pace bowling coach to unify the approach to management of fast bowlers across national, state and franchise cricket. CA have also appointed current travelling Australia men’s team physio Nick Jones to a permanent Australia-based case manager role to coordinate and oversee the rehabilitation of injured players while a new team physio will be appointed to travel full-time with the team.Cameron Green is another player who will be managed by Jones as he continues his recovery from back surgery, but he is unlikely to play a Shield game before a County Championship stint with Gloucestershire.Daniel Sams and Cameron Bancroft collided when going for the same catch•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Bancroft is set to become the 13th WA player to play 100 Shield matches. He will return at the top of the order and will be fine to field in the slips but will be slow to return to throwing after breaking his right shoulder in a sickening collision with Sydney Thunder teammate Daniel Sams during the BBL.Australia’s semi-final exit from the Champions Trophy on Tuesday also opens the door for Cooper Connolly to potentially be available for WA’s next Shield clash with Victoria but it appears unlikely they will get Josh Inglis or Aaron Hardie back for either the last round of the season or a potential final given both have IPL contracts, with the IPL starting on March 21 just three days after the last Shield round of the season and five days before the Shield final.Elsewhere, Khawaja will return for Queensland to face Tasmania at Bellerive Oval in Hobart after resting from the loss to WA following his successful tour of Sri Lanka. Jack Clayton also returns to further bolster Queensland’s batting after missing the WA clash with a hamstring injury. Kuhnemann has been included in Tasmania’s squad as has left-hander Caleb Jewell who has not played Shield cricket since he was omitted from Tasmania’s first-choice side in November.Victoria have named exciting 18-year-old left-hander Oliver Peake in their 13-man squad to face Shield leaders South Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. Peake is in-line to make his first-class debut having been a development tourist with Australia’s Test squad in Sri Lanka last month. Peake made 99 in Victoria’s most recent second XI match against WA and has been included alongside former NSW batter Blake Macdonald who made twin centuries in the same game. Peter Handscomb will captain Victoria as Will Sutherland has been rested.The Shield’s leading wicket-taker Nathan McAndrew has been withdrawn on match eve to manage his workload with Henry Thornton called in fresh off starring in South Australia’s Dean Jones Trophy win last weekend.South Australia can lock up a home Shield final with a win over Victoria with Adelaide Oval still an outside chance to host the game in between Australia Football League fixtures if the drop-in pitches can be transplanted back into the venue without too much disruption after being removed for the start of the football season following the One-Day final.Sheffield Shield squadsWestern Australia: Sam Whiteman (c), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Keaton Critchell, Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Corey Rocchiccioli, Charlie Stobo, Ashton TurnerNew South Wales: Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (c), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Lachlan ShawVictoria: Peter Handscomb (c), Scott Boland, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch PerrySouth Australia: Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Connor McInerney, Nathan McSweeney (c), Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry ThorntonTasmania: Jordan Silk (c), Gabe Bell, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Matt Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Aidan O’Connor, Mitch Owen, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau WebsterQueensland: Mitchell Swepson (c), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Pierson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth

Cristiano Ronaldo has been told that goalkeepers will want to let in his 1,000th goal, allowing them to join the Portuguese GOAT in the history books. CR7 continues to chase down that personal landmark, with ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen suggesting that the Al-Nassr superstar will be ready to hang up his boots and retire once another record has been broken.

• Ronaldo's remarkable strike rate for club & country

  Ronaldo is looking to become the first player to reach four figures on the competitive goal front. He is within sight of that target after maintaining remarkable individual standards. Prolific strike rates have been enjoyed for United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Portugal.

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  Leading scorer in Champions League & international football

  The all-time leading scorer in Champions League and men’s international football is determined to further cement his legacy, with the evergreen 40-year-old being informed that he may get the odd helping hand as he closes in on a remarkable achievement.

• Goalkeepers to give Ronaldo a helping hand

  Meulensteen, who worked with Ronaldo at Old Trafford, told football betting site BetVictor: “He will be remembered for 1,000 goals, but if it is done in a spectacular manner, if it would be done for Portugal, if you would have had a choice, then probably you would say, yeah, let's do it for Portugal.

  “The world will be watching, telling you. Can you imagine being the goalkeeper? You want to let it in, don't you? Because you're going to be remembered as the goalkeeper that let Cristiano's 1,000th goal in.”

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  Will Ronaldo retire after making more history?

  Ronaldo has committed to a two-year contract with Al-Nassr that will take him through to 2027. Meulensteen believes the end of a stunning career could be reached before that point, adding: “What Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved is unparalleled, especially in the modern game where the pace is incredibly quick. To still be performing at such a high level is remarkable.

  “You can see how much it means to him when he plays for Portugal. They have good players around him, and they seem to accept that Cristiano, despite not being 28 anymore, is still the player he is and has achieved what he has.

  “While you might see some minor things creeping into his game, the fact that he remains so effective in front of goal is absolutely fantastic. It would be great to see him at next year's World Cup, which will probably be his last for Portugal. I believe he will keep playing until he scores his 1,000th goal, that might be the moment he decides to retire.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad coach will attend the IPL auction in Jeddah during the first Test, despite being Australia’s bowling coach

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-2024

Australia’s bowling coach Daniel Vettori will leave the team during the first Test against India in Perth to attend the IPL auction in Saudi Arabia as Sunrisers Hyderabad coach.The Test starts on November 22 at Perth’s Optus Stadium while the IPL auction will take place in Jeddah over two days on November 24-25, which has caused some conflict for three IPL coaches – Vettori, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, who are in Perth to either coach or commentate.Vettori is one of the rare coaches in world cricket that holds a permanent assistant role with an international team while also being the full-time head coach of an IPL franchise and the full-time head coach of a Hundred side in Birmingham Phoenix.Vettori has been Australia’s bowling coach for all three formats since 2022 working under long-time friend Andrew McDonald. He is highly-valued by Cricket Australia to the point where they have allowed him to pursue franchise coaching roles around his commitments with the men’s team.”We are very supportive of Dan’s role as Head Coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad,” an Australia team spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “Dan will complete final preparation for the first Test before attending the IPL auction. He will then be with team for the remainder of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.”The prioritisation of the IPL auction over a Test match, as well as the scheduling of the auction in Saudi Arabia during an Australia-India Test, is a sign of the times. Ponting and Langer, who are employed as commentators with Australian broadcaster Channel Seven, are also set to miss part of the Test to attend the auction as head coaches of Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.Vettori has missed certain series in recent years due to his franchise commitments with replacement coaches seconded to work with Australia. However, this will be the first time he will leave midway through a Test to attend the IPL auction, having been able to fulfil his duties with Australia this time last year against Pakistan before flying to India for the auction in between matches.CA is also advertising for a new full-time national pace bowling coach who will be able to fill-in for Vettori in the future on tours that he misses.Vettori was on deck with Australia’s squad at their first day of training at the WACA ground on Monday, working closely with the bowling unit while also throwing left-arm orthodox deliveries to the batters in preparation for facing Ravindra Jadeja in the Perth Test.Australia had two consultants working with their main coaching team on Monday in former Australia batter Michael Hussey and former Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Somerset allrounder Jim Allenby, who is permanently based in Perth. Both men worked with Australia’s team ahead of the first Test against Pakistan last summer and will be with the team all week in the lead in to the Test match.Australia’s fielding coach Andre Borovec is currently in charge of the T20I side that is playing the three-match series against Pakistan which concludes in Hobart on Monday night. Both he and Josh Inglis, the stand-in T20 captain, will fly from Hobart to Perth tomorrow to join the Test squad.CA’s national development coach Lachlan Stevens, who coached Australia A against India A and coaches Australia’s Under 19s, will fly into Perth to as additional support for the team when Vettori departs.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are apparently wasting no time on another transfer pursuit, right after they finally sealed a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

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

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

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 25, 2025

The last month of their summer window has been dominated by their chase for Gyökeres.

Two weeks ago, Arsenal agreed a deal in principle to sign the Swedish striker for £64 million, paying a £55m guaranteed fee plus around £9m in add-ons (The Athletic), but talks were held up over the structure of the aforementioned bonuses (GOAL).

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£153m

However, earlier this week, Arteta’s side finally reached a breakthrough for the ex-Coventry City star, and Gyokeres is now set to become a new Arsenal player (Sky Sports).

The 27-year-old, who scored 54 goals in all competitions last season, became Berta’s primary target after the Gunners abandonded initial talks for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

After signing Gyokeres, attention is turning to their pursuit of a central attacking midfielder, as Arteta looks to add more creativity to his squad following their struggles against the low-block last campaign.

Arsenal confirmed Noni Madueke’s arrival last weekend, but aside from Gyokeres, the England international is their only attacking signing of the window. Their deal for Madueke, which attracted mixed reviews from supporters, was apparently pushed by Berta.

Madueke and Gyokeres, according to recent reports, could soon be joined by Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.

Eberechi Eze convinced he's going to join Arsenal

Arsenal are expected to accelerate their plans to sign Eze, and journalist Graeme Bailey has shared a very intriguing update in a piece for TBR Football.

According to the journalist, Eze has told friends that he’s going to join Arsenal this summer, following talks with the Gunners, and it is reported that Arteta’s side have held discussions with Palace too.

It is by no means a certainty that Arsenal will formally make a bid just yet, according to the journalist, as Berta is known for spinning many plates at once when it comes to transfer targets, and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo remains on their shortlist.

However, Bailey is convinced that there is a strong possibility Eze will sign for Arsenal by the end of next month.

“I am told that Eze remains firmly on Arsenal’s radar, and they have done plenty of work on him,” said Bailey.

“There is a very good chance that Eze will be an Arsenal player before the end of August.”

Eze bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Palace last season, including their FA Cup final-winning goal against Man City, and his release clause is believed to be around £60 million (plus a potential £8m if bonuses are reached).

Yorkshire legspinner Jafer Chohan has earned his first England call-up for the men’s limited-overs tour of West Indies, which begins at the end of October, becoming the first graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to earn international recognition.Launched in 2021 by Dr Tom Brown, the scheme aimed to remedy the under-representation of British South Asian players in the professional game. Dr Brown co-founded SACA with former England bowler Kabir Ali, after researching the subject during a four-year PhD at Birmingham City University, in which he found that British Asians represent just 5% of the cricketers at the top level of the men’s game, a sharp drop-off from the 30% that play recreational cricket in England and Wales.Chohan, who was released by Middlesex five years ago, aged 17, is one of 10 players and two coaches to have moved into the professional game from SACA, who showcase their talent in fixtures against county second XIs and sessions open to county scouts. Having joined Yorkshire in 2022, Chohan has established himself in their T20 side, and his England call-up comes off the back of a solid 2024 Vitality Blast campaign, taking 17 wickets at 15.52, with a standout performance of 5 for 14 against Durham – the third-best figures in Yorkshire’s T20 historyDespite that form, and the value of wrist-spin in the shorter formats, Chohan has yet to feature in the men’s Hundred. However, on Tuesday, Yorkshire announced he had signed a three-year contract to remain at Headingley until the end of the 2027 summer. He has also been drafted by Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League season.England are keen to explore their spin options following the international retirement of Moeen Ali, who also happens to be president of SACA, while they also need to line up an eventual successor to Adil Rashid, whose international career has entered its 16th year. Although Rashid last month insisted that he has no immediate plans to retire after claiming his 200th ODI wicket during the Australia series, he namechecked Chohan as one of the young players he has been mentoring, both at Yorkshire and at his own cricket centre in Bradford, as part of the SACA programme.Jafer Chohan claimed five wickets for Yorkshire against Durham in this season’s Vitality Blast•Getty Images

“It feels like an absolute dream to be selected,” Chohan said. “It’s what I’ve worked for my whole life.”I’ve had a great week – having it announced about another three years at Yorkshire as well as having a call up now with England.”For me this is a really good opportunity to be around some of the best players in the world, learn as much as I can and just really sharpen up my game as much as possible. Having big England names in the Yorkshire dressing room, it doesn’t get too much better than that in terms of helping me improve.”Warwickshire’s off-spinning allrounder Dan Mousley and Hampshire quick John Turner are the other uncapped members of the 14-man group. Both were part of the limited-overs squads against Australia at the end of the summer but did not feature.Chohan’s selection, despite a professional career of just 23 T20 appearances, is in keeping with an unconventional approach adopted by England’s selectors. Since taking over as managing director at the start of the 2022 summer, Rob Key has put the onus on picking players on attributes rather than solely on domestic averages. That has come to the fore in 2024.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The year began with Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir playing prominent roles in India based on their release points and action on the ball, with little focus on their modest first-class records for Lancashire and Somerset respectively. Hartley had 40 dismissals at 36.57 and Bashir 10 at 67 heading into that five-Test series, with the latter going on to feature across home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka, at the expense of county team-mate Jack Leach, who had been Ben Stokes’ primary spinner for the first two years of his tenure as Test captain.Leicestershire’s Josh Hull was the beneficiary of this radical approach at the end of the summer, debuting in the final Test against Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval. With the 2025-26 Ashes in mind, Hull’s 6ft7in height and left-arm action set him apart as a point of difference and trumped the fact he had taken just two wickets at 182.50 in three Division Two appearances this season. All this after England legend James Anderson was forced into retirement at the start of the summer.With Test head coach Brendon McCullum set to assume the limited-overs job at the start of 2025, it is perhaps no surprise to see this left-field thinking filter into England’s plans as they look to rebuild after disappointing showings at the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups. The West Indies tour will be Marcus Trescothick’s last as interim white-ball head coach, ahead of McCullum combining the roles in the new year.Related

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There remains no place for Hartley, who has not added to his international caps since the Test tour of India, which he finished as England’s leading wicket-taker with 22 dismissals. He was a non-playing member of the T20 World Cup squad in the Caribbean, but was subsequently overlooked for the T20I and ODI series against Australia.Chohan’s selection also presents a challenge to Rehan Ahmed, who was presumed to be the heir apparent to Rashid. The Leicestershire legspinner has 17 international caps to his name but hopes to add to that this month, having travelled with the Test squad on Tuesday to Pakistan, where he made his debut two years ago.Rehan, 20, could yet challenge Chohan in the Caribbean with that squad due to be supplemented with two players from the Test tour. A decision on who will travel across will be made after selection for the third and final Test in Rawalpindi, which begins on October 24 – a week before the first ODI in Antigua. Hull, who picked up a season-ending quad injury on Test debut, could also be considered if fully recovered.As expected, Jos Buttler will slot back in as captain following a calf injury, and is set to make his first competitive appearance since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India at the end of June. However, a decision on whether he keeps wicket will be made nearer the time. Phil Salt is the only viable stand-in in the original 14-man squad, although both Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith are potential inclusions from the Pakistan Test party.England limited-overs squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid , Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John TurnerItinerary
1st ODI: Antigua, October 31
2nd ODI: Antigua, November 2
3rd ODI: Barbados, November 6
1st T20I: Barbados, November 9
2nd T20I: Barbados, November 10
3rd T20I: St Lucia, November 14
4th T20I: St Lucia, November 16
5th T20I: St Lucia, November 17