After the hype and anxiety, the Oval’s curtain-raiser lives up to its billing

Valkerie Baynes21-Jul-2021Waiting at the station in deepest, greenest Surrey for a train to The Kia Oval, a young woman walked onto the platform in a vibrant royal blue shirt, clearly the kit of some sports team. Could she be a London Spirit fan, off to heckle their crosstown rivals or simply see what this Hundred thing was all about?As she came properly into view, so too did the unmistakable sponsor’s logo followed by the mental connection which features prominently on page one of Marketing For Dummies. Within a split second, a young boy, aged no more than four, gleefully exclaimed: “Chelsea! A Chelsea top!”It was difficult to imagine any of the eight Hundred teams receiving such recognition. Yet, that is the organisers’ dream and, presumably the point of the tournament, and I was not yet at the ground.Disembarking at Vauxhall a young man and woman could be overheard. Him: “Instead of 120 balls, it’s 100.” Her: “Oh, cool.” Encouraging, although they were travelling in the opposite direction.Upon arrival, there was the familiar buzz of any well-attended cricket match, slightly surprising given the hype surrounding the first-ever match of the Hundred, between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals. The demographic filing in early were also the same as you’d see at any other fixture.Becky Hill plays through the pyrotechnics at the Kia Oval•AFP/Getty ImagesOnce inside, apart from the fluorescent pink-and-green branding we’d become so familiar with, splattered across the advertising hoardings, commentary pod and players’ entrance/exit and a funky looking stage with DJ Abbie McCarthy doing her thing, this was cricket at The Oval.The crowd – far from the 28,000 capacity but healthy all the same at 7,395 – appeared largely made up of families enjoying a balmy summer evening together. And then there they were, a smattering of Oval Invincibles shirts on spectators of various ages, a couple of Southern Vipers – really? Yes, it wasn’t the stewards, even though they looked the same. And a lone London Spirit shirt on a bloke in his 20s.The hum of conversation turned to cheers when the fireworks started to signal that the match was imminent. And so to the cricket.As a matter of historical note, the first ball was an all-South African affair, Marizanne Kapp bowling to Lizelle Lee after Manchester Originals won the toss and chose to bat. Again for the record, it was a leg-side wide which Lee failed to pull away and Sarah Bryce fumbled behind the stumps. But hey, this tournament had a false start when it had to be postponed last year so what’s another on a minor scale? Kapp’s second attempt was a full ball, swinging away, which Lee left.Lee provided some fireworks of her own, well, flame-throwers which greeted her six fours in a knock of 42 off 39 balls, the first cracked through midwicket and the second threaded through mid-off and celebrated with a blast of by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth to warm applause from the crowd and players alike. But it was the players who enjoyed a stellar evening.As a showcase for their sport, this contest, which Invincibles won by five wickets with two balls to spare, was perfect. It was close, the international players were at the forefront and the action was easy to follow live. The only thing that seemed remotely tricky to navigate as an observer was the presentation of the scores, a matter of graphics rather than format.Related

New and weird, but a strangely satisfying experience

Isa Guha on the Hundred: 'The BBC can play out to the masses. I think it will cut through'

Kate Cross: 'The cricket is the cricket, it will take care of itself'

Katherine Brunt on Women's Hundred pay row: 'Equality doesn't happen overnight'

The use of bowlers was fascinating and full of potential from a tactical perspective. Kapp bowled 10 balls straight, claiming the wicket of Emma Lamb with her seventh, Invincibles needing to call upon the DRS – a new feature for domestic cricket in England – to have her caught-behind dismissal confirmed.Tash Farrant, who conceded nine off her first set of five – including those first two fours by Lee, didn’t reappear until ball 71 when she had Lee holing out to Grace Gibbs at cover for the first of her three wickets.Just when it felt like the one thing lacking was a shot to clear the rope, Cross advanced down the pitch to Danielle Gregory and thumped a six over long-on. Sophie Ecclestone obliged in similar style off Farrant a short time later before she was stumped on the next ball, the 99th of the innings.Cross finished not out 12 from four balls. Then, with her side defending 135, Cross, who took an ODI five-for against India last month, claimed three wickets in seven deliveries and the hosts looked in trouble.It was a 75-run partnership between Kapp and van Niekerk that kept Invincibles in the hunt. Then van Niekerk was ably supported by Villiers, who struck a six off fellow England spinner Ecclestone to reduce the hosts’ requirement to eight runs from eight balls. Villiers drew the scores level with a four and a single, leaving the rest to her captain, for whom the win clearly meant a lot.Whether the eight teams become household names remains to be seen, but organisers couldn’t have hoped for too much more as a starting point.

da 888casino： Arsenal have attacking reinforcements in their sights and are willing to put one of their key targets in the top bracket of earners at the Emirates Stadium, per a report.

Arsenal's search for attacking reinforcements rumbles on

da blaze casino： Truthfully, it is impossible to avoid the discussion of Arsenal adding attacking reinforcements this summer when it comes to assessing their scope to do transfer business.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres are the Gunners’ two main targets through the middle. However, with neither prospective deal near completion, other names will begin to be thrown into the hat as a consequence.

Speaking about what he would do in his old side’s situation, William Gallas has backed Arsenal to enter the race for Alexander Isak despite the Sweden international being a difficult star to sign this summer.

He stated: “Isak is perfect for Arsenal and they should be going all out to sign him. He would adapt instantly and give them the best chance of winning the title out of any player in the world, they don’t have time to let a striker adapt.

“Arsenal should go and break the bank for Isak. He is a 20-goal-a-season striker, and he would be surrounding himself with quality players.”

Related A bigger star than Zubimendi: Arsenal make approach to sign £50m midfielder

The midfield monster would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 23, 2025

Boyhood Arsenal fan Ollie Watkins is wanted at the Emirates and would offer proven top-flight pedigree, even if he is firmly in the prime of his career. The race remains open to find out who will be Mikel Arteta’s new centre-forward come the end of the window.

Supporters will already be buckled up and ready to experience a chaotic few months in the market, though they could be in for a treat if recent reports are to be believed.

Arsenal willing to make Rodrygo one of their highest earners

According to TBR in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Andrea Berta is willing to make Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo one of their highest earners should he pitch up at the Emirates this summer.

Berta has engaged in ‘preliminary talks’ with his camp over recent weeks, and it is said that the La Liga giants could be open to offloading him for £70 million despite believing he is someone worth around the £100 million mark.

Rodrygo in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

52

Goals

14

Assists

11

Dubbed “top drawer” by former Chelsea star Joe Cole, there is a realisation among his entourage that he won’t be guaranteed a starting spot this campaign due to competition within the forward areas, which could lead to a departure as he would be allowed to operate in his favoured left wing berth.

Arsenal are looking to tie Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to new deals, though Rodrygo would be expected to hold parity with most of their top bracket, with a suggestion that he could even become the Gunners’ top earner.

Of course, that is all theoretical at this point, but it does show how serious Berta and company are about trying to pull of what would be one of the deals of the summer.

MatériaMais Notícias

da aviator aposta： A grande novidade no terceiro dia de treinos do Corinthians durante a pausa para a Data Fifa foi a presença do volante Luiz Gustavo, conhecido como Bahia. O garoto de 17 anos é uma das joias do Terrão e soma passagens pela Seleção Brasileira de base.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansApós ‘encher os olhos’ de Luxemburgo, meia da base perde espaço no CorinthiansCorinthians08/09/2023CorinthiansFerroviária e Corinthians empatam e deixam decisão do Brasileirão Feminino em abertoCorinthians07/09/2023Fora de CampoTom Brady elogia jogador do atual elenco do Corinthians: ‘Um dos melhores da história’Fora de Campo07/09/2023

da bet7k： + Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

No Timão desde os 11 anos, ele nasceu em Vitória da Conquista (BA) e é o capitão da equipe Sub-17. Com o Brasil, Bahia foi campeão do Sul-Americano de sua categoria e tem vínculo com o Corinthians até 30 de junho de 2025. Além dele, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo chamou os zagueiros Fernando Vera e Thierry para as atividades desta sexta-feira.

Após ativação na academia, o elenco corintiano foi dividido em quatro times pela comissão técnica, que organizou um treino tático em campo reduzido, alternando em minijogos. Antes de finalizar o treinamento do dia, os atletas realizaram um trabalho de força na caixa de areia sob o comando da equipe de preparação física.

continua após a publicidade

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

O Corinthians fecha a semana de treinos na manhã de sábado (9). O elenco receberá folga no domingo e retorna ao CT Joaquim Grava na segunda-feira (11), de olho no confronto contra o Fortaleza, pela 23ª rodada do Brasileirão. Para o confronto contra o Leão do Pici, Luxemburgo terá os retornos de Fagner e Renato Augusto. O lateral está recuperado da lesão na panturrilha e participa normalmente das atividades, enquanto o meia foi preservado no Dérbi diante do Palmeiras, última partida da equipe antes da Data Fifa.

أثار فريق ليفربول استياء رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لكرة القدم بسبب تصرفه في مباراة يوم الأحد الماضي ضد نظيره فريق مانشستر يونايتد، في إطار منافسات البطولة المحلية.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد في قمة منافسات الجولة الثامنة من الدوري الإنجليزي، 2025/26، حيث خسر الريدز بهدفين لهدف.

وذكرت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية أن ليفربول يواجه نقاشًا حادًا من رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي بشأن مزاعم انتهاكه بروتوكول الكرات المتعددة عدة مرات خلال هزيمة الأحد أمام مانشستر يونايتد.

وأوضحت أنه من المرجح أن تتخذ رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي إجراءً فوريًا للتذكير بالقواعد التي طُبقت لأول مرة في موسم 2022/23.

اقرأ أيضًا.. محمد صلاح يتلقى رسائل قاسية من جماهير ليفربول

وقام حاملو الكرة بإلقاء الكرة في أرض الملعب، بعدما سجل هاري ماجواير هدف الفوز في الدقيقة 84، في حين من المفترض أن تكون الكرات البديلة على أقماع حول الملعب، ولا يتعين على حامل الكرة إعادتها من جديد إلى الملعب بعد خروجها، وهو ما لم يحدث.

ودخل تغيير القاعدة حيز التنفيذ العام الماضي، حيث يُلزم اللاعبون إما باستلام الكرة بأنفسهم أو التوجه إلى أقرب مخروط، في حين أن حراس المرمى هم الاستثناء الوحيد عند استئناف اللعب بركلة مرمى.

وتنص إرشادات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أن أي إخفاق في اتباع بروتوكول الكرات المتعددة سيُحال إلى الرابطة لمزيد من التحقيق واتخاذ إجراءات تنظيمية محتملة بموجب قواعد البطولة.

وسبق أن حصل أستون فيلا على غرامة مالية قدرها 125 ألف جنيه إسترليني، في منتصف أغسطس، بعد إقراره بعدم اتباع البروتوكول في خمس مباريات الموسم الماضي.

The Cristiano Ronaldo devotee with a massive global fanbase of his own took over the league's All-Star Skills Challenge

AUSTIN, TX — In a room of cameras that weren’t his own, iShowSpeed was skittish. Perhaps he was even nervous. It was a last second media opportunity, arranged shortly before the MLS All Star Game Skills Challenge.

There were whispers for 24 hours that Speed, by some distance the biggest streamer – and in some eyes the most prominent voice – in American soccer, would be willing to step outside of his usual socially curated bubble. And there he was, swaggering into the room with a “What’s up everybody?”

But once the lights were on, he shuffled his feet slightly, looked unsteady. That curated bit, the guy who loves Cristiano Ronaldo and barks a lot, briefly cracked. Then, the questions came.

Content creator: “Would you give up streaming forever if Ronaldo would be your best friend?”

Speed: “No, because I have the ability to make Ronaldo my best friend.”

Content creator: “Call out somebody you want to race right now.”

Speed (with a frustrated groan): “Tyreek Hill it’s happening, it’s happening this year, EVERYBODY want it. So let’s go.”

Some five minutes and two other made-for-TikTok interviews later, he was escorted away. And there he was, standing next to the pitch, clad in MLS All Star gear. Children gathered round, phones out, clamoring for attention. Speed stood, stoic, awaiting his cue.

And then he took over the Skills Challenge. He leapt, bounded and pirouetted onto the field, a string of noises, shouts and gestures. Every camera was on him. Every kid wanted a high five. It was, admittedly, immensely captivating. Here was a 20-year-old from Cincinnati, who two years ago was barking on the Internet and shouting about Ronaldo, taking over an event that wasn’t his.

“He actually tries a lot. He’s a fun guy. We really enjoyed having him here,” FC Cincinnati All-Star Evander said.

• Getty Images
  

  An awkward run up

  This, of course, is the Speed thing. He is probably the most strangely compelling act in football at this point. Darren Jason Watkins Jr., as he is pretty much never known, started streaming video games in 2021. By the end of the next year, he had broken into the soccer space, marketing himself as a Cristiano Ronaldo fanboy who hates Lionel Messi.

  He has more than 47 million subscribers on YouTube, is friends with pretty much every footballer you can mention, and has a record deal. He was the only person to get a sit-down interview with FIFA President Gianni Infantino before the Club World Cup. To many in United States, Speed is soccer.

  A few hours before, though, things were far calmer. As fans filtered into the Q2 arena in Austin, Texas, Speed was put on the pitch, with only his bodyguard for company. He stood near the center circle, juggling and shooting. Ball after ball sailed over the crossbar. First, he leaned back too much. Then he couldn’t quite get enough bend to put one into the top corner. Then it was just frustration, with Speed rolling the ball into an empty net.

  This was the warmup, vaguely acquainting himself with a football, but mostly preparing for the show itself.

  And therein lies the point. Speed is not a footballer. He learned how to play this sport less than two years ago. In that light, he really isn't that bad. He is not a natural, but he has a decent touch about him.

  "He impressed me, especially for somebody for someone who has never played soccer that much," Real Salt Lake All-Star Diego Luna said.

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• Getty
  

  'Maybe with a little more practice'

  For this, Speed was pushed into the spotlight by MLS’s social media team, and they made good use of every second. Here he was, demoing, admittedly well, in the shooting challenge. There he was, being thrashed by Orlando City All-Star Alex Freeman in the passing drills. Some of the younger players loved it. Luna is 21. He is among the millions that stream Speed’s content, or follow him on Instagram.

  He wasn’t star-struck, but there was a certain novelty to things.

  “It was cool, somebody you watch in your free time and stuff like that, to be in person and talk to him and get to know him a bit was cool," Luna said. "This is a cool little moment for him."

  Others were a bit more skeptical. A minute into the passing challenge, Freeman was ahead so convincingly that he decided to have some fun. He passed with his weaker foot, broke out a few rabonas. Despite that, Speed didn’t come close. Still, Freeman enjoyed the moment.

  “It’s amazing. I grew up. I watched him, and to see him in real life, he’s the same guy I see on my phone,” Freeman said. “He’s really improved.”

  Others seemed less impressed. It was put to Evander that Speed showed enough on the shooting challenge to suggest that he might be able to perform in MLS.

  “No,” the Cincinnati midfielder said.

  Nashville’s Sam Surridge, too, was a little uneasy at that suggestion.

  “Maybe with a little more practice,” he suggested.

• Getty Images
  

  'My son watches him'

  And even when he wasn’t kicking the ball, there was still plenty of time for the Speed show. He bounded onto the pitch to present Houston Dynamo 2’s Pedro Cruz, a young Brazilian, with the championship belt for winning goalie wars. In a quick interview after, Cruz thanked God, his family, and his club through a translator.

  Speed tried to wish him the best in broken Portuguese. A few minutes later, Cruz strolled off, belt on his shoulder, club photographers either side. Speed stood in the middle of the pitch, signing autographs, posing for pictures, the whole thing being played out on the stadiums giant video screen. Cruz had won a fairly significant competition, and the moment had been snatched away.

  Denis Bouanga, who stood baffled while he prepared for an event, wasn't surprised to see Speed as the star of the show.

  "It's fun for the player and the fans, too, who come to the stadium to see iShowSpeed, too. My son watches him," the LAFC forward said.

  That was, in fact, one of the more interesting divides. A good portion of the crowd was clearly in attedance to see Speed. Kids and influencers asked for signatures and selfies while their parents and friends looked baffled. The Speed act was central, everything else seemed to revolve around it. This was a Speed stream that happened to have an All-Star event next to it.

• Getty Images
  

  'Who has a strong left foot… besides Messi?'

  Back in the room before the challenge, the facade broke again.

  Speed was asked to name the player with the best left foot in the world. “Let me think. Who has a strong left foot… besides Messi?”

  He peered over at his bodyguard for help, and received a blank stare in return, and 20 seconds of silences followed.

  Then, a revelation: “Oh, Lamine Yamal!”

  And then he was back into rhythm again, striding through each question with a smile and a chuckle. He signed a shirt for an interviewer, posed for a couple more pictures. He was cut off early, leaving a few reporters miffed. He chugged a bottle of water, and walked away from the cameras.

  And with one quick “Suiii” he threw the door open, and left.

Off spinner says England’s Urdu-speaking spinners were fooled into bringing the field up during his 48 not out

Danyal Rasool25-Oct-2024

Sajid Khan struck four sixes in a vital innings for Pakistan•Getty Images

Pakistan offspinner Sajid Khan has found a number of ways of getting under England’s skin, from the moustache twirling to the thigh thumping that accompany borderline invasion of personal space. Much of it has involved bamboozling them with the angle of his spin or the flight of his deliveries, but on Friday, he found another avenue for English befuddlement: their spin bowlers’ bilingualism.After the fourth ball of the 86th over, once Saud Shakeel had flicked Shoaib Bashir away to turn the strike over to Sajid, the pair met to discuss how to manage the strike, and didn’t appear to bother if the stump mic picked them up. Sajid, presumably, was to see off the final two balls, but he danced down the wicket and launched Bashir over midwicket into the Javed Miandad stand.It could hardly have been the plan, but according to Sajid, the intended audience for the conversation wasn’t each other but Pakistani-origin spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir.”We were only doing that [speaking loudly in Urdu] to deceive the bowlers. Rehan and Shoaib understand Urdu, so to fool them, we wanted them to hear we were only looking for the single. When we did that, they brought the field up and the bowlers flighted it. Saud told me once they do, no half measures: just go for the big shot as hard as you can.”And Sajid did. The next over Bashir bowled, Sajid plundered two sixes and a boundary in much the same way, swinging towards the midwicket boundary, finding the middle of the bat with regularity. 19 came off that over, and though Rehan kept him quieter, he was stung once when he spread the field out. Sajid took the men at long-off and long-on, comfortably clearing the rope. The wheels, by now, had begun to come off England’s bowling effort, and Pakistan’s lead had ballooned.Rehan acknowledged the quality of the innings, but was having none of Sajid’s claims. “He didn’t fool me at all, he just said it for the media,” he laughed “I didn’t even hear him. He said something like he’s going to run down this ball and I knew he was going to try and scoop me, and it didn’t really work. I think he batted well, and he hit some big blows, but he didn’t really fool me or Bash.”

Talk about a baptism of fire for new Arsenal Sporting Director, Andrea Berta.

Edu Gaspar is no longer in charge of the Gunners’ recruitment and Berta has been dealt a tough hand, needing to sign Mikel Arteta his elusive striker.

No pressure then, Andrea, we only need you to find a player capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Last term was a golden opportunity for the Londoners to end their 20-year wait for a league title, but a succession of injuries and inconsistent performances saw Liverpool romp to the crown, ultimately winning the division by ten points.

It was a rough old year for Arsenal but let’s forget about that for now. The 2025/26 campaign is already around the corner, although Arteta’s side face a tough start against Manchester United.

So, the need for a striker has only been heightened. Can Berta get one across the line? Here’s what Arsenal’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.

The new arrivals £100m winger & new striker sign

Arsenal haven’t quite been as gung-ho as their rivals Liverpool and Manchester City so far this summer but they have all but confirmed three new arrivals already.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to arrive from Chelsea in a £5m deal, replacing Neto as the club’s second-string goalkeeper. They have also agreed a move to bring in Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as Berta goes about improving the midfield ranks.

Speaking of midfielders, the most exciting addition of the summer so far is Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, set to join in a move worth just over £50m.

But, what does the rest of the window hold? Well, Arsenal fans are certainly dreaming of the attacking ranks being bolstered.

Let’s start with the striker, shall we? Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres are the two centre-forwards in the club’s crosshairs but who arrives very much remains up in the air.

Gyokeres is a devastating attacker, someone who’s coming off the back of a campaign in which he found the net on 54 occasions in 52 outings. He is the ready-made option, someone who could fire the Gunners to the title.

Yet, it might well be that Arsenal prefer the project striker, someone in the mould of Sesko who appears to have all the raw attributes to become a genuinely elite player.

Transfer Focus

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

Described as “the new Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Slovenian is tall, powerful, quick and has an immense shot on him. That being said, he did only score 21 goals in 2024/25, some way behind Gyokeres.

Still, he’s got incredible potential and if reports are to be believed, personal terms have already been agreed between player and club. Arsenal need a striker and Sesko could be their man.

Elsewhere, a winger appears to be on the agenda for Arteta and Co. Positive talks have reportedly been held to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid but it remains a difficult deal to do.

If the Gunners had it their way, then Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon would be a dream alternative. Arsenal are interested but with an alleged £100m asking price, this is an incredibly unlikely deal.

That said, he’s Premier League proven and in the process of amassing 44 goal contributions in the last two seasons, he is one of the most dangerous wingers in English football.

Games

48

42

Mins played

3,869

2,946

Goals

12

9

Assists

16

7

Arsenal need another winger; they need competition for Martinelli, and in Gordon, they’d seal a remarkable coup.

The outgoings Bye-bye Trossard

If the club are going to fund two big additions to the forward line then they will need to sell smartly.

Jorginho has already departed on a free transfer, although Norgaard and Zubimendi look to be the replacements there.

But, who could fetch some cash? Well, Oleksandr Zinchenko is one of the names on the chopping block. Linked with Borussia Dortmund last January, he’s caught the attention of the German club again this summer, while AC Milan are also looking at him.

Having played just 522 minutes in the league last season, he’s certainly expendable and must finally be given the boot this summer.

Another departure could be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian appeared in more games (56) than any other Arsenal player in 2024/25, proving his dependability as far as availability is concerned.

However, he had a disappointing campaign on the whole, scoring just ten goals in those outings. At the age of 30, he’s beginning to get on and has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia this year.

Getting a decent transfer fee for the winger could be decisive in Arsenal’s efforts to spend big on new forward players.

The contract renewals Saliba pens new terms

The biggest news as far as renewals are concerned this summer is that Brazilian colossus Gabriel has penned new terms at the Emirates Stadium.

But, who could join him? Well, the news that Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed extended terms has certainly gone down well, with reports suggesting that he’s now one of the highest-paid teenagers in world football.

Four players – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli – see their deals expire in 2027 and while that feels like a long time away, they could depart for a cut-price fee or run their deals down if Arsenal aren’t careful.

We’re not suggesting Saka could leave on a free for one minute but it’s vital that Berta gets extensions sorted for him, Saliba and Martinelli, in particular.

Saliba has attracted the interest of Real Madrid and we all know what happens when they come calling. Trent Alexander-Arnold, we’re looking at you.

So, getting the French defender tied down could be one of the biggest pieces of business Arsenal do all summer. They simply cannot afford to let him leave.

Tying that in with the arrival of a new winger and a striker would ensure the Gunners end the transfer window with an almighty bang. Wouldn’t that be a bit special, eh?

Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m

The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Arsenal supporters are set to see a plethora of different stories come to light about Andrea Berta’s transfer activity in the coming months, with Mikel Arteta looking to restructure the squad and build a Premier League-winning side.

When asked about planning for next season, after Arsenal were confirmed as runners-up behind Liverpool, the Gunners boss admitted to getting “goosebumps” when thinking of the summer ahead.

"World-class" player set for medical with new club after leaving Arsenal

He’s departing imminently.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 4, 2025

A lot of noise is centered around their search for a new striker, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko both being worked on by Arsenal (BBC), but the north Londoners could reinforce a host of other areas.

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

Arsenal held talks over a deal for Dean Huijsen, before his switch to Real Madrid, and it is believed that Berta is actively pursuing a new winger as well, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

They appear set to attack the market with gusto after missing out on this year’s title to Liverpool by 10 points, and Arteta has commenced work behind-the-scenes, by his own admission.

“Now, immediately,” said Arteta when he was asked about planning for the new season, after their last game of 24/25 against Southampton (via Sky).

“The moment I start to think about that, I feel goosebumps and excitement. We already have some things that we are discussing and making decisions. Everything that is planned for pre-season and the first few weeks of the season is already done two, three months ago. So we are now really good.

“My day will look already different. There are a lot of things to do, but it won’t be, especially with that feeling in my tummy, that [feeling of] a game is coming up. It will be a different one and that changes everything.”

A lot of planning has also gone into a pre-summer deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

After months of rumoured talks, Fabrizio Romano finally gave his famous ‘here we go’ to the deal recently, and the BBC reported that a medical had been scheduled for the £51 million Spain international.

However, Zubimendi himself threw a spanner in the works with his quotes from this week, telling Radio Nacional that the medical claims were actually untrue.

Arsenal are set to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad

After this message, and a similar denial of Arsenal’s advances from Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared a comforting update on the complex sitiuation which is confusing a lot of supporters.

Speaking to The Boot Room, Bailey said that Zubimendi to Arsenal is in fact a “done deal” – and the club are not worried about the 26-year-old’s surprise interview or the potential for Real Madrid to swoop in.

“Arsenal are aware of the quotes from Zubimendi – but from what I am told, the deal is considered done at the Emirates,” said the reporter.

“They are not worried, they knew these things might come up when Xabi Alonso was appointed.

“From what I am told, this is happening – it is a done deal. But obviously, the fans want to see that picture of him holding the shirt up, signed and sealed. Until that point, speculation is open to continue.”

The “world-class” midfield technician, who’s been a star mainstay for Sociedad and helped Spain seize Euro 2024 glory last year, has been a top target since January, with talks advancing as far back as winter (The Mail).

Losing out on Zubimendi at this stage would be a hammer blow for Arteta, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding Thomas Partey and Jorginho confirmed to be leaving.

Left-armer has been on Eoin Morgan’s radar and looks to be hitting his straps

Matt Roller05-Aug-2021Few players have dominated one phase of a T20 innings like Jofra Archer did in the 2020 IPL season in the UAE. While his Rajasthan Royals team-mates went around the park early in the innings, Archer took 10 Powerplay wickets in 14 games while conceding only 4.34 runs an over; England have struggled at times up front over the last two years, so Archer’s form with the new ball was a huge positive ahead of this October’s T20 World Cup.So Thursday’s news that Archer’s persistent elbow injury will rule him out of the rest of the year was a crushing blow not only to their Ashes hopes, but to their chances of becoming the first team to hold both ODI and T20 World Cups simultaneously. First and foremost it is a crying shame for Archer himself, but the loss of their fastest and most skilled seamer has also left a gaping hole in England’s side.When Tymal Mills stood at the top of his mark at Emirates Old Trafford later the same day, there was a wider context than simply hoping to extend Southern Brave’s winning run in the Hundred. Rain was falling throughout Manchester Originals’ innings, helping the ball skid through off the pitch, and Mills took a deep breath before steaming in to bowl to Joe Clarke.Clarke set himself deep in his crease, looking to swing through the leg side with eight balls remaining in a reduced Powerplay, and looked around to see his leg stump ripped out of its groove. Mills hit a good length at 86mph/138kph with the first ball he bowled, beat Clarke for pace, and let out a guttural roar while punching the air in celebration. This was not just a wicket – it was proof that he was a viable alternative to Archer in England’s opening game this October.There has been a similar context around Mills throughout the Hundred so far, after Eoin Morgan’s unexpected name-check during a routine post-match press conference at the end of England’s series against Sri Lanka in June. “He is an outstanding bowler and we’ve always been in communication with him, wanting him to get fit, play as much cricket as possible, and leave him alone until the World Cup comes,” Morgan said. “He’s a good example [of someone] that could present a really strong case throughout the Hundred.”Mills has struggled with injuries over the four years since his last England appearance – against India in 2017, immediately before his life-changing IPL deal – and Morgan’s angle on him has stayed consistent throughout that period. “Due to his fitness background, we probably wouldn’t consider him until a World Cup year,” he said back in 2018, during the tri-series in Australia and New Zealand.He managed to play seven out of Sussex’s nine completed games in the Vitality Blast this summer, taking 11 wickets and conceding only 7.63 runs an over, but the nature of the competition is that plenty of impressive performances go unnoticed. “There are so many games that you can’t play them all in front of the cameras and guys scoring hundreds, taking wickets, taking amazing catches – they’re relegated to stationary cameras on a Twitter feed,” Mills himself said earlier this year.So at the start of the Hundred, there was pressure on. He bowled reasonably well with a low score to defend in the Brave’s crushing defeat against Trent Rockets in the opening game, but conceded 32 runs from 20 balls in his next two appearances, and while he was hitting good speeds, he conceded plenty of boundaries when offering batters width.Related

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But his past two appearances have been difficult to ignore. Against London Spirit at Lord’s, he returned 1 for 15 from his four overs; while his team-mate Chris Jordan took the headlines, it was Mills who changed the game.Josh Inglis, the set batter on 48, failed to read his changes of pace as Mills conceded a single run from his third set of five, and with 14 needed off the last 10 balls, he went for three while having Mohammad Nabi caught on the edge of the cover ring. With Morgan in the other dugout, it was a performance that did his place in England’s pecking order the world of good.Four nights later, he conceded nine runs from his 11 balls against the Originals; it was a tiny sample, of course, but his success stood in comparison to two other highly-rated seamers on his side in Jordan and George Garton, both of whom were expensive on the night.In particular, Mills’ unique method has come to the fore. He has hit 91mph/146kph in the tournament but his slower balls – particularly out the back of the hand – have often been clocked in the 65mph/105kph region, despite a similarly quick arm. Mills has used his yorker more regularly this year than in the past, but has continued to back his analysis that ‘hard-length’ balls into the pitch that cramp batters for room will be more successful in the long run. His record at the death remains the best in the world since the last World T20, and if he can prove he is potent in the Powerplay too during this tournament, he will start to resemble a complete package.The result is that Mills has started to look less like a wildcard pick for this winter’s World Cup but a man who is as well placed as anyone else in the country to fill Archer’s boots. He turns 29 next week and is approaching the prime of his career: if England don’t pick him now, when will they?

Chelsea started their Club World campaign with a 2-0 victory over LAFC, but it was far from the most entertaining watch from a Blues perspective.

The limited numbers inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium likely didn’t help the drab pre-season feel of the fixture, yet certain performances would have still worried the select few Chelsea supporters watching on regardless, with Noni Madueke noticeably struggling down the left wing.

Enzo Maresca desperately needs more reinforcements down the left channel, therefore, and transfer rumours constantly coming out from Stamford Bridge seem to indicate that fresh blood will soon be purchased.

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025 Chelsea still have "world-class" star as top priority

As per an update by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg on social media, Chelsea still holds winning the services of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens as a major priority this summer, but they will have to pay £55m.

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

An agreement has been sealed on the player side, according to Fabrizio Romano, but the more time goes on, the more Blues supporters will be anxious that a deal to win Gittens could unfortunately fall flat.

Indeed, other targets are now being sought after on the left, with an enquiry lodged to snap up rising Lyon star Malick Fofana as a way to bolster even more.

However, whilst Fofana is no doubt being looked at as one for the future, Chelsea will be overwhelmed with excitement as to what the Dortmund attacker could be capable of on his expected arrival in West London, with Gittens having already been dubbed “world-class” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.

How Gittens can be Chelsea's next Hazard

Bursting with energy and an electric dribbler, the young Englishman might well become Chelsea’s next Eden Hazard if everything goes to plan.

Hazard was only a year older than Gittens when making his Blues debut back in 2012, having also been hotly tipped for greatness on the books of Lille. Now, the much-loved Belgian is viewed as a modern-day icon at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca will be aiming to restore Chelsea to their past glories when Hazard was routinely galloping down the left channel, with two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy heading the Blues’ way when the slick 5-foot-9 attacker was performing at his peak.

Adding Gittens could well be a big step forward in allowing Chelsea to compete for top-flight honours once more, with his overall numbers in the Bundesliga lagging behind Hazard’s were when he was about to leave France behind for a new challenge in England.

Games played

194

107

Goals scored

50

17

Assists

53

12

Goals per game

0.25

0.15

Assists per game

0.27

0.11

Hazard was somewhat in a league of his own towards the end of his Lille stay, with a remarkable 38 goals and assists picked up during his final season in France.

But, Gittens has shown flashes of his obvious excellence at Dortmund to be viewed as a potential next iteration of the celebrated Belgian, notably ranking within the top 1% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90 minutes, showcasing he’s one of the best dribblers around, just like Hazard.

12 of his 17 Black and Yellow strikes came in 2024/25, and it included four being hammered home in the esteemed Champions League.

Hazard was equally a dependable performer on the big occasion for Chelsea, with ten strikes next to his name in Europe’s elite competition.

The similarities don’t end there, however, with the former Manchester City youth product also capable of performing as an attacking midfielder or a right winger if needed.

Hazard’s main explosiveness for the Blues did primarily come down the left, but a surprisingly large portion of his goals in London did actually come from the number ten spot, as seen in 21 of his 110 goals for Chelsea coming from this more central position.

With so much hype next to his name – with Critchley further lauding the 20-year-old as “England’s best LW” currently – the worry might well be that Gittens flounders under the intensity of his new spotlight.

Yet, Hazard had even more fanfare surrounding his name when he took the jump from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, with Dortmund’s standout star now desperate to follow in his revered footsteps.

Better than Gittens: BlueCo make approach to sign £50m star for Chelsea

Chelsea love signing a highly-rated winger don’t they, with the Blues seeking to sign a “magnificent prospect” as Jamie Gittens alternative.

1 Jun 17, 2025