Sarina Wiegman hailed Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton after England survived a thrilling Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden, winning on penalties following a dramatic comeback. The Lionesses came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 before edging a chaotic shootout 3-2. Wiegman admitted she thought England were out "three times" during the rollercoaster clash.

• England win epic quarter-final vs Sweden on penalties
• Bronze scores equaliser & winning penalty as Hampton shines
• Wiegman braced for elimination three times

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England trailed Sweden by two goals early on but mounted a stunning late fightback to force penalties. Bronze and Michelle Agyemang scored in quick succession after key second-half substitutions turned the game in the Lionesses' favour. In the shootout, Hampton produced two brilliant saves before the former Barcelona defender netted the winning spot-kick.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  Speaking to the media, Wiegman said of Hampton: "Today I thought about three times we were out. She didn't have doubters in our bubble. I think she had a very impressive performance. She had some very good saves in the second halves. She had one penalty on the right side that was an incredible save. Pretty big contribution today."

  On Bronze, the Lionesses boss added: "Lucy Bronze is one of a kind and I have never seen anybody like her before in my life. There are so many amazing players but what she does and her mentality – the goal, penalty at the far post. That's what defines her – her resilience and fight. The only way to get her off the pitch is in a wheelchair."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wiegman’s tactical changes once again proved decisive as England showed their trademark resilience on the biggest stage. However, some of the blame for Sweden's loss lies on their own shoulders as they had the perfect opportunity to win the tie when they sent up their star goalkeeper, Jennifer Falk, to take the pivotal penalty, which she ultimately missed.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE LIONESSES?

  England now progress to the Euro 2025 semi-finals, where they will meet Italy. Wiegman will be focused on recovery and preparation after an emotionally and physically draining quarter-final. With momentum behind them, the Lionesses are eyeing another historic run.

The South Korea international has officially joined the Black and Gold, becoming the latest star in Los Angeles

LAFC officially sign Spurs icon SonForward signs through 2027, options through 2029Sets MLS transfer record at reported $26.5MFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tottenham Hotspur forward and South Korea star Son Heung-Min has joined Los Angeles FC on a permanent transfer through 2027 with club options through June 2029. The club officially introduced him at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Son will occupy an international roster slot and will be eligible to play upon receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC). The 33-year-old reportedly becomes the most expensive transfer in MLS history, surpassing Atlanta United's deal of Emmanuel Latte Lath earlier this season. 

reported that the fee is approximately $26.5 million.

Over 10 years with Tottenham, the South Korea international scored 173 goals across all competitions, registered 101 assists, and became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot in 2021-22. 

"Just because I had a successful career in Europe doesn't mean I will here," Son said in Los Angeles. "So I want to see this as a new challenge and do my best and all that. I want to give back to the ownership and the team and the club, and do the best I can and leave when the time comes as a legend of the club.

"I'm here to win, and I will perform, and I will definitely show you something exciting. I will definitely show some exciting football, and we definitely will have success."

LAFC management praised Son's track record, and noted the impact he can have for the team and in the community.

“Sonny is a global icon and one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in world football,” said LAFC co-president and GM John Thorrington. “His ambition, ability, and character align perfectly with our values at LAFC. We are proud that he has chosen Los Angeles for the next chapter of his extraordinary career. Sonny is a proven winner and a world-class individual, and we are confident he will elevate our club and inspire our community – both on and off the pitch.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Son becomes the latest global superstar to sign for LAFC, following in the footsteps of former Tottenham teammates Gareth Bale and Hugo Lloris, the latter of whom he is reuniting in Los Angeles.

“I’m incredibly proud to be joining LAFC, a club with big ambitions in one of the most iconic sports cities in the world,” Son said. “Los Angeles has such a rich history of champions, and I am here to help write the next chapter. I’m excited for this new challenge in MLS. I have come to L.A. to lift trophies and give everything for this club, this city, and its fans. I cannot wait to get started.”

Son will undoubtedly pull in viewers given his popularity as captain of the Korean national team, especially given the fact that nearly 30 percent of the nation’s Korean population of 1.8 million live in California.

"I've obviously played with former teammates like Hugo Lloris, Gareth Bale, and national team player Kim Moon-Hwan also played for LAFC," Son said. "And the conversations that I've had with them were great because also Hugo was helping and advising about how great Los Angeles is.

"And as a Korean, to know that Koreatown here in Los Angeles has so many Koreans here in this country, I'm very proud to be part of the club and the city here. We'll make them proud with my performance and do the best I can to represent the Koreans in Koreatown and here in LA."

Internationally, Son has scored 51 goals and represented South Korea in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups and four AFC Asian Cups. In 2018, he led South Korea to a gold medal at the Asian Games.

“Bringing Sonny to LAFC and to our city has been a dream of ours for several years,” LAFC lead managing owner Bennett Rosenthal said. “My partners and I are huge admirers of Sonny the player and Sonny the person. His signing is a statement of our commitment to excellence on the pitch and our ambition to continue to build our reputation as a world class club on the global football stage. Sonny as a player and person will inspire not only our fans in LA and the incredible community in Southern California, but millions of fans around the world.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Son recently lifted the 2025 UEFA Europa League title with Tottenham earlier this season.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LAFC?

The take to the pitch on Saturday against the Chicago Fire in their return to MLS action after the opening stage of the Leagues Cup. The game could serve as a potential debut for Son.

A difficult two years for the MCG pitch has continued with a Sheffield Shield match abandoned

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-20195:18

What’s the fuss about Drop-In pitches?

December 2017The Ashes Test turned into a bore draw on a pitch that started without much life and got even more lifeless. Alastair Cook enjoyed it with 244 not out, but few others gained much from spectacle. The ICC rated the pitched “poor”, the first time an international surface in Australia had been given that mark, which effectively put the ground on notice over its future pitches. The pitch had been overseen at a time when the MCG was between head groundsman with Matt Page, who had been announced as David Sandurski’s replacement, yet to begin his role. The 2017-18 season would finish without a single outright result in a first-class match at the MCG.October 2018Under Page’s watch, attempts were made to bring life back to the MCG’s drop-in pitches. In the first part of the domestic season there was an innings win for Victoria (during which Marnus Harris scored 250) and draws with South Australia (which would have been a positive result but for a final-day washout) and Western Australia with a good spread of totals from 159 to 445.ALSO READ: ‘Unplayable’ MCG pitch was a ‘genuine’ risk to playersDecember 2018Details emerged of the long-term planning being put in place by Page to try and rejuvenate the pitch, updating the old-school drop-in pitch technology used at the ground to match those used at the Adelaide Oval – which had managed to produce entertaining drop-in surfaces – and the new Perth Stadium.”It may take us three to five years to get there, in terms of projects we want to knock off, but the Melbourne Cricket Club management have been really supportive of that and have been prepared to do whatever it takes to get to that overall goal,” Page said. “What emerged was these are the sorts of wickets we want to be renowned for in terms of giving everyone a chance. How do we go about doing that? As a part of that, it was seen that we need to look at what’s sitting under the wickets in the middle, how can we improve our wicket nursery, and then how do we start measuring pitch performance.”The pitch which forced the Sheffield Shield match to be called off•Getty ImagesDecember 2018A year on from the Ashes, the Test against India produced a result – a handsome 137-run victory for the visitors – but the pitch did not pass with flying colours. It was more the excellence of Jasprit Bumrah, with a great spell on the third day, that hastened the game forward after India had ground out 7 for 443 at 2.61 runs per over. The ICC rated the surface “average”, so not at the alarming level of 12 months previous but an indication there was still work to be done.November 2019After extensive work leading into the 2019-2020 season, the surface for the first Sheffield Shield match of the season received positive reviews for the pace and carry on offer for the quicks while legspinner Mitchell Swepson had a big say in Queensland’s victory. The match against New South Wales fizzled out into a draw because of rain over the last two days although Victoria captain Peter Handscomb believed more still needed to be done.”[The] MCG pitch hasn’t deteriorated for 10 years,” he told the . “So I think we need to start making the game accelerate at the start of it, maybe make it a bit greener like it is in Hobart where the game accelerates at the start and then becomes a good batting wicket after that. But that’s up to the groundsman and see how they go.”December 2019The opening day of the match against Western Australia was suspended in the 40th over after batsmen repeatedly took blows on the body with deliveries rearing from a good length and the match subsequently abandoned. The issue was understood to stem from how soft the surface was when play began; the fast bowlers created divots with their deliveries which then led to uneven bounce as they hardened. This was not the pitch due to be used for the Test against New Zealand.

“We’ve won one of the two series, we’ve won various games in both and we’ve seen more players”

Cameron Ponsonby18-Nov-20241:38

‘I hope Bethell play in New Zealand’

Selection headaches await for England, but they won’t be for Marcus Trescothick. With his time as interim head coach over, Trescothick is clearing the way for England’s new, new white-ball era to begin under Brendon McCullum.”We’re waiting for the finalised side of what happens from January onwards,” Trescothick said of when the ultimate call will be made on what the coaching set-up will look like. “I think when Brendan and Rob [Key] get together, they’ll finalise that probably during New Zealand.”Trescothick has been in charge for England’s series against Australia in September and now their tour of the Caribbean, the latter of which he described as “perfect” and leaving the team in the best place possible to be taken over by McCullum.Related

• Coaches Carl Hopkinson, Richard Dawson to depart England white-ball set-up

• Lesson from the Caribbean: Don't mess with timings

• Jos Buttler: No guarantees for Root and Stokes in England's Champions Trophy plans

• Switch Hit: Lucky tossers?

• Washout in St Lucia after five overs as England take series 3-1

“If you look at the end result,” Trescothick said, “we’ve won one of the two series and we’ve won various games in both series that we’ve played and we’ve seen more players. So you sit back and you look at it on paper and go: perfect.”Because of the crammed schedule, England had taken several young players out to West Indies, with four making debuts across the tour. The balance, Trescothick argued, was to blend winning with learning – an objective that was achieved.”Of course, you always want to win. But I think if we’d have had one objective on this trip, more than anything else that was to see the players we’ve seen and see whether they’re going to be good enough next week, next month, next year, or for three years’ time.”The shiniest new toy that awaits McCullum is Jacob Bethell. The Bajan-born left-hander looks the real deal. During the ODI series, he became the third youngest half-centurion for England in the format’s history, and across the four T20s, he made two fifties, averaged 127 and struck at 173.97. Job done.McCullum will be able to get to know Bethell sooner rather than later, with the 21-year-old set to be the reserve batter on England’s tour of New Zealand. That despite a meagre first-class record where he has zero centuries in 20 appearances.”All the attributes are there,” Trescothick argued in favour of Bethell’s chances of transferring his white-ball ability across. “If you had markers to be able to go, right, you need to do this, this and this, he’d be knocking on the door for that.Jacob Bethell impressed at No. 4 in the T20I side•Getty Images

“There’s no reason why he can’t break through and succeed, because he’s flourished in both formats that we’ve seen in the recent period of time. You could almost see him being the next youngster after Harry Brook, the real exciting one coming through for the next journey this group will take.”Saqib Mahmood was also singled out for his “superb” performances and was arguably the only player already established within the England set-up to cement his spot moving forward. His nine wickets across four matches earned him the Player-of-the-Series award.McCullum’s appointment will also present captain Jos Buttler with the first real opportunity to mould a team in his image. Since taking over in 2022, Buttler has largely ridden the momentum of the Eoin Morgan era – which carried them to their T20 World Cup victory – before attempting to get the band back together for one last ODI dance in 2023, only for it to all fall apart.Now, however, as Buttler targets the final years of his career as potentially the most “rewarding”, he has the chance to start afresh with a new group of players.After four months out, Buttler returned to form almost immediately, with 83 in his second innings and captaining with a smile on his face throughout. His fields were inventive and often hyper-aggressive, with two slips and a short-leg in position thanks to Mahmood and Jofra Archer taking early wickets in the powerplay.”You can sort of see it falling back into place for him almost,” Trescothick said of Buttler. “A little bit where it’s hopefully some more enjoyable times coming forward with the growth of the team, but also with other other players coming back in and a bit more settled structure with the coaching as well.”The question of ODI returns for Ben Stokes and Joe Root will be the ultimate litmus test. Both are still fantastic players, but arguably represent a step backwards if, after pursuing a policy of youth, you return to two men who have been absent since the 2023 World Cup.That, however, is also easier said than done. The ODI side was desperately lacking experience, with the absence of a Root or Shai Hope-style player from England’s line-up glaring across the series.”I don’t know exactly,” Buttler said of whether the pair will be back in February. “It’s conversations for the next few weeks with the guys in charge. The guys here have played really well. Some of the young players have done themselves no harm at all. There are people who aren’t here who will have aspirations to be in the white-ball side as well. It’s really exciting.”Whatever happens next, the latest new era is set to begin.

It’s fair to say Manchester United fans won’t be looking back on the 2024/25 season with any degree of fondness.

A miserable tally of 18 losses in total in the Premier League would see Ruben Amorim’s dismal Red Devils have to make do with an unimpressive 15th spot in the division, whilst a heartbreaking Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur means United won’t even have the joyful distraction of European football to look forward to next campaign.

It’s a huge summer at Old Trafford, therefore, as Amorim attempts to steer the sinking ship back on course, with a whole host of transfer rumours beginning to bubble to the surface involving outgoings and incomings.

The most notable exit that could soon be on the cards is Bruno Fernandes ditching the Theatre of Dreams, with United perhaps having to sell their standout star so they can finance some top-drawer signings through the door.

Man Utd's search for a striker

Although the ex-Sporting boss remains in good spirits that the attacking midfielder could stay put amidst interest from Al-Hilal, it could well be that United’s hand is forced in this regard if they want to upgrade their striker personnel this summer.

Indeed, French outlet Foot Mercato have reported that United will have to get rid of Fernandes and/or Marcus Rashford to try and tempt Galatasaray goal machine Victor Osimhen to England, with his annual wage costs alone coming in at an eye-watering £10m. After all, the Portuguese ace does earn a sizeable £300k-per-week salary in the current camp.

Therefore, the Premier League strugglers might well have to just bite the bullet and allow Fernandes to sadly depart, especially when you consider the Red Devils are crying out for a new, potent goalscorer away from the likes of a goal-shy Rasmus Hojlund.

That’s where the ex-Napoli man could come to the rescue, with Amorim potentially possessing his next Viktor Gyokeres very soon if his side can spectacularly purchase the “world class” – as he was once labelled by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley – menace.

Why Osimhen could become Amorim's next Gyokeres

Before delving deeper into Osimhen’s own unerring ability in front of goal, it’s only right to look at how Amorim had an instrumental part to play in Gyokeres becoming an equally ice-cold finisher of chances in Lisbon.

The Stockholm-born striker would instantly hit the ground running under the 40-year-old’s stewardship in Portugal, with a bumper 43 strikes coming his way across a memorable debut season.

The former Coventry City marksman is now up to a stunning 97 goals from 102 total appearances for Sporting, and whilst there were murmurs Gyokeres could reunite with his former manager in England, a statement move hasn’t yet whirred into motion.

But, the under-fire Red Devils boss can begin to claw his way into the Old Trafford good books by landing Osimhen instead, considering the Nigerian’s explosiveness in front of goal out in Turkey and across his goal-laden career to date means he could be the manager’s next Gyokeres.

Amazingly, Osimhen isn’t a million miles off his Swedish counterpart’s insane Liga Portugal goalscoring numbers, with the Galatasaray number 45 actually boasting 37 goals and seven assists from 41 games in all competitions this season, away from setting the Turkish top-flight alight.

Additionally, away from just twisting and turning Super Lig defences for fun, the 26-year-old target has also proven himself as a clinical threat on the books of Napoli and Lille previously, as seen in his 94 goals for both the Serie A and Ligue 1 titans.

Therefore, whilst it might break United hearts to see Fernandes up and leave, it could well be a momentary, but necessary pain that then results in long-term success, particularly if Osmihen – who could be up for grabs for around £62m – enters the ranks and rips up yet another major league with his goalscoring prowess.

Better than Delap: Man Utd ready to pursue deal for "unplayable" £60m ace

Manchester United are reportedly ready to pursue a deal for this star who is even better than Liam Delap.

1

By
Dan Emery

May 31, 2025

ICC to participating boards: “Contingency host options within the Asian region are being considered – tournament dates to remain the same”

Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2024Representatives of the BCB are likely to meet Asif Mahmud, the youth and sports adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, on Sunday to discuss the upcoming women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the country in October. The bigger talking points in Dhaka’s cricketing circles, however, is who among the main officials will remain in the BCB, and whether the new government will reform the board, too.Many in Dhaka believe that, as in 2007, the interim government could appoint an ad-hoc committee to run the BCB. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC will accept such a body as long as there is no direct government interference, especially if elections are held later on. The ICC will not interfere until that point. If, however, there is fear of government interference, the ICC will investigate the issue and take a stance. The ICC board had recently suspended Sri Lanka Cricket, from November 2023 to January 2024, because of government interference in its functioning.In case a new board is put in place, the ICC will ask the BCB to appoint a representative to attend all ICC meetings. When a committee of administrators appointed by the Supreme Court of India took over the BCCI’s administration some years ago, the CEO attended ICC meetings on the BCCI’s behalf.’Contingency host options within Asia being considered’

On Saturday, the ICC sent a mail to the boards of the teams participating at the women’s World Cup, saying, “The ICC is continuing to monitor the situation in Bangladesh and is working closely with BCB. Contingency host options within the Asian region are being considered. In case it is not possible to stage the event in Bangladesh, ICC will be in contact with the Board should the question of relocation need to be considered.”
The ICC has also said that the tournament dates will remain the same.

Currently, the BCB headquarters in Mirpur is mostly functional, with its employees running the show. The BCB’s chief executive, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, is in charge, but board directors including president Nazmul Hassan haven’t showed up since August 5, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India, effectively ending the 15-year rule of her party, the Awami League. Several of the BCB’s directors have direct or indirect affiliations with the Awami League.The BCB, however, cannot function properly without its board of directors, especially with an ICC event looming. Speaking anonymously to ESPNcricinfo, a BCB director said very few of his colleagues are expected to show up in the coming days.”The BCB is an elected body but if there’s any directive from the government about a change in the BCB, we have to accept it,” he said. “I don’t think many directors will appear in the BCB. If a meeting is called, the number could be five or eight [out of 24].”Related

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Bangladesh in turmoil: how will cricket be impacted?

ICC mulls back-up options to host Women's T20 World Cup

Another board director, also requesting anonymity, said the main concern was the women’s T20 World Cup. “The BCB board is still there. We will hopefully get a guideline from the government, possibly tomorrow, when the board is supposed to meet the new sports adviser. We are not worried about ourselves but we have a few events coming up, like the World Cup.”Hosting the tournament could be problematic if the ICC wants a security guarantee from Bangladesh right away. The interim government took oath on August 8, and while the police force is not fully functional, many are hoping it will be up and running soon.BCB directors ‘had their own agendas’While the World Cup is a short-term issue, there are bigger problems in Bangladesh cricket that have remained unanswered for a decade and a half. Bangladesh remain a low-to-mid-table team in men’s cricket and have enjoyed very little success at major ICC events. Their only major success was the Under-19 World Cup win in 2020. The men’s team failed to win any of its Super Eight matches at the recent T20 World Cup, and won just two of its nine matches at last year’s ODI World Cup.Anti-government protestors display Bangladesh’s national flag after storming prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence•AFP/Getty ImagesSenior coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, who is known as the guru of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal and several other leading Bangladesh cricketers, feels the BCB directors have deserted the country’s cricket at a critical time.”If they were true servants of cricket, they would be here. I don’t think they were serving cricket,” he said. “They had their own agendas, which they tried to implement. We have seen what they did to cricket, whether it is club cricket or BPL. They have spoiled the whole thing.”BCB is not a disciplined organisation. I have seen it from up close. BCB never made the best use of its opportunities. Some made intentional mistakes. We have to reduce the indiscipline within the BCB. Only then we can tackle every crisis.”The buck stops with the leadership. If that was fine, the rest sits in place. If we are going to talk about reform, we have to think about ICC’s governance policy. We want a BCB whose vision will allow us to dream big. There has to be transparency and accountability. We have a lot of people who can do this.”Fahim is one of several high-profile voices, including former national players Mohammad Ashraful and Imrul Kayes, who want change in the BCB. There is growing consensus among fans, too, that the BCB must fall in line with the new government’s mandate for reform.

Heung-min Son will go down as a modern-day legend at Tottenham Hotspur, spending the last decade at the club and producing countless moments of magic.

The 32-year-old has registered over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites, reaching double figures in all but one of the ten seasons he’s spent in North London.

However, despite signing a new deal at the club a couple of months ago, he could be set to leave during the off-season, with numerous Saudi Arabian sides circling for his signature this window.

It’s been reported that Thomas Frank isn’t going to force him out the door, but would allow him to leave should he wish to – with multiple sides in the Middle East willing to pay £34m for his services.

It would be a shame to see a fan favourite depart, but he’s ultimately a shadow of his former self, opening the door to potential reinforcements arriving before the end of the summer.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new winger this summer

Antoine Semenyo is a player who has firmly been on their radar over the last few months, with the Bournemouth star impressing massively in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 season.

The Ghanaian international registered 13 goals and six assists across all competitions, with the Cherries open to selling the attacker if they receive an acceptable offer for the 25-year-old.

However, he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar this summer, with West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus emerging as a key option, according to The Guardian.

The report claims that Spurs are preparing a £50m bid for the 24-year-old attacker, who currently has an £85m release clause with his contract at the London Stadium.

It also states that the offer is seen as a low ball, but one that could unsettle the forward, who’s registered 19 goals for the Hammers after joining them from Ajax back in the summer of 2023.

Why Kudus would be as an exciting addition as Mbeumo this summer

Since Frank’s appointment, Spurs have appeared to step up their interest in Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, potentially securing a reunion between him and his former boss.

The Cameroonian international has enjoyed his best-ever top-flight campaign in 2024/25, registering 20 goals for the Bees, which has seen his stock rise as a result.

His current employers are demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with him this summer, a fee that may be slightly out of the Lilywhites’ budget this window.

He’s also expressed his desire to move to Manchester United during the off-season, which has resulted in Frank’s men cooling their interest and targeting other options.

One of which appears to be Kudus, with the Hammers star a more than capable alternative, with the youngster impressing during his short spell in England’s top flight.

He’s proven that he’s capable of filling the void should Son depart in the near future, whilst his potential addition could see the club forget about a deal for Mbeumo.

The 24-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, has registered more shots and a higher goal per shot on target rate, demonstrating his quality within attacking areas.

Games played

32

38

30

Goals & assists

8

27

16

Shots taken

2.6

2.1

2.3

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

84%

66%

78%

Passes into final third

1.8

1.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.2

1.3

1.2

Take-on success

48%

46%

34%

Kudus has also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of passes into the final third per 90, handing other players in and around the attacking areas to improve their own tallies.

His dominance is further reflected in his take-ons and higher success rate, always liking to drive the ball into forward areas, which hands Frank another superb option at his disposal.

If he is to move across London this summer, it would be a sensational signing and one that would help the club in their attempts to rise up the Premier League table.

Whilst Mbeumo may remain their main target, they should look past a move for the Bees star and prioritise a move for Kudus, with the Ghanian offering a replacement for Son should he leave this summer.

Frank's new Wissa: Spurs make approach for "one of the most prolific" CFs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move for a star who could complete their potent attack.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 18, 2025

Usman Khawaja will open the batting for Queensland in the opening three Sheffield Shield rounds, having previously batted at No. 4 while being the Test opener, as new coach Johan Botha looks to create more stability in the Bulls’ middle-order following a disappointing season last summer.Despite being the Test opener, Khawaja had batted at No.4 in his last eight Shield games since last opening in February 2022 just after he had been elevated to open in the final Test of the 2021-22 Ashes series. Australia’s selectors have not been prescriptive in directing state teams to bat players in their Test positions in Shield cricket and have been happy to let Khawaja and others bat wherever they were needed at domestic level.Related

• Swepson to captain Queensland in Labuschagne's absence

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• Maddinson thinks about Test cricket return 'most days'

• Morris hopeful of early Shield return despite 'frustrating' injury issues

However, New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd has asked for guidance from the national selectors regarding where to bat incumbent Test opener Steven Smith when he returns to play Shield cricket at the start of the summer, with conjecture continuing to swirl around his batting position in the Test team for the India series.Meanwhile, Michael Neser is set to be available for the start of the domestic season after overcoming a calf issue but Xavier Bartlett is expected to miss at least the first month after the side strain he picked up in the first T20I in Southampton. It’s understood there is hope he could be fit for the Pakistan limited-overs series in early November.Khawaja, who was Queensland captain last season, opted to bat at No. 4 in his four Shield games last summer and scored two centuries. But he and new Queensland skipper Marnus Labuschagne are only set to be available for the first three Shield games this summer before leaving to play in the five-Test series against India. Khawaja is unlikely to be available to play Shield cricket again until the end of the Sri Lanka Test tour in February while Labuschagne may not return to Queensland until the end of the Champions Trophy in March.Jack Clayton was Queensland’s leading Shield run-scorer last season and made two centuries at No. 4 when Khawaja was absent but had to bat at No. 5 when the Australian opener returned and finished the season at No. 3. The promising 25-year-old left-hander looks set to settle at No. 4 this season and Botha praised Khawaja for helping create some stability in the Bulls’ middle order.”I know Uzzie has a good record for Queensland at No. 4, but I had a chat to him and he understood what we’re trying to do with giving the younger guys a bit of stability through Nos. 4, 5, 6,” Botha told ESPNcricinfo.Michael Neser is currently on track to start the Shield season•Getty Images

“I think he realized that if he went in at No. 4 then we’ll have to change our line-up around. And he’s been great with that. He said, ‘I’ll do whatever the team needs,’ and we want him to open so he’s going to do that for us to start with. So that’s a nice result for us. We can have a bit of stability through our Nos. 4, 5, 6 when the [Test players] leave after the third game.”Khawaja is already in some fine touch having helped his Queensland premier cricket club Valley claim the T20 Max title last week before smashing 114 off 119 balls in Valley’s first 50-over match of the season against a South Brisbane attack featuring Bulls seamer Gurinder Sandhu.On the bowling front, Neser looks set to be available for the start of the season after recovering from a calf problem. He got through six overs in a practice game for Queensland against South Australia last week and bowled 10 overs for his club side Gold Coast on Saturday.”He’s in a good spot,” Botha said. “You never want to be injured. But I think it came at a good time where he could freshen up a bit. He was over at Hampshire. So in a way, it probably worked out well. If he starts the season and he goes well, then it’s obviously worked perfectly, but we’ll have to see how that start goes and manage that maybe a little bit. But at the moment, he’s in a good space. He’s fresh. He’s good to go and he’ll be a big player for us this summer.”There have been concerns building over Australia’s fast bowling depth ahead of the series against India with Neser’s calf issue among a host of injury worries. Scott Boland is managing a long-term knee complaint while Lance Morris is set for a slow return following a stress fracture in his back.Bartlett’s significant side strain along with injuries to other white-ball quicks Nathan Ellis (hamstring) and Riley Meredith (side) has stretched Australia on the tour of the UK while they try to carefully manage Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ahead of a huge workload against India.

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

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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.