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Celtic need to bring in a new winger, or two, to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ options at the top end of the pitch before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.

The Hoops currently have Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, and James Forrest as their senior wide players, and Maeda is the only one to have managed a goal contribution so far this season.

The Japan international teed up Luke McCowan for his goal on the opening day against St Mirren, before he notched his first goal of the campaign in the 4-1 win over Falkirk in the League Cup.

Yang and Forrest combined for six goals and eight assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, per Sofascore, and have yet to prove either of them has what it takes to be a regular starter on the right flank.

This means that the Hoops are still yet to find their replacement for German winger Nicolas Kuhn, who was Rodgers’ first-choice option on the right side last term.

Celtic sold the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich youngster to Como for a fee of £17m earlier this summer, and his exit left a hole in the attack.

Why Celtic need to replace Nicolas Kuhn

It may seem obvious as to why the Hoops need to find a replacement for the left-footed attacker, but the club are over a month on from selling him to the Italian outfit and have yet to find a player to replace the impact that he made on the pitch.

Kuhn delivered heaps of quality in the final third on a regular basis for the Scottish giants across all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, which earned him his £17m move to Italy.

The 25-year-old magician ended his only full season at Celtic with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he offered goals and assists week-in-week-out.

13 of those goals and nine of those assists for the Hoops came in the Premiership, as he caused constant problems for opposition defenders in the top-flight.

xG

0.46

Top 10%

Goals

0.62

Top 8%

Shots on target

1.30

Top 14%

xA

0.34

Top 10%

Assists

0.43

Top 10%

Chances created

2.49

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn was one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premiership with his ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate.

This is why it is important that the Hoops push to bring in a high-quality forward to ‘replace’ what the German attacker provided on the pitch for Rodgers in the 2024/25 campaign.

Celtic make contact over deal for Dutch winger

According to CeltsAreHere, Celtic have made contact with the representatives of Feyenoord winger Calvin Stengs, having identified him as a potential signing.

The report claims that the Hoops have contacted him to express their interest in bringing the forward over to Parkhead before the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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This means that the Scottish giants are exploring a possible deal to snap up the 26-year-old dynamo, but they have yet to speak with Feyenoord to discuss a fee for the attacker.

CeltsAreHere adds that it will not be an easy deal for Celtic to get done before September’s deadline because the Dutch side are not actively looking to cash in on him and view him as a key part of their plans moving forward.

It had been reported last year that Charlotte FC were close to signing the forward for a fee of £6.4m, but the player rejected the transfer. This may, though, offer a rough guide to how much the Hoops may need to pay for his services.

Why Celtic should sign Calvin Stengs

Rodgers should be pushing the board to formalise the club’s interest in Stengs by following up on their contact with the player with official talks with Feyenoord to get a deal done.

This is because the Netherlands international, who scored against Celtic in the Champions League in 2023, could be the manager’s next version of Kuhn.

Like the German whiz, Stengs is a left-footed right winger who likes to cut inside onto his favoured foot to deliver goals and assists at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis.

The 26-year-old talent missed 35 games through injury last season, per Transfermarkt, and that led to a return of just one goal in 16 matches in all competitions.

Whilst supporters may be concerned by that injury record, it is worth noting that Stengs only missed 14 matches through injury in the six seasons before that combined.

The Dutch star, who Jacek Kulig claimed “could do wonders” as a winger in the right system, showcased his quality in the final third for Feyenoord in the 2023/24 campaign, before last season’s injury woes derailed his progress.

xG

5.22

Top 20%

Goals

6

Top 22%

xA

8.59

Top 2%

Chances created

71

Top 1%

Cross accuracy

33%

Top 13%

Assists

12

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, Stengs ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in the Eredivisie as both a scorer and a creator of goals that term, ending the season with 18 direct goal contributions in the division.

The £6m-rated star delivered eight goals and 17 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions for Feyenoord that term, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he can provide a constant threat at the top end of the pitch when fit and playing regularly.

Stengs, who scored 24 goals and racked up 22 assists in 113 games for AZ Alkmaar, could fill the hole that has yet to be filled since Kuhn’s move to Como was confirmed over a month ago, as he has the quality on the ball to replicate the impact the German star made.

Of course, there is still a degree of risk attached to any move for the Feyenoord ace because of the volume of games he missed last season, but his overall injury history does not suggest that it is likely to be a long-term concern.

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Therefore, Celtic should be pushing to get a deal done for Stengs before the end of the window because he has the potential to be Kuhn 2.0 for Rodgers as another left-footed right winger who can offer goals and assists with impressive regularity.

Southampton are now “in talks” to sign a “top-class” £15m midfielder, amid doubts over Mateus Fernandes’ future, reliable reporter Mike McGrath has revealed on X.

Saints pursuing new midfielder amid doubts over Fernandes' future

As we approach the final two weeks of the summer transfer window, there is still a great deal of doubt over the futures of Fernandes and Tyler Dibling, with the latter player being excluded from the first-team squad, amid major interest from Everton.

Fernandes, on the other hand, has remained available for selection, and the 21-year-old was singled out for praise by Will Still after scoring the winner in the 1-0 EFL Cup victory against Northampton.

When asked about the 21-year-old’s professionalism, Still said: “He’s top, he’s top. I think he’d missed quite a bit of football, which is understandable, but since we’ve brought him back in, he came on and made an impact on Saturday.”

That said, with the likes of West Ham United and Aston Villa in the race for the midfielder, it may be difficult to retain his services beyond the summer, and the Saints have now stepped up their pursuit of a potential replacement.

That is according to McGrath on X, who states that Southampton are now “in talks” to sign Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni, with it also being revealed they are looking to strike a deal for the midfielder very soon.

Reports from elsewhere have stated that a deal for Rudoni could set Still’s side back £15m, with Coventry taking a hardline stance on one of their prized assets, although a fee in that ballpark should be affordable for the Saints if they cash-in on Fernandes.

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There have been suggestions that both Fernandes and Dibling could command £50m transfer fees, which would put the Championship promotion hopefuls on a solid financial footing.

"Top-class" Rudoni could be ideal Fernandes replacement

It would be a shame to see Fernandes leave, given that he is clearly held in high regard by Still, but it would be understandable if the youngster is eager to return to the Premier League, and there are signs the Coventry man could be an ideal replacement.

Much like the Portuguese starlet, the Coventry star has regularly featured in both central and attacking midfield throughout his career to date, and he certainly impressed manager Frank Lampard last season.

Lampard described the 24-year-old as a “top-class young player” after he scored in the 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion back in April, one of 21 attacking contributions across the Championship campaign.

Indeed, Rudoni chipped in with nine goals and 12 assists for the Sky Blues in the league last season, indicating that he is a top player at Championship level, and the London-born midfielder could play a major role in the Saints’ promotion push.

Head coach concentrates on team dynamic as rare series win becomes the priority

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2024Not often in Pakistan cricket does someone pass up the chance to take credit for any successful outcome, regardless of how significant their part was. But Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie kept such praise at arm’s length when talking about Pakistan’s bounce-back win over England in the second Test.Gillespie made clear that effectively all the decisions taken in the wake of Pakistan’s chastening innings defeat in the first Test had little to do with him. Moments after the result was official, the PCB announced a new selection committee, one that included former umpire Aleem Dar, as well as Aaqib Javed. It excluded Gillespie and captain Shan Masood from having any say in selection matters – Masood, too, last week said he preferred to pass on the credit “to everyone else” for their part in the win.”The PCB came out and made some changes after that Test match,” Gillespie said ahead of the third Test. “It was decided that a new selection panel would come in and they would be making decisions. I was not involved in the decision-making, I was just there. I’m now just the coach on match-day strategy. I just keep out of things now and just focus on the players and getting them ready for cricket.”It is a remarkably different brief from the one Gillespie was given when he was offered the role earlier this year. At the time, he told ESPNcricinfo he had some “really positive conversations” with the board and the chairman to make sure “we’re moving in the right direction short term, in the medium and long term”.Industrial fans have been used to dry the Pindi pitch•AFP/Getty ImagesPakistan’s late decision to pack the bowling attack with spinners and prepare a surface to assist them does appear to run in contrast to Gillespie’s goals and ambitions when he took over the Test side. In that interview with ESPNcricinfo, he had specifically cautioned against short-termism. “It’s very easy when you’re coming into jobs; you’ve got a two-year contract or a one-year contract,” he had said. “You make short-term decisions to look after your own back. But that doesn’t help anyone, because if everyone has that approach, nothing long-term gets done.”When asked about the composition of the team, Gillespie repeated the point. “It’s not for me to talk about now. I’m no longer a selector, so I’m probably not the person to ask.” Corralled into a role that is much narrower in focus than his initial job description suggested, he did indicate he understood how unusual his situation was. “I’m getting splinters in my a*** from sitting on the fence here,” he quipped.But with a potential series win against England on the line, the importance of the final Test was not lost on Gillespie. In his short time as coach, he has built up positive relationships with several players in the side, paying as much tribute to their qualities as human beings as to their cricketing talent.Related

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“The last few years, Pakistan’s Test cricket hasn’t been where we’d like it to be. Any win is great, and any series win’s fantastic. Just coming into this environment, as a coach, I’m very protective of players. They’re the ones going out and representing their country. I suppose there’s a dad in me that comes out and I want to protect all the boys from all outside noise and whatever.”It is this ability to stay calm that Gillespie wanted to channel more meticulously in his players. At several key points during the second Test, with England appearing to swarm, Pakistan found a way to hunker down when the pressure was on. In the first ten overs, Pakistan fell to 19 for 2 as Babar Azam’s replacement Kamran Ghulam walked out for his Test debut. It could have gone awry very quickly, but Ghulam scored a hundred, and Pakistan put on 366.When England responded, they made light work of the spinners in the first 40 overs, and stood poised for a significant first-innings lead when they were placed at 211 for 2. But in the drying embers of Day 2, Sajid Khan slowed up the pace, found the rough, and triggered a collapse that helped Pakistan take a decisive 75-run lead.”There’s a lot of things in professional sport that you can’t control,” Gillespie said. “To be able to just park that and not focus on that is a skill within itself. Focusing on what we can control, the right things at the right times, and staying calm when things are all happening. The way England played, they looked to create things all the time and the way we want to go against them is to by staying calm and not getting flustered. I thought we did that really well in the last Test match. I was really proud of the boys.”You communicate with your players regularly, talking about their games and how we can help them improve as cricketers and people. I’m very fortunate, I’ve got a wonderful support staff who have developed some really good relationships with our players and players will gravitate towards certain coaches over others at times. But if you all work as a team, that’s the most important thing.”

خسر منتخب مصر للكرة الطائرة أمام نظيره التونسي بنتيجة 1-3 أشواط في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للكرة الطائرة.

والتقى منتخب مصر أمام تونس بالمباراة التي أقيمت صباح اليوم الخميس، في ختام مباريات الدور الأول من المجموعة الأولى لـ بطولة العالم للكرة الطائرة التي تقام في الفلبين.

وتلعب منافسات بطولة العالم للكرة الطائرة 2025، في الفترة من 12 إلى 28 سبتمبر الجاري، في دولة الفلبين.

طالع | اتحاد الطائرة يتوصل إلى اتفاق مع ماركو بونيتا لتدريب منتخب مصر

وشهد اللقاء تفوقًا نسبيًا لتونس، التي ظلت متقدمة في غالبية فترات كل شوط، مستغلة أخطاء مصر وعجز الفريق المصري عن فرض الإيقاع رغم بعض الفترات التي خفّف فيها الفارق.

وتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الأولى من بطولة العالم للكرة الطائرة مع منتخبات الفلبين وتونس وإيران.

وكان يحتاج منتخب مصر إلى الفوز بأي نتيجة لضمان التأهل إلى دور الـ16، إلا أنه فشل في الفوز ومنح تونس الأفضلية في النهاية.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has proven to be one of the busier Premier League transfer chiefs, as he looks to close the gap on English champions Liverpool and help manager Mikel Arteta end the club’s 20-plus-year-long wait for a league title.

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Both Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga have signed for Arsenal, while Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard is expected to undergo a medical this week (The Athletic), as he closes in on becoming a direct replacement for the now-departed Thomas Partey.

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 are also attempting to wrap up a deal for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera as well, so there is every possibility that the Gunners will soon announce four major deals in what would be a major boost.

“There were tentative links a while back, but nothing massively serious, and then all of a sudden an offer had gone for the defender,” said journalist Charles Watts in a recent CaughtOffside column.

“At the time of writing this column there is no agreement between Arsenal and Valencia for the defender, with Arsenal’s opening offer having been rejected.

“Arsenal are expected to return imminently with an improved bid and with reports suggesting that personal terms have already been agreed with Mosquera, this feels like one that could be wrapped up pretty quickly.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal are continuing their chase for a new striker, and Berta has his eyes on a new attacking wide player too – so we can expect a few more deals to potentially be concluded by deadline day on September 1.

A lot of talk has surrounded Arsenal’s serious interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze recently, but another Premier League forward in Chelsea’s Noni Madueke remains a real option for Berta.

The former PSV Eindhoven star has been at the centre of rumoured discussions between Arsenal and Chelsea, as Berta assesses many targets, with Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg now providing an update.

Arsenal submit offer to Noni Madueke after talks opened

Plettenberg states via X that Arsenal have “submitted an offer” to Madueke and that “talks have started” over a potential deal for the England international, who cost Chelsea around £30 million to sign from PSV in 2023.

The 23-year-old racked up 11 goals and five assists in 44 appearances for Chelsea last season across all competitions, with Enzo Maresca even calling Madueke one of Chelsea’s best players.

Nevertheless, Madueke’s departure is still seen as a realistic possibility, especially now the west Londoners are closing in on both Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens and striker Joao Pedro.

He could be an ideal alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side, and one who may not break the bank either. Chelsea and Arsenal have enjoyed a fruitful business relationship lately, and the versatile forward may well become their latest in a long line of recent agreements.

“The one thing I love about Noni is he’s direct, and he’ll take you on,” said pundit Jason Cundy in May, to Chelsea’s official app.

“He’s quick. He’s strong. He’s a physical presence. When he goes past you, he stays past you.”

Glasgow Rangers boss Russell Martin knows that he needs to bolster his attacking options before the end of the summer transfer window, which officially re-opened on Monday.

The Light Blues boss could be about to lose first-choice number nine Cyriel Dessers, who has reportedly agreed a contract with Greek outfit AEK Athens, with talks ongoing to agree a fee.

Whilst a transfer is not yet complete, the Scottish giants have to be prepared for the possibility of being without the Nigeria international in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Dessers scored 18 goals in 35 matches in the Scottish Premiership in the 2024/25 season, but also missed 21 ‘big chances’, and they will have to find a striker to replace those goals if this move to Athens goes through.

He is not the only attacking player who will have to be replaced this summer, though, because the Gers have already lost Vaclav Cerny, who has returned to Wolfsburg after his loan deal came to an end.

Why Rangers need to replace Vaclav Cerny

The Czechia international was a huge player for Rangers in the 2024/25 campaign, after joining on loan from the Bundesliga outfit, and will need to be replaced because he provided a huge threat in front of goal.

Cerny ended the season with a haul of 18 goals and nine assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Gers, which shows that he offered quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the right flank.

The left-footed star, who liked to cut inside onto his favoured foot from the right wing, produced 12 goals and four assists in 33 outings in the Premiership for Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson combined.

Cerny also caught the eye in the Europa League for Rangers, as they made it to the last eight of the tournament, with goals and assists on the European stage.

24/25 Europa League

Vaclav Cerny

Percentile rank vs wingers

xG

4.26

Top 3%

xG on target

4.29

Top 3%

Goals

6

Top 2%

Shots on target

15

Top 1%

Assists

2

Top 23%

xA

0.93

Top 39%

Chances created

14

Top 14%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Wolfsburg loanee was among the top-performing wingers in the Europa League this season, both as a scorer and a creator.

These statistics illustrate why it is so important for the Scottish giants to sign a replacement for the Czechia international to bolster Martin’s options out wide.

The Gers need a winger who can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, and a fresh report suggests that they are on course to sign one.

Rangers set to sign new winger

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are close to agreeing a deal to sign Kwame Poku from Peterborough United when his contract expires at the end of this month.

The Ghana international’s current deal with the League One outfit is due to expire in time for him to sign for a new team at the start of July, and this means that the Gers can snap him up for a compensation fee.

Transfer Focus

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

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TEAMtalk adds that Rangers believe that they have won the race to sign the left-footed forward, who is now poised to become one of Martin’s first signings as the new head coach at Ibrox.

The outlet adds that the Premiership giants are set to beat off competition from teams in the English Championship and from abroad to bring the talented winger to Glasgow this summer.

It states that Birmingham, who have been promoted to the Championship, have been pushing hard to land the wing wizard, but it is Rangers who are now closing in on his signature.

What Kwame Poku could bring to Rangers

If the Light Blues get this transfer over the line, as this report suggests that they will do, then the club could have their next version of Cerny on their hands.

Like the Czechia international, Poku is a right-sided attacker who likes to cut inside onto his favoured left foot to deliver goals and assists in the final third on a regular basis.

The 23-year-old star, who former boss Darren Ferguson lauded as an “unplayable” winger at times, racked up 11 goals and seven assists in 39 appearances in the third tier in England in the 2023/24 campaign.

That was an impressive return for the young winger, given that he almost hit 20 goal contributions in total, but the whiz improved his output in the 2024/25 season for the Posh, as Poku proved that he can be relied upon to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis.

24/25 League One

Kwame Poku

Percentile rank vs wingers

xG

6.01

Top 11%

xG on target

7.74

Top 7%

Goals

12

Top 2%

Assists

8

Top 3%

xA

5.17

Top 7%

Chances created

33

Top 19%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Rangers target hit that 20-goal contribution mark this season in League One with 12 goals and eight assists.

This means that he scored as many goals as Cerny and provided four more assists than the Wolfsburg loanee did at league level this term, which suggests that the potential is there for him to offer even more in front of goal.

They appear to offer a similar goal threat but Poku could be more creative on the right wing, which would also make him a dream signing for whoever comes in to replace Dessers this summer.

Of course, the Peterborough star is unproven in the Premiership at this moment in time. However, his form down south is incredibly promising and, for a compensation fee, he appears to be an ideal signing to perfectly replace Cerny with a similar type of player on the right flank.

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Posts ByBen Gray Jun 15, 2025

Manchester City have the opportunity to reach a third successive FA Cup final when they take on Nottingham Forest this afternoon at Wembley.

Pep Guardiola has won this competition twice, but will still be stinging from the defeat to Manchester United in the 2024 final.

Forest defeated City in the Premier League last month, but the Spaniard may have learned from this loss, and his side could reach another final.

They warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, but a few players weren’t quite at their best. İlkay Gündoğan was one, and he could return to the bench this afternoon.

Why Man City must drop İlkay Gündoğan

Guardiola operated with a 4-1-4-1 system against Villa, and Gundogan was one of the four midfielders tasked with providing opportunities for Kevin De Bruyne.

Despite playing for the full 90 minutes, the midfielder failed to register a single shot on goal, while he failed with his only dribble attempt.

Gundogan also lost possession seven times against the Midlands side and won just one of his three aerial duels.

For the semi-final clash against Forest, Guardiola must revert to a 4-2-3-1. Mateo Kovacic will reprise his role at the heart of the midfield, but for this game, winter signing Nico Gonzalez must be brought into the starting XI.

Why Nico Gonzalez must start for Man City

Gonzalez may have cost the club around £50m back in January, but he is already looking like a potential long-term heir to Rodri.

The midfielder has already featured 12 times for City in all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League, although it wasn’t enough to see his club make it to the next round.

Across his eight Premier League matches for the club, the 23-year-old has averaged a 93% pass success rate, along with making 1.9 tackles, two clearances, and recovering 3.9 balls per game in the top flight.

Furthermore, the Spaniard wins 1.9 aerial duels per game – a success rate of 59% – while averaging 81.9 touches each match for City. These statistics show just how dependable he is at the heart of the pitch, because he rarely gives the ball away and is strong in his physical duels.

He was praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in July 2024, who said: “Nico González – 4 goals in FC Porto’s four friendly games this preseason. Simply superb in the second half of the 23/24. Technique, football IQ, and pure elegance.”

Passes attempted

77.9

Pass completion percentage

92.9%

Aerial duels won

2.09

Passes into the final third

6.68

Touches

88.33

The move to Manchester hasn’t fazed him, and he now looks like an excellent signing. Settling in throughout the second half of the 2024/25 season appears to be a smart move by Guardiola, as Gonzalez will hit the ground running in August.

Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 system for the FA Cup semi-final could go a long way to seeing City reach yet another final. With Gonzalez and Kovacic at the base of the midfield, the attacking quartet will be given free rein to cause plenty of destruction.

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Arsenal hold a serious belief that they’ve now signed a “world-class” player for Mikel Arteta ahead of next season, and they’re behaving like it is a done deal behind-the-scenes.

Arsenal's main transfer plans for this summer

Buoyed by the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta, Arteta has already admitted that Arsenal are set for a “big” summer transfer window after the Italian’s appointment.

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A host of incomings across multiple areas of the squad are anticipated ahead of what is expected to be a busy debut window for Berta, with GiveMeSport recently reporting that £300 million could be spent on seven major signings.

As per GMS, Arsenal are believed to be prioritising a new second-choice goalkeeper to replace Neto, a full-back, new midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker. Kieran Tierney is off to Celtic, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to be sold after falling down Arteta’s pecking order.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games

Date

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

While Thomas Partey is in talks to extend his Arsenal contract, Jorginho remains likely to depart when his contract expires, meaning the addition of a centre-midfielder is still pretty imperative before 2025/2026.

Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard’s long-term future is uncertain, as his contract expires in 2026, with Arsenal arguably in need of another winger who can provide Arteta with a quality alternative to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz’s long-term injuries have also emphasised the need for Arsenal to finally sign a prolific striker, so there is plenty to do for Berta. Indeed, Arteta confirmed last week that he wants Arsenal to bring more strength and depth into the squad, sending a subtle message to his director.

“Squad quality and availability. Without those two, we cannot compete in four competitions,” said Arteta on his Arsenal transfer wish.

“At this level, especially in this country, it’s impossible. The higher the quality, the higher the availability, the more chances, probability you have. After you have to do it. But the probability goes high.”

Arsenal "internally" behaving like Martin Zubimendi deal is "done"

One top target for Arsenal, as per multiple reports, is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

They’ve been in negotiations over the Spain international’s acquisition for quite some time, with The Mail first reporting advanced pre-summer talks in January. Since then, the consensus has been that Arsenal are confident they can sign Zubimendi before June, while Marca journalist Juan Castro reported this week that an agreement appears to be struck already.

Now, the reliable David Ornstein has somewhat backed up Castro’s claim, stating that Arsenal are “internally” behaving like Zubimendi is a “done deal”.

This interesting update from a very credible source should fill supporters with confidence, as the feeling within N5 appears to be that it is inevitable the 26-year-old will finally make his long-awaited move to England, just a year after he publicly rejected Liverpool’s advances.

Called a “world-class” player by Tierney, during their time together at Sociedad, Zubimendi has been likened to Balon d’Or winner Rodri and played a key role for Spain in their Euro 2024 final triumph against England.

The La Liga mainstay is indispensable for his boyhood club, but it appears he’ll soon be waving goodbye if all goes to plan.

He has been one of cricket’s most laidback vibes for years but in leadership is revealing some of his more intense, driven, and occasionally unforgiving forms

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2025″Most teams sort of become an image of their captain, right?” These were the thoughts of Brendon McCullum, who over a 21-year career in international cricket has perhaps shaped the tenor of Test-match cricket more than any other single figure this century.Right now, this Sri Lanka Test team is being crafted by Dhananjaya de Silva. And his cricketing DNA and his vision for where the team could go are all over the enterprise. The team, increasingly, is becoming a reflection.For starters, there is an emphasis on utility. How many skills can you bring to the table is a primary question. De Silva frequently fields at slip himself, is the kind of captain who finds reasons to bowl his offspin, has just launched himself up the order to No. 4, and cannot stand letting a game drift. If wickets are not forthcoming, there is a new field in place, a new angle of attack he encourages, a fresh problem he puts in front of the batter to solve. There is, you sense, no play that he doesn’t want to be part of.Related

• Sri Lanka focusing on better scoring rate, bowling more maidens this WTC cycle

• Dhananjaya de Silva: SL missed 'big chance' to make WTC final

• Hit the deck, break a neck, still no cheque: the quiet sacrifice of SL's red-ball quicks

• Kusal Mendis counterattack balloons Sri Lanka's lead before Bangladesh collapse

It follows that this Sri Lanka XI for the Colombo Test has two spin-bowling allrounders, an opener and a No. 3 who can potentially keep wicket (Lahiru Udara stood in for 38.4 overs as Kusal Mendis was unavailable through injury). Then there is one frontline bowler who can bowl with either arm and can bat a bit, one top-order batter who bowls a bit with either arm, a left-arm seamer, a right-arm seamer, and a spin bowler who is frequently happy to strap the pads on and produce a brave showing as nightwatcher.This is, essentially, a team of generalists. If you’re going to specialise, buddy, you better be damn good at that one thing. The three single-discipline players – Pathum Nissanka, Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando – have all acquitted themselves nicely in this match. It’s worth mentioning on Asitha and Vishwa’s behalf that de Silva has insisted that more seam bowlers play home Tests for Sri Lanka, despite having been blooded in a team that found seam bowling at home essentially redundant in the late 2010s.De Silva himself has not been in especially good batting form, but he has found ways to be central to Sri Lanka’s progress in this series. He has also been visibly more of a general than he has previously been. On day three, he took two vital wickets, pinning form batter Najmul Hossain Shanto in front of the stumps soon after having Mominul Haque caught at slip. He also dismissed Mominul in the first innings.De Silva began this WTC cycle by laying out to his team how intently he wanted them to get to the final•AFP/Getty ImagesDe Silva’s bowling is not especially menacing – he doesn’t get the kind of drift or the ragging turn, or possess the subtleties that might make him a wicket-taking option on flatter tracks. But on pitches that give him a little to work with – left-armers’ footmarks, a little dryness underneath the surface, a tackiness off the deck – he can find ways to strike. He already has more Test wickets than Angelo Mathews or Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka players he can be most readily compared to.This is the first World Test Championship [WTC] cycle he is in charge of from the beginning, so he seems especially intent on putting his mark on what he sees as a trophy campaign. Although for captains such as Ben Stokes, “there was nothing wrong with Test cricket before” the WTC, for the likes of de Silva, it has become a cycle to build an entire team identity around. In the first two Tests of this cycle, there have been three debutants. Milan Rathnayake, another allrounder, may not have been elevated to international cricket as he has had de Silva not been a key decision-maker.De Silva himself had revealed that he told his team how close they had been to the last WTC final, and how intently he wanted them to get to that final in this cycle. Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka’s best Test batter of the last 18 months, affirmed that that was a major driver.”We were close in the last two cycles,” Kamindu said. “In the one just past, we actually had a big opportunity. Honestly, our team plan is built around the WTC. We’re trying to correct the mistakes of the last two cycles. This time, we’ve got a good start. If we keep going like this, I think we can achieve what we are aiming for.”Aesthetically, de Silva has been one of cricket’s most laidback vibes for years. He plays in a long-sleeved jersey with a popped half-collar. His drives are pure. His pulls are languid. Even the sweeps have grace. The sleeve tattoo on his arm has a floral design. In nine years of international cricket, there have never been angry de Silva moments. There have been plenty of chill ones.This is a cricketer comfortable with the softer parts of his personality, but who, in leadership, is now revealing some of his more intense, driven, and occasionally unforgiving forms. If he is fashioning this Test team like a knife-maker hones an edge, he may soon quite clearly see his own image looking back at him.

While Jason Holder’s inclusion could add balance, their Indian fast-bowling stocks have been depleted by Prasidh Krishna’s injury

Ekanth26-Mar-2023Where Rajasthan Royals finished last seasonRajasthan Royals were runners-up in IPL 2022, finishing second in the league stage and losing the final to Gujarat Titans.Rajasthan Royals squad for IPL 2023Jos Buttler (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (capt, wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Joe Root, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Singh Rathore, Jason Holder, Akash Vasisht, Abdul Basith, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Adam Zampa, KC Cariappa, M Ashwin, Trent Boult, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, KM Asif, Sandeep Sharma.Player availability – Prasidh Krishna outPrasidh Krishna was ruled out of the season with a stress fracture of the back, which requires surgery. Sandeep Sharma, who went unsold at the player auction, has been named as his replacement.Obed McCoy is recovering from a knee injury and might sit out the early stages of the tournament.England will start their summer with a Test against Ireland on June 1, which is four days after the IPL final. While Chennai Super Kings’ Ben Stokes has said he will leave early to prepare, Joe Root’s availability for Royals for the closing stages of the IPL is unknown. England have eased up their approach with regards to allowing players complete their franchise-league commitments, as was seen during their limited-overs tour to Bangladesh.What’s new with Rajasthan Royals this yearJason Holder could be the solution to Royals’ problem of a long tail. In IPL 2022, 99.47% of Royals’ 2807 total runs came from the top seven.They could also start with Root instead of Shimron Hetmyer if they think they have enough firepower at the top and are instead looking for someone to bring stability in a crisis.There’s also the option of Root in place of Holder to further bolster the batting, and, in such a case, choose either Devdutt Padikkal or a bowler like KM Asif or Kuldeep Sen in the XI based on the toss result and use the Impact Player rule to substitute them later.They sent R Ashwin up the order as a pinch-hitter last season, which they could do once again if conditions suit the move. This year they can make the move with the comfort of knowing they have extra batting cushion if it does not come off.The good – Strong core for Sanju Samson’s boysRoyals have an experienced set of core players who are likely to feature in all of their games. Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson are gamechangers at the top; in Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin they have wicket-taking as well as run-controlling options; Holder glues both disciplines together.Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga continue as head coach and director of cricket, and fast bowling coach respectively.The not-so-good – Inexperience in local pace ranksThey have Navdeep Saini and now Sharma, but in Prasidh’s absence, the inexperience of back-up bowlers Kuldip Yadav and Kuldeep Sen could show.They also lack like-for-like cover for Holder.Schedule insightsRoyals’ first two home games will be in Guwahati in Assam and not in Jaipur in Rajasthan, meaning a lack of familiarity to start off. And they don’t play in Jaipur until April 19th, their sixth game of the season.They largely have gaps of 2-3 days between their games (just twice, once at the end of April and then before their last league game of the season, do they have a four-day gap) so fatigue could be a factor.The big question