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Stats preview to the three-Test series between New Zealand and Pakistan

Cricinfo staff23-Nov-2009They aren’t quite at the bottom of the ICC Test rankings, but the three-Test series between seventh-ranked New Zealand and Pakistan, who are sixth, will be a battle between two teams struggling to make a mark in Test cricket in recent years. Pakistan have had an excellent time in the shorter versions of the game over the last few months, but their Test record in the last three years has been far from impressive. In five series they’ve lost four – to South Africa (twice), India and Sri Lanka – and drawn against Sri Lanka. During this period, they’ve won only one match out of 13 Tests, and lost six.New Zealand’s slump has lasted even longer, with only two series victories against the top teams (excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) in the last seven years, during which they’ve lost 11 series and drawn five. The last of those series wins came against a struggling West Indies in March 2006. Since then they’ve lost seven out of nine series (against the top teams), and won two Tests out of 22.The three-Test series in New Zealand, though, offers a good opportunity for Pakistan to arrest their slide. Historically, New Zealand has been an excellent venue for Pakistan: in ten visits (including one-off Tests), they’ve triumphed in six series and lost just once, in 1985, when Richard Hadlee was in his pomp. Since that series, Pakistan have won four out of six, including, most recently, in 2003, when they won a two-Test series 1-0.The University Oval in Dunedin is a new venue, and has hosted only two Tests. New Zealand won the first one, against Bangladesh, and drew the other, against West Indies.

Tests between New Zealand and Pakistan

MatchesPak wonNZ wonDrawAll Tests4521618In New Zealand248412In New Zealand since 199010622Since 1990, Pakistan have a 6-2 win-loss advantage in Tests in New Zealand. They’ve averaged more than 33 runs per wicket and conceded less than 29. The big difference has been in the five-fors: Pakistan have had 12, and New Zealand only five.

NZ-Pak Tests in NZ since 1990

TeamTestsWonRuns per wkt100s/ 50s5WI/ 10WMPakistan10633.3510/ 2212/ 3New Zealand10228.808/ 185/ 0Among the batsmen who’re in Pakistan’s current squad, Mohammad Yousuf is the clear leader. In five Tests he averages 69.71,with one century and three fifties. Moin Khan and Faisal Iqbal have done well too, but Imran Farhat, the opener, has struggled, with only one score of more than 25 in eight innings.

Pakistan batsmen in New Zealand

BatsmanTestsRunsAverage100s/ 50sMohammad Yousuf548869.711/ 3Moin Khan423157.751/ 0Faisal Iqbal316240.500/ 2Imran Farhat516921.120/ 1New Zealand’s captain, too, has an excellent batting record in home Tests against Pakistan – in four innings Vettori has scored 201 runs at an average of 67. However, in his stronger suit he has struggled against Pakistan, taking just four wickets in three Tests against them (both home and away) at an average of more than 100. It’s also a measure of the skewed Test schedule that Vettori, in a career spanning 94 Tests and 12 years, has played only three Tests against Pakistan. For Brendon McCullum, who has already played 46 Tests, the Dunedin match will be his first Test against Pakistan.

Royals’ show equalled the record for the highest successful chase in IPL history, which they had held since 2020

Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Apr-20242:53

Bishop: ‘Buttler definitely among the great white-ball players of our generation’

Jos Buttler started slightly slow as Rajasthan Royals (RR) aimed to travel at more than 11 an over, making only 25 off his first 18 balls. He was at the crease during what seemed like a debilitating mid-innings slowdown, in which Royals scored only 30 from six overs, and lost three wickets in that time.But although clearly still struggling with the injury that kept him out of the last RR game, and although rapidly running out of batting partners, Buttler stayed the course. He was there turning down singles in the 18th over, after Rovman Powell got out following a decent cameo. He was there to clobber two sixes and a four off the penultimate over, to get the equation down to nine off the final six balls.Related

Smart Stats – Buttler's 107* tops batting performances list, allrounder Narine the MVP so far

Stats – Buttler and Narine make the IPL record books

Ball-by-ball: How Royals and Buttler pulled off a heist at Eden Gardens

And despite Varun Chakravarthy having bowled three dots in that final over, Buttler was there to heroically hit the winning run off the final ball of the match. Off the first ball of that over, he had also bashed a six down the ground that made RR the clear favourites to get over the line, and in the course of that completed his second century this IPL, to follow the 100 not out he had struck against Royal Challengers Bengaluru only ten days ago.Buttler’s feat meant that Sunil Narine’s century, a staggering accomplishment in itself, was overshadowed. As were his figures of 2 for 30 off four overs.Rovman Powell’s 13-ball 26 put the Royals chase back on track•AFP/Getty Images

The 17th over of the chase
After 16 overs of Royals’ innings, they needed 62 runs off 24 balls, six of which were to be bowled by Narine, who had not conceded a boundary up till then.But Rovman Powell then walloped two sixes and a four off the first three balls of the 17th over, which Narine bowled, and suddenly Royals’ challenge didn’t seem so sharp. Narine, however, would nail Powell lbw with the fifth ball of that over.Shreyas Iyer fined for slow over-rate

Shreyas Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate against Rajasthan Royals in their last-ball defeat at Eden Gardens on Tuesday. As it was KKR’s first offence of the season – in six games – Iyer was fined INR 12 lakh.

The last three overs
With Powell gone, and no batter he could trust to hand the strike over to, this is where Buttler really shone. He smashed a six down the ground first ball of Starc’s last over, before swivel-pulling him around the corner for four later in the over. Starc did not help himself by bowling five wides soon after, either.Then, with 28 required off 12, Buttler clobbered three sixes and a four off the next seven balls, never losing strike. With the requirement down to three off five, he bided his time. He collected two off the penultimate ball, then pierced a packed infield with a leg-side clip last ball to see RR to their sixth win this season, and arguably their most hard-earned one.3:16

Narine had told me a decade back that he would get a hundred – Bishop

The Narine show
As good as Buttler was, though, Narine was the game’s MVP – he just had less support from his team-mates. Though known as a powerplay aggressor, he let Phil Salt and Angkrish Raghuvanshi take the lead early on, before blooming in the middle overs against the spinners. He smacked R Aswhin for two sixes, and Yuzvendra Chahal for three, as both those bowlerse conceded in excess of 12 an over.It was Narine’s fours, though, that truly powered his innings. He hit 13 of them, all but four of them on the off side.Although Narine had been impressive through the middle overs, he also accelerated towards the death. He hit 35 runs off the last 14 balls he faced. Most impressively, he motored from 79 to KKR’s third IPL hundred in the space of one Chahal over, in which he crashed two sixes and two fours.Rinku Singh provided some closing fireworks to the KKR innings, but Narine’s best stand had been the 85-run second-wicket partnership with Raghuvanshi, who made only 30 of those runs. Such was Narine’s early dominance.

Batting has been West Indies’ Achilles heel in women’s T20Is for some time now. Their middle-order woes have been hampering them for over the last couple of years. Since January 2021, West Indies’ middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) averages 12.12, the lowest among the Full Member teams in T20Is. In their first match of the women’s T20I tri-series against South Africa, Shemaine Campbelle, batting at No. 4, made 11 of the 24 that the middle order scored.While captain Hayley Matthews admitted it was a concern, she said that bigger contributions are needed from the top order, too.Related

• Klaas four-for, Marizanne Kapp 52 give South Africa first win in tri-series

“We’re missing a lot of big players,” Matthews said after West Indies’ 44-run defeat. “People like Chinelle Henry, who we usually have in the lower middle order that are capable of hitting the ball out of the park and even Chedean Nation, who played today but just hasn’t been able to get going just yet. So yeah, it’s the same story all around.”We need to improve from the top right down to the bottom of our batting line-up in the way that we are playing at the moment. It’s pretty clear we are not being able to put big enough partnerships. At the same time we have a lot of injuries with key batters out.”Their issues are not just restricted to the middle order. Since Deandra Dottin’s shock retirement last year, West Indies have yet to zero in on an opening batter to partner Matthews. Aaliyah Alleyne, primarily a bowling allrounder, had never batted above No. 7 in T20Is but was pushed up to open in nine matches – four against New Zealand and five against England all at home before the tri-series. The combination had a best partnership of 23 and she was not picked in the XI against South Africa on Saturday.Brittney Cooper, who returned to the squad ahead of the series having last played a T20I in September 2021, opened the batting as West Indies added 32 for the opening wicket in their chase of 142. Cooper looked in fairly good touch, hitting three well-timed fours before being dismissed for 14 off 13 balls. Matthews said that West Indies are still trying to find their best combination at the top and backed Cooper to come good.”At the moment we are trying players and we’re giving players the opportunity to grab that opening spot,” Matthews said. “Britney Cooper didn’t look that bad out there today, so hopefully she’s the one that can come out there and really produce [what we need]. The [T20] World Cup is the main goal for us and we are trying out different options to see what fits best.”Sometimes as international cricket goes, it’s about digging deeper. At the same time we need to get some more runs at the top of the order. It’s not a matter of what’s happening at the toss as we have struggled to get runs both in the first and the second innings.”West Indies also are working around managing Stafanie Taylor, as she makes her return from an injury layoff. She had to retire hurt in the third ODI against New Zealand last September and is working her way to getting back on the field.”For now it’s just about the physio and medical people and the coaches managing the load with Stafanie,” Matthews said. “The T20 World Cup is the main picture for us here in South Africa and we want to try and manage her as best as possible and have her fit and ready for the World Cup.”

Bruno Fernandes has revealed he always wanted to stay at Manchester United despite summer interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

• Fernandes opens up on Al-Hilal interest
• Had teased possible United departure
• Red Devils ultimately blocked exit

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fernandes has claimed he always wanted to stay at United this summer despite reported interest from Al-Hilal. The Portugal international is the Red Devils' best and most important player but had teased a possible exit at the end of last season after his side finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fernandes ultimately decided to reject a lucrative offer from the Middle East in order to play a role in reviving United's fortunes and has now revealed he told Al-Hilal's president to go through official club channels rather than contact him personally.

• WHAT FERNANDES SAID

  “I know numbers matter the most in football,” Fernandes told . “Obviously it was a big number that the club could get for me. So I know how tough it was for the club. 

  “When I spoke with the president of Al Hilal, I spoke with him once and I told him, ‘I’ve never thought about leaving, I appreciate your call. Whatever you want to do or not, you can talk with the club,’ because I’ve always said if the club wanted to sell me, then yes, I had to make a decision. But if the club doesn’t, I don’t have to make a decision, because my aim is to stay here. 

  “It’s a lot of money for me, too, but it is what it is. People make decisions in their lives. I won’t regret it because this is the place I want to be and this is the place where I want to be successful also.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Fernandes will be more optimistic about United's chances of success this season following a summer which has seen his side sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to completely overhaul their attack. Their first match of the campaign arrives on Sunday against title hopefuls Arsenal.

MatériaMais Notícias

Titular na derrota da Seleção Brasileira para Camarões, o lateral Daniel Alves falou após o resultado. Na saída do gramado, o ala de 39 anos lamentou o revés, mas disse que a equipe aprendeu a lição na Copa do Mundo.

– É um toque de atenção. Não existe rival fraco aqui, todos estão jogando alguma coisa. Fica a lição de que precisamos estar ligados em todos os jogos. Às vezes é um detalhe só que no final você sai com a sensação de que escapou. Temos que aprender, nos reinventar. Agora começa a fase que não pode errar – disse Daniel à “Globo”.

+ Agora é mata-mata! Veja os jogos e a tabela da Copa do Mundo de 2022

RelacionadasListasA derrota do Brasil para Camarões na Copa do Mundo em imagensListas02/12/2022Seleção Brasileira​Brasil x Coreia do Sul: única derrota da Seleção para rival das oitavas da Copa do Mundo foi com LuxemburgoSeleção Brasileira02/12/2022Copa do MundoEm jogo de duas viradas, Suíça bate a Sérvia e se classifica às oitavas da Copa do MundoCopa do Mundo02/12/2022

+Brasil x Coreia do Sul: saiba data e horário do confronto das oitavas de final

Daniel Alves comentou ainda que, apesar da derrota, o resultado foi bom ter acontecido neste momento para a equipe não se deslumbrar. O capitão completou dizendo que não existe espaço para erro a partir de agora.

-Não tem margem para erro agora. É bom que aconteça nesse momento para alertar. A partir de agora é briga por espaço, briga por cada centímetro dento do campo. Que a gente aprenda a lição de hoje – finalizou o jogador.

+ATUAÇÕES: Martinelli se destaca em derrota da Seleção Brasileira para Camarões na Copa do Mundo

O Brasil volta a campo na próxima segunda-feira, contra a Coreia do Sul, pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Mundo. O jogo acontecerá no Estádio 974, às 16h (de Brasília; 22h no horário local). Em caso de empate, o duelo irá para a prorrogação. Se necessário, a vaga será disputada nos pênaltis.

The 21-year-old forward, who broke out at the Gold Cup this summer, has joined the Championship side ahead of the 2025-26 campaign

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Southampton sign USMNT striker DownsForward joins for $9.5M (£7M) fee begin 2025-26 season against WrexhamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. men's national team striker Damion Downs has officially joined English Championship side Southampton from German Bundesliga side FC Koln for a fee of $9.5M (£7M). The 21-year-old recently earned his first caps with the USMNT during the CONCACAF Gold Cup and was a breakout performer for the USMNT during the competition.

"Everybody plays football to win titles," Downs told the Saints website after agreeing a four-year contract. "To win my first title at 20 last year was a great feeling, and I hope to repeat it again this year. I think Southampton is a big club that should be in the Premier League, and that's my goal – to help the team as much as I can to bring the club back to the Premier League."

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Downs, 21, was a standout performer for FC Koln during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 11 goals in 32 matches across all competitions as he helped them secure promotion from the 2. Bundesliga to the first division in Germany.

In May, he received his first call-up to the U.S. men's national team and made his debut off the bench against Switzerland in an international friendly on June 10. He logged 28 minutes off the bench against Saudi Arabia in the USMNT's Gold Cup opener, becoming cap-tied to the program.

In total, Downs appeared in five of the six matches for the USA at the Gold Cup, and in the quarterfinals against Costa Rica, he scored the game-winning penalty in a shootout after a 2-2 regulation draw between the two teams.

“Damion is a player we have been monitoring for some time who possesses excellent physical qualities and the ability to disrupt defenses," said Johannes Spors, Southampton technical director. “Strengthening our attacking options was one of our top priorities this summer, and Damion is a player who will add real quality to the group. Despite his relatively young age, he is already a senior international, so we are excited to see him thrive in the environment here at Southampton.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Southampton were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2024-25 season after recording just 12 points across 38 matches. They had a record of 2-6-30, scoring just 26 total goals.

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WHAT NEXT FOR DOWNS?

The 21-year-old has already reported for his first day at the club, with the posting on social media. Downs posed for a photo in his new kit. Southampton open the 2025-26 Championship campaign on Aug. 9 against AFC Wrexham.

Cameron Bancroft further enhanced his Test claims with another half-century on the opening day against South Australia but it was Wes Agar who took the honours with a career-best 6 for 42.On the same day that Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris both failed in their respective Shield matches, Bancroft struck a steady 57 on day one in Adelaide.With Western Australia all out late in the day, South Australia went to stumps at 27 without loss with an early advantage in the fixture.Related

• 'I've paid my dues' – Bancroft confident the past won't impact Test future

• How Matthew Short turned himself into an all-format asset

• Burns ends 980-day wait for century to put Queensland on top

Agar was earlier the star with the ball for the Redbacks, claiming career-best figures to rip through the visitors’ middle and lower order.But it was Bancroft who keeps knocking on the door of national selectors. Patient early, the opener hit Nathan McAndrew for two boundaries in the over before lunch before he was caught behind pushing at one outside off stump from Agar.With David Warner set to retire after the SCG Test against Pakistan in January, it is Bancroft who has made the loudest statement to take his spot for the rest of the summer. He began the Shield season with 122 against Victoria in Perth, before backing it up with 91 against Tasmania.Harris, who has long been viewed as next in line by Australia’s selectors, was handed a national contract earlier this year and taken as a back-up batsman on the Ashes.But Victoria’s opener has started the season poorly, with Thursday’s first-ball duck against New South Wales coming after scores of 0 and 10 in his other Shield match against Queensland. Renshaw scored 7 on Thursday against Tasmania, after scores of 17, 55 and 135 to start the season.Bancroft’s innings took him past 6000 first-class runs for Western Australia, making him the 12th player to do so. The opener’s runs also made him the top scorer for WA, who had several batters make starts without going on.Sam Whiteman scored 30 at the top in a 43-run stand with Bancroft, while Teague Wylie faced his first 25 balls without scoring before being caught behind for 22.Hilton Cartwright hit 56 after overcoming a painful blow to the knee, but was caught in the deep trying to take on Ben Manenti as part of a late-innings collapse of 7 for 71.

أصدر الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم قرارًا يقضي بإيقاف، عضو مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، ومنعه من دخول الملاعب لمدة ثلاثة أشهر، بسبب سب جماهير الأهلي.

وقرر الاتحاد تغريم هاني شكري عضو مجلس الزمالك، ماليًا بمبلغ 50 ألف جنيه، ومنعه من دخول الملاعب وذلك على خلفية تجاوزه بحق النادي الأهلي وجماهيره في أحد مقاطع الفيديو المتداولة عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي.

طالع.. أليو ديانج يرفض عرض الأهلي.. التجديد بهذا المبلغ أو الرحيل

وكان النادي الأهلي قد تقدم بشكوى رسمية إلى اتحاد الكرة ضد شكري، بسبب ما اعتبره إساءات واضحة من الأخير تجاه النادي وجماهيره، ظهرت في مقطع فيديو صوّر خلال عزاء والدة عمرو الجنايني، عضو لجنة التخطيط السابق بنادي الزمالك. 

وظهر شكري في الفيديو برفقة ممدوح عيد، المدير التنفيذي لنادي بيراميدز، وهو يوجه ألفاظًا مسيئة لجماهير الأهلي.

Leeds United are currently deep in the race to win automatic promotion up to the Premier League with only eight games left before the regular Championship campaign is up.

Therefore, any speculative talk about transfers has rightly taken a back-seat, with the level of incoming Leeds could afford to go after heavily dependant on whether they leap back up to the top-flight or disastrously stay put in the second tier.

Farke triumphantly pulling off the first outcome may well result in a whole host of statement signings entering the door, which could include bringing back one of their former promotion heroes.

"Formidable" star pushing for Leeds switch

Last week, it was reported that Leeds already have a verbal agreement with Kalvin Phillips, to return to Elland Road if Farke’s side secures promotion.

Now, as per a report by Football Insider this week, Phillips is amazingly pushing for a return to the club where he learnt his trade.

It clarifies that Manchester City want to get rid of the £45m flop straight after his Ipswich Town loan deal expires.

Transfer Focus

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

Consequently, Pep Guardiola’s men would be prepared to take a hit financially to get rid, meaning the promotion-chasing Whites could win the ex-England international for a cut-price way below that mammoth £45m price tag, although it won’t be completely straightforward to get done.

Indeed, Farke and Co will have to get to the top flight before any move is then potentially sanctioned, upping the pressure on Leeds’ shoulders even more to get over the line.

With Joe Rothwell set to leave the club this approaching summer too when his own loan stint runs out, adding in a new fresh midfielder will be a priority.

A deal on the table to bring back the “formidable” ace – as he was once labelled by Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain – could well also go down as one of the best purchases the club has made since Raphinha graced the Elland Road turf, if everything runs smoothly.

Why Phillips could be the best signing since Raphinha

Leeds fans must have been taken aback by the sheer quality of the Brazilian attacker when he first pulled on a Whites jersey, with Marcelo Bielsa even lauding Raphinha as a “special” talent when the pair were both amazingly situated at the club.

29 total goal contributions from 67 games certainly made the £17m they once forked out on his services look worthwhile, with the Elland Road outfit arguably struggling to replicate such a successful move since.

While the likes of Ao Tanaka have settled into his new environment with ease and Joel Piroe is now the Championship’s second-top scorer on 15 goals, no one has dazzled the Leeds masses quite like the signing of Raphinha.

Well, enter, or re-enter Phillips. The Leeds academy graduate has had a tough time of things since departing Yorkshire but with an England re-call now the aim, perhaps he is ready to get back to his best at his hometown club if a deal is soon signed.

Importantly, Phillips has shown flashes of his brilliance from the middle of the park for Ipswich this season, with the effort above gifting him his first-ever Tractor Boys goal back in January.

Moreover, in the bread and butter of the Premier League, the Leeds-born midfielder hasn’t looked completely out of his depth, winning 3.8 duels per game when lining up for Kieran McKenna’s lowly side.

Phillips’ PL numbers – last season at Leeds
Stat (* = per 90 mins)	Phillips
Matches played	20
Goals scored	0
Assists	1
Touches*	62.1
Accurate passes*	38.9 (82%)
Tackles*	2.7
Total duels won*	4.9
Stats by Sofascore

It would all be resting on Farke being able to restore Phillips back to the shiny model he once was at Elland Road, with the 29-year-old’s final campaign at the club seeing him win far more duels on average at 4.9. To add context, Ilia Gruev in the second tier this campaign has won just three.

With Josuha Guilavogui also only a short-term body centrally, Farke will be crying out for more midfield options very soon, with the potential here for Phillips to strike up a fantastic working relationship with Tanaka.

After all, if this signing was a rip-roaring success, Phillips would be able to finally break free of his tag of being an expensive flop at the Etihad, with the 29-year-old’s presence – much like Raphinha gifted to the Whites – helping Leeds to succeed in the top-flight again.

What a signing this would be. What a story it would be for Leeds supporters.

Leeds are brewing a mini Raphinha at Thorp Arch who could replace Solomon

Leeds United could look towards their impressive academy assets to potentially replace Manor Solomon.

1

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Kelan Sarson

Mar 18, 2025

Arsenal are aiming to win the transfer race for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez amid strong interest from a host of top European clubs.

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• Arsenal eye move for Alvarez
• Face competition from Bayern, Barca & Liverpool
• Gunners looking to strengthen forward line

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alvarez, who joined Atletico Madrid from Manchester City last summer in a blockbuster move, enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Spanish capital as he scored 29 goals in 54 matches across all competitions and also contributed seven assists.

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  The Argentine's brilliant form for Atletico has attracted several top clubs like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal, with reporting that the Gunners are pushing the hardest for the striker. Mikel Arteta is on a mission to make major changes to his squad this summer and bolstering the attack is his top priority. Arsenal have also been strongly linked with moves for Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal may struggle to make any progress in their pursuit of Alvarez, because also claims that the Argentina international is settled in Madrid and does not have any interest in returning to the Premier League this summer.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JULIAN ALVAREZ?

  Diego Simeone will also want to hold on to Atletico's best player from the 2024-25 campaign as the Madrid outfit aim to make new signings themselves and build an even stronger team around the World Cup-winning forward.