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After a deal was completed to land Matheus Cunha last week, it appears as though Manchester United have shown no signs of slowing down in the transfer market.

Ruben Amorim has made a move to land Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, with the Cameroon international choosing Old Trafford as his next move if reports are to be believed.

The 25-year-old has notched 20 goals in the Premier League during 2024/25, finishing as just one of only five players to reach such a tally within the division.

He’s likely to be an expensive addition, costing a fee in the region of £60m over the coming months, which will already take their summer spending to over £120m.

Despite the potential fee, he would be a superb addition, potentially forming a deadly partnership with another target in their attempts to return to their former glory.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

The attacking department has been of huge interest over the last few weeks, with Amorim clearly wanting to bolster that area of his first-team squad.

Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Liam Delap have all been touted with a switch to Old Trafford, but appear to have moved on to different targets – with the latter moving closer to a move to Chelsea.

However, another name has entered the mix over recent days, with PSG attacker Gonçalo Ramos the latest name on the club’s shortlist, according to United In Focus.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 outfit are willing to part ways with the Portuguese international this summer, with the Red Devils already in talks with his representatives over a move to Old Trafford.

It also states that the 23-year-old is of interest to multiple Saudi Arabian outfits, with the newly crowned Champions of Europe demanding £50m to part ways with him this summer.

Why United’s £50m target could be the next Cavani & the perfect Mbeumo partner

Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani joined United back in the summer of 2020, arriving on a free transfer after his contract with PSG expired a couple of months prior.

He only plied his trade at Old Trafford for two years, but still managed to star within the final third for the Red Devils despite entering the back end of his professional career.

The forward found the net 19 times in his 59 appearances, with 17 of his efforts coming in his first season at the club – helping the side finish second in the Premier League.

However, Cavani would depart at the end of his contract in the summer of 2022, with the club missing such a talisman over the past couple of years – as seen by their efforts for a new one during the off-season.

A move for Ramos would replicate such a deal, landing a talent from the French giants who could fill the void at the top end and lead them back towards a spot in the top four.

He could also partner Mbeumo in the final third, with both of their respective figures aiding Amorim’s ambitions of taking the club back to their former glory.

Ramos, who’s been labelled “outrageous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered 18 goals across all competitions this season, with him and the Brentford star able to add needed goals to the side.

Games played

22

Goals & assists

13

Pass accuracy

81%

Shots on target per 90

2.7

Aerials won

57%

Touches in opposition box

8.5

Possession won in final third

0.7

The Portugal international has registered 2.7 shots on target per 90, benefiting from the stats produced by Mbeumo, who’s posting a total of 1.8 chances created per 90 this campaign.

Their respective talents don’t stop there, with the PSG star having won 57% of his aerial battles, able to get on the end of the 25-year-old’s delivery, after he produced a tally of 1.3 successful crosses per game.

The prospect of the pair combining within the final third at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one, handing Amorim with the attacking ammunition he’s craved since taking the role.

Ramos won’t be a cheap addition this summer, but his goal tally this year is evidence that he can produce the goods when needed, potentially following in Cavani’s footsteps at the Theatre of Dreams.

Better signing than Cunha: Man Utd eye move for PSG Ballon d'Or contender

Manchester United could land a bigger signing than Matheus Cunha by bringing in this PSG star.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

Former Glasgow Rangers chairman Dave King has confirmed that a takeover of the club is expected to be finalised in the middle of June, ahead of the summer transfer window.

The US health insurance tycoon Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises are poised to take control of the Light Blues in just over a month, which will mark the start of a new era at Ibrox.

Results on the pitch in recent seasons suggest that a new direction and new leadership have been a long time coming, as Celtic have won the Scottish Premiership title in each of the last four seasons.

The Light Blues, who held their rivals to a 1-1 draw last time out, are going to end the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts, and with Barry Ferguson in interim charge after Philippe Clement was dismissed earlier this year.

Rangers will be on the lookout for a new manager to lead the club into a new era under the 49ers, and there are already plenty of names being floated around.

One popular suggestion has already been ruled out as a contender, though, as it has been revealed that Steven Gerrard will not be the new Rangers manager.

Why Steven Gerrard will not be the next Rangers manager

The English head coach is currently a free agent, having left Al-Ettifaq earlier this year, and this means that the Gers would not have to pay any compensation to bring him back to Ibrox.

Despite being an attractive target, having also won a Premiership title for the Light Blues during his previous spell as the manager in Glasgow, the 49ers will not be pursuing a deal for the English boss.

TEAMtalk recently revealed that the new owners want to appoint a manager who does not have any links to the club, as they want a fresh face to build a new philosophy and way of playing to lead the team forward.

The report claimed that the 49ers are planning to build the club gradually, and their first move is going to be to appoint a manager who can lead a long-term project at Ibrox.

TEAMtalk’s article does not explain outright why they do not want anyone with prior experience at Ibrox, but it could be to avoid complacency and to avoid emotions dictating decisions.

It is the kind of ruthless decision that suggests that they could also be ruthless with underperforming players in the summer transfer window, particularly when it comes to the ones who are near the top of the wage bill.

The top ten earners at Rangers

Rangers have failed to win the league title in each of the last four seasons. This means that they have underperformed for several years, and suggests that the squad is not good enough.

James Tavernier, who has registered four goals and ten assists in the Premiership and the Europa League this season, is reportedly the top earner at Ibrox on a weekly wage of £30k.

As the captain and a regular starter who contributes with goals and assists on a regular basis, it is hard to argue that he does not provide value for money at this moment in time.

James Tavernier

£30k

Vaclav Cerny

£27k

Cyriel Dessers

£27k

Danilo

£26k

Jack Butland

£25k

Rabbi Matondo

£23k

Dujon Sterling

£22k

Tom Lawrence

£22k

Ianis Hagi

£21k

Nicolas Raskin

£19k

As you can see in the table above, though, there are some players who are not performing well enough this season to justify them being among the top earners at the club.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Jack Butland is one of those players who have not done enough on the pitch in the 2024/25 campaign to make his £25k-per-week wages worthwhile for the Light Blues.

The 49ers should, now, be ruthless in the summer transfer window by attempting to move on from the former England international, so that he is not part of the new era at Ibrox, as will be the case for Gerrard.

Why Jack Butland should not be a part of the 49ers era at Rangers

Rangers will need to make brutal decisions on players in order to improve the squad and to ensure that they can compete for major trophies next season, which means that they will have to make some bold calls on stars who have not hit the heights they once reached.

Butland enjoyed an excellent debut season with Rangers after his move from Crystal Palace on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, as he kept 25 clean sheets in 58 appearances in all competitions for the club.

The current campaign has not gone as smoothly for the experienced shot-stopper, though, as he is currently the second-choice behind Liam Kelly and has only kept 14 clean sheets in 42 appearances.

Unfortunately, errors, like the one in the clip above, have become too commonplace for Butland, who was once described as “error prone” by journalist Luke Hatfield.

The English goalkeeper conceded 1.32 more goals than expected, based on the xG of the shots against him, and kept two clean sheets in his ten outings in the Europa League this term.

Appearances

38

26

Save percentage

71%

67%

Clean sheets

18

10

Error led to shot

1

2

Error led to goal

0

2

Penalties committed

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Butland’s form in the Premiership has also declined after his impressive debut season in Scottish football between the sticks, as he has been an unreliable presence in goal for the Light Blues with his mistakes.

He has been far too ‘error prone’ in the top-flight, with five errors that have led to shots, goals, or penalties for the opposition, and has kept eight fewer clean sheets, which has led to him losing his place to Kelly.

Therefore, the club must be ruthless with Butland and attempt to move on from him in the summer transfer window because his performances suggest that he should not be a part of the new 49ers era at Ibrox, as his performances have not aligned with his place in the wage bill.

Rangers can forget Gerrard & Rose by appointing "world-class manager"

With Steven Gerrard and Marco Rose the current front-runners to be the new Rangers boss, should the 49ers appoint a “world-class manager” instead?

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It is now down to the new owners, once they are in place next month, to make that call and to recruit an upgrade on him before the start of next season.

Newcastle United are said to be “ready” to make a move for an “international” level midfielder this summer, according to a new transfer report.

Newcastle may need midfielder if Tonali leaves

The future of Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park is up in the air currently, with no guarantee that the Italian will still be at the club next, following two seasons there. One report has claimed that Newcastle are willing to listen to offers for the 24-year-old, with bids of around £68.5m possibly being accepted in the summer transfer window amid interest from Man City and Juventus.

Meanwhile, a swap deal involving the Magpies hero and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has also been mentioned, with the Serie A giants happy to let the Serb leave this summer.

Tonali himself played down a return to AC Milan earlier this year, prior to the EFL Cup final victory over Liverpool, saying: “I have never ever spoken about it with my agents. And I know, from experience, that if you don’t get to that point there is nothing. And in any case, I am happy with myself here [at Newcastle]. I have found my line and there is no need to upset it again. I want to win for the Newcastle United fans.”

Newcastle "ready" to sign Saelemaekers this summer

Now, according to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are “ready to invest” in Milan midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers this summer, with the 25-year-old out on loan at Roma currently. Milan are believed to value the midfielder at £17m, which is too much for Roma, with the Magpies and Nottingham Forest potentially looking to strike a permanent deal instead.

Whether Saelemaekers is seen as a possible replacement option for Tonali remains to be seen, but there is plenty for Eddie Howe to admire about him. The Belgian has enjoyed a good season out on loan at Roma, scoring six times in Serie A, which is two more than Bruno Guimaraes has managed in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri lauded his quality and versatility earlier in the season, saying: “Saelemaekers is an international player, a good player who can play different roles. I needed him on this wing to execute certain plays, and he is doing well in interpreting what I want from him.”

Saelemaekers could add great energy to Newcastle’s midfield next season and beyond, with Howe no doubt liking the fact that he can shine in various central and wide roles, and he is a 14-cap Belgium international, which is no mean feat alongside some stellar names.

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At 25, there is a lot more to come from him, too, and while £17m could be a steal, his arrival hopefully wouldn’t be at the expense of Tonali, who the Magpies must look to keep hold of.

There is no escaping it: this season has been something of a disaster for Arsenal.

There is still a chance that Mikel Arteta’s side could do something miraculous in the Champions League, but following the news that Gabriel Magalhaes is the latest starter to need surgery on his hamstring, that feels incredibly unlikely.

Moreover, while the Premier League title race isn’t mathematically over, it is in reality, and while the absurd number of injuries the North Londoners have had to deal with have certainly played their part in that, it would also be fair to say the team have been lacklustre for large parts of the campaign.

One of those who has been far less effective than they were last season has been Leandro Trossard, which might explain why recent reports have linked the club with the perfect upgrade on the Belgian.

Arsenal transfer news

After what has been a pretty demoralising season for Arsenal, this summer looks like it’s going to be a massive one in terms of incomings – Arteta has said as much – with one of the most significant links in recent weeks being to Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

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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The Swedish goal machine is supposedly available for around £58m, which could prove to be an incredible price considering he’s already scored 43 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

Another name which continues to come up in connection with the Gunners is Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who’s been having a tremendous season in West London and has already amassed a sensational tally of 16 goals and six assists in just 34 games this year.

However, in even more exciting news, the North Londoners seem to be focussing their energy on another international winger: Nico WIlliams.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, the Athletic Bilbao star has become the Gunners’ number one winger target ahead of the summer, a stance that new Sporting Director Andrea Berta agrees with.

In fact, Bailey has revealed that Arsenal have been in ‘constant communication with Williams for 12-months now’, which led to a meeting between Berta and the player’s representatives earlier this week, a meeting which convinced the Italian that the winger would be keen on the project.

If Arsenal can convince the 22-year-old to join them, they’ll have to spend £48m to activate his release clause, and while that is a lot of money, it would be more than worth it, especially as he’d be an ideal Trossard upgrade.

How Williams compares to Trossard

So, if Williams does make his way to Arsenal this summer, one of his biggest competitors for game time next season – should he stay – will be Trossard, but how do the pair stack up to one another?

Well, when it comes down to their output, which matters most for an attacker, it is a comfortable and conclusive victory for the Spaniard.

For example, in 37 appearances last season, the “relentless” talent, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided 18 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games.

Williams vs Trossard

23/24

Williams

Trossard

Appearances

37

46

Minutes

2729′

2263′

Goals

8

17

Assists

18

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.41

Goal Involvements per Minute

104.96′

119.10′

24/25

Williams

Trossard

Appearances

38

44

Minutes

2689′

2678′

Goals

9

6

Assists

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

0.31

Goal Involvements per Minute

168.06′

191.28′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the Gunners’ ace, who still had a good season himself, scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 46 appearances, which comes out to a still impressive but less effective average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games.

Unfortunately for the Belgian, he’s taken a step back this year, scoring six goals and providing eight assists in 44 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.14 games.

On the other hand, the Bilbao star has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in just 38 appearances, which translates into an average of a goal involvement every 2.37 games.

Furthermore, on top of the clear difference in their output, the Pamplona-born gem is eight years younger than his potential teammate, and with a European Championship and Copa del Rey medal already in his collection, might bring more of a winning mentality to the team.

Ultimately, Trossard is a talented player and someone useful to have in the squad, but it’s abundantly clear that Williams is the far superior winger, so Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2025

His competitiveness was something to behold, his love for Test cricket infectious, and he had this special ability to take you along on the ride

Sidharth Monga13-May-20251:38

AB de Villiers: ‘I did get a hint that Kohli would retire’

Now I feel old, man. Virat Kohli has run out of the fight to play Test cricket.Virat Kohli.I never imagined a day would come when Virat Kohli would wake up, decide to meet the selectors, and tell them that his body, mind, heart and spirit were not giving him enough to be able to play Test cricket to his standards anymore.Test cricket. The format he lived for. Anyone who has seen Kohli play knew it would take something extraordinary to take him away from “the quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever”. What a beautiful farewell note he has written. Only father time could dim Kohli’s boundless enthusiasm and love for Test cricket.Related

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Feel old yet?All through my writing career, I have been certain of one thing: the fight in Kohli, especially for Test cricket. It has been the one constant in my time of covering Indian cricket. Don’t get me wrong, he has not been the only one with the fight for Test cricket, but not everyone is blessed with all the attributes required to live every minute of the Test cricket they play: natural physical strength, combativeness, ability to understand and fine-tune a good-enough technique, and the sheer love for Test cricket that makes you work on everything else, that makes success in Test cricket an obsession, a non-negotiable.I have seen and felt this energy and fight across the world. I experienced it first-hand long before Kohli played Test cricket. This was even before he had unleashed his competitive side in the Under-19 World Cup final when India scored just 159 and he took offence at the South African players’ premature dropping of the guard. He was not even a regular in a Delhi team that included Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Aakash Chopra, Shikhar Dhawan, Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia.Delhi were playing Maharashtra in this small hill town of Nagothane in late 2007. This was an Australia tour selection audition for Sehwag and Chopra. Sehwag was proving his fitness, Chopra his worth, and the Delhi batting was too packed to include Kohli in the XI.The Delhi nets were a daunting place, what with all these stalwarts, and Manoj Prabhakar in the coaching staff. The loud laughter from the nets looks and sounds like fun and games from the outside, but it is a seriously competitive place where every newcomer must earn their respect. “These days even Kohli is blocking,” Prabhakar was heard saying when Kohli defended a ball in the nets. Cue laughter all around. What is a 19-year-old kid to make of it? Isn’t he supposed to work on his defence in Ranji nets? He hit the next ball for a six, and went back to defending.There weren’t many lodging options, and we all ended up in the same resort. After a day’s play, with nowhere else to go, a few Delhi youngsters ended up with us in the table tennis room. None of us was playing seriously. Until I happened to beat Kohli. Even in a casual, almost joke of a table tennis match, this 19-year-old couldn’t bear losing to a 24-year-old journalist he was never going to be in competition with.By all accounts Kohli is a chill kinda guy outside cricket. I don’t know him off the field, but everybody says he is funny, an exceptional mimic, and has interests outside the game.2:54

Pujara: Kohli brought a shift in India’s fitness culture as captain

Once the cricket switch was flicked on, though, the lack of chill was something to behold. And it extended to every activity within cricket. Kohli couldn’t help but compete. He had to be the ‘est: the best, the fastest, the loudest, the coolest, the funniest, even the nastiest when nasties were needed. And he had this special ability to take you along on the ride. Not just the players who felt drawn to rallying with him, but those watching and living the game through him.My quintessential visual memory of Kohli the Test cricketer is not from his batting or catching. It’s him at second slip, living every ball bowled by his fast bowlers. In that brief moment after the ball was played, you could look at Kohli and tell what had happened. The little hop if the ball was good. Asking the crowd to cheer when the bowling felt flat. If the edge was taken, he wouldn’t wait for the catch to be completed. He would start running towards the bowler, passing very close to the batter. His sculpted arms swinging in celebration.Kohli would compete anywhere, anytime. If any opponent’s celebration went out of the ordinary, he would outdo them when the time was right. If someone sledged him, he would unleash his fury on them when they batted. When the drunk barrackers in Sydney tried to bully him, he flipped them the bird. When there were calls to drop him when the seniors were failing more than he was, he expressed his anguish at the injustice. When he failed against the seaming ball in England, he didn’t go into a shell; he became intent on meeting the ball even earlier. Even press conferences were a competition. Even when he was injured during the 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he kept on fighting from the viewing area. Even as recently as his last Test series, Kohli was beefing with a debutant.Perhaps nobody knows better than Kohli that batters have limited agency in Test cricket, but his competitiveness made him must-see at all times. Neither spectators nor the opposition could take their eye off him. Even when he was not at his best, Kohli’s wicket brought the biggest celebration from the opposition. Even with a glaring limitation during his last few years, just his presence meant they were in a fight. By being in this aroused, hyper-charged state all the time, Kohli brought the best out of both teams, and elevated the spectacle of Test cricket.It is ultimately a sport of runs and wickets, but Kohli’s presence went beyond. Anyone who watched him felt that energy. The crowds danced to his tune. They hung on to every gesture. He was their conductor, they his orchestra.Kohli lived every minute of the Test cricket he played•Getty ImagesIt was impossible not to be touched by Kohli’s energy. I have been inspired by it. From him I have learnt that it is not about the choice you make, it is about how honestly and committedly you follow through with it. That it can be crippling if you fret on choices, whose success or failure depends on circumstances you can’t accurately predict. That when you look back, you look back not at what you decided to do but how committed you were to doing the thing you chose to do.The relentless pursuit of 20 wickets that asked more of the batters, the insistence on a certain coach that turned the whole fraternity against him for a while, the challenging pitches at home that denied him an average of 50, the team selections – you could argue about their merit, but you could never question his commitment to any of his choices. He never second-guessed himself.Kohli didn’t court instant success. On his first Test tour, West Indies bounced him out, making him question if he belonged. There were holes in his game, but his sheer will and obsession fashioned a highly successful Test batter out of him. Even at his best, most of Kohli’s greatest hundreds came in defeats: twin tons in Adelaide in 2014 to Centurion, Edgbaston and Perth in 2018. He suffered many a heartbreak – from Adelaide 2014 to the two South Africa tours he captained in to the 2018 tour of England – but because he had this ultimate commitment to Test cricket he would bounce back every time and lead the team to more wins than any India captain did. Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian cricketer with more Test wins than Kohli.Even in his last act as a Test cricketer, Kohli has reiterated the high regard he held Test cricket in. The selectors told him they were going to take him to England. Two relatively easy home series were to follow. He could have easily hung around and completed 10,000 runs. A farewell series at home to boot. His love for Test cricket, though, is purer than that. The moment he realised he was not able to rouse himself to give this format his best, he retired. Test cricket deserved nothing less than his best. It gave Kohli its best in return.May everyone find their equivalent of what Test cricket meant to Kohli.

Bairstow carting a protester back to the Grand Stand the only time an Englishman extolled domination

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-Jun-2023An over into the opening day at Lord’s, two protestors from Just Stop Oil ran onto the field armed with orange paint powder. Their aim was to disperse as much of it as possible on the pitch, only to be halted in their tracks by Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and David Warner. Honestly, could you think of three worse cricketers to be confronted by?Apart from Bairstow hot-footing it into the home dressing room to change out of a now stained white shirt, there was no real impediment on proceedings. The auxiliary pitch – sat two to the left of the main strip as you look out from the press box – did not have to be used. As it turned out, Bairstow’s carry of one of the protesters back to the Grand Stand from where he emerged was the only time an Englishman extolled domination on day one.Whatever debris on the field was removed with a petrol-fuelled blower, just to really hammer home the futility of the protest. A worthy one considering the debilitating effects of fossil fuels on the climate. But like many things we need to change about the world around us, there was a nagging sense it’s all too far gone. Even for believers, there’s enough doubt in the productivity of such acts to let the nuisance of inconvenience, however minor, prevail as the dominant emotion.”They have consistently shown complete disregard for the people who pay to attend events,” said CEO Guy Lavender in an MCC press release about the protest that dropped an hour later. A line far more instructive than he would have intended 24 hours after the institution had to confront a chastening from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket for being woefully out of step with “contemporary Britan”.Jonny Bairstow removes a ‘Just Stop Oil’ pitch invader from the field•Getty ImagesThe home of cricket is only a home for those who look a certain way and, principally, can afford the entry fee. A fee which MCC felt entitled those who can afford it to an uninterrupted day’s play without being reminded the ground’s main sponsor JP Morgan is the world’s worst fossil fuel financing bank.It also entitles them to, well, not watch the cricket. Just as celebrated as the members rushing for seats in the Pavilion before the start of play is the afternoon meander to the various greens of the Nursery Ground, Coronation and Harris Gardens. A point in the day when they think, you know, all this cricket is getting in the way of our conversing.On this occasion, you could understand the motivation of those punters, however strong their ties to this England team are. This was not good viewing, by any means. Overly full bowling at a worryingly docile pace. Nuts so nude you could see the birthmarks.No one in England garb looked like they really wanted to be there, save Josh Tongue in his second Test, which is damning in its own way. They had flunked the best conditions you could ever ask for at this ground. Even Stokes seemed to be devoid of the usual funk, fiddling intermittently when testing Travis Head out with the short ball, but otherwise sticking to by-the-book fields featured in many of the paintings adorning the walls of the closed-off Long Room.As England went through the back end of 83 overs of toil, they probably looked upon the now vacant spaces in the stands with some jealousy. If only they could saunter off and chill out, rather than pointlessly address Australia’s screw-turning.At another time, players would think nothing of it. They all know this is a ground those not really into cricket come to be seen at rather than actually do any seeing. But given all the success coming into this summer, all the Bazball buzz heading into an Ashes, even the way the Edgbaston opener played out day to day, something about these empty white seats created far more of a stain than any orange pigment.There was a sense of lost hope. Of a team who pride themselves on entertaining whether they win or lose, simply losing the thread of their most vaunted – and thus, most watched – series to date, in quite unwatchable fashion. Whether you watched all of the 339 runs and five wickets, or just the first session, you were left with the same mundane conclusions. Australia are quite good. England might not be as good as they thought.Related

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There is a point be made that this is the worst ground for this particular England Test side. It’s as much the pitch – devoid of meaningful bounce today from the Nursery End – as the tradition hanging over this joint, cruelly over-emphasising the grandeur of an Ashes to a group whose best cricket over the last year has come through not taking the game and their part in it too seriously.They also need those watching them to invest emotionally in what they do, which doesn’t happen here. Perhaps Wednesday was when they found out the hard way that this Lord’s crowd need a bit more than vibes and the wrong kind of jaunty hats to buy into what you’re selling. And it’s not so much the ones who wander off, more those who remain. They’ve seen far more than most, and they care not for golfing anecdotes other than their own.There’s no Hollies Stand or Western Terrace here. Other than the occasional sponsored brass band on the outfield, no instruments are allowed. All the beer snakes are killed at birth. Try and sneak in an extra can at your peril. Oh and revelry? Just try and get that past a thorough pat-down. Whatever noise to be made has to come from the middle, and but for the cracks off the middle of the bats of David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Head and Steve Smith (with plenty to come from him), England couldn’t produce the infectious music that has scored the last 14 months.Expect all or some of the above to get fashioned into some excuse behind closed doors, and pray to whoever you pray to it’s not uttered publicly. There has been enough talk for a life time. Six days into this series, England’s worst by some distance has an entire narrative they built shifting against them. Previous lauders are now doubters. Their most high-profile celebrators now their harshest critics.Now, only actions matter. And at a time when English cricket and the world at large step up to fight harder in unending battles for betterment, those on the field (who are meant to be there) now find themselves rallying in similar fashion. They must hope like hell these are not equally futile circumstances.

With a sixth day on offer, the rain-affected showpiece event is still far from being a damp squib

Andrew Miller22-Jun-2021By lunch on the fifth day, something was stirring – and not just on the pitch. All around the concourse at the Ageas Bowl, excited conversations were taking place in the queues for the concessions, and in knots under the awnings which had previously been used only for rather forlorn shelter from the rain. A burst of breakthroughs from India with the prospect of more to come, and suddenly the Ultimate Test was threatening to live up to its billing.It’s perhaps too soon to get over-excited about a positive result, the sixth day notwithstanding, but at least there’s a chance to change the foghorn narrative of the World Test Championship final. “#shameontheicc!” has been the chant on social media, because yes, it’s clearly the governing body’s fault that the heavens chose this week of all weeks to open like a slice-gate and rain on the ICC’s shiniest new venture.Related

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Had the contest taken place only days earlier, it would have been basking in England’s hottest weather of the year so far – balmy temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, no less … but no, as Twitter rightly points out, it only ever rains in this country, and no international fixtures have ever reached a successful conclusion here in more than 140 years of trying.The criticism, however, has been rather moreish for those who love to clamber aboard a bandwagon. “England should be banned from hosting ICC events,” was the sentiment that Kevin Pietersen chose to echo, as the fourth day, like the first, was washed straight down the gurgler.”If it was up to me, Dubai would always host a one-off match like this WTC game,” Pietersen wrote on Twitter. “Neutral venue, fabulous stadium, guaranteed weather, excellent training facilities and a travel hub! Oh, and ICC home is next to the stadium.”All pertinent points, no doubt, especially with the hindsight that comes from such a miserable anti-climax. But, as a man whose desire to play to the gallery was the defining trait of his career, Pietersen’s urge to indulge the furious masses has caused him to overlook perhaps the most critical criteria in England’s favour as a host country. The one that has been huddled in the damp all week long, and which, in spite of everything, could yet prove to be this contest’s saving grace.Despite the weather, the fans have continued to make their presence felt at the stadium•ICC via GettyIn spite of everything, the crowds for the WTC final have been little short of heroic. Passionate, stoic, optimistic and tenacious, they have kept coming in their hundreds in the face of rank futility – an exclusively UK-based contingent, and just 25% capacity in keeping with the Covid restrictions, but drawn from India’s and New Zealand’s hefty diasporas in a guarantee of representation that could not realistically have been replicated in any other host nation.The ICC reckons they could have sold this contest out several times over, and that’s in spite of its relocation from the cosmopolitan hub of Lord’s to the motorway lay-by of the Ageas Bowl – a necessary adjustment in the current climate, but one that could easily have separated the committed fans from the casual onlookers.Not a bit of it. India’s fans, in particular, have come in their droves – from London, Luton and Leicester, and everywhere in between – banging their drums, waving their flags, donning their tri-colour pagri, and exuding, through thin and thinner, an enthusiasm for the occasion that cannot be faked.By 2.30pm on the fourth afternoon, for instance, despite having stared at the covers for four hours of scheduled playing time, a huge contingent were still gathered at the top of the Shane Warne Stand, singing their tributes to Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant, and greeting their intermittent glimpses of a Virat Kohli here or a Jasprit Bumrah there with rock-star acclaim – and utter vindication of their patience.

There has been the seed of something special germinating in the rain this week, now let’s hope a sixth day of sun can allow it to bloom after all

As for the Kiwis, they’ve been outnumbered but far from under-represented – kitted out in their replica beige and turquoise shirts, and their sailor’s hats in tribute to their skipper, Kane Williamson, and his air of salty sea-dog as he sets about “stiddying the shup” once again in his typically unflappable manner.And while the weather did make a dent in the 2019 World Cup as well (four washouts out of 48, as it happens, which is not quite the “ruining” that some on Twitter seem to recall) the ubiquity of support for every competing nation in that competition goes to show that, whoever had made this final – Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, even the last in the standings, but definitely not least, Bangladesh – there would have been a crowd to fit the occasion.Frankly that matters, every bit as much as a positive result. After all, the World Test Championship is a long-overdue attempt to provide “context” to the international calendar, which is actually a euphemism for “proving the point” of Test cricket.Existing aficionados love the format for what it already is – not least Kohli, who rather rained on the final’s parade a full 24 hours before the heavens followed suit by insisting that “those who understand the game” would not accept that a one-off match can decide which team is the best in the world.Judging by the teasingly brief glimpses of action we’ve been afforded, the quality on show could not have been bettered•AFP/Getty ImagesBut those who aren’t necessarily in the know, or could do with having their curiosity piqued in a rather more grandstanding fashion, were the ones towards whom this contest was truly geared. They were to be dangled a biennial carrot – a proper spectacle featuring the two finest Test teams of the moment – and to judge by the teasingly brief glimpses of action we’ve been afforded this week, the quality on show really could not have been bettered.We’ve all become depressingly inured to the sight of empty banks of seats at stadiums throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but what would it have proved for this showpiece event to be played to a conclusion in another echoingly empty environment – indistinguishable from any of the numerous Tests that are currently drifting along around the world? As Keshav Maharaj’s hat-trick in St Lucia showed on Monday, any of these contests can explode into life at any given moment. But without witnesses to such spectacles, they are essentially shouting into the void.The pity is that England has not had the chance to prove its neutral-host credentials more often. Astonishingly, this is just the sixth such fixture in 141 years, and until this late, late stirring, it was proving to be every bit as cursed as its benighted predecessors – most especially the 1912 triangular tournament, a competition way before its time, and doomed to apathy as the rain held sway almost for its entirety – including through the wettest August in the whole of the 20th Century.The other two neutral games on English soil, in 2010, were kiboshed for rather more awkward reasons. The ECB’s goodwill towards Pakistan – exiled since the Lahore shootings a year earlier and hosted for two Tests against Australia under the guise of the “MCC Spirit of Cricket series” – had rather dissipated by the time they were caught in the News of the World’s match-fixing stint during the Lord’s Test against England. But for that, the drama of their three-wicket series-levelling win at Headingley might well have sealed them a longer-term home-from-home.And that, until now, has been that. And who knows, maybe the ill vibes of the first four days will spook the powers-that-be into thinking this really isn’t a venture worth pursuing – it didn’t take much to blow the WTC concept off-course when it was proposed and thrown out in 2011 and 2014, after all. But let’s hope not. There has been the seed of something special germinating in the rain this week. Let’s hope a sixth day of sun can allow it to bloom after all.

Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap, losing their last nine wickets for 30 before Babar and Ayub’s steady 30s took Pakistan over the line

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Nov-2025Pakistan thundered to victory in the final of the tri-series, their attack blazing through the last nine Sri Lanka wickets for 30 runs, before their batters carried them without major drama to a target of 115. The victory came in the 19th over.Earlier, it had been three-wicket hauls for Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz, and two wickets for Abrar Ahmed, that had seen Pakistan produce the definitive passage of the game – the second half of Sri Lanka’s innings.Sri Lanka had been 84 for 1 in the 11th over when Nawaz had Kusal Mendis caught athletically by Babar Azam, on the boundary. They would nosedive spectacularly from there, losing wickets to spin mainly, but pace too, until they were all out for 114 in 19.1 overs.The chase was low-tempo, but mostly smooth. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub put on 46 together. Babar then produced a steady 37 not out to guide the team home in plenty of time. They never hit a high gear. But they didn’t need to.Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up 3 for 18 as Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap•Associated PressSri Lanka’s epic plungeHow do you go from a 64-run second-wicket partnership to 114 all out? Let Sri Lanka show you how.The spinners drove the collapse. After Nawaz dismissed Mendis, Abrar and Ayub ran riot, Abrar having Kusal Perera and Pavan Rathnayake caught attempting big shots within three balls of each other. Ayub had Sri Lanka’s top-scorer Kamil Mishara caught, before Nawaz came back to rattle the stumps of Janith Liyanage and Wanindu Hasaranga.To give you an idea of how quickly wickets were falling, Sri Lanka had seven consecutive partnerships worth six runs or fewer.Babar keeps coming backA score of 37 not out off 34 isn’t exactly stellar T20I material, but in the context of having to guide the team to a low target, Babar’s innings was sensibly-paced. It may not deter his critics exactly, but it might hold them off.In a stretch in which Babar has been suggesting that the best version of himself might be back, it was also significant that he had such a good outing in the field in this match. The catch to dismiss Mendis was a nicely-judged overhead take, balancing to keep himself inside the boundary. The catch to dismiss Mishara was taken on the run, coming in from the straight boundary, diving forward. To get Rathnayake, he leapt up inside the circle to hold the catch with outstretched fingers.Kamil Mishara struck a quick half-century to keep Sri Lanka going•Getty ImagesMishara sets a foundationAlthough Sri Lanka would fail spectacularly to build on it, their young opener Mishara had set a launching pad with his 59 off 47 balls. He had a powerful aerial game inside the powerplay, his three sixes in that phase coming in the arc between long off and deep midwicket. After the field went back, he settled into a rhythm of singles. With this being his second successive half-century, Sri Lanka are likely to persist with him.

If you’re an Arsenal fan right now then it must feel as though the world is ending. The Gunners had enjoyed an 18-game unbeaten run but it’s now over, swept clean by Aston Villa and Unai Emery no less.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been the best side in the country this season. They’ve been one of the best teams in the whole of Europe. However, whatever you have to say about their impressive squad depth, they look tired and leggy.

Their performance at Villa Park was not one that we’ve become accustomed to. Yes, they were missing the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, but the defence looked a mess, a shell of what we’ve come to expect from this outfit.

In attack, they also struggled and the fact Arteta made two substitutions at half-time spoke volumes about the display his team were showing.

Arsenal's biggest underperformers against Aston Villa

Let’s get one thing out in the open first. Villa Park is not an easy ground to go to. It’s a bit like St James’ Park. The supporters raise their voice even louder when the big boys come to town.

While Arsenal had their fair share of the ball, when Matty Cash slammed home the opener at the back post, it was always going to be an uphill battle.

Leandro Trossard came to the rescue once again, scoring a vital equaliser but Arteta’s defence crumbled in the dying embers. Emilino Buendia – once linked with Arsenal – slammed home a last-gasp winning goal.

That chaotic moment came from their inability to clear the ball. Piero Hincapie – Gabriel’s stand-in – claimed the ball inside the penalty area and, instead of clearing it upfield, ran possession out of play.

The resulting phase of play ended up in a goal for the Villans. A game of pinball played out inside the area and with several Arsenal players scrambling to get their bodies in the way, Buendia came up with a moment of composure and quality.

Truth be told, this was Arsenal’s worst defensive display of the season. While Jurrien Timber filled in well at centre-half against Brentford in the week, he and Hincapie were terrorised by the runs of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers throughout.

At left-back, Riccardo Calafiori struggled too and in midfield, Martin Zubimendi looked dead on his feet. Any chance of a Christian Norgaard cameo? That signing looks all the more puzzling as the days go by.

For once, Mikel Merino as a striker didn’t work. The Spaniard managed just 17 touches and didn’t have a single shot before he was dragged off for Viktor Gyokeres at the break.

The Swede didn’t cover himself in much glory either. He made just four passes and didn’t have a shot during his 45 minutes on the field. Arsenal needed an elite centre-forward in the summer and if we’re being brutally honest, it doesn’t look like they’ve signed one.

So, changes must be made. Arteta needs to find a solution. Here’s one of them.

Arsenal duo must not start together again

While something of a makeshift defence was put together by the manager on Saturday lunchtime, the midfield and forward line looked fluid.

It’s always exciting when two silky playmakers in the form of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze are named on the same teamsheet but it’s safe to say it did not work against Villa.

Eze had just been named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for November over the weekend. He had found his groove last month, scoring that hat-trick against Spurs and linking superbly well with Merino in the final third.

He did so having played as the number 10, just behind the striker. This time, he was forced out onto the left to accommodate Odegaard and it’s a decision Arteta must regret.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Eze perhaps endured his worst performance for the club yet. It was his lack of awareness, switching off at the back post, that led to Cash’s goal and even if the summer signing did have a goal disallowed for offside, he failed to offer much in the final third.

That said, can you really blame him? The former Crystal Palace man likes to affect the game from central areas but was pinned out on the left and told to stay there.

Odegaard, on the other hand, did not possess the same pizzazz as Eze has offered from central areas. The Norwegian did manage three key passes, but from three efforts at goal, only amassed an xG of 0.14.

Mins played

90

45

Touches

80

13

Key passes

3

0

Shots

3

0

Successful dribbles

1/4

1/1

Duels won

3/10

2/5

Possession lost

15x

3x

Odegaard was keen to get on the ball but unlike Eze, whose movement and decision-making are quick, he took far too many touches. He slowed the play down, allowed Villa to regroup and reorganise. When Arsenal go forward, it needs to be quick but the club captain was not alert enough.

While there is an argument to suggest that Bukayo Saka looked more threatening with Odegaard back in the team, some of Arsenal’s finest attacking displays of 2025 have come with Eze playing behind Merino. If the £65m addition is going to play then it cannot be out on the left.

As a result, it doesn’t look as though a combination of Eze and Odegaard will ever work. It’s an experiment that Arteta must quickly forget about unless he can get the former to impact things from the middle.

4/10 star had his worst game in an Arsenal shirt vs Aston Villa

Arsenal suffered their second defeat of the season against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Cristian Malaspina, presidente do Argentinos Juniors, detonou o Corinthians e o Santos e se mostrou arrependido em negociar jogadores com os dois clubes paulistas.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

– Estou totalmente arrependido de ter vendido jogadores a Santos e Corinthians. Eles não cumpriram os acordos. Por isso estão nestas situações – disse Malaspina à Trivela.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

O desentendimento entre Argentinos Juniors e Santos envolve a transferência de Gabriel Carbajal, em 2022. Na terça-feira (30), o Peixe foi notificado pela Fifa em relação à compra do meia. O clube argentino cobra 580 mil dólares (cerca de R$ 3 milhões).

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– O Santos nos deve esse valor mesmo e saiu agora saiu a sentença da FIFA. Por enquanto, ninguém do Santos me procurou para conversar ou avisar quando vão pagar. Queremos o pagamento à vista. O Santos tem que nos pagar já, do contrário ficarão proibidos de registrar novos jogadores. A verdade é que Santos e Corinthians são uma vergonha – comentou Malaspína.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

Já o problema com o Corinthians envolve o atraso nas parcelas de Fausto Vera, que chegou ao Timão em 2022. O clube brasileiro foi condenado na Fifa a pagar US$ 3,45 milhões (R$ 17 milhões) ao Argentinos Juniors.

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O Corinthians recorreu à Corte Arbitral do Esporte e aguarda decisão final. Caso seja condenado e não efetue o pagamento, o clube corre risco de ficar impedido de registrar novos jogadores.

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