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It was a strange old campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

Ange Postecoglou led the club to European glory in the Europa League but also to their worst Premier League finish in a generation, which ultimately cost him his job.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable then to suggest that for much of the season, at least domestically, very few players stood out for the right reasons.

However, one star who stepped up during the first half of the season was Dejan Kulusevski, with his performance away to Manchester United a particular highlight.

Yet, perhaps in a sign of how ruthless the club now want to be, reports are linking them to a Premier League star who could well be an upgrade on the Swedish international.

Tottenham transfer news

Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting players linked with Spurs in recent weeks, such as Antoine Semenyo and Xavi Simons.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could be available for around £60m this summer, and if that’s the case, he might be something of a steal, as in just 42 appearances this season, he scored 13 goals and provided seven assists.

Simons, on the other hand, looks set to cost a little more at around £65m, but as he’s still just 22 years old, produced 19 goal involvements in 33 games this season and has been described as “one of the best 10s in the world”, in the words of one analyst, that might be a fee worth paying.

Yet, when it comes to the player who could come to the club as an upgrade to Kulusevski, we should be looking closer to home at Eberechi Eze.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Paul O’Keefe, Spurs are still incredibly interested in the Crystal Palace superstar this summer.

Speaking on a recent edition of the Last Word on Spurs podcast, O’Keefe revealed that the club “would like to do that deal” in regards to the Eagles ace and that he is still “definitely on their radar.”

However, as other reports from this month have made clear, the North Londoners will need to stump up around £68m to activate the release clause in his contract.

It sounds like it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but it is worth pursuing, even if it could be bad news for Kulusevski.

How Eze compares to Kulusevski

So, the first thing to address is that while Eze is more than capable of playing out wide, he has spent the vast majority of this season in attacking midfield, which also happens to be where Kulusevski thrived this year.

So, there is a genuine chance that if Tottenham get their man this summer, the two players will be up against one another for game time next season.

In that case, who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when we take a look at their raw output from this season, which is ultimately what matters more than anything else, it’s the “unbelievable” Palace ace, as dubbed by Oliver Glasner, who comes out on top.

For example, in 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes, the Englishman scored 14 goals – including the winner in the FA Cup – and provided 11 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

In contrast, the Swedish international scored ten goals and provided 11 assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3450 minutes for the North Londoners this term, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.38 games, or every 164.28 minutes.

Okay then, what about when we take a look under the hood? Which star comes out on top when we compare their underlying numbers?

Eze vs Kulusevski
Statistics per 90	Eze	Kulusevski
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.52	0.39
Non-Penalty G+As	0.69	0.53
Progressive Passes	3.37	4.66
Progressive Carries	2.36	4.51
Shots	3.18	1.75
Shots on Target	0.93	0.69
Passing Accuracy	74.2%	73.7%
Key Passes	2.01	2.44
Shot-Creating Actions	4.69	4.82
Goal-Creating Actions	0.35	0.34
Successful Take-Ons	2.33	1.43
Ball Recoveries	5.07	4.55
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Domestic Season

The former Juventus star does fare slightly better here, coming out ahead in metrics like progressive passes and carries.

Still, overall, this is another comparison he loses to the Eagles maestro, who edges him out in more relevant metrics, like expected and actual non-penalty goals, goal-creating actions, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Kulusevski is an undeniably talented footballer, but from his output to the underlying numbers, Eze is an upgrade, and therefore, Spurs should do all they can to sign him this summer.

Frank can strike gold with "future £100m" Spurs star he once tried to sign

The impressive youngster could be a star for Spurs next season.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 10, 2025

Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia are all still in the fray, but weather could make things tricky

Sampath Bandarupalli18-Oct-2022Sri Lanka –
Sri Lanka were expected to enter the Super 12s without too much fuss. But a loss to Namibia in the tournament opener by 55 runs put their campaign off track. However, the 2014 champions recovered with a 79-run win against UAE to boost their net run-rate.Their ask now is simple. They need to beat Netherlands. If they do, the Namibia vs UAE result doesn’t matter to them because of their strong NRR. A defeat, meanwhile, will make Sri Lanka bank on UAE, who then have to beat Namibia by 28 runs more than Sri Lanka’s losing margin against Netherlands. Sri Lanka will not make it through to the next round if the remaining two Group A games end without results.Netherlands –
Netherlands are currently top of Group A with back-to-back wins, but a defeat against Sri Lanka on Thursday could end their campaign. Their NRR of 0.149 is the lowest among the teams that will finish with four points – if Sri Lanka and Namibia win. Therefore, if they lose to Sri Lanka, Netherlands need to hope Namibia lose to UAE. They will proceed to the Super 12s if one of the two games on Thursday is washed out.Namibia –
Despite the loss against Netherlands on Tuesday, Namibia are well-placed to qualify for the Super 12s. Their NRR of 1.277 is by far the best in their group, and a win against UAE would be enough for them.Namibia can go through to the Super 12s even if they lose to UAE, but only if Sri Lanka lose to Netherlands too. Namibia can afford to lose by 27 runs if Netherlands beat Sri Lanka by the narrowest of margins. Since Namibia play last, they will have the advantage of knowing the equations in advance.Namibia will go through along with Netherlands if both the matches on Thursday are washouts.UAE –
Even though UAE have lost both their games, they are not quite out of the race to qualify for the Super 12s. However, the 79-run defeat against Sri Lanka on Tuesday has put them in a position where they would need a bit of a miracle.They must beat Namibia by at least 66 runs to go ahead of their NRR and hope Sri Lanka lose to Netherlands by about 40 runs. The smaller the losing margin for Sri Lanka, the higher UAE need to win by. If Sri Lanka get points from the Netherlands game, UAE will automatically be out of the race.

Arsenal are one of this summer’s busiest Premier League clubs after a fairly slow start, with sporting director Andrea Berta’s slightly scattergun approach now beginning to yield serious results.

Arsenal have "submitted an offer" to sign "strong" £30m Premier League star

The north Londoners are opening talks.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 2, 2025

Berta is known for holding talks with numerous targets, before ultimately deciding which one to pursue, in any given position – and that philosophy has been made crystal clear by the Italian’s simultaneous work on deals for both Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.

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

While Arsenal’s striker pursuit remains an ongoing situation, and most likely will do for the foreseeable future, Berta could be about to welcome a total of four new signings across an array of different areas.

Arsenal confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on Tuesday and may soon announce Martin Zubimendi’s arrival too, with Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard expected to undergo a medical this week (The Athletic).

Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera is also in talks to join Arsenal, so if all goes to plan, Mikel Arteta’s squad is poised to be significantly reinforced just under two months before transfer deadline day on September 1.

Rodrygo to issue Real Madrid transfer demand after Arsenal talks

Following the aforementioned quartet, it is widely anticipated that a new attacking midfielder/winger will make the move to north London as well.

According to reports, one top target is £206,000-per-week Real Madrid winger Rodrygo.

As per reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Arsenal have already held “exploratory talks” with the Brazil international dating back to May, amid an impressive season at the Bernabeu where he’s managed 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions – including his contributions at the Club World Cup.

Now, according to another update from Graeme Bailey, the 24-year-old will make clear his desire to leave Real this summer, and Rodrygo is “quickly emerging” as a “dream” signing for Arsenal.

“I think Rodrygo is quickly emerging as Arsenal’s dream target,” Bailey told TBR Football.

“From what I’m hearing, from people close to the situation, once Real Madrid get back from the Club World Cup, Rodrygo is going to make it clear that he wants to leave.

“I think everything points towards Rodrygo leaving and my belief is that Arsenal will be towards the top of his desired places to go. Arsenal know what kind of fee it will take to sign Rodrygo, around £75m, they know about his wages, and that hasn’t scared them off one bit.

“It would be a huge feather in Berta’s cap to sign Rodrygo, and there’s a genuine belief within the Arsenal camp that the Brazilian would be an outstanding fit.

“But that doesn’t stop Arsenal from bringing in two wide players, I think there is a real possibility that they do that.”

Rodrygo could be joined by Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who reportedly held “positive” talks over a move to Arsenal last weekend (GiveMeSport).

While it remains to be seen whether Berta can complete either of those ambitious moves, Arsenal are showing serious intent ahead of another Premier League title challenge.

Leeds United are not messing around in their efforts to build a squad that can avoid being relegated from the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.

It is clear that Daniel Farke and the recruitment team have placed an early emphasis on strengthening the defence, as three of the club’s four summer signings so far are defenders.

Leeds officially completed the signing of Sweden international left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille on Tuesday, to replace Junior Firpo as the first-choice left-back at Elland Road next term.

The Championship champions have also added two new central defenders to their squad this summer, as Sebastiaan Bornauw and Jaka Bijol have joined the club, from Wolfsburg and Udinese respectively.

Leeds will need to turn their attention to the attacking areas of the park before long, though, to make sure that their attack is ready for the Premier League.

TEAMtalk recently reported that the club would like to sign Manor Solomon permanently, but that negotiations have reached a deadlock, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he will be returning to West Yorkshire.

Why Manor Solomon would be a risky signing for Leeds

Bringing the Israel international back to Elland Road ahead of a season in the Premier League could be a risky move for the club, given that he previously played at that level and had to drop down to the Championship.

Solomon first made the move to England with Fulham in 2022 and the winger enjoyed a decent, yet unspectacular, time at Craven Cottage, with a return of five goals in and zero assists in 24 matches in all competitions.

The 25-year-old then signed for Tottenham Hotspur the following summer and managed zero goals and two assists in six games for Spurs in all competitions before joining Leeds on loan last year.

Appearances

24

Goals

4

Big chances missed

0

Big chances created

1

xA

1.43

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, Solomon was far from an outstanding performer during his time in the top-flight, as he rarely contributed as a scorer or a creator of goals for Spurs or Fulham.

However, the right-footed sensation did produced ten goals and 12 assists in 39 appearances in the Championship for Leeds last season, as he hit his stride on the left side of Farke’s 4-2-3-1 system.

This shows that he knows the system and has proven that he can deliver in the pressure cooker that is Elland Road, but there is no guarantee that the forward will translate those performances up to the Premier League.

That is why Solomon is a potentially risky signing for the Whites to make this summer, and may be why they are looking at an alternative target.

Leeds submit bid to sign new winger

According to Africa Foot, Leeds United have made contact to sign Jeremie Boga from OGC Nice before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Premier League side have already submitted an offer of €15m (£13m) to snap up the Ivorian talent, although it remains to be seen whether or not that is enough to tempt the French club to part ways with him.

Transfer Focus

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

Boga’s contract with the Ligue 1 side is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and this means that the current window could be their last chance to extract maximum value out of him, as he will only have one year left on his deal next year.

The outlet adds that there is interest from teams in the Turkish Super Lig, which could offer competition to Leeds, but it does not reveal whether or not they have also made offers for the 28-year-old attacker.

Africa Foot does state, though, that the former Chelsea youngster, who also played for Birmingham City, would not be against a return to England this summer.

Why Leeds should sign Jeremie Boga

Leeds should push to win the race for the 28-year-old attacker because he could be an even better option than Solomon to fill the hole on the left wing for Farke in the Premier League.

Whilst he has not played, bar one game for Chelsea, in the English top-flight, Boga has proven his qualities in Ligue 1 and the Serie A during his career, two of Europe’s biggest leagues.

The Ivorian ace is coming off the back of a disappointing season, with three goals and one assist in 24 games for Nice, but Leeds could see that as a positive as it could allow them to land a bargain deal for the forward, who has offered far more in front of goal in previous campaigns.

In fact, Boga’s performances in the 2023/24 campaign in Ligue 1 for Nice suggest that he has the ability on the ball to offer even more to the team in the Premier League than Solomon.

xG

4.23

Top 22%

Goals

6

Top 13%

Shots on target

19

Top 16%

xA

4.26

Top 18%

Assists

6

Top 15%

Chances created

33

Top 21%

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea youngster ranked highly among his positional peers in Ligue 1 as both a scorer and a creator of goals, ending the season with more goals and more assists than Solomon has managed in the Premier League in his career to date.

On top of that, Boga, who was hailed as a “unique” talent by coach Michael Beale, also showcased his quality in Italy with Atalanta and Sassuolo, with 20 goals and 13 assists in 136 matches in the Italian top-flight.

The Leeds target, who scored 11 Serie A goals in the 2019/20 season, is an experienced and quality left-sided attacker who has shown that he can deliver goals and assists in multiple major European leagues.

There would be some concern over his disappointing form last term, though, but Farke will surely back himself to help Boga to get back to his best, which would make him an even better option than Solomon, who has not delivered anywhere near the same level of quality in a major league.

Their new Klich: Leeds considering move for PL star after internal talks

Leeds United are reportedly considering a deal to sign a star who could be their next Mateusz Klich.

ByDan Emery Jul 9, 2025

Leeds United are going to be playing Premier League football next season and will have to use the summer transfer window to build a squad that can compete at the top level.

Daniel Farke can look at what one of his predecessors, Marcelo Bielsa, did in the 2020/21 campaign, when the Whites stayed up in the top-flight and finished in the top half.

The Argentine head coach helped the club to avoid relegation, and set them on their way to avoiding the drop in the 2021/22 season too, and the players he had at his disposal played a key role in that.

Stars like Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford Rodrigo, and Raphinha may have stolen the headlines, but Mateusz Klich went under the radar with a return of four goals and five assists in the Premier League from a midfield position.

Leeds make first offer for midfield target

Leeds are active in the current summer transfer window to bolster their squad and are reportedly eyeing up a deal for a star who could be Farke’s own version of the Poland international.

Transfer Focus

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

According to L’Equipe, the Championship champions have submitted their first offer, worth around £22m, to Strasbourg in an attempt to sign central midfielder Habib Diarra.

The report claims that the French side have not yet responded to the bid, but they are waiting to see if any other teams come in with counter-offers, amid interest from clubs in Germany and England.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Evening Post has confirmed that an offer has been made, but adds that other targets in that position are felt to be more likely at this moment in time.

Why Diarra could be Klich 2.0

If Leeds can get a deal over the line for Diarra, then Farke could have his own version of Klich in the Premier League next season, because he is a well-rounded midfield star who can impact games in and out of possession.

The 21-year-old talent, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed will have a “huge future” in the game, played regularly in Ligue 1 for Strasbourg in the 2024/25 campaign and caught the eye with his displays in the middle of the park.

Diarra played 29 Ligue 1 games or more in each of the last three seasons, which shows that he has plenty of top-flight experience in a major European league, and this term was his best so far from a performance point of view.

Stats	Diarra (24/25 Ligue 1)	Klich (20/21 Premier League)
Appearances	30	35
Goals	4	4
Big chances created	9	3
Assists	5	5
Dribbled past per game	0.4x	1.3x
Tackles + interceptions per game	1.1	1.4
Duels won per game	3.3	2.4
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, his performances in Ligue 1 this season were incredibly similar to Klich’s in the Premier League when Leeds avoided the drop in the 2020/21 campaign.

These statistics show that Diarra could emulate his impact at the top end of the pitch by delivering a respectable number of goals and assists from a box-to-box midfield position, whilst potentially being even more creative when you look at the ‘big chances’ that he created.

The chart above further illustrates the similarities between the two players, particularly when it comes to scoring and creating goals, which suggests that he could be a very similar player to Klich for Farke.

Diarra’s ability to combine defensive work, as he is rarely dribbled past, with his attacking output suggests that he could be a very valuable player for the German boss in the Premier League, as he could impact games at both ends of the pitch.

He must go before Bamford: Leeds have told £11m flop he will now be sold

Leeds have told this flop that he must leave this summer, and the dud must go before Patrick Bamford.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jun 9, 2025

However, the Yorkshire Evening Post did report that other midfield targets are more likely, so it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will be able to get a deal over the line for this star.

Sticking to the recent trend of targeting Premier League rivals, PIF are now reportedly evaluating a move to sign an impressive attacking midfielder for Newcastle United this summer.

Newcastle still chasing Elanga and Trafford deals

Having already signed Antonio Cordero on a free transfer to get their business underway nice and early, Newcastle are now pushing on in an attempt to make some impressive statements. Chasing deals to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest and James Trafford from Burnley, the Magpies are aiming to swoop in and weaken their Premier League opposition.

Both are long-term targets and both are players that would hand Eddie Howe instant upgrades within his side. Newcastle’s chase to sign a fresh right-wing option has particularly been no secret in the last 12 months and, after missing out on Manchester United-bound Bryan Mbeumo, Elanga’s arrival would make perfect sense.

Starts

38

35

Goals

6

8

Assists

11

12

Successful Take-ons

25

35

The Swede would push Jacob Murphy all the way for a starting place and offer Newcastle instant strength in depth – something they crucially lacked the last time that they featured in the Champions League.

Even if Trafford and Elanga arrive though, Newcastle may not be done there when it comes to shopping in the Premier League. The Magpies are seemingly in a ruthless mood and have now turned their attention back towards Brentford. Having missed out on Mbeumo, PIF are now reportedly eyeing a summer swoop to sign one of the Bees’ star midfielders.

PIF evaluating Damsgaard move for Newcastle

According to Caught Offside, PIF are now evaluating a move to sign Mikkel Damsgaard for Newcastle this summer. The Danish midfielder is not someone Brentford are keen to lose, but every player has a price and the West London club reportedly value the 24-year-old at €50m (£42m).

Tottenham Hotspur are also sniffing around a deal amid their move for Thomas Frank, with the Bees boss hoping to take a couple of his star players with him to the North side of London.

Damsgaard is a talent who took a few years to discover his best form after initially bursting onto the scene at Euro 2020. Described as “brilliant” by scout Jacek Kulig five years on from that tournament, however, he’s finally at the peak of his powers at Brentford.

Only Mohamed Salah, Elanga and Newcastle’s Murphy assisted more goals than the Dane last season, who could join the latter and perhaps even the Forest star as well, forming quite the creative partnership at St James’ Park.

Better fit than Mbeumo: Newcastle open talks to sign "world-class" PL star

Newcastle are pushing to sign new forwards in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 12, 2025

Reportedly earning just £35,000-a-week in West London, Damsgaard would hardly break the bank in Tyneside and represents another target who knows exactly how to navigate the challenges of the Premier League. Like Elanga and Trafford, he ticks every box for Newcastle.

West Ham United have reportedly stepped into the mix to secure the services of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish. The midfielder's future with City appears to be over and his exclusion from the Club World Cup squad served as a reminder that his services are no longer required at the Etihad.

• Grealish heading towards Man City exit
• West Ham & Everton are vying for his services
• High wages present a major stumbling block

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  While West Ham are intrigued by the prospect of adding Grealish to their ranks, any potential move hinges on a significant wage reduction. Grealish is currently on a £300,000-a-week contract at City, a figure the east London club is unable to match under their financial structure, as revealed by

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tottenham Hotspur had previously shown interest in the former Aston Villa captain, but their pursuit has reportedly cooled. This shift has opened the door for West Ham to move in as a serious contender. Additionally, Everton are believed to be observing the situation, but they are only keen on a loan deal.

• TELL ME MORE

  Grealish endured a frustrating 2024-25 campaign at City. Despite being fit for most of the season, he managed only 32 appearances across all competitions. Even more concerning was his limited presence in the Premier League, making just seven starts in the domestic top flight, with only one of those coming in 2025.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While West Ham’s interest is firm, Grealish has also been linked with moves abroad. Bayern Munich and Napoli have both been touted as possible destinations, offering the chance to reunite with former team-mates Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne, respectively.

Liverpool hardly need a rebuild, and could likely go again next season, qualifying for the Champions League and competing for major trophies, with just minimal investment.

But FSG are prepared to reward Arne Slot for winning the Premier League in his first year in charge by making a ferocious statement of intent in the market.

Already, the Reds have signed Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold; Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz are in talks to follow.

But it’s not just incomings on sporting director Richard Hughes’ mind. Liverpool have a few potential high-profile exits to contend with.

Liverpool transfer exit news

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is expected to leave this summer, having been persistently linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. La Liga giants Atletico Madrid have also shown an interest.

Having scored only seven times across all competitions for Slot’s side, the 25-year-old would probably be best off wiping the slate clean and trying his hand elsewhere, especially since plans have been drawn up for a new number nine.

Though Nunez is tenacious and likeable, there’s no doubt he’s regressed in a Liverpool shirt over the past year, incongruous and ineffective as the frontman of Slot’s set-up.

24/25

45

1,982′

7

7

23/24

54

3,026′

18

15

22/23

42

2,366′

15

4

On the note of players in need of a switch, Harvey Elliott has admitted on England U21 duty that he may need to leave Anfield this summer.

Elliott, 21, is a boyhood Liverpool supporter and a special creative talent, but his opportunities have been limited since Klopp departed, and a move away might be for the benefit of his career.

However, Liverpool may not just be selling those they wish to part with. Indeed, Luis Diaz is being mooted for a move to Saudi Arabia, and it might prove a bigger mistake than many are anticipating.

Why selling Luis Diaz would be a mistake

Liverpool acted swiftly to replace Sadio Mane with Diaz before their Senegalese legend had even left the club. In January 2022, FSG purchased Diaz from Porto in a deal, rising to £49m, and his predecessor stayed on until the end of the campaign.

When Liverpool sold Mane to Bayern Munich, however, they perhaps didn’t grasp how out of kilter it would knock Klopp’s side. The 2022/23 season sits as an infamous outlier across the illustrious span of Klopp’s tenure, a dark and permanent blot on his copybook.

Though Mane objectively reached a higher level of quality than Diaz, the Colombian is still one of the most important parts of Slot’s system, and he’s just come off his most productive campaign too, having posted 17 goals and eight assists across 50 appearances.

Regarded as a “world-class player” in the view of his former German boss, at least, Diaz’s unique value for Slot has been further underscored by his regular deployment as a false nine, combating an absence of reliable central striking options.

Diaz might be happy at Liverpool, but the riches of the Saudi Pro League could tempt him to pack up and leave off the back of winning the Premier League.

According to Foot Mercato, talks appear to have already begun, with Al-Hilal having established contacts with the 28-year-old as they sound out a bid.

Liverpool were warned that losing the “irreplaceable” Mane would “knock them sideways” by former star Dean Saunders in 2022, and this proved to be the case – in the short term, at least.

Diaz has done a rather good job in the years since, now a Carabao Cup and Premier League champion in the seasons since Mane’s departure.

Given the need to make numerous signings this summer, maybe Liverpool would be better off warding away interest in their dynamic left winger.

Move over Wirtz: Liverpool can sign Salah's next Firmino in £84m "magician"

Mohamed Salah is going to have some exciting new attacking talent alongside him next season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 8, 2025

Issy Wong, the England fast bowler, has joined Western Storm on loan for the Charlotte Edwards Cup after she was left out of the Central Sparks team for their first two matches of their T20 campaign.Wong, who turned 22 last week, played for England as recently as September and featured for Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League in March. But after a quiet start to the season in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she was not selected by the Sparks for their opening T20 fixtures and has pursued a move away.The ECB – who are Wong’s primary employer, as a centrally-contracted player – have approved her loan move to ensure she will be playing competitive cricket. Storm said in a statement: “The ECB have sanctioned the move to ensure fast bowler Wong is able to maximise her playing time over the coming weeks.”Wong played all three formats for England in the 2022 summer at the age of 20 and was one of the stars of the inaugural season of the WPL, taking 15 wickets to help Mumbai Indians to the title – including a hat-trick in the eliminator. But she has struggled for consistency since and has lost her place in England’s squads.This season, she has taken three wickets at 56.33 in five Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixtures and has also featured for an ECB Development XI against the touring Pakistan squad. She was a surprise omission from the Sparks’ T20 side, though they have won their opening two fixtures.Wong is likely to play a more prominent role for a Storm side who have lost their opening two matches and are currently without Lauren Filer, who is on England duty. She will also target more opportunities with the bat, having spent most of this season batting at No. 8 in 50-over cricket.

The players will want to play their part in making it an experience of a lifetime

Shashank Kishore in Jammu19-Feb-2020The Gandhi Science College ground in the heart of Jammu is nestled inside the 120-year-old campus of the institution formerly known as Prince of Wales College. Here, students casually stroll across the huge lawn, play cricket or football in vast open areas, eat (scrambled eggs) and drink in one of many small shacks that have set shop inside the campus. Some sit and study.In general, there’s a casual vibe. It’s a throwback to olden times. Since mobile internet is non-existent, after all, despite restrictions having been lifted, people are actually seen talking to each other.Suddenly, though, things go quiet. Somewhere close by, there are police vehicles, one can hear the sirens. Nothing to worry about – a security drill is being conducted in the campus and police vehicles, armed security officers and around 100 policemen are present, entrusted with looking after the two teams – Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka, the Ranji Trophy quarter-final contestants. But if you wanted to see the players – Manish Pandey is the big star – you weren’t going to be denied.Irfan Pathan, the former India allrounder, continues to draw his fair share of attention and adulation. To many of the locals, he’s one of their own. Irfan is a “man of the masses”, as a J&K Cricket Association official puts it. Soon after the team finishes training, he calls the group for a mid-pitch meeting and gives them a pep talk. After they disperse, he begins his own fitness session by first doing a few stretches and then having a bat in the nets. The fans who had earlier made a beeline for Pandey are now cheering for Irfan. The security presence notwithstanding, everyone gets a slice of the players. Some even get to click selfies with their stars.ALSO READ: Mission Jammu-Kashmir – when ‘champions’ play, anything can happenJKCA is anticipating a good crowd for the historic Ranji Trophy quarter-final•Shashank Kishore/ESPNcricinfo LtdOutside the ground, different corners of the campus are being spruced up. The huge open area is dotted with pots of plants along the driveway. The fence surrounding the ground receives a fresh coat of paint. (tents) are erected in one corner to seat VIPs and former J&K players, all special invitees. The JKCA is going out of its way to ensure it’s all systems go for what their captain Parvez Rasool calls the “biggest match we are hosting”.This is still a small venue but the excitement is palpable. The main pavilion block smells of fresh paint and the players’ and match officials’ area “has never been so clean”, a local officer says. The dressing rooms, which were earlier under a tent, have been redone. Fresh massage tables have been put in place and orders have gone out for several kilogrammes of blocked ice to facilitate ice baths.Until today, the main players’ block had just two operational toilets that were in such a state that people had to hold their noses when they went in, according to a player. That’s changed. Or, as someone jokingly put it, they have been “inaugurated”.The biggest issue, however, was in installing a big enough sightscreen. Rasool says that as players, they have never been finicky of the white patch of cloth behind the bowlers’ arms. Sometimes, play has carried on even after the screens have blown away. Here, efforts are on to weld two solid frames, much bigger than usual, to accommodate for any extra covering players may need.There’s a special medical tent set up, not just for players, but for the spectators too, because they expect students and fans, in general, to turn up in large numbers. “As many as 1000 spectators can sit under tents with chairs, if we get more, we will increase it,” a venue official said.The JKCA has made every effort to spread the message it’s not often such a big game comes to Jammu and that entry is free. News that the local team is in the quarter-final only for the second time in Ranji Trophy history has found its way into living rooms as special shows have been lined up on local television.In short, you get the feeling of a big North Indian wedding, where you’re never truly set and ready until the bride and groom walk in. Many J&K players have never seen this much attention to detail previously for a home game. The grandeur, the effort to make this a spectacle, has blown them away. Now, they will want to play their part in making the spectacle an experience of a lifetime for the locals.