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Arsenal are now racing to sign an “exciting” £21m player in the summer transfer window, alongside a number of their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Gunners gearing up for busy summer

As we approach the business end of the Premier League season, it is looking increasingly likely that Mikel Arteta’s side will finish in second place for the third season on the spin, with injury issues doing the manager absolutely no favours.

With that in mind, Arteta has set out to bring in more depth in the summer transfer window, and one position in which he is currently lacking options is striker, with the likes of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres being targeted to fill the gap.

Bukayo Saka’s absence has also exposed the need to bring in new wide options, and the Gunners are now racing to sign Ademola Lookman, while Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi are among the targets in central midfield.

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The Gunners have joined their Premier League rivals in the race for a defender.

ByDominic Lund Mar 25, 2025

One position which may be viewed as less of a priority is goalkeeper, but with Neto set to return to AFC Bournemouth at the end of the campaign, Arteta may be tasked with bringing in a new back-up option between the sticks.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now racing a number of their Premier League rivals for Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle United also in the picture.

Lammens has caught the eye this season, given his impressive distribution of the ball and presence in the penalty area, with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain also placing him on their shortlist.

Amid the widespread interest in the goalkeeper, Antwerp believe they can hold out for a fee of around €20m – €25m (£17m – £21m).

"Exciting" Lammens is one for the future

There is currently little reason to replace David Raya, who is in the prime of his career at 29-years-old, however there are signs the Antwerp goalkeeper could be capable of being a solid long-term replacement.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has spoken particularly highly of the Belgian, having been impressed by his ability to stop crosses and distribute the ball.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also described the 6 foot 4 colossus as “exciting”, and that is definitely how you would describe his last-gasp goal for Club Brugge to progress against Real Madrid in the UEFA Youth League.

Signing a new goalkeeper shouldn’t be a priority for Arsenal this summer, given that any new signing is unlikely to displace Raya in the starting XI, but Lammens could definitely be one for the future.

Liverpool swallowed their pride during the 2024 summer transfer window and held off from any knee-jerk reactions.

After nine high-octane, stop-for-nothing years at the helm, Jurgen Klopp had had enough and was replaced by Arne Slot, who only welcomed Federico Chiesa to the first team, signed for just £12.5m and used sparingly, yet to even start in the Premier League.

Liverpool are ahead of schedule and then some, and if Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes can get it right in the market this summer, the Reds could be set for an entertaining series of years.

The frontline does need more balance, lessening Mohamed Salah’s load. Darwin Nunez certainly isn’t living up to his price tag and offering the expected prolific support.

Darwin Nunez's regression under Arne Slot

Nunez has scored four Premier League goals this season. He has missed four big chances. Good, right?

After all, Erling Haaland has missed as many big chances as he’s put away in 2024/25. The difference is he has 20 goals for struggling Manchester City.

This is a stark difference on Nunez’s own barometer. He missed far more big chances across his opening two seasons in the Premier League – 47 were squandered to be specific, only 19 goals scored – though his overall threat and impact was greater too. What’s changed?

Well, forget about the goalscoring metrics for a moment and take a look at Nunez’s underlying data.

Shots total

4.46

4.70

2.59

Shot-creating actions

2.87

3.47

2.09

Touches

33.61

34.16

28.51

Touches (att pen)

8.18

8.44

5.48

Progressive carries

3.24

2.55

1.89

Ball recoveries

2.34

2.46

3.19

Tackles + interceptions

0.74

1.10

1.89

Is it any surprise FSG and Slot are ready to sell Liverpool’s club-record man and move for, as TEAMtalk report, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak?

Nunez wants to succeed, but is playing like a striker who knows their days are numbered. As the club has shown, they will cash in when they know a talent has reached the end of their road, especially when suitors such as Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr have shown a willingness to pay the big bucks, £70m in the winter window.

After all, they did so with another promising star last summer, and it proved to be an excellent piece of business.

Liverpool hit the jackpot selling Jurgen Klopp signing

Liverpool don’t enjoy the same gripping and thick-plot transfer windows of some of their Premier League rivals, but then they leave their most exciting times for the field.

However, FSG aren’t averse to transfer activity, and while incoming activity was almost negligible last year, the Reds did hit the jackpot with one under-the-radar sale.

Indeed, Fabio Carvalho has long been regarded as a top talent on Merseyside but hasn’t exactly hit the ground running at Brentford this year.

Klopp, to whom Carvalho is an “unbelievable” young forward, signed the then-19-year-old from Fulham for a sharp £5m fee in 2022.

Though the silky attacking midfielder enjoyed a fast start to life at Anfield, notably being compared to Philippe Coutinho, he petered out and was scarcely used across the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign.

A mixed bag on the loan front followed, and while the 22-year-old enjoyed a promising pre-season with Slot’s first team over the pond, when Brentford offered £27.5m for his services last August, cashing in was a no-brainer.

Given that equates to about 450% profit for a player who has failed to nail down a starting berth in Thomas Frank’s squad, Liverpool will hardly rue their decision.

He’s played 19 times, starting three games and scoring twice. That, of course, means Nunez is outscoring him this season, and given the flak the Uruguayan has received, it shows Carvalho’s fortunes haven’t been as he would have hoped in west London.

His quality isn’t up for debate. See the attacking midfielder’s wonder goal for Hull City on loan in the Championship last term (he scored nine goals and added two assists across 20 games).

However, the Portugal-born talent still hasn’t been able to bring it all together at the highest level.

That £27.5m figure is starting to look like an absolute steal.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Mar 2, 2025

da bet7： West Ham United manager Graham Potter has been dealt a blow in regard to Evan Ferguson, with the Hammers also exploring the possibility of signing an intriguing summer replacement for the 20-year-old.

Graham Potter facing early challenges at West Ham

da luck： Potter, who most recently watched his side succumb to a tepid 1-0 defeat at home to Brentford, is facing some early challenges at West Ham.

Related West Ham insider: Potter could now sell £35m player after news from sources

The east Londoners are hatching a plan for the summer.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 16, 2025

During his spell in the dugout so far, Potter has guided West Ham to just a single victory, which came in a 3-2 home win against Fulham, with defeats coming at the hands of Thomas Frank’s side last weekend, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round.

West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

Everton (away)

March 15th

Wolves (away)

April 1st

There is plenty of work to do for the tactician as he seeks to fulfil his promise of making the east Londoners an entertaining side to watch, but there have been flashes of promise since he took over from Julen Lopetegui.

Ahead of their trip to the Emirates Stadium this weekend to take on Arsenal, star midfielder Lucas Paqueta has suffered a fresh ankle injury, with the Brazilian withdrawing from training at Rush Green and appearing devastated (Standard Sport).

His potential absence against Mikel Arteta’s title-challengers comes as another issue which Potter must resolve, while uncertainty surrounds the long-term future of striker Ferguson.

West Ham signed the Irishman on a six-month straight loan with no buy-option clause, and until now, it’s remained unclear whether Potter’s side are planning to negotiate a permanent deal for Ferguson past this campaign.

Reports suggest that West Ham have identified Man United striker Rasmus Hojlund as an alternative, with journalist Graeme Bailey now shedding further light on Ferguson’s long-term future at the London Stadium.

West Ham exploring Tammy Abraham deal after Evan Ferguson blow

According to the reporter, writing a piece for The Boot Room, it is believed Potter has been dealt a blow in his hopes of keeping Ferguson – as a permanent move is apparently unlikely to materialise this summer.

In light of this, West Ham are beginning to turn their attention to Roma’s Tammy Abraham – who is currently enjoying a fairly successful loan stint at Serie A rivals AC Milan.

The 27-year-old has scored eight goals and bagged five assists across 33 appearances in all competitions, but he’s said to be keen on making a return to the Premier League and battling his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

West Ham are exploring the possibility of signing Abraham this summer, as per Bailey, following reports last summer that Roma will demand up to £25 million to sell him outright.

This is not the first time they’ve been tipped to move for the former Chelsea star, with reports as far back as 2021 sharing West Ham’s interest in signing Abraham during his Stamford Bridge days.

Michael Neser could yet bolt into Australia’s World Test Championship squad with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh facing tight timeframes to be available for the showdown against India.Hazlewood (side) and Marsh (adductor) came home early from the IPL with minor niggles and though both have since returned to bowling, and there remains confidence they’ll be ready for the Ashes, the clash with India at The Oval on June 7 may come too soon.Australia will effectively need to make a call by Sunday (May 28) when their 15-player squad for the final has to be submitted under the ICC rules for the final. Those traveling from outside the UK arrive on Saturday.Related

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Hazlewood is the more significant of the two names and CA said earlier in the week that scans on his return to Australia had shown no damage to the side. However, with six Tests in less than two months there would be a risk of pushing him too soon.”We knew when he went to the IPL that everything would have to go perfectly on the back of the Achilles setback in India and this stage everything is good,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald told . “But it will have to go perfect for him to be part of that World Test Championship final and available.””We feel it’s almost like a home summer. We usually pick four quicks and travel around and add players when we need. We’ve got Michael and Sean [Abbott] over there and feel they can be added in at any time depending on if new information comes to us.”Neser, who picked up his impressive Sheffield Shield form in his county stint with Glamorgan, where he has scored 311 runs and taken 19 wickets, would provide cover for both players although Abbott brings a similar all-round package.Michael Neser currently has two Test caps•Getty Images

Both Neser and Abbott will join the Australia squad when they reach London late next week and begin training following a bonding camp in the northwest of England.Neser’s omission from the original squad was the most debated call, but he and Abbott have had the benefit of playing competitive cricket in recent weeks. McDonald said that Neser’s continued excellence did not surprise him and, perhaps significantly, made mention of his batting returns which have seen him average 38.66 since the start of the last Australia season.”He’s really pressing to be genuine allrounder, probably not a top six allrounder, but definitely a No. 7 or 8,” McDonald said.Overall, however, and particularly with a view to the first Ashes Test on June 16, Australia have fewer injury concerns than England who have lost Jofra Archer, face a nervous wait on James Anderson and are uncertain how much captain Ben Stokes will be able to bowl. They did, however, get a boost with a positive update on Ollie Robinson.”You don’t know how much to read into the information coming out around the injuries, how significant they are, but there is no doubt that they’ll be having more conversations around where their injury list is at than we are,” McDonald said. “It’s always nice when you haven’t got those moving parts and it’s quite settled going in.”

Cameron Green’s format switch

Cameron Green will face increasing demand on his time•BCCI

In terms of allrounders, the key name for Australia remains Cameron Green. He lit up the IPL earlier this week with a maiden T20 century to carry Mumbai Indians into the playoffs which meant his stay at the tournament is extended.McDonald acknowledged the quick turnaround between formats will be a test for Green. He found it tricky last season after the T20 World Cup, although in that case had had precious little batting time, and there were already signs he was adapting when he returned from his injury layoff during the Test series in India.”The thing for me he’s adaptable, he’s a man for all conditions, he’s always engaged in the game whether with bat, ball and in the field…he’s high-end talent and is showing the world what he’s got,” McDonald said. “The challenge for Cam now is as he starts to become a three-format player is how he focuses [on] that, shifts between formats, and he’s going to have another challenge in front of him going deep into the IPL finals to get ready for the World Test Championship match. So that will be a challenge for him, but he’s a fast learner and every hurdle he’s got over so far.”Glancing into the not-too-distant future, managing Green across three formats will become one of McDonald’s key challenges.”We’ve declared our hand with his entry into T20 cricket last year and now what’s done in the IPL would suggest he’s tracking to be a three-format player for us. Then it’s finding the balance within all of that,” he said. “You can’t be everything to everyone and they’ll be some series where he needs to be managed like all the other players when they play three formats. The demand’s going to go up then clearly there’s other leagues that will want access to him at certain times. It’s going to be a bit of a juggling act but he’s got a good head on his shoulders and we’ll be able to work with him.”

Chelsea have identified Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as a top centre-back target for the summer transfer window, following yet another impressive campaign for the commanding centre-half.

£47m star has already agreed to join Chelsea with club talks "to follow"

Enzo Maresca’s side are busy behind-the-scenes amid their Club World Cup campaign.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 17, 2025

This time last summer, much to the bemusement of fans and critics alike, Branthwaite was a surprise omission from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 – but he’s since taken that rejection in his stride.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

The 22-year-old starred for Everton again last term, playing a key role as David Moyes’ side comfortably avoided the drop, and supporters will be hoping that Branthwaite will repeat those same feats at their new home on Bramley-Moore Dock next season.

Five years after Carlo Ancelotti handed Branthwaite his senior top flight debut against Wolves, followed by a succession of productive loan spells at the likes of Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven, the towering 6 foot 5 starlet is now a wanted man across the Premier League.

His growing list of admirers includes Chelsea, with the addition of a centre-back still on Enzo Maresca’s to-do list after the west Londoners missed out on a deal for Dean Huijsen, who eventually chose to join Real Madrid instead.

Chelsea made contract offers to Huijsen, but it wasn’t enough to convince the Spaniard to U-turn on his dream move to the Bernabeu, with Maresca’s side back on the hunt for exciting defensive options.

Jarrad Branthwaite's fresh stance on joining Chelsea

According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, writing via his Substack, Chelsea have been handed a boost in pursuit of Branthwaite as an alternative to Huijsen, as BlueCo set their sights on the Englishman despite rumours he’s set to command a seismic £80 million price tag.

It is believed that Branthwaite could now ask to join Chelsea, amid “frustration” that Everton have placed such a large asking price on his head.

“Chelsea intend to push for him [Branthwaite] again and there is a possibility that they offer players to Everton in an attempt to get the fee down and make the deal more appealing on both sides,” said Phillips.

“The other further info we have received from SPTC sources is that there’s a feeling now that Branthwaite could actually leave Everton this window for a Champions League club – which puts Chelsea in a strong position.

“We’ve also heard that he is a little frustrated, on Everton putting such a big valuation on his head. We had initially heard that Branthwaite would not actively push for a move. But it has now transpired that he is keen on Chelsea and could end up asking for the move. He loves Everton and wants to respect them, but he is keen to advance now to the next stage of his career and play UCL football. I don’t foresee him kicking up a fuss as such, but he may privately ask for the move.”

His ball-playing ability and defensive intelligence would complement Chelsea’s possession-based system under Maresca, offering both quality for now and excellent long-term potential.

However, there is little denying that Chelsea will definitely want to re-negotiate the mooted fee Everton are demanding, and Branthwaite’s desire to join them could play a pivotal role in this.

ذكرت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الإثنين، أن نادي ريال مدريد يستعد لاتخاذ قرار وإجراء هام بشأن لاعبه، بعد الأحداث التي شهدتها مواجهة الكلاسيكو الأخيرة أمام برشلونة بالدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

ريال مدريد نجح في تحقيق الانتصار على غريمه التقليدي برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد، في قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو.

وسجل هدفي ريال مدريد كلًا من جود بيلينجهام، وكيليان مبابي، وكان الفريق الملكي أفضل من برشلونة في مجريات المباراة.

لكن مواجهة الكلاسيكو شهدت أحداثًا مؤسفة عقب نهاية المباراة، حيث حدث شجار بين لاعبي ريال مدريد وبرشلونة بسبب مشكلة بين لامين يامال من جهة، وفينيسيوس جونيور، وتيبو كورتوا، وداني كارفاخال من جهة أخرى.

اقرأ أيضًا .. بعد طرد بيدري.. بطاقة حمراء و6 صفراء في مشادة الكلاسيكو بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة

وأسفرت هذه الأحداث عن تعرض حارس مرمى نادي ريال مدريد، أندري لونين، للبطاقة الحمراء بالفعل، في حين تلقى فينيسيوس جونيور بطاقة صفراء.

لونين بحسب تقرير حكم المباراة سيزار سوتو جرادو، حصل على البطاقة الحمراء بعدما ذهب بطريقة عدوانية إلى دكة بدلاء برشلونة بعد نهاية اللقاء ليشتبك معهم، مما جعله يتعرض للطرد.

وذكرت صحيفة ذا أثلتيك، أن ريال مدريد سوف يستأنف طرد لونين وسيتقدم بطلب رسمي للاتحاد الإسباني، حيث لم يفهم محيط الفريق الملكي طرد الدولي الأوكراني.

وأضاف المصدر، أن لونين رأى دكة بدلاء برشلونة بأكملها تتجه نحو فينيسيوس جونيور للاشتباك معه، في حين وقف حارس المرمى الأوكراني لحماية زميله.

Newcastle United have “begun discussions” with a Premier League “leader” over a move to St James’ Park this summer, according to a new transfer report.

Centre-back a priority for Newcastle this summer

The Magpies are eyeing new signings all over the pitch, from James Trafford in goal to Anthony Elanga out wide, but a new centre-back is vital before the new season gets underway.

A freshness is required in that area of the pitch, especially with the likes of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn not getting any younger, and Marc Guehi is seemingly a front-runner to come in and bolster the options at Eddie Howe’s disposal. A £70m move to St James’ continues to be mooted.

The England international is far from the only defender being mentioned as an option for Newcastle, though, with Marseille ace Leonardo Balerdi linked with a summer switch to the Magpies.

Similarly, Atalanta central defender Giorgi Scalvini has also been toured as a potential signing for Howe before next season gets underway, and now another name has been thrown into the hat.

Newcastle in talks to sign Premier League "leader"

According to a fresh update from RMC Sport [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are among the clubs to have “begun discussions” with Axel Disasi over a summer move to the club.

The Magpies’ interest is described as being “particularly” strong, with the Chelsea defender valued at around £25.8m by his current club.

Disasi is another good option for Newcastle this summer, even though the jury may be out on him slightly more than someone like Guehi.

The Frenchman was deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea last season, hence him being loaned out to Aston Villa midway through the campaign, but he is a player with plenty to admire in his game.

Appearances

7

Starts

5

Minutes played

488

Clearances per game

2.6

Aerial duel wins per game

1.1

Tackles per game

1.1

Pass completion rate

89.1%

Goals

0

The 27-year-old Disasi has won five caps for France, which is no mean feat, considering some of the elite centre-backs representing Les Bleus currently, including William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano. Meanwhile, journalist Nizaar Kinsella has hailed him as a “leader”, while Jamie Carragher lauded one performance from him last year.

Now back at Chelsea, it seems unlikely that he has a future there, with the above report stating that he has an “exit ticket” out of Stamford Bridge, and he could be a cheaper option than Guehi for Newcastle, albeit also being more of a gamble.

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1 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 7, 2025

At 27, he is at a good point in his career to be an instant success, though, so the Magpies signing him would be far from a disaster.

With Jaka Bijol officially signed and delivered, Leeds United have now reportedly turned their focus towards a second defensive addition in the form of a £38m La Liga ace.

Jaka Bijol completes Leeds move

It took some time but Bijol is finally a Leeds player. The defender has arrived from Udinese for a reported £15m and becomes the Whites’ second signing of the summer after Lukas Nmecha.

After putting pen to paper to make his move official, Bijol told Leeds’ official media channels: “This is a big day for me, for my family and I’m happy to be here. Maybe the biggest one of my career so far, but I’m ready for it.

“I work for it and that’s why I’m here, because it’s a big challenge for everyone. It’s a big challenge for me, for the club, and we’re getting ready for it together. I think the club and myself are ready for the Premier League.

“I can promise that I will give everything, that I will give everything in every training as well to be ready for the first game of the season and then just go from there.”

Bijol may be the second arrival of Leeds’ summer but he looks unlikely to be the last. The 49ers look set to back the Yorkshire club as they prepare for their return to the Premier League, with names such as Oscar Gloukh now threatening the steal the headlines. The talented attacker would instantly be one to watch in England’s top flight, there’s no doubting that.

The Red Bull Salzburg man isn’t the only one on Leeds’ radar, however. Reports are now even suggesting that they’ve turned their attention towards another defensive addition after already welcoming a central defender in the form of Bijol.

Leeds make formal approach to sign Natan

According to Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds have now made a formal approach to sign Natan de Souza from Real Betis. The central defender has just made his loan move permanent in Spain but could already be on the move again amid interest from those at Elland Road and Lazio.

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Reports have claimed that Betis have already rejected a proposal worth as much as €27m (£23m) from an unnamed club to sell their defender and instead value Natan at a hefty €45m (£38m) this summer. Whether Leeds are willing to reach that figure will be the big question as their pursuit continues.

Minutes

2,175

2,963

Progressive Passes

52

98

Tackles Won

24

25

Ball Recoveries

75

101

Keeping up with Bijol in a number of areas, albeit whilst failing to outperform the new Leeds star, Natan could yet form an impressive partnership with the former Udinese man at Elland Road.

The 24-year-old won’t come cheap but if Leeds are to stay afloat at the first time of asking back in the Premier League then the 49ers must be prepared to spend big.

His numbers aren’t great but they are on the rise, and the transition to the higher levels could well happen soon for the allrounder

Himanshu Agrawal11-Oct-20222:57

Abhishek Sharma: “Captaincy has helped me mature”

Abhishek Sharma appears fidgety at first glance. As we speak, he constantly tosses a bottle from one hand to the other. His eyes wander, too. And he gestures with his hands a lot.But as we talk, it’s clear that there is great clarity of thought in the young man. He talks about his goals. One of them is to win titles for Punjab; Abhishek is one of the key players of the Punjab team, and was their captain in the last Ranji Trophy.Related

Abhishek Sharma shows his all-round prowess to prove that he belongs

Talking Points – Abhishek Sharma's backspinning legcutter

“Obviously, the ultimate goal is to play for India,” Abhishek says. “But I am also setting short, small goals for myself – like winning the [T20 Syed] Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”Abhishek started out as a left-arm spinner, like his father Rajkumar Sharma, a former cricketer. But his son’s multi-dimensional skills made Rajkumar work on Abhishek’s batting too.”Slowly, when he realised that I can bat as well – I must have been eight or nine – I started with batting,” Abhishek says. “My dad was the one who recognised my talent.” So we got Abhishek Sharma, the allrounder – a big-hitting lower-order batter who bowls accurate left-arm spin.But being a lower-middle-order batter in domestic cricket can be thankless. You are not always on the selectors’ radar, you rarely get enough balls to score big, and your failures tend to be amplified. But all those are things of the past now. Abhishek is now an opener for Punjab.Abhishek on Yuvraj – “When I look at the way I have been developing myself, I realise that his tips have been really helping me”•Abhishek SharmaIn his second first-class match for Punjab, he was batting alongside his idol, Yuvraj Singh. Before that, Abhishek had scored 94 on debut against Himachal Pradesh to earn plaudits from Yuvraj. Too tongue-tied then, Abhishek has struck an excellent rapport with Yuvraj since. These days, Yuvraj plays mentor to Abhishek and several Punjab players, even conducting camps and batting sessions in an unofficial capacity for them.”Yuvi knows me in and out,” Abhishek says. “When I look at the way I have been developing myself, I realise that his tips have been really helping me. Everything he tells me – starting from my stance, about [playing] short balls, my intensity throughout, and my strength – have helped me a lot.”And, like Yuvraj, Abhishek is clear that he wants to have an impact with the ball too.He has a good backspinning legcutter that leaves the left-hand batter, and he has been trying to expand his repertoire.”I have been working on variations because I think if I want to play all three formats, I need to work really hard on my bowling,” Abhishek says. “It was only last year that I started bowling with the new ball, and I felt really good. These were the factors I wanted to develop.”During this off-season – he was not a part of the India A side that faced New Zealand A and was also not selected for the Duleep Trophy or the Irani Cup – Abhishek experimented with a variation he learnt from a very successful offspinner.At Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek had the chance to pick Brian Lara’s brains: “When someone like him has faith in you, you get that confidence”•BCCI”Two years back, Mohammad Nabi taught me a particular ball, which is almost like a swinging ball. I understood it, but wasn’t able to bowl it as well as he does,” Abhishek says. “So I have tried that, and I think I have been doing well. With the new ball, I am currently working on three or four variations, which I think will be very useful.”Batting and bowling aside, there’s also the captaincy factor – not to forget, he is just 22.Abhishek has led Punjab at age-group levels and also captained India Under-19 in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup. How different is it to lead the senior Punjab side?”It isn’t, because I had been playing with some players in the Punjab team right from our Under-16 days,” he says. “But you also have seniors in a top-level side. That’s where your challenge is: how do you handle them, and create that atmosphere? Captaincy made me a more mature batsman and leader.”And, like with so many youngsters these days, there are icons of the game all around, ready to help if asked. When he was part of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning side, Rahul Dravid was the coach of the team. Last December, he had an opportunity to pick Brian Lara’s brains after he was brought on as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s strategic advisor and batting coach.

“Lara sir and I had a very good tuning too. We always talk about cricket, and when there is a match going on, we text each other to discuss how someone is batting”Abhishek Sharma

“Rahul sir always told me to trust myself,” Abhishek says. “He never asked me to change anything about my batting; he always wanted me to bat till the end. He is one of the most positive persons I have ever met.”What about Lara, who has now been appointed Sunrisers’ head coach?”He was calling every batsman for a one-on-one meet,” Abhishek says. “He asked me, ‘What was common between openers who have done well over the past two years?’ I said, ‘They are all good players who play good shots’.”But he actually wanted me to play 30-35 balls every innings. Whenever I went out to bat, he told me, ‘I’ll see you in the [Strategic] Time Out’. So that stuck in my mind. When someone like Lara sir has faith in you, you get that confidence.”Abhishek had a good IPL 2022 with the bat. His 426 runs from 14 innings – at a strike rate of 133.12 – were the most for Sunrisers.Abhishek says Rahul Dravid “never asked me to change anything about my batting”•BCCIOn a day-to-day basis, though, Abhishek doesn’t get to speak to Yuvraj or Dravid or Lara, but a close circle of friends and seniors he trusts for inputs.”One is Shubman [Gill, an Under-19 World Cup team-mate], another is our ex-player Sharad Lumba, and also Gurkeerat Mann,” he says. “Lara sir and I had a very good tuning too. We always talk about cricket, and when there is a match going on, we text each other to discuss how someone is batting.”Abhishek is now into his fifth season as a domestic cricketer, having started out as a 16-year-old. He is at a stage where he is ready to make the big leap. His close mates from those Under-19 days – Prithvi Shaw, Gill and Arshdeep Singh – have all gone on to represent the senior team. Abhishek, however, has found the transition tougher.After 13 first-class matches, Abhishek averages only 29, with a highest of 98. His List A numbers are slowly on the rise, even if not up there: an average of almost 31 after 30 innings. And while he looks forward to pushing them up this season, there is a much bigger goal on his mind already.”Holding the World Cup for my country – for sure!”There is some way to go for that, but holding aloft a major domestic trophy isn’t impossible. And it could be the start of many good things.

The season ended less than a month ago, and so much has already changed at Tottenham Hotspur.

In the space of a week, Ange Postecoglou, who led the club to their first trophy in almost two decades this season, was fired, and his replacement all but announced.

The man to come in and try to improve the Lilywhites’ Premier League form looks set to be Brentford’s Thomas Frank.

However, to ensure the Danish coach can do that, Daniel Levy and Co have to execute this summer perfectly, which means bringing in the right players and selling those who need to be sold, such as Son Heung-min and another big name.

Why Son should be sold

There is no doubt that in the pantheon of great and iconic Tottenham Hotspur players, Son is right near the very top, as not only has he spent a decade at the club, but he was the captain for their Europa League triumph last week.

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However, that is one of the reasons he should be moved on this summer, as if he were to go now, he’d be leaving on an incredible high and as an unquestionable legend of the club, but were he to remain for another year, there is every chance his declining ability would see him eventually leave on something of a sour note next year.

It’s not the South Korean superstar’s fault he’s become less effective in recent years, but just an unfortunate reality of getting older, a reality supported by research carried out by The Athletic showing that wide attackers peak at 26 and see their ability to take defenders on nosedive at 30 and beyond.

Son’s recent form
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	36	46
Goals	17	11
Assists	10	12
Goal Involvements per Match	0.75	0.5
All Stats via Transfermarkt

We can also see this in his numbers, with the Chuncheon-born ace racking up 27 goal involvements in 36 appearances last year but just 23 in 46 games this year.

Moreover, per FBref, the 32-year-old sat in the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons per 90 in the 18/19 Premier League season, but then this season, he was in the bottom 42% for the same metric.

Now, the good news is that the North Londoners can probably still get some good money for the Bayer Leverkusen star, as according to French outlet Foot Mercato, he has been approached by Saudi Pro-league side Al-Hilal, and as we’ve seen in the past few years, they can pay an awful lot for ageing stars.

In all, Son is now a bonafide legend at Spurs, but this summer feels like the right time for him to go so he can leave on a high, and the club can cash in, which is the same for another star.

The Spurs star who should be sold

While there are a few players who should be sold this summer because they simply aren’t good enough, like Yves Bissouma, we are talking about one of the co-vice captains, Cristian Romero.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, we are not for one second saying the Argentine isn’t good enough to play for Spurs under Frank.

However, there are a few reasons why the North Londoners should probably be looking to cash in on him, with the first being the interest.

There has always been the odd link here and there for the World Cup winner, but it has to be said that in the last few months, said links have increased in volume and believability.

For example, Real Madrid were reportedly keen on the former Juventus ace in early April, but since then, there has been a near-constant stream of reports touting him for a move to their city rivals, Atlético Madrid.

Worse still, the Córdoba-born “monster,” dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, has reportedly already spoken to his compatriot Diego Simeone and now wants to move to the Spanish capital, which is a want likely strengthened by the sacking of Postecoglou.

The second reason is intertwined with the first and concerns the money involved in a potential move.

If the club can get upwards of £60m for the wantaway defender, as it looks like they want, then that cash can go towards new players that actually want to play for the team and that Frank personally wants in his squad.

Finally, the the £165,000-per-week defender cannot be relied upon to remain fit anymore, as he missed a whopping 27 games for club and country this season, so even if he stays this summer, he could well end up missing half of the 25/26 campaign.

Ultimately, Romero is a brilliant footballer and was important in the Europa League this year, but with him increasingly looking like he wants to leave, combined with his fitness problems, it would make sense for Spurs to cash in now and hand Franks the funds to sign his own players.

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