Nottingham Forest have “sealed” the signings of two players from the same club, according to an exciting new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Nottingham Forest raid South America in transfer market
After a fantastic 2024/25 season in the Premier League, in which the Reds exceeded all expectations and finished seventh in the table, it’s now a case of building on that success and making Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad even stronger moving forward.
Further signings will be needed, albeit ensuring they keep in line with financial rules at the same time, and Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge has been linked with a summer move to the City Ground. The Brazilian has scored 17 goals in 41 appearances for his current club, highlighting the quality he could bring to Forest in the final third.
Nottingham Forest managerNunoEspirito Santo is seen before the match
Another South American attacker, Goztepe’s Romulo Cardoso, has also been mentioned as a possible addition for the Reds before next season gets underway, with the club seemingly feeling that added firepower is needed, especially if Chris Wood fails to hit the same level as he did last term.
The summer transfer window may still be in its infancy this year, but Forest are already acting fast, with two different players now reportedly all but confirmed as new additions.
Nottingham Forest seal double signing
According to a key update from the renowned Romano on X, Nottingham Forest have “sealed” the double summer signing of Botafogo pair Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha.
Reds supporters will no doubt be buoyed by this news, with Nuno being backed in the transfer market by owner Evangelos Marinakis and being handed a couple of exciting signings in very different positions.
Nottingham Forest now rivalling Chelsea to sign "complete" £25m midfielder
He’s a wanted man…
ByTom Cunningham Jun 20, 2025
Jesus could be a fantastic addition to Forest’s attack, having scored one in four caps for Brazil and netted 43 times in 88 appearances for Saudi side Shabab Al-Ahli, also being described as a “special talent” by Bleacher Report.
Brazil
4
1
Shabab Al-Ahli
88
43
Botafogo
57
17
Coritiba FC
49
5
Meanwhile, Cunha is an exciting young centre-back with a bright future in the game, with scout Jacek Kulig describing the 20-year-old as an “intriguing” player who can become “top-class” in the future.
This business immediately strengthens Forest at both ends of the pitch, with Jesus and Cunha representing long-term signings who could mature into massive players at the City Ground as the year pass.
Foakes, Bairstow out in the cold as Shoaib Bashir is also preferred ahead of Jack Leach
Andrew Miller01-Jul-20241:10
Rob Key explains why Pennington got nod over Robinson, Wood
Rob Key, England men’s managing director, says he is picking as much on potential as performance in turning to Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir as the Test wicketkeeper and specialist spinner respectively for the upcoming series against West Indies, despite the fact that neither player is a first-choice option for their counties.Smith, who will turn 24 on day three of the Lord’s Test, made a century for Surrey in their ongoing County Championship fixture against Essex at the Kia Oval, just hours after it was confirmed that he would be taking over as England keeper from his county team-mate, Ben Foakes, who remains Surrey’s preference in the role.Likewise, Bashir, 20, has been retained as the solitary specialist spinner in England’s 14-man squad for the first two Tests against West Indies, having claimed 17 wickets in three Tests on a breakthrough tour of India in the spring. This comes despite him having to move to Worcestershire on loan this season, with his England team-mate Jack Leach, who left the India tour early through injury, remaining the No. 1 spinner at Bashir’s home county of Somerset.Speaking in the wake of the squad announcement, Key defended the right of counties to pick the teams that suit their specific requirements. In Surrey’s case, they are chasing a third consecutive County Championship title with a team that includes Foakes batting at No. 5 and with Dan Lawrence – whom Key specifically named as the “reserve batsman” in England’s Test squad – playing as their frontline spinner.However, Key also made no apology for his insistence that the standard required at international level means that tough judgement calls needed to be made on the ceilings of certain players. And this included an uncompromising verdict on both of Smith’s two immediate predecessors as wicketkeeper, Foakes and Jonny Bairstow, who has also been dropped from the set-up after playing his 100th Test in Dharamsala in March.”People are never happy when they’re dropped, and I never want them to be,” Key said, adding that Brendon McCullum, the Test coach, had made the initial calls to inform both players of their omissions.”Jonny just needs to get back to what he was a couple of years ago,” Key said, referencing Bairstow’s astonishing run of form in the original “Bazball” summer of 2022, when his four hundreds in five innings propelled a stunning turnaround in the Test team’s fortunes.Jamie Smith made a century on the day his England call-up was announced•Surrey CCC/Getty ImagesSoon after that, however, he suffered a freak broken leg while playing golf, and while he recovered sufficiently to reclaim his place in both the Test team and the T20 World Cup squad, his mobility in the field has repeatedly been called into question, especially when selected as wicketkeeper during last summer’s drawn Ashes series.”Generally his form, in all formats, has just been going slightly in the wrong direction,” Key said. “You want him to get back to what he was when Brendon and Ben [Stokes] started out. It’s an arduous task being a keeper. You want someone who can back up series after series, and we weren’t convinced that Jonny would be able to do that, especially at the stage of his career that he’s at.”By contrast, there are no complaints about Foakes’ glovework, which is routinely considered to be among the best in the world game. However, his batting on the recent India tour lacked the dynamism expected of the current Test team, with his 205 runs in ten innings coming at a strike-rate of less than 40, including an innings of 17 from 76 balls in Ranchi, at a time when England’s innings was crying out for a counterattack.”Ben Foakes is an excellent keeper, his keeping’s not in question at all,” Key said. “But we want someone who can just up the ante at times when required. We feel that he can soak up pressure, and when he’s batting with a batsman at the other end, he’s more than capable. But his challenge is to bring that other side to his game.”It’s not just about having one or the other. We want someone who can have both those forms of batting, and we feel that Jamie Smith can do that.”Sometimes you’re selecting people for what they’re going to be, and where you think they can progress to,” Key added. “We’ve been watching Jamie Smith for quite some time. He was on the Lions a couple of years ago when I watched him out in Sri Lanka, and he looks a rare talent.”Related
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England have made some peculiar calls with the wicketkeeper’s role in recent years, notably in 2021 when James Bracey – a Gloucestershire top-order batter with limited experience behind the stumps – was thrust into the role at short notice after Foakes suffered a freak dressing-room injury, and visibly struggled in his two Tests against New Zealand. Ollie Pope has also performed the role as a stopgap, most recently in Pakistan in 2022.Key, however, had no doubts that his new selection would step up to the standards expected of a Test-class wicketkeeper.”Obviously we don’t get to see much of him keeping in county cricket, but he’s more than a stopgap keeper, that’s for sure. It’s very much the start for Jamie Smith, and we feel that he’s going to be a fantastic international cricketer. He just needs his opportunity, and he’ll get it.”A similar rationale explains the preference for Bashir over Leach, who has been a linchpin of England’s Test attack in recent years, and a trusted lieutenant of Stokes in particular, not least since his crucial support role with the bat in England’s miraculous win at Headingley in 2019.Key, however, said he could not ignore the character that Bashir displayed in his maiden series in India, where he arrived with a record of just ten first-class wickets in his limited opportunities with Somerset, and departed with two five-wicket hauls.”I love watching what he did in India,” Key said. “That was a tough task for someone to come in and do what he did. And when you watch him bowl, you just think he’s got everything, really, as a spinner. And he will get better.”He’s right at the beginning of his career now, so we’re backing him to grow as time goes on. But this doesn’t mean that Leach’s time is done with us. If there’s ever a time when we need a second spinner, in places like Pakistan, I’d imagine that would be Jack Leach.”Shoaib Bashir enjoyed a breakthrough tour of India this winter•BCCISussex’s Ollie Robinson is another notable absentee from the Test set-up after a lacklustre tour of India. And while Key said he took no notice of the record 43-run over that Robinson served up to Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber last week, he warned that the wealth of fast-bowling options in county cricket – including this week’s new selection, Dillon Pennington, meant that the onus was on Robinson to prove he’s ready to earn a recall.”Ollie Robinson has got back to his best in the last couple of games, we just need to see that more often. It’s not a time to be taking your foot off the gas at all, because there’s some really good bowlers out there.”Dillon Pennington probably wasn’t on our radar at all, but I’ve loved watching him bowl this summer. He has that little bit of pace, he’s relentless in his consistency, the angle that he bowls as well. He’s really kicked on this year. And we’ve enjoyed it.”The Lord’s Test is set to be dominated by the impending retirement of James Anderson, but it will not be the last that the squad will see of him, with Key confirming that he would be staying on for the rest of the summer, in an exploratory mentor role.”Jimmy will continue in our set-up, and he’ll help as a bit more of a mentor,” key said. “We’re trying to set up an elite coach development programme, which Jimmy wants to do, but we’ll have a look at the end of the summer.”It might be something that he doesn’t enjoy, or it might be something that he absolutely loves. But he’s got so much to offer English cricket, so we don’t want to see that go. But it is going to be quite an occasion with him bowing out at Lord’s.”
Arsenal are now preparing an opening bid for a £52m “monster” who has “given the green light” for a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.
Gunners looking to bolster attacking options
There have been calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a striker for quite some time, with the manager being forced to use Mikel Merino in a makeshift role during the latter stages of the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londers are now closing in on a statement signing.
Indeed, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the Gunners are making progress in their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres, with the Sweden international eager to leave Sporting CP and various reports suggesting personal terms are agreed.
Not only was Arteta left short on options at striker last season, but the manager also didn’t have much depth out wide, with 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri deputising for Bukayo Saka, while Raheem Sterling failed to make his mark at the Emirates Stadium.
As such, the Spaniard is also looking to bring in a new winger this summer, and Plettenberg has now taken to X to reveal that an opening offer for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke is currently “being prepared” and the Gunners have a “full agreement with Madueke until 2030”.
The Sky Sports reporter believes Madueke’s price tag will be around the €60m (£52m) mark, with the deal “on”, although it may have to wait until after the Club World Cup, with the forward fully focussed on his side’s upcoming semi-final against Fluminense.
Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi
The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2025
Having “given the green light for the move” across the capital, however, it is clear the Chelsea ace would be keen on a move to Arsenal when the tournament comes to a close.
"Monster" Madueke could be savvy signing for Arsenal
With Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka on the books, it seems unlikely the 23-year-old would be a regular starter, but the Gunners are in need of additional depth in attack if they are to compete on all fronts next season.
As such, the England international could be a savvy signing, off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which he picked up 11 goals and five assists across all competitions.
Personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst also described the former PSV Eindhoven man as a “mentality monster”, indicating that he has the personality to be a success at the Emirates Stadium and help Arteta’s side compete for major honours.
That said, a price tag of £52m seems a little on the high side, given that Madueke is yet to prove himself at the very highest level, and Arsenal should attempt to negotiate a deal for a lower fee.
Maiden first-class hundred for former England Under-19s captain
ECB Reporters Network22-Aug-2024A magnificent maiden first-class century from Ben McKinney and a dogged hundred from Alex Lees put Durham in a dominant position on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire.McKinney, who is playing in just his second County Championship match, smashed an experienced Notts bowling attack around the park at the Seat Unique Riverside after Haseeb Hameed put the hosts into bat at the toss, while Lees anchored the Durham innings to reach three figures for the third time this season in the County Championship.McKinney was very much the aggressor in the early stages of the day as the pair put on 189 runs for the first wicket, the hosts’ highest opening stand of the season. The visitors then made a mini-fightback and picked up three wickets for 58 runs, but Lees combined with Ashton Turner for a partnership worth 122 to leave the hosts 393 for 5 at close.McKinney, who was part of the England Lions side that beat Sri Lanka last week, was excellent throughout his innings and laid a fantastic foundation for Durham in this mid-table battle. The 19-year-old dominated with some great shots, particularly on the off side, while Lees offered few opportunities as he went through the gears on the way to a 15th first-class century for Durham.Meanwhile Notts skipper Hameed will be scratching his head after his decision to bowl first allowed the hosts to post a big total. As a result his side already look like having a mountain to climb.On the opening morning at Chester-le-Street Durham managed to negotiate a tough period of opening bowling from Olly Stone, who was released from the England Test squad to play in this game, and Brett Hutton, but McKinney and Lees looked in good touch.Once he made it through the opening exchanges, McKinney looked to attack whenever he could and he hit two glorious boundaries on the off side from a Stone over. The tall left-hander passed fifty for the second time in his first-class career with a cover drive for four while Lees kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end to take the partnership past 100 just before lunch.McKinney continued where he left off after lunch as he remained positive and he picked up several boundaries including a lovely pull shot off the bowling of Hutton.Then came a flurry of milestones for the hosts with Lees reaching his fifty from 114 balls and former England Under-19s skipper McKinney brought up his maiden hundred from 117 balls with a beautiful cover drive. He then hit Freddie McCann for the first six of the match over the long-off boundary, but his excellent knock didn’t last much longer as he chipped a McCann delivery straight to midwicket and had to depart for 121.Scott Borthwick looked in good touch but Lyndon James bowled him for 26 after he left one which clipped the top of off stump and the Notts bowler struck again soon after, removing Ollie Robinson for 13, which gave the visitors some hope.While wickets were falling at the other end, Lees remained firm and joined McKinney in getting a century after tea, albeit in a somewhat different style with the former England man’s milestone coming from 223 balls with just seven boundaries.Turner, who is making his first-class bow for Durham, came to the crease and ran well between the wickets with Lees as they accumulated runs and passed 300. Turner then played a delightful pull shot for four and Lees got in on the act as he dabbed a Stone ball to the third man boundary as the hosts piled on the runs.The second new ball initially couldn’t help Notts in their pursuit of wickets as Turner reached his fifty from 70 balls. However, Hutton then bowled Lees for 145 to end a fine innings and give the visitors a sniff in the final stages of the day.James picked up his third of the day as Graham Clark went for 7, but Turner remained unbeaten on 62 at stumps.
It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to describe the last few years as being incredibly hectic for Chelsea.
The Blues have seen new ownership come, have spent an enormous amount of money in a relatively short space of time, and have been through their fair share of managers.
However, even though there have been more than a few bumpy moments in terms of performances and results, it looks like the team are finally on the right track.
Chelsea's Reece James lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates
Enzo Maresca led his side to a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, and on top of securing Champions League football, led them to Conference League glory.
Following the Argentine’s impressive first campaign, the board have already backed him in a big way this summer, with the likes of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens all making their way to the King’s Road.
The wheeling and dealing looks far from finished there, though, so here’s what Chelsea’s dream squad could look like if everything goes according to plan this summer.
The Goalkeepers Emiliano Martínez takes the gloves
While Robert Sanchez improved towards the end of last season, it would be fair to say that many fans would still like to see an upgrade signed this summer.
That seems to be the opinion of the board as well, with reports linking them with Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning shot-stopper Emiliano Martínez.
The Argentine, who won last year’s Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper, is reportedly also a target for Manchester United and could end up costing around £40m.
That would see Sanchez become the number two, and with Đorđe Petrović looking set to join Bournemouth for around £25m, Filip Jorgensen could be third choice.
Full list of goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen.
The Defence Chelsea add promising depth
Chelsea managed to produce the third-best defence in the Premier League last season, conceding just two more goals than Liverpool and nine more than Arsenal.
So, instead of wholesale change, they would be wise to trim the fat and add a couple of exciting prospects to the group.
Funnily enough, that seems to be the approach the Blues are taking, with Axel Disasi and Renato Veiga looking likely to leave, while Jorrel Hato could make his way to West London from the Netherlands.
Alongside the West Londoners, the “exceptional” Ajax gem, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been linked with a host of clubs and could be available for around £40m.
Appearances
111
Starts
102
Minutes
9121′
Goals
4
Assists
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.11
Minutes per Goal Involvement
701.61′
Points per Game
1.86
It might sound like a lot to spend on a 19-year-old, but he’s already made 111 first-team appearances for the Amsterdam side, has six caps for the national team and can play as either a left-back or centre-back.
The young Dutchman probably wouldn’t start many games, at least not right away, but he’d be brilliant depth and help ensure Marc Cucurella isn’t played into the ground.
Full list of centre-backs: Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mamadou Sarr, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile.
Full list of right-backs: Reece James, Malo Gusto.
Full list of left-backs: Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato.
The Midfielders Chelsea add an exciting talent
Arguably, Chelsea’s most stacked area of the squad is the midfield, and there isn’t a whole lot that needs to be done there this summer.
So long as they remain fit, the incredible Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández will remain the first choice for the middle of the park.
At the same time, Andrey Santos and Roméo Lavia are excellent rotation options.
Moving up into attacking midfield and to the man who has to be the first name on the team sheet: Cole Palmer.
Appearances
96
Minutes
7770′
Goals
41
Assists
28
Goal Involvements per Match
0.71
Minutes per Goal Involvement
112.60′
While he is capable of playing out wide and on the wing, he can have a far greater impact on proceedings as the most advanced midfielder, and with a tally of 41 goals and 28 assists in 96 games for the Blues, Maresca will want him where he can have the most significant impact.
However, the club appear to be after someone who can cover for the sensational talent, and based on reports, that player could be Alejandro Garnacho.
Alejandro Garnacho for Manchester United
The Argentine ace had a very public falling out with Manchester United and was told he would be sold this summer, and one of the clubs interested in the £60m ace is Chelsea.
While it might not be a move that excites the fanbase, the Madrid-born international wasn’t too bad last season, racking up 11 goals and ten assists in 3568 minutes, and spending most of the campaign in attacking midfield.
In all, Chelsea have an incredible array of midfield talent, and the United star could be great depth.
Full list of midfielders: Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garncaho, Moises Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The Attackers Chelsea go huge on the frontline
Chelsea have already gone big when it comes to attacking signings this summer.
Delap cost them £30m from Ipswich Town, Pedro cost a cool £60m from Brighton & Hove Albion, and Jamie Gittens cost around £48m from Borussia Dortmund.
With all of that business in mind, plus the likes of Pedro Neto and Estavão looking ready for the new season, it makes sense for the club to be looking to sell a few players.
The most notable departure is undoubtedly Noni Madueke, who is set to join Arsenal for around £52m, but it also looks like João Felix could be on his way for close to £17m.
If the board can then get rid of Raheem Sterling as well, that would leave them with plenty of room in the wage budget to further bolster the attack, which seems to be the plan.
One of the names linked with the team this summer has been Malick Fofana, who has a price tag of around £50m.
The young Frenchman would be another signing for the future, but with a tally of 17 goal involvements in 41 games last season, he could still make an impact from the bench.
Finally, if Chelsea are able to amass their dream squad this summer, then they’ll surely get their hands on Hugo Ekitiké.
The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been linked with a £85m move to Stamford Bridge this summer, and while that is a lot of money, it would be money well spent.
In 48 appearances last season, totalling 3644 minutes, the 23-year-old marksman scored a mammoth 22 goals and provided 12 assists to boot.
Appearances
48
Minutes
3644′
Goals
22
Assists
12
Goal Involvements per Match
0.70
Minutes per Goal Involvement
107.17
In other words, the Reims-born dynamo whom journalist Graeme Bailey once dubbed the “next Mbappé,” averaged a goal involvement every 1.41 games, or every 107.17 minutes.
Just imagine how dangerous he’d be playing in the same team as Palmer; that duo could be enough to fire the Blues into a title charge.
Full list of wingers: Pedro Neto, Estavo, Jamie Gittens, Malick Fofana.
Full list of strikers: Hugo Ekitiké, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson.
Chelsea "close" to agreeing "excellent" player's exit after Thursday update
Celtic have now submitted an opening bid for a forward who was regularly among the goals in the 2024-25 season, a report has revealed.
Hoops keen on new forward amid Maeda uncertainty
In Kyogo Furuhashi’s absence from January onwards, Daizen Maeda well and truly stepped up last season, providing 16 goals and seven assists in the Scottish Premiership, while also scoring seven goals en-route to the Scottish Cup Final.
As such, it is little wonder the Japanese forward is attracting attention from elsewhere, with Everton recently joining fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature.
Brendan Rodgers recently dropped an update on the situation, in which he confirmed the 27-year-old has remained professional, despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
As exciting as Balikwisha: Celtic contenders to sign "outstanding" star
Celtic are one of the contenders to secure a deal for a star who would be as exciting as Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
ByDan Emery Jul 23, 2025
After being impressed by Maeda’s performance in the 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle United, Rodgers said: “I don’t think there have been any developments on that, but he’s a professional and his focus is very much on here.
“Yeah, all the players, all the players had a real good focus, and I’ve always said there’s not a friendly game when you play for Celtic. There are always tests for you, but the players came through really, really well. Daizen, all the guys, they worked really well.”
Daizen Maeda in action for Celtic.
However, with the forward’s future very much up in the air, Celtic have now set their sights on a new winger, namely Go Ahead Eagles’ Jakob Breum, with a report from The National revealing they have submitted an opening offer of £1.5m for his services.
However, the bid was way below Go Ahead Eagles’ asking price of £5m, meaning it was knocked back, with club director Jan Willem van Dop saying: “There has been a bid for Jakob Breum from a foreign club,
“We are so far apart there. You have to stand your ground. He may have to realise that it could be very good to stay with us at least until the winter break, just like Oliver Edvardsen.”
Breum regularly among the goals in the Eredivisie
The 21-year-old enjoyed his best campaign to date last season, amassing a total of 17 goal contributions for Go Ahead Eagles across all competitions.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Eredivisie
26
10
5
KNVB Beker
3
1
0
UECL Qualifiers
2
0
1
As such, the versatile forward, who is capable of playing on both wings and in attacking midfield, could be an exciting signing for Celtic, although, given that the 2024-25 season was his first real eye-catching season numbers-wise, it is clear to see why they’re unwilling to pay £5m.
Consequently, it could be wise to move on to alternative targets, of which there is no shortage, with it recently being revealed the Hoops are now stepping up their pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who has 46 goal contributions in 141 games for Royal Antwerp.
His superb batting effort afforded him the mental stoicism to put aside a plethora of half-chances to get to his 16th Test ton
Madushka Balasuriya26-Sep-2024″The senior players need to take responsibility because they have played a lot of cricket in Galle,” Sri Lanka batting coach Thilina Kandamby had said ahead of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.Three hundred and six runs later – 240 off the bats of Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews – Kandamby might be justified in feeling his words were taken to heart. Especially considering that that’s just 22 runs shy of what the three of them managed across the first Test.Of the trio, Chandimal was the one rightfully taking home most of the end-of-day plaudits for his 116 off 208. Coming into bat on a hot and humid day in Galle – despite the mid-morning rain intermission – he was in as early as the second over following the fall of Pathum Nissanka. From there he took the attack to the opposition, striking at a shade under a run-a-ball, as Sri Lanka maintained a run rate of four an over for the first 15 overs.Related
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“I had to go in the third [second] over itself after Pathum got out, but even then my goal was to bat positively,” Chandimal said after the day’s play. “It helped that the pitch was better than the one in the first Test. That one was a bit sluggish, but this one was better in that sense.”After that period, though, as the spinners took a foothold, New Zealand managed to dry up the runs. Chandimal though recognised the change in pace of the game and adapted. Having got to 41 off just 42 deliveries, the next nine runs to his half-century took a further 37 deliveries.”In Galle, it’s a bit easier when the seamers bowl and the field is not so spread out,” he said. “So we tried to maximise that period. But once the spinners came on, they made sure that they kept bowling good lines and lengths, and that was why we had to drop down a second gear.”This rounded approach to his batting also afforded him the mental stoicism to put aside a plethora of half-chances, littered across his innings. On no fewer than three occasions he had edges evade the slip cordon, while he also had a leading edge fall narrowly short of short cover. Chandimal however relished these incidents, framing them as necessary aspects of Test batting.
“I have been batting at number five for most of my career, but I was asked to think about the team as Kamindu [Mendis] is an up-and-coming player in Test cricket, and move up to number three.”Dinesh Chandimal
“Things like that need to be there for you to score a hundred. You need to have a bit of luck go your way – you know for an edge to go into a gap or into the ground.”We try our best to play our shots, but sometimes the ball doesn’t go where we intend. At the same time, we have to give the bowlers credit too. They are good bowlers, so it is natural for things like this to happen in an innings.”This was Chandimal’s 16th Test ton – his second this year, and fifth since 2022 – but his first ever batting at No. 3. It’s not a role he had been keen on adopting in the past having played just 11 innings there, but now it’s a challenge he has accepted for both the betterment of the team – with Kamindu Mendis moving up to No. 5 and the gloves being handed to Kusal Mendis – and as something befitting his senior role in the side.”I have been batting at number five for most of my career, but I was asked to think about the team as Kamindu is an up-and-coming player in Test cricket, and move up to number three.”With my age, it’s also difficult for me to keep wickets as well – I’m 34 now – so I said yes. I took that opportunity with both hands because have to groom young players to take Sri Lanka cricket forward.”It wasn’t all good tidings for Chandimal, however, with him involved in Dimuth Karunaratne’s run-out before tea. It was Karunaratne’s call, as the ball was struck to midwicket for a quick single, but Chandimal was visibly caught on his heels and turned down the run. An irate Karunaratne was well short of his crease having been forced to turn back. And now Chandimal has revealed that he has accepted full blame for the incident.”I apologised to Dimuth as soon as I came off for tea. Prior to that [the run-out] he was down with cramps, so he told me to let’s take only the possible singles and avoid the risky ones. So that single [which led to the run-out] was a quick single and I wasn’t ready for it. But that said, it was my fault and I accept it.”
Alyssa Healy says Australia will not be in trial mode while Sophie Devine is hoping her side can regain some form ahead of the T20 World Cup after a nightmare tour of England
Alex Malcolm18-Sep-2024Australia captain Alyssa Healy says there will be no experimentation with their side as they plan to put out their best XI in the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, who are hoping to bounce back from the nightmare tour of England as both sides prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Australia’s women have not played an international series since the start of April where they experimented quite a bit with their XI during the tour of Bangladesh including opening with Grace Harris in one game and batting Georgia Wareham at No.3 while Healy herself was listed at No.10.But on the eve of the opening match of the series in Mackay, which is being used by both sides as a warm-up for the T20 World Cup that begins on October 3 in the UAE, Healy said Australia were planning to field a full-strength side across the three games.Related
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“I think when you look at our side as a whole, we’ve been pretty settled in the T20 game for a long period of time,” Healy said on Wednesday.”I guess Bangladesh was a good opportunity for us to try a few things that are just in case, what-if scenarios, if some of our key players go down, who can fill those roles. But I think for us now, having some consistency around our XI leading into a World Cup, you still use all 15 players I find in a World Cup to win it, but everyone knows their roles.”I think we’re in a good place in that regard.”We’re going to get very different conditions here to what we’re going to get in Dubai so it’s just about us playing our best XI at every opportunity and putting some things in place, knowing that we do have a World Cup at the back of our mind.”Healy did admit there is some temptation to unleash Australia’s dual pace threat of Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck given the two have never played together at international level due to their respective injury issues.Healy said it was an exciting prospect to pair two of the world’s fastest female quicks together in the same attack but it would cause some other selection headaches in regards to the balance of the side.Darcie Brown is ready to return from injury•Getty Images”Hugely excited to have Darcie and Tay in the same squad at the same time and available to play,” Healy said. “It creates some dilemmas for us, but at the same time, it’s really exciting. And the thought that, whether we play them at the same time as well, having that option is huge for us.”It’s great to see Darc back. She’s a ball of energy around our group, and I think she’s excited to be here, which makes it even better.”Healy’s vow that Australia would field their strongest outfit did not perturb New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine but she conceded it would be a great test for her team coming off a tour of England in June and July where they lost eight straight matches including five T20Is. They have lost seven T20Is in a row dating back to a home series against England in March and nine of 10 this year.”We certainly took plenty of learnings away from that, and we’ve had a number of camps where we’ve addressed, I think, where we went wrong and where we need to look moving forward,” Devine said.”I think it’s really important for this group that we stay positive, that we know that we’ve worked incredibly hard, not just these last couple of months, but leading into that as well. And just because we didn’t have the results we wanted from that series, that we’re still a good cricket team.”Rosemary Mair is set to be unleashed against Australia•Getty ImagesDevine was keen to unleash a returning pace bowler of her own with Rosemary Mair named in the World Cup squad after missing the England tour with a back injury.”Rocco’s worked incredibly hard,” Devine said. “She’s obviously had a pretty frustrating injury the last couple of months. But she’s someone that can bring real pace and bounce to the side. I think she’s someone that attacks the stumps, which we really like in terms of not only here in Australia, but also over in UAE as well.”So we’re really looking forward to seeing what she can do. She obviously hasn’t played too much the last couple of years, so she’s a little bit of an unknown to a few players. So we’ll certainly be looking for her to have an impact, but just to have her in amongst the group, I think she’s someone that absolutely loves cricket. It’s been great to have Rosemary back.”Both captains were pleased with the ICC’s announcement that the tournament prize money has been raised substantially to match the men’s prize fund at the T20 World Cup.”Really cool,” Healy said. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for the women’s game to be recognized in that regard, and I think it’s a great step forward in the game itself.”
Chelsea have reportedly agreed terms with Dutch starlet Xavi Simons ahead of a proposed move for the RB Leipzig attacking midfielder.
It would represent another excellent attacking signing by Enzo Maresca, who is clearly leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of glory with the Blues this season.
With Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro already joining this summer, the manager has plenty of strength in depth in the final third.
While Simons would be a sublime signing, aren’t the Blues better off spending money trying to bolster their backline instead?
As such, they are eyeing a move for someone who would do just that.
Latest on Chelsea transfer news
The vast majority of the transfer news recently has been regarding attacking players. As mentioned, Simons is closing in on a move, while Maresca is keen on signing Alejandro Garnacho too.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Now, according to L’Equipe, Chelsea could be ready to pounce for PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the French side willing to sell him if he doesn’t commit to a new deal.
The Euro 2020 winner has less than a year left to run on his existing contract and the Ligue 1 outfit don’t want a repeat of the Kylian Mbappé debacle that occurred last summer, when the Frenchman departed on a free transfer.
That opens up the possibility that the Blues could see an offer accepted, were they to lodge a bid, with a price tag of around £34m having been touted this summer.
Given the Blues need a solid shot-stopper if they wish to go far in the Champions League and challenge for the domestic title, the Italian is the perfect solution.
Could he even be a better signing than Simons?
Why Chelsea must sign Gianluigi Donnarumma
There is no doubt Simons would bolster the attacking department, but Maresca already boasts a stellar attacking unit, having acquired Delap, Pedro and Gittens already – three players who contributed 38 goals combined in 2024/25.
With teenage sensation Estevao Willian also set to join the mix, the Italian boasts a stellar cast of forward options, led by Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto. It is defensively, however, where Chelsea face bigger problems.
Last term, they conceded 64 goals across 64 matches, while ‘keepers Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen were hardly convincing, the former having made five errors leading to a goal in the top-flight.
Games played
23
Clean sheets
4
Save percentage
68%
Saves made
2.2
Pass accuracy
87%
Errors leading to goals
0
Long ball accuracy
44%
Comparing the Spaniard to Donnarumma, there is clearly a difference in quality. Last season, the Italian not only conceded fewer goals domestically (25 vs 34) than Sanchez, but he also completed a higher percentage of passes (87.3% vs 69.7%).
The PSG ‘keeper also conceded fewer goals per game than Sanchez (1 vs 1.1) and lost possession fewer times (3.3 vs 11.8) during their respective domestic leagues last term.
PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma vs Real Madrid.
He was hailed as “sensational” by journalist Joe Prince-Wright during PSG’s clash against Arsenal in the Champions League last campaign and the Italian would give Maresca a massive boost regarding his goalkeeping options.
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five divisions, Donnarumma ranks in the top 12% for goals against per 90, signifying just how impressive he has been over the previous 12 months for his club side.
A first Champions League winners medal will surely have given the 25-year-old a confidence boost. Moving to Chelsea would ensure he gains plenty of gametime throughout 2025/26, that’s for sure.
Can he be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Maresca? And more importantly, the former AC Milan ‘keeper would surely be a better signing than Simons, given the club’s need for a stronger backline.
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Enzo Maresca is welcoming another exciting player.
The RBNY 2 head coach says he loves coaching 'more than anything' after two months in his new post with the MLS Next Pro side
Michael Bradley says he 'loves' coachingAccepted RBNY II job earlier this yearFormer U.S. captain honored in pregame ceremonyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Former USMNT captain Michael Bradley says that he has taken to coaching, three months after starting as manager of the New York Red Bulls' reserve side. Bradley spoke to reporters before the USMNT's friendly with South Korea on Saturday, where the midfielder was honored for his contributions to the U.S.
AdvertisementAFPWHAT BRADLEY SAID ABOUT COACHING
Bradley outlined his affinity for coaching.
"I don't feel like my career stopped. The routine is the same. I'm still at a training ground every day. I'm still on the field every day. I still watch games, watch training back like it's all the same," he said on Saturday. "Obviously, what I do is a little bit different, but in terms of the routine, in terms of the feelings that I get, the passion that I have. That part is about the game, and I'm a part of it every day. So that part is, it's one of the reasons why I stopped playing, and I knew that I wanted to coach.
"I didn't waste one second, because had I waited then maybe there would have been a little bit of emotion. But the fact is that I literally just turned the page and then began to begin the coaching. People ask me a lot like, 'Do you miss playing?' And the honest answer is, no. I loved playing more than anything in the whole world. But now I love coaching more than anything in the whole world. And when I miss playing, I just set up a training session that needs a neutral player to make myself a neutral player."
WHAT BRADLEY SAID ABOUT PLAYING FOR THE USMNT
In a pregame appearance on TNT, Bradley also commented on his U.S. career.
"Growing up, I would have done anything to represent the national team once," he said. "And to be able to do it the number of times I did, the experiences along the way, the big games, the special moments… it'll stay with me for the rest of my life."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Bradley is among one of the more successful U.S. players of all time. He made 151 appearances from 2006-2019, and captained the side 48 times.