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Where to begin? That sentence, perhaps, sums up the malaise at Liverpool this season, the catastrophic failure that has tainted not just the form of Arne Slot’s side but the culture and the club-fanbase connection too.

The overwhelming frustration that the supporters have felt since this abject run of results started is clearly shared by the players, with Mohamed Salah’s audacious outburst after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United leading to an overspill that has threatened to engulf the club.

Slot is walking a tightrope, now, but the plain truth is that FSG are right to givew the head coach their overwhelming support. Backing a player, even Salah, over the boss is something the ownership simply cannot do, even with Slot pitted against a peerless hero, even against Salah.

This is a mess of a situation, so far removed from the culture and stability that has left rivals so envious over the past decade, Jurgen Klopp starting the fire.

Salah’s calculated gambit will prove the end for one of Liverpool’s leading parties, to be sure.

Liverpool already looking at big-money Salah replacement

Slot and Salah’s long-term futures at Anfield are now mutually exclusive, with the Egyptian King’s incendiary comments after being benched for three successive games confirming a breakdown in the relationship between the two.

The Premier League champions have been sent in a tailspin, and Salah’s divorce from Slot’s plans stands as a symbol of the staggering collapse.

But, whichever side of the fence you stand on, there’s no denying that Salah is 33 years old and has been well below expectations this season, just five goals and three assists to show for his campaign, 19 matches in.

That’s why Spanish sources suggest plans to sign Desire Doue from Paris Saint-Germain have been ramped up, with FSG ready to launch a British-record €150m (£131m) bid in 2026.

Doue, 20, was crowned the European Golden Boy after his incredible breakout campaign in Paris, now established as one of the most talented wide attackers in the world.

He is not as polished as Salah in his prime, but this would be the perfect signing to replace the £400k-per-week superstar on Merseyside, should push come to shove.

Why Doue would be a Salah upgrade

Doue is quite the talent, unique in his dynamic and versatile wing play. He is a talented technician, but he also wears his qualities with such personality and gusto, splitting defences open with fleet footwork and calculated passing.

He was hailed as a “magician” by talent scout Jacek Kulig after his “incredible performance” against Inter Milan in the Champions League final last year, a fine indication of his ability to showcase his skills on the grandest of stages.

Moreover, the France international is able to balance his output; not shy to shoot, he is a fierce playmaker, and this is why he could prove such a perfect upgrade on the ageing Salah.

Doue has yet to get going in Ligue 1 this season, but Sofascore data presents an average of 5.1 duels and 1.5 tackles in the league last year, underlaying a return of 16 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, and plenty of flashy dribbling besides.

Salah’s deterioration this season has been well documented, but he was in contention for the Ballon d’Or last year, and when looking at how he compares to Doue over the past year, you begin to see why this French up-and-comer is so highly touted.

Goals scored

0.52

0.55

Assists

0.30

0.35

Shots taken

3.07

2.90

Shot-creating actions

4.09

5.13

Touches (att pen)

8.72

6.27

Pass completion (%)

70.2

82.0

Progressive passes

4.06

6.19

Progressive carries

4.11

5.02

Successful take-ons

1.34

2.66

Ball recoveries

2.70

4.82

Tackles + interceptions

0.70

3.64

Doue is a combative player, and the energy and mobility he would add to Liverpool’s right flank would help steer Anfield back into calmer waters, flowing toward the attacking successes and fluency of last year.

It is clear that some measure of change is needed, and while FSG will fight tooth and nail to retain Salah’s services for now, Doue would mark a significant upgrade, nailing down the right-sided wing for many years to come.

Salah is a one-of-a-kind sort of winger, and Liverpool would likely fall by the wayside if signing someone mimicking his style. Doue is his own player, and his creative emphasis would help service the likes of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in the centre.

In this way, he would prove an upgrade on a legend whose Liverpool career sadly seems to be winding down.

Perfect for Wirtz: Liverpool could hire the "best young manager in Europe"

Liverpool have an interest in a manager who would be the perfect appointment for Florian Wirtz.

ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

Leeds United need to improve their offensive output if they want to stand a chance of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League this season.

Last season, every team that avoided the drop scored at least 42 goals, with Spurs in 17th place scoring 64 times, whilst all three of the teams that went down averaged less than a goal per game.

The Whites are currently in the middle of that, with 11 goals in 11 matches in the Premier League, which shows that they need to improve their output at the top end of the pitch.

11 games into the season, no Leeds player has scored more than two goals in the division, with three players leading the way for goals, and that needs to change in the coming weeks.

Leeds’ top Premier League scorers since 20/21

Season

Top goalscorer

Goals

25/26

Noah Okafor

Joe Rodon

Lukas Nmecha

2

22/23

Rodrigo

13

21/22

Raphinha

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

17

Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, at least one player hit double figures for goals in each of the three seasons that the club were in the Premier League during their last stint.

In their run in the division before that, Australian forward Mark Viduka hit double figures in four successive seasons, including 17 and 20-goal hauls in two of them, per Transfermarkt.

Why Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward

Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch in the January transfer window because none of their current options look likely to be their next Viduka.

As aforementioned, no one in the squad has scored more than two goals in the Premier League after 11 matches, and summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a particular disappointment so far this term.

The experienced number nine, who was signed on a free transfer from Everton in the summer, is reportedly the highest earner in the squad on £100k-per-week, but has not done enough on the pitch to justify that.

Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League career

Season

xG

Goals

25/26

1.62

1

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

Stats via Understat

As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin has historically been a poor finisher in the Premier League, mostly for Everton, and arrived at Elland Road in the summer off the back of four successive seasons without scoring more than seven goals in a league campaign.

It should, therefore, not be a surprise that he has struggled for form for the Whites in front of goal, with one goal and ten ‘big chances’ missed in all competitions so far this season, per Sofascore.

Nmecha, meanwhile, has scored two Premier League goals this season, but has not scored more than eight goals in a league season, per Sofascore, since he plundered 18 goals in the Pro League for Anderlecht in the 2020/21 campaign.

Leeds plotting move for new striker

The unlikelihood of Calvert-Lewin or Nmecha pushing on to hit double figures for goals in the Premier League has reportedly prompted the club to pursue another option in their position.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to TEAMtalk, the club recognise that they let Daniel Farke down in the summer transfer window and plan to rectify that mistake by adding more firepower to his squad in January.

The report claims that Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is one of the players they are plotting a possible move for, alongside Coventry’s Haji Wright, AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott, and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia.

It adds that the Scottish Premiership forward has told the Hoops of his desire to move on from Parkhead in the next transfer window, which will come as a boost to Leeds, as well as Everton and Brentford, who are said to be leading the race for his signature.

Maeda was reportedly valued at around £21m by Celtic in the summer, amid interest in his services at the time, but it remains to be seen if that valuation has changed ahead of January.

Why Daizen Maeda could be Leeds United's new Mark Viduka

As aforementioned, Viduka had great success in the Premier League during his time at Elland Road, with 72 goals in 166 matches in all competitions for the club, per Transfermarkt.

That impressive form for the Whites came after he made a move from Celtic, where, per Transfermarkt, he scored an eye-catching 27 goals in 37 games in the 99/00 season, before his switch to West Yorkshire in the summer of 2000.

Maeda, who is currently shining for Celtic, could follow in Viduka’s footsteps by making a similar move to be a goalscoring sensation for Leeds in the second half of this season, and beyond.

The Japanese forward, who can play on either wing or as a number nine, scored 33 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has scored four goals so far this term.

These statistics show that Maeda has been an incredibly prolific goalscorer for the Scottish giants, which is exactly what Leeds are lacking in their current squad.

24/25 Premiership

Daizen Maeda

Percentile rank vs positional peers

xG

12.76

Top 1%

Goals

16

Top 1%

xA

5.99

Top 6%

Assists

10

Top 1%

Duels won

104

Top 23%

Tackles won

44

Top 6%

Possession won in the final third

13

Top 16%

Stats via FotMob

Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Japan international ranked within the top 16% of his positional peers in the Premiership last season for winning possession back in the final third, despite Celtic being an incredibly dominant team who won the title.

At Leeds, Maeda would be in a team that is under pressure a lot in matches, as they are fighting relegation, which would give him even more opportunities to use his incredible pressing skills and speed to win the ball off the opposition to spark counter-attacks.

The Celtic star, who ex-Rangers boss Barry Ferguson claimed is “built like a brick”, could be the perfect signing for Leeds because he has the goalscoring record to suggest that he can provide the threat that they are currently missing, whilst also possessing the out-of-possession attributes that you need a player to have in a relegation scrap.

Maeda’s relentless running and pressing could be invaluable to the Whites as they battle to avoid the drop, and his goalscoring quality could make him Viduka 2.0 at Elland Road.

Related Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Holder not only anchored Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivered a match-winning final over

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2025

Jason Holder defended 13 off the final over•CPL T20 via Getty Images

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots kept their playoffs hopes alive by pulling off a narrow one-run victory over Barbados Royals, who have been knocked out of the race in CPL 2025. Captain Jason Holder played a starring role, not only anchoring Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivering a match-winning final over with the ball, in which he defended 13 runs.Patriots sit fifth on the points table with eight points and all their matches done. Guyana Amazon Warriors are fourth with eight points and if they win either of their next two matches, they will secure the last playoffs spot, with St Lucia Kings, Trinbago Knight Riders and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons already through.While there were handy contributions from several players, Holder’s all-round performance was the key to Patriots’ success. His 53 not out guided them to 150 for 7, with Patriots recovering from 62 for 4 at the end of ten overs. This was after Mohammad Rizwan’s 39 off 36 helped Patriots get off to a modest start. Holder, along with Navin Bidaisee (30 off 23), accelerated in the latter stages as the pair added 74 runs off 46 balls for the sixth wicket, including 34 runs off the last three overs.Holder’s leadership was also evident in the bowling attack, where he claimed two crucial wickets in the death. His most dramatic contribution came in the final over, with Royals needing 14 runs to win. Rassie van der Dussen started the over with a six over long-on to bring the equation down to eight off five. Holder kept his composure and, with the equation down to two needed off the last ball, bowled a perfect yorker to trap Daniel Sams lbw, sealing a thrilling victory for Patriots.Earlier, Royals had made a strong start, with opener Brandon King (29 off 22) laying a good foundation for the chase. They raced to 44 for 1 by the end of powerplay. However, the middle overs proved costly as the top order struggled to accelerate. Patriots’ bowlers capitalised, with Waqar Salamkheil striking first with the wicket of King and Naseem Shah removing Kadeem Alleyne in the eighth over. Quinton de Kock was caught and bowled by Bidaisee in the following over and despite a dropped catch from Rizwan, Royals’ chase started to lose momentum.Van der Dussen fought valiantly, keeping Royals in the hunt with a quickfire 37 off 27 balls, but it wasn’t enough in the end. For Patriots, Salamkheil and Bidaisee also picked up two wickets apiece.

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes is over—the Japanese-born pitcher announced Friday that he has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Two days after the international signing period opened on Wednesday, Sasaki took to Instagram to share his decision, making the announcement with a picture of a Dodgers cap in the bleachers.

"I have signed a minor contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers," Sasaki's post read, via Instagram’s translation. "It was a very difficult decision, but I will do my best to make it the right decision when I look back after my baseball career. I want to slip my sleeve on the Dodgers uniform at the opening conference, thanking everyone who has supported me this far."

The news comes after the San Diego Padres were eliminated from consideration earlier on Friday, leaving the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays as the final two teams. Sasaki had previously eliminated the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees earlier in the week.

Sasaki now bolsters a Dodgers' rotation that struggled with injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan among others toward the end of the 2024 season. The Dodgers managed to win the World Series anyway with a three-man rotation, but will now have the additional help of Sasaki, Cy Young-award winner Blake Snell, and Shohei Ohtani, who is expected to return to pitching in 2025.

The Dodgers were long the favorites to sign Sasaki, and now they have officially signed him. Sasaki is regarded as one of the most talented pitching prospects in the sport, with an impressive splitter and a fastball that can exceed 100 miles per hour. The Dodgers were already viewed as a super team by many, and they should only continue to dominate with their exceptionally stacked roster.

Imam unable to play due to visa issues but stand-in Luxton impresses with half-century

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Jul-2025Yorkshire 282 for 4 (Wharton 78, Luxton 71, Bean 57, Lyth 47) vs Surrey Yorkshire’s top order ensured a settled start to their Rothesay County Championship clash with leaders Surrey at Scarborough after their build-up was anything but.Hovering just three points above the drop zone in Division One after nine matches, Yorkshire ended an engaging opening day on a healthy 282 for four from 86 overs.Fin Bean, Will Luxton and James Wharton all posted half-centuries against a Surrey attack who struggled to create consistent pressure having lost the toss.Bean (57) shared an opening stand of 107 with Adam Lyth either side of lunch before Luxton and Wharton usurped them by sharing 149 for the third wicket either side of tea. Luxton posted a career best 71 off 118 balls and Wharton went on to top score with a season’s best 78 off 166.Yorkshire’s management arrived at the ground not knowing whether their captain and new overseas signing Jonny Bairstow and Imam-ul-Haq would be able to play due to the former’s impending arrival of another child and the latter’s visa issues.Bairstow made it, Imam didn’t. Yorkshire are also missing talismanic 37-wicket all-rounder George Hill having not sufficiently recovered from a foot injury.Not that the disruption showed on the field, as Bairstow elected to bat and then watched Bean, Lyth, Wharton and Luxton excel on a pitch offering spongy bounce and not as much pace as is usual at this North Marine Road venue.Yorkshire’s progress was largely serene.Bean was dropped at third slip by Dom Sibley off former Yorkshire fast bowler Matthew Fisher during the early stages, and there were a couple of confident lbw shouts.But Surrey’s bowlers struggled to find the right lines and lengths.When they did, they gained success. Dan Worrall – three for 49 from 16 overs – removed Lyth and then Bean in the space of three balls in the 33rd over, leaving the hosts at 108 for two.That came during the early stages of the afternoon.Lunch had came 15 minutes early because of rain.Worrall struck when he had Lyth caught at first slip with a ball not quite there to drive before getting Bean caught at wide mid-on following an aborted pull at well directed short ball.Just when you thought Surrey would assert their authority, Wharton and Luxton had other ideas.Luxton, aged 22, enjoyed an impressive recent Vitality Blast in a struggling side highlighted by a superb 90 not out in a Roses win at Emirates Old Trafford.He wouldn’t have played in this game had Imam been available. But Yorkshire pulled him out of the Professional County Clubs Select XI squad to face Pakistan A in three one-day matches to feature here, and he has taken his chance with only a second first-class fifty in his 10 career appearance.Imam, incidentally, was at the ground and warmed up with his team-mates before play.Yorkshire say they are working with his agent and the relevant authorities to resolve his visa issues in time for next week’s clash with Sussex on this ground.Luxton is a dynamic player who often looks a million dollars, as he did here on the drive and working off his legs.His next challenge is consistency.Wharton lofted the off-spin of Will Jacks down the ground for six before tea, and Luxton whipped Jamie Overton’s pace off his legs for the same result afterwards.Jacks broke the Wharton and Luxton alliance when he bowled the latter, who was aggressively sweeping – 257 for three after 77 overs.That was a significant boost for Surrey just before the new ball was due.Worrall then had Wharton caught behind for his third wicket of the day – 276 for four in the 83rd over.But Bairstow had reached 19 by the time bad light prevented any further play at 5.20pm.

كشف مصدر مسؤول داخل نادي بتروجيت، عن وجود مفاوضات قوية من جانب الأهلي، للحصول على خدمات حامد حمدان مدافع الفريق، خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة. 

وكان حامد حمدان قد قاد فريقه بتروجيت للتعادل أمام الاهلي، في الجولة الماضية من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

طالع.. بتروجيت: حامد حمدان سينتقل إلى الأهلي بشرطين

وقال المصدر في تصريحات لـ بطولات: “الساعات القليلة الماضية شهدت تحركات قوية من جانب الأهلي، للتعاقد مع حامد حمدان مدافع الفريق”. 

وأضاف المصدر: “حددنا طلباتنا المادية من الأهلي، وشرط التخلي عن حامد حمدان، وننتظر رد الأهلي على العرض المقدم من جانبنا لبيع اللاعب”. 

وتابع المصدر: “تحدثنا مع حامد حمدان، وأبلغناه بوجود عرض من جانب الأهلي للحصول على خدماته، وهو بدوره أكد على عدم وجود أي مانع لديه من اللعب للأهلي أو أي ناد، شرط أن يكون العرض مناسبًا للنادي”. 

واختتم المصدر تصريحاته، قائلًا: “لدينا مرونة قوية لبيع حامد حمدان خلال الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة، بعد وجود الكثير من العروض ولكن لن نبيع اللاعب سوى للعرض الذي يتناسب مع طلباتنا المادية وأيضًا رغبة اللاعب”.

Aston Villa struggled to recruit efficiently during the summer amid PSR concerns, though they could now be about to make a controversial move for a star who is at Monchi’s former club.

Aston Villa move on after goalless stalemate with Everton

Four Premier League matches have passed this season and Aston Villa are yet to score a goal, which is something Unai Emery will be desperate to see change over their coming run of fixtures.

Stagnation is a trap that can be hard to evade, and even with the Villans’ late deals to sign Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot adding some impetus, it is quite clear the Villans are a mile off where they need to be from an offensive standpoint.

Echoing these sentiments, Emery claimed in his post-match press conference that more needs to be done for his side to start regularly putting themselves on the scoresheet.

He told Match of the Day: “Tactically we have to try to help offensively to try to get better positions. Offensively we need more. We need to try to help out strikers, wingers and midfielders, but I’m happy because we competed and this is the first step forward. We are going to work and we know inside the problem we have.”

With a quick turnaround leading his side into their EFL Cup Third Round tie away to Brentford on Tuesday evening, pressure is growing as the Villans look to secure their first victory of the campaign in London.

Clearly, Ollie Watkins could use some help as the focal point in attack, and Aston Villa are reportedly planning to sign Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta if they can fend off competition from elsewhere.

January is a notoriously difficult window to push deals over the line, but Monchi may have a crucial part to play in helping the Villans secure another target from his former club.

Aston Villa eyeing controversial move for Rubén Vargas

According to reports in Spain, Aston Villa are looking to make a controversial move for Sevilla winger Ruben Vargas, who plies his trade at Monchi’s former club.

In a swoop that could spark feelings of “betrayal” from the La Liga outfit, there is a realisation from his current employers that the Villans could put up an offer that may be too good to refuse from a financial perspective.

Emery can unleash his own Grealish in “outrageous" £35m Aston Villa star

Unai Emery could now unleash his very own Jack Grealish at Aston Villa when travelling to Everton.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 13, 2025

Deemed as a similar player to Anthony Elanga, per FBRef, the Switzerland international has made an impressive start to the campaign with three assists in as many appearances across all competitions.

Capable of playing on the right flank or as an attacking midfielder, Vargas has also created five chances and delivered four successful crosses in the Spanish top-flight, via Fotmob, coming under the microscope as a player who could help Aston Villa’s mission to create more in the final third.

For now, Emery’s men appear to be leading the race for his signature, though it remains to be seen whether they can force a deal over the line in January.

MI mowed down 177 with nine wickets and 26 balls to spare

Sidharth Monga20-Apr-20251:44

Pujara: Hardik managed his bowlers pretty well

Mumbai Indians (MI) put up a third straight win in IPL 2025 as they outgunned a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) side shorn of hitting power. The lack of batting showed in how they played a highly cagey brand of cricket, only targeting certain pockets and conceding match-ups without protest. It took them three overs to hit a boundary, then they went 27 balls in the middle overs without even attempting one, only to cap it off with no boundary in the 17th and 18th overs, bowled by MI’s best bowlers on the night: Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Santner.Not only did MI manage a run-rate boost with the win that takes them to eight points in eight matches, they also welcomed Rohit Sharma back to runs. Rohit scored his first fifty this IPL – his previous highest was 26 – and put up MI’s first half-century opening stand this IPL with Ryan Rickelton, and Suryakumar Yadav got the better of CSK’s spin threat with his various sweeps.CSK’s slow startThis match was played on the pitch that produced 430 runs earlier in the season for MI and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The toss, as usual, was a big advantage at Wankhede. Which should make it important to look for above-par scores, but CSK took the pragmatic route: don’t risk 120 all out looking for 200. Consequently, their openers tested waters for too long, timing shots straight to fielders. When Shaik Rasheed finally hit one in the air, and for a four, CSK had only 16 in three overs.The 17-year-old intent machineRachin Ravindra by now felt he had to target the change bowler without a sighter. He looked to go big down the ground, and edged the first ball by Ashwani Kumar. His replacement at the wicket, CSK’s youngest player ever, the 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, injected some life into the innings with flair reminiscent of Dwayne Bravo. It still meant only 48 runs in the powerplay. An unperturbed MI stayed with Deepak Chahar for a fourth straight over, eventually resulting in the legcutter that got Mhatre out for 32 off 15.2:28

Mhatre wows Pujara and Finch with IPL debut fireworks

The stop-start endSantner produced a beauty in the eighth over at 77kph to have Rasheed stumped on the defence, but that brought together Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja. They have batting behind these two, but those are MS Dhoni, Jamie Overton and Vijay Shankar. So these two decided not to hit anything even though their coming together meant Santner was taken off despite figures of 2-0-8-1. Put together, CSK didn’t make a boundary attempt between Mhatre’s dismissal and the return of Trent Boult in the 12th over.To be fair to CSK, they did well when they went after Boult and Ashwani, taking 85 in the six overs bowled by them. Dube raced away from 16 off 19 to a 30-ball fifty even as Jadeja hovered around a run-a-ball. However, when Bumrah got Dube with a slower ball, it allowed MI to bring back Santner for the 18th over because Dhoni and Jadeja were in the middle.Santner bowled the 18th without a boundary, and it was only a late surge from Jadeja off Boult in the last over that took CSK to a modicum of respectability.Rohit gets the chase goingMI have been resurgent in recent times, but they might feel this was the final missing piece in the puzzle: a sizeable opening partnership, and Rohit carrying on from a quick start. He was severe on early errors from the quick bowlers, haring away to 32 off 18 in the powerplay, hitting three sweetly timed sixes. Only R Ashwin managed to keep him quiet. However, he went on to get the better of Ashwin when he slog-swept him for a six in the eighth over.Suryakumar nullifies Jadeja, and doesn’t look backThat six still didn’t take Rohit to a run-a-ball in his head-to-head against Ashwin in all these years, but it must have provided him a sense of victory against his old foe.Rohit was not the only one getting better of nemeses. Suryakumar entered this match with just 50 runs and four dismissals off 65 Jadeja deliveries. It was Jadeja that brought Suryakumar into the middle with the wicket of Rickleton in the seventh over. In the ninth over, Suryakumar drove Jadeja over extra cover for four followed by a swept six, his first career six off Jadeja.This was only a harbinger of what was to come. In all, Suryakumar played nine sweeps for a whopping 35 runs. Three of them flew over the ropes, four others ended in the advertising boards. He outpaced Rohit with ease, and his flourish made sure MI got a big net-run-rate boost, winning with 4.2 overs to spare.

Australia A 315 for 7 (Trenaman 77, Knott 52, Faltum 52, Wong 4-57) vs England ARachel Trenaman top-scored with 77 from 131 balls, while Charli Knott and Nicole Faltum contributed a pair of half-centuries, as Australia A battled back from a difficult start to reach a competitive 315 for 7 on the opening day of their four-day unofficial Test against England A in Sydney.After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Australia A slipped to 50 for 3 in the morning session, thanks in particular to the incisiveness of Issy Wong, who bowled Maddy Darke for 5 before having Anika Learoyd caught on the cut by Alice Capsey at second slip for 16. Earlier, Tahlia Wilson had been the first to fall, edging a drive to slip off Eva Grey for 11.By lunch, Australia were still awkwardly placed at 63 for 3, but Trenaman and Knott settled into their work after the break, capitalising on some loose deliveries to add 87 for the fourth wicket.However Wong, whose form and fortunes have been under scrutiny in recent seasons, returned to break the stand as Knott mistimed a pull to Paige Scholfield at midwicket for 52.Capsey then claimed the key scalp of Trenaman as she sliced a drive to Jodi Grewcock at backward point, and though Faltum kept Australia’s momentum going into the evening session, Georgia Davis picked her off, also for 52, via a drive to Grace Scrivens at mid-off.Wong then finished her day as she had started it, removing Tess Flintoff for 33 to cement her status as the pick of England’s attack with 4 for 57 in 21 overs.The four-day fixture is the final match of England A’s seven-game tour. England claimed the T20I leg 1-0 after two washouts, before Australia A hit back to win the 50-over leg 2-1.

A Nottingham Forest player is now desperate to leave, after owner Evangelos Marinakis cost him a dream move, it has been revealed.

Marinakis causing a stir in the transfer market

On the whole, Forest’s summer transfer window is likely to be viewed as a success, given that they managed to strengthen their squad considerably ahead of their Europa League campaign, while also managing to tie Morgan Gibbs-White down to a new contract.

That is despite the fact Tottenham Hotspur had agreed a £60m deal to sign the England international, with Marinakis ultimately convincing the 25-year-old to renew his deal, before saying: “We are very happy about it. We share the same dreams and he is a talented player. He loves Nottingham Forest and has become a legend already.

“It didn’t take long to reach an agreement with Morgan – it was a very short conversation full of passion and love for the club. All of our supporters should know that this guy loves the club.”

However, a different player isn’t quite as happy to have remained at The City Ground, according to a report from GiveMeSport, which states Jota Silva is now desperate to quit, after a move to Sporting CP collapsed at the last minute.

Jota is now exploring a move to a club from Saudi Arabia or Turkey, given that their transfer windows remain open, and a pundit has blamed Marinakis for the Sporting deal failing to go through.

Speaking on CNN Portugal, journalist Bruno Andrade said: “There are many people you could blame, but especially Marinakis. He delayed the negotiations until the very last minute. In my view, the main reason was that he tried to push for a permanent deal in the final days. He eventually compromised for a loan with a purchase option, but by then he was already annoyed.”

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Forest are set to complete a deadline day move for a defender.

ByDominic Lund Sep 1, 2025 Forest should cash-in on Jota in post-deadline deal

It is clear to see why the Portuguese winger is frustrated by the deal collapsing, given that joining Sporting CP was regarded as a dream move, but it is good news that he could be keen on a move to Turkey or Saudi Arabia.

There is no reason for Nuno to keep hold of a wantaway player, particularly one who has fallen down the pecking order at The City Ground, with the two-time Portugal international appearing for just 11 minutes so far this season.

The 26-year-old, who is thought to have cost around £6m, was also largely utilised as a substitute in the 2024-25 campaign, so it would make sense for Forest to cash-in, having secured the signings of Dilane Bakwa, Dan Ndoye and Omari Hutchinson this summer.

Having once been described as a “maverick” by former scout Mick Brown, Jota clearly has talent, but a move to Sporting CP would’ve made sense for all parties, given Bakwa’s deadline day arrival, so it is frustrating that a deal did not transpire.