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Nottingham Forest’s deadline day is well underway, with the club wasting no time in making various key additions to the squad.

The club have already agreed a €15m (£12.6m) deal with Benfica for centre-back Morato, whilst also reaching an agreement to sign midfielder James Ward-Prowse on a season-long loan from West Ham United.

It’s not the first time the Reds have been linked with a move to sign the Brazilian defender, with the club targeting a move for the 23-year-old last summer, but were eventually priced out of a move.

As for Ward-Prowse, his loan move could be a great deal, providing injury cover for Danilo, whilst bringing excellent set-piece quality to help aid Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in attacking areas.

However, despite the recent flurry of activity, more incomings are expected at the City Ground before tonight’s deadline, highlighting the ambition of owner Evangelos Marinakis.

A deal for one player seems to be heading in the right direction, potentially taking the Reds’ deadline-day incomings to three.

Nottingham Forest closing in on deal for exciting talent

According to German outlet BILD, Nottingham Forest are edging closer to a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush before the 11pm deadline.

It was confirmed yesterday that the club had made a third bid for the Egyptian forward, with the Bundesliga outfit holding out for €30m (£25m) to part ways with the talent who scored 17 goals in all competitions last season.

The latest report from BILD claims that ‘concrete negotiations are underway’ over a move for Marmoush, with the 25-year-old wanting a move to the Premier League this summer.

The Reds have been hunting for a striker in the last couple of weeks, with Eddie Nketiah and Santiago Gimenez both on their shortlist, but it appears Marmoush could be the chosen one, potentially forming an excellent partnership with one of the other new additions.

Why Marmoush would be deadly with Ward-Prowse

As previously mentioned, Ward-Prowse is edging closer to a move to the City Ground, with the 29-year-old set for a medical later on this afternoon.

He could be a brilliant piece of business on a temporary deal, bolstering the club’s midfield department, whilst also providing ammunition to the forward line.

The former Southampton ace registered eight assists in the Premier League last season, with his set-piece delivery falling into the hands of the attackers – none more so than potential new addition Marmoush.

Ward-Prowse is a superb option in possession, completing 83% of the passes he attempted in the Premier League last season, with an average of 4.3 progressive passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to play the ball into forward areas, handing the Egyptian with a plethora of opportunities in front of goal.

Games played

37

Goals + assists

15

Pass accuracy

83%

Progressive passes

4.3

Passes into final third

4.1

Crosses completed

5.7

Key passes completed

1.9

He’s also averaged 5.7 completed crosses per 90 alongside 1.9 key passes, further demonstrating his talents at providing chances to the forward line, allowing Marmoush to have the best chance of being a success on Trentside.

The deal for the Frankfurt talent could finally spell the end of the club’s hunt for a new talisman, with the 25-year-old having the ability to add that needed cutting edge to Nuno’s frontline.

It may be another expensive addition at around the £25m mark, but he would provide that top-level forward that the Reds have been searching for – further boosting Forest’s chances of pulling clear of any relegation battle during the 2024/25 campaign.

Gibbs-White 2.0: Nottingham Forest hold talks over D-day move for PL star

The Reds are known for having a frantic deadline day.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 30, 2024

Zazai’s 77 gave Zalmi’s middle-order enough of a buffer to see off a tricky chase

Danyal Rasool21-Jun-2021The Karachi Kings batted first, setting the Peshawar Zalmi a chase of 176, a target that Hazratullah Zazai seemed to made a mockery of in the first ten overs. That sounds like the match report from this game a week ago; it’s just that Zazai has followed up that astonishing 26-ball 63 with an even more explosive innings – 77 in 37 balls, and set the Zalmi up comfortably, and even though they made it look harder than they needed to, there was enough of a buffer to get them over the line in the end.The Zalmi might not have expected to chase such a steep total after they kept a lid on the Kings for much of the first innings. Mohammad Irfan, the 39-year-old, was disciplined during his quota of four overs, allowing just 21 runs, exactly as many as he did in that game last week. This time, however, he was also more incisive, picking up the wickets of Sharjeel Khan and Danish Aziz as the Zalmi chipped away at the power-hitters around Babar Azam, who could do little more than anchor an innings that was going awry.When Wahab Riaz accounted for him, Azam had scored another half-century, but his rate of accumulation continued to be a concern, especially when the big-hitters don’t come off. Thisara Perera ameliorated that somewhat with an entertaining cameo, taking apart spinner Khalid Usman in an innings where he struck at over 200. But there was limited support; Riaz returned to clean up Chadwick Walton before he could get going, and even though the final five overs yielded 70, there was always the sense that the Kings had left themselves too much to do in the second innings.Zazai was striking with such devastating power that Kamran Akmal, and later Imam-ul-Haq, were simply content to turn the strike over to him and enjoy the fireworks from the best seat in the house. The Kings looked especially out of ideas while Zazai was on strike, but Imam struggled to take any pressure off his partner, scoring just 11 off the 17 he faced. When Zazai holed out, there was a concern that the 73 they still needed would prove tricky.Which is exactly what happened. Shoaib Malik steadied things through a mature 52-run stand with Khalid Usman, but they hadn’t quite got on top of the asking rate, even if they were never behind in the game. In the final over, Sherfane Rutherford decided to attack every delivery as if they needed to chase 27 instead of seven, but woeful fielding by the Kings helped the Zalmi. Rutherford was dropped off the first and fifth balls of the 20th over, and the team in yellow stayed alive in the tournament.Zazai sends Karachi Kings bowlers ducking for cover
The first five overs of the chase saw five different Kings bowlers, and who can blame them? With Zazai at the crease and in that sort of mood, few would like have wanted the ball in their hands, especially after he smashed their best bowler, Mohammad Amir, for a disdainful six the first ball he faced off him. That over went for 14 and Wasim promptly took himself out of the attack. Mohammad Ilyas and Arshad Iqbal bowled the next two, and after the spanking they got, it was left to poor teenager Noor Ahmad to send down the fifth.He ended up getting rid of Akmal, but Zazai had only just begun. Wasim didn’t come on until after the powerplay, but still went for two fours and a six at Zazai’s hands, and even Ahmad wasn’t spared as Zazai brought up a 23-ball half-century. The ball pinging off his bat sounded like gunshots going off, and every blow drove one more nail into the Kings’ coffin. By the time he was done, he had seared through most of the target; Malik and the rest read out the last rites.Death-overs woe
The Zalmi dominated the first innings, and yet when the two sides walked off the field at the halfway mark, their body language was dejected and downcast, while the Kings’ batters strode off with grins on their faces. The dynamic of the contest had shifted after the first 15 overs, during which the Zalmi almost had things going their own way. The Kings had only succeeded in hobbling to 105, having just lost Azam Khan, who struggled to move through the gears in a stuttering 45-ball 53.One notable exception: Thisara Perera. The Sri Lankan left-hander loves left-arm spin coming into him, and that was just what Usman provided. Two fours were followed by two sixes off Usman’s final four balls as Perera plundered 22 off the over, and the shackles were broken thereafter. He made 37 off 18. Wasim took the baton and ran with it, clobbering Asif for 18 off the penultimate over. By the end, the Kings had somehow found their way to 175. At that stage, it seemed as if it might be enough, and but for Zazai, it might have been.Where they stand
The Kings, the defending champions, are eliminated, while the Zalmi will vie for a spot in the final with the Islamabad United on Tuesday. The winners of that game face the Multan Sultans in the final.

How much do the Red Devils players earn annually and who receives the most into their account?

Manchester United might not be among the big guns in England and Europe anymore as they haven't won the league since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, but they remain one of the most economically-strong clubs on the continent.

The prestige that the club holds, coupled with the size of their brand, ensures that they remain wealthy despite the on-field struggles and lack of major success in the past decade. Plus, the part-acquisition by INEOS head Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ensured that the club remains stable financially.

The club's ability to afford players with high transfer fees and substantial wages can be attributed to its diverse and robust revenue streams, which include lucrative sponsorship deals, strong merchandising sales, remarkable ticketing income, and significant television revenue.

But who is the highest earner at Manchester United this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

*

GettyGoalkeepers

Andre Onana was signed in 2023 from Ajax as the long-term successor to David de Gea and immediately became the club's highest-paid custodian. Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was also brought in during the same transfer window. Meanwhile, 38-year-old Tom Heaton, who is in the final year of his contract, earns less than Onana, but still more than Bayindir.

Name Salary

Andre Onana£6,240,000Tom Heaton£2,340,000Altay Bayindir£1,820,000AdvertisementAFPDefenders

Matthijs de Ligt is United's best-paid defender, and the only one to earn over £10 million annually. Following him on the list are England internationals Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

On the other hand, Leny Yoro is surprisingly high up the list of the highest-earning defenders at United, given that he was only signed last summer and turned 19 in November.

Understandably, veteran centre-back Jonny Evans is the lowest-paid defender on the Red Devils payroll.

Name Salary

Matthijs de Ligt£10,140,000Harry Maguire£9,880,000Luke Shaw£7,800,000Noussair Mazraoui£7,020,000Lisandro Martinez£6,240,000Victor Lindelof£6,240,000Leny Yoro£5,980,000Diogo Dalot£4,420,000Tyrell Malacia£3,920,000Jonny Evans£3,380,000Getty Images SportMidfielders

The United faithful may feel uneasy upon discovering that Casemiro is actually the club's highest-paid player, not just the highest-paid midfielder, earning over £18m annually. Next in line is captain Bruno Fernandes, with United fans hoping he will remain at the club for the long term.

Arguably, two players who are not being compensated in line with their performances are Mason Mount, the third-highest earning midfielder, and Kobbie Mainoo, who ranks third from the bottom on the pay list as far as midfielders are concerned.

Name Salary

Casemiro£18,200,000Bruno Fernandes£15,600,000Mason Mount£13,000,000Christian Eriksen£7,800,000Manuel Ugarte£6,240,000Kobbie Mainoo£1,040,000Daniel Gore£260,000Toby Collyer£260,000ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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(C)Getty ImagesAttackers

After putting pen to paper on a new deal in 2023, Rashford became the joint-second highest earning member of the squad, and the highest-paid forward.

Behind him is Antony, the other forward besides Rashford to earn in double digits every year. However, it would be fair to say that he has justified neither his price tag nor his wages two-an-a-half seasons after arriving from the Eredivisie.

Strikers Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are next on the list of the best-paid forwards, with the list rounded out by young sensations Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo.

Name Salary

Marcus Rashford£15,600,000Antony£10,400,000Joshua Zirkzee£5,460,000Rasmus Hojlund£4,420,000Alejandro Garnacho£2,600,000Amad Diallo£1,500,000

Newcastle United didn't quite hit the mark last season, but mitigating circumstances made it rather hard for Eddie Howe to replicate the feats of the year before.

A seventh-place Premier League finish might've been enough for a place in the Conference League, but Manchester United defeated their city rivals in the FA Cup final and swiped the Magpies' silver.

A frustrating transfer window followed, but the significance of keeping a hold of the top assets cannot be understated. There was interest in Alexander Isak, but he remains at St. James' Park.

Why keeping Alexander Isak was so important

Two years ago, Isak joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in a club-record signing worth £63m. He endured something of an injury-hit debut campaign but still scored ten goals from just 17 Premier League starts.

1.

Erling Haaland

31

27

2.

Cole Palmer

33

22

3.

Alexander Isak

30

21

5.

Phil Foden

35

19

5.

Ollie Watkins

37

19

5.

Dominic Solanke

38

19

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 14% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored, the top 16% for pass completion and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, so it's clear to see why he's so well regarded. Indeed, according to CIES Football Observatory's player valuation model, he's valued at £82m currently.

Fabrizio Romano said that he was "untouchable" during the off-season despite a glut of proposals and sniffing around from high-profile suitors, and it's looking like the right decision, for he will be the catalyst to fire Newcastle back into continental competition.

He's extremely prolific – one of the best marksmen in Europe, in fact. However, there's a former Magpies flop who's actually proved to be more clinical than the Swedish sensation.

Joselu's even more clinical than Isak

We're talking about Joselu, who's enjoyed quite the career resurgence since departing St. James' Park way back when. The Spanish striker won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid in May before winning the 2024 European Championship with his nation, defeating England in the final.

Newcastle signed Joselu from Stoke City for £5m in 2017, with Rafa Benitez welcoming his countryman after a middling spell with the Potters that saw him post four goals and three assists over 24 matches.

The nomadic centre-forward, however, flattered to deceive on Tyneside, flopping like a seal and scoring four times across 30 outings, fading into the background after an impressive start – especially so on home turf.

The 34-year-old's second campaign with Newcastle and final year in England proved disastrous, with Joselu notching two goals over the first three games but slumping thereafter, featuring only a few times across the latter half of the season.

It was no surprise when he was sold to Deportivo Alaves for just £2m in 2019. His potent career back in his homeland since has indeed seen him become an unlikely hero for Los Blancos after a prolific few years with Espanyol, scoring 17 goals for Real Madrid last year and notably netting both goals as his side dramatically defeated Bayern Munich in the semi-final of the Champions League.

His exploits have seen him earn a lucrative late-career transfer to Qatar, but according to FBref, the 6 foot 3 ace still ranks among the top 4% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, at a rate of 0.71.

Isak has bagged at a rate of 0.74 when taking penalties into consideration, but only 0.56 without, speaking highly of Joselu's ball-striking ability.

The older the violin, the sweeter the music. It's a shame that Newcastle couldn't get him playing to their tune.

Newcastle struck gold on Sir Bobby signing who's now worth as much as Guehi

Bobby Robson struck gold on a former Newcastle star

1 ByRoss Kilvington Sep 10, 2024

Barcelona have reportedly taken Lille and Canada star Jonathan David off their list of potential options to replace the ageing Robert Lewandowski.

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Barcelona looking for Lewandowski replacementsDavid 'dreams' of playing for the Catalan giantsBarcelona remove David from their shortlistFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona are looking for a successor to ageing striker Robert Lewandowski who will turn 37 next summer. The Catalans have been drawing up a list of potential successors with Lille's David on the list alongside the likes of Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.

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However, Barcelona have now taken David off their list as they believe that the Canadian striker is not the right profile for Hansi Flick's current side, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Catalans had been interested in David after he revealed that playing for Barcelona was his "dream."

AFPWHAT DAVID SAID

During an interview in November, David said: “[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it’s a dream to play for them.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA

The Catalan side are now likely to look elsewhere but any moves will have to wait until the summer transfer window as they prioritise the registration of Dani Olmo currently.

Although last season may not have gone entirely according to plan, and this year hasn't exactly started perfectly either, you cannot deny that Tottenham Hotspur are now one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Premier League.

The arrival of Ange Postecoglou last summer has completely transformed the way the team approaches matches. Instead of boring their fans to tears like they did at times under their three previous managers, they now attack with gusto at every opportunity.

Now, does this sometimes result in the other side scoring a goal? Yes, often. However, it's become crystal clear over the last year or so that the Australian will not be changing his ways just because a pundit who hasn't played for 30 years thinks he's being naive.

That said, for as talented as some of the Lilywhites' attackers are, they can sometimes be rather wasteful in front of goal. Of the players at the club last season, all but Son Heung-min were outperformed by a youngster sold by Daniel Levy and Co, whose valuation has since soared 166%.

Spurs' attackers in 23/24

So, let's start with Son Heung-min, who was Spurs' most effective attacker by quite some way last season.

Despite being constantly moved between the left-wing and centre-forward positions, the South Korean superstar still racked up a seriously impressive haul of 17 goals and ten assists in just 36 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.33 games.

Behind the captain, and by quite some way at that, we have Richarlison, who managed to somewhat make up for his dismal debut campaign with the club by scoring 12 goals – including a screamer against his old side – and providing four assists in 31 matches, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.93 games.

Just behind the Brazilian, we have a summer signing in Brennan Johnson, who joined the Lilywhites from Nottingham Forest for a hefty fee of around £47.5m.

The Welshman started the season slowly and, as a result, caught some flak from pundits and fans alike. However, he eventually got to grips with Postecoglou's system and ended the campaign with five goals and ten assists in 34 appearances, which equates to a reasonable average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games.

Now, while Johnson nor Richarlison were on a level comparable to Son, they both contributed to the North Londoners' attack reasonably well and could be set to take another step forward this year, but a former Spurs youngster sold just a couple of years ago is now back in the top-flight, and he comfortably outperformed the pair of them in 23/24.

Jack Clarke's 23/24

Yes, the player in question is Jack Clarke, who, after being signed by Tottenham for around £8.5m in 2019, spent the next few years on fairly mediocre loan spells with Leeds United, Queens Park Rangers, and Stoke City before spending six months with Sunderland in the latter half of the 21/22 season, who then snapped him up in July 2022.

Now, there is some confusion as to how much the Black Cats paid for the York-born dynamo, but it seems that he was sold for just £750k. However, the North Londoners did insert a hefty sell-on clause that would have netted them a not insignificant amount of money when Ipswich Town splashed an initial £15m on Clarke this summer.

The fee paid by the Tractor Boys means that the Englishman's value has shot up 1900% since Spurs sold him, and while that sounds like a lot, it's quite justified.

For example, in just 42 appearances last season, the "unplayable" ace, as dubbed by pundit Alan Clarke, scored 15 goals and provided four assists, meaning that he averaged a goal involvement every 2.21 games from left midfield and left wing, which would have made him the second most productive player at Spurs.

Appearances

42

36

31

34

Goals

15

17

12

5

Assists

4

10

4

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

0.75

0.51

0.44

Now, the caveat here is that his level of opposition in the second tier is obviously inferior, but the difference isn't as significant as it once was, and while he might not have been able to produce the same numbers in the Premier League, the thought of him playing under Postecoglou is an exciting one.

Ultimately, considering the money they received from his move to Ipswich and the difficulty he had breaking into the first team, Spurs may well have made the correct decision when they sold him two years ago, but should he kick on in Norfolk this season, Levy could have some explaining to do.

It's great news for Romero: Big injury blow occurs ahead of Spurs v Arsenal

Cristian Romero’s task has been made easier ahead of the north London derby.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 11, 2024

Deepti’s three-wicket haul in the first innings helped bowl England out for 219 in the third ODI

Annesha Ghosh03-Jul-2021India clinched a four-wicket win in the final over of the rain-curtailed third ODI of the multi-format series against England in Worcester courtesy Mithali Raj’s unbeaten 75, Smriti Mandhana’s 49 and Sneh Rana’s cameo, after Deepti Sharma’s three-for helped bowl the hosts out for 219.Needing six of the final over, Raj, who earlier in the day became the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket surpassing Charlotte Edwards, hit the winning four after she and No. 8 Jhulan Goswami scored two off the first two deliveries. Piercing the off side with a square drive off Katherine Brunt, Raj helped overhaul the 220 target with three balls to spare, becoming the most successful captain in women’s ODIs with an 84th win in the format leading the side.India needed 38 off the last 30 balls in the 47-overs-a-side contest, with Raj and Rana in the middle. No. 7 Rana, making a vital 22-ball 24, kept Raj company as the duo accelerated with two fours in a 12-run 44th over, delivered by Natalie Sciver.Related

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Brunt conceded six singles in the next over, leaving India 14 to get off the final 12 balls. With Sciver taken off the attack, Sophie Ecclestone, bowling her 10th over having given away just 28 up to that point, was hoicked for four by Rana off the fourth ball just inches past Kate Cross at the midwicket rope. However, with four runs coming in the over – off two singles and a two prior to that boundary – and the equation down to six required off eight, Rana’s failed attempt to go big over deep square saw her being bowled.Raj, though, ensured the chase was sealed without any further drama, her third straight fifty helping India add two points to take their tally to four against England’s six, the teams having split the four points on offer for the one-off Test in Bristol last month.Playing her usual anchor role at No. 4, Raj struck eight fours, pivoting fifty stands with No. 5 Harmanpreet Kaur and Rana, and a 33-run fifth-wicket stand with Sharma. Veering from her typical reluctance to take the aerial route, though, Raj lofted Cross off just the fourth ball of her innings. Exuding similar intent, she unleashed a second pick-up drive en route to 16 off 32 balls, the shot – a four down the ground off Sciver in the 24th over of the run-chase – lifting her to the top of the run charts in women’s international cricket.Though India started their pursuit promisingly, Raj’s arrival at the crease came about after the visitors lost opener Shafali Verma and No. 3 Jemimah Rodrigues inside 16 overs with 154 still required to avert a 0-3 clean sweep in the ODI leg of the tour.Verma’s laboured 29-ball 19 culminated in her trying to clear Cross over the in-field on the off side, instead spooning it to Knight at cover, off the last ball of the reduced nine-over powerplay. India scored 46 for 1 in that period, Mandhana making 25 of that tally at a run a ball.Rodrigues chewed up 21 balls for her four runs on the day, half her tally from her previous innings. She had two lbw dismissals – off Ecclestone – overturned by the DRS. Following the second instance, though, she chopped on the very next delivery while trying to cut crouching low.By the time Rodrigues fell, Mandhana had marched to 40 off 45 balls, riding on an eye-pleasing array of drives, cuts to the third rope, short-arm swipes, and full-blooded pulls. A failed swipe off legspinner Sarah Glenn, however, cut short her innings as she was adjudged lbw one shy of a fifty.The departure of Kaur, who, too, was given out lbw, was in part down to India not reviewing the umpire’s call. Struck on her pad trying to reverse-sweep Knight, replays showed the impact to have been outside off. Raj was at the non-striker’s end at the time.Deepti Sharma and India celebrate the wicket of Amy Jones•Getty ImagesEarlier, Sciver’s 49 and Heather Knight’s 46 headlined England’s performance with the bat. No. 11 Cross’s unbeaten 9-ball 16 somewhat rained down on India’s parade after their six-bowler attack, each of whom picked up at least a wicket, threatened to restrict the hosts to a less formidable score.Seamer Shikha Pandey made early inroads after India opted to bowl at New Road following a rain delay of over an hour and half. Opener Tammy Beaumont, playing across the line to an incoming delivery from outside the off stump that also kept low, was trapped in front in the second over.Conditions remained overcast and a touch windy as Lauren Winfield-Hill and Knight, who took her 50th ODI wicket in Kaur and reached the 3000-ODI-runs milestone on the day, steadied England after the in-form Beaumont’s departure. The duck was Beaumont’s her first scoreless innings in ODIs since November 2016 and fourth overall in the format.After surviving a soft lbw appeal in the first over and later a stumping opportunity off a wide ball in the third over – both off Goswami – Winfield-Hill carted Pandey for three fours in the eighth over, the costliest in the innings, clubbing drives square of the wicket and down the ground.Raj introduced a double change after the completion of the powerplay that saw England make 44 for 1. Sharma and Poonam Yadav’s spin replaced the pace of the Goswami-Pandey tandem and gave away 23 runs for a combined seven overs leading up to the 17th.In Knight’s company, Winfield-Hill brought up the team fifty in the 13th over and strung together a second-wicket partnership worth 67. Rana’s introduction as the third spinner, though, saw Winfield-Hill, reprieved on 24, sweep down Pandey’s throat at deep midwicket for 36 as India’s tactful field placements bore fruit.Knight then steered the rebuild, helped in no small part by Sciver’s brisk scoring. Sciver’s belligerence forced Pandey’s second spell to last only one over as Raj turned to spin again. It took Kaur five balls to break the 42-run third-wicket stand as she forced a rare mistake from Knight, who swept hard only to find Pandey at midwicket.Sciver scored nearly at a-run-a-ball for the most part of her stay. Goswami then returned for her second spell, having gone for just 15 of her five-over first spell. By keeping a tight leash on the scoring, commendably supported by Yadav and Sharma for the most part, she stopped England from scoring a boundary between overs 28 and 43.Amy Jones, playing her 50th ODI, fell victim to the mounting pressure. Coming down the track, cramped for space, she swung half-heartedly, at a loopy Sharma delivery only for substitute Radha Yadav, on for Kaur, to gobble it up at short midwicket.Kaur took at least two trips off the field, limping in the second of those instances after having jagged her knee into the ground while fielding, and was kept company by the physio in the Indian dugout for some time. She returned 1 for 24 in her three overs.While Sophia Dunkley kept the scoreboard ticking with her laps and scoops, Poonam’s googly had her partner Katherine Brunt stumped in the 41st over. Dunkley, coming off unbeaten scores of 74 and 73 in her last two innings, added 14 and 15 with Brunt and No. 9 Sophie Ecclestone respectively before Goswami had Ecclestone pinged on her front pad.Dunkley’s 35-ball 28 ended with Sharma picking up her third wicket as the ball took the leg stump in the 45th over. A tenth-wicket 13-ball 22 stand between Cross and Glenn then injected some final-overs impetus in England’s innings, with Cross hitting 4, 6, 2, 1 off Sharma’s 10th, and the innings’, last over.

The former India seamer had been part of Mumbai’s title-winning campaigns in 2015 and 2017

PTI29-Jul-2021Former India pacer Vinay Kumar has been appointed talent scout of the reigning IPL champions Mumbai Indians.Kumar will join former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel in the role. Kumar played one Test match, 31 ODIs and nine T20Is before announcing his retirement in February earlier this year.In a first-class career spanning 17 years, Kumar led Karnataka to two Ranji Trophy titles and was also part of Mumbai’s winning campaigns, in 2015 and 2017.Related

Vinay Kumar retires from first-class and international cricket

Mumbai rope in Parthiv Patel as talent scout

Kumar will work closely with the Mumbai management and coaching staff, according to a statement from the five-time IPL champions.”Mumbai Indians is established on strong fundamentals of discovering talent and belief in nurturing youth. I am confident Vinay will add value to our ideology and scouting strength,” Akash Ambani, the Mumbai Indians owner, said.”Mumbai Indians strives for excellence in every aspect of the game, and scouting talents is undoubtedly their key strength,” Kumar said. “It’s a new chapter and personally, I reckon it as an opportunity for me to give back to cricket.”

The 33-year-old left the MLS side after five seasons, returning to Mexico for an undisclosed fee

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SKC transfer Alan Pulido to ChivasUndisclosed fee, speculated to be $1.5MDeparts MLS side after 5 seasonsGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

Sporting Kansas City have transferred Designated Player Alan Pulido to Liga MX side Chivas Guadalajara for an undisclosed fee, speculated to be around $1.5M. The 33-year-old departs KC after five seasons, where he scored 38 goals while recording 19 assists across 108 appearances in all competitions.

In 2022, the Mexican missed the entire campaign due to injury, prompting him to return to the pitch in 2023 that ultimately saw him earn the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award. SKC now have a coveted DP slot open.

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In 2023, Pulido was signed to a contract extension with the Western Conference side through the 2026 season, prompting Chivas to pay a reportedly hefty fee for the 33-year-old Mexico international.

Pulido has not represented his country since 2021 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he registered four appearances. From 2014-21, the striker made 20 appearances for his nation, scoring five goals.

Sporting will now look to fill the striker position ahead of the 2025 campaign with a new signing.

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Pulido was Sporting's most expensive earner in 2024 at $3,866,667.00 in guaranteed compensation, with their second-highest being $2M less than the Mexican striker. With the sale, it will allow for both flexibility and versatility in building out their roster for 2025.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR SPORTING AND PULIDO?

The 33-year-old striker could make his debut for the Liga MX side on Jan. 11 when they take on Santos Laguna in the Clausura Round 1, making their 2025 debut. Sporting, meanwhile, report for preseason over the next week.

Chelsea centre-forward Nicolas Jackson continued his impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign with two goals against West Ham United on Saturday. The Senegal international, who scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, has produced four goals and two assists in five league matches for the Blues this term.

He looks to be undroppable on current form due to his sublime output in the final third, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, and Cole Palmer providing him with quality service.

However, the former Villarreal star’s superb goalscoring start to the season has not stopped the club from eyeing up a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Latest Chelsea transfer news

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are planning to add another centre-forward to Enzo Maresca’s squad after the turn of the year, despite Jackson’s form.

The report claims that the club are in contact with Victor Osimhen’s agent and are considering a move for the Nigeria international, who is currently on loan with Galatasaray in Turkey, but are also eyeing up an alternative option instead. Indeed, the Blues are interested in signing Sporting sensation Viktor Gyokeres as an alternative to the Napoli loanee in January.

The outlet reveals that the Sweden international, who has a €100m (£84m) release clause in his contract, is on their wish list of striker targets and is being monitored closely by the club, as he continues to shine in Portugal. The report believes the Blues could well make a serious move for the former Coventry star if they do not go through with a move for Osimhen.

It remains to be seen, though, whether or not Chelsea would be prepared to pay the former Coventry star’s £84m release clause, or if they would look to negotiate a lower fee.

Why Chelsea should sign Gyokeres instead of Osimhen

Viktor or Victor is the question for the Blues ahead of the January transfer window and there is a genuine case for the Swedish version to be the smart choice. The 26-year-old star already has experience in England, with Brighton, Swansea, and Coventry, and may not need as much time to adapt to the physicality of English football, as well as living in the country.

Gyokeres’ form for Sporting also suggests that the potential is there for him to be a better option than Osimhen. He has already racked up a staggering ten goals in six league games this season, compared to the Nigerian forward’s zero goals in two league outings.

Appearances

33

25

xG

22.71

15.40

Goals

29

15

Big chances created

11

5

Assists

10

3

As you can see in the table above, an end product monster, he also outperformed the Napoli man at league level during the 2023/24 campaign, with 14 more goals and seven more assists.

Whilst it is difficult to gauge the difference in quality between the Portuguese and Italian top-flights, these statistics do show that the £84m-rated star has been in prolific form and would arrive high on confidence, whereas Osimhen is still looking for his first goal of the campaign.

Therefore, Gyokeres, who was once described as “unplayable” by former teammate Maxime Biamou, could be an exciting and lethal addition to Maresca’s squad.

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