Category Uncategorized

Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of a defender, having stepped up their interest in recent weeks, but there may be competition for his signature from one of their London rivals, according to a report.

Blues keen to strengthen in defence

The Blues have set their sights on multiple defenders ahead of the summer transfer window, with Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca now emerging as a target, having held talks over a deal for the Brazilian in recent days.

On the opposite side of the backline, Enzo Maresca’s side could look to bring in Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin, having started to work on a deal, though there is set to be stiff competition for his signature from a number of Premier League clubs.

Maresca is clearly keen to bolster his options at full-back, and the manager is also driving a move for Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who could be brought in as a replacement for Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea "doing work" on signing "top-class" £20m ex-Tottenham player

The west Londoners are now interested.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 8, 2025

Signing a new goalkeeper may be an important task this summer given the catalogue of errors Sanchez has made this season, but there is also a desire to strengthen in the centre-back department.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of Feyenoord’s David Hancko, having stepped up their interest in the centre-back over the past few weeks.

However, there may be competition for Hancko’s signature, with Tottenham ramping up their interest of late, while Atlético Madrid and Juventus are also named as potential suitors – and he is said to be enticed by the idea of joining the Italian club.

Feyenoord would be willing to sanction the defender’s departure for £42m this summer, making him a relatively affordable option should the Blues choose to formalise their interest in the summer.

"Freak technician" Hancko could be a solid signing

The Feyenoord star has received high praise from freelance scout Ben Mattinson, who has lauded him for his ability to drive the ball forward from defence.

The former Sparta Prague man’s attacking ability is underlined by his impressive goal and assist record in the league over the past five seasons.

Season	League appearances	Goals	Assists
2020-21	24	5	2
2021-22	30	7	5
2022-23	34	2	4
2023-24	34	5	2
2024-25	23	3	2

Journalist Diederik de Groot has also described the Slovakia international as the “best defender” he’s ever seen at Feyenoord, and he has been in impressive form this season, emerging as one of the most consistent performers in the squad.

Hancko has certainly earned the chance to prove himself in the Premier League, and a £42m fee seems reasonable, so Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances before potentially launching a bid in the summer.

It’s been a rough month for Ipswich Town.

Since their win over Coventry City in the FA Cup, Kieran McKenna’s side have failed to win again in five outings, four of which were in the Premier League.

If the Tractor Boys are going to pull themselves out of the relegation zone over the coming weeks, they’ll have to seriously step their performances up, and this afternoon’s game against Nottingham Forest could be the perfect opportunity to do so.

That said, the manager is going to have to make several changes to the starting lineup, changes that see Jaden Philogene drop to the bench.

Why Philogene should be dropped

Truthfully, you could argue why several of Ipswich’s starters against Crystal Palace should be dropped, but when it comes to the attack, Liam Delap is undoubtedly the team’s most dangerous player, and Jack Clarke appears to be slowly growing into his role.

So, unfortunately for Philogene, that leaves him as the most likely to be dropped from the lineup, and given his lacklustre display against the Eagles, he probably should be axed.

The former Aston Villa ace was wholly ineffective against the South Londoners, and the few times he did have the chance to influence the game, he was found lacking.

Unsurprisingly, the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones was equally unimpressed with the “ridiculous” Englishman, as dubbed by ex-Hull boss Liam Rosenior, giving him a 5/10 match rating and writing that it felt like he ‘hardly had any time in possession’.

The 23-year-old’s statistics do not make for pretty reading either, as in his 67 minutes of action he failed to score from an expected goals figure of 0.65, took just 22 touches, had a pass completion of just 57%, failed in 100% of his dribbles, missed two big chances, lost four of six ground duels and lost the ball six times.

Minutes

67′

Expected Goals

0.65

Goals

0

Big Chances Missed

2

Touches

22

Passing Accuracy

4/7 (57%)

Key Passes

1

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (2)

Lost Possession

6

It was a performance to forget from the talented winger and one that should see him replaced for today’s clash.

The Ipswich star who should replace Philogene

Given the injuries McKenna has to contend with and the lacklustre form of several other attacking options, the most likely and best choice to come in for Philogene this afternoon is Omari Hutchinson.

The former Chelsea ace came off the bench against Palace after missing the FA Cup defeat to Forest with a knee injury but will more than likely be fit enough to play from the first whistle today, which will be a big boost.

The Englishman has primarily played down the middle this term but has made five appearances off the right, so he should have no problem stepping in for the former Villa gem.

Moreover, while the “superb” talent, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, hasn’t exactly been prolific this season, he’s been solid, amassing a tally of three goals and two assists in 26 league appearances, and two of those goal involvements have come in the last four outings.

Moreover, the 21-year-old has shown us that he can rise to the occasion and produce something quite spectacular, as he did when scoring his long-range effort at home to Manchester United last year.

Ultimately, there is no surefire way to get Ipswich back on track against Forest this afternoon, but with Philogene failing to take his chances last week, dropping him for Hutchinson seems like a positive step.

Forget Tuanzebe: McKenna can axe Godfrey by unleashing Ipswich "warrior"

Kieran McKenna will hope this Ipswich Town star can replace Axel Tuanzebe effectively.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 8, 2025

Manchester United are now closely monitoring an “unbelievable” top flight forward who could cost as little as £42 million, according to a new report.

Man Utd eye new forwards as Zirkzee and Hojlund struggles continue

The Red Devils are expected to enter the transfer market for several key positions this summer, but none more important than a new striker. Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg reported last week that United have a number of centre-forward targets across Europe they are looking at, as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggle in front of goal.

Amorim can finally axe Casemiro for Man Utd's 19-year-old academy "beast"

Man Utd could have a gem on their hands

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 24, 2025

One player who has emerged on their list ahead of the summer is AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, with Africa Foot reporting that the Premier League giants have made signing the versatile winger one of their priorities. United have allegedly already held talks with the Cherries over a potential deal at the end of the campaign.

It appears as though those talks have gone well, as the report adds that United are ready to make a bid worth £33.5 million to sign Semenyo. The 25-year-old has had a very productive season for Bournemouth, scoring seven goals and registering four assists in 28 league games, and his ability to play out wide will also be an added bonus to Ruben Amorim.

Amorim also working on move for Semenyo's Bournemouth teammate

But Semenyo is not the only Bournemouth attacker on United’s radar, as according to Caught Offside, Man United have added Justin Kluivert to their transfer wishlist as an alternative option for the centre-forward position or wide role.

The report states that the Red Devils have been keeping a close eye on the Bournemouth attacker for a while now, as the Dutchman has been very impressive this season. United are not alone in their pursuit of Kluivert, as Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham are also interested in a potential deal, but it is claimed that Amorim has ‘already started working’ on his forward moves.

The Cherries are believed to be looking to get around €50-55 million (£42-46 million) for Kluivert, who was lauded as “unbelievable” by members of the press last month.

Kluivert, for his part, is said to be open to leaving Bournemouth if he receives an offer from a big Premier League team, and his suitors think his price tag is ‘reasonable’.

Apps

28

Starts

24

Goals

12

xG

9.62

Shots per game

2.0

Conversion rate

21%

Assists

6

xAG

3.19

Big chances created

6

Kluivert’s potential arrival at Old Trafford could see him be the replacement for Marcus Rashford, who is out on loan at Aston Villa currently and looks likely to leave United as they weigh up the idea of cashing in on him, which will help them bring in new players during the summer.

The 25-year-old has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season, and his ability to play out wide or as a number 10 is ideal for Amorim, as he looks to add more versatility to his squad.

Essex and England legend calls time on 20-year playing career

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-20232:25

Miller: Alastair Cook’s career ‘hewn from granite’

Alastair Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer and one of the foremost batters of his generation, has announced his retirement from the professional game.Speculation had swirled around the final rounds of this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship that Cook, 38, could be set to call time on his playing career. Essex played down the reports, with the club still in contention for the Division One title, saying Cook would sit down to discuss his future at the end of the season – but the former England captain has now confirmed his decision.”Today I am announcing my retirement and the end of my career as a professional cricketer,” Cook said in a statement on the Essex website.”It is not easy to say goodbye. For more than two decades, cricket has been so much more than my job. It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed I would go, be part of teams that have achieved things I would never have thought possible and, most importantly, created deep friendships that will last a lifetime.”From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under 11s to now, I end with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Although above all, I am incredibly happy.”It is the right time for this part of my life to come to an end. I have always given absolutely everything I possibly have to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make way for the new generation to take over.”Cook, who made his Essex debut in 2003, stepped away from Test cricket at the end of the 2018 summer, having scored more than 12,000 Test runs for his country. He first played for England on the tour of India in 2005-06 and he went on to be capped 161 times in Tests – captaining in 59 of them – as well as leading the ODI side.ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter bowing out with a hundred against India at The Oval, Cook continued to play for his home county for five more seasons, helping the club to lift the Division One title in 2019, as well as the Bob Willis Trophy the following year. His form remained impressive, with almost 1000 first-class runs in 2022 and 836 this summer – albeit his average dipped to 33.44 and there was only one hundred, taking his first-class tally to 74.His final appearance came in the defeat to Northamptonshire at Wantage Road last month, as Essex’s hopes of beating Surrey to the title were finally dashed.”I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Essex, the county I joined when I was aged 12,” Cook added. “I want to say a massive thank you to everyone at Chelmsford for everything you have given to me. All of the fans, members and staff have always been so supportive, patient and generous.”When I ended my international career, I had no idea that I would have five more bonus years playing for Essex. I cannot put into words just how much fun we have had during that time. For that I want to thank head coach Anthony McGrath, Ryan ten Doeschate and Tom Westley, my two captains during that time, and all of the players. I won’t miss strapping on my pads and facing the new ball, but I will miss being in the Eagles’ changing room.”Playing a full part in the season when Essex won the County Championship in 2019 is one of my favourite achievements in the game. I look forward to watching Essex continue to punch above their weight, hopefully winning many more trophies in the coming years.”There are so many people I want to thank, too many to mention. However, none of this would have been possible without Graham Gooch. As a seven-year-old boy, Goochie was my hero. He became my coach, mentor and, above all, a great friend. I dread to think of the number of hours he has given up to help me become the best player I could be.”Alastair Cook made his final professional appearance for Essex at Wantage Road•Getty ImagesOverall, Cook scored more than 26,000 first-class runs during his professional career – 11,337 of them for Essex – as well as another 7500 in limited-overs cricket.In recent years, he has combined playing for Essex with working in the media, notably for the BBC as a summariser, and contributing back home on the family farm.”Although my England career came to an end in 2018, I remain blown away by the amount of affection I receive from England supporters,” he said. “Wherever I have travelled, you have been there with your enthusiasm, kind words and unshakable belief. English cricket really does have the best fans in the world.”I will never underestimate the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given to me. Now, I hope the Bedfordshire Farmers will find space for a has-been ‘allrounder’ somewhere in their lower order.”

Manchester City survived a scare in the FA Cup fourth round away to League One side Leyton Orient. Pep Guardiola’s side won 2-1 thanks to an admittedly lucky goal from new signing Abdukodir Khusanov before Kevin De Bruyne showed his class to win the game for the Citizens.

It was the home side who took the lead, with Orient close to scoring one of the all-time great FA Cup goals through Tottenham Hotspur loanee Jamie Donley. The attacker lobbed City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from 45 yards out, with his strike clipping the bar before bouncing in off the German goalkeeper’s back, going down as an own goal.

Just 11 minutes after the second half began, the Citizens equalised after Rico Lewis’ shot from range deflected in off Khusanov’s head. It was a slightly fortunate goal, which completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper and nestled into the back of the net.

With 11 minutes to go, the Citizens had their winner. It was a lovely move rounded off by some quality from De Bruyne. Jack Grealish played a lovely clipped ball over the Orient defence that the Belgian ran onto and finished expertly.

It was not pretty from the Citizens, but they are, ultimately, through to the fifth round. There were some standout players on the pitch for them.

City's best players against Orient

One of the standout players for City on Saturday lunchtime was Grealish. He was a creative force for 2023 winners, fashioning several chances which included his excellent ball over the top for De Bruyne which led to the winning goal.

Grealish’s stats from Sofascore show just how important he was today for Guardiola’s side. Playing on the left-hand side, the England international created five chances, including three big chances, and won four duels. It was an impressive performance.

Another player who was impressive against the League One outfit was Brazilian winger Savinho. The summer signing was constantly involved on the right, holding width well and running at the opposition defenders.

Charlie Parker-Turner, a journalist for The Express, agreed that Savinho performed well against Orient. He was given a 7/10 for his display, described as a “bright performance” and that “he was the pick of the City attackers”.

However, the same cannot be said for James McAtee, who struggled to impact the game at all.

McAtee's stats v Orient

It was a tough day at the office for City academy graduate McAtee. After a move in January to German champions Bayer Leverkusen did not materialise, he had to take his chance for City when it arose. Unfortunately, he struggled against Orient.

Operating as a No 10, the 22-year-old did not really have much of an impact on the game, struggling to create any chances of note. He did hit the post in the second half, but other than that, his contribution was disappointing.

McAtee’s stats from the game show just how frustrating of an afternoon it was for him. He completed just 78% of his passes and had only 37 touches in 72 minutes on the pitch. The City number 87 failed to create a chance and only won two duels from nine.

McAtee stats v Leyton Orient
Stat	Number
Touches	37
Pass accuracy	78%
Passes completed	18/23
Possession lost	10
Duels won	2/9
Chances created	0
Stats from Sofascore

His tough afternoon was also noticed by Parker-Turner, who gave the Englishman a 4/10 for his performance. McAtee “never truly looked like leaving his mark on the game”, which is frustrating given how rare his opportunities can be.

After a hat-trick in the third round, McAtee would have loved to back that up with another good performance. He is clearly a talented player, but given he has only started five times this season, he needed to take his chance today.

The Englishman will be hoping the chance to start comes again soon, although he will have to wait as fielding him against Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round next time out is a bridge too far.

Celtic’s European dreams came to a crushing end on Tuesday night when they were beaten by Bayern Munich on aggregate in the play-off round of the Champions League.

The Hoops, who had lost 2-1 at Parkhead in the first leg, were on course for extra-time in Bavaria before a last-gasp goal from Alphonso Davies secured progression for the German giants.

Brendan Rodgers’ side had gone 1-0 up thanks to a strike from Nicolas Kuhn in the second half but they were unable to keep the hosts at bay for the entire 90 minutes.

Despite being knocked out of the competition, the Northern Irish head coach should be proud of how well his team performed over the two legs as they went toe-to-toe with Bayern Munich and came ever so close to forcing extra-time.

The quality of the forwards at Rodgers’ disposal played a big role in their success as the likes of Daizen Maeda, Jota, and Kuhn caught the eye with their displays.

In fact, Celtic’s new wing wizards – Kuhn and Jota – could be set for an exciting second half of the season as the club remain on course to win the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup.

Jota and Kuhn's Celtic wizardry

In the January transfer window, the Scottish giants swooped to bring the Portuguese winger back to the club for a second spell at Parkhead, 18 months on from his move to Al-Ittihad.

The former Benfica starlet, who had joined Rennes on a permanent deal last summer, enjoyed two brilliant seasons in Glasgow with Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, producing 21 goals and 21 assists in the league – as shown in the graphic above.

Jota has produced an impressive return of two goals and one assist in three Premiership outings for Rodgers so far, and looks set for an enjoyable second half of the campaign.

Kuhn, meanwhile, has caught the eye across all competitions for the Hoops this season, with his sublime performances on the right flank as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

The German winger, formerly of Bayern Munich and Ajax’s academies, has racked up a haul of 18 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign.

Goals

Nicolas Kuhn (10)

Assists

Daizen Maeda (6)

Key passes per game

Nicolas Kuhn (1.8)

Goals + assists

Nicolas Kuhn (16)

Big chances created

Alistair Johnson (12)

Dribbles completed per game

Nicolas Kuhn (1.9)

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn has been a standout star for the Premiership leaders in the top-flight with his ability to score goals, create chances, and take on opposition defenders with the ball at his feet.

The left-footed wizard and Jota are both among the top six most valuable players at the club, rated at £8.2m and £6.6m respectively per Transfermarkt, but the Hoops once wanted another technical maestro who is now worth even more than both of them combined.

Celtic's interest in Norwegian sensation

Back in December of 2014, former Celtic boss Ronny Deila confirmed that he was interested in a deal to sign Martin Odegaard, who he had coached and brought through to the first-team at the age of 15 with Stromsgodset.

When asked about the young midfielder, the Norwegian boss said: “He is very special. Every time he gets a level, he takes it. His attitude is great and he always wants to progress, to learn. I know what’s happening. He’s in the town where my kids live and I know a lot of people there.

“I have control of the situation and we’ll see what we do. If there are possibilities, of course, we will try it. But it’s a very hard competition.”

One month later, Real Madrid unveiled the 16-year-old wonderkid as their latest addition in a deal reported to be worth just €4m (£3.3m) in the January transfer window, which meant that the Hoops missed out on the chance to reunite Deila with Odegaard.

One that got away

There is, of course, no shame is being beaten to a signing by one of the biggest, if not the biggest, clubs in the world, but the Norwegian youngster is still one that got away for the Hoops, when you consider what he has gone on to achieve.

How much Martin Odegaard is worth now

At the time of writing (22/02/2024), Odegaard is valued at a staggering €110m (£91m) and is the current captain of Premier League giants and title-contenders Arsenal.

The left-footed playmaker did not make the grade at Real Madrid but has made a name for himself in England, with 38 goals and 31 assists in 179 appearances for the Gunners to date.

Odegaard has provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Mikel Arteta’s side in the Premier League, which has helped his market value to soar in recent years.

The Norway international, who was described as a “world-class” talent by ex-Arsenal star Paul Merson, is worth significantly more than both Jota and Kuhn combined, as well as being worth more than any of the club’s most valuable sales.

Matt O’Riley

£16.5m

Odsonne Edouard

£14m

Kyogo Furuhashi

£11.5m

Jota

£10.7m

Kieran Tierney

£10.3m

As you can see in the table above, which includes their market value – not reported transfer fee – at the time of their departure from Parkhead, no player has left the club whilst being anywhere near as valuable as Odegaard is now.

This illustrates how much of a blow it was for Deila to miss out on signing the teenage talent back at the start of 2015, as he could have developed into a hugely valuable asset and brilliant player for Celtic if they had won the race for his services.

Celtic must regret selling £500k hero who's now worth more than Schmeichel

Kasper Schmeichel has been outstanding for Celtic this season, but have the Hoops sold their long-term successor to his number one jersey?

ByBen Gray Feb 18, 2025

Instead, he tried and failed to make his mark the Santiago Bernabeu and is now thriving week-in-week-out in the Premier League with the Gunners.

da fezbet： Glasgow Rangers are in talks to sign a new “highly-rated” player after manager Russell Martin gave the green light to an Ibrox transfer.

Rangers want more defenders as Aarons moves to Ibrox

da pinup bet： The Gers will be looking to win just their second Scottish Premiership title in 15 years in Martin’s first season at Ibrox, and the 49ers Enterprises appear willing to back the new boss in the transfer window.

After already securing the services of midfielder Lyall Cameron from Dundee, Rangers swopped to sign Max Aarons on loan from Bournemouth, with a transfer officially announced on Wednesday.

The right-back spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Valencia and will now link up with Martin who knows Aarons from his time at Norwich City.

Talking after signing Aarons, Martin said: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player. He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side.

“We are pleased to bring him on board for this season, and I believe he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”

Related After Aarons: Rangers open talks to sign £1m star who could be Kent 2.0

After signing Max Aarons, Rangers are in talks to repeat their Ryan Kent trick at Ibrox.

Posts ByBen Gray Jun 25, 2025

Alongside the 25-year-old, Rangers also want to sign a new centre-back, with the future of Robin Propper up in the air. There have been claims the Gers have even accepted an offer from FC Twente for the Dutchman after only joining 12 months ago.

Leicester City’s Conor Coady has been linked with moving to Glasgow as Rangers’ centre-back signing, however, a new name has entered the frame.

Rangers in talks for Peterborough defender Fernandez

According to reports from Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Rangers have opened talks to sign 23-year-old centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez.

It is added that Martin has ‘given the green light’ to a deal, with the 6ft 4 defender making 42 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring five times.

Fernandez is under contract until 2027 and was wanted by Norwich in the January window, but it looks as if Rangers are the side making moves in the summer.

Emmanuel Fernandez Peterborough stats

Games

61

Goals

7

Yellow cards

8

Red cards

2

Trophies

2

Rangers have also been after Peterborough star Kwame Poku, who is out of contract at the end of the month, but it looks as if the winger may move elsewhere and not Glasgow.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony hailed Fernandez as a “colossus” last season, while also calling him the club’s “best defender”.

O’Rourke has also called Fernandez “highly-rated”, and it looks as if a deal could be one to watch following the journalist’s update.

October 20 will go down as one of New Zealand cricket’s unforgettable dates. Their women’s team delivered the country’s maiden victory in the T20I World Cup in Dubai, hours after the men’s team recorded a Test win in India after a wait of 36 years.As a nation of four million clocked in to work on Monday morning, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – “grandmas of the team” as Bates laughed in jest – had just about finished theirs, getting their hands on the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy, the cup that had agonisingly got away from them 14 years ago at Kensington Oval.It was fitting that the two legends, who have carried the country’s cricket ecosystem for so long, through issues with depth and limited financial resources, could enjoy the night of their lives in the twilight of their storied careers.Related

• Kerr, Devine and Bates smash records on historic day for NZ

Amelia Kerr, who had hoped to dedicate the win to the golden oldies, couldn’t have stepped up with a more impactful effort – top scoring with 43, while also picking up three wickets, all with a slight limp due to cramps.For added context, New Zealand had come into the tournament on a streak of 10 T20I losses, the longest losing streak any team has turned around to win a cricket World Cup. On this night, all of that didn’t matter though.

Bates and New Zealand come out swinging

New Zealand came out punching knowing 134 and 141 by Australia and England respectively had been razed at this venue over the past few days. They lost Georgia Plimmer – who’d struck a couple of fours – in the second over, but Bates quickly took over. She had been striking at 90.77 in five innings coming into the final; here she showed intent right from the get go, getting a boundary – walloped over midwicket – off her second ball. But from 17 off 13, she slowed down as the introduction of spin made stroke-making a challenge.By then, the pressure of a final had by then begun to gnaw at both teams. Marizanne Kapp missed a potential run-out opportunity against Bates in the fifth over when she couldn’t cleanly pick up a nudge at square leg. Sinalo Jafta missed a stumping opportunity in the sixth, failing to collect the ball as Bates was dragged out. It cost South Africa just 12 more though, as Bates fell for a 31-ball 32 attempting a ramp off Nonkululeko Mlaba in the eighth over.Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu celebrate New Zealand’s T20 World Cup win•ICC/Getty Images

Halliday injects momentum with her career-best

The dismissals of Bates and Sophie Devine – due to the slowness of the surface – left New Zealand needing a massive effort from their middle order.They went through 48 deliveries without a boundary in the middle overs. Kerr struggled, and didn’t find her hitting range until the last few deliveries of her 38-ball vigil that brought 43. It wasn’t until the arrival of Brooke Halliday, the left-hander, did New Zealand break out of a rut.Halliday brought out a slog sweep in the 14th off Sune Luus to break the boundary drought, and once the shackles were broken, New Zealand had another boundary off the very next ball. By jumping around the crease and opening scoring areas behind square on the leg side through sweeps and slogs, Halliday’s presence breathed life into an innings that had been struggling to get out of second gear.Halliday’s enterprise helped raise a half-century stand off just 37 balls with Kerr playing a support role. Halliday’s highest in T20Is, in 32 previous innings, had been 33 while striking at 82. Here, under the pressure of a final, Halliday’s career-best 38 had come of 28.Brooke Halliday upped New Zealand’s scoring•Associated Press

A cameo from Maddy Green provided New Zealand a late lift: 48 off the last five, as they finished with 158, two less than the score they comfortably defended against India in their tournament opener.

Woolvardt counter-punches for South Africa

New Zealand took a cue from their batting innings and introduced spin in the second over with Eden Carson and Fran Jonas trying to apply the squeeze. For the first three overs, South Africa managed just two boundaries, but kept hitting the ball into gaps to keep up with the asking rate.In last year’s final, Laura Wolvaardt held the chase together, trying to get into a position from where she could tee off amid a collapse. Here, she decided to punch away as the enforcer, picking lengths early and pummelling with her strong forearms, showing a side of her game that is in stark opposition to her artistry.With Tazmin Brits solid, it was the first time in the tournament that New Zealand failed to pick up a wicket in the powerplay. At 47 for 0, South Africa were on course.Laura Wolvaardt got off to a flying start but it was not enough for South Africa•Francois Nel/Getty Images

South Africa in free fall after Wolvaardt’s dismissal

Jonas broke through to dismiss Brits in the seventh, but it was Wolvaardt’s dismissal, attempting to hit Kerr inside-out only to find Bates at extra cover, that had a deflating effect on South Africa. That was Bates’ first of three catches in the innings. Five balls later, Kerr had her second when Anneke Bosch, who had knocked Australia out two nights ago with a sensational 74, tickled an attempted sweep to Izzy Gaze. Originally unsure if there was an edge, Kerr convinced Devine to review and was proven correct.Carson then dealt the blow that arguably ended South Africa’s hopes when she had Kapp mistiming a slog to deep midwicket in the 12th over. Kapp’s agonising walk back and Kerr’s ecstasy provided two contrasting emotions in one frame. A telling picture of who would have their hands on the trophy before the night was out.

حقق فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا فوزًا غاليا على بتروجيت، اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

وواجه فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا نظيره بتروجيت، في الثامنة مساء اليوم، على ملعب هيئة قناة السويس، في الجولة الـ13 من الدوري الممتاز.

طالع.. سيراميكا كليوباترا يرد عبر “بطولات” على أنباء رحيل علي ماهر إلى ليبيا

وتمكن فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا من الفوز بثنائية مقابل هدف على بتروجيت، ليعتلي صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري الممتاز.

تقدم فريق بتروجيت بالهدف الأول عن طريق اللاعب مصطفى البدري، في الدقيقة 18 من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل أن يتعادل اللاعب صديق إيجولا لسيراميكا كليوباترا في الدقيقة 90. 

وفي الدقيقة 92، عاد صديق إيجولا وأحرز الهدف الثاني لفريق سيراميكا كليوباترا في مرمى بتروجيت، لينتهي اللقاء بفوز أصحاب الأرض بثنائية مقابل هدف. 

وبهذا الفوز رفع فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا رصيده إلى 26 نقطة في صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بينما توقف رصيد بتروجيت عند 15 نقطة في المركز الـ 13 في جدول الدوري.  أهداف مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا وبتروجيت 

da betsson： Heung-min Son will go down as a modern-day legend at Tottenham Hotspur, spending the last decade at the club and producing countless moments of magic.

da casino： The 32-year-old has registered over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites, reaching double figures in all but one of the ten seasons he’s spent in North London.

However, despite signing a new deal at the club a couple of months ago, he could be set to leave during the off-season, with numerous Saudi Arabian sides circling for his signature this window.

It’s been reported that Thomas Frank isn’t going to force him out the door, but would allow him to leave should he wish to – with multiple sides in the Middle East willing to pay £34m for his services.

It would be a shame to see a fan favourite depart, but he’s ultimately a shadow of his former self, opening the door to potential reinforcements arriving before the end of the summer.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new winger this summer

Antoine Semenyo is a player who has firmly been on their radar over the last few months, with the Bournemouth star impressing massively in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 season.

The Ghanaian international registered 13 goals and six assists across all competitions, with the Cherries open to selling the attacker if they receive an acceptable offer for the 25-year-old.

However, he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar this summer, with West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus emerging as a key option, according to The Guardian.

The report claims that Spurs are preparing a £50m bid for the 24-year-old attacker, who currently has an £85m release clause with his contract at the London Stadium.

It also states that the offer is seen as a low ball, but one that could unsettle the forward, who’s registered 19 goals for the Hammers after joining them from Ajax back in the summer of 2023.

Why Kudus would be as an exciting addition as Mbeumo this summer

Since Frank’s appointment, Spurs have appeared to step up their interest in Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, potentially securing a reunion between him and his former boss.

The Cameroonian international has enjoyed his best-ever top-flight campaign in 2024/25, registering 20 goals for the Bees, which has seen his stock rise as a result.

His current employers are demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with him this summer, a fee that may be slightly out of the Lilywhites’ budget this window.

He’s also expressed his desire to move to Manchester United during the off-season, which has resulted in Frank’s men cooling their interest and targeting other options.

One of which appears to be Kudus, with the Hammers star a more than capable alternative, with the youngster impressing during his short spell in England’s top flight.

He’s proven that he’s capable of filling the void should Son depart in the near future, whilst his potential addition could see the club forget about a deal for Mbeumo.

The 24-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, has registered more shots and a higher goal per shot on target rate, demonstrating his quality within attacking areas.

How Kudus compares to Mbeumo & Son in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Kudus

Mbeumo

Son

Games played

32

38

30

Goals & assists

8

27

16

Shots taken

2.6

2.1

2.3

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

84%

66%

78%

Passes into final third

1.8

1.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.2

1.3

1.2

Take-on success

48%

46%

34%

Stats via FBref

Kudus has also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of passes into the final third per 90, handing other players in and around the attacking areas to improve their own tallies.

His dominance is further reflected in his take-ons and higher success rate, always liking to drive the ball into forward areas, which hands Frank another superb option at his disposal.

If he is to move across London this summer, it would be a sensational signing and one that would help the club in their attempts to rise up the Premier League table.

Whilst Mbeumo may remain their main target, they should look past a move for the Bees star and prioritise a move for Kudus, with the Ghanian offering a replacement for Son should he leave this summer.

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 18, 2025