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As Marcus Rashford prepares to face Real Madrid as Barcelona's most productive player this season, fresh from scoring two classy goals against Olympiacos in the Champions League, it is worth remembering that the striker was mocked in some quarters for having the audacity to think he could even play for the Blaugrana after two disappointing seasons, let alone rip it up for them.

Former Manchester United forward Teddy Sheringham said Rashford "didn't deserve to make the step up" to Barca after leaving Old Trafford. European football pundit Gabriele Marcotti told Rashford to "get a grip of where you are right now" and laughed at his entourage's trip to Barcelona last May to try to persuade the Catalans to sign him. 

No-one is laughing now though. Rashford not only got his move, he has convinced the doubters in England and the sceptics in Spain. And his next stop is a first-ever visit to the Santiago Bernabeu to play in the biggest club fixture in the world and take on Barca's eternal rivals Real Madrid.

Getty Images SportBest season yet

Rashford is yet to play for Barca at the Camp Nou as it is still being renovated although he lit up the famous stadium nearly three years ago when United drew 2-2 with the Catalans in the Europa League. That was one of many high points of the 2022-23 season, when he scored 30 goals and notched 12 assists. It landed him a lucrative new contract at Old Trafford, but for many Red Devils fans their homegrown star was never the same after signing on the dotted line. 

He got only eight goals in the next season and was soon bombed out of the squad by Ruben Amorim due to a clash of personalities. But right now Rashford is in even better form than he was at the same stage of that incredible season three years ago. He has five goals and five assists in 12 games, while in that same period in 2022 he had five goals and three assists.

Rashford has really risen to the occasion in the Champions League, getting at least one goal contribution in Barca's three games in Europe's premier competition. He produced a stunning match-winning brace at Newcastle in the first game of the season and on Tuesday he finished off Olympiacos by scoring twice, as well as winning the penalty which allowed Lamine Yamal to restore Barca's two-goal cushion in the eventual 6-1 win.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReal coup

Although hat-trick hero Fermin Lopez took the majority of plaudits after the hammering, there was high praise for Rashford. "The Englishman's move is a real coup. No-one doubts the success of his signing anymore," read 's match report. The paper also praised Lopez and Rashford for being "two players who don't make much noise, but who always contribute something to the team".

said Rashford had "proved he belongs in the team", predicting "he could be a weapon to be reckoned with in El Clasico. "Shirts with Rashford's name and No.14 on the back are beginning to proliferate among Barca fans," wrote .

So often caught sulking or appearing disinterested in his last 18 months at United, Rashford has looked radiant in his first couple of months with Barcelona. Waking up each morning to sunshine and blue skies will always help but the nicer weather is not the only reason why he looks much happier in Catalonia than in his last two years in Manchester.

There was a lot of attention on Rashford's private life and he did not always help the perception of him with his ventures out into the city, such as going to a nightclub after the derby defeat by Manchester City or his boozy night out in Belfast which led to him missing a training session. Being in a different city means being away from his usual entourage and that is perhaps helping him knuckle down.

Getty Images SportJust needed a change

Asked what went wrong for him towards the end of his time at United, Rashford seemed to suggest he simply wanted a change of scenery after spending most of his life at the club.

"It's difficult to put your finger on what it was," he told . "In my mind it's so many years in one place, 23 years of my life was with Manchester. Sometimes you just need a change. Maybe this was the case with me. At the minute  I'm enjoying everything, so I just continue the way I am and keep pushing to do that little bit extra.

"I don't think there's much change in me, it's just a new environment, a new culture, it's one I looked forward to. I feel like I've taken good steps in my first few months here. I'm completely positive about the situation, I have to continue to be in this mindset. When I'm in this mindset it's easier for me to learn what I have to learn."

A clear difference is the relationship Rashford has with his coach at Barca and the one he had with his last two at United. Ten Hag possibly indulged Rashford as he knew how important he was, bringing him off the bench at Wolves after dropping him for being late and then starting him at Wolves a year later just days after the Belfast saga. Rashford scored in both of those games, underlining his importance.

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Amorim, however, knew from the start that Rashford had the potential to be a problem for him. And even though he had scored twice against Everton after his night out, Amorim took issue with it and not long after he dropped him from the squad. Most United fans backed the coach. But Hansi Flick has taken a different approach. He had admired Rashford for a long period and when he learned he was available he urged the club to sign him as soon as possible. 

He revealed: "I told Deco [sporting director] we have to do it. Marcus is an outstanding player, exactly what we needed." Rashford was fortunate in some respects that Barca failed to land their two other targets, Nico Williams and Luis Diaz. The Englishman proved to be a much more affordable option to a club with well-known financial issues. He has also benefitted from his team-mates suffering injuries; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo have all had spells on the sidelines while Rashford has remained fit, being the only forward to play in every game this season. Rashford is also working hard and looking sharper than in his final season in England.

He has almost doubled the amount of sprints he does per game, according to , from 18.9 per 90 minutes in the Premier League (with United and on loan at Aston Villa) to 34.9 per 90 with Barca in La Liga. He is also covering more ground at a higher speed, covering 630 metres at a rate of 21km/h per match in Spain compared to just 122 metres at the same speed in England.

No team possibly got the choice of replacement players better than Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), another team to have exited IPL 2025 early, might have laid their hands on a superstar for the future. Harsh Dubey, who broke the record for the most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season earlier this year, has impressed the head coach at SRH, Daniel Vettori, as well as Anil Kumble, the most successful Indian Test bowler of all time, and Tom Moody.Having returned 1 for 44 and 1 for 20 in his first two games – both after the IPL resumed following the mini break – 22-year-old left-arm spinner Dubey picked up 3 for 34 from his four overs in SRH’s last game of the season, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday night.”We’re very pleased with what he has done since he has come into the team – obviously a very clever bowler,” Vettori said at the press conference after the match. “[He] understands conditions well, understands how he needs to bowl, and can mix it up. I suppose we were desperate for that little bit of control, and he’s been able to do that in all three games he’s played.Related

• Abhimanyu to lead India A against England A

• Ranji record-breaker Dubey replaces R Smaran at SRH

• Dubey's star on the rise, with a guiding hand from Ashwin

“And the great thing for him is that between now and the next IPL, he’s going to play a lot of cricket, whether it’s for India A or his domestic team [Vidarbha]. He’s going to get a huge amount of opportunities, so we believe he can grow as a bowler and also as a batter, because the batting part of him was a big part of our decision-making too.”On the subject of India A, Dubey will get his chance in England soon, when the Indians play two first-class games against England A from end-May and also a four-day game against the Test squad from June 13 before the England vs India Test series starts on June 20.”He’s giving it a tweak, that’s the start. And when you do that, you certainly get a bit of drift. And, more importantly, it goes off the surface that much quicker. And that’s something that we see in Harsh Dubey,” Anil Kumble said about Dubey on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show after the three-for. “It’s not just about tossing the ball up. People think that when you’re looking to spin the ball… he gives it a proper tweak. And even when you’re pushing it – you’re looking to bowl faster – you still need to give it a bit of a rip.”The trajectory needs to be flatter, but you’re still giving it a rip, that’s what gives you the dip. Today, when he got Ramandeep [Singh] out, and also Andre Russell, he beat them with pace, not just the turn or with… with Russell, it just came back with the arm. He beat them with pace, and that’s what you want from a spinner.”The Russell wicket – perhaps the worst ball to face first up – came when Dubey, a ball after getting rid of Rinku Singh, pitched the ball on middle stump on a length and got it to turn. At speed. So plumb was Russell that he didn’t even wait for the umpire’s decision – it would have crashed into middle stump.”Absolute peach,” Moody said. “One thing I have observed – and Anil is a hell of a lot more qualified to talk about spin – with him is when he changes his pace, he doesn’t lose the integrity of the shape of the ball. He’s still got overspin on the ball. So when he’s looking to bowl quicker, he’s still got that overspin on the ball, therefore the ball then drops and, as Anil says, it really kicks off the surface, spins off the surface.Harsh Dubey has been impressive in his three games this IPL season•Associated Press

“A lot of spinners, when they are under pressure – are looking to bowl it a bit quicker – lose that integrity of the ball where you’ve got the seam coming up over the top, it tends to come more on the side, so it just becomes a quicker ball, which disappears even further. So it’s how the ball arrives on to the pitch is the most important thing. His arrival, the ball’s arrival, has always got a really nice shape to it, and dip to it, with the change of pace. Therefore, from a batting perspective, it’s a lot harder to judge [and] just hit the ball out of the ground.”To both Kumble and Moody, the India A stint could well be the first step towards something bigger.”I see him as a Test bowler as much as a T20 bowler,” Moody said. “I look at him and think, ‘wow, imagine facing this guy on a turning track’.”Kumble agreed. “He certainly has the potential, and we’ve seen him bowl today in the white-ball format. The consistency is what matters. And that’s something he has shown in domestic cricket, of getting wickets. And this is a great opportunity to be part of the India A squad.”

Something has to give at West Ham United, and soon.

The Hammers have had a truly dreadful start to the campaign so far, losing four of five Premier League games and being knocked out of the League Cup by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It’s not just the fact that they’ve lost so many games, but the manner in which they’ve lost them. So far, they’ve scored just five goals and conceded 13 in the league.

So, it’s hardly a surprise to see the club linked with a host of potential replacements for Graham Potter, including one manager who’d surely have a better return to the club than Slaven Bilic.

West Ham's ongoing manager search

With just how terribly things are going at the moment, it should come as no surprise that a swathe of managers have been linked with a move to West Ham this month.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

One such manager who probably wouldn’t get the fans all that excited is Frank Lampard, as while he saved Everton from the drop a few years ago, he is currently doing an okay job with Coventry City in the Championship.

Likewise, while it would be interesting to see how Bilic would fare back at the London Stadium, the links to him are hardly inspiring.

Fortunately, the Hammers are now supposedly interested in bringing someone else back to the club, someone who’d likely do a better job than the Croatian.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Claret & Hugh, which claims Scott Parker is of interest to West Ham.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Englishman “has been discussed” by those inside the club.

In all, while it might not be the appointment some would want, we do think the former West Ham player would have a better return to the club than Bilic would.

Why Parker would have a better return than Bilic

So when we say ‘return’, we mean simply coming back to the club, as unlike Bilic, Parker’s last involvement with West Ham was as a player, not a coach.

With that out of the way, there are a few reasons why the Englishman would have a more successful stint back at the club than the Croatian.

The first, and most important, of which is all down to their recent jobs.

In the case of the former PFA Player of the Year, he is currently in charge of Burnley and guided them to the Premier League last season.

Before that, he managed Club Brugge for a short stint, which was preceded by a year with Bournemouth, during which he got them promoted.

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Finally, his first foray into management saw him spend over two years in charge of Fulham, whom he also led to promotion.

In other words, the former midfielder has extensive recent experience in English football, both in the top flight and the second tier.

On the other hand, the former Hammers’ boss has not managed a top-flight team for almost five years.

Instead, his last job saw him take charge of Saudi Pro-League side Al-Fateh from July 2023 to August 2024.

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Before that, he took charge of Watford for under a year before being fired, which was preceded by a year-long stint with Chinese outfit Beijing Guoan.

In fact, the last time he managed in the Premier League was back in December 2020, when West Bromwich Albion fired him.

Ultimately, while Bilic might do a good job, he hasn’t had a successful stint with a club for some time. In contrast, Parker made Burnley unplayable last season, and they are continuing to play well this year.

Therefore, it seems like the Englishman would be a far better hire for the Hammers at this point in time.

Weekly wages: West Ham United FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

The Irons’ biggest earners for the 2025/26 season…

ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

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O Vasco segue de olho em contratações para o mercado da bola. Após acertar a chegada do técnico Ramón Diaz, a torcida vascaína quer mais e sonha com reforços de peso. Um dos nomes sugeridos e que foi alvo do clube é o meia argentino Manuel Lanzini, que está livre no mercado após deixar o West Ham (ING).

+ Próximos jogos do Vasco: onde assistir, calendário com datas, horários e mais

No entanto, a questão salarial do jogador pesa na negociação. No clube inglês, Lanzini recebia cerca de R$ 1,5 milhão por mês, ou seja, cerca de R$ 18 milhões por temporada, valor fora da realidade do Vasco no momento.

+ Confira a classificação do Brasileirão

Vale destacar que o Vasco fez contato com o estafe de Lanzini no último mês de junho para entender os interesses esportivos e financeiros do jogador, que são muito altas. Para dificultar ainda mais a situação do Cruz-Maltino, clubes da Turquia, da Espanha e da Arábia Saudita manifestaram o interesse em contratar o meia argentino.

+ VÍDEO: Ex-atacante do Vasco, Maxi López elogia contratação de Ramon Díaz: ‘É o cara certo para o momento’

O meia argentino defendeu o West Ham desde 2015. Ao todo foram 226 jogos, 32 gols marcados e um título, o da Europa Conference League, conquistada nesta temporada.

Wayne Rooney has revealed the true nature of his relationship with former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming the pair held each other in high regard, despite their war of words in recent years. And Rooney has also shed light on his feelings over who he thinks is better: Messi or Ronaldo.

AFPNo love lost between superstar duo

Rooney and Ronaldo's on-field partnership was highly successful, but differences in opinion emerged later. In 2022, Rooney criticised Ronaldo's behaviour during his second spell at Manchester United calling him an 'unwelcome distraction' after Ronaldo refused to play and walked off down the tunnel against Tottenham. Ronaldo, in turn, retaliated by commenting on Rooney's early retirement and even made personal remarks about his appearance. 

AdvertisementIt became personal between them

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo said: "I don’t know why he criticises me so badly… probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level. I’m not going to say that I’m better looking than him. Which is true." Ouch!

So, does Rooney hate Ronaldo?

Rooney told Rio Ferdinand Presents: "People think I hate him. I love him! I think he's an absolute genius; what he's doing is incredible. I don't think people realise how close he and I were. Just because I've said Messi is better than Ronaldo, people think I don't like Cristiano. To be honest, over the last couple of years, I'm thinking, 'Do you know what?', he's probably gonna be the one when you look back, Cristiano, because he keeps going. I absolutely love Messi, I love watching him play, and that was the only reason because I think Messi had a little bit more in terms of how he played, and taking players on."

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Getty Images SportRooney holds Ronaldo in high esteem

In further, gushing testament to Ronaldo, Rooney said: "Cristiano's an absolute genius in what he's doing; he's just turned 40, and what he's doing is incredible. I take my hat off to him, I think, 'You know what, fair play,' and I can't speak a bad word about him."

تفاعل النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي لاعب إنتر ميامي الأمريكي مع صديقه جوردي ألبا، الذي أعلن اعتزاله كرة القدم.

وأعلن الإسباني جوردي ألبا لاعب إنتر ميامي، قرار اعتزاله كرة القدم نهائيًا بنهاية الموسم الجاري، ونشر مقطع فيديو مطول عبر حسابه الرسمي على “إنستجرام” (لمطالعته من هنا).

وعلّق ميسي على مقطع الفيديو عبر “إنستجرام”، وكتب لـ ألبا: “شكرًا لك يا جوردي، سأفتقدك كثيرًا، بعد كل ما عشنا معًا، سيكون غريبًا أن أنظر إلى اليسار ولا أراك هناك”.

مضيفًا: “يا له من جنون عدد التمريرات الحاسمة التي منحتني إياها طوال هذه السنوات، من الذي سيعطيني التمريرات الخلفية الآن؟”.

وعلّق عدة لاعبين على منشور جوردي ألبا، بينهم سيرجيو بوسكيتس لاعب إنتر ميامي والذي أعلن اعتزاله أيضًا، وكتب: “أنت عظيم جدًا”.

كما رد البرازيلي نيمار دا سيلفا قائلاً: “أنت رائع يا أخي! عناق كبير”، وكتب لويس سواريز: “أخي الصغير، ماذا يمكنني أن أقول، أنت نجم، استمتع بما تبقى”.

أصدرت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، عقوبات الجولة الثامنة من المرحلة الأولى لبطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، وذلك طبقًا للائحة مسابقة دوري Nile ولائحة المخالفات والعقوبات ونظام ضبط الجودة لموسم 2025-2026.

وانطلقت منافسات الجولة الثامنة من مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري يوم الإثنين الماضي، بثلاث مواجهات بين فاركو والمصري، وبتروجيت وغزل المحلة، وزد والاتحاد السكندري.

وشهدت الجولة فوز الأهلي على حرس الحدود بنتيجة 3-2، بينما تعادل الزمالك مع الجونة بهدف لمثلة.

طالع أيضاً.. معتمد جمال يوضح الأفضل بين الأهلي والزمالك قبل لقاء القمة

وتمكن سيراميكا كليوباترا من الفوز على مودرن سبورت بهدفين دون رد، فيما تلقى الإسماعيلي هزيمة بهدف دون مقابل أمام إنبي.

ويتصدر الزمالك جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 17 نقطة، بينما يتواجد المصري بالمركز الثاني، ولديه 15 نقطة، ويحل وادي دجلة بالمركز الثالث بـ14 نقطة. عقوبات الجولة الثامنة من بطولة الدوري المصريمباراة المصري وفاركو

إيقاف باهر محمد مجدي محمدي، لاعب فريق المصري، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب حصوله على الإنذار الثالث.

إيقاف عبد الرحيم دغموم، لاعب فريق المصري، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب حصوله على الإنذار الثالث. مباراة بتروجيت وغزل المحلة

إيقاف محمد إبراهيم أحمد محمد، لاعب فريق بتروجت ، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 2500 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب الطرد لحصوله على إنذارين في نفس المباراة. مباراة زد إف سي والاتحاد

إيقاف محمد أحمد عبد العزيز يوسف، لاعب فريق زد اف سي، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب حصوله على الإنذار الثالث.

إيقاف عبد الرحمن عماد مصطفى محمد، لاعب فريق زد إف سي، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 2500 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب الطرد لحصوله على إنذارين في نفس المباراة.

توقيع غرامة مالية على فريق زد قيمتها 50 ألف جنيه وذلك بسبب حصول اللاعبين على ست بطاقات في نفس المباراة. مباراة مباراة حرس الحدود والأهلي

توجيه لفت نظر للاعب ياسر أحمد إبراهيم، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه وذلك للاعتراض على قرارات الحكم أو المراقب بالإشارة أو القول. مباراة إنبي والإسماعيلي

إيقاف عبد الله محمد عبدالله محمد سعيد، لاعب فريق الإسماعيلي، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب حصوله على الإنذار الثالث.

إيقاف عبد الرحمن محمد عبد الخالق محمد الدح، لاعب فريق الإسماعيلي، مباراة واحدة، وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه؛ وذلك بسبب حصوله على الإنذار الثالث.

منع جماهير نادي الاسماعيلي المتواجدين في مباراة انبي والإسماعيلي من حضور مباراة واحدة قادمة وتوقيع غرامة مالية على نادي الإسماعيلي قيمتها 150 ألف جنيه وذلك بسبب السباب الجماعي من الجماهير لحكم المباراة.

منع السيد عبدالله الشحات إبراهيم من مرافقة الفريق لمدة ثلاث مباريات وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 20 ألف جنيه وذلك بسبب محاولة الاعتداء على الحكم أو أحد مساعديه.

منع السيد أحمد إبراهيم إبراهيم العجوز من مرافقة الفريق لمدة ثلاث مباريات وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 20 ألف جنيه وذلك بسبب التلفظ بعبارات بذيئة تجاه الحكم أو مساعديه. مباراة وادي دجلة والبنك الأهلي

إيقاف سيف تقا لاعب فريق وادي دجلة لمدة مباراة واحدة وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 5000 جنيه وذلك بسبب الطرد لمنع فرصة محققة.

توقيع غرامة مالية على فريق وادي دجلة قيمتها 10000 جنيه وذلك بسبب تأخر نزول الفريق الى أرض الملعب قبل بدء الشوط الثاني.

مع تطبيق المادة 54 من لائحة مسابقة دوري Nile لموسم 2025-2026، الخاصة بحالات الإنذارات على الأجهزة الفنية والإدارية والطبية واللاعبين.ش

Arsenal loanee Oleksandr Zinchenko has been ordered to pay a tax bill of £300,000 after losing a court battle. Zinchenko, who was struggling for game time under Mikel Arteta at Emirates Stadium, joined Nottingham Forest on loan during the summer transfer window.

• Zinchenko loses court battle
• Will also have to clear accountants' bill
• Zinchenko joined Forest on loan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the HMRC has ordered Zinchenko to settle a tax bill worth £300,000. The details of the tax amount emerged after the Gunners loanee put his Alex Zinchenko Image Rights firm into voluntary liquidation. HMRC had approached the High Court to shut down the firm. Zinchenko was the only stakeholder in the company until Ukraine FA official Artemijs Rjabovs took over and renamed it Ozir Ltd. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zinchenko will also have to pay off bills worth £35,000 to his accountants. The Ukraine international completed a loan move to Forest during the summer transfer window, after he fell out of favour under Arteta and struggled for minutes on the pitch during the 2024-25 campaign. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Forest were forced to leave Zinchenko and record summer signing Omari Hutchinson out of their 2025-26 Europa League squad due to UEFA’s homegrown quota rules.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ZINCHENKO?

  With Ange Postecoglou all set to replace Nuno Espirito Santo as Forest boss, Zinchenko will hope to impress the Australian manager and feature regularly in his starting lineup this season. Forest next face Zinchenko's parent club Arsenal on Saturday in the Premier League. 

With a lead of 239 and five wickets in hand on a surface that got better to bat on as the day went on, South Africa put fingertips on the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy.Eight wickets fell on another action-packed day in Guyana where the advantage ebbed and flowed. South Africa took two early on but West Indies’ last pair got them close to drawing level in the first innings. Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph shared a 10th-wicket stand of 40 – the second-highest in the West Indian innings – to turn the match into all but a one-innings game and in that game, South Africa will feel they have the advantage.An opening stand of 79, half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Kyle Verreynne and an unbeaten 84-run sixth-wicket partnership between Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder – the highest of the series so far – all put South Africa in a strong position. But, with plenty of time left in the game, West Indies will not be too disheartened, especially as they have seen how quickly wickets fall early on.South Africa lost four in the first session of day one and West Indies three on day two, which could provide West Indies with an opportunity early on the third day. The pitch is expected to be at its best on the third afternoon and West Indies will want to be batting by then, especially with a big chase in their sights. Before they get there, West Indies will rely on their attack, particularly hometown hero Joseph, and Jayden Seales, who took 2 for 7 in his third spell, to get rid of South Africa’s middle and lower order. So far, they have held up well after a mini-collapse which saw South Africa lose 4 for 19 in nine overs after a solid start of 120 for 1.South Africa’s openers were tested upfront with seam movement from Seales and tight lines from Holder. Markram edged Holder short of first slip at the end of his first over but settled when he drove Seales for four through cover point five balls later. Tony de Zorzi was hit on the back pad by Seales and flirted with a run-out chance when he pushed a single off Holder but pulled Seales off his toes to announce himself. South Africa went to lunch unscathed on 30 without loss.Runs came quickly after the break and South Africa had more than doubled their morning score to 66 in 4.4 overs after the interval when they offered their first real chance. De Zorzi edged Holder to the left of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, who dived low to try and take the catch but could not hold on. De Zorzi was on 36 off 41 at the time and added only three runs off the next 31 balls he faced before he nicked off to give Seales a well-earned reward. De Zorzi punched his bat in frustration as he walked off when the opening stand was broken.Markram and Tristan Stubbs eked out six runs off the next four overs while they bided time but Stubbs’ patience seemed to be tested when he edged Gudakesh Motie past slip for three. Stubbs’ first boundary came off the 21st ball he faced when he reverse swept Motie through third but he did not look entirely comfortable at any point in the session. He survived an lbw appeal off Holder and held his end through to tea. Markram was lucky to get there when, on 42, he drove Motie to Alick Athanaze at silly mid-off but was put down. South Africa were 111 for 1 at the tea break, 127 runs ahead.Three overs into the final session, Markram reached 50 off 104 balls but seven balls after that was struck on the back foot to a Motie delivery that straightened and was given out lbw. Temba Bavuma could have been out on his third ball when he edged an away seamer from Joseph but it did not carry to slip. Motie had better luck when Bavuma went forward to a length ball, was hit on the pad. The umpire didn’t think it was out, but West Indies successfully reviewed to have the decision overturned.Jayden Seales and Gudakesh Motie brought about wickets in a cluster•AFP/Getty Images

That wicket sparked a mini-collapse. In the next over, Stubbs edged Seales to Da Silva and two overs after that David Bedingham was bowled to give Seales a second wicket in three overs and give the hosts a chance of keeping South Africa’s lead under 200. Mulder and Verreynne took them over that mark. They were in danger of being separated 12 minutes before the end of play when Mulder was given out lbw in Seales’ fourth spell but he reviewed and ball-tracking showed it was missing leg. The pair accelerated towards the end of the day with 26 runs off the last four overs, which included Verreynne’s fifty off 71 balls – his third in Test cricket. All of his half-centuries, and his only Test hundred so far, have come away from home.Earlier, the last-wicket stand between Holder and Joseph meant West Indies finished just 16 runs adrift of South Africa’s first-innings score of 160. After resuming on 97 for 7, Jomel Warrican chipped an overpitched delivery from Kagiso Rabada to Keshav Maharaj at mid-on to depart for a 16-ball duck.Left-arm seamer Nandre Burger shared the day’s opening duties with Rabada and started off bowling full but in his second over, began a short-ball assault to set up Seales. The first three deliveries of Burger’s third over of the day were increasingly short in length but his fourth was full on the stumps and Seales was struck on the pad and given out lbw.South Africa could have ended West Indies’ innings on the next ball when Joseph edged Burger to Markram at second slip but he could not hold on to a head height catch. The drop proved costly as Joseph went on to score 25 – but was dropped again on 15 by Mulder a third slip – and provided strong support to Holder, who approached the first hour of play with aggression. Holder hit the last ball of Mulder’s first over on the day over long-on for six, to bring up the first half-century of the match and his 14th in Tests. Joseph took on Burger, and hit his short ball behind square leg and past point and then, just for laughs, sent the full one out of the ground. In his first over of the morning, Maharaj beat Joseph’s sweep and had him out lbw and South Africa were batting again 90 minutes into the day.

Newcastle United rode into the summer transfer window on the crest of a wave, having finished the 2024/25 campaign as Carabao Cup champions, also sealing their place back in the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

All told, Eddie Howe will be a happy man after his side’s success, but the onus is now on improving across the next few months ahead of the fresh term, when expectations will be heightened.

Efforts have certainly been made at this early stage to go from strength to strength. As per The Telegraph, the Magpies have singled out England centre-back Marc Guehi and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, although the latter has reportedly chosen he wants to join Manchester United.

A right-sided forward is still at the top of the agenda, and Newcastle might just have identified the perfect man for the job.

Newcastle open talks for new right winger

No, it’s not Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, although the 23-year-old is admired by senior Newcastle officials.

Transfer Focus

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Instead, the man of the moment could be West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus, with The Athletic revealing talks have been held among senior Magpies officials to ascertain the potential of a summer signing.

Kudus has an £84m release clause in his Hammers contract and is expected to leave east London this summer.

After a difficult campaign, however, it’s thought Graham Potter’s side would be open to a more agreeable £65m fee.

Why Newcastle should sign Kudus

Kudus only scored five times in the Premier League last season, also assisting three goals, but he hit four goal contributions across his final eight appearances, and presents one of the most menacing profiles out there.

Though Elanga, Newcastle’s other top wide target, chalked up six goals and 11 assists across the league campaign, Kudus may yet hit a new level of prolific progress, which would see him soar away from the Tricky Trees star’s capacity.

Despite his struggles, the Ghana international has still maintained his ball-carrying quality across the past year, with Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku the only man to produce a greater regularity of successful dribbles.

This metric is further underscored by data-driven site FBref, who recorded that Kudus ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

And you’d think that Howe could restore Kudus’ finest level. When comparing his 2023/24 campaign, under David Moyes’ wing, against Elanga’s at Forest over the past year, it becomes a little clearer that Kudus’ ceiling stretches higher.

Given that Forest would be looking to bank in excess of £50m for the sale of Elanga, it might be more worthwhile to invest in a star such as Kudus, who, when at his rip-roaring best, has been regarded as a “generational talent” by those such as journalist Gary Al-Smith.

The dream XI Newcastle can build: No Gordon; Joao Pedro & £120m trio sign

Newcastle are looking to make sweeping changes as they step back into the Champions League.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025