Category Uncategorized

Opener Campbell Kellaway also impressed for Australia A on a dominant day for the hosts

AAP05-Dec-2025

Jhye Richardson put together a significant performance against England Lions (file photo)•Getty Images

Jhye Richardson has announced his triumphant return to bowling, taking four wickets in his second game back from injury as Australia A punished a hapless England Lions.The hosts went to stumps on day one of their four-day match in Brisbane at 155 for 2, after Richardson had taken 4 for 35 to help bowl the Lions out for 166.Richardson would almost certainly have figured in Test contention for this summer, had he not been recovering from shoulder surgery. He went wicketless during 20 overs for a CA XI against the Lions late last month, but was back bowling at pace at Allan Border Field on Friday.Richardson had Ben McKinney dropped at first slip in his third over of the day, before running through the tourists in the second session. He bowled James Rew for 7 when the left-hander inside-edged a ball that angled across him onto his stumps, before Richardson’s pace had Ben Kellaway playing on.In almost comical fashion, Kellaway defended a delivery from the quick before he was unable to stop the ball rolling back onto his stumps.Richardson then had both Matthew Fisher and Nathan Gilchrist edging behind the wicket, as the Lions fell from 72 for 1 to all out for 166 in 50 overs.Richardson played his last Test in December 2022, but has battled constant shoulder and hamstring injuries since then. His recovery from last season’s dislocated shoulder ruled him out of contention for the start of the Ashes, with Brendan Doggett debuting in Perth.Todd Murphy and Xavier Bartlett also took two wickets each for Australia A, before Campbell Kellaway flew to 71 off 75 balls in the final session.Earmarked as a Test opener of the future, Kellaway’s runs came after he also hit a half-century for the Prime Minister’s XI against England last weekend.Kellaway produced one of the shots of the day with a cracking pull shot off Gilchrist, before he later pulled the quick straight to mid on.England spinner Shoaib Bashir meanwhile had an unhappy afternoon, taking 0 for 22 from three overs after being overlooked for the Gabba Test.Nathan McSweeney (40 not out) pulled Bashir’s first two balls for four, before Kellaway also took to him in the next over and he was dragged out of the attack.

Things just keep getting better and better for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain undefeated in the Champions League going into their game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and, following their 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, are six points clear atop the Premier League table.

The star of their derby win was unquestionably hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze, but there was also another stellar performance from Leandro Trossard, who scored and assisted a goal.

The Belgian has been in sensational form so far this year, but based on recent reports, his long-term place at Arsenal could be in danger.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

Towards the end of last season, it felt like there was a strong chance that Trossard would be one of the players sold by Arsenal in the summer.

A move away seemed even more likely when reports touting him to sides in Turkey and Germany started to pop up in July.

However, the club opted to keep him and hand him a pay rise instead, which, following his return of ten goal involvements in 15 appearances, is a decision that has been more than justified.

With that said, it now looks like the Gunners are looking to sign an upgrade on the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem.

At least that is according to a report from Spain, which claims Arsenal have reignited their intense interest in Rodrygo.

The report has revealed that the North Londoners have held internal talks over the potential move and, according to other sources, are preparing a proposal of €80m, including add-ons, which comes to around £70m.

The good news is that Real Madrid would consider selling the Brazilian international, though the bad news is that Liverpool are also said to be keen.

Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Rodrugo’s ability, one worth pursuing, especially as he could be an upgrade on Trossard.

How Rodrygo compares to Trossard

Now, it would be fair to say that so far this year, Trossard has been unreal and is arguably performing at a level Arsenal fans have not seen from him before.

At the same time, Rodrygo is struggling for game time and to make any sort of impact at all at Real Madrid.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the Belgian is massively outperforming the Brazilian so far this season.

However, that does not mean the former Brighton star is a better player than the multiple Champions League winner, as when looking back over the last few years, it becomes apparent that the opposite is true.

For example, in 54 appearances across all competitions last season, the former Santos gem produced 25 goal involvements, which comes out to an average of one every 2.16 games.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 produced 20 goal involvements in 56 appearances, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games.

It was the same story the year before as well.

For example, the Real Madrid star produced 26 goal involvements in 51 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.96 games.

Games

54

56

Goals

14

10

Assists

11

10

Games

51

46

Goals

17

17

Assists

9

3

The Waterschei-born gem, on the other hand, produced 20 goal involvements in 46 appearances, which again came out to a less impressive average of one every 2.3 games.

In other words, Los Blancos’ dynamic attacker, whom analyst Spencer Mossman has dubbed “one of the best wingers in the world,” is generally far more of a goal threat than the North Londoners’ £27m man.

Moreover, the 37-capped international also has far more experience in Europe’s top competition, the Champions League, and has played a pivotal role in the Spanish giants winning it twice in recent years.

For example, in 67 games in the competition, he has scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists, and eight of those goals have come in the knockout rounds.

Ultimately, while he’s not in the best of form at the moment, Rodrygo is an undeniably sensational footballer, and if Arsenal have the chance to sign him, they should do so, even if it would be bad news for Trossard’s place in the side.

Gabriel 2.0: Arsenal enter £79m race to sign "one of the best CBs in the PL"

Mikel Arteta and Co could sign Arsenal another defensive monster like Gabriel.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

Spring training is almost upon us as pitchers and catchers have begun to arrive at team complexes. While many teams still have work to do on their rosters, it's getting late in the game for major acquisitions. Several franchises did great work this offseason and have set themselves up for big things in 2025.

Here are the five teams that did the best job this offseason at upgrading their rosters.

5. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks lost a key piece in first baseman Christian Walker, who signed with the Houston Astros, but wound up coming out ahead in the end. They landed Josh Naylor in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians to replace Walker, then attacked their rotation needs aggressively.

Arizona signed Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract to join Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly atop the team's rotation. The low-cost addition of Randal Grichuk and a lottery ticket pickup in Trey Mancini were good bets as well.

In a division that features the flashier Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, the Diamondbacks often get lost in the mix. The 2023 National League champions went a long way to making up the ground they lost in 2024 this offseason.

4. New York Yankees

While fans lament the loss of Soto and bemoan the lack of high-level spending, the Yankees have followed up their World Series loss to the Dodgers with a solid offseason.

They signed Max Fried to the biggest contract ever for a left-handed pitcher and should be happy with the results. He's as consistent as any hurler in the game. They traded for Cody Bellinger and signed Paul Goldschmidt, acquiring two bounce-back candidates. Perhaps their most shrewd move was trading for Devin Williams, arguably baseball's best reliever. They also re-signed Tim Hill in an under-the-radar move.

The Yankees got better this offseason despite losing Soto. They still have work to do, but the roster is more well-rounded than it was a few months ago.

3. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox were primarily focused on adding arms this offseason and started with a big one. Boston landed lefty Garrett Crochet in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. It's a high-upside deal for a guy who had 209 strikeouts in 146 innings in 2024, but Crochet's injury history makes it a big risk.

The Sox also, however, signed Dodgers World Series hero Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21 million deal and added fellow starter Patrick Sandoval for depth. Reliever Aroldis Chapman has been added to the bullpen as well.

Boston also landed star infielder Alex Bregman on a three-year contract worth $120 million on Wednesday night. Bregman, Crochet and Buehler are high-upside signings that could pay huge dividends.

2. New York Mets

The Mets landed the big fish this offseason, inking Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal. But landing the 26-year-old perennial MVP candidate wasn't the only move the franchise made in an attempt to build on its NLCS appearance from 2024.

Pete Alonso will be back at Citi Field after signing a two-year, $54 million deal. Additionally, the team's rotation got a boost from adding Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning, while retaining Sean Manaea coming off an excellent rebound season, to compensate for the losses of Luis Severino and Jose Quintana. The Mets also landed center fielder Jose Siri in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, signed Nick Madrigal for infield depth and re-signed Ryne Stanek and added A.J. Minter for bullpen reinforcements.

It was a solid offseason that saw one huge bat imported, another retained and a number of solid arms added.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

For a second offseason in a row, the Dodgers aced the winter. The defending World Series champions loaded up an already loaded roster, adding to their lineup, pitching staff and bullpen. The rich got much richer.

LA added two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell, while also landing Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki and bringing back Clayton Kershaw. Buehler is gone, but the Dodgers more than made up for his departure. Los Angeles also brought in outfielder Michael Conforto and South Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, while re-signing outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.

The Dodgers loaded up in the bullpen as well. A team strength got even better as they signed lefty closer Tanner Scott and veteran righty Kirby Yates. All in all, the franchise spent more than $450 million this offseason.

Danny Rohl discovered Rangers’ problems run deeper than former boss Russell Martin as the Light Blues were blitzed 3-0 by Brann in Bergen.

The 36-year-old German head coach was installed as Martin’s successor on Monday with the Gers sitting sixth in the William Hill Premiership and having lost their opening two league phase games in the Europa League to Genk and Sturm Graz.

However, a new era at Rangers continued along familiar lines against a side third in the Norwegian top flight.

Emil Kornvig scored five minutes before the break to give Freyr Alexandersson’s side a deserved interval lead, Jacob Sorensen added a second after 55 minutes with Noah Holm firing in a third in the 79th minute, on a night when once again the beleaguered Light Blues performed to an embarrassingly low standard, and now sit pointless.

Cavenagh told to fire two key Rangers figures

Heart & Hand editor David Edgar was left furious post-match, calling on Andrew Cavenagh to immediately fire both Chief Executive Patrick Stewart and Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell.

Celtic legend turned pundit and wind-up merchant Chris Sutton was also there on social media to get his digs in.

It seems there will be no quick fix for Gers fans desperate to see the Ibrox club shake themselves out of their lethargy.

With five remaining Europa League games against tough opposition, progress into the knockout phase looks unlikely and after a sobering debut, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss now has to prepare his side to face Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Sunday.

Rohl’s first team selection saw him bring in defender Nasser Djiga and much-maligned 21-year-old striker Youssef Chermiti for Derek Cornelius and Bojan Miovski, who were both on the bench.

Thelwell had this week defended the signing of unproven Chermiti for a reported fee of £8.5million from Everton and he found little joy with some early touches and missed a first-half sitter but his team mates were really no better.

The home side looked more fluid and organised and in the 14th minute Eivind Helland headed a corner wide before Gers keeper Jack Butland made a terrific save from Ulrik Mathisen’s point-blank header, after he was set up by Holm.

Butland then parried Bard Finne’s angled-drive before Holm fired over the bar but Rangers came back and Norway international Thelo Aasgaard miskicked 14 yards from goal after taking a pass from skipper James Tavernier.

There was more profligacy when Chermiti meekly headed a curling Nicolas Raskin cross into the hands of Brann keeper Mathias Dyngeland.

The Norwegian side had regained control when Finne raced into the box with Tavernier nowhere to be seen but although he took a poor touch as defender John Souttar challenged, the ball moved past Butland with Kornvig first there to knock it into the net.

It was more of the same after the break for Rangers and the second goal was soon conceded, after Gers winger Oliver Antman conceded a foul wide on the left.

When Finne curled the free-kick into the box Sorensen easily got away from defender Jayden Meghoma to knock the ball past Butland.

Antman made way for Mikey Moore, who flashed a cross from Meghoma over the bar from 12 yards but Holm was more clinical from the same distance when a cross from Vetle Dragsnes landed at his feet.

For frustrated Gers fans, it was a new face in the dugout but the same old frailties on the pitch.

MatériaMais Notícias

Além do futuro envolvendo os nove jogadores em fim de contrato que estão no elenco do Corinthians, o técnico Mano Menezes e o novo presidente do Timão terão que decidir quais jogadores emprestados irão ser aproveitados ou negociados em meio a reformulação na equipe para 2024.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansEx-jogador acusa o Corinthians de ‘compra casada’ na contratação de Eduardo Ramos durante a primeira passagem de ManoCorinthians13/10/2023CorinthiansPróximo de feito histórico com a Albânia, entenda por que Sylvinho saiu ‘chutado’ do CorinthiansCorinthians13/10/2023CorinthiansCapitão da Seleção Brasileira, Casemiro quase iniciou a carreira no CorinthiansCorinthians13/10/2023

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

No início da temporada, a diretoria corintiana emprestou o goleiro Ivan até o final de 2023 com gatilhos para ativar uma obrigação de compra. Contudo, o goleiro não irá bater a meta estabelecida – jogar ao menos 30 jogos pelo Vasco – e vai retornar ao Timão.  

Com contrato até o final de 2024, Ivan brigaria por posição com Matheus Donelli e Carlos Miguel pela vaga de Cássio. Carlos Miguel recebeu sondagens da Europa na última janela de transferências e pode ser negociado em janeiro.

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Quem também possui vínculo com o Corinthians até o final de 2024 é o zagueiro Raul Gustavo, emprestado ao Bahia até o restante da temporada. Raul teve que operar o joelho em março, perdeu espaço no Tricolor de Aço mas pode ser aproveitado pelo Timão em 2024 pelo baixo número de zagueiro no elenco.

O volante Luis Mandaca, cedido ao Juventude, também pode reforçar a equipe no próximo ano. Com três gols, o atleta de 22 anos é um dos destaques da equipe gaúcha, mas sofreu uma lesão muscular que interrompeu sua sequência como titular.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Já Léo Santos (Ceará), Jonathan Cafú (Cuiabá) e Rodrigo Varanda (América-MG) também estão emprestados, porém possuem contratos perto do final e não devem ter seus vínculos renovados pela nova diretoria.

Por fim, o atacante Eduardo Tanque, cedido ao Aimoré e com contrato com o Timão até final de 2024, e Léo Natel, emprestado ao Melbourne City até junho de 2024, não devem ser aproveitados pelo Corinthians.

Leeds United splashed the cash during the summer transfer window to bolster their squad with a host of new signings to make them competitive in the Premier League.

A return of eight points from the first seven matches of the top-flight season suggests that it has been money well spent so far, particularly given that they have already played Arsenal, Spurs, and Newcastle.

Daniel Farke has created a team that has a good blend of players who were instrumental to the club’s success in the Championship last season and the signings brought in during the summer window.

The midfield is a good example of that because it has recently consisted of Ethan Ampadu, in his third season at Elland Road, alongside new signings Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff.

This shows that Leeds have not been overly reliant on their Championship team, but they also have not completely ripped up what worked for them in the 2024/25 campaign.

One position on the pitch that is still up for debate is centre-forward, though, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin has yet to fully convince since his move to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds more from Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The 11-cap England international was brought in on a free transfer during the summer transfer window after he was released by Everton at the end of last season.

Calvert-Lewin is a vastly experienced Premier League campaigner, as this is his tenth year in the division, which made him seem like a sensible signing on paper, particularly on a free transfer.

His experience in the top-flight has been evident early on in his career at Elland Road in the way that he duels with opposition centre-backs, having won 4.6 duels per game and 41% of his aerial duels, per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old striker, who scored his first goal for the club against Wolves, has shown that he can compete with defenders and provide a physical presence in the number nine role.

However, Leeds need more from Calvert-Lewin in front of goal in the box, because he has scored one goal and missed five ‘big chances’ in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been wasteful with the opportunities that have come his way.

25/26

1.08

1

24/25

8.58

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

12

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/18

1.25

1

As you can see in the table above, the English forward’s career in the top-flight does not suggest that he is likely to improve his efficiency in the final third, which is a concern.

However, if his physical and hold-up play does enough to help the Whites win enough points to avoid relegation, irrespective of his goal return, then the Whites will surely deem him to have been a successful signing by the end of the season.

Calvert-Lewin’s arrival at Elland Road, and subsequent emergence as the first-choice striker at Elland Road, has led to one of last season’s stars now looking like he is on borrowed time in the Premier League.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Joel Piroe played a pivotal role on the pitch for the West Yorkshire outfit in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns in the Championship, but now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Why Joel Piroe has an uncertain future at Leeds

In the summer of 2023, Leeds swooped to sign the Dutch centre-forward from Championship rivals Swansea City for a fee of £10m, in a move that was described as a “statement transfer” by journalist Phil Hay.

The reporter hailed the shift in mood within the fanbase and around the club in general that the signing caused, as they had signed a proven goalscorer at the level. Piroe’s return of 46 goals in 96 games for Swansea, per Transfermarkt, made him an exciting addition.

Proven goalscorers are hard to find at any level, as evidenced by Calvert-Lewin’s current struggles in front of goal, but that is exactly what Leeds found in the Championship with Piroe.

The left-footed star scored 14 goals in his first Championship season with the Whites, before winning the Golden Boot with a 19-goal haul last term to help his side win the title.

A return of 33 goals in two league seasons in the second tier shows that Leeds made a great decision when they signed him from Swansea in 2023 as a statement transfer, as he brought the guaranteed goals that his form for the Welsh side promised.

Promotion to the Premier League, though, was always going to mean that some of the club’s stars from the promotion-winning season may find it difficult to get game time in the top-flight, as not every player is able to make the step up.

Piroe, on current evidence, already looks like he is on borrowed time at Elland Road after a difficult start to the 2025/26 campaign, having fallen behind Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in the pecking order.

Duels won

1.22

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

15.4%

Bottom 3%

Aerial duels won

1.22

Bottom 17%

Aerial duel success rate

22.2%

Bottom 3%

Fouls committed

0.61

Bottom 14%

Successful dribbles

0.00

Bottom 3%

Dribble success rate

0%

Bottom 3%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman has failed to deal with the step up in intensity and physicality in the Premier League, ranking among the worst strikers in the division in a host of physical metrics.

So far, Piroe has made three appearances, started two games, and been an unused substitute on three occasions, per Sofascore. All three of those minuteless matches on the bench came after his two starts, which suggests that Farke was not too impressed by his performances.

The Dutchman failed to score a goal, missing one ‘big chance’, and did not create a single chance for his teammates in those three appearances, to go along with his struggles off the ball.

Therefore, the former Swansea star may be on borrowed time at Elland Road unless there is a significant change to his performance level, as he may have to reconsider his future if it gets to January and he is rarely getting minutes on the pitch.

Earns more than Tanaka: Farke's "liability" is on borrowed time at Leeds

This Leeds flop who earns more than Ao Tanaka is on borrowed time at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Oct 10, 2025

There is no doubt that Piroe has been a success at Leeds, because he was signed in the Championship to score goals and did exactly that, but he may be coming to the end of his journey in West Yorkshire, unfortunately.

That total was built on the back of a blazing opening stand, while the rest of the batters ensured MI maintained their momentum through the innings

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-May-2025

Rohit Sharma raises his bat after getting to a half-century•Getty Images

Mumbai Indians have a 17-0 record while defending 200-plus totals in the IPL. They have set Gujarat Titans a target of 229 in the Eliminator, after posting the second-highest total in any IPL playoff game.That total was built on the back of a blazing stand of 84 between a new opening pair. Jonny Bairstow, replacing Ryan Rickelton who has left on international duty, smashed a 22-ball 47 on his debut for his third IPL team. Rohit Sharma, dropped twice in the first three overs of the match, went on to score 81 off 50 balls.The middle order built on these efforts with panache, with Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya hitting three sixes each to ensure MI maintained their momentum right through the innings. They hit 17 sixes in all, the joint third-most in any innings in IPL 2025.Related

Mumbai Indians' turnaround decoded: death overs tamed, middle overs mastered

No more second chances for Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans

MI chose to bat a day after Punjab Kings, sent in, had been bowled out for 101 at the same venue. This was a different pitch, however, with even bounce and none of the seam movement of Qualifier 1.GT, however, could have had MI in trouble early, only for Gerald Coetzee and Kusal Mendis to put Rohit down on 3 and 12. Within minutes GT were firmly on the back foot, with Bairstow tonking Prasidh Krishna for 26 runs – though two of his boundaries came off the edge – in the fourth over.Bairstow fell in the eighth over, but MI kept punching. Rohit’s use of the sweep against GT’s spinners was particularly noteworthy, bringing him 27 runs – the most he’s scored with variants of the sweep against spin in any IPL innings for which shot data is available – off just six balls.He slowed down after reaching his half-century, only scoring 31 off his last 22 balls, but the rest of MI’s batters ensured there would be no let up in the scoring rate, and Hardik finished things off with three sixes off Coetzee in the final over.

Cheteshwar Pujara, former Chennai Super Kings player, is “quite surprised” at Stephen Fleming’s remark that they’ve been offered “no home advantage” at Chepauk. That said, Pujara felt Friday’s surface for the game between CSK and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) offered more help for spinners in the second innings, while the ball “skidded on a bit more” in the first half while CSK bowled.”It is [surprising] because at CSK you can’t complain, it’s one franchise where they’ve been preparing pitches according to their strengths,” Pujara said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut after RCB handed CSK their biggest home defeat, by 50 runs, to make it two wins in two. “You should [use home advantage]; if he’s saying that [there is no home advantage] they don’t have a say, then I’m quite surprised.”If you speak about MI, CSK, KKR – I don’t think that’s the case [them not getting pitches they ask for]. Any other franchise, I can still understand. Those [three] franchises make sure they get what they want. Their strength has been when they play at home.”Related

• Fleming: 'No home advantage at Chepauk'

• Stats – RCB end 17-year Chennai jinx against CSK

• Spellbinding Hazlewood and RCB conquer Chepauk and CSK

One of the big talking points in CSK’s chase was their tactic of batting Sam Curran ahead of Shivam Dube, and R Ashwin ahead of MS Dhoni, who came in at No. 9 with the chase seemingly dead, with CSK needing 98 off 28. Dhoni finished with 30 off 16, thanks mainly to the 16 runs (two sixes and a four) he hit off Krunal Pandya in the final over with CSK needing 67.”There is a lot of concern [in the batting line-up outside of Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad] because their middle order will have to click at some point,” Pujara said. “They will have to start scoring runs quickly. They rely heavily on their middle order.”Yes, their top order is their strength, but when they don’t perform well that’s the time the middle order has to step up, it doesn’t look like they’re completely ready for it. It looks like they’ll need better surfaces to get back into form and when they start playing at home again, they’ll be able to perform well.”Pujara felt more than the loss, it was CSK’s manner of defeat that was hurtful. “There’s a lot to learn for CSK,” he said. “I’ve been part of the franchise. If you’re a CSK fan, you’d really be disappointed today. You tend to lose, but the way they lost this game will put a lot of dents in the dressing room.”

‘Conway for Curran and Dube batting higher’

Nick Knight, the former England opener, felt CSK have tried to fix something that wasn’t broken by separating a “tried-and-tested” opening pair in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway. Gaikwad has batted at No. 3 in the first two matches, with Rahul Tripathi opening with Rachin Ravindra. In both games so far, Gaikwad has come out to bat in the second over.2:12

Fleming: We haven’t been able to read the Chepauk pitches

“In my top order, I’d have Devon Conway. I’m surprised he’s not playing,” Knight said. “I’d play both of them [Conway and Rachin]. I’m going to leave Sam Curran out. I just feel that Gaikwad and Conway at the top is tried and tested. I’m not saying it’s right by any means, but when you look at it – Conway has a terrific record.”Rachin can bat at No. 3, more than capable. And you work down from there. The only thing about that is Dhoni may have to bat at No. 7, which he’s sometimes reluctant to do, sometimes wants to bat lower than that. He’s made 30 of 16, effected a brilliant stumping, I’d encourage them to get him to No. 7.”The other aspect to CSK’s batting Knight felt needed an immediate rethink was Dube’s role. On Friday, Dube came in at No. 6, below Curran and made 19 off 15. Dube has shown a propensity to takedown spin – he strikes at 169.71 against this variety since IPL 2023. This facet was one of their X factors during CSK’s run to the title in 2023.”Why was Dube not batting higher? I was stunned when he came out ahead of Curran,” Knight said. “They were so far behind the game at that point, they needed something to get them impetus, energy in their run chase and Dube was just held back. I saw him smash the England attack a couple of month ago [in a T20I series], coming in as a replacement player.”If that guy can’t do that in this tournament, I must be seeing things slightly different. For me, Dube could be the man to take this opportunity and boss the middle overs, and boss the middle section of that innings and take his game forward and take the team forward. If you go Conway, Gaikwad, Ravindra, Hooda, Dube, Jadeja, Dhoni – that’s a decent line-up.”

Chelsea wanted to sign a new centre-back in the summer transfer window and were actively exploring options, following Levi Colwill’s disastrous ACL injury which is expected to keep him out for a large portion of 2025/2026.

Enzo Maresca even publicly asked the club to bring in a new central defender, and they were actively pursuing a deal for Dean Huijsen before the Spaniard ultimately opted for Real Madrid.

While the Italian later backtracked on this message, claiming an internal solution was the only option, it is crystal clear from Maresca’s statement there that he’s not happy with Chelsea’s current defensive options.

Colwill’s injury has left them light in that area, with Wesley Fofana also having struggled for consistent fitness since his £70 million move from Leicester City three years ago.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy in 2026)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

Ben Chilwell

Axel Disasi is part of the Chelsea ‘bomb squad’ with Raheem Sterling, and while Benoit Badiashile has returned to first-team training this week, it is unclear how ready he is to feature for Maresca.

Summer signing Jorrel Hato can play centre-back but is primarily viewed as a left-back and alternative to Marc Cucurella, leaving little wonder why Maresca was so keen on another option to bolster the heart of his defence.

With the UK window closing on September 1, this could still be on the agenda for 2026, with journalist Graeme Bailey reporting that they’re big fans of Club Brugge starlet Joel Ordonez.

Chelsea send officials on midweek mission with Joel Ordonez set to leave Brugge

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey states that Chelsea scouts were sent to run the rule over Ordonez during Ecuador’s 1-0 win over Argentina on Wednesday.

Enner Valencia scored the only game of the game as both Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Otamendi were sent off during a tense affair, but Ordonez managed to help Ecuador keep a clean sheet against the world champions.

The 21-year-old, according to reports, is valued at around £40 million by Brugge, and Bailey says that Ordonez is “almost certain” to leave in 2026 amid interest from Chelsea.

Tottenham have also been credited with an interest in the “huge talent”, with his mooted summer move to Marseille falling through. It could only be a matter of time before he’s plying his trade in the Premier League, and Ordonez ticks nearly every box.

Liverpool so often wrap up all their business nice and early, so prudent are FSG. But not this time, deals have dragged over to the eleventh hour, but Red fans won’t care a jot.

After weeks of posturing, Newcastle United have finally opened the door for Liverpool to sign Alexander Isak in what will prove a British-record £130m deal, including £5m in solidarity figures.

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, but Liverpool may yet seal a signature considered even more important for the fluency and stability of Arne Slot’s project.

Liverpool confident they will sign Premier League star

As per transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are growing in confidence that a deal can be pulled off for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Though Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the England international and have the blessing of Palace chairman Steve Parish, Eagles first-team manager Oliver Glasner has been loath to let the star centre-back leave, and everything hinges on sufficient replacements being welcomed through the gates.

Liverpool have offices in London, and thus a medical will take place in the capital if the Merseysiders get the green light at this late hour. Palace are holding out for £40m and a deal is “expected to happen”.

Why Marc Guehi could make a bigger impact than Isak

Guehi, 25, has been at Crystal Palace for four years after leaving Chelsea for an £18m fee, failing to break into the Stamford Bridge senior side.

But no matter, he’s only gone from strength to strength since, captaining Palace to an incredible FA Cup triumph last year before beating Liverpool in last month’s Community Shield clash.

Hailed as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, the £50k-per-week Guehi has so much quality, and he might even prove to be a better deal at this stage than Isak, who is going to cost FSG a pretty penny indeed.

Liverpool have started the current campaign imperiously from an attacking standpoint, and they were rather good in front of goal last term too.

1.

Liverpool

1st

80

2.

Man City

4th

66

3.

Newcastle

3rd

65

4.

Arsenal

2nd

63

5.

Tottenham

16th

62

The thought of adding Isak to the fold is frightening, to be sure, but given the fragilities of Ibrahima Konate over Liverpool’s opening fixtures in August, and then the Frenchman’s injury scare and ever-looming contractual expiry date at the end of the term, signing Guehi might actually prove to be the most important of the two deadline-day deals for Liverpool.

The England international showcased against Aston Villa on Sunday his aptitude on the ball, scoring a looping finish with the skill of a seasoned attacking midfielder.

And Sofascore record that he has also won 75% of his duels across his opening three matches of the Premier League term. Without a doubt, he has what it takes to become a superstar in Liverpool’s ranks, potentially succeeding Virgil van Dijk as the club’s standout defender over the coming years.

Liverpool have completed the most incredible of transfer windows, but despite all the flashy business at the front end of the field, Guehi might just prove to be the shrewdest and most impactful of the lot.

Van Dijk-esque: Liverpool can forget Guehi with D-day bid for £23m "leader"

Liverpool are looking to sign a centre-back before the transfer window slams shut at 7pm.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 1, 2025