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Liverpool made mincemeat of the Premier League’s finest in 2024/25, winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm.

Such was their dominance that a late-season sojourn over in the Gulf states was permitted while rivals worked toward positive finishes to the term.

This wasn’t the case for the Anfield side; far from it. However, 2025/26 will bring a new campaign and Liverpool are acting like it, using their pull, heightened by the recent success, to sign Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.

Liverpool like to pluck exciting talents from their divisional rivals, and this summer is proving no different. Indeed, with a fee agreed with Leverkusen for the £34m sale of Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract, Real Madrid lurking, is it any surprise that sporting director Richard Hughes is hoping to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi?

Why Liverpool target players like Kerkez & Guehi

Liverpool might have broken the British transfer record this month (should Wirtz’s fixed £100m fee be expanded by the £16m in add-ons), but the Merseysiders tend to walk down a less-beaten path, signing up-and-coming talents from clubs settled lower down the Premier League ladder.

Take Andy Robertson, for example, signed from Hull City for just £10m back in 2017. He’s since solidified his name among the division’s all-time great full-backs.

Most Assists in Premier League History (defenders)

#

Player

Apps

Assists

1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

259

64

2.

Andy Robertson

308

60

3.

Leighton Baines

420

53

4.

Graeme Le Saux

327

44

5.

Kieran Trippier

204

38

Data via Premier League

And how could we forget Gini Wijnaldum? The Dutchman was the industrious, metronomic heartbeat which kept Klopp’s system ticking, purloined from Newcastle United after their relegation to the Championship.

Shoutout Xherdan Shaqiri, too.

The point is, Liverpool run their club intelligently, identifying players proven in the Premier League and with plenty of scope for growth. Manchester United, with their Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, may well have taken a leaf from their rival.

While FSG are in a position to sign superstars like Wirtz, they haven’t lost track of their roots: Kerkez, signed for £40m, is evidence of his, hailing from the south coast, while the 24-year-old Guehi would also align with this tried-and-tested Merseyside method, having been at the centre of transfer rumours in recent days that suggest Liverpool would be willing to pay £50m to snap him up.

Slot will have had his say in identifying such players, looking to bring them to Anfield, but he is benefiting somewhat from the club’s prowess when Klopp was at the helm. Certainly, there’s one star in particular who aligns with the discussed method who should be the barometer from which to judge an addition’s success.

Liverpool have struck gold on Premier League signing

Like Kerkez and Virgil van Dijk before him, Alexis Mac Allister has proved a stunning signing for Liverpool, joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £35m two years ago.

His first term, the Argentina international, who was instrumental in his nation’s 2022 World Cup triumph, filled in as a holding midfielder after the Anfield side failed in a bid to land Moises Caicedo; since, with Slot in charge, he’s moved back into a more expansive midfield role, winning silverware in both seasons on Merseyside.

One constant, however, has been Mac Allister’s brilliance in the centre of the park. The 26-year-old has only gone from strength to strength after switching the Seagulls for the Liverbird, with pundit Joe Cole even declaring him a “superstar” who “can play anywhere”.

Alexis Mac Allister in the Premier League (LFC)

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

33 (31)

35 (30)

Goals

5

5

Assists

5

5

Touches*

74.2

55.8

Pass completion

88%

87%

Big chances created

3

6

Key passes*

1.4

1.3

Dribbles*

0.5

0.5

Ball recoveries*

5.9

4.2

Tackles + interceptions*

4.1

3.3

Ground duels (won)*

5.0 (50%)

4.3 (50%)

Data via Sofascore

Take a look at the table above. What do you see? Curiously, Mac Allister has shifted roles under Slot, less active and frenetic in his play, calmed into a controlling force which channels the flow of the coach’s ball-playing vision.

The South American star perhaps said it best himself: “In terms of the change, perhaps with Jürgen I played as a lone five [holding midfielder]. So, the position was very different. I was much more defensive than anything else.

“So, the system has changed a little, but the main ideas are the same. I think perhaps the big change is in having that patience to have longer periods of possession and dominate games more and obviously that creates more chances.”

It’s certainly showcased through the metrics: as per FBref, Mac Allister ranked among the top 20% of midfielders in the Premier League last year for goal involvements, the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 14% for shot-creating actions and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

He’s the real deal, having ballooned in value and technical quality since making the leap. It’s a rise that Slot and co will no doubt hope Kerkez will follow, and Guehi too, should he sign from Palace this summer.

The fiesty midfielder’s progress at Liverpool has even impelled Real Madrid to come knocking on the door, with reports earlier in the year suggesting Florentino Perez would be willing to fork out some €90m (£76m) for the maestro, who has been earmarked as a potential long-term successor to Luka Modric’s soon-to-be vacant locker at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Naturally, this puts him in a much higher bracket than Kerkez and Guehi, but we must caveat that with a firm ‘for now’, as the ball-playing specialist may yet find his new and potential teammates to be rivalling him on the financial scales down the line.

Liverpool know their stuff, work with a calculated eye to sign up-and-coming Premier League stars and bring them up to elite status, when certain other high-station clubs then come sniffing around for fully developed product.

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Mac Allister is a perfect representation of that, and soon Kerkez and perhaps Guehi will be too.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025

Celtic ended the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw against St Mirren at Parkhead, having already clinched the title at the end of last month.

Jonah Ayunga’s goal gave the away side a shock lead at the start of the second half, but James Forrest stepped up in stoppage time to score a league goal for the Hoops for the 16th consecutive season – an extraordinary achievement.

As you can see in the clip above, central defender Liam Scales failed to get good distance on his headed clearance, which teed up Ayunga to rifle the ball into the back of the net.

Liam Scales' performance against St Mirren in numbers

The left-footed defender came into the side to replace Auston Trusty next to Cameron Carter-Vickers, with a chance to catch the eye ahead of the cup final.

Whilst he may not be happy with the goal that Celtic conceded and his part in it, Scales did a lot of good work in the match to keep the away side at bay.

The central defender ended the 90 minutes with eight clearances, four interceptions, and eight duels won, including seven out of 11 aerial battles won, which shows that he made a number of key defensive interventions.

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Meanwhile, central midfielder Paulo Bernardo was even worse than Scales and should be dropped by Brendan Rodgers for the SFA Cup final clash with Aberdeen next weekend.

Why Paulo Bernardo should be dropped

The Portuguese midfielder was given another chance to impress in the middle of the park ahead of the cup final, as Reo Hatate has been ruled out through injury.

There is a vacancy in the midfield next to Callum McGregor and Arne Engels, due to the Japanese star’s absence, and it should be Luke McCowan who is given the nod, not Bernardo.

In the clash with St Mirren, the former Benfica starlet lost 67% (4/6) of his duels and failed to create a single chance for his teammates in 54 minutes on the pitch.

This shows that he struggled in and out of possession for the Hoops and was even worse than Scales, who at least made numerous defensive interventions and completed 94% of his attempted passes.

Vs Aberdeen & St Mirren	Luke McCowan	Paulo Bernardo
Key passes	6	1
Big chances created	1	0
Assists	2	0
Shots	4	6
Goals	1	0
Duels won	4/9	7/12
Tackles + interceptions	4	6
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, in the two matches since Hatate suffered his knee injury, McCowan has provided far more quality in possession from a midfield position in comparison to Bernardo.

These statistics suggest that the former Dundee man is more likely to make a big impact from the start at Hampden Park against Aberdeen next weekend, given his recent form in front of goal.

Therefore, Rodgers must take Bernardo out of the starting XI to bring the Scottish dynamo back into the side when the team takes to the field with the ambition of winning the treble.

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1

By
Dan Emery

May 17, 2025

Derby County secured their Championship status in dramatic fashion and could now strike in the market to land a talented defender, according to reports.

Derby County look forward after great Championship escape

John Eustace pulled off something of a minor miracle after arriving at Pride Park, taking Derby from seven points behind at one point to eventual safety on the final day of the Championship season.

Plenty of controversy came to light when the 45-year-old swapped Blackburn Rovers for a side in a dogfight to avoid being relegated to the third-tier of English football, but it all seems to have worked out in the end.

There has been plenty of speculation over what may come next as Eustace bids to provide an element of stability at the Rams, and he has now taken a major step in shaping the future of his squad following the release of Derby’s retained list for 2025/26.

Jeff Hendrick, Kemar Roofe and Conor Washington are among senior members of his group who won’t be offered new deals, paving the way for potential transfer activity over the coming weeks.

Derby County’s retained list – who still has a future at Pride Park?

Players released (not offered new deals upon expiry)

Tom Barkhuizen, Sonny Bradley, Tyrese Fornah, Jeff Hendrick, Rohan Luthra, Erik Pieters, Kemar Roofe, Conor Washington.

Players out of contract with discussions ongoing over futures

Craig Forsyth, Liam Thompson.

Loanees returning to parent clubs

Harrison Armstrong, Marcus Harness, David Ozoh, Nat Phillips, Jerry Yates.

Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon has emerged as a target for Eustace amid competition from Blackburn for his signature. Make no mistake, there will be mass changes at Derby and plenty of movement is set to take place.

Speaking of which, Derby have made an offer to bring a talented star to Pride Park this summer and have now received a reply.

O'Rourke: Derby receive reply to Cody Drameh offer

Taking to social media platform X, journalist Pete O’Rourke has confirmed that Derby have been knocked back in their attempts to land Hull City full-back Cody Drameh on loan after making an initial offer for the 23-year-old.

Eustace previously worked with the former Leeds United man at Birmingham City, calling the defender “top” in 2023 and is keen to be reunited with a familiar face, though he is also being targeted by Stade de Reims and Toulouse.

Labelled “fantastic” by Rob Edwards, Drameh registered a goal and an assist in 29 appearances this campaign as Hull narrowly staved off relegation in similar fashion to Derby.

Winning 49 tackles on league duty, the London-born man is a sought-after talent that still has room for development, though it remains to be seen whether the Tigers will be willing to let him go during the off-season.

They might still be in with a chance of winning the Europa League, but this season has been a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners would have started their campaign hopeful of improving on their fifth-place finish last year and qualifying for the Champions League.

However, with less than two months of the season remaining, Ange Postecoglou’s side find themselves down in 14th place in the Premier League and with more losses than wins.

With that said, there has been one big positive from the campaign, which is how well their youngsters have fared, and based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co now seem intent on adding another up-and-coming talent to their squad in the £50m Dean Huijsen. However, they may already have their own version of the Spaniard out on loan.

Why Spurs want to sign Huijsen

With what has to be an enormous summer of transfer activity ahead of them, why would Spurs want to spend a significant amount of money on Huijsen?

Well, there are a few reasons, and the first is their fragilities at the back, as with Micky van de Ven incredibly injury-prone and Cristian Romero increasingly so, the club need another centre-back who’d not only be capable of filling in when needed but also challenge both for a place in the starting lineup, which he could do.

For example, despite still being just 19 years old, the Spaniard has made 29 appearances for Bournemouth this season, 24 of which have been starts, and considering the Cherries have conceded five fewer goals than the North Londoners in the league this year, that’s an encouraging sign.

Moreover, he won his first senior cap for Spain last month and looks to be on a trajectory to the very top of the game.

Finally, he also has some genuinely impressive underlying numbers to his name, with FBref placing him in the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions, the top 2% for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 4% for clearances, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Interceptions

2.10

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.17

Top 2%

Clearances

6.78

Top 4%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.64

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

1.45

Top 8%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.09

Top 10%

Touches in the Attacking Box

1.36

Top 12%

In short, Huijsen would be a great signing for the present and future, but it might be unnecessary, as one of Tottenham’s loanees looks like he could be their version of the teenager.

Spurs' own Huijsen

While Spurs have several exciting youngsters out on loan this season, from Ashley Phillips to Yang Min-hyeok, it’ll likely come as no surprise to those of you who follow him that the player we are talking about is Luka Vušković.The Croatian wonderkid joined Tottenham back in September 2023, but as he was just 16, post-Brexit rules mean he can’t officially move to North London until this summer.

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While not ideal, this allowed the youngster to go out on loan, and he’s spent this season in Belgium with KVC Waterloo, where he has been sensational.

So what makes him like Huijsen, then?

Well, the first and most obvious point of similarity is that both players are enormous for their age, with the Spaniard coming in at 6 foot 6 and the Croat just over 6 foot 4.

On top of that, a similar level of expectation is placed upon the Lilywhites gem.

For example, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “truly amazing CB” and proclaimed that he’s “destined for great things.”

At the same time, football analyst Ben Mattinson has described the teenager as a “freak athlete” and a “freak talent” who has a “scary ceiling.”

Finally, while the Bournemouth man has shown himself to be someone who can chip in with a goal or two, the Split-born prospect is on another level.

Appearances

29

Clean Sheets

5

Goals

7

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

For example, in just 29 first-team appearances this term, he’s scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 0.31 games, which is just incredible for a centre-back.

Ultimately, signing Huijsen wouldn’t be a bad idea, but Tottenham shouldn’t feel like they need to, as in Vušković, they already have their own version of the Spaniard.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025

England’s captain said he had a feeling on an auspicious date, and so it transpired

Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Jul-20250:55

Manjrekar: Stokes always makes things happen

Ben Stokes had a hunch when he woke up on Monday morning.On the sixth anniversary of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup win, on the final day at Lord’s, with six wickets to get before India achieved the remaining 135 to win this third Test, Stokes felt there was only one man who should start the day with the ball.It was not from the end from which Jofra Archer bowled that famous Super Over against New Zealand. Stokes still had two deliveries left after taking out nightwatcher Akash Deep with what became his final ball on Sunday. But the Pavilion End, from where Archer, on Thursday, had taken his first Test wicket since February 24, 2021, would do just fine. Especially when fate was calling.Related

• Battered players leave bits of hearts and spirits behind after bruising Lord's Test

• Ben Stokes on final-day bowling efforts: 'Nothing was stopping me'

• Six balls and a lifetime later, Archer returns with a bang

• Memories of the 2019 World Cup final Super Over

• Stats – England clinch the narrowest Lord's win

So it proved. A six-over spell produced a pearler to send Rishabh Pant’s off stump for a walk, then a stunning reflex catch – Archer sprawling to his right in his follow-through – did for Washington Sundar. Since 2006, when such records started being kept, Archer’s was the sixth fastest day-five spell recorded.”It felt right in my tummy that Jofra was going to do something this morning to break the game open,” Stokes said. “Gut feel doesn’t always work, but those two wickets he got this morning swung the game massively in our favour.”Undoubtedly, it was Stokes’ dismissal of KL Rahul, sandwiched by Archer’s strikes, that was top of the podium. England’s three wickets in the first seven overs of play had put them out in front. And just when it looked as though India were creeping back into the picture with their ninth-wicket stand, Stokes returned to prise out Jasprit Bumrah, even if the No. 10’s shot selection was curious given the situation.England’s heroes in that 2019 final – both the man who dragged them to that Super Over, and the one who held his nerve to defend 15 therein – were back at it in 2025. Cricket is a sport that, more often than not, baits romance rather than serves it up. However, for Stokes to bowl as much as he did, and for Archer to be back bowling in a Test match at all, provided a moment – as was the case six years ago – that English cricket will not be able to take for granted.Then and now: Six years on from the 2019 World Cup final, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were centre stage at Lord’s•Getty Images

****

Archer was at midwicket when the final ball of the match trickled agonisingly onto Mohammed Siraj’s leg stump. As Shoaib Bashir charged off towards the Grandstand – where Archer himself had been enveloped by Bashir after removing Jaiswal four days earlier – Archer fell to the floor.His resting place was more or less the same patch of grass onto which he had sprinted and dived after Jos Buttler had run out Martin Guptill from Jason Roy’s throw. But the significance of that moment is probably a little overblown, considering Archer could not recall why July 14 was special when Stokes broached it with him”You know what day today is, don’t you?” Stokes had asked before the start of play, looking to stir the 30-year-old. It turns out, Archer thought this was the anniversary of India’s two-wicket win over England at Lord’s in 2002’s NatWest series final. “You know that highlight package of India knocking off 300-odd back in the day with Ganguly?” Stokes explained to the media, referencing the then-India captain windmilling his shirt over his head on the away balcony. “He thought that was a World Cup final. He thought that was six years ago today.”The confusion was broadly understandable. That fixture actually took place on July 13, and highlights of that 325-plays-326 slobberknocker were on the television screens on Monday morning when England arrived at the ground. When Stokes informed Archer he meant the World Cup “we won”, Archer responded with, “oh, that one”.Ben Stokes at the centre surrounded by the rest of England•Getty Images

****

Archer will have known which one, of course, and confusing it with a match that took place 23 years ago suggests 2019’s final feels more recent than it actually is.The memories from that summer have kept Archer going, and kept England so invested – literally – in getting him back to this point. He had followed his World Cup haul of 20 dismissals at 23.05 (the third most in the tournament) with 22 more at 20.27 in the men’s Ashes, all of them underpinned by express pace. Few players have had such a sweet first taste of international cricket, and fewer still have nailed their own involvement so spectacularly.Archer’s problems have come ever since. From that summer into this one, his nine Test caps brought just 20 further wickets at 42. When people doubted that Archer could return as the bowler he had been back in 2019, they had their reasons.During this period, England did overbowl him, most notably on a flat pitch in Mount Maunganui, where he sent down 42 in a single innings. The link between his elbow and lower-back stress fractures was easy to make.Even on his thrilling Test debut at Lord’s against Australia, England were already playing recklessly with their new toy, as he sent down 44 overs in the match. And though he did get into a 40th on this comeback, the breakdown of his work suggests lessons have been learned.In 2019, there was an eight- and seven-over spell, along with six other spells at least four. This time, there were only six spells of four or more across the four days England spent in the field, with his two longest at five when opening the first innings, and six on this final morning.Much of that is down to the fact Stokes shouldered the longest burdens. Going into stumps on day four with 4.4 overs, he resumed in the morning for 9.2 more, and then later in the day for 10.While Archer did the post-match media rounds, looking fresh and beaming from ear to ear, an exhausted Stokes, carrying his bowling boots in one hand, blood seeping through the sock on his left foot, began his session for the written media with a simple request: “Any chance you can just do ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions?”2:32

Stokes: I was going to decide when I stop bowling

****

The connection between Stokes and Archer truly began in 2019, bound by that World Cup win.Stokes was the first to go over to Archer in the moment of victory, putting his arms around him during those celebrations on the outfield. They have gone on to become good friends, gaming together, even becoming business partners. And as Test captain, with Archer trending towards full fitness throughout Stokes’ tenure, the 34-year-old has been his biggest cheerleader and defender during various setbacks.Despite all the affection, Stokes did lose his cool with Archer on Sunday evening.During Archer’s third over, after Karun Nair had hit him for a second boundary through the covers in four deliveries, he gestured for a man to be placed out as insurance. Stokes refused.At the start of the 16th over, Rahul’s bunt out to deep square-leg was not immediately attacked, resulting in Stokes throwing his arms out at Archer, who was stationed back on the leg-side boundary. As the players walked off after Stokes had taken out Akash Deep’s off stump, Sky cameras caught Archer trying to speak to Stokes, who gave him short shrift.This is not Archer’s first Test in which Stokes has been captain, but it is his first since his regime officially began in 2022. Though Archer has been with the team since the second Test, this was the first time he was really “in it”. It is not a total surprise he is not up to speed with some of the non-negotiables.One insistence he seemed to fall foul of was asking for negative field settings – Stokes believes every fielder should be affecting a dismissal, something he reiterates by telling his bowlers he simply does not care about their economy rates. The other “must” is giving your all in fielding. No dawdling or escorting. A great example was Bashir, an over before he took the final wicket. Nursing a broken pinkie on his left hand that has ruled him out for the rest of the series, Bashir slid along the point boundary to intercept the ball inside the rope – scooping it with his right hand, then cradling it in the pit of his right elbow.Archer, by Monday, had clearly got the memo, diving about in the field, and letting his captain set whatever field he demanded. In return, he maintained his express pace throughout, including when he struck Siraj on the shoulder with a fierce bumper clocking in at 88mph. It turned out to be his final delivery of the match.Ben Stokes celebrates after sending back Jasprit Bumrah•Getty Images

****

Stokes revealed the main sticking point he had with Archer on the penultimate evening was not to do with his fielding but where people were stationed. Specifically, Stokes himself.”He wanted me to come to mid-on and Carsey [Brydon Carse] to go to leg slip so he could talk to me,” Stokes said. “But I didn’t trust Carsey at leg slip, to be honest. Honestly, that whole thing was he wanted me to come to mid-on so we could chat about what he’s trying to do.”Even in the heat of this Test match, it was a rare moment of vulnerability from Archer. Public-facing, too. Those chats would have been tactical, but there is something to be said for the extra comfort Stokes would have brought Archer by his side.Stokes was at mid-on for the last ball of the Super Over, collapsing onto his back at its conclusion. His unbeaten 84 had left the match all-square in normal time. But more important even that the eight extra runs he picked off alongside Jos Buttler in setting New Zealand a Super Over target of 16 was his advice to Archer before he took centre stage.Though Archer already had the confidence – he knew he’d have to bowl the Super Over even before Eoin Morgan had confirmed it – he was wary. He would later admit: “I don’t know what I would have done tomorrow” had he been responsible for losing that final.Stokes, however, had experience of that from 2016’s World T20 final in Kolkata. And so, he took Archer to one side and offered the following: “Win or lose, today does not define you. Everyone believes in you.”The irony is failure in this Test may have re-defined Archer. It would have been proof, in the eyes of the doubters, that he was a waste of central contracts. That he has been coddled by the ECB. That maybe he does only care for franchise riches, that he is only good for white-ball cricket. That, you know what, he is overrated. Speaking to Sky in the moment of victory, he railed against the “keyboard warriors” who had been the bane of his rehab for four years.Now, those thoughts can settle down. Of course, much will depend on how Archer recovers from this week’s exploits, though the nine days between now and the fourth Test will help him. A meaningful role in this winter’s Ashes is now a genuine possibility.A lot has happened in six years. And yet here we are, back at Lord’s, with English cricket grateful for Stokes and giddy about Archer all over again. All told, it’s good to be back.

ESPNcricinfo speaks to three of the world’s biggest cricket tour operators to find out how they’re coping with this unprecedented delay

Nagraj Gollapudi and Shashank Kishore26-Jun-2023On Tuesday, the ICC will announce the schedule for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup. That is exactly 100 days from the start of the 10-team marquee event which will be played in India. It is an unprecedented delay in terms of the announcement of the schedule, which was prepared by the BCCI, the hosting board.With just about three months before the World Cup gets underway on October 5, how do fans look at this extreme delay in the schedule coming out? We posed that and other concerning questions to three of the biggest tour operators in the game from around the world.Chris Millard is the managing director of the Barmy Army. Rakesh Patel is the founder of the Bharat Army. Luke Gillian has been following the Australian men’s team all around the world since 1995 and runs Australian Cricket Tours.What is the biggest challenge of the schedule being released so late?
Rakesh Patel: For a travelling fan, if you’re planning a holiday, you normally plan months in advance. Now, in this situation, it’s difficult to do that because you don’t know where the matches are and can’t book any flights or hotels; you don’t even know when your international flights to come into India will be.We’ve tried to advise our members to not pre-empt and book anything based on speculation because the scheduling has been fluid over the last few months. We know so many fans who have already lost money because they thought certain matches would be at certain locations and booked hotels and flights and are now very concerned that those matches won’t be played there. That has created a bit of a challenge for those fans because they’re trying to get the best deals. Some of them don’t buy refundable hotels because that’s how you get the cheapest rates.Our head office [in India] is in Ahmedabad, so we have quite a few hotels blocked in Ahmedabad through our travel program. We also know, recently, a lot of fans who had booked rooms at Hyatt and ITC [in Ahmedabad], their reservation has been cancelled. Because maybe the teams will be staying there, so they block out the entire hotel. Those are some of the other challenges, where the BCCI or ICC block them for the teams. The fans don’t know which are the team hotels.Chris Millard: The biggest challenge for us is to create packages that people want to go and visit the country. When you have to take into account the short time and logistics involved with the World Cup, it is very frustrating. England are the defending champions, and a lot of people are interested in going, but the more the time goes, ultimately less people will go because they will book different holidays. They may choose to go to visit the West Indies or come to India next year (2024) when England travel there to play the Test series.The big problem for tour operators is the planning involved. We are now trying to get flights and hotel rooms when a lot of them might have been already taken, but also what you are looking for may not be available and you might have to search for alternatives.Chris Millard of the Barmy Army suggests some England fans may give the World Cup a miss and travel to India next year when England tour for a Test series•Getty ImagesLuke Gillian: Cost of travel to India and getting the necessary time off work. That’s always been the crux of my issues over the last 25 years. We know that Australia will be playing India in 2027, but why do we need to wait four weeks before the tour to get a schedule? Why would people want to go because they wouldn’t get the time off work. It is not just BCCI, several other boards wait until the last minute to announce the schedule – it’s plain ignorance.With regards to ticketing, the challenge for me as a licensed tour operator is: if I request say 100 tickets from ICC, and, I get them, but with the schedule being announced this close to the tournament, fans might not get time off work, so I am hamstrung.As far as hotels go, the price can get out of control as soon as the schedule is released. I can give an example: recently (February-March) I was in India taking a tour group during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secured a hotel in Indore for AUD 200 [per night]. Two days later that price had risen to AUD 400. The Test match had just been shifted at the last minute from Dharamsala to Indore. So from a price point, the closer the event, travelling becomes inaccessible for many.In the past when you travelled for tournaments, how soon was the schedule out, and how did that help?
Millard: The 2022 T20 World Cup was a big success for England. The Barmy Army fans travelled in big numbers, but the schedule was in hand significantly earlier than three months. Australia, like India, is a big country and a lot of timing is involved.Gillian: I have never taken a group for world events, but personally I have attended World Cups – the last one was the 2019 World Cup in England. The schedule was announced a year in advance (in 2018), which allowed me to marry that up with the 2019 Ashes. India are playing Australia in white-ball [cricket] immediately after the World Cup (5 T20Is), so if the BCCI could have announced the schedule well in advance, many [Australian] fans could have thought about travelling.The biggest issue for a fan is time: if given more time to prepare, more people would travel to watch cricket around the world.Who should take responsibility: BCCI, the host board, the ICC, or both?
Gillian: Ultimately the ICC. It’s their event.Patel: ICC can’t tell us anything [even though the Bharat Army is one of their partners] until they official announce the schedule. From a general allocation perspective, for every ICC tournament over the past 10 years, cricket boards have always recognised the Bharat Army as a fan club and given us allocation for tickets. For example, during the WTC final [in June at the Oval], Surrey Cricket gave us two big blocks of tickets to sell to our members on general capacity. We also sold travel packages for fans travelling from abroad. We have that for every ICC tournament. For this tournament, we have the official travel program license from the ICC, but right now we don’t have anything from BCCI. Which is a shame, right? Because we are an Indian fan group, you’d hope that in your home World Cup, you’d get an allocation of tickets.Millard: I don’t have the intricate details and who should be blamed. We have worked with ICC in the past for many tournaments and they know what the Barmy Army brings to the game. I am looking forward to a better relationship with BCCI moving forward because England are going to be in India a lot. The Barmy Army play a massive role in making all forms of cricket a spectacle for everyone to watch – whether you are at home or in the stands.Luke Gillian will be at the World Cup, but he doesn’t yet know if he’ll be leading a tour group to the tournament•Getty ImagesFans are the biggest stakeholders, or at least should be. Are they being taken for granted?
Patel: The general feeling is, ‘Why does this happen in India?’ In 2011, there were last-minute changes which spoilt the experience. Many people were booked to Kolkata for India vs England but it was changed to Bangalore last-minute. In 2016 [T20 World Cup], we’d nearly booked for 400-450 people to go to Dharamsala for India vs Pakistan but the game was moved to Kolkata. Now in 2023, we’re in a situation where we have issues around the tournament. The general feeling is: It doesn’t happen anywhere else, so why does it happen in our country?The tie-ups we have with travel companies, hotels etc don’t allow us to factor in late cancellations or changes. Having to manage 1000 people and making late changes – some people want to change, some won’t – that creates a lot of confusion.We have known this tournament was happening in India for many, many years, but why have we got to a point that three months out we’re still having to have a negotiation on where these matches are going to be taking place? Why hasn’t this been sorted out months ago? Ultimately the stakeholders who suffer the most are the fans. There’s a sense that the fans are the lowest common denominator in this situation, but we also know come tournament time the stadiums will be full [for the India games, certainly].Millard: Unfortunately, as fans, we normally fall towards the bottom of the pecking order. And what we saw during Covid was how important fans are to cricket. When you are looking at the volume of finance that comes with TV rights deals, it pales into insignificance whether or not stadiums are sold out and whether people are travelling or not. But ultimately TV rights holders do want full stadiums so it is within their best interest to try and make it possible.How can fans ensure this doesn’t happen again?
Gillian: They can’t. It will happen again.Will you still go … have some fans have already dropped out?
Millard: Fans are still excited to travel, but undoubtedly the delay has caused some bother to people travelling. People have not directly dropped out, but some are saying they might look to travel to India next year during the Test series. If they have been waiting this long for the tournament schedule, they will continue to wait because it is a World Cup, because it is in India, because England are the world champions. I do think they will wait. We would expect bonkers numbers for the World Cup.We have absolutely not started making any bookings. We have searched for accommodation with regards to planning to ensure making the trip as big and good as possible for our members. We have got ideas based on the rough schedule we have seen in the media.Gillian: Yes, I am booked to fly in to India for the World Cup. What I don’t know is if I am leading a tour group.Which match are you most excited to watch?
Gillian Pakistan vs India. I want to be part of a world record 130,000 [crowd in Ahmedabad]Millard England will be in the final. England vs India will be a fabulous experience.

After losing all their previous nine Tests in New Zealand, the visitors have changed the narrative with solid, fighting cricket in the first Test

Mohammad Isam03-Jan-2022Bangladesh carried all their doubts, poor form and an overall bad vibe from the disappointing home series against Pakistan last month to New Zealand. The prospects were bleak. But three days of solid, battling cricket in the first Test has changed the visitors’ outlook.They hold a 73-run lead against the Test world champions after the third day, and if Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Najmul Hossain Shanto frustrated New Zealand on the second day, it was the turn of the more experienced Mominul Haque and Litton Das to do it on the third. The two put on 158 for the fifth wicket, and Yasir Ali and Mehidy Hasan Miraz didn’t allow a lower-order collapse after Litton’s dismissal. Before them, while he scored only 12, Mushfiqur Rahim batted close to an hour, facing 85 balls.Related

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“It was a fantastic partnership between Mominul and Litton,” team director Khaled Mahmud said after the third day’s play. “They batted very well against a New Zealand attack that always comes at you with discipline. Mominul played an excellent innings. He spent a lot of time in the middle, he left a lot of balls, like Joy had done earlier. Mominul is a more experienced Test cricketer than Litton but both batted superbly. By Allah’s grace, we are now in a position to dominate the match.”I think New Zealand bowled superbly with the second new ball, but we stuck to our plan. They weren’t giving us many freebies. They were bowling such tight lines that, at the start of the day, Joy and Mominul couldn’t even get singles. But we spent time at the crease, rather than thinking about runs. Mushfiqur [Rahim] and Mominul, both experienced players, did a great job in that situation. The execution was perfect.”Mominul and Litton got together with Bangladesh 203 for 4, in a strong position but just a bad hour away from undoing the good work. Mominul scored 88 in over four hours, facing 370 balls, while Litton’s 86 came in just under three hours, off 247 balls.

“I particularly remember telling them that we lost nine Tests in New Zealand. In 2017, we lost despite declaring on 595 in Wellington. I told them that we can’t keep losing here. One group has to stand out, so why not this group?”Khaled Mahmud, former Bangladesh captain and current team director

“We were definitely under pressure with a young team, lacking maturity in these conditions,” Mahmud said. “But hats off to the boys today. They batted really well. Litton is always good to watch. He was brilliant today; [he] always seems to have time while batting. He negotiated the fast bowlers so comfortably. He didn’t look under pressure. We know what he went through in the T20 World Cup, but we knew of his capability.”Shanto played an exciting, dominating innings. Young Joy, playing only his second Test, took his time in the middle. Mominul, too, batted for time, which was important for us in this Test match. They have ensured a 73-run lead, but there’s a lot of cricket left in this game.”Joy, who was dismissed for 78, said that he was reminded by all three of his batting partners that time spent at the crease would bring him runs.”I planned to play as many balls as possible. I didn’t want to focus on runs. I knew that I could score runs when I am set at the crease,” he said. “I had a good partnership with Shadman [Islam] and then another good partnership followed with Shanto . He also told me to be in control when I tried to become too aggressive. Mominul told me that playing a lot of dot balls was not a problem.”Khaled Mahmud: “We want to do well – even if we can’t win, we definitely want to draw this Test”•AFP/Getty ImagesMahmud is known in Bangladesh cricket circles as a good motivator. That side to him had to come to the fore on this tour, considering Bangladesh’s poor record in New Zealand.”I usually speak to everyone individually. I particularly remember telling them that we lost nine Tests in New Zealand,” he said. “In 2017, we lost despite declaring on 595 in Wellington. I told them that we can’t keep losing here. One group has to stand out, so why not this group? Why can’t we play better cricket?”Results will come later, but we can play with courage. These are tough conditions for every visiting side, but I felt that we could do well here. I tried to pass this on to this young team. Definitely, there was fear within us. We have five batters – Shadman, Joy, Shanto, Yasir and Litton – who are not very experienced in Tests. They all possess the ability to play well, but working in specific areas really paid dividends for us.”Mahmud said Bangladesh were looking forward to a positive result in the next two days, particularly if they bat deep and take a 150-plus lead on the fourth morning.”They [the players] have worked hard, did everything to get to this stage,” he said. “I still think it is too early to say anything in this game. We have two more days left. We want to do well – even if we can’t win, we definitely want to draw this Test.”

Manchester City are now reportedly ready to hijack Manchester United’s move to sign a Premier League star worth as much as £100m in 2026.

Man City make Semenyo a top target

It’s not just their local rivals that Man City are looking to frustrate. The Citizens are also reportedly interested in signing Antoine Semenyo and have made the Bournemouth star a top target. In what would deal Liverpool an untimely blow, City could land one of the most in-form wingers that the Premier League has to offer.

It’s clear that Semenyo likes the idea of linking up with Erling Haaland, too, after saying: “Haaland is number one. You see it on TV, scoring all these goals and thinking, surely he’s not like this in person… That man is tall, my goodness. Tall, strong, fast, can finish.

“He’s got everything you need as a striker. I remember Man City just bopping, and I’m thinking, okay this is normal that they bop it. Ruben Dias wraps the ball to him, the ball’s like this high, I’m thinking ‘how’s he going to deal with this?’ just takes it on his chest like this – I am thinking: Haaland, the man.”

It’s also easy to see why City have set their sights on another direct winger. Aside from the improved Jeremy Doku, Pep Guardiola’s wide men have struggled to leave their mark, with Savinho receiving his fair share of criticism from those at the Etihad in recent weeks.

The Brazilian was part of a much-changed Man City side against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, but to say that he failed to make his opportunity count would be an understatement.

Alas, it’s not just wide men that Guardiola wants. The Spaniard and Man City have now reportedly turned their focus towards midfield star Elliot Anderson, who is represented by the same agency as Omar Marmoush.

Man City ready to hijack Man Utd's Anderson move

As reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Man City are now ready to hijack Man Utd’s move for Anderson. The Citizens have made the Nottingham Forest star a top target and could splash out as much as £100m to secure his signature in 2026.

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City have identified a forward as a priority target ahead of the January transfer window.

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The England star is quickly becoming one of the most wanted players in the Premier League and that should come as no surprise.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has quickly made the Forest star one of his main men and has showered him with praise a number of times, telling reporters: “He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent. He is fulfilling his role in the best way possible so we are very happy with him.”

Man City now frontrunners to sign "world-class" £80m star, Pep's a big fan

Rangpur Division were crowned National Cricket League champions for the 2025-26 season after they beat Khulna Division by seven wickets in Bogra. They completed the win inside three days, but had to wait for the result of the match between defending champions Sylhet Division and Barishal Division in Rajshahi. When Sylhet pulled the plug on their fourth-innings chase, Rangpur were confirmed as the winners.Led by Akbar Ali, Rangpur had earlier won the NCL T20s for the second time in two seasons. When Akbar was off to leading the Bangladesh A side in the ACC Rising Stars tournament last month, Rangpur’s title race went off-kilter, before recovering once he returned.In their last match of this year’s NCL first-class competition, Rangpur trailed Khulna by 134 runs in the first innings. They fought back through Mukidul Islam’s five-wicket haul, which helped skittle out Khulna for just 96 runs. Iqbal Hosen’s maiden first-class century – an unbeaten 114 – helped Rangpur chase 231 in the fourth innings quite comfortably in the end.During Sylhet Division‘s draw against against Barishal, Sylhet ended up with a 25-run first-innings deficit despite Zakir Hasan’s 130. He struck 19 fours in his 185-ball stay but his lone hand was not enough to get them to the lead.Akbar Ali with both NCL T20 and first-class trophies•Bangladesh Cricket Board

Barishal then made 294 for 8 in the third innings. Young opener Iftakhar Hossain hit an unbeaten 128, striking 11 fours and four sixes during his 197-ball stay. Mushfiqur Rahim was one of two half-centurions as Sylhet finished on 187 for 5 in their chase of 320.Sylhet finished second in the championship, while newcomers Mymensingh Division took a commendable third position despite going down by 146 runs against Rajshahi Division in Sylhet.Left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam took five wickets to give Rajshahi an 81-run first innings lead. Wicketkeeper Shakhir Hossain then made 94 as Rajshahi set Mymensingh a 428-run target in the fourth innings. They were bowled out for 281. Allrounder Abu Hider struck a career-best unbeaten 141, but Sunzamul completed his eighth ten-wicket match haul with another five-for.At the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka Division cruised past Chattogram Division by an innings and 192 runs.Dhaka openers Ashiqur Rahman Shibli and Anisul Islam Emon struck centuries, though the pair initially didn’t put together a big partnership. Ashiqur, who had retired hurt on 27, resumed his innings when Anisul’s 186 had taken Dhaka to a formidable 359 for 3. Anisul hit 18 fours and five sixes in his six-hours-and-15-minutes stay.Marshall Ayub also enjoyed the run-fest, hitting a 165 laden with 17 fours – it was his 29th first-class century. He had crossed 10,000 first-class career runs earlier in the season.Dhaka fast bowlers Ripon Mondol, Salahuddin Sakil and Sumon Khan took three wickets each to skittle out Chattogram for 158, before they enforced the follow-on. Chattogram improved on their score slightly, getting bowled out for 191 runs. This time, it was left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam who took three wickets for Dhaka.Soumya Sarkar ended as the NCL’s top scorer with 633 runs at an average of 45.21, ahead of Zakir (628 runs) and Marshall Ayub (625). Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam was the only bowler to take more than 30 wickets, finishing with 34 scalps at an average of 22.61.

He will remain with the team to continue his rehabilitation and has not been replaced in the squad

Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20250:46

McGlashan: An unfortunate end if Khawaja’s Test career is over

Usman Khawaja’s international future is in doubt after he was ruled out of the second Test at the Gabba after failing to recover from the back spasms that he suffered in the opening match in Perth.Khawaja had batted for the first time since the injury on Tuesday during a 30-minute net session but did not come through it with a clean bill of health to be able available for selection. It will be the first Test he has missed since his return in early 2022.Related

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“Khawaja will remain with the team to continue his rehabilitation,” a statement said. “He has not been replaced in the squad.”The third Test begins in Adelaide on December 17 which gives Khawaja two weeks to recover although there will be questions over whether he can regain his place.Khawaja’s form was under scrutiny heading into the series – he is now averaging 31.84 since the end of the 2023 Ashes with one century in 45 innings – and coupled with the way Travis Head threw down the gauntlet as an opener and his public statements about being keen for the role, it had sparked a debate about whether now was the time to draw an end to Khawaja’s Test career.His absence opens the door for Head to continue the opening role he took on in the second innings in Perth where he carved his way to 123 off 83 balls although there are other potential routes Australia could take.Since Perth, Head has spoken about being willing to take on the role on a more permanent basis but there remains an ongoing debate about his value at No. 5. Coach Andrew McDonald has also floated the notion of flexible batting orders within a Test.Usman Khawaja was ruled out of the second Test•AFP/Getty Images”I’m not sure about the middle-order part, but I’d probably expect Trav to open,” Scott Boland said. “It’s hard because obviously he’s put in a lot of work since the last game to try and get his body right but he hasn’t come up unfortunately. I thought he looked pretty good in the nets but he must’ve thought himself that he wasn’t ready to go.”Josh Inglis and Beau Webster are the spare batting options in the squad. Inglis, who made a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year, scored a hundred against England Lions last week. Webster was unlucky to miss out on the XI in Perth having made four half-centuries in his first seven Tests alongside contributing handy wickets.Boland added losing Khawaja wasn’t ideal but was confident Australia would be able to adjust as they did in the first Test.”I guess it does [upset the balance of the team] a little bit because we probably planned to have Uzzie there the whole time,” he said. “But I think the best thing about our team over the last few years is that when someone has come out due to form or an injury or something like that, someone’s always stood up and done their job.”Trav did that last week and even without Pat [Cummins] and Josh [Hazlewood], some bowlers have come in and done a good job. We’ve obviously got huge depth in our squad and we can replace anyone if we need to.”If Head does take Khawaja’s role again and makes a success of it, and whoever comes into the XI performs well, it may be tough for Khawaja to return.Khawaja initially suffered back spasms on the opening day at Perth Stadium. England collapsed so quickly on the first afternoon that Khawaja was unable to open due to the time he’d spent off the field and when he emerged at No. 4 could only make 2 before gloving a short ball from Brydon Carse.On the second day Khawaja took his place at first slip, taking a catch to remove Harry Brook and then spilling a low edge offered by Jamie Smith. His back went into spasm while leaping for another edge provided by Smith, opening the way for Head’s remarkable century.