Jaydn Denly fifty caps strong day for hosts in second Youth Test at Cheltenham

ECB Reporters Network16-Jul-2024

England U19 73 for 1 (Denly 57*) trail Sri Lanka U19 153 (Weerasinghe 77, Sharma 5-44) by 80 runsNaavya Sharma put the skids under Sri Lanka as England gained the upper hand on the opening day of the second Youth Men’s Test at Cheltenham.On a day when 25 overs were lost to rain, the Middlesex pace bowler served up an incisive display to return career-best figures of 5 for 44 and help dismiss the tourists for 153 inside 46 overs in their first innings. Harry Moore impressed on debut, claiming 2 for 38, while spinner Charlie Barnard weighed in with 2 for 35 in a disciplined England bowling and fielding performance.Sri Lanka were indebted to Gayana Weerasinghe, who posted 77 from 111 balls in a defiant innings illuminated by eight fours and a six to ensure England did not have things entirely their own way.Jaydn Denly afforded the reply early impetus, staging an enterprising knock of 57 not out from 59 balls, with 10 fours, as England reached stumps on 73 for 1, trailing by 80 with nine first-innings wickets in hand. Keshana Fonseka is unbeaten on seven and the home side will look to forge a meaningful lead when they resume in the morning.With bowler-friendly conditions prevailing, England captain Hamza Shaikh won the toss and had no hesitation in asking the tourists to bat, a decision which was quickly vindicated once Sharma and Moore went to work with the new ball.Bowling with express pace from the Chapel end, Sharma conjured a devastating burst of three wickets in 12 balls to rip the heart out of Sri Lanka’s top-order. Making the most of low cloud cover, the Isleworth-born teenager squared up Pulindu Perera, the left-handed opener sending a leading edge looping high to Rocky Flintoff at short extra as the breakthrough came in the third over.He then removed Sharujan Shanmuganathan and Mahith Perera with successive deliveries in the seventh. Playing across the line to a straight one, Shanmuganathan perished lbw, while Mahith, playing back to a length ball, was bowled via an inside edge. With the Young Lions rampant, Dinura Kalupahana survived the hat-trick ball, rapped on the pads by a delivery that was deemed to be going down the leg side.Awarded his cap before start of play, tall Derbyshire seamer Moore lured Mahith Perera into front-foot indiscretion, the diminutive opener losing his off stump and departing for a 16-ball duck as Sri Lanka’s batting imploded. England’s charge was then held up by the elements, steady drizzle forcing the players off with the score on 27 for 4 in the eighth over.England made further in-roads following the resumption, Noah Thain removing Dinura Kalupahana with his fourth ball after replacing Moore. Having scored an outstanding hundred in the first unofficial Test at Wormsley earlier this month, Kalupahana made just 16 on this occasion, slapping a half volley to mid-wicket.Sri Lanka were simply unable to construct a meaningful partnership and, when Moore switched to the Chapel end, he drew Diniru Abeywickramasinghe into a loose shot and Jack Carney took a diving catch behind the stumps to further reduce the tourists to 70 for 6.Only Weerasinghe offered genuine resistance, the tall right hander surviving a searching examination from Sharma and Moore to lead a recovery. Displaying the application demanded by a difficult situation, he initially reined in his attacking instincts, frustrating the bowlers and waiting patiently for the bad ball. Having played himself in during a truncated middle session, Weerasinghe gradually adopted a more expansive approach, driving slow left armer Barnard for six before rain forced a second break in play.Sharma returned at the Chapel end in the final session and immediately made his presence felt, pinning Vihas Thewmika lbw for six and then bowling Praveen Maneesha next ball as Sri Lanka subsided to 106 for 8.But Weerasinghe continued to muster defiance aplenty, going to his 50 via 75 balls and dominating a stand of 42 for the ninth wicket with Manuja Chanthuka. He was eventually bowled by Barnard, who then accounted for Chanthuka to terminate the innings.The tourists’ efforts were afforded perspective when England openers Denly and Archie Vaughan staged a partnership of 54 in 8.2 overs. Vaughan succumbed to Chanthuka’s slow left arm, but there was no stopping Denly, who raised a quickfire 50 from 34 balls as the Young Lions seized the initiative.

أعلن حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لـ مننتخب مصر الثاني، التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة تونس وديًا، بعد قليل، ضمن الاستعدادت للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العرب.

وكان اتحاد الكرة قرر تولي حلمي طولان مسؤولية تكوين منتخب مصر ثان، للمشاركة في كأس العرب، بعد رفض حسام حسن المدير الفني للمنتخب الأول، المشاركة، بسبب تعارض موعد البطولة مع كأس أمم إفريقيا.

وتقام مواجهة مصر وتونس على أرضية ملعب هيئة قناة السويس في الإسماعيلية، اليوم السبت، في مباراة ودية، ضمن الاستعدادت للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العرب.

طالع.. حسام حسن يوضح لمراسل “بطولات” لماذا لم يسدد محمد صلاح ركلة الجزاء الثانية أمام إثيوبيا

ويشارك منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر، في نسختها الثانية، التي تبدأ في 1 ديسمبر المقبل، وتختتم بالنهائي يوم 18 من الشهر ذاته.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب منتخب مصر مباراتين وديتين أمام تونس، واحدة اليوم، وأخرى في التاسع من شهر سبتمبر الجاري. تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام تونس وديًا

حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: عمر جابر – محمود رزق – أحمد سامي – محمود حمدي “الونش” – كريم حافظ.

خط الوسط: محمد النني – عمرو السولية – محمد مجدي “أفشة” – أكرم توفيق.

خط الهجوم: مروان حمدي.

The start of Newcastle United’s pre-season fixture list is fast approaching.

Eddie Howe’s team will be back in action on 19 July, taking on Celtic at Parkhead, and 10,000 Georgies will be joining them in Glasgow for the game, which should make for quite the atmosphere.

In the meantime, the Magpies have been busy in the transfer market, looking to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Champions League, so will it be a busy week of unveilings on Tyneside?

The latest on Newcastle's transfer activity

As has been widely reported, Anthony Elanga is on his way to the North East to complete a £55m move from Nottingham Forest.

The winger scored six goals and registered 11 assists in the Premier League last season, now set to become the Magpies’ second-most expensive signing of all time, behind only his Swedish international teammate Alexander Isak.

Newcastle are far from done there though, because, according to a report by GIVEMESPORT, they are ‘working to sign’ and ‘remain hopeful’ of landing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi.

The report adds that Howe wants to ‘prioritise the addition of a centre-back’, while Chris Waugh of the Athletic documents that those inside the club believe the England international ‘would be an ideal addition’, noting their long-standing interest, having unsuccessfully bid for Guéhi both last summer and in January.

Well, speaking on the Athletic FC podcast, Crystal Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam believes the club captain could leave Selhurst Park this summer, mainly due to the fact he has just one year remaining on his contract, valued at around £60m.

Palace’s summer plans are somewhat on hold at the moment, as they wait to find out whether or not they’re allowed to compete in the Europa League; a decision is belatedly expected this week.

Meantime, Arsenal are attempting to sign Eberechi Eze for around £67.5m which, should he depart, would increase the Eagles’ determination to keep hold of their other star player Guéhi.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Nevertheless, with Liverpool also seeking to sign the centre-back, it appears very possible that he could be on the move, so will the 24 year old end up on Tyneside?

Why Guehi would be a better signing than Elanga for Newcastle

Guéhi’s performances have earned widespread praise, with then-England manager Gareth Southgate describing his displays at Euro 2024 as “exceptional”, starting six of the seven matches last summer, including the final at Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Meantime, Nathan Jackson of Total Football Analysis notes that the 24-year-old stands out for all defensive metrics, while Sam Tabuteau of Breaking the Lines praises his ‘resilience’ and ‘composure’, asserting that he is impressive both in and out of possession.

This would be such a transformational addition for Howe, given that he had very few options at centre-back last season, largely due to Sven Botman’s injury issues, with Dan Burn alongside Fabian Schär by far the most-used partnership.

So, let’s see how Guéhi compares to Newcastle’s current central defenders.

Appearances

34

34

37

8

Minutes

3,060

2,938

3,330

414

Pass accuracy

84%

85%

89%

89%

Tackles

1.8

1.2

1.1

2.7

Aerial duel success %

54%

44%

66%

61%

Ground duel success %

63%

48%

50%

71%

Interceptions

0.9

1.4

0.7

1.1

As the table outlines, when compared to Schär and Burn in particular, Guéhi’s statistics are very impressive.

The fact Botman made just eight appearances skews the data somewhat, boosting his per-90 statistics, while it will come as a surprise to no one that Burn comes out on top in terms of aerial duels.

Nevertheless, as well as being a top-class player, Guéhi would be transformational for Newcastle because centre-back is such an obvious area of need.

At the other end of the park, Elanga too will be a shrewd addition, but Howe’s team have scored plenty of goals without him.

Jacob Murphy continues to exceed all expectations, enjoying a career-best campaign in which he scored nine goals and supplied 14 assists in all competitions. Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon has been deployed on the right wing on occasion too and is a fine player himself, now a regular part of the national team.

So, while Elanga’s arrival is certainly worth getting excited about if you’re a passionate member of the Toon Army, getting Guéhi over the line might be the key bit of business.

Newcastle set to "prioritise" new striker signing after Elanga and Trafford

More business incoming from the Magpies…

ByHenry Jackson Jul 8, 2025

With Newcastle United now confident that they’ll sign Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have reportedly entered the race to sign his replacement in a deal worth over £50m.

Newcastle optimistic about Elanga deal

After rejecting Newcastle’s initial offer, some around the City Ground may have been hopeful that would be the end of the Magpies’ chase to sign Elanga, but that has proved to be far from the case. Instead, the Magpies have reportedly returned with an offer worth £55m and are now optimistic that they’ll secure the Swede’s signature, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Given the importance of Elanga in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side last season, it would be an undeniable blow if Forest were to lose the winger to Newcastle this summer. As ever though, their attention is likely to turn towards incomings of their own.

Already, those in the Midlands have welcomed a fresh attacking boost in the form of Botafogo star Igor Jesus and now they could shift their focus towards other reinforcements.

After putting pen to paper, Jesus told Forest’s official website: “I’m really happy to be a part of this new story, especially at a club like Nottingham Forest.

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ByBen Gray Jul 2, 2025

“I didn’t have to think twice about the offer, I embraced it. I embraced the project that they sent me. I am delighted to be coming here and hope to do some great work. I will do my very best to achieve great results and bring joy to all the Forest family.”

With Jesus secure and Elanga potentially leaving, reports are now suggesting that Forest’s efforts have turned towards a winger who’s worth over £50m this summer.

Nottingham Forest join race to sign Lookman

According to reports in Spain, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, who are set to demand as much as €60m (£52m) to sell their star man this summer. Joined by Atletico Madrid and Midlands rivals Aston Villa in the battle for the Nigerian winger, Forest will hope that the funds gained by potentially selling Elanga are enough to jump ahead of their competitors.

Losing Elanga but replacing him with Lookman could quickly prove to be an act of genius by all involved at Nottingham Forest. The latter enjoyed a sensational season in Italy last time out, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, and could finally prove any doubters wrong in the Premier League following tough spells at Everton, Fulham and Leicester City.

Full of praise, former Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini told reporters last season: “Lookman became a fantastic player when he improved his perception of the team. He used to have a more individual approach.

“He wasn’t a bad guy, but he mostly focused on the individual. He made Atalanta great, and Atalanta made him great. I am convinced he can be the captain before the end of the season.”

Aston Villa are among a host of clubs to be fined by UEFA this week for breaking financial rules, which was confirmed just a few days after NSWE agreed to sell the women’s team in a bid to comply with PSR.

Related Frank wants £40m Aston Villa star with Tottenham prepared to make key offer

The new Spurs boss rates him.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 4, 2025

That sale of the women’s side to V Sports “effectively solved the issue” regarding this summer’s PSR trouble (The Athletic), with Villa agreeing a deal right before the footballing financial year deadline on June 30.

However, it didn’t do enough to stave off sanctions from UEFA, who punished Villa for breaking a different set of financial legislations, including the squad cost rule. Unai Emery’s side have reached a settlement with the governing body, accepting a fine of around £17 million over a three-year settlement.

“Breaking: Chelsea, Aston Villa, Barcelona and Lyon are among clubs fined by UEFA’s CFCB First Chamber,” wrote journalist Ben Jacobs on X this week in an extensive update.

“All four did not comply with the football earnings rule which was assessed for the first time in the 2024/25 season. The analysis covered the financial years ending in 2023 and 2024. Clubs have agreed settlements and fines. – Chelsea have agreed to a four-year settlement and a total fine of €80m, of which €20m is unconditional. Villa have agreed to a three-year settlement and a €20m fine, of which €5m is unconditional.

“Barcelona have agreed to a two-year settlement and a €60m fine, of which €15m is unconditional. Olympique Lyonnais have agreed to a four-year settlement and a €50m fine, or which €12.5m is unconditional. The CFCB First Chamber found that Chelsea and Aston Villa also breached the squad cost rule, having reported a squad cost ratio above 80% for 2024. This has resulted in a further €11m fine for Chelsea and a €6m one for Villa. Guaranteed fines are €31m (€20m+€11m) for Chelsea and €11m (€5m+€6m) for Villa.”

Villa consistently find themselves in a battle against spending outside their means, which is distracting them from their quest to become a successful club on the field.

Questions surely need to be asked about whether this creates a bigger gap between Europe’s established elite and the rest of the footballing pyramid, with Emery’s side potentially forced to sell more players over the coming summer, actively weakening themselves, just so they can comply with certain rules.

Aston Villa looking to sell right-back Matty Cash

£100,000-per-week Villa right-back Matty Cash is among those who the club wish to offload in an effort to bring in more funds.

Cash attracted criticism for some of his Villa performances last season, but he was a regular under Emery – playing 38 games in all competitions and starting nearly every match in their run to the Champions League quarter-finals.

As per former Villa scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, the club are actively looking to sell Cash and potentially bring in a quality replacement – as they believe their Poland international isn’t at the required level.

“Villa are looking to sell Matty Cash this summer,” he said.

“He’s an honest professional, and he’s done well over his time at Villa, but they don’t think he’s good enough for the level they want to play at. They’re still building the side, looking at each position and seeing if they can improve.

“The manager wants to improve at right-back, and they’ll use money from selling Cash to do it.

“It could be a busy summer at Villa because there are a few players being linked with moves away, but he’s one they’ve been looking to move on for a while.”

The 27-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, so it’ll be difficult to raise a significant fee for him at this point, but Villa have been linked with Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingeuza as a potential replacement.

Newcastle United will be looking to recruit well this summer to give themselves the best chance of a strong 2025/26 campaign. The Magpies will be in the Champions League once again and will no doubt be hoping to turn themselves into top-four regulars in the Premier League.

One area in which Eddie Howe’s side might look to improve this summer is at centre-back. Just like they were in 2024, Newcastle have been linked with Marc Guehi, but Football Insider report they will face competition from Arsenal.

Either way, Howe seems intent on strengthening the existing centre-back options, which include the likes of Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. Another target has recently come to fruition, for whom the Magpies could make a move.

Newcastle's latest centre-back target

It will be fascinating to see, not only whether Newcastle are successful in their pursuit of Guehi, but also whether he is the only centre-back who will sign this summer. They have certainly been linked with multiple players, and could make a move for another Premier League defender.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a report from 3 Added Minutes, the North East giants have opened talks to sign Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

The report from Charlie Haffenden explains that Newcastle have ‘initiated talks with the player’s representatives’ ahead of a potential summer move.

Those at St James’ Park have ‘been keeping tabs on van Hecke’ this summer, but could still face competition from newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool.

As for a price, it was reported by Sussex World that the Dutchman ‘has a transfer guide price’ of at least £60m, but it could well be more.

Why Van Hecke would be a good signing

At 25 years of age, Van Hecke is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting centre-backs in the Premier League. This is perhaps highlighted best by the fact that he is a full international with the Netherlands.

Last season on the South Coast for Brighton, Van Hecke played a crucial role. He featured 34 times in the Premier League, missing three games due to a couple of separate, small injury issues and another with suspension.

As well as grabbing a goal and assist last term, he helped Fabian Hurzeler’s side keep eight clean sheets in the Premier League, featuring for all but one of those games across all 90 minutes. He is a pivotal figure at the back and could perhaps now be considered the leader of the backline at the AMEX Stadium.

If the Magpies were to sign Van Hecke this summer, he could act as a direct replacement, and an upgrade, for Blyth-born centre-back Burn. The England international is a well-loved figure at St James’ Park, but is now 33 years of age.

With that being said, the defender, who also moved to St James’ Park from Brighton, played in 37 games in the Premier League last season. He also scored a pivotal second goal in the Carabao Cup final.

However, to preserve his future in a Magpies shirt, and add an upgrade at the back ahead of the Champions League and top four push, signing Van Hecke would certainly be a smart move. He was described as an “outstanding” player by Pete Davey, a Newcastle content creator.

Indeed, that is a word that can be used to describe Van Hecke’s underlying stats on FBref, which are far better than Burn’s. The Dutchman is a superb progressive passer, which is his standout attribute.

Last season in the Premier League, he averaged 6.93 progressive passes and 3.98 ball recoveries per 90 minutes. In comparison, Newcastle’s number 33 averaged 2.03 progressive passes and 2.78 ball recoveries each game.

As the numbers showcase, Van Hecke would be a huge upgrade on Burn for a number of reasons. Not only is he a sensational passer of the ball, but defensively, he has very few weaknesses, particularly with the way he reads the game.

Burn is an icon of Newcastle United, but is not getting any younger, and the chance to improve their defence by signing Van Hecke might be too good to pass up for Howe.

Schar upgrade: Newcastle among favourites to sign "unbelievable" £40m star

Newcastle will be looking to improve their defence this summer

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 16, 2025

Defending champions India are grouped with West Indies, Sri Lanka and hosts Malaysia for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup which begins on January 18, 2025. The 41-game event will feature 16 teams, like the inaugural edition in 2023, and will conclude with the final on February 2.Four venues across Malaysia will host the event. Bayuemas Oval in Selangor will host all Group A games and the final. The Dato’ Dr. Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy (JCA Oval) in Johor will host the Group B games. Sarawak’s Borneo Cricket Ground will be the venue for the Group C fixtures, and the UKM YSD Oval in Selangor will host the Group D matches.It will be the first World Cup appearance across any age division for Samoa, who are in Group C alongside New Zealand, South Africa and an Africa qualifier, yet to be decided. Group B has England – losing finalists in 2023 – alongside Pakistan, Ireland and USA. Group D features Australia, Bangladesh, Scotland and an Asia qualifier. Group A has India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, who will be featuring in their maiden U-19 women’s World Cup competition as well.

How the teams stack up

Group A – India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Malaysia [Bayuemas Oval in Selangor]

Group B – England, Pakistan, Ireland and USA [Dato’ Dr. Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy, Johor]

Group C – New Zealand, South Africa, Africa’s Qualifier and Samoa [Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak]

Group D – Australia, Bangladesh, Asia’s Qualifier and Scotland [UKM YSD Oval in Selangor]

The tournament will begin with six games on opening day: Australia versus Scotland, England against Ireland, and Samoa taking on the Africa qualifier in the morning; followed by Pakistan-Ireland, Bangladesh against the Asia qualifier, and New Zealand versus South Africa in the afternoon. India begin campaign on the second day against West Indies. Before the main event gets underway, there will be 16 warm-up games between January 13 and 16.Once the group stage is over, the top three teams from each group will progress to the Super Six stage, with the three teams from Group A and Group D combining to form one Super Six group, and the same with the top three teams of Group B and Group C in the other group.The teams will also carry forward their points and net run rates and will play the two sides who, a) were not in their group in the first stage, and b) finished at a different position from them. As an example, if India finish second in Group A, then they will play the winner and second runner-up of Group D. The top two teams from each Super Six group will progress to the semi-finals.The groups and teams for the Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“This is a special event to the ICC and forms an important part of our Global Growth Strategy of raising the profile of women’s cricket and further growing the game around the world,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said in a statement. “It is also a unique opportunity to introduce our vast global audiences to the future stars of the sport.”We look forward to building on the success from the foundation laid at the inaugural event in South Africa in 2023. We wish all the teams the very best of luck in their preparation and to the Malaysian Cricket Association in organising the event.””Malaysia is proud to host the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2025, continuing our tradition of supporting the growth of cricket on the global stage,” host tournament director Dinesh Muthuraman said. “Women’s cricket is experiencing unprecedented growth both in Malaysia and around the world. We are fully confident that this World Cup will further accelerate that momentum, leading to significant developments in the sport, especially for women’s cricket.”The tournament was originally supposed to be co-hosted by Thailand, but their withdrawal means Malaysia will host all games. In 2008, Malaysia also hosted the Men’s Under-19 World Cup which had future stars like Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Imad Wasim, Reeza Hendricks, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Ravindra Jadeja.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to use the 2025 summer transfer window to bolster a squad which secured European qualification last term.

Given how well the club performed throughout 2024/25, Forest have a genuine chance of winning the Conference League.

Santo has shown admiration for plenty of potential targets, including Yunus Musah and Lukas Ullrich, but it appears as though one Serie A star has been linked more than most…

Latest on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Timothy Weah

As was widely reported earlier this month, including via transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Forest were believed to be interested in signing Timothy Weah this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Juventus appeared to be demanding just £12m for Weah, should they agree to cash in, which looked to be a solid piece of business by the club.

Last season, the American played 43 times for the Serie A giants, scoring six goals and grabbing five assists in the process.

In the top flight, he recorded an impressive goal conversion percentage of 24%, while also creating four big chances and averaging 0.6 key passes per game.

He played across several positions last year, predominantly on the right flank, a position which the Midlands side are keen to bolster.

After stepping up their pursuit of the one-time Celtic loanee, however, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Friday that Forest had actually walked away from any negotiations, despite the deal being “close”, after carrying out “extensive data analysis”.

As such, the City Ground outfit may need to turn their attention elsewhere, with one Brazilian star seemingly on their radar…

Why Nottingham Forest must sign Pepe

As reported by ESPN earlier this week, four Premier League clubs have opened talks to sign Porto winger Pepe this summer.

Forest have been named as one of those clubs, along with Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley. The fact that Santo led them to Europe indicates that they could potentially be one of the frontrunners.

A fee of £21m has been set, which is more than affordable for the Midlands side, no doubt about that.

While Weah may be the cheaper option, Pepe is certainly the bigger talent. Last season, the Brazilian dynamo registered an impressive total of 11 goal contributions across all competitions.

When comparing the pair via their domestic stats last term, it becomes clear who enjoyed the more productive campaign. Indeed, Pepe not only recorded more shots per 90 (1.36 vs 1.15), but he also registered more shot-creating actions (2.71 vs 1.98), goal-creating actions (0.36 vs 0.16) and more touches in the opposition penalty area (79 vs 35), showcasing his superiority in these metrics.

South American football expert Tim Vickery lauded the winger when he was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur a couple of seasons ago, saying:

“I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”

His ability to play on either wing could also come in handy, giving Santo some added flexibility, especially if injuries start to play their part.

It is clear that the manager wants to bring those to Forest who have proven ability on the biggest stages. Having scored in the Champions League, Copa Libertadores and Europa League, as well as gaining two caps for Brazil, Pepe would be an excellent signing.

Nottingham Forest join race for one of the rising stars of U21 Euros

Anderson already knows all about his quality…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 26, 2025

He said the experience he gained travelling with the squad helped him perform better when he made it to the team

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2024Kamindu Mendis’ second-innings 113 for Sri Lanka in their defeat to England in Manchester left him with a batting average of 92.16. It is the second-highest in Test history among players with more than 500 runs, and he explained at Lord’s ahead of Thursday’s second Test that it owes to a simple mantra: “Do basic things, and try to keep calm.”Kamindu made his debut against Australia two years ago, deputising for Dhananjaya de Silva on account of a positive Covid test. He made 61 in an innings win but had to bide his time for another opportunity, eventually returning to the side earlier this year and making twin hundreds against Bangladesh in Sylhet.”I knew that the batting was packed, but what I tried to do was to do as best as I could in the chance that I had,” Kamindu said on Tuesday. “I had to exit the team after that, but I don’t see that as a mistake. You have to take various decisions to balance a team, and I came into that side only because Dhananjaya had Covid. When he returned, I had to make way. That’s fair.”Related

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During his two-year absence, he remained part of the set-up as a squad player and said he had benefited hugely from that experience. “Even though I didn’t get to play, I was in the squad and travelling with the team, pretty much every tour,” he said. “Going on so many tours with experienced players on those tours also helped me play well in my first few innings.”Kamindu edged Chris Woakes behind for 12 in the first innings in Manchester, but made 113 in the second and enjoyed partnerships of 78 and 117 with Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal respectively. “In the first innings, I wasn’t able to score runs. The conditions were challenging,” he said. “It was colder than we expected. We did as well as we could as a team.”I had a lot of support from the others when I went to bat, both Angie and Chandi aiya. I have to mention Chandi in particular, because him playing through that finger injury and putting up runs was vital for the team. He was a big support to me too, to get to 100, and their experience really helped me. They shared what they knew with me in the middle.”He revealed that he has a simple philosophy underpinning his batting – “I do basic things, and try to keep calm in the middle” – and brushed off questions about his average. “What I wanted was to do what I could on the day for the team. That’s really my only goal: to give as much to my team as possible, whether on the batting front, bowling front, or via fielding.”Kamindu had never been to England before this tour, and said that he will fulfil a dream this week: “From when I was little, I had a dream to play a Test at Lord’s,” he said. “It’s not just my dream, I think every player has that target. I’ve been able to get there. If we can win this match, it’ll be even more valuable to us.”

Leeds United have now “fully approved” the signing of an “explosive” attacking player this summer, according to a key update from journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Leeds submit enquiry to ramp up attacking signings

The Whites are still working hard on potential incoming transfer business, with the opening weekend of the new Premier League season edging closer all the time.

Feyenoord forward Igor Paixao has emerged as a priority target in the past month or so, with Leeds said to have submitted an enquiry regarding the signing of the 25-year-old. Talks have now also taken place over a summer switch to Elland Road for the £34m-rated ace.

Elsewhere, Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens has been linked with a move to the Whites this summer, being seen as an alternative option to Lucas Perri, as they look to bring in an upgrade on the mistake-prone Illan Meslier.

Former Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff has already completed his move to Leeds, and Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach has been backed to join him in the middle of the park, too.

Leeds have "fully approved" Paixao signing

Now, according to Tavolieri on X, Leeds are closer to completing the signing of Paixao than ever, with his switch to Elland Road now “fully approved” by 49ers Enterprises.

At this point, it would be a big surprise if Paixao wasn’t a Whites player come the beginning of the 2025/26 season, with significant progress made with this latest update.

The Brazilian has the ability to be such an influential signing for Leeds, bringing quality and threat in the final third, having bagged 26 goal contributions (16 goals and 10 assists) in 34 Eredivisie appearances last season.

The next Ampadu: Leeds accelerating move to sign £100k-p/w "creative force"

Leeds are still on the hunt for signings this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 18, 2025

While at his best on the left wing, Paixao is also a strong option on the right flank and in a central attacking role, making him a versatile option, and scout Jacek Kulig has hailed him as an “explosive” talent, likening him to a younger Raheem Sterling.

Paixao is at the perfect point in his career to hit the ground running at Leeds, possessing plenty of experience but also being young enough to improve further.

If he can take his Eredivisie form with him to the Premier League, it would go a long way to helping the Whites avoid relegation back to the Championship.