'Baby Lukaku'. That is the nickname, coined by Romelu Lukaku's former team-mate Kevin Mirallas, that Belgian journalists love to use when they write about Promise David. It's easy to see why, too, with the Union Saint-Gilloise striker one of European football's most unsung talents, a true Hidden Gem.
The striker is physically and mentally strong and is very fast. Weapons with which he can force something in every game. With his profile, it is not surprising that Premier League clubs such as West Ham United are closely following him. And yet David does not dispel all doubts.
David appears clumsy, wild, certainly no clinical finisher, and his lack of concentration is apparent. David is an enigma to scouts. He can't tread water, but he can swim easily from A to B. The black Michael Phelps, he calls himself in Similarly, David can play a terrible game, yet still manage to get his name on the score sheet. That may actually be his greatest quality. It drives his coach, David Hubert, crazy. But Hubert can't ignore him, because his striker can score anytime, anywhere. And his five-year plan? He's ticked that off in a year and a half. Promise David has found his way.
Lukaku-esque
If there is one goal that perfectly illustrates just why Mirallas, who now works as USG's attacking coach, compares David to Lukaku, it was his striker against Royal Antwerp in March 2025. In the opening game of the Jupiler League championship play-offs, David was played in behind the Antwerp defence as Rosen Bozhinov pulled out all the stops to fend the striker off.
"As I ran, I felt a claw at my neck," the striker told podcast about a goal that quickly went viral on the internet. "When I took a shower later, it hurt badly because he had literally torn the skin off my neck. I bled throughout the entire match and didn't even realise it."
"I headed straight for the goal, seeing nothing but green," David continued. "I didn't want to dive or fall. Then he grabbed me again. I thought, 'You f*cking dick!' I swung my arms back and my shirt ripped. I was happy about that, because every time he pulled on that shirt, it felt like I was choking."
With only half a shirt left, David finally broke free from Bozhinov, though the defender had slowed him down just enough for a team-mate to catch up. David, though, produced a simple body feint to leave the second defender in the dust before sliding the ball into the net, slapping his chest powerfully and screaming mightily in celebration.
"I was subbed and then took a look at my phone," he said. "The goal had already been posted on social media and it looked horrible. It was just assault!
"Our sporting director has that shirt hanging in our new training facility, alongside all kinds of other historic kits from Union's history. He said, 'This shirt symbolises Union: it's about resilience, strength and not giving up." It is precisely those three things that symbolise David's unusual career path, too.
Advertisement
Where it all began
As a child, David always was an energetic boy – "My teachers thought I was a good kid, but also that I was a distraction to others," he recalls – as he grew up in Brampton, Ontario, a city that also has links to his fellow Canada internationals Cyle Larin, Atiba Hutchinson and Tajon Buchanan.
However, it was not in Canada, but rather in Lagos, Nigeria, where David discovered his love for football. As a toddler, he lived there with his grandparents, while his uncle was a huge Chelsea supporter.
"I'll never forget him picking me up at my grandmother's house," David told . "I sat on the back of his motorbike and we rode to the bar together to watch the matches."
Upon moving back to Canada, David looked for a hobby to pour his energy into. At first, it was the piano, but when it broke – "That really p*ssed me off!" – David went looking for something else, and soon found his new love: football.
'F*ck you moment'
David initially joined Toronto FC's academy, but at the age of 15 he was let go. He then spent three years with semi-professional outfit Vaughan Azzurri before, having turned 18 in 2019, he was offered a move to Europe to join Croatian third-division side NK Trnje. It proved, however, to be a painful moment in his young life.
"Things happened in Croatia that I didn't even dare tell my parents about," David recalls, before revealing the racist abuse he suffered from his coach in Zagreb. "He didn't want black people, Africans, on his team. He said bizarre things to me.On one occasion, my team-mates didn't translate what he had shouted during a training session until a month later because they found it too awful. Everyone froze the moment he said it. It was something like,God forbid I ever put a black player in my team.'"
David was sent back to the youth team, where he was able to rediscover his love of the game under a different coach, Rajko Vidovic. When Vidovic became the coach of the first team shortly afterwards, he provided the prolific striker an opportunity, one which David took immediately.
"It was the biggest f*ck you momentof my life," David says of the goal he scored moment after coming off the bench for his debut. "It felt like revenge on that one man."
David soon left Zagreb, however, and moved to the United States and USL outfit FC Tulsa. The switch did not prove to be a success, and he soon headed back to Europe, joining Maltese side Valletta.
"I lost a cup final there," David remembered. "That broke me. I've cried three times in my life when it came to football, that match was one of them. My niece Liz was in the stadium at the time and she took a photo of me on the big screen just as I was crying. Man, I'm ugly when I cry."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
The big break
By the time a spell with a different Maltese club, Sirens FC, had also ended in disappointment, David was 21 and his dream of a career as a professional footballer seemed very far away.
"My parents wanted me to come home," he said. "Until then, they had always supported me. But they had lost hope. I asked them for one more opportunity." That opportunity soon arose in Estonia with Kalju FC. At that point, David drew up an ambitious five-year plan that would end with him playing and scoring at a World Cup.
"The idea was to either play football really well, or be a loser," said David when summing up his thoughts at the time to podcast. "I really didn't want to go to school."
Things didn't start well for him in his new home, however. David was regarded as a 'project' and was initially integrated into Kalju's youth team. There, however, he scored a lot of goals and was eventually promoted to the first team. But any suggestion that David was finally on the right track were soon put to bed.
"I remember playing a match," he recalled. "We were 2-1 up at half-time and I was playing pretty well. They lured us in and then played long balls, so as an attacker I didn't put any pressure on them when we were leading. I walked into the changing room and the president grabbed me by the neck and dragged me out before saying, Is this how you want to play? Don't you know what your father does to keep you here? I'm 60 and I move more than you do!'
"In the second half, I scored again and we won 4-3. All my team-mates were celebrating in the dressing room but I was in the shower crying because the president had just called my father and agent and said it was a big mistake to bring me to the club.
"I didn't have an apartment, but was staying in a hostel. At the same time, all my friends from home were graduating. I had my father's credit card with me because I wasn't earning any money from football. That's when I really thought, 'What am I doing with my life?'"
Those emotions eventually subsided and David worked hard to secure a regular role in the first team. In the 2024 season, he scored 14 goals in 16 games, but despite interest in his services from leagues higher up the food chain, Kalju initially refused to let David leave under any circumstances: "It was insane. I begged them, 'Please release me'. Those times made me understand how people feel when they have to work a 9-to-5 job they hate."
David's plea worked and Kalju reached an agreement with USG in the summer of 2024 for David to move to Belgium.
Not every transfer has panned out in the way they would’ve hoped, but Chelsea have built an incredible squad over the last few years.
Whether it’s Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana at the back; Estevao and Cole Palmer in attack or Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández in the middle of the park, there is talent everywhere.
However, for all the incredible players they have signed, the Blues have also famously lost more than a few current superstars when they were still young, players like Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala and perhaps most frustrating of all, Declan Rice.
The Arsenal star would be the dream partner for Caicedo, so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with an international game-changer who could be their Rice.
Chelsea target their own Rice
It feels like it only just closed, but the transfer window will be open again in under a month, and unsurprisingly, Chelsea have started to be linked with a plethora of brilliant players.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, Juventus’ incredibly exciting young winger Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.
However, as talented as those two are and as much of an impact as they’d have on Enzo Maresca’s squad, neither could be described as remotely like Rice, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of several Premier League teams keen on the Real Madrid monster.
Alongside the West Londoners, the report has revealed that their rivals, Arsenal and Liverpool, are also interested in the 23-year-old.
However, competition isn’t the only potential barrier to this transfer being done, as Real Madrid value their midfield monster at €80m, which is about £70m.
It could therefore be a costly and complicated deal to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s quality and further potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be their Rice.
Why Camavinga could be Chelsea's Rice
So when it comes to what makes Rice such an incredible player, most fans and pundits alike would probably point to his ability as an all-action midfielder.
He’s someone who can play as a six if needed, but also thrives as an eight, someone who can help break up play in the middle of the pitch and then create an attacking move for his side.
This is a skill set Camavinga also possesses, and the underlying numbers prove it.
For example, FBref ranks the midfield “war machine” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won and tackles plus interceptions, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance, the top 12% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.
Moreover, FBref ranked Rice as the eighth-most similar midfielder to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Champions League campaign.
To understand how this conclusion was reached, you need to look at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.
Camavinga & Rice
Statistics
Camavinga
Rice
Non-Penalty xGoals
0.03
0.03
Expected Assists
0.08
0.06
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.68
0.43
Goal-Creating Actions
0.12
0.11
Shots Blocked
0.68
0.75
Ball Recoveries
5.34
5.81
Aerial Duels Won
1.36
1.18
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 UCL
These included things like non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, passes into the penalty area, shots blocked, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
In other words, even back then, the Madrid “duel monster,” as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, was showing that impressive balance of attacking and defensive nous he still has today, and that, combined with the fact he’s still just 23, is probably why Xabi Alonso described him as someone with “enormous potential.”
With all that said, there is something the Cabinda-born monster has over the Gunners star: experience of winning the biggest trophies, as he has two Champions League titles and two La Liga titles under his belt.
Ultimately, while it won’t be easy, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Camavinga, as he could become their own Rice.
Maresca can fix Caicedo blow by unleashing Chelsea's "one-man machine"
The hugely promising Chelsea gem could be the perfect solution for Enzo Maresca’s Caicedo blow.
Working on perfecting both fingerspin and wristspin, and training for allrounder status, he hopes to make himself indispensable to West Indies cricket
Deivarayan Muthu26-Oct-2025West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie isn’t your average spinner. The 30-year-old, whose primary skill is left-arm fingerspin, can also bowl wristspin with that arm, turning the ball away from left-handers, denying them a favourable match-up. Clips of him bowling left-arm wristspin to left-handers in Guyana’s Global Super League earlier this year went viral.T20 continues to move forward at warp speed, and Motie is expanding his skills and range to keep up. Besides being the second highest wicket-taker in the CPL since his debut in September 2021, behind only Imran Tahir, his captain at Guyana Amazon Warriors, Motie was recently picked by Paarl Royals in the SA20, and is also part of Quetta Qavalry in the Abu Dhabi T20 league. He has previously had stints in the PSL (Multan Sultans) and UAE’s ILT20 (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) as well.”[Left-arm wristspin] is something I’ve been working on for quite a long time now,” Motie said on the sidelines of a spin-centric camp at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai earlier this month, ahead of West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh. “I think I’m not perfect with it yet and I still have a lot of work to do. That’s something I want to go in the nets and work on, so that I can get it and use it whenever I’m under pressure or bowling to a left-hander.”Related
Motie takes 13 to spin West Indies to 1-0 series win against Zimbabwe
West Indies find success via Hosein and Motie's complementary strengths
Motie's four-for puts Amazon Warriors in third successive CPL final
Whether he’s bowling to a left- or right-hander, Motie sees himself as a strike bowler in T20. The numbers back him up as well. In his four years in the format, he has taken 118 wickets in 104 innings at a strike rate of 17.7, which is better than fellow West Indians Sunil Narine (23.1) and Akeal Hosein (20.60) and comparable with elite T20 spinners like Noor Ahmad (17.3) and Rashid Khan (17.0) during this period.”Well, whenever I’m bowling to a left-hander or anyone, I just look to get them out as quickly as possible, because I see myself as a wicket-taker,” Motie said. “And if they’re coming at me, I just find ways to get them off strike.”At Amazon Warriors in the CPL and the Global Super League, Motie has had veteran Tahir as a sounding board. “Imran is always there to pass on his knowledge to me, so I try to use him as best as possible,” he said. “Whenever we are training, I look at him, look at what he’s doing differently and ask him a lot of questions.”Hometown hero: Motie has won the CPL and the Global Super League with Guyana Amazon Warriors•Randy Brooks/CPL T20/Getty ImagesMotie is now one of the faces of Amazon Warriors along with Tahir and is a crowd favourite in Providence. As a homegrown player, Motie relishes the crowd support and hopes to make the country proud.”Well, it’s a very proud moment for me. The people in Guyana really love me,” Motie said. “So every opportunity I get, I just want to go out and do it for my family and my country.”It all began at the Albion cricket club in Guyana. “I started to practice [at the club] when I was six years old,” Motie recalled. “I was very young and from there, I was really committed to whatever I wanted. I know cricket was the only thing for me at that age, going forward. And then, I went on to play for Guyana at the youth level at age ten. And going on from there, I went on to play for the same team, played all ages and made my first-class debut in 2015. I took it forward from there.He had two senior international pros to learn from. “I had Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo there with me. They are a very big help to me in my career so far because I learned most of my bowling from those two guys. They were playing for West Indies at the time I was playing youth cricket [for Guyana]. So whatever they know, they’re always passing it on to me and we always work together.”Motie left England captain Ben Stokes dumbfounded with a delivery that exploded out of the footmarks and blew away his middle stump•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesMotie also draws inspiration from other giants of spin. “Coming through, there were players like [Daniel] Vettori and [Ravindra] Jadeja. I’ve picked up a lot of things from Vettori – the way he uses the crease and the pace with which he bowls.”Like Vettori did back in the day, Motie also brings the traditional skills of a left-arm fingerspinner. He can give the ball a rip and toss it up liberally, daring batters to go after him. When Ben Stokes tried to whip him hard into the leg side in the Lord’s Test last year, Motie got one to fizz out of the footmarks and knock out middle stump. That ball elicited a nod of acknowledgement from Stokes at the time.”I was just trying to hit my length there and there was a rough outside there,” Motie said. “But, fortunately, it spun and went through and hit the stump, which I was very happy with. It was a big wicket for me.”Motie was rested for the recent two-match Test series in India, but remains a crucial part of West Indies’ plans for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. He is yet to play international cricket in India – he has played a handful of games in Sri Lanka – but he seems to have a fair understanding of what to do in these conditions, thanks to his camp with Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Amir Jangoo, Ackeem Auguste, and CWI talent manager Jamal Smith at the Super Kings academy earlier this month.Motie hopes that the experience of bowling for the first time on black- and red-soil pitches in Chennai at the CSK camp will prove valuable in next year’s T20 World Cup•Super Kings Academy”It was a very good opportunity to come to Chennai because you’re bowling on different pitches,” Motie said. “It’s black and red soils, which I haven’t bowled on before. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to gain that experience, going to play a series in Bangladesh and then the World Cup here.”Motie also has ambitions of being an allrounder. He showed his batting potential in his ODI half-centuries against England in 2025 and against Sri Lanka in 2024. Occasionally, Amazon Warriors have also used him as a pinch-hitter in the CPL.”Definitely, that [batting] is something I’ve been working on for quite some time now,” Motie said. “I want to turn into a general allrounder. I don’t want to just be a bowler; I want to contribute with the bat too. I’ve been putting in a lot of work and I came here and put a lot of work into it. So, hopefully, whenever I get the opportunity, I can do it.”West Indies are in the middle of a big block of cricket: their ongoing white-ball tour of Bangladesh will be followed by an all-format tour of New Zealand, with the T20 World Cup being the marquee ICC event in 2026. Motie’s form and multi-dimensional skills could be central to their chances, especially in the white-ball game, during this busy period for them.
Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign an “absolute star”, who is being targeted by some of Europe’s top clubs.
Palace on track to push for Europe after Burnley victory
After the disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Manchester United last weekend, Palace returned to winning ways against Burnley on Wednesday night, securing a 1-0 victory courtesy of Daniel Munoz’s goal on the stroke of half-time.
It was another resolute defensive display from the Eagles, who boast the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having shipped just 11 goals, with only Premier League leaders Arsenal conceding fewer.
Having jumped to fifth place courtesy of the win at Turf Moor, there is every sign Oliver Glasner’s side could make a push for European qualification this season, particularly if they continue to be tough to score against, with captain Marc Guehi at the heart of their defence.
However, with Guehi’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and Liverpool recently opening fresh talks, Glasner will have to start making plans for life after the England international soon, and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande is one of the centre-backs of interest.
Crystal Palace are keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch too, according to a report from TuttoAtalanta (via Sport Witness), which states they have now joined the race for Watford star Rocco Vata, alongside Fulham and two Champions League clubs.
Indeed, Eintracht Frankfurt and Atalanta are also vying to sign Vata, who has an affordable asking price, with it being revealed potential suitors will have to fork out a fee of around €8m – €12m (£7m – £11m).
Crystal Palace could now sign £80k-a-week "warrior" in "good value" January deal
There has been a new update on the Eagles’ pursuit of a defender.
ByDominic Lund Dec 3, 2025
‘Half of Europe’ are credited with an interest in the former Celtic man, who has really kicked on since leaving Parkhead to join the Hornets back in 2024…
"Absolute star" Vata could be savvy addition for Palace
Scout Ben Mattinson has been left impressed by the 20-year-old’s performances since signing for Watford, lauding him as an “absolute star” back in January, and the starlet established himself as an important player last season, chipping in with seven goal contributions in 33 Championship games.
Palace have been very successful when recruiting players from the Championship in the past, signing the likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, and the Watford star could go on to achieve similar things, having performed very well across some key statistics over the past year.
Rocco Vata’s key statistics
Average per 90 (past year)
Assists
0.30 (88th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.31 (92nd percentile)
Tackles
1.70 (79th percentile)
Given that Vata could be available for a very affordable fee, Crystal Palace should look to get ahead of the likes of Atalanta and Frankfurt in the race for his signature by making a January offer.
All the key numbers from a famous South Africa win in India
Sampath Bandarupalli16-Nov-20253:40
Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?
124 Target India failed to chase against South Africa at Eden Gardens. It is the second-lowest that India have failed to chase in a defeat, behind the 120 against West Indies in 1997 in Bridgetown.It is also the second-lowest target that South Africa have defended successfully in Tests. The lowest is 117 against Australia at Sydney in 1994, which they won by five runs.The target of 124 is also the second-lowest any team has lost chasing in the fourth innings in Asia. The lowest is 107 by Australia against India in 2004 at Wankhede Stadium, where they got bowled out for 93.Related
Kolkata minefield: Bavuma stands tall, Washington stands longer
'Job's far from done' – Conrad eyes series win
With 'small hands' and strong instincts, Bavuma shows self-assurance of a player at his peak
Shubman Gill under observation, out of remainder of Eden Gardens Test
Bavuma, Harmer and Jansen script sensational South Africa win at treacherous Eden Gardens
2010 Previous Test win for South Africa in India, when they won in Nagpur by an innings and six runs. South Africa played eight matches between that win and this one in Kolkata, of which they lost seven, including five in a row, while another game ended in a draw with no play after the first day.32-2 India’s record while chasing sub-200 targets in Test matches at home. Their previous defeat came in last year’s Mumbai Test against New Zealand, where they lost chasing 147.Before the start of the 2024-25 season, India’s record in sub-200 target chases at home was 30-0 out of 33 matches, with another three ending in a draw.312 South Africa’s aggregate at Eden Gardens, the second-lowest by them in a Test win, where they got bowled out twice. Their lowest is 298 against England in 1957 at Gqeberha.It is also the lowest aggregate for any team to win a Test match against India, despite being bowled out twice. The previous lowest was 365 by Pakistan in the 1987 Bengaluru Test.Temba Bavuma’s 55 was the highest individual score in the match•AFP/Getty Images159 South Africa’s first-innings total at Eden Gardens is the third-lowest by them in the first innings of a Test match, which they went on to win. The two lower totals have come against England at Johannesburg – 126 in 1930 and 148 in 1922.The 159 is also the third-lowest total by a visiting side in their first innings to defeat India in a Test match in India.93 India’s fourth innings against South Africa at Eden Gardens. It is their fourth-lowest total in the fourth innings in Tests and their third-lowest ever against South Africa. It is also their second-lowest total at home against South Africa, behind the 76 all-out at Ahmedabad in 2008.1 This Test between India and South Africa is the first-ever in India to record sub-200 totals in all four innings. It is only the 12th instance of four sub-200 all-out totals in a Test match and the first in 66 years.39 KL Rahul’s first innings score is the highest individual score for India at the Eden Gardens. Only once was India’s highest individual score lower than 39 in a home Test, when they were bowled out twice – 33 against Australia, also at Eden Gardens in 1956.Simon Harmer finished with match figures of 8 for 51•BCCI55* Temba Bavuma’s score in the second innings is the only individual score in this match higher than Rahul’s 39. It is the second-lowest ‘highest individual score’ for a completed Test match in India. The lowest is 40 during the 2015 Nagpur Test match, also played between India and South Africa.10 Ten wins as captain for Bavuma in the eleven matches he led South Africa, while the other game ended in a draw. Bavuma’s ten wins are the joint-most by any captain before losing a game, alongside Mike Brearley, who also won ten Tests before his first defeat as England captain.South Africa’s win at Eden Gardens also meant Dhruv Jurel’s record-winning start to his Test career – seven wins in seven matches came to an end.8 for 51 Simon Harmer’s bowling figures at Eden Gardens are the second-best for South Africa in Test cricket in India. Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 at Nagpur in 2010 is the best for South Africa in India.Harmer’s match figures of 8 for 51 are also the best Test match figures for a South Africa bowler without taking a five-for.
Queensland quick Sam Geyer withstood an early barrage from Sam Harper to take four wickets on debut in the Sheffield Shield against Victoria.Geyer was the star of the show for Queensland on Saturday, as Victoria hit 318 for 9 declared before the home side were 15 without loss at stumps on day one of the pink-ball fixture.Crucially Matt Renshaw survived a tough final half hour under the Gabba lights to be unbeaten on two, in what could be an audition for the day-night second Ashes Test at the same venue.With questions over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and whether Travis Head will remain opener or go back to No. 5 after his Perth heroics, Renshaw has a big Sunday ahead of him in Brisbane.Saturday night’s 34-ball survival came with chief selector Tony Dodemaide in attendance, with the opener having already scored two centuries this summer.Regardless it will be Geyer who left the Gabba happiest after his 4 for 102 on debut, even if he went at more than six an over. Struck down by stress fractures in his teens, the 22-year-old paceman needed plenty of resilience after Harper took him down early at the Gabba.Harper cut the seamer’s first two balls for four on his way to 88, in a brutal welcome to first-class cricket for Geyer. But the seamer responded shortly after, having Marcus Harris well caught at slip for 18.Geyer also copped some treatment from Matt Short, but recovered to remove Mitchell Perry, Fergus O’Neill and Will Sutherland in the final session.He would have had a five-wicket haul had Tom Straker not put down a catch at fine leg to dismiss Todd Murphy.”He’s very high energy Sammy,” spinner Mitch Swepson said. “Looked like he would run through a brick wall every time I threw the ball to him. He was ready and raring to go.”Outstanding for him to get four wickets, he probably deserved five as well. He bowled brilliantly and was that spark for us.”Swepson also took two crucial wickets, getting Harper and Peter Handscomb in quick succession after the pair added 88 for the third wicket.Harper had been the chief aggressor for Victoria, bringing up his 50 in 55 balls after a series of cuts, late cuts and a big six over mid wicket off Straker.But he fell when he cut Swepson straight to backward point, before Handscomb picked out the midwicket fielder in Swepson’s next over.Veteran Gurinder Sandhu also took 2 for 55, and was arguably Queensland’s best bowler with the pressure he built with the ball.
Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign an “absolute star”, who is being targeted by some of Europe’s top clubs.
Palace on track to push for Europe after Burnley victory
After the disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Manchester United last weekend, Palace returned to winning ways against Burnley on Wednesday night, securing a 1-0 victory courtesy of Daniel Munoz’s goal on the stroke of half-time.
It was another resolute defensive display from the Eagles, who boast the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having shipped just 11 goals, with only Premier League leaders Arsenal conceding fewer.
Having jumped to fifth place courtesy of the win at Turf Moor, there is every sign Oliver Glasner’s side could make a push for European qualification this season, particularly if they continue to be tough to score against, with captain Marc Guehi at the heart of their defence.
However, with Guehi’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and Liverpool recently opening fresh talks, Glasner will have to start making plans for life after the England international soon, and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande is one of the centre-backs of interest.
Crystal Palace are keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch too, according to a report from TuttoAtalanta (via Sport Witness), which states they have now joined the race for Watford star Rocco Vata, alongside Fulham and two Champions League clubs.
Indeed, Eintracht Frankfurt and Atalanta are also vying to sign Vata, who has an affordable asking price, with it being revealed potential suitors will have to fork out a fee of around €8m – €12m (£7m – £11m).
Crystal Palace could now sign £80k-a-week "warrior" in "good value" January deal
There has been a new update on the Eagles’ pursuit of a defender.
By
Dominic Lund
Dec 3, 2025
‘Half of Europe’ are credited with an interest in the former Celtic man, who has really kicked on since leaving Parkhead to join the Hornets back in 2024…
"Absolute star" Vata could be savvy addition for Palace
Scout Ben Mattinson has been left impressed by the 20-year-old’s performances since signing for Watford, lauding him as an “absolute star” back in January, and the starlet established himself as an important player last season, chipping in with seven goal contributions in 33 Championship games.
Palace have been very successful when recruiting players from the Championship in the past, signing the likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, and the Watford star could go on to achieve similar things, having performed very well across some key statistics over the past year.
Rocco Vata’s key statistics
Average per 90 (past year)
Assists
0.30 (88th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.31 (92nd percentile)
Tackles
1.70 (79th percentile)
Given that Vata could be available for a very affordable fee, Crystal Palace should look to get ahead of the likes of Atalanta and Frankfurt in the race for his signature by making a January offer.
“If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it,” Travis Head says
Matt Roller30-Nov-20253:17
Smith: Travis Head’s batting incredible to witness
Travis Head is “happy” to continue opening the batting after his match-winning century in the first Ashes Test, echoing Pat Cummins’ view that batting orders are “over-rated”. His comments come amid continued uncertainty over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and his future as an international cricketer.Head has been Australia’s first-choice No. 5 for the last four years but deputised at the top of the order in the second innings in Perth last week, with Khawaja off the field following back spasms. His stunning 123 off 83 balls helped Australia chase down a fourth-innings target of 205 in just 28.2 overs, taking a 1-0 lead into Thursday’s second Test at the Gabba.Khawaja, who turns 39 next month, has been retained in Australia’s 14-man squad and said this week that he “should be right” to play. But he has been given no guarantees over his place by selectors, and has come under significant scrutiny after averaging 31.84 in the last two years with a single century.Related
'I'll be wearing them' – Smith commits to anti-glare tape in day-night Test
Cummins a chance for Gabba as Australia delay naming XI
Steven Smith bats with 'eye blacks' ahead of pink-ball challenge
Root unperturbed by 'challenge' of facing pink-ball master Starc
Root questions need for pink-ball Ashes Test
Australia’s squad assembled in Brisbane on Sunday and Head said before their training session that his role for the second Test had not yet been discussed. But he made it clear that he was open-minded about staying at the top of the order. “I’m happy,” he said. “If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it.”I’m preparing for anything at this stage… There’s a fair bit to work through. I’ve just got here. We haven’t really had many conversations over the last week. It’s been about just spending some time out of the game as much as you can. You don’t get much time to chill out in a massive series like this, where it’s pretty full-on every single day.”Andrew McDonald revealed after the Perth Test that his Australia side had previously considered using different openers in each innings of a match, and Head said that he was “open” to the idea. “We’ve talked about that a lot: how you get there, and what personnel we have to be able to potentially do that and the personalities in the line-up,” he said. “You’ve seen it a little bit in the T20 team as well, where we’re trying to push the boundaries in power-hitting, and [asking] do we take singles at certain stages… I feel like I can play in any role, so I’m open to it, and it’s just trying to work out in-game and in moments when that may come out and when you may use that.”All options are on the table and have been for a long period of time about where this team can potentially get better, and where there’s opportunities to potentially win games of cricket in moments. It’s always been on the table.”Head was in agreement with Cummins, who is set to miss the second Test in Brisbane because of his ongoing back stress concerns, saying, “I agree with Pat. I think you could use this order and these players in a range of different ways and whatever ways that is to win games of cricket.”We’ve seen it in red-ball [Tests] but particularly probably pink-ball [Tests] as well. Non-traditional stuff, with double nightwatchmen, how you use orders, and how you use players in certain situations. So I agree with Pat that I think they’re slightly over-rated… It’s ever-evolving, and we’ll see where we get to.”
India A were in trouble against a fired-up SA A attack on a green seamer before Jurel’s lower-order rearguard steadied the innings
Shashank Kishore06-Nov-2025
Dhruv Jurel brings up his hundred•PTI
Dhruv Jurel’s recent form has been hard to ignore. Scores of 124, 44, and 6* against West Indies showcased his consistency and growing maturity as a batter. With Rishabh Pant’s return to the Test fold imminent, Jurel is now making a strong case to be considered purely as a specialist batter.That scenario might soon become reality if India decide to strengthen their middle order with a specialist No. 6 instead of an allrounder. The tussle for that spot could well come down to a battle between Jurel and Nitish Reddy.On Thursday, with India A in deep trouble against a fired-up South Africa A attack on a green seamer at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Jurel’s lower-order rearguard not only steadied the innings but also helped steer them to respectability. En route, he brought up his fourth first-class century – remarkably, three of those have come since June.Only a couple of months ago, he compiled a brilliant hundred against Australia A in Lucknow on a turner. This one in seaming conditions was equally masterful in the way he helped steady a floundering innings. From 124 for 7, he helped add 131 for the last three wickets as India A ended 255 all out at stumps. Jurel was 132 not out, an innings that comprised 12 fours and four sixes.Jurel’s other competitor for a middle order berth in India A’s XI on Thursday, Devdutt Padikkal, managed just 5 – his third-straight single-digit score. Padikkal, like Jurel, had impressed against Australia A and in the Ranji Trophy, but may have slipped behind in the race for a recall after having most recently played for India last November in Perth.Rishabh Pant bowls during tea break•PTI
The morning began with Abhimanyu Easwaran bagging a three-ball duck – missing out yet again for India A, after he played down the wrong line to a nip-backer from Okhule Cele that trapped him plumb in front. KL Rahul, his opening partner, tucked himself to three boundaries in a single over – a cover drive, glide over the slips and neat leg glance – but fell chasing an away-going delivery that he tried to drive on the up off left-arm seamer Tiaan van Vuuren.B Sai Sudharsan looked tentative once again. On nought for 12 deliveries, he was finally off the mark when he laced a half-volley through the covers to pick up a boundary. Troubled by the moving ball, Sai Sudharsan stood well outside the crease and then tried to advance further down to negate the late movement – something that often got him into trouble.He was eventually felled by Subrayen, the offspinner, when he played for the skid, only to see the ball rip away to beat the outside edge and hit his back pad. Sudharsan made a 52-ball 17 to go with scores of 32 and 12 in the first four-day fixture last week.Coming off a 90, Pant seemed intent on taking the attack to the bowlers from the get-go. He charged out of the crease off his very first delivery, and hit Subrayen for a slog-sweep and lofted hit off consecutive balls – the highlights in his 20-ball 24 – before he was out looking to clear the infield.Van Vuuren challenged batters both off the inside and outside edges by getting the ball to move late and then seam off the surface, one such delivery accounting for Harsh Dubey as he was early into the flick only for the ball to bobble off the back part of the bat onto the body, and eventually the stumps.Kuldeep Yadav suffered an early concussion scare on 2 when the wicketkeeper ran into him and had him land awkwardly on the floor with his helmet bouncing up. After a few uncomfortable moments, he regained composure and battled his way against some quality seam bowling. Reprieved on 7 by Zubayr Hamza in the slips just before tea, Kuldeep helped add 79 for the eighth-wicket with Jurel, who was solid, showed patience and didn’t play a rash shot at any stage as he brought up a 62-ball half-century.Jurel was equally adept both off the front and back foot against the moving ball, cutting and driving imperiously. The secret to his knock lay in playing late and getting a big forward stride off the seamers to cover for any late movement. After initially playing with his bat close to the body, and keen on crease occupation, Jurel seamlessly switched gears to put away the bad balls, eventually bringing up his century off 146 deliveries to single-handedly bail India A out on a bowling day.
Tottenham Hotspur’s recruitment in recent years has left something to be desired, and though this is a squad of heroes who conquered the Europa League before the summer, domestic form has been cemented at a lower-than-expected level for a while now, and that needs to change.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though, with £55m summer recruit Mohammed Kudus among the most exciting players in Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites outfit.
The Ghanaian winger hasn’t been perfect, but he’s certainly underlined his credentials as a difference-maker under Frank’s wing, with his five assists in the Premier League this season a joint-divisional best.
That statistic juxtaposes with Tottenham’s creative struggles this season, and it adds substance to the emerging rumours that Tottenham plan to sign an even more exciting winger to help elevate Frank’s project down N17.
Spurs leading race for new winger
Tottenham are anticipated to be busy over the coming transfer windows, with improvements needed across a range of areas. However, there’s no denying Frank’s frontline have been blunter than expected, and that must be a priority.
Kudus has been a terrific addition, but wingers like Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons are flattering to deceive. Perhaps this is why ENIC Group are aiming for the stars.
Indeed, according to Spanish sources, Tottenham are leading the race for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, and that’s despite growing interest from the Premier League’s heavyweights.
Rodrygo, 24, is also attracting interest from Liverpool, and though Real are open to selling the Brazilian talent, they would expect to bank something in the ballpark of £70m.
Why Rodrygo would succeed at Spurs
Rodrygo is currently embroiled in a crisis of confidence. He has gone 30 La Liga matches without a goal, and has been pushed out to the fringes of Xabi Alonso’s squad.
But let’s not forget that this is a truly special player, praised for his “world-class” quality by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric, and the depth of his technical quality goes far beyond that of Kudus, who is devastating on the ball but lacks clarity and output.
Goals scored
0.32
0.14
Assists
0.24
0.23
Shots taken
2.94
1.89
Shot-creating actions
4.65
3.41
Touches (att pen)
6.64
3.78
Pass completion (%)
85.4
78.8
Progressive passes
4.37
2.59
Progressive carries
6.00
3.44
Successful take-ons
2.38
3.05
Ball recoveries
3.77
5.44
Though Kudus has enjoyed a fine start to his career in north London, he doesn’t match Rodrygo’s breadth of skill. The Madrid man is one of the best forwards in the world, after all, and his recent drop-off does not negate that fact.
Crisper on the ball, more progressive with his passing and more active in dribbling forward himself, Rodrygo might not have Kudus’ same snappy speed, but that’s not to say that he isn’t a dynamic physical force in his own right.
Moreover, he has so often been shunted out onto the right flank in Madrid over the past several years, lower down the pecking order than the likes of Vincius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The right-footed Rodrygo is at his best, his most prolific, when playing off the left.
Now, he has been reduced to a truly bit-part role, only afforded three league starts under Alonso’s management this term.
It feels like Rodrygo’s departure from the Santiago Bernabeu is a matter of when, not if, and while there are a multitude of high-profile suitors looking to excavate him from the hole he has fallen into, Tottenham have put in the hard yards for some time now, and Frank’s project would promise him a leading role.
Then it would be up to Rodrygo to prove that he is the real deal. On the basis of the evidence already, he is at that, and this would see him take on a more influential role than someone like Kudus down N17.
Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward
This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.