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Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has weighed in with an update on Arsenal's plans for the final few days of this summer window, following their now confirmed deal for midfielder Mikel Merino.

Arsenal announce £32 million Merino signing after weeks of talks

Earlier this week, news that Arsenal fans have been waiting a long time for was finally dropped after weeks of talks.

Fabrizio Romano: £276k-per-week star who Arsenal want could make late move

He’s been dubbed a “surprise” potential transfer.

4 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 28, 2024

Indeed, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta finally got his hands on Merino, with Arsenal officially completing a £32 million move for the Spain international midfielder. His arrival at the Emirates Stadium is set to seriously reinforce Arteta's left-side of midfield, as Merino's towering 6 foot 2 presence and reputation for winning duels provides Arsenal with more tenacity.

The former Newcastle United ace will don the number 23 shirt and could even make his Premier League debut this weekend against Brighton, with sporting director Edu Gaspar saying that Merino's physicality and athleticism will be a huge asset.

“We are so happy to have completed the transfer of Mikel Merino," said Edu to Arsenal's official website.

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"This has been another great team effort from many people at the club to finalise the transfer of a player who attracted interest from a number of clubs over the summer.

“Mikel was a key target for us this summer, and we identified him as a player who can fit perfectly into our squad and profile to improve us, as we aim to build on our strong performances of last season. With Mikel’s arrival, he brings us an added high quality of experience, physicality and athleticism as we look forward to this season ahead. We welcome Mikel and his family to the club, and look forward to seeing him play in the Arsenal shirt.”

After the 28-year-old put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Arsenal, the general consensus is that Arteta and Edu may not be done there, as we fast approach summer transfer deadline day.

Arsenal have been linked with a late move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, among others, as they consider upgrading their attacking options ahead of a long and challenging title race with Man City.

Arsenal looking at "last-minute" chance to sign new forward

This has now been backed up by respected transfer reporter Romano, who says that Arsenal are indeed looking at a "last-minute opportunity" to sign a new forward before the window closes.

“I think it’s not going to be a super big name. I don’t expect Arsenal to go for a central striker," said the journalist on Men in Blazers (via TBR).

"There was some fear around the injury of Gabriel Jesus, but I’m told it’s quite positive. The idea of Arsenal is to sign a winger rather than a number nine, looking at a last-minute opportunity on the market."

Will Rhodes leads the way for hosts with 91 before Dane Paterson’s triple strike edges Notts ahead

George Dobell27-May-2021There was a moment, midway through the afternoon session, when the sound of applause could have startled the casual spectator.”Have we missed a milestone?” the journalists in the media centre asked another.There was no milestone. And there was no boundary or wicket, either. Instead, the batter, Sam Hain, had eased one through the covers for two. It was, in the grand scheme of things, pretty unremarkable. But there was an easy elegance about it, a pleasing familiarity, which had this old ground purring in appreciation.This was, of course, the first time spectators had been permitted at a Championship match here since September 2019. So they had been starved of the simple pleasures of such things as a nicely timed push through the covers or a well contested tussle between two well-matched teams. It surely did no harm that the day was, initially at least, delightfully bright and sunny. It really did feel like the first day of summer.Related

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Those fortunate enough to have been in attendance witnessed something of an old-school encounter. On a slow wicket, the run-rate never rose much about two-and-a-half an over and both batters and bowlers had to chisel out nearly every run and wicket. It was tough, uncompromising cricket and the applause with which almost every run was greeted suggested it was lapped up by a crowd starved of such entertainment.Hain, for example, was obliged to grind for 159 balls in reaching a half-century which contained just three fours while Nottinghamshire toiled with admirable dedication to ensure Warwickshire were never able to get away from them. The three wickets taken in three overs by Dane Paterson in the dying overs might even have put their noses in front. It has been, to date, a quietly absorbing encounter.Many of the 1,802 spectators will be back here, no doubt, in a couple of weeks for the Test against New Zealand. News that the club had won a concession from government to use the match as a trial event for the return of crowds means around 18,000 spectators will be permitted over the first three days. While there will be no social distancing once seated, significant parts of the ground will be cordoned off to ensure the players can come and go from the dressing rooms without risk of infection. As has become the custom here in recent times, the teams will have dressing rooms at opposite ends of the ground.There is a major caveat to all this. Sadly, nobody under the age of 16 will be able to attend the Test. Government regulations state that consent must be provided from all those attending and it is deemed impossible for a child 16 to provide informed consent. Those railing against the club, though, need to reflect on who insists on such regulations. It is the government, or more pertinently Covid, with whom they have the issue.That Warwickshire batted throughout the day was largely due to Will Rhodes. This was an important innings for the Warwickshire captain. He has a natural, calm authority about his captaincy and results have, this season, probably exceeded expectations. But, going into this game, he had batted 12 times in the competition this season and failed to reach 50. And a captain with a batting average of 18.80 perhaps has – or at least feels as if they have – less authority.But here, with his side put in on a demanding surface, his batting exhibited that same unfussy authority. On a relatively slow wicket, he retained his composure despite being beaten like a snare drum by Luke Fletcher in the first hour. And then, as he settled, he was prepared to wait for the loose ball and demonstrated both some pleasing drives – a straight drive off Zak Chappell may well have been the stroke of the day – and an efficiently off his legs that punished anything wayward. He looked utterly mortified to fall nine short of a century, very sharply taken by Haseeb Hameed at short leg as he glanced off the face of the bat.Will Rhodes gets forward to drive•Getty ImagesNottinghamshire will feel they missed an opportunity to be rid of him far earlier, though. Rhodes was dropped by Tom Moores, on six, off Luke Fletcher in the opening overs of the day. It wasn’t the easiest of chances, but Moores appeared to have the ball in his gloves before spilling it.Another drop later proved, in its way, even more damaging. Pieter Malan, on two at the time, was drawn into an edge – once more off the persevering Fletcher – but Ben Duckett, at second slip, was unable to cling on to a low chance. In attempting the catch, Duckett sustained a blow to the thumb that saw him whisked off the pitch for treatment and a visit to a doctor. Nottinghamshire were awaiting the results of scans at the time of writing but, though Duckett did not take the field for the rest of the day, he did have a net. The club have not ruled out the possibility he could yet bat.Meanwhile Rob Yates, who had been frustrated for 59 minutes and 39 balls in making eight, was punished for his attempt to drive without much footwork and played on, before Malan was trapped in front by a booming inswinger from Steven Mullaney. Malan seemed to think he had hit the ball.It was the wicket of Hain which changed the complexion of the day, though. At that stage, Warwickshire were 238 for 3 and building, perhaps to a total approaching 400. But Hain, attempting to turn one on off stump behind square on the leg side, was trapped in front by Paterson, before Michael Burgess missed a straight one and Tim Bresnan sliced to third slip as he attempted to flick one into the leg side. It was reward for some fine wicket-to-wicket bowling.Nottinghamshire might have something of a gem in Paterson. He is not, by any means the fastest of bowlers. And he is not, by the standards of Sir Richard Hadlee for example, the most outrageously skilful. But as an overseas player who may not be required for huge amounts of international cricket, his availability should be regular and his game – pitching the ball full from wide on the crease, moving the odd one away but threatening more with the one that is angled into the batter – looks well-suited to county wickets. He evoked memories here of Andre Adams and, if he can have half the career for this club that Adams enjoyed, will have served Nottinghamshire very well.

Jose Mourinho slammed his Fenerbahce team for their "weak" performance in a 1-1 draw against Eyupspor in the Super Lig.

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Fenerbahce held to 1-1 draw in Super LigMourinho frustrated by low-quality matchCriticised his players for their mistakesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mourinho's side scored late in the first half to earn a point against their hosts, leaving them five points behind Super Lig leaders Galatasaray, who play relegation candidates Kayserispor on Sunday.

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Tensions spilled over as a brawl broke out in the tunnel at half-time of Friday evening's clash, with Mourinho describing it as a "riot" of 200 people. The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid manager revealed his own frustration at the quality of the game and blasted his team for the mistakes they made.

WHAT MOURINHO SAID

"It was a disaster. How much of the match was played, how many stoppages were made during the match, how many times were the players on the ground? Many times," he told reporters. "The quality of the match was very bad. There were many technical errors. For me, it was a weak and low-quality match. I am not responsible for the low quality of the match, but for my team. My team performed poorly. It was difficult to hold the ball, to turn it over. We made mistakes in playmaking. We were better in the second half. Although I wouldn't say clear, we got into positions. The opponent had a chance to counterattack by losing the ball. It was a weak match for me, a weak performance for my team."

He added: "The players need to give more. Some things are difficult in Turkey. I have seen things here that I have not seen in my long career. Like what happened in the locker room corridor during the half-time. It is difficult. The players have been here for a long time, they need to adapt. The new ones need to adapt to this situation as well. Our club gives the players the best conditions. I know my own quality. I know the quality of our team. We give the best to our players in training. If you ask what you expect from your players in the second half of the league, I expect this."

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Despite the Istanbul club possibly losing ground in the title race this week, the coach insisted his team are still in with a chance of winning it. He will be desperate for a positive result in their next match, against second-bottom Hatayspor on January 5.

The deadline day of the summer transfer window officially passed on Friday and Celtic were able to make three new additions to their playing squad.

Brendan Rodgers was heavily backed by the board throughout the off-season, as evidenced by the money that was spent on incoming signings.

The Hoops reportedly smashed their club-record transfer fee with an £11m deal to sign central midfielder Arne Engels from Augsburg, whilst Luke McCowan and Auston Trusty were also added to the squad on deadline day.

Ireland international Adam Idah was also snapped up on a permanent deal from Norwich City for a reported fee of up to £9.5m, following his loan spell at Parkhead last term.

This means that the Hoops could end up spending more than £20m on Idah and Engels combined, without taking any fees for Viljami Sinisalo, McCowan, Paulo Bernardo, or Trusty into account.

The summer transfer window was a statement of intent by the Bhoys and time will tell whether or not the money spent will pay off on the pitch, with the group stages of the Champions League still to come.

They could have spent more, though, if reports were to be believed, as they were linked with another striker addition before the deadline last week.

Celtic were keen on re-signing forward

Newsquest reporter Bobby Manzi reported towards the end of August that the Scottish Premiership giants were interested in a deal to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Odsonne Edouard.

The journalist claimed that the Hoops were keen on a reunion with the French number nine, who had worked with Rodgers during his first spell in Glasgow.

Manzi revealed that the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect was set to become available when the Eagles completed their deal to bring Eddie Nketiah in from Premier League giants Arsenal.

Odsonne-Edouard

Palace did eventually get their deal for the England international over the line on deadline day and Edouard was allowed to move on from Selhurst Park.

However, Celtic were not able to win the race for his services as Premier League side Leicester City snapped him up on a season-long loan deal, with no mention of an option or an obligation to make the deal permanent next summer.

It is unclear as to whether or not the Hoops ever made a serious attempt to bring the Frenchman back to Paradise, to compete with Kyogo Furuhashi and Idah for a starting spot, ahead of the Foxes, though.

As shown in the graphic above, the right-footed attacker was a superstar in Glasgow during his time in Scotland, with 125 goal contributions in 179 matches in all competitions.

This shows that the potential was there for the French ace, who scored seven goals in the Premier League for Palace last season, to return and be a fantastic option for the manager to call upon.

Rodgers could, though, forget all about his possible failure to reunite with Edouard during the summer transfer window by unleashing one of the club's promising young players from the B team – Daniel Cummings.

Daniel Cummings' sublime form for Celtic B

With Idah and Kyogo already in the building as two senior, proven, centre-forward options for Celtic, the third striker position could suit an up-and-coming player.

Rodgers only plays with one recognised number nine in his system and this means that a third-choice marksman is unlikely to get too many minutes, even across all competitions, throughout the season.

Edouard, who turns 27 in January, may not have been happy with a reserved role and it would have been odd to have spent up to £9.5m on Idah, only to place him below Edouard and Kyogo in the pecking order.

Therefore, Cummings, who only turned 18 in April, could be well-suited to stepping up to fill the void left by Hyeon-gyu Oh's move to Genk earlier in the summer.

His form for Celtic B in the 2024/25 campaign so far suggests that he is ready to step up and showcase his quality at first-team level for the club, even if it is just in cameo outings.

The 18-year-old starlet has fired in an outstanding ten goals in eight appearances in all competitions, a return of 1.25 goals per game, with all ten coming in seven Lowland League matches.

His exceptional form in front of goal has carried over from the 2023/24 season, in which the Scotland U17 international produced 12 goals in 19 Lowland League appearances.

Cummings, who has scored one goal in three matches for Scotland's U17s, also scored against Chelsea in the Premier League International Cup, as shown in the clip above.

The teenage marksman appears to have outgrown development football, given his return of 22 goals in 26 Lowland League games since the start of last season, and it could be time for him to be given a chance in the first-team at Parkhead this term.

What Celtic should do with Daniel Cummings

At the age of 18, there is no rush for Cummings and Rodgers does not need to throw him into the senior side on a regular basis too early in his career.

However, there is a vacant spot to be filled as the third striker for the first-team and that could be an ideal role for the B team starlet, as he would not be needed unless Kyogo and Idah are both unavailable.

Therefore, the Northern Irish manager must bring Cummings into the group when one of the two experienced options are out, through suspension or injury.

It could also be worth bringing him into the matchday squad on occasion, alongside Kyogo or Idah on the bench, to get him used to being part of the team and being around the first-team environment.

Then, if Cummings can translate even some of his form for the B team over to the Premiership, the domestic cups, and the Champions League, then the teenage dynamo could be a brilliant prospect for the club to develop over the years to come.

Forget Scales: Celtic star who's in top 100% for xG has been the true hero

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His potential as a future star for the Scottish giants also means that Rodgers can forget all about Edouard by unleashing the talented youngster when needed this season.

Allrounder says penalty misses shouldn’t define players after first football final appearance since 1966

George Dobell12-Jul-2021England’s footballers are “absolute legends” who have their best years in front of them, according to Ben Stokes.Stokes, captain of the England ODI side which has taken an unassailable lead over Pakistan in the Royal London series, watched Sunday night’s Euro 2020 final with the rest of his squad while observing social distancing protocols to prevent further outbreaks of Covid-19 within the group.And while accepting the football team would be “devastated” to have lost to Italy on penalties, he insisted their cricketing counterparts were “incredibly proud” of their achievements in reaching a major final for the first time in 55 years and had complete faith in them winning trophies in the years ahead.”They’ll be absolutely devastated, no doubt,” Stokes said. “But what they’ve managed to achieve is incredible. The nation has been completely captured by what they’ve done on the field.”Obviously everyone in the nation would have loved to see England win, but just watching the games you feel a real connection to the team. The way Gareth Southgate has led, the way Gareth Southgate speaks… I think he’s been phenomenal in everything he’s done.”Us as a national team, albeit in a different sport, we’re just incredibly proud of what they managed to do.”It’s such a young team full of talent that the sky is the limit for them. There’s so many more years ahead, so many more tournaments to go and prove themselves in. But in my eyes and everybody else’s eyes in this changing room, they are absolute legends already.”Stokes is a man who has experienced both triumph and disaster on the biggest stage. Handed the responsibility to defend 19 from the final over of the 2016 World T20 final, he was unable to prevent Carlos Brathwaite thrashing him for four successive sixes to take West Indies to the trophy.Three years later, however, Stokes held his nerve in the World Cup final at Lord’s to help England win the 50-over World Cup “by the barest of margins”. It later emerged that, ahead of the Super Over that settled that match, Stokes had helped calm Jofra Archer’s nerves by telling him that, whatever happened over the next five minutes, it would not define him.Joe Root tries to console a distraught Ben Stokes at the 2016 World T20 final•AFPAs such, he is better placed than most to assure England’s footballers – and those who were unable to score from their penalties, in particular – that such a moment need not prove the defining moment of their careers.”I hope they’re not defined by it,” Stokes said. “You look at where they’ve gone over the last two or three years and the things they’ve managed to achieve and you know it’s just such a young team. They’ve got so much more time on their hands to go out and win trophies for England. They’re blessed with youth.”Never has an England team been so exciting to watch. I’m not massively into my football like some of the other lads, but I absolutely watched every time they’ve walked out into the field and they’re just a real exciting to watch at the moment.”You know they will be devastated. They’ll probably hurt for a few more weeks. But I’m sure once they get over it and have an understanding of what they’re able to achieve, there will be a lot bigger occasions to come for those guys, no doubt.”

After a torrid season so far, which has seen them Everton to 19th in the Premier League table, their fans might finally have some good news to celebrate.

Indeed, the Toffees are believed to be close to getting new owners at the club, after months of unhappy protesting against their current majority owner Farhad Moshiri.

The BBC, along with other major news outlets in England, have recently reported that The Friedkin Group has reached an agreement to buy Farhad Moshiri’s majority 94% stake in Everton for a whopping fee of £400m.

It is a deal that will lead to great change for Everton, which could even include a new manager.

Everton target former England manager

According to reports, the Toffees’ new owners could replace current boss Sean Dyche with the recently departed England manager Gareth Southgate.

After failing at the final hurdle of the European Championships for the second consecutive time, the former Three Lions boss parted ways with the FA and is yet to take up a new role.

Southgate’s only club job to date is that of Middlesbrough between June 2006 and October 2009 but according to GIVEMESPORT, the new prospective Toffees owner Friedkin has ‘spoken about Southgate as an ambitious option to potentially succeed Dyche’ at Goodison Park.

Sacking the former Burnley boss seems like the easy decision for the Toffees’ potential new owners to make. They are languishing in 19th, with just one point on the board and the joint most goals conceded in the top flight, 14.

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19th

Why Southgate would be a good appointment

The former England manager is someone who split opinion during his time at the helm of the Three Lions. Whatever your view on Southgate, who was described as “phenomenal” by journalist Mark Douglas, there is no doubt that his more pragmatic approach could be just what the Toffees could do with at the minute.

He is a great defensive coach, and that has even been pointed out by opponents in the past, as recently as Cody Gakpo ahead of the Euro 2024 semi-final.

The Netherlands winger said Southgate’s England “have a lot of quality, but they play defensively”. Given the Merseyside outfit are so leaky at the back, that defensive approach could be what they need. It got his England side results, including two Euros finals, 2020 and 2024, and a World Cup semi-final in 2018.

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His overall record as England boss also reflects such an approach. In 102 matches at the helm for the 1966 World Cup winners, the former Middlesbrough boss conceded just 82 goals, a superb record.

However, it is not just defensive and pragmatic football that the 54-year-old would bring to the table if he took over at Goodison Park. His side has been known to form dangerous patterns of play which do have results.

Look at Luke Shaw’s goal in the Euro 2020 final, one of the high points during Southgate’s Three Lions tenure, which can be seen below. Note the maximum width on offer from the wing-backs, the way Harry Kane drops deep to drag defenders with him and create space, and the way they attack the box with crosses. They are all features of Southgate’s England.

Above all, what the former England boss was known for during his time with the national team was the superb atmosphere.

He is a superb motivator and created a positive environment designed to make players feel comfortable and keen to play for their country. The Guardian journalist Jonathan Wilson suggested during Euro 2024 that Southgate is “perhaps rather better at the management side of football management than the football”.

This sort of environment could work in the favour of Everton, and get the best out of their stars such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Everton centre-forward has already thrived under the 54-year-old for the Three Lions. He has 11 caps and four goals to his name and was a member of the Euro 2020 squad.

If Southgate can get the striker firing in a short space of time with England, imagine what he can do for a longer amount of time at Goodison Park. It feels like he has untapped potential at the Toffees, with a superb skillset but just 70 goals in 252 games; the 54-year-old could get him, and his teammates, playing at their absolute best, in an optimal environment.

This appointment could be a stroke of genius from Freidkin, and the Toffees could keep survival hopes well and truly alive of they appoint the former England boss; a pragmatic results-getter and a genius motivator.

Friedkin could sack Dyche by hiring "genius" Moyes alternative at Everton

Sean Dyche faces a critical few weeks at Everton

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 23, 2024

Buttler is expected to return to the side for the hosts, and Bairstow is fit despite bruising his finger

Danyal Rasool17-Jul-2021Big picturePhew, wasn’t that fun? After a three-hour bonanza of six-hitting that felt like a blur later, Pakistan justified their reputation of being predictably unpredictable, seeing off a near full-strength England side with a comfortable 31-run win. Off the back of an ODI series where their worst instincts were more evident, there’s little doubt the T20I series will be a much more tightly-contested affair.It all just meshed into one, didn’t it? The Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan stand that just continued to snowball, the onslaught by Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hafeez, Jason Roy taking Imad Wasim to the cleaners despite supposedly struggling again spin, and Liam Livingstone’s record-obliterating hundred. Of course, the bowlers played their part too, though it might not feel like it at times. Shaheen Afridi bagged the Player-of-the-Match award, Shadab Khan took three priceless wickets despite going for 52, while Mohammad Hasnain allowed just 28 in four overs, a stupendous effort in a game that saw 433 runs scored.An England win on Friday and Pakistan might have checked out of the tour, but the series is instead poised tantalisingly now. England have to reconcile their desire to test and tinker ahead of the T20 World Cup with staving off a series defeat before they name their squad for the big event. Livingstone, until recently an outsider, suddenly appears central. Meanwhile, a strangely off-colour captain Eoin Morgan must ensure he has to score runs to pull his weight in a side essentially moulded in his image.Related

Stats – Pakistan make their highest T20I total; equal their sixes record

Liam Livingstone nails his audition to prove he's too good for England's bench

They move now to Headingley, another venue that hasn’t exactly been frugal with the runs in the T20 Blast this season. England will probably have few regrets about the way they went about their chase on Friday. That fearless, relentless, attacking approach has brought them most of their success in the past half-decade. However, they might wonder if they acquitted themselves as well with the ball as they should have. In the first half of the innings, they were rather staid and passive, and at the death, there was uncharacteristic waywardness. David Willey at 9.75 was the most economical of the England bowlers, while Pakistan had two – Afridi (9) and Hasnain (7) – who maintained a tighter grip on the runs.Pakistan don’t really have a central philosophy in quite the same way, but it appears if you throw enough power hitters at the problem, you might just come up with the solution in England. Much like England’s defeat at New Zealand’s hands at the 2015 World Cup became the turning point for England’s white-ball side, could that chastening 3-0 ODI defeat to a second-string England unit mark a similar sliding-doors moment for Pakistan? It’s difficult to imagine the visitors sticking to a long-term plan in quite the same way, but Pakistan seemed to have concluded the only way to beat the home side was to blast past them. There’s no reason what works in the East Midlands shouldn’t work in Yorkshire.Form guideEngland LWWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Pakistan WWLWWLiam Livingstone’s scintillating hundred came off just 42 balls•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightIt’s difficult to justify when a player goes for 46 in four overs, but there’s a case to be made for Saqib Mahmood to continue to be the bowler Pakistan remain the wariest of. He was arguably the most penetrative up top, representing England’s best chance of removing Babar or Rizwan early, and therefore denting the platform the openers are so fond of creating for the final ten overs. The ODI series demonstrated he can wreak havoc with the new ball, and after allowing the Pakistan openers to pile up 150 in the first T20I, wickets up top are key to derailing the Pakistan innings. There’s no reason Mahmood can’t reprise his ODI heroics in this format.Azam Khan will have enjoyed watching his team-mates smash England’s bowlers to all parts on Friday, but it’s hard to believe there wasn’t a tinge of envy mixed in with the appreciation. Pakistan had the perfect platform set to launch from, the bowlers weren’t quite hitting their lines, the pitch was an absolute road, and this was Trent Bridge. Azam couldn’t have dreamt of more conducive conditions to make his debut and display his power-hitting prowess. But as it was, he got to face only three balls, and if he is to nestle himself into this side ahead of the T20 World Cup, all his work still lies ahead of him. But Headingley isn’t too far off from the ideal venue for a big hitter either, so should Azam get another opportunity, he shouldn’t have many excuses.Team newsPaul Collingwood, England’s stand-in coach, confirmed that Jos Buttler will return to the side following a calf injury and that Jonny Bairstow is fit to play despite some bruising on his finger when dropping a catch in the first T20I. Moeen Ali could drop out to accommodate Buttler’s return, with Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid – both rested on Friday night – back in contention ahead of England’s selection meeting on Saturday.England (probable): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Lewis Gregory, 8 David Willey, 9 Tom Curran/Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid/Matt Parkinson, 11 Saqib MahmoodPakistan are unlikely to want to tinker much with a side that managed their highest T20I total. Any changes to Friday’s side would be a surprise.Pakistan: (probable): 1 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2 Babar Azam (capt), 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Sohaib Maqsood, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Azam Khan, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Haris Rauf, 10 Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Shaheen Shah AfridiPitch and conditionsDominic Leech’s injury at a soggy Headingley earlier this week might have forced the Roses match into abandonment, but several days of bright sunshine since means those drainage problems should not imperil the second T20I. It’s expected to be bright and sunny in Leeds for the afternoon start. Perfect conditions for T20 cricket.The average first-innings total in the T20 Blast at this ground is 192, so expect both sides to try and pile on the runs once more.Stats and trivia England last lost a home T20I series in July 2018, against India. Moin Khan and his son Azam are the fifth father-son pair to have represented Pakistan in international cricket. The other four are Nazar Mohammad and Mudassar Nazar, Hanif and Shoaib Mohammad, Majid and Bazid Khan, and Abdul and Usman Qadir. This is the first time Headingley has hosted a T20I.Quotes”We’re desperate to win the games – we’ve got two games to win the series – but there is experimenting going on because we’ve got to give guys opportunities. There’s not many games before the T20 World Cup and you’ve got to give guys opportunities.”

Manchester United may be struggling for end product at present, but their goal-getting future may be in safe hands with Wayne Rooney’s son Kai.

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Rooney senior is Red Devils' all-time top scorerSon catching the eye in famed academy systemHas inherited goal-scoring skills from his fatherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rooney senior is the all-time leading scorer at Old Trafford, with the legendary former England international finding the target on 253 occasions for the Red Devils. Family ties to the Premier League giants remain, with another hot prospect moving through a famed academy system.

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Kai Rooney is looking to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, with the teenager becoming an exciting forward in his own right. He has already savoured trophy success with United and is working hard on his game in a bid to earn senior recognition at some stage.

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Another video has been posted on social media of Kai being put through his paces by a personal trainer, as he seeks to perfect the art of hitting the back of the net. Some of his strikes during a finishing masterclass suggest that he could become another home-grown star in Manchester.

Aston Villa moved up to third in the Premier League table over the weekend with a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Villa Park on Saturday. A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha had the visitors in front but goals from Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa, and substitute Jhon Duran secured all three points in the second 45.

Duran has now scored four goals in five appearances in the Premier League so far this season for the Villans, despite all five of his outings coming off the bench.

The 20-year-old marksman is an incredibly exciting striker prospect for Unai Emery, and Monchi is reportedly looking to add another young gem to the manager’s attacking arsenal as the club look to build sufficient depth around star man Watkins.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news

According to CaughtOffside, the Villans are one of the clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Besiktas winger Semih Kilicsoy in the upcoming January transfer window. The report claims that they are one of three Premier League sides showing an interest in the Turkey international, alongside Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen, and Ajax are also keeping tabs on the 19-year-old starlet, which shows that there is set to be plenty of competition for his services next year.

It states that Aston Villa failed with an offer of €18m (£15m) to sign the forward in the recent summer transfer window, and that they remain keen on the talented youngster. CaughtOffside adds that Besiktas are looking for a fee in the region of €25m (£21m) for the young gem. However, it remains to be seen whether or not Monchi is prepared to up his bid by £6m to land the winger in January.

Why Aston Villa should sign Semih Kilicsoy

Despite his young age, Kilicsoy has already showcased his quality at first-team level for Besiktas and could provide Emery with another exciting attacking option. The winger, who only turned 19 last month, has started the 2024/25 campaign with two ‘big chances’ created and two assists in two starts in the Super Lig.

U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that the teenage sensation “has the world at his feet” and that speaks to his huge potential as a player, which is backed up by his form on the pitch as an 18-year-old in the Turkish top-flight last season.

Appearances

23

xG

5.59

Goals

11

Big chances created

4

Assists

4

Kilicsoy scored 11 goals from an xG tally of 5.59 and this shows that the Besiktas starlet was incredibly effective in front of goal, as he more than made the most of the chances that came his way. The £21m-rated phenomenon produced 15 goals and assists combined in 23 league appearances, which suggests that the potential is there for Villa to land a player who could provide a regular threat in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

At the age of 19, the Turkish ace could initially come in as a rotation option, much like Duran is now, and develop under Emery as an exciting prospect in the years to come.

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Finch’s knee injury will be assessed on a day to day basis during the series

Andrew McGlashan19-Jul-2021Alex Carey has been named Australia captain for the first ODI against West Indies in Barbados with Aaron Finch ruled out due to the knee injury he aggravated during the last T20I.Finch’s injury will be assessed on a “day by day” basis but with the three matches being played in the space of five days it could be a challenge for him to fit for this series.Carey was previously a joint vice-captain of the ODI side until the selectors reverted to the traditional model of having one player in the position by naming Pat Cummins as vice-captain across all formats last year.However, Cummins is not part of this tour so Carey now has the chance to lead his country for the first time having previously captained Australia A, Adelaide Strikers and South Australia.Related

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“I am deeply honoured to be able to lead the team while Aaron recovers,” he said. “To captain Australia is one of the greatest privileges in sport and an honour I am extremely thankful to receive.”Finchy is our captain and we will welcome him back with open arms when he is fully fit, so for now I hope I can fill the role to his extremely high standards.”To lead this group against the West Indies in the West Indies is a great challenge and one I very much look forward to for as long as I have the opportunity.”Carey has previously been suggested as a possible candidate to captain the Test side when Tim Paine retires and his leadership qualities are held in high regard. However, last season he drew strong criticism from Allan Border for the way he led Australia A on the second day of their match against India at the SCG although afterwards the pair had a conversation.”My takeaway is that there’s a lot of really great leaders throughout the country still caring about the game of cricket,” Carey said on Monday. “For him to answer my call and have a chat about what he saw, that was a great learning curve for me to speak to one of Australia’s best captains. I didn’t take it too much to heart and saw it as more of an opportunity to learn.”Justin Langer, the Australia head coach, said: “For a long period of time Alex has shown an extremely high level of professionalism and discipline as a fantastic leader within this group. The injury to Finchy gives Alex an opportunity for his first experience as captain. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic job with the support of the other senior players.”The absence of Finch will leave Australia with an even more inexperienced side having been stripped of a host of key names for this tour. Carey did not confirm an XI for the opening match but indicated he would be batting in the middle order.