Tag Futebol

After the dismissal of Erik ten Hag nearly 12 months ago, Manchester United fans will have been excited by the appointment of Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP.

The 40-year-old won two league titles back in his homeland, even beating Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League just a couple of weeks before his appointment at Old Trafford.

However, his stint in charge of the Red Devils has been nothing short of a disaster, with the manager achieving a win percentage of just 39% in his 49 outings.

His latest defeat against Brentford has once again cranked up the pressure on his shoulders, with his £200m attacking additions still struggling to have the desired impact.

His future at the Theatre of Dreams remains hugely up in the air, with the INEOS hierarchy already seemingly targeting other alternatives to replace him should he be handed his marching orders.

The Man Utd shortlist to replace Amorim

Over the last couple of days, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has emerged as a potential option to replace Amorim at United should he be given the boot in the near future.

Whilst the Cherries want to keep hold of the Spaniard, they could have no choice in allowing him to depart, with the 43-year-old’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season.

However, he’s not the only name currently on their shortlist, with former England boss Gareth Southgate once again emerging on the INEOS radar, as relayed by FootballTransfers.

They claim that the 55-year-old could be open to returning to management and moving to Manchester after taking time out of the game following his departure from the national team in July last year.

It remains unclear if he will be the club’s main target for the role should Amorim depart, but the board have been impressed with his ability to get the best out of his players at international level.

Why United’s latest manager target would revive Mainoo

United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has endured somewhat of a frustrating last 12 months on the pitch, with boss Amorim often looking past him for selection in his midfield.

The Englishman only registered 20 league starts out of a possible 38 last season, with the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro ahead of him in the manager’s pecking order.

However, he has previously nailed down his place in the starting eleven, with Ten Hag often relying upon the 20-year-old to produce the goods during his tenure in charge.

Mainoo racked up various key goals in 2023/24, from last-minute winners to derby day goals and an FA Cup final strike – it truly was a year to remember for the youngster.

Such performances secured him a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad last summer, further showcasing his remarkable rise over such a short period of time.

He even started four of the nation’s six games in such a tournament, showcasing the faith that Southgate had in the youngster to deliver on the biggest stage for his country.

The appointment of the former England boss would certainly hand Mainoo the chance to regain his place in the side, whilst also instilling the confidence he’s been massively lacking in recent months.

For the Red Devils, the potential decision to hire Southgate may not be many supporters’ first choice, but it is one that could deliver the needed turnaround in form they’ve been craving.

The 55-year-old, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Scott Parker, achieved a 63% win record in charge of the Three Lions and subsequently took them to two major international finals.

Gareth Southgate – England record
Statistics	Tally
Games managed	102
Wins	64
Draws	20
Losses	18
Goals per game	2.3
Goals conceded	0.8
Points per game	2.1
Win percentage	63%
Stats via Transfermarkt

His side’s also achieved an average of 2.3 goals per game under his guidance, offering the Red Devils the needed attacking quality they’ve lacked in recent weeks under Amorim.

Such numbers are nothing short of remarkable, with the former England boss potentially able to end the club’s decade-long wait for a league title in the years ahead.

Success in the role is one thing, but the development of the players at his disposal would also be a massive part of his task in charge at Old Trafford.

Mainoo could be a huge beneficiary of such an appointment, potentially starring under Southgate’s reign once again and getting back on the trajectory he was once on at the Theatre of Dreams.

Arteta 2.0: Man Utd now targeting "best coach in the PL" & it's not Glasner

Manchester United appear to be targeting a manager who could replace Ruben Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 30, 2025

Bayern Munich are nearing a contract extension with Dayot Upamecano, but a dispute over the signing bonus has put talks on hold. The French defender reportedly wants a bonus similar to the package Alphonso Davies received when he last extended his deal, while Bayern hesitate due to recent big-money renewals. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Manchester United are monitoring developments closely.

• Upamecano’s bonus demand stalls Bayern contract talks

  According to , Bayern's efforts to renew Upamecano’s contract beyond 2026 have hit a snag, despite both sides agreeing on most terms. Negotiations are said to be “nearly complete” but remain blocked by one crucial issue, the signing bonus. Upamecano, who joined Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2021, is seeking parity with teammate Davies, who received around €17 million (£14m/$19m) for signing his latest extension earlier this year.

  The Bavarian giants, however, are reluctant to match that figure, as with expensive renewals already handed to Davies, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala, sporting director Max Eberl is under pressure to control wage spending. Club president Herbert Hainer confirmed at Oktoberfest: "The talks are ongoing, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are handling them. And of course, I hope that Dayot will stay with us for a long time."

Advertisement

• Bayern balance & Upamecano's value

  Upamecano’s strong performances under boss Vincent Kompany have solidified his place in Bayern’s defence. The 26-year-old has started eight of 10 competitive matches this season, showing the composure and athleticism that made him one of Europe’s most sought-after defenders. 

  Bayern view him as an integral part of their long-term project, but the financial side remains delicate. According to report, the base salary agreement is in place, but Bayern are unwilling to cross the threshold on bonuses that could set an expensive precedent for future negotiations. “We’re trying to continue convincing him of the Bayern project,” said Eberl last week.

• Real Madrid, Liverpool & PSG alerted

  While Bayern remain confident, the delay has caught the attention of Europe’s elite. Real Madrid, PSG, and Liverpool are among the clubs monitoring Upamecano’s situation, sensing a potential opportunity if talks stall. With his contract set to expire in 2026, the French defender could be available on a cut-price deal in January, or even walk for free next summer.

  Upamecano’s camp is reported to be aware of this leverage, but the player feels “completely at home” in Munich, suggesting that an agreement is still likely if Bayern make a reasonable compromise.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Kompany factor – a new era of defensive trust

  Kompany has revitalised Upamecano’s confidence after a mixed campaign last season. The Belgian coach’s emphasis on proactive defending and quick transitions suits the Frenchman’s natural strengths.

  Negotiations are expected to continue over the coming weeks as Bayern seek to finalise the renewal before the end of the calendar year. A compromise on the signing bonus could unlock the deal, though Bayern are unlikely to match Davies’ amount outright. For now, Upamecano remains focused on the pitch, with Bayern targeting another domestic surge under Kompany and key Champions League fixtures looming. But unless both sides find common ground soon, Europe’s biggest clubs could make the next move in what’s becoming a tense transfer poker game in Munich.

في إطار حرص مجلس إدارة النادي الإسماعيلي على الحفاظ على الكيان العريق للنادي وتجاوز التحديات التي يمر بها في المرحلة الحالية، يواصل النادي جهوده المستمرة من أجل تسوية الملفات العالقة والقضايا الدولية المرفوعة ضده لدى الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”.

وانطلاقًا من إيمان إدارة النادي بضرورة الشفافية والمشاركة المجتمعية، وجّهت الدعوة إلى جماهير الدراويش الأوفياء، وأبناء الإسماعيلية داخل مصر وخارجها، للمساهمة في دعم النادي والمشاركة في إنقاذه من أعباء الغرامات الدولية التي تهدد استقراره واستمراره في أداء دوره الرياضي والوطني.

ويُعاني الإسماعيلي من أزمات مادية لا حصر لها، بالإضافة إلى إيقاف القيد النادي لثلاث فترات من قبل المحكمة الرياضية كاس، لعدم سداد المستحقات المتأخرة لبعض لاعبيه السابقين، على رأسهم فراس شواط وجان موريل وكارميلو.

وفي هذا الإطار، أعلن النادي عن فتح حساب بنكي مخصص لتلقي التبرعات، يخضع لإشراف الجهة الإدارية المختصة، ويُخصَّص بالكامل لسداد الغرامات والقضايا الدولية فقط، تأكيدًا على التزام الإدارة بالشفافية والمصداقية في إدارة موارد النادي وحماية حقوقه.

طالع.. عضو مجلس الإسماعيلي يعلن عبر “بطولات” استقالته بعد الخسارة أمام سموحة بيان النادي الإسماعيلي

قام النادي الإسماعيلي بفتح حساب بنكي ببنك مصر خاص لتلقي التبرعات تخصص لحل مشاكل القضايا الدوليه بالفيفا على ان يخضع الحساب المعلن لاشراف كامل من الجهه الإدارية المختصه بحيث يكون الغرض من هذا الحساب فقط سداد الغرامات الدولية

رقم الحساب بالعملة المحلية

4140199000000180

I BAN

EG810002041404140199000000180

رقم الحساب بالعملة الأجنبية

4140120000003133

I BAN
EG50000204140120000003133

SWIFT

BMISEGCXXXX

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin has taken plenty of criticism in the opening month of the 2025/26 campaign after a poor start to the season by his side.

The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Scottish Premiership, drawing for the fourth time in their clash with Celtic last weekend, and failed to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League.

Martin’s team have conceded 17 goals in all competitions already this season, which is simply not good enough, but central defender John Souttar has performed admirably for the most part.

Why John Souttar is still a valuable player for Rangers

Despite all the brand-new signings brought in by the club this summer, the Scotland international remains an integral member of the squad because of his quality and experience.

The 28-year-old centre-back may not be the smoothest operator with the ball at his feet, but his dominant play physically and old-school backs-against-the-wall defending are valuable to the team.

Appearances

24

4

Sofascore ratings

7.28

7.25

Ground duel success rate

74%

60%

Aerial duel success rate

66%

55%

Ball recoveries per game

2.9

5.5

Clearances per game

6.1

3.8

Error led to goal

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Souttar has not made a single error that directly led to a goal since the start of last season in the Premiership, and has won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air.

Such has been the impressive nature of his defensive work, the former Hearts man now looks like he is worth even more than Jack Butland, who was valued at £15m by the club last year.

Why Souttar is more valuable to Rangers than Butland

In February of last year, Football Insider reported that the Scottish giants valued the former England international at a price of up to £15m ahead of the summer window.

That came as Butland had kept an eye-catching 18 clean sheets in 38 appearances in the Premiership in the 2023/24 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately, his form since the club valued him at £15m has dipped. In the 2024/25 season, the Englishman conceded 2.2 more goals than expected, based on xG, per FotMob, and made four errors that led to shots or goals for the opposition, per Sofascore, in the Premiership.

As you can see in the post above, Butland was also very fortunate not to have a fifth error under his belt for the season, as the referee let him off by giving a very soft foul against Motherwell.

Interim head coach Barry Ferguson even dropped him out of the side to bring Liam Kelly in as the number one at the end of the campaign, but Martin has restored his position as the number one this term.

Butland has conceded 0.71 more goals than expected across four league matches this season, per FotMob, and it remains to be seen if he can recapture the form that once saw him valued at £15m.

At this moment in time, Souttar looks worth more than him with his impressive performances in comparison to the error-prone goalkeeper, whilst the centre-back is also worth more (£3.4m) on Transfermarkt than Butland (£1.3m).

The ex-Rangers striker who has scored 5x more goals than Miovski in 2025

This former Rangers centre-forward has enjoyed a terrific 2025 so far.

ByDan Emery Sep 5, 2025

Given that Rangers did not sign a new goalkeeper to compete with the ex-Stoke star, Martin will be hoping that Butland can get back to his best and prove that he is still a very valuable asset for the Scottish giants to have at their disposal.

Despite the massive influx of spending throughout the summer transfer window, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka still remains as one of the club’s key men in 2025/26.

The academy graduate has worked his way through the youth system, before cementing his place in the first team squad – racking up over 250 appearances for his boyhood side.

However, last season was one tarnished by injury for the 23-year-old, suffering a hamstring injury back in December that would see him miss nearly four months of Premier League action.

The Englishman still managed to end the year on 25 goal contributions in his 37 appearances across all competitions – helping the side reach the Champions League semi-finals.

If the Gunners are to win England’s top-flight under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, he will need to be joined by numerous players at the Emirates – as seen by their attempts in the market as of late.

Arsenal’s hunt for reinforcements to help Saka

Despite £200m being spent this summer, Arsenal have made a move to land Bayer Leverkusen star Piero Hincapie over recent days – with Spurs also interested in the defender’s signature.

It’s been claimed that the player himself has already held talks with Arteta over a switch to the Emirates, and potentially been keen on a switch to England – but could cost around £52m to prise him away from the German outfit.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Girona right-back Arnau Martinez another star they’re considering, according to one journalist.

He claims that the Gunners have made a €10m (£8.5m) offer to land the Spaniard, who made 40 appearances in 2024/25 – including five in the Champions League.

It’s currently unclear whether the player or his current employers are open to the move, but Arteta’s side appear to be making key moves for the youngster’s signature.

Why Arsenal’s latest target would be perfect for Saka

Whilst the new season is only two games old, winger Saka has already managed to impress for Arsenal – playing a role in the side being top of the table at present.

The England international has already opened his account for the 2025/26 season, scoring in the recent outing against Leeds United – helping Arteta’s men claim a 5-0 victory.

However, his progress may appear to be halted after he limped off in the same game with a hamstring issue – an injury that massively restricted him in the previous campaign.

It’s unclear how long the winger will be sat on the sidelines for, but the manager will be hoping that it will only be fatigue and not another serious issue, given his previous struggles.

Upon his return to action, he could be handed a boost in his attempts for individual and team success – especially if the hierarchy land a deal for current target Martinez.

Whilst the youngster is a full-back by trade, he’s managed to impress in possession over recent months, which could provide Saka with added opportunities in front of goal.

Martinez, who’s been labelled “complete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranked in the 91st percentile for progressive passes (5.6) and the 92nd percentile for passes into the final third (5.3).

Arnau Martinez’s stats for Girona in LaLiga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

32

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

86%

Progressive passes

5.6

Passes into final third

5.3

Take-on success

54%

Tackles made

1.8

Interceptions made

1.1

Recoveries made

4.3

Stats via FBref

Such numbers showcase the talent he possesses with the ball at his feet, subsequently being comfortable in possession – something which is a need in Arteta’s possession-based system.

However, given his defensive role, he also needs to be able to thrive out of possession – but that’s no issue, with Martinez displaying such talent in abundance.

He made 1.8 tackles per 90 in LaLiga last season, along with 1.1 interceptions made per 90, having the tools to add another option to the Gunners’ impressive backline, which has been the best in the division for the last two years.

If a deal can be agreed at the rumoured £8.5m fee, it would be another superb piece of business – especially given his tender age of 22, which could see him improve further in the years ahead.

Such a deal would also benefit Saka massively, offering the youngster another opportunity to build on his impressive figures at the Emirates in the past few campaigns.

Related More potential than Hincapie: Berta looking at signing £43m CB for Arsenal

Arsenal could be getting their hands on another incredible talent with more potential than Hincapie.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 25, 2025

In what would almost be a repeat of last season’s deal to sign Ben Chilwell, Crystal Palace have now reportedly joined the race to sign a £30m Chelsea defender.

Crystal Palace make Europa League appeal

It’s been a quiet summer for Crystal Palace so far on the incomings front, having only welcomed experienced goalkeeper Walter Benitez and former Ajax left-back Borna Sosa. But their hesitation to act can be blamed on the ongoing saga regarding their Europa League place.

After it emerged that Palace were in breach of multi-club ownership rules thanks to John Textor’s involvement with both the South London club and French side Lyon, UEFA decided to relegate the Eagles down to the Europa Conference League. Palace, as expected, believe that decision is unfair given how little influence Textor has at the club and have lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

It’s set to be a nervy couple of weeks for Palace as they await the official verdict and one that they hope will end with their Europa League place restored.

Having his say on the matter, Palace chairman Steve Parish recently told The Rest is Football Podcast: “We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn’t have decisive influence over the club. We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”

Crystal Palace now planning to accelerate move for "super" £20m midfielder

They now believe they’re ahead of Everton in the race…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 23, 2025

As they wait for the decision, however, Palace simply must kickstart their summer transfer business as next season continues to close in. And that could see them land a rival defender for Oliver Glasner.

Crystal Palace now racing to sign Adarabioyo

According to Caught Offside, Crystal Palace are now jostling to sign Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea, who value their defender at just £30m this summer. The centre-back only arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer in a free transfer from Fulham, but could now be on his way to another London club just one year on.

Having started 15 of 38 Premier League games last season, Adarabioyo will be keen to nail down a starting place next season even if that comes away from Chelsea. With Palace joined by AC Milan, Napoli and Newcastle United in the race to secure his signature, the former Fulham man certainly has plenty to think about.

At his best, Adarabioyo found himself at the centre of praise from Fulham manager Marco Silva, who told reporters: “He is a key player for us. He is one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need these guys to step in in the right moments and he did it.

“We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation.

Now, to get back to that “special” level, a move across London to Crystal Palace could be the perfect summer switch for the talented defender.

PBKS are set to have the largest purse at the upcoming mega auction for IPL 2025

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Oct-202411:22

PBKS retentions: Will Arshdeep stay? Which uncapped players to retain?

Punjab Kings are likely to retain only two uncapped players – batters Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh – from their IPL 2024 squad. They will go into the upcoming mega auction with the largest purse, likely in excess of INR 100 crore, and also have four right-to-match options which can be used to buy back their players.ESPNcricinfo has learned PBKS were also keen to retain India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who was their second-highest wicket-taker last season with 19 wickets. Some of the high profile players not retained by PBKS ahead of the auction include Harshal Patel, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone.Related

Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Starc unlikely to be retained by KKR

IPL 2025 retentions: List of all the retained players ahead of the mega auction

Pant to go into mega auction after not being retained by Delhi Capitals

IPL retention: How many players can a team keep? And at what cost?

PBKS will lose at least INR 8 crore from their purse of INR 120 crore for retaining two uncapped players. Shashank and Prabhsimran were their two top-scorers (354 and 334 runs respectively) in IPL 2024, where they finished ninth out of ten. Both batters played starring roles in their high-point of the season though, pulling off a record chase of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.PBKS have not qualified for the IPL playoffs since 2014 and have made changes to their coaching set-up as well in an attempt to turn their performances around in 2025, bringing in Ricky Ponting as head coach.October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their lists of retained players to the IPL. The teams have been allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction before the 2025 season, of which a maximum of five can be capped internationals and two can be uncapped players. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained – INR 18 crore for the first player, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, INR 14 crore for the fifth, and INR 4 crore for an uncapped player – the franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts to their retained players.

Arsenal are believed to be finalising a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres after weeks of negotiations, having agreed a fee in principle earlier this week, but he wasn’t always sporting director Andrea Berta’s only option.

£69m star wants to join Arsenal by Wednesday, Berta expects breakthrough

The Gunners are attempting to strike a deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2025

The north Londoners will pay around £64 million for the Swede, including the pesky add-ons, which have been the final point of debate before Gyokeres potentially flies out for a medical with Mikel Arteta’s side soon.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

There is some optimism that Gyokeres could link up with Arteta’s squad in time for their first pre-season game of the summer, against AC Milan in Singapore next Wednesday, and supporters are yearning for that to be the case.

A prolific striker who can guarantee 25-plus goals per season has long been viewed as the final missing piece of Arteta’s jigsaw, and one that has the potential to make Arsenal Premier League title winners once again after a two-decade-long wait.

They scored just 69 top flight goals last season, which is far below their totals of 91 and 89 over the 2023/2024 and 2022/2023 campaigns respectively, and Arsenal’s struggles to break down the low block culminated in Arteta’s side registering more draws than any other side in the top 10.

Gyokeres’ incredible record in Portugal over the last two years highlights exactly why Berta sees the 27-year-old as an ideal solution, and with their previous negotiations to sign Benjamin Sesko dead in the water, he now looks to be perhaps Arsenal’s most important potential signing of the summer.

Sesko was a long-term target for Arsenal, having attempted to sign the Slovenian last summer and in January (Ben Jacobs), with Arteta personally viewing him as a preferred option ahead of Gyokeres at one stage (Christian Falk).

Berta was simultaneously working on deals for both Sesko and Gyokeres, before deciding which centre-forward to formally pursue (BBC), but the 22-year-old is now in limbo.

Benjamin Sesko open to joining Man United after botched Arsenal talks

According to GiveMeSport, Sesko is eyeing a potential move to Man United, following what proved to be “really complicated” talks with Arsenal – so he could still have options in the Premier League.

Unfortunately for him, the price Leipzig are demanding appears to be thwarting any potential move away right now, just one year after Sesko struck a gentlemen’s agreement that he could leave this year or in 2026.

Sesko penned a new contract last summer, rejecting proposals from Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United, but he’s finding it much harder to secure a switch this time round, and it could cost up to £86 million to convince Leipzig to part company.

The former Salzburg sensation enjoyed a career-best Bundesliga campaign last term, yet the saga surrounding his future appears set to drag on as Arsenal end their own striker pursuit with Gyokeres.

Australia’s selectors are taking a long-term view with pace bowlers Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson to try and ensure they can put injury problems behind them.Morris, the Western Australia quick who made his ODI debut last season against West Indies having also been part of the Test squad, is working his way through another rehab from a stress injury of his back which has prevented him playing during the winter. It is a repeat of what happened after the 2022-23 season when he was ruled out of the Ashes tour.Related

• Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson set for domestic returns with WA

• Morris hopeful of early Shield return despite 'frustrating' injury issues

• Connolly earns Australia call-up; Fraser-McGurk included for Scotland, England tour

• Bartlett's stunning start in ODIs adds to Australia's pace options

• Stoinis and Agar lose CA deals while Bartlett earns full contract

Morris had earlier suffered a side strain in his second ODI appearance which curtailed his summer. He had been due to appear for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket before post-season scans showed a hot spot in his back and he wasn’t considered for the tour of Scotland and England.”Lance is still working through his return to play and getting himself right recovering from that stress fracture of the back,” national selector George Bailey said. “Know he’s progressing well, he’s feeling good, he’s starting to get to that point where he wants some cricket and think he’s going to get a hell of a lot of it over the summer and that will be really exciting to see him back.”Felt a little bit like with him, that we wanted to set him up for success in the long term as opposed to pushing that too early then potentially risking what we think is something that could be really exciting across this summer and beyond.”Richardson, who is “fit and firing” according to Bailey, made one appearance for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 after another disrupted domestic season where he suffered a side strain during the BBL having just been recalled to the ODI squad. He last appeared for Australia against Sri Lanka in mid-2022.Both Morris and Richardson were given Cricket Australia central contracts earlier this year.Lance Morris made his ODI debut earlier this year before injury struck•Getty Images

“Jhye is in a similar boat,” Bailey said. “He’s fit and firing now, and again looking for match opportunities. I think he’ll get opportunities again across the summer. For both [him and Morris] I think it’s getting through the season fit and then hopefully maximising the amount of cricket they play. Some of that will be domestic, hopefully there will be some international opportunities [and] Australia A opportunities, then I think we set them up for success in the long term.”The durability of Australia’s big three quicks – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – has meant limited changes to the Test pace attack in recent times beyond the appearance of Scott Boland when one of them has been sidelined. They have also featured regularly in the ODI and T20 World Cups across the last nine months although have been rotated a little more outside of those events.Cummins will miss the entire UK tour so he can work on conditioning ahead of the home summer. Starc will skip the T20Is before returning for the ODIs while Hazlewood features in both squads. Emerging quicks Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson are in the T20I group alongside Nathan Ellis who can expect greater opportunity. Sean Abbott, who played one game at the ODI World Cup, is in the 50-over squad alongside Ellis, Hazlewood and Starc.Jhye Richardson has battled various injuries•Getty Images

Whether Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins can get through the whole five-Test series against India later this year will likely again be a debate and the selectors have factored those workloads into their planning.”As far as the fast bowling group goes, think we’ve got a pretty exciting bunch there that we haven’t had the opportunity to get a lot of games into across the formats predominantly because we’ve had a highly successful and robust senior group of fast bowlers,” Bailey said.”Clearly some of the decisions made around this series is around priortising and getting guys right for what will be a really big summer and for some guys this is an opportunity to get a little bit more work into what they are going to need to be ready for that.”Victoria and Melbourne Renegades allrounder Will Sutherland was another not considered for the latest squads after suffering another back stress fracture late last season. He had also made his ODI debut against West Indies in February.

Arsenal have plenty of time on their hands to bring in stars to strengthen their bid for the Premier League title, but may now face a battle to retain one of their key men, according to a report.

Arsenal closing in on Martin Zubimendi deal

In what appears to have become a long-running saga, Arsenal are close to signing Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi after the Spain international was in London over the weekend to try and iron out the finer details of his move.

With Thomas Partey set to leave the Gunners on a free transfer amid interest from Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, there is definite scope for Mikel Arteta to reshape his engine room ahead of another campaign where his side are expected to lead the fight on all fronts.

Nevertheless, there is still no clear direction on whether Arsenal will sign Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres to lead the line as the financials involved between the club and either RB Leipzig or Sporting remain to be determined.

Of course, the Gunners have plenty of capital to play with in North London, but they need to factor in the best possible way to use it without being short-changed in their hunt for reinforcements.

Taking a measured approach to signings makes a degree of sense, though there is always a sense of impatience among supporters desperate to see new arrivals.

Arsenal ready move to sign £40m+ Chelsea star with Maresca open to offers

The Gunners are reportedly ready to launch a surprising move.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 23, 2025

Jorrel Hato is another long-term Arsenal target. Still, there may need to be one or two departures to bankroll their summer spending spree.

Looking ahead to potential events that could occur, the Gunners now have a major decision on their hands involving one of their most important contributors.

Arsenal could face battle to retain Gabriel Martinelli

According to TBR, Arsenal could struggle to retain Gabriel Martinelli after Bayern Munich made contact over a potential move for the Brazil international.

Lodging an enquiry, the Bundesliga champions have tempted the 24-year-old to think about his future, and he is said to be ‘exploring his options’ and hasn’t made a conclusive decision over whether to stay in North London or otherwise.

Gabriel Martinelli’s Premier League campaign in numbers – 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Chances created

40

Successful dribbles

33

Shots

55

Shots on target

25

Successful crosses

22

Labelled “brilliant” by teammate Gabriel Jesus, Saudi Pro League clubs have also expressed an interest in his services, though it feels unlikely that he would opt to leave Europe’s top-five leagues during a relatively early stage in his career.

Enjoying a productive time of things last term, £180,000 per week earner Martinelli registered ten goals and six assists in 51 appearances across all competitions and wouldn’t be easy to replace at the Emirates Stadium.

Intriguingly, Arsenal have looked at Chelsea’s Noni Madueke after missing out on Nico Williams to Barcelona, so there is a possibility that wingers will form a key part of their transfer strategy regardless of the outcome elsewhere.