Sheffield United are now in a transfer battle with Ipswich Town to sign a 25-year-old striker whose club are open to offers for him, according to a recent report.

Sheffield United chasing more additions after Louie Barry

The Blades have made a low-key start to the summer transfer window, with just four players arriving at Bramall Lane so far. The latest arrival is winger Louie Barry, who has joined on a season-long loan deal from Aston Villa.

Sheffield United lead charge to sign "brilliant" £45k-p/w Premier League ace

The Blades are now pushing ahead in their mission to sign another central defender.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jul 24, 2025

Barry worked with manager Ruben Selles last season at Hull City, and the pair have now reunited, as the winger stated he loves Selles’ system: “I love his (Rubén Sellés) style of play; it is exactly what I stand for as a player. I just want to get to the goal as quick as possible. I have got a really good relationship with the gaffer and the staff, so I can’t wait to get into training now.”

Now that a deal for Barry is completed, the Blades have turned their attention to other areas of the pitch they wish to strengthen. Indeed, Sky Sports have reported that Sheff Utd are leading the race alongside Colorado Rapids to sign Rob Holding from Crystal Palace. The centre-back is expected to leave the Premier League side after falling out of favour, and United are keen on reuniting with the player after he was on loan at the club last season.

Sheffield United face Ipswich in race to sign La Liga striker

As well as looking at strengthening the defence, Selles is also in the market for a new striker, as Kieffer Moore’s future at the club is in doubt. And according to Spanish outlet Marca, Sheffield United are interested in signing Isaac Romero from Sevilla.

Marca reports that despite not making the impact at the top end of the pitch that was expected of him last season, Romero has emerged on the radar of not just the Blades, but Ipswich Town as well.

There is no word on how much Sevilla would want for the 25-year-old, but given he is under contract until 2028, they could try and hold out for a hefty sum. Romero burst onto the scene during the 2023/24 campaign, as he scored four goals in 14 La Liga games, as well as grabbing four assists. However, he was unable to improve on those numbers last season, as he scored just four goals in 31 La Liga games this time around.

Isaac Romero’s Sevilla Stats
Apps	48
Goals	11
Assists	6

For Sheffield United, signing a new striker may have become somewhat of a priority in recent days, as speculation has gathered pace that Moore could be set to leave Bramall Lane. That is because Wrexham are interested in signing Moore as they look to bring in established second tier performers.

Arsenal's new signings caught the eye as the Gunners bounced back from defeat at Anfield to spoil Ange Postecoglou's return

Arsenal's new recruits were in sparkling form as the Gunners thumped Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Emirates Stadium, emphatically recovering from their defeat to Liverpool before the international break.

Man of the match Noni Madueke was electric in place of the injured Bukayo Saka, while Martin Zubimendi scored twice – including a stunning volley to open the scoring in the first half. The goal was no more than Arsenal deserved at that point in the contest and things got even better straight after the restart, with Victor Gyokeres doubling the lead after just 46 seconds when he turned home Eberechi Eze's excellent ball in.

Zubimendi's header, from substitute Leandro Trossard's cross, made it 3-0 with 11 minutes to go and rounded off a hugely promising afternoon for Mikel Arteta, who will have been delighted with the impact made by his summer arrivals. It was a tough welcome back to the Premier League for Ange Postecoglou, however, who clearly has a big job on his hands to turn things around at Forest.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (8/10):

  Barely called into action but made one superb save when he just got his fingertips to a Chris Wood effort and pushed it onto the bar.

  Jurrien Timber (7/10):

  Solid as always. Had a chance early in the first half which he headed over.

  Cristhian Mosquera (8/10):

  Continues to look a fine addition. The fact Arsenal did not look like they missed William Saliba at all is the biggest compliment you can give the summer signing from Valencia. 

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Missed a great chance from a corner early on. Other than that, he looked in complete control.

  Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

  Another fine showing from the Italian, who has had an excellent start to the season. Started the move that led to Gyokeres' goal with a fine pass for Eze.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (9/10):

  What a goal to open the scoring. Yes it took a slight deflection, but the strike and technique were sensational. Great strike and he added a second after the interval with a smart header. Fine display.

  Mikel Merino (8/10):

  No surprise that he looked full of confidence after his heroics for Spain. Some lovely flicks and link-up play. Saw one good early chance saved.

  Martin Odegaard (N/A):

  Forced off early with a shoulder injury for the second home game in succession. So unlucky.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Noni Madueke (9/10):

  Such a bright spark. Caused Forest problems every time he got the ball. Excellent performance and got a deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Electric.

  Victor Gyokeres (7/10):

  Didn't really get a sniff of a chance before the break, but produced the perfect run and finish to make it 2-0 straight after the interval. Almost scored again when he smashed one against the post.

  Eberechi Eze (8/10):

  Struggled to get into the game in the first half as almost every Arsenal attack went down the right, but came alive in the second. Lovely assist for Gyokeres' goal.

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• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Ethan Nwaneri (7/10):

  Replaced the injured Odegaard early on. Got into the game straight away, showed some nice touches.

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Inches away from making it 3-0 but he couldn't quite connect with Timber's cross.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (6/10):

  Replaced Calafiori soon after he'd been booked. Slotted in well.

  Leandro Trossard (7/10):

  Set up Zubimendi's second as soon as he got on the pitch with a fantastic ball in.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Replaced the electric Madueke but couldn't really get into the game.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  He will be delighted. Started Eze and Merino and both produced. He has an embarrassment of riches to play with this season and is already showing promising signs of using his squad more.

كشف طارق مصطفى المدير الفني لفريق أهلي بني غازي الليبي، حقيقة رغبته في التعاقد مع حامد حمدان مدافع فريق بتروجيت خلال الفترة الحالية، بعد خروج حمدان من حسابات سيد عيد مدرب الفريق البترولي. 

ويعد الفلسيطيني حامد حمدان مدافع فريق بتروجيت، من الصفقات التي كان يسعى الزمالك إلى إبرامها في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الماضية، ولكن فشلت الصفقة بسبب رفض الفريق البترولي بيع اللاعب.

طالع | رسميًا.. طارق مصطفى مديرًا فنيًا في الدوري الليبي 

وانقطع حامد حمدان عن تدريبات بتروجيت بعد رفض النادي البترولي انتقاله إلى الزمالك، الأمر الذي دفع سيد عيد مدرب الفريق إلى رفض فكرة عودته إلى تدريبات الفريق مرة أخرى وخروجه من الحسابات الفنية له. 

وقال طارق مصطفى في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “ما تردد عن طلبي من إدارة نادي أهلي بني غازي التعاقد مع حامد حمدان كلام لا أساس له من الصحة”.

وأضاف: “إدارة نادي أهلي بني غازي لم تخاطب بتروجيت للتعاقد مع حامد حمدان حتى هذه اللحظة كما أشيع، ولكن اللاعب تم عرضه علينا من قبل أحد وكلاء اللاعبين”. 

كما عبر طارق مصطفى عن سعادته بتوليه تدريب أهلي بني غازي الليبي، قائلًا: “تجربة جديدة مع فريق كبير وعريق بحجم أهلي بني غازي الليبي وسعيد للغاية بهذه التجربة، وأثق في قدرتي على تحقيق البطولات مع الفريق”.

A foreign player had flagged a fixing approach made by the Galle Marvels owner

Madushka Balasuriya13-Dec-2024 • Updated on 14-Dec-2024

The tournament will go ahead as scheduled•kkr.in

Prem Thakkur, the team owner of Galle Marvels in Lanka T10, has been arrested on match-fixing charges. Thakkur was arrested on Thursday, a day after the tournament began, and was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Friday; he has since been remanded till December 16.Sri Lanka Police told ESPNcricinfo that Thakkur, an Indian national, had been arrested by the Sri Lanka Sports Police Unit under the 2019 Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act. He was arrested at a hotel in Kandy, where the Lanka T10 tournament is underway. It is understood that a foreign player had flagged a fixing approach made by Thakkur. Like in the LPL earlier this year, a representative of the ICC anti-corruption unit is also in Sri Lanka to oversee the tournament at the request of Sri Lanka Cricket.While SLC is yet to speak on the matter, Lanka T10 tournament director Samantha Dodanwela confirmed that the tournament “will go ahead as scheduled”.TTen Global League and IPG, the consortium partners, released a statement on the matter, saying, “We strictly maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in cricket. We are fully committed to upholding the integrity of the sport and will provide complete cooperation to the authorities in the ongoing investigation.”The league management is dedicated to safeguarding the rights of all players and officials while ensuring the seamless operation of the event.”This is the second franchise tournament in Sri Lanka this year in which a team owner has been arrested under the country’s sports anti-corruption ordinance after LPL franchise Dambulla Thunders’ co-owner Tamim Rahman was arrested in May on allegations of match-fixing. In 2019, Sri Lanka became the first nation in South Asia to criminalise match-fixing, with offences related to corruption in sports carrying various fines and a prison term of up to ten years.The Lanka T10 is Sri Lanka’s first foray into hosting a T10 franchise league, with the event rights for the tournament managed and operated by a consortium consisting of the Innovative Production Group, T Ten Sports Management and T Ten Global Sports, which also operates several other T10 franchise leagues across the world.

On Thursday, that saw the final round of group fixtures at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), as many as 17 teams were in contention for the eight remaining knockouts spots. At the end of an engaging day’s play, this much was certain: Punjab won’t be defending their title this season despite Abhishek Sharma’s heroics, Mohammed Shami will have an opportunity to garner more match time with Bengal and Ajinkya Rahane’s scintillating form for Mumbai may yet keep him in conversations around captaincy at Kolkata Knight Riders. Here are the highlights from Thursday:

Bhuvneshwar the hat-trick hero as UP enter knockouts

Signed for INR 10.75 crore by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved he is not a spent force just yet. His hat-trick against Jharkhand in a match-winning effort helped Uttar Pradesh seal a pre-quarterfinals berth, where they will take on Andhra on Monday.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy knockouts:

• 1st Pre-quarterfinal: Bengal vs Chandigarh (December 9)

• 2nd Pre-quarterfinal: Andhra v UP(December 9)

• 1st Quarter-final: Baroda vs winner of 1st PQF (Dec 11)

• 2nd Quarter-final: Delhi vs winner of 2nd PQF (Dec 11)

• 3rd Quarter-final: MP vs Saurashtra (Dec 11)

• 4th Quarter-final: Mumbai vs Vidarbha (Dec 11)

Bhuvneshwar, captaining UP, recorded figures of 4-1-6-3 – all his wickets coming in his final over – as Jharkhand fell short by 10 runs chasing 161. Among the wickets for Bhuvneshwar was the big-hitting Robin Minz. That Jharkhand got that close was because of allrounder Anukul Roy, who smashed a 44-ball 91 at No. 5.Earlier in the tournament, Bhuvneshwar upstaged Jasprit Bumrah to become the first Indian seamer to get 300 T20 wickets. Among Indians, only Yuzvendra Chahal (364), Piyush Chawla (319) and R Ashwin (310) have more T20 wickets than Bhuvneshwar (308).

Shami continues pain-free return

Shami picked up three wickets in another sure shot sign of him slowly returning to full match fitness, as Bengal stormed into the pre-quarterfinals where they will take on Chandigarh.Playing his seventh straight game of the competition, Shami picked up 3 for 26 as Bengal restricted Rajasthan to153 for 9, before half-centuries from Abishek Porel and Sudip Gharami helped seal a seven-wicket win.Related

• Abhishek hits 28-ball century, the joint second-fastest in T20s

• Baroda's 349 for 5 breaks world record for highest T20 total

Shami has so far bowled his full quota of overs (27.3 out of a possible 28) in the seven games, while picking up eight wickets at an economy rate of 7.67. Prior to SMAT, Shami had returned a match haul of seven wickets against Madhya Pradesh in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy last month, his first competitive outing since last year’s World Cup final.Bengal will take on Chandigarh in the pre-quarterfinal on Monday.

Rahane 95 helps Mumbai record highest SMAT chase

In a must-win, Mumbai eclipsed their previous highest chase of 227 to beat Andhra and set up a quarter-final on Wednesday against Vidarbha, the team they beat in last season’s Ranji final. Rahane’s 95 off just 54 balls, with nine fours and four sixes, kept Mumbai in the chase right until the end, before Suryansh Shedge finished it off in a blaze.Set an imposing 230, thanks to KS Bharat’s unbeaten 53-ball 93, Mumbai were fuelled by a rollicking opening stand of 51 in just four overs between Rahane and Prithvi Shaw, who made a 15-ball 34. Then they hit choppy waters with Shreyas Iyer (25) and Suryakumar Yadav (4) falling in quick succession.Rahane then found support from Shivam Dube, with whom he put on 54 in just 31 balls; Dube’s contribution to the partnership an 18-ball 34. At one stage, Mumbai needed 26 off 10, and Shedge, on 2 off 2 at that point, hit two fours and three sixes to finish on an unbeaten eight-ball 30 as Mumbai won with three balls to spare.File photo: Ajinkya Rahane continued his fine form in T20s•AFP/Getty Images

A win would have helped Andhra qualify directly for the quarter-finals as they would have topped the table. They will now have to play the pre-quarters because Mumbai and Andhra finished on the same points and Mumbai were the table-toppers because of their head-to-head against Andhra earlier in the league stage. Mumbai’s win also knocked Kerala out of the competition.

Gujarat knocked out despite six wins in seven

Net run rate cruelly led to Gujarat’s group-stage exit as they lost out to Saurashtra and Baroda, who set the record for the highest T20 score, against Sikkim.When Gujarat blasted 251 for 5 batting first against Karnataka, thanks to opener Aarya Desai’s 73 off 40 and Axar Patel’s unbeaten 20-ball 56, there was no inkling of the heartbreak that was to follow. They managed to restrict Karnataka to 203, with Axar picking 2 for 22 off four overs in their 48-run win.However, Saurashtra managed to edge out Gujarat by chasing down their 137 target against Tripura in just 13.3 overs. In the end, Baroda, Saurashtra and Gujarat all finished on 24 points and Gujarat lost out on a knockout berth because their NRR was lower than Saurashtra’s by 0.335.

Aston Villa haven’t had an ideal summer transfer window to date.

Constant murmurs have been in the air all window long about the amount of outgoings that could desert Unai Emery’s men owing to PSR-related issues, with Jacob Ramsey the only real notable loss to date, as the homegrown Villa Park gem moved on to Newcastle United for a bumper £43m.

Thankfully, for the time being, the Villans have managed to keep a firm grip on Morgan Rogers, who has now been rewarded for his excellent performances across the 2024/25 season – with eight goals and 11 assists coming his way in Premier League action alone – with the accolade for PFA Young Player of the Year.

Chelsea will still hope they can tempt Rogers to Stamford Bridge down the line, as Villa attempt to get some more incoming signings in now, knowing that the final hectic days of the window are slowly coming into view.

Villa explore late move for new striker

Heading into their second clash of the season versus Brentford, Villa are edging ever closer to completing a brand new purchase.

Indeed, it has been widely reported that Marco Asensio is on the brink of a permanent return to the West Midlands, with a £12.9m move nearly over the line for him to leave Paris St. Germain behind for good to reunite with Emery and Co.

Ademola Lookman is also another name on the Villa radar, according to reports, with the ex-Everton attacker trying to secure himself a Premier League return, rather than sticking it out at Atalanta.

They could also do their shopping from within the English top-flight itself, with a development from journalist Ben Jacobs – via X – revealing that Emery’s men are “exploring a deal” for hot-and-cold Chelsea attacker Nicolas Jackson to Villa Park.

Having worked under the Spaniard before at Villarreal, this might well be viewed as an ideal next move for Jackson to get back to his best, with Jacobs stating that a loan with an obligation to buy could be the best route for any club to win his services.

Should his £80m valuation also drop down to £70m, it will be intriguing to see if Villa do push the boat out to land the Senegalese centre-forward, hopeful that he can strike up a vibrant relationship with Asensio on his arrival.

How Jackson could thrive with Asensio

Asensio was an instant hit with the Villa Park faithful when joining on loan last season.

From just 21 appearances donning claret and blue, the 29-year-old would manage to notch up eight goals and one assist, leading to the Athletic’s Rory Smith hailing him as “elite” and an “astonishing” asset for Villa to have on their books.

Jackson will hope he can similarly raise his standards with the magic of Asensio next to him, supplying him with chances, having also been dubbed a “monster” in front of goal by John Obi Mikel.

An impressive 30 strikes have come his way at Stamford Bridge, with that tally no doubt even heftier if Jackson were more clinical and decisive in front of goal, having squandered a mammoth 19 big chances last season in league action.

Yet, this obvious weakness in his game might not be as evident at Villa Park if Asensio can get back to the creative peak he once showed off for some of the world’s most illustrious teams.

Games played

333

Goals scored

68

Assists

43

Big chances created

78

In total, for both Los Blancos and PSG, Asensio would amass a staggering 78 big chances created from his 333 career matches, with Jackson perhaps perfecting the art of being a lethal striker more, knowing he has a lot of opportunities put on a plate by him courtesy of the 29-year-old playmaker.

That’s before you even factor in Rogers’ creative presence, with the “extraordinary” attacker – as he was once lauded by scout Jacek Kulig – licking his lips at the prospect of linking up with the likes of the Englishman and Asensio to try and prove his doubters wrong.

There is also the worry that the £80m striker might sink to new lows, as even more chances are wasted, but with Emery’s immense track record with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran also on side, he could equally be a hit in his fresh location partnered next to Asensio.

Contact made: Aston Villa now gifted opportunity to sign "world class" ace

He’s desperate to leave his current club.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 20, 2025

سجل نادي بيراميدز، هدفيين متتاليين، في مباراته المقامة حاليًا أمام الجيش الرواندي، بين الفريقين، ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، لتصبح النتيجة 3-0.

ويلعب بيراميدز ضد الجيش الرواندي، في إطار مباريات الإياب لدور الـ64 من عمر منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، على ملعب الدفاع الجوي. 

وسجل أحمد عاطف قطة، هدف بيراميدز الثاني، في الدقيقة 60 من عمر اللقاء، برأسية من داخل المنطقة بعد عرضية رائعة من محمد الشيبي. هدف بيراميدز الثاني أمام الجيش الرواندي.. أحمد عاطف قطة

طالع | تشكيل بيراميدز أمام الجيش الرواندي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. ماييلي في الهجوم

وأضاف الهدف الثالث لـ بيراميدز، محمد حمدي في الدقيقة 64 برأسية أيضًا عقب كرة بينية مرسلة من بلاتي توريه. هدف بيراميدز الثالث أمام الجيش الرواندي.. محمد حمدي

وكان مصطفى زيكو، تقدم بالهدف الأول لـ بيراميدز، في الشوط الأول من المباراة وتحديدًا عند الدقيقة 42.

بيراميدز، يقترب بقوة من التأهل إلى دور الـ 32 من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا بتلك النتيجة، بعدما حسم لقاء الذهاب أيضًا لصالحه بهدفين دون رد.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي بيراميدز مع التأمين الإثيوبي، في دور الـ 32 من عمر منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin revealed that Hamza Igamane was unable to come on as a substitute against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw away from Ibrox, needing a goal from substitute Findlay Curtis, and they were unable to call upon the Morocco international from the bench.

Speaking after the game, Martin said: “We had a bid this week for Hamza, we rejected it. All was fine. Trained fine yesterday [Saturday], warmed up fine. I turned around to him at 60 minutes because I wanted two strikers on the pitch. Hamza told me he was injured.”

With just under a week left to go before the end of the summer transfer window, it will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the Moroccan frontman.

Euro club make approach for Rangers striker

Whilst Martin has already confirmed that an offer has been rejected for Igamane, there is no concrete interest from a European club in one of their other forwards.

Transfer Focus

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

According to L’Arena, as relayed by Calcio Hellas, Serie A side Hellas Verona have approached Rangers about a deal to sign Cyriel Dessers before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Italian outfit are looking for a loan whilst the Gers want a permanent exit for the Nigeria international, and that a compromise could be made with a loan leading to an obligation to buy next summer.

It adds that the experienced forward would cost a fee of around £3.4m, but it remains to be seen whether or not Hellas Verona will press ahead with a deal at that valuation.

Why Rangers should cash in on Cyriel Dessers

Whilst it is not exactly how these situations work, Rangers should look to cash in on Dessers ahead of Igamane if possible, as he is a worse option in the centre-forward position for this season.

If the Gers can get the Morocco international on board with Martin’s project, Rangers could have an electrifying striker who could be a real difference-maker in the final third.

Dessers, meanwhile, has been the first-choice striker for two seasons at Ibrox and has blown hot and cold. Former Aberdeen chief Keith Wyness went as far as to describe him as “marmite”, “invisible”, and “frustrating” for supporters.

The Nigerian forward has scored 34 goals in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in just over two years at the club, but the underlying numbers suggest that Igamane has the potential to offer even more to the team as the main number nine.

Appearances

35

33

Goals

18

12

Big chances missed

20

6

Big chances created

2

10

Assists

2

1

Ground duel success rate

34%

40%

Aerial duel success rate

32%

39%

Dribbles completed per game

0.3

1.3

As you can see in the table above, Igamane was significantly more efficient with the ‘big chances’ that came his way, whilst being more creative, more effective in duels, and offering more as a ball carrier.

These statistics suggest that the Moroccan star, who played off the left wing at times, could offer more to the team as a clinical goalscorer and a creative threat as the main number nine ahead of Dessers at Ibrox.

This means that a move to Hellas Verona for the former Cremonese marksman could open the door for Igamane to be the main man up front for Rangers, which could provide him with a platform to showcase his talents and attract even more interest in future transfer windows.

Martin could make that point to the striker and dangle the carrot of being the main man for the Light Blues this season in a post-Dessers world, despite interest from elsewhere in the current window, in an attempt to keep him at Ibrox.

As well as Aarons: Martin must drop Rangers lightweight who lost 100% duels

Russell Martin must drop this Rangers lightweight as well as Max Aarons.

ByDan Emery Aug 24, 2025

Therefore, in an ideal world, Rangers could cash in on Dessers and tempt Igamane to commit to the team as the main man. However, life is not always simple, and there could be a world where the Light Blues lose both of them in the next six days, which would be far from ideal.

Abhishek Sharma credited Suryakumar Yadav for his scintillating century in the fifth T20I against England, one that helped India register a 150-run win and take the series 4-1. Abhishek scored a 37-ball century, the second-fastest in men’s T20Is for India.”I was in a zone where I was going to react to the ball. I didn’t even know my score,” Abhishek said after the match. “I just asked Surya [Suryakumar] ‘ what do you think?’. He said ‘since a wicket has fallen you can take your time, take a couple of balls.’ That really helped me, because of him only I would say the hundred happened and my highest score happened. At that time, I didn’t realise I was going to hit the fastest hundred [second-fastest for India].”Abhishek got off to a swift start and crossed fifty in just 17 balls. He was on 94 off 32 balls after nine overs and had the Indian record for the fastest T20I century – off 35 balls by Rohit Sharma – in sights. He finished with a 54-ball 135, the highest individual score for India in men’s T20Is.”It never crossed my mind that I should play till the end,” he said. “I react to the ball based on the team situation. Luckily today, when I was in the 80s or 90s, Surya came in and said you’ve played well so far, worked hard, so you can take two-three balls. When the captain is [batting] with you and tells you something, I felt I should bat carefully. When Hardik [Pandya] came in, he said, ‘since wickets are falling you have to play according to the situation and bat till the end since you are hitting the ball well’. Then Axar came in… these three are senior players and have played well for India, so no better players to listen to in that situation.”Related

• Abhishek shatters records and England in Mumbai

• Stats – Abhishek blazes India's second-fastest T20I century

• Gambhir on India's approach: 'We want to try and get to 250-260 regularly'

• Jos Buttler hails Abhishek's ball-striking as England succumb to record loss

Given India do not play a T20I any time soon, it was a timely knock from Abhishek, who could jostle for spots in the team once Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill return. But he insisted none of that played on his mind.”I had met Jassu [Jaiswal] and Shubman yesterday [at the BCCI awards]. There has never been a competition among us – we are playing together since Under-16. There was just one dream – to play for India. The three of us are playing now, so there is no better feeling.”4:07

Abhishek: ‘If I have the ability, I should nourish it’

Abhishek has been one of the flag-bearers of India’s high-intent batting template. Since the start of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2023-24, he has scored 1893 runs in T20 cricket. Only five batters across the world have more runs than that, none of them at a faster rate than Abhishek’s 199.47. He was the Player of the Tournament in that SMAT which his domestic team, Punjab, won. His fast starts even helped runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. How did the transformation happen?”I worked hard [to bat in a certain way] ahead of that season and when I saw the results, I thought I should back myself and express myself,” Abhishek said. “I practiced a lot of match scenarios in open nets. Brian Lara had told me one thing – just play your shots but make sure that you don’t get out. So that is what I had in my mind. That helped me and I felt I could hit shots off the first or second ball as well.”When you are young, you don’t explore much, but I did that and realised I could play with more intent and help the team. When you do well, you get the support of your team. So I thought that when it is my day, I have to play this way – whether for Punjab or my franchise. Obviously when it comes to India, it’s a special and a big moment. I felt if I have the ability, I should nourish it. There are ups and downs, but you need to be clear about playing this way.”Abhishek also stressed on the role former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh has played in his game.”Yuvi was always there for me and put all these things in my mind and believed in me. When Yuvraj Singh tells you that you are going to play for the country and win games, you also try to believe in yourself and give your best. I talk to him after every game, he is the one I listen to. He knows me better than me.When your captain and coach tell you that you have to play like this and we are backing you, we’ll be there for you always, that is the biggest motivation for a young player in the team. In South Africa I remember Hardik and Surya telling me, you are100% going to make some runs, just believe in yourself’. In this series Gauti [head coach Gautam Gambhir] came back and I feel grateful that they believe in me, that’s not normal and is the biggest motivation for any player.”

Everton’s pre-season preparations have left plenty to be desired. Still, David Moyes proved his wherewithal upon replacing Sean Dyche last season and will remain confident that a successful season lies ahead.

Against the backdrop of the Premier League’s heavy expenditure this summer, Everton has forked out comparatively little. A new striker has been signed in Thierno Barry, while an initial £25m deal has been agreed with Chelsea for the transfer of robust midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

However, there was a blue-shaded exodus on Merseyside in June, with so many unwanted players filtering out. Two of those players were Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison, whose loan deals remained temporary.

Now, a replacement is needed.

Everton submit bid for new attacking midfielder

Dewsbury-Hall, 26, will add impetus to the Everton midfield. He’s strong, cultured and confident on the ball, having starred during Leicester City’s promotion-winning campaign of 2023/24, posting 12 goals and 15 assists under Enzo Maresca’s wing that year.

His time at Stamford Bridge might not have worked out, but he stands a fantastic chance of becoming a mainstay in Moyes’ Everton system, potentially forging a neat partnership with another top target.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Everton have tabled a second bid for Southampton prospect Tyler Dibling worth £40m including add-ons.

An earlier summer offer has already been rejected, and the 19-year-old is also on Aston Villa and Newcastle United’s radar. Southampton, it is felt, want £50m for their prized playing asset.

This said, Everton will not – cannot – pay over the odds for this talented teenager, and the Friedkin Group are prepared to walk away if Saints fail to reduce their exorbitant valuation.

Why Everton should sign Tyler Dibling

Southampton suffered a wretched return to the Premier League last season, narrowly missing out on the unwanted record of bearing the division’s all-time lowest points total.

But they were relegated all the same. However, Dibling shone as a beacon of solace throughout, making good on the praise from Southampton’s academy manager, Andy Goldie, that he is a “world-class talent.”

He scored four goals and supplied three assists across the 2024/25 campaign, but, as per Sofascore, to have completed 84% of his passes and averaged 4.2 successful duels in the Premier League, in a rotten Southampton side, that’s an indicator of sky-high potential.

And he’s dynamic in a positional sense too.

Right winger

35

7

1

Attacking midfield

26

11

5

Central midfield

8

1

3

Left winger

2

–

2

He’s versatile all right. But given the lack of depth on the right flank at Everton, coupled with his blistering speed and ability to manipulate tight spaces, it’s clear that Moyes wants to field him on the wing.

Especially with the Merseysiders set to wrap up a move for Dewsbury-Hall, who is very much a central midfielder. But he’s a creative one at that, hailed by former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers in the past as being a player who “typifies everything we want to be,” bringing energy and intensity and creativity.

The Englishman ranked among the top 5% of centre-midfielders in the Conference League last term for progressive passes and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, highlighting the smooth passing game which could open up a world of opportunity for the fleet-footed Dibling as he surges forward, into the danger area.

With these kinds of signings, Everton are bound to evolve, and Moyes’ vision for the future might just begin to take shape.

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