Positivity, excitement and optimism. Those are just three of the words associated with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal reign.

However, arguably for the first time since this project really started to motor, a sense of negativity has crept in.

Arteta’s side have enjoyed an interesting summer. The likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres are standout purchases but something is missing, notably on the left.

With Manchester City and Liverpool strengthening again, spending mega bucks, it really does feel as though the title is far away again.

Still, Arsenal did go to Old Trafford on the Premier League’s opening weekend and win 1-0. It’s not always been a happy hunting ground so Arteta’s men will take the three points and swiftly move on.

Arsenal were resilient and staunch in their efforts to claim the victory but it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing, not least for debutant Gyokeres.

What went wrong for Gyokeres on Arsenal debut

After scoring his first goal for the club in their 3-0 pre-season win over Bilbao a week ago, there were high hopes for Gyokeres.

That’s not forgetting the fact he scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last term either.

Yet, in Manchester on Sunday, Gyokeres cut a frustrated figure, someone who struggled to get into the game and was let down by his teammates.

The Swede regularly burst into the channels and on a frequent basis wasn’t played the ball.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Those beside him, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, only produced two key passes as the club’s big summer signing was starved of any service.

So, after failing to have a single shot on goal within an hour of his debut, he was withdrawn from the action to loud jeers from the home crowd, with Kai Havertz brought on in his place.

As Football.London’s Tom Canton noted, the centre forward ‘struggled to get into the game in the first half and was limited in terms of service and touches.’

So room for improvement, but he wasn’t the worst player on the away side.

The Arsenal player who was worse than Gyokeres

Speaking of the forward line, it was a poor day at the office for Arsenal’s wingers.

This is significant because it’s an area of the squad that Andrea Berta and Co have been trying to improve this summer.

Noni Madueke has joined from Chelsea but there’s a cry from supporters to sign someone of the quality of Eberechi Eze or Rodrygo.

Well, those cries will only have grown louder after Martinelli’s ineffective showing on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilian was handed a 4/10 rating by the Standard, who wrote that there was a ‘familiar issue – no conviction in the final third.’

Last season, that was also very much the case for Martinelli and there has no improvement over pre-season and into the full season.

This is a big worry, particularly if Berta doesn’t sign another winger between now and the deadline.

The numbers paint a grim picture of just how poor the 24-year-old was. He managed just one shot – a tame effort right at the goalkeeper.

Furthermore, he only attempted one dribble that ended up being unsuccessful, had one key pass, didn’t make a cross and only completed three passes before he was hooked on the hour.

To make matters worse, Martinelli had just 14 touches, 33 fewer than David Raya. He also won just 50% of his duels.

In all honesty, there wasn’t much that the wide player got right, with one moment summing up his last few years.

As Arsenal aimed to break through the centre of the pitch, the Brazil international looked to swing a ball out to the left-hand side of the field but dinked it right out of play.

If that’s a sign of things to come, then Arsenal need to sign a replacement instantly. Irrespective of their activity in the window, either Leandro Trossard or Madueke must replace him for the game with Leeds United next weekend.

Arteta has two players to blame for Gyokeres' nightmare Arsenal debut

Viktor Gyokeres struggled on his Arsenal debut at Old Trafford.

1

By
Matt Dawson

Aug 17, 2025

While they’re yet to get over the finishing line in the Premier League, and didn’t exactly put on a show at Old Trafford, Arsenal still have a squad packed with talent.

For example, the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and David Raya would get into most teams around the world.

Moreover, Andrea Berta and Co have only helped improve Mikel Arteta’s team this summer with the potentially game-changing additions of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi.

However, without a doubt, the Gunners’ most important player is Bukayo Saka, and if the board want to help him reach the level of Mohamed Salah in the coming seasons, they should go out and sign an international they were linked with earlier this summer.

How Saka stacks up to Salah

While it’s become increasingly difficult to deny the fact that Saka is a world-class player in recent years, he’s still not quite on the same level as Salah.

For example, in 37 appearances last season, totalling 2619 minutes, the Hale End superstar scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists.

That means that, despite missing almost four months of action through injury, the Gunners’ talismanic winger averaged a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 100.73 minutes.

While that is a simply sensational rate of return, the Liverpool legend still beat, and quite comfortably at that.

In his 52 appearances for the Reds last season, totalling 4501 minutes, the Egyptian King scored 34 goals and provided 23 assists for good measure.

Appearances

37

52

Minutes

2619′

4501′

Goals

12

34

Assists

14

23

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

1.09

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73′

78.96′

In other words, the former AS Roma star maintained an outrageously impressive average of 1.09 goal involvements every game, or one every 78.96 minutes.

With numbers like that and a Premier League medal to show for it, it’s no surprise that the 33-year-old is among the favourites for the Ballon d’Or.

So, while it’s clear that Saka is a world-class player, it’s also evident he is not quite on Salah’s level yet.

However, Arteta and Co could help him get far closer by signing an incredibly talented player they’ve already been linked with this summer: Morgan Rogers.

Why Rogers could help Saka reach Salah level numbers

Now, Saka undoubtedly has the ability to make things happen and to create chances for himself – we’ve seen as much over the years – but to get even close to the level of Salah, he’ll need elite teammates to help him, which is where Rogers comes in.

While the Aston Villa ace is not currently being linked with Arsenal, he was earlier this summer, albeit for an enormous price of £100m.

However, while that is an outrageous sum of money, the Englishman might just be worth it, especially as he could be someone who helps the Gunners’ talisman close the gap on the Liverpool star, and the primary way he’d do that is through his own output.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

16

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.86′

Despite playing for a team that finished outside the top five last season, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, managed to score 14 goals and provide 16 assists in 54 appearances, totalling 4496 minutes.

In other words, the often “unstoppable” 23-year-old, as dubbed by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher, maintained a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 149.86 minutes.

Just imagine the Claret and Blue dynamo playing behind the Hale Ender in this Arsenal side; he’d be providing chance after chance for him to score, and then, on top of that, his own finishing ability would likely see the Ealing-born maestro supercharge his own assist tally.

Moreover, the former Middlesbrough gem is impressively versatile and can play out on the left, which, given his effectiveness in front of goal, would force opposition defenders to stop double and triple-teaming the Hale Ender, in turn allowing him more space to work his magic.

Ultimately, Rogers’ ability in front of goal, combined with his positional versatility, could make him the perfect teammate for Saka, and someone who could help him bridge the gap with Salah in the coming seasons.

A new Bergkamp: Arteta has spoken to £100k-p/w star about joining Arsenal

The incredible international could be a game-changer for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 13, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t enjoyed the best of starts to the new Premier League campaign, having been thrashed by Manchester City before losing at Bournemouth by a one-goal margin, under the cosh for much of the contest.

Panic stations? Hardly. Wolves showed their quality and spirit when overcoming West Ham United in the midweek Carabao Cup clash, and have the chance to get their league season up and running when welcoming Everton to Molineux on Saturday.

One of the potential sticking points in mounting fluency and consistency over the coming months is the thought of losing goalscoring talisman Jørgen Strand Larsen, who is the subject of a flurry of bids from Newcastle United as the window winds down.

Strand Larsen's Wolves future

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi is adamant that Strand Larsen is going nowhere this summer, but the centre-forward has politely requested to join Newcastle United, who have seen three quick-succession bids – the latest of which worth £60m – rejected for the 25-year-old.

Having seen his loan spell made permanent this summer, you can understand the hierarchy’s stance, but every eventuality must be accounted for.

Wolves need to sign another striker, not least because Vitor Pereira lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United a few months ago.

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves have opened talks with Belgian club Genk for striker Tolu Arokodare, insinuating that pace is gathering on the Strand Larsen front, even if the Old Gold are maintaining their stance that the Norwegian is not for sale.

Valued at £25m, Fulham have also registered their interest in the Nigerian number nine this summer, but Wolves appear to hold the lead in the race at his late stage.

What Tolu Arokodare would bring to Wolves

Strand Larsen has played an important part for Wolves since joining from Celta Vigo last summer, scoring 14 goals as Pereira’s side staved off the threat of relegation that served as a backdrop to the campaign.

If he does end up leaving for St. James’ Park, Wolves would need an adequate replacement, and Arokodare has the skills to thrive in his stead, having scored 17 goals in 2024/25 to stand proud as the Juliper Pro League top scorer.

Genk manager Thorsten Fink was full of praise when discussing his marksman, hailing him as a “top striker” and drawing attention to his pace, power, height and two-footedness.

In that regard, the 24-year-old would appear a natural successor to Wolves’ current frontman, whose mobility and presence on the ball have allowed him to dovetail into Premier League life.

Hitherto a loanee in Germany and France, Arokodare has settled in Belgium, going from strength to strength. Across his 113 matches with Genk, who have won two of the past three league titles, the towering ace has scored 41 goals and has supplied 12 assists.

For sure, there’s more still to come. He’s not the most clinical, missing a slew of big chances across the recent season, but his thirst for success in the final third lends itself to a constant stream of goals.

With such a robust and focused style, he could easily replace Strand Larsen at Molineux, should push come to shove, having proven himself to be even more prolific than Wolves’ current marksman, across the last 365 days.

Goals

0.45

0.62

Assists

0.14

0.22

Shots taken

1.96

4.98

Touches (att pen)

3.78

8.73

Shot-creating actions

1.43

3.40

Pass completion

65.1%

74.9%

Progressive passes

1.01

1.32

Progressive carries

0.56

1.15

Successful take-ons

0.24

0.88

Aerial duels

2.41

4.41

Arokodare’s prowess as Genk’s striker comes with the caveat that he has, of course, been plying his trade at a different level than the Premier League, whereas Strand Larsen has leapt right into the ostensibly toughest division out there.

But still. There’s no denying that the rising goalscorer shares some interesting properties with Strand Larsen, and that Wolves could strike gold by sealing his signature in the coming days and turning a hefty profit on their current number nine.

Their new Dawson: Wolves in talks to sign "dominant" £30m star

Wolves could sign a Premier League defender.

ByWill Miller Aug 25, 2025

USMNT star Christian Pulisic delivered another outstanding performance for AC Milan, this time against Napoli as he assisted the Rossoneri's opener and then doubled the team's lead within 31 minutes. The American winger's goal and assist continued his exceptional start to the campaign that has seen him contribute eight goal involvements in his first six Serie A matches.

• AFP
  

  Incredible assist

  After cutting inside the box and reaching the six-yard area, Pulisic looked up and delivered a pinpoint low cross that evaded goalkeeper Alex Meret and found Alexis Saelemaekers unmarked at the back post for a simple tap-in.

Advertisement

• Spectacular individual effort

  After a lung bursting run from Strahinja Pavlović, he cut the ball back into Youssouf Fofana, who tapped a first time pass into Pulisic’s path. With Napoli's defense momentarily disorganized, Pulisic fired a first time shot beyond the outstretched hand of Alex Meret into the net.

• AFP
  

  Exceptional form

  Pulisic's brilliant assist and then his goal against Napoli continues what has become a career-best start to the season for the Hershey, Pa. native. Having already notched five goals in his previous six appearances across all competitions, including a brace in Milan's 3-0 victory at Udinese last weekend, Pulisic has elevated his game to new heights in his third season with

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• AFP
  

  Title race implications loom large

  Prior to Sunday's match Napoli arrived at the San Siro having conceded just four goals in their opening five league matches under  manager Antonio Conte. With Milan securing a 2-1 win, they now sit at top of the Serie A table on a three-way tie with Napoli and Roma. 

اعترف أحد لاعبي نادي برشلونة السابقين، أنه استمتع بمشاهدة نيمار على أرضية الملعب أكثر من أسطورة الأرجنتين ونجم إنتر ميامي الحالي، ليونيل ميسي.

وتزامل نيمار وميسي لعدد من السنوات في صفوف نادي برشلونة، وساهم الثنائي معًا في تحقيق البلوجرانا للعديد من الألقاب من بينها الفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا عام 2015.

وشكل ميسي إلى جانب نيمار ولويس سواريز، ثلاثي ناري كان كابوسًا على كافة دفاعات الخصوم، قبل أن يرحل نيمار إلى باريس سان جيرمان عام 2017.

وعاد ميسي ليتزامل مع نيمار في باريس سان جيرمان ولمدة موسمين، قبل أن يوقع الدولي الأرجنتيني مع إنتر ميامي.

أقرأ أيضًا .. بيلينجهام: الصحة النفسية مهمة.. ومررت بأوقات شعرت فيها بالضعف

وقال رافينيا الكانتارا، في تصريحات نقلتها ”Barca universal” : ”استمتعت بمشاهدة نيمار أكثر من ميسي، كان نيمار أفضل لاعب لدينا عندما فزنا بدوري أبطال أوروبا لكن من الصعب الحديث عن ميسي لأنه الأفضل في التاريخ، في التدريبات لم أرى أحدًا آخر يفعل ما فعله نيمار ولا حتى ميسي”.

واختتم رافينيا في حديثه: ”هل تعلمون ما هو أغرب شيء في ميسي؟ أنه طوال السنوات التي قضيتها معه في برشلونة، لم أره يتدرب على ركلة حرة واحدة (يضحك)”.

Bryce Jackson claimed four wickets as the home side collapsed when they had a chance of reaching the final

AAP23-Feb-2025Queensland crashed out of the One-Day Cup title race in humbling fashion, suffering a six-wicket loss to wooden spooners Western Australia at the Gabba.WA paceman Bryce Jackson snared 4 for 39 in a player-of-the-match performance as Queensland were skittled for 131 in 29.2 overs.In reply, a WA side featuring mostly emerging players reached the victory target in just 26 overs, with Hilton Cartwright, Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin all chipping in.Queensland entered their last match of the regular season in third spot and well in the hunt to claim a spot in the March 1 final. They needed to beat WA and for Victoria to beat second-placed NSW to lock away a spot in the decider.Even if NSW beat Victoria, Queensland could have still made the final by posting a bonus-point win over WA. But things went awry for the Bulls from the outset.Star trio Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson and Matt Renshaw all fell cheaply as Queensland slumped to 17 for 3 in the fifth over.Lachlan Hearne and Angus Lovell briefly steadied the ship, but those knocks were only a temporary reprieve as WA’s youth-laden attack continued to wreak havoc.Queensland were 102 for 9 before No. 10 Mitchell Swepson whacked 45 off 35 balls to at least give Queensland some sort of chance to pull off a miracle win.Jackson, playing just his fifth List A match, was the star of the show with four wickets, while Brody Couch and Mahli Beardman were also influential.The pace trio have just 15 List A appearances between them, and spinner Corey Rocchiccioli was playing just his second List A match.But despite their youth and inexperience, the WA attack ripped through Queensland’s talented line-up with ease.  Swepson whacked three sixes and three fours in the sole real resistance Queensland were able to put up.WA made light work of the run chase, with teenage paceman Callum Vidler the only Queensland bowler to make any true inroads.The win was only WA’s second of the season, with their hopes of winning four straight titles derailed by injuries and poor form across the campaign.

England second-string squad returns to scene of 16-0 points whitewash earlier this year

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2025

Paige Scholfield, the first name out of the hat in Wednesday’s Women’s Hundred draft, has been selected across formats for England A’s upcoming tour of Australia, as the women’s set-up looks to bounce back from a humiliating Ashes whitewash earlier this year.Scholfield, 29, was retained by her Hundred team, Oval Invincibles, on a £65,000 deal on Wednesday evening, after Birmingham Phoenix attempted to recruit her to Edgbaston for the 2025 competition. Now she is headed to Australia as part of a development squad featuring just four players who featured in the 16-0 points defeat in the senior tour in January.Scholfield herself would have been a fifth member of that party, but she suffered an ankle injury on England’s preceding tour of South Africa in November, which caused her to fly home before she could add to her current tally of three ODI and two T20I caps.Now she is joining Alice Capsey, Danielle Gibson, Bess Heath and Freya Kemp as the senior members of the England A party, which is due to play three T20Is, three ODIs and a one-off four-day game against Australia A from April 12-15, exactly mirroring the itinerary in which England were beaten in the Ashes. Capsey and Gibson are currently on duty at the WPL in India, and so will miss the T20I leg which begins at Sydney’s Hurstville Oval on March 26.Scholfield will be joined by players from the England Women Pace Programme, including her Surrey teammates Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Emma Jones (T20 and 50-over) and Alexa Stonehouse, who is selected across all formats. No captains have yet been named for the three formats.The majority of the group have been undergoing warm-weather training at a training camp in Abu Dhabi, and will depart for Sydney on March 17.Jon Lewis, England Women A head coach, said: “We are looking forward to testing ourselves against a national side with great depth. We are aware of the challenge ahead.”There has been some good work done by the players based in England and those who have been playing cricket over the winter around the world and this tour provides an opportunity for players to push for selection into the senior squad through strong performances against the Australians.”Jonathan Finch, Director of England Women’s Cricket, added: “We have a good mix of experience across the three squads with all players striving to perform and push for selection into the senior team. The experience they will gain through highly competitive matches within a multi-format schedule will be really exciting, and hopefully invaluable for them in accelerating their development. A tour to Australia is what so many young cricketers dream of, and we wish them well.”England Women A T20 squad: Hollie Armitage (Durham), Georgia Davis (Warwickshire), Mahika Gaur (Lancashire), Jodi Grewcock (Essex), Bess Heath (Durham), Emma Jones (Surrey), Freya Kemp (Hampshire), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (Surrey), Charis Pavely (Warwickshire), Grace Potts (Lancashire), Paige Scholfield (Surrey), Grace Scrivens (Essex), Seren Smale (Lancashire), Bryony Smith (Surrey), Alexa Stonehouse (Surrey), Mady Villiers (Durham), Issy Wong (Warwickshire)England Women A 50-over squad: Hollie Armitage (Durham), Alice Capsey (Surrey), Georgia Davis (Warwickshire), Mahika Gaur (Lancashire), Danielle Gibson (Somerset), Kirstie Gordon (The Blaze), Jodi Grewcock (Essex), Bess Heath (Durham), Emma Jones (Surrey), Freya Kemp (Hampshire), Ryana MacDonald-Gay (Surrey), Charis Pavely (Warwickshire), Grace Potts (Lancashire), Paige Scholfield (Surrey), Grace Scrivens (Essex), Seren Smale (Lancashire), Bryony Smith (Surrey), Alexa Stonehouse (Surrey), Mady Villiers (Durham), Issy Wong (Warwickshire)England Women A four-day squad: Hollie Armitage (Durham), Alice Capsey (Surrey), Georgia Davis (Warwickshire), Danielle Gibson (Somerset), Kirstie Gordon (The Blaze), Jodi Grewcock (Essex), Bess Heath (Durham), Freya Kemp (Hampshire), Charis Pavely (Warwickshire), Grace Potts (Lancashire), Paige Scholfield (Surrey), Grace Scrivens (Essex), Seren Smale (Lancashire), Alexa Stonehouse (Surrey), Mady Villiers (Durham), Issy Wong (Warwickshire)

Steven Gerrard is considered to tick the “Disney” box for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with Wrexham continuing to see moves for a “so-called bigger name” in the managerial department speculated on. If Phil Parkinson were to be moved on by the Red Dragons, then a Liverpool legend may be approached as he boasts the “American connection” that has taken on greater importance in North Wales.

GettyWhy are questions being asked of Parkinson?

Questions have been asked of Parkinson’s future at SToK Racecourse on the back of a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign. He has, however, overseen a record-breaking run of three successive promotions that have lifted Wrexham out of the National League and into the Championship. That success has earned him plenty of credit and time to get things right – with Hollywood co-owners said to retain complete faith in their experienced manager for now.

That situation could change, with Reynolds and McElhenney making no secret of their desire to take Wrexham into the Premier League. They are also working on enhancing a brand that boasts global appeal. Pre-season tours to the United States and Australia help to highlight how far the Red Dragons have come in a short space of time.

The award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series has aided that cause, opening up a window to the world, and calls for a “bigger name” in the dugout have been doing the rounds for some time. Parkinson knows that the only way to fend off that speculation is to generate positive results on the field.

AdvertisementBigger name: Managerial change mooted

Former EFL and Premier League striker Kevin Doyle has told Boyle Sports, who offer the latest football betting, of what Wrexham’s A-list owners may have planned: “Phil Parkinson has done a brilliant job. How much higher, how quickly do they expect to go? We can't look into the minds of the Wrexham owners. They've had a lot of success, a brilliant story, and it's been fabulous for English football, gaining a worldwide audience.

“But now, how patient are the owners? Do they want to go up again this year or next year? Coming from so low down to where they are now, I don't think that's realistic. I think you have to give Phil Parkinson credit and time. But we don't know whether that's what their owners are thinking, they might want another story, another so-called bigger name in there as manager now, which I'm sure they could get if they wanted. However, it would be very harsh on Phil Parkinson if they did that.”

Getty/GOALGerrard to Wrexham? Why move makes sense

Amid the rumours of potential managerial change at Wrexham, ex-England captain Gerrard has seen his name thrown into the mix. Doyle can see why the Liverpool great would appeal to Reynolds and McElhenney. He added: “Steven Gerrard has the American connection, having played in the MLS for LA Galaxy. He's a big name. On paper, you would imagine he'd be the type of manager they'd want for their story for Disney, which would be great for viewers.

“But you wonder if their aim is to entertain or to stabilise the football club where they are now. They've come this far, and they should slowly build on that and not try to rush it in one season. In fairness to them, everything they've done so far has been brilliant, so give them credit for that. Wrexham wouldn't be where they are without them. So, just see what their next step is. It's interesting.”

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Wrexham fixtures: Next up for the Red Dragons

Wrexham have enjoyed back-to-back wins through their last two games in all competitions. A morale-boosting 3-2 victory over Norwich, which saw USMNT striker Josh Sargent kept quiet, was followed by a 2-0 success against Reading into the Carabao Cup which has lined up a fourth round derby date with Welsh rivals Cardiff.

Parkinson’s side, who spent big in the summer transfer window but endured injury issues early in the 2025-26 campaign, will be back in action on Saturday when playing host to Derby County.

Zak Crawley has suffered the latest blow of a challenging winter, losing his Hundred contract with London Spirit in a squad clearout by their new men’s coach, Justin Langer.Crawley missed the Hundred in 2024 after breaking a finger in England’s Test series against West Indies, and has struggled for form since making his comeback in Pakistan. He made 78 in his first Test back in Multan but scored 113 runs in his next 10 innings and was comprehensively worked over by Matt Henry in New Zealand, dismissed by him in all six innings of the tour.Last month, he went to South Africa in a bid to rediscover his form but was dropped by his SA20 franchise Sunrisers Eastern Cape after 88 runs in eight innings. Now, he has lost his spot as London Spirit’s designated central-contract player – a position worth £200,000 in 2025 – and will likely head into next month’s draft, with Langer hoping to sign Jamie Smith in that spot instead.Related

• Alex Hales to skip Blast, Hundred after signing Knight Riders deal

• Hundred teams lean on new IPL partners in recruitment for 2025 season

• Moeen Ali set to skip Hundred as part of English domestic retirement

• Ben Stokes to miss Hundred ahead of legacy-defining Ashes winter

The ECB will hold a mini ‘central contract draft’ later this week after Spirit and Welsh Fire opted for a reshuffle, with the two teams understood to have lined up Smith and Chris Woakes respectively. Crawley – along with Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed – is also available at that stage, though Fire have kept hold of several top-order batting options including Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and new signing Steven Smith.Spirit have also released Dan Lawrence, who will be replaced as captain by Kane Williamson after overseeing three wins in the last two seasons, though have kept hold of Crawley’s England team-mate Ollie Pope. Langer will make the first pick in the men’s draft on March 12, with Jamie Overton, Reece Topley and David Willey among the leading domestic players set to be available.Men’s Hundred retentions, 2025•ECB/The Hundred

The ECB confirmed which players have been retained for 2025 on Tuesday morning, with each men’s and women’s team allowed to re-sign up to 10 squad members from last summer. Most teams have also used the new direct signing model to bring in a new overseas player ahead of the draft, though four women’s teams opted to retain the same overseas trio.Spirit have played the system in the women’s Hundred to bring back 11 members of their title-winning squad from last year. Heather Knight, their captain, has not officially re-signed but will fill their vacant £65,000 spot at the draft, with Spirit able to bring her back via the right-to-match (RTM) mechanism if another team tries to sign her first.Their biggest decision was to prioritise the retention of Australia’s Grace Harris – who missed last year through injury – ahead of her compatriot Meg Lanning. Lanning has instead crossed the Thames via a direct signing, and will link up with her Delhi Capitals coach Jonathan Batty at Oval Invincibles, the 2021 and 2022 winners.In the men’s Hundred, Overton’s late decision to leave Manchester Originals came as a surprise. He was expected to stay at Old Trafford on a £200,000 contract but a change of heart saw Originals offer him £120,000 in order to keep a top-end spot free for an overseas player. He has therefore opted to leave, with Spirit and Trent Rockets potential suitors.Women’s Hundred retentions, 2025•ECB/The Hundred

The three teams that reached the knockout stages last year – Invincibles, Southern Brave and Birmingham Phoenix – have retained the maximum 10 players, including the direct signings of Rashid Khan, Faf du Plessis and Trent Boult respectively. Fire have had the biggest clearout, keeping only six players – all of whom are predominantly batters.Trent Rockets, the 2022 champions, have also had an overhaul, with captain Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Alex Hales and Rashid among their departures. Topley is leaving Northern Superchargers, Rehan and George Garton are leaving Brave, and Invincibles have let Dawid Malan go.As ESPNcricinfo reported last week, several teams have leaned on their new investors in recruitment. After concerns over Nicholas Pooran’s availability, Originals signed Heinrich Klaasen, who represents their new co-owners’ SA20 franchise, Durban’s Super Giants. Rashid, du Plessis and Smith are also joining teams affiliated to franchises they play for elsewhere.