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It feels like a lifetime ago now since Morgan Gibbs-White was being tipped to desert Nottingham Forest.

Indeed, at one point in the frantic transfer window, it looked nailed on that the exciting number ten was going to leave the City Ground behind, with Tottenham Hotspur his most likely next destination.

Thankfully, a switch to North London never got off the ground, with Gibbs-White starting both top-flight games so far for Forest this season, as they remain unbeaten, slotting back into Premier League life.

Dan Ndoye has been stealing various plaudits, too, by picking up a goal and an assist across this positive start, with Nuno Espirito Santo hopeful he can add in more impressive recruits, such as the ex-Bologna man, before the window suddenly slams shut.

Forest pushing to sign £35m star

The Tricky Trees have suddenly sparked into life in the busy transfer market.

Both Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee have entered the building from Ipswich Town and Manchester City in quick succession, costing Nuno’s men a whopping £67.5m in the process.

With Ndoye also in through the door, Forest’s forward line is undoubtedly littered with some top-quality up-and-coming gems, with a new £35m target also on their radar to add in even more firepower.

Journalist John Percy has taken to X to confirm that Forest are “pushing” to try and snap up RC Strasbourg attacking menace Dilane Bakwa before the window is over, having previously been reported to have had a bid in the region of £30m turned down.

£35m might well be enough for a move to come back to life, as per Percy, with the purchase of Bakwa potentially being troubling news for Ndoye, who will want his position as the Tricky Trees’ starting right winger to be as solid as possible, even if competition soon arrives.

How Bakwa compares to Ndoye

Of course, Forest did wave goodbye to Anthony Elanga this summer, meaning they were left a tad light in the right-winger department.

That has since been fixed with Ndoye’s arrival onto the scene, but Bakwa’s stunning numbers in Ligue 1 to date indicate he could be somewhat of an immediate upgrade on Forest’s brand new, flashy £34m signing.

Bakwa (Ligue 1) vs Ndoye (Serie A)

Stat

Bakwa

Ndoye

Games played

75

62

Goals scored

9

9

Assists

17

6

Big chances created

27

11

Stats via Sofascore

When glancing at the table above, it’s clear that Bakwa is more of a creative force than Ndoye, which further makes him more alike to the departed Elanga, who registered a hefty 21 assists for Forest from his 81 games at the club, before Newcastle United turned his head.

The Strasbourg star has collected 17 assists for himself in the testing French top-flight, with his ex-Bologna counterpart only managing six in total from 62 Serie A clashes.

With the same number of goals next to his name, too, as his potential soon-to-be City Ground comrade, it isn’t out of the question to assume that Bakwa would make similar immediate strides in the Premier League, like Ndoye, having also been labelled “very exciting” for his consistent excellence in France by journalist Josh Bunting.

Bakwa does look well-equipped to take on this next leap – having already collected two assists this season for Liam Rosenior’s early Ligue 1 high-flyers – but it will all rest on whether Nuno can get all these stunning attackers into the same XI.

Based on the evidence outlined, the 23-year-old might well feel hard done by if he isn’t immediately placed into the side at the expense of Ndoye, as some intriguing selection headaches now potentially arrive at the Portuguese manager’s door.

Related Requested by Nuno: Nottingham Forest make offer for £6m "big-game" player

The Tricky Trees have tabled a bid for a new signing, with negotiations currently ongoing.

Posts ByDominic Lund Aug 27, 2025

Leeds United have made strengthening their defence a priority during the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League in the 2025/26 campaign.

Lucas Perri has been signed to be the club’s new number one, Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw have come in to compete at centre-back, and Gabriel Gudmundsson has replaced Junior Firpo at left-back.

The Championship champions have also swooped to add defensive midfielders Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff to their squad to provide the defence with more strength in front of them.

However, Stach showed against AC Milan on Saturday that he does have more to his game than just being a towering defensive presence in midfield, with a stunning strike in the 1-1 draw.

Daniel Farke, though, does now need to focus on bringing in attacking players to ensure that there is enough firepower in the team to win matches in the Premier League.

As part of that, Leeds need to find a creative attacker who can unlock opposition defences on a regular basis, which essentially means that they need their next Pablo Hernandez.

Why Leeds need their next Pablo Hernandez

During his time at Elland Road, the Spanish forward, who played centrally as a number ten or out wide on the right, provided immense quality at the top end of the pitch.

Hernandez really emerged as a superstar when Marcelo Bielsa arrived at the helm in the summer of 2018, as the Argentine’s system seemed to get the best out of him.

The former Valencia and Swansea man became a cult hero at Elland Road with his majestic performances on the pitch, consistently unlocking opposition defences with his technical quality and wonderful eye for a pass.

Hernandez was an attacking midfielder who offered a big threat as a scorer, with 21 goals in two Championship seasons under Bielsa, but his biggest strength was his creativity.

Appearances

39

36

Goals

12

9

Assists

12

9

Big chances created

16

13

Key passes per game

3.0

2.3

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish whiz created at least 2.3 chances per game on average across two seasons in the second tier and created a whopping 29 ‘big chances’ for his side.

Meanwhile, no current Leeds player averaged more than 1.6 key passes per game in the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign, which does not suggest that they are likely to be hugely creative after the step up to the Premier League.

That is why the Whites should be in the market to sign an attacking midfielder who can be a creative spark in the final third for Farke’s team this coming season.

Leeds considering bid for £25m attacking midfielder

According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds United are looking at a potential deal to sign a number ten who could arrive as their next Pablo Hernandez, Bilal El Khannouss.

The report claims that the Whites are ‘considering’ a bid to sign the Leicester City attacking midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window.

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It adds that the Morocco international is expected to move on from the King Power in the coming weeks, with Leeds, Spurs, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, and Bayer Leverkusen all eyeing him up.

GIVEMESPORT reveals that the 21-year-old star has a £22.5m release clause in his contract with the Foxes, but clubs are willing to pay a higher overall fee in order to secure more favourable payment terms, possibly with a lower upfront fee and more add-ons.

The outlet states that the higher fee could be in the region of £25m, and it now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are prepared to pay that much to bring him to Elland Road to bolster their squad.

Why Leeds should sign Bilal El Khannouss

Farke should push the board to get a deal done for El Khannouss before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he could be the Pablo Hernandez-esque figure that they need at the top end of the pitch.

Despite Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League last season, the Morocco international showed that he has the technical and creative qualities to make an impact at that level.

The £25m-rated star, who was dubbed a “sensational prospect” by analyst Ben Mattinson, created eight ‘big chances’ for his teammates in just 27 starts in the Premier League for the Foxes.

In their last respective seasons in the Premier League, Dan James created three, Wilfried Gnonto created three, Brenden Aaronson created five, and Jack Harrison created six.

This suggests that El Khannouss has the quality to step in as Farke’s most creative attacking midfielder or winger straight away, as the current options at the club have not proven themselves to be particularly adept at consistently creating chances in the Premier League.

xAG

0.19

Top 46%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 35%

Passes attempted

43.85

Top 15%

Progressive passes

5.28

Top 14%

Passes into the final third

3.67

Top 10%

Key passes

1.73

Top 37%

Through balls

0.45

Top 16%

As you can see in the table above, the Leicester starlet ranked highly in a host of creative metrics in the top-flight last season, but was let down by poor finishing from his teammates to end up in the bottom 35% of his positional peers for assists.

El Khannouss, who predominantly plays as a number ten, could be the creative presence that Leeds are currently lacking in their squad, given his ability to progress play with passes into the third third, with key passes and through balls to set up his teammates.

He has the potential to emerge as the new Pablo Hernandez at Elland Road, as an attacking midfielder who could be the creative hub of the team, and has plenty of room for improvement as a young player.

That is why the Whites should be pushing to get a deal done for him as quickly as possible, because El Khannouss could fill a big creative hole in the squad and still has the potential to get even better in the future.

Solomon repeat: Leeds have discussed swoop for "explosive" £20m "menace"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who would be a Manor Solomon repeat.

ByDan Emery Aug 9, 2025

ICC also announced that the double-header games in Sharjah on October 5 would be swapped

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2024

The winners of the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup received prize money of USD 1million•ICC via Getty Images

The winners of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup that begins on October 3 in the UAE will receive USD 2.34 million in prize money, an increase of 134% over the USD 1 million Australia were awarded for winning the tournament in 2023.The overall prize pot of USD 7.95 million is also 225% more than the USD 2.45 million on offer in 2023, the ICC announced on Tuesday. The upcoming event is the first in which the ICC will award women equal prize money as men for their respective events, a decision that was taken in June 2023.The winners of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup – India – were awarded USD 2.45 million earlier this year. The difference between that amount and what the women champions will take home – USD 2.34 million – is down to the difference in the number of matches played by teams during the two events, with the men’s T20 World Cup having 20 participating sides compared to 10 in the women’s event.The runners-up in the 2024 Women’s World Cup will take home USD 1.17 million in comparison to the USD 500,000 awarded to the losing finalists – South Africa – last year. The two losing semi-finalists in 2024 will earn USD 675,000, an increase from USD 210,000 in 2023. And all ten participating teams in 2024 are assured of earning USD 112,500.October 5 fixtures swappedThe ICC announced a change in the schedule of games in Sharjah on October 5. Previously, Bangladesh and England were playing the afternoon game scheduled to start at 1400 local time, while Australia and Sri Lanka playing each other from 1800 local time. In the revised schedule, Australia and Sri Lanka will play in the afternoon, and England will take on Bangladesh in the evening.The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup begins in Sharjah on October 3, with Bangladesh playing Scotland at 1400, and Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka at 1800.

Tottenham Hotspur will have to balance the books soon by making key player sales, especially with the plethora of non-locally trained players in their squad, which could result in them having to submit a weakened Champions League squad.

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Spurs need to sell players due to a key UEFA rule.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2025

Due to UEFA rules, Spurs require at least eight ‘locally trained’ players to be named in their 25-man list, and if they cannot meet this quota, then their total of A-list players will be reduced to make up the deficit.

While Morgan Gibbs-White’s potential arrival – which has now been delayed due to legal complications – could have a positive impact on this, given he came through the Wolves academy, their recent signing of Mohammed Kudus means that the north Londoners currently boast around 24 non-locally trained players in their current squad, even if this does include the likes of Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Yang-min Hyeok, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Taking this into account, The Telegraph reports that Tottenham will need to sell at least one player this summer, and there are plenty of candidates.

Gil and Solomon are very likely to be sold after spending 2024/2025 out on loan at Girona and Leeds United respectively, with the former already confirming his intention to leave N17 in the coming weeks.

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” said Gil to Estadio Deportivo in April.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

Son Heung-min has entered the final 12 months of his contract and may be sold by Spurs, according to recent reports, with Yves Bissouma also attracting interest from Turkey.

However, another option could be injury-plagued striker Richarlison.

Richarlison likely to leave Tottenham as Vasco de Gama phone him

They’re very unlikely to make a substantial fee back off the £60 million they paid Everton to sign the Brazil striker in 2022, but Tottenham’s signings of Gibbs-White and Kudus will only push him further down the attacking pecking order.

Spurs are also still interested in signing Brentford star Yoane Wissa, and if they were to sensationally bring in the Bees star too, it would surely draw the curtain on Richarlison’s north London career.

The 28-year-old, barring a fine purple patch under Ange Postecoglou midway through 2023/2024, has found life very difficult at Spurs overall – with journalist Leonardo Lacerda, via Bolavip, sharing that clubs in Brazil could offer him a route back home.

Lacerda is quoted saying that Vasco de Gama president, Pedrinho, has personally phoned Richarlison to gauge the possibility of a transfer, but the ex-Watford man also has admirers in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s happening! President Pedrinho, accompanied by a member of the Vasco leadership, contacted Richarlison directly through a phone call,” said Lacerda.

“The goal was to get a closer look at the striker’s situation, as he’s unlikely to remain at Tottenham next season. In addition to Vasco, the striker is attracting interest from Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras. Two Saudi Arabian clubs have also entered the fray—Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.”

With Richarlison emerging as a real man in demand, it is now Levy’s task to set a realistic asking price, with reports suggesting Spurs will let him go for around £20 million.

England duo star on county return after Luke Wood mops up resistance with three wickets

ECB Reporters Network17-Jul-2024Lancashire 136 for 2 (Salt 70, Livingstone 54*) beat Nottinghamshire 131 for 7 (James 51, Wood 3-23) by eight wicketsLancashire became the second North Group side to qualify for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals, brushing struggling Nottinghamshire aside by eight wickets chasing 132 at Emirates Old Trafford as England duo Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone starred on their return to county action.Second-placed Lightning joined leaders Birmingham in progressing courtesy of their seventh win in 13 games, set up by a polished bowling display led by left-arm quick Luke Wood’s season’s best three for 23 in limiting his former county to 131 for seven.All-rounder Lyndon James top-scored with a career best 51 off 38 balls before Salt underpinned a successful chase with a more destructive 70 off 42, including five sixes, in his first innings after T20 World Cup duty.Livingstone, another returning international, also contributed a wicket, three catches and 54 not out off 37 with three sixes. He shared a second-wicket 112 with Salt as victory was sealed with 5.3 overs remaining.Lancashire became the first county to achieve 150 wins in Blast history.From the moment Outlaws captain Joe Clarke got a thick edge behind off Saqib Mahmood’s pace, leaving the visitors two for one after eight balls, Lightning controlled things.The Outlaws, inserted, slipped to 28 for four inside six overs, Wood claiming his first – Jack Haynes caught at deep square-leg – added to other scalps for spinners Chris Green and Tom Hartley.The latter, England’s left-arm spinner, had Matt Montgomery caught at deep square-leg for his first wicket in any format since May 12, owing much to him being a squad member only at the recent T20 World Cup.In terms of games won, Nottinghamshire (144) are the second-most successful side in Blast history. But they will want to forget this campaign having only won twice so far.James and Tom Moores shared a fifth-wicket 53 inside eight overs and hit a six apiece to stem the tide and at least get the Outlaws into an innings which saw home captain Keaton Jennings employ four spinners to share 12 overs.Irish overseas debutant George Dockrell wasn’t one, but Livingstone was.And he broke the partnership when Moores miscued a wider delivery to long-off for 26 – 81 for five in the 13th over.After Wood struck again to get Liam Patterson-White caught at deep cover, James reached his fifty off 37 balls – by which time Nottinghamshire were 122 for six early in the 19th over.But, having mixed power with invention, James fell next ball to a brilliant diving catch from Livingstone at deep mid-wicket to hand Wood his third wicket.The visitors did well to get the total they did, though it just didn’t feel like one to threaten Lancashire’s progression through to a 17th quarter-final in 22 seasons.Afghanistan quick Fazalhaq Farooqi had Luke Wells caught at point in the second over of the chase – 14 for one – to raise Outlaws’ hopes.Livingstone, in at three, was dropped in the deep on five and 20 en-route to a fifty later achieved with the winning hit – a pulled six off Farooqi.Salt pulled Olly Stone for an early six and hit Luke Fletcher for two more in succession over the off-side shortly afterwards.By the time Salt reached his fifty off 31 balls, Lancashire – now on course for a home tie in the quarters – were motoring at 84 for one in the 10th over.Salt hit two more sixes off Fletcher’s seam to bring up the century partnership with Livingstone before falling to Patterson-White’s spin.

Crystal Palace hold a strong interest in an “explosive” forward, and they are now ready to submit a £7m offer to complete a deal, according to a report.

Palace eyeing new signings amid Europa League uncertainty

Palace secured qualification for the Europa League for the first time, courtesy of their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, but they are now at risk of being kicked out of the competition, due to issues surrounding multi-club ownership.

John Textor has since admitted that he is trying to sell his majority stake in the club, in order to allow the Eagles to compete in Europe next season, saying: “We are trying to help separate it and sell. We wanted to buy but it’s become clear that isn’t going to happen and so we’re trying to help Palace and the situation with UEFA. That’s about all I can say.”

Textor also adds that a “good meeting” was held with UEFA, which suggests there is hope that Oliver Glasner’s side will take part in the competition, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the situation.

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The lack of clarity could also affect summer transfer plans, as Selhurst Park will not be as attractive a destination without European football on offer, but the south Londoners continue to run the rule over potential new signings.

According to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace hold a strong interest in Watford winger Kwadwo Baah, who spent four years at Selhurst Park as a youth player from 2013 to 2017.

Such is Palace’s level of interest, they are now ready to submit a €8m (£7m) offer to complete a deal for Baah, although it is unclear whether Watford would accept a bid in that region, or hold out for a higher amount.

The winger’s versatility is of particular appeal to the Eagles, having regularly featured in both attack and right wing-back throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

"Explosive" Baah could be ready for Premier League move

The German’s time at Selhurst Park as a youth player didn’t work out, but he has managed to work his way up the football pyramid, spending time with Rochdale and Burton Albion in League One before making a name for himself with Watford.

The 2024-25 campaign was the 22-year-old’s most impressive to date, collecting four goals and three assists in the Championship, and displaying his versatility by featuring in a range of different attacking positions, including striker.

Former manager Tom Cleverley was also impressed by the forward, saying: “He is so skilful, so explosive, so powerful and direct. He’s been excellent for us this season.”

As such, Baah could now be ready to test himself in the Premier League, and a move to Selhurst Park would surely be of great appeal, particularly if UEFA sanction Glasner’s side playing in Europe.

A “superstar” striker, who’s reportedly held talks with Arsenal, has now announced that he’s set to leave his club this summer in an emotional statement.

Andrea Berta set for competitive Arsenal summer transfer window

While the Gunners’ move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi appears done and dusted, with the Spain international looking set to become Andrea Berta’s first major signing as sporting director (Fabrizio Romano), Arsenal face stiff competition to sign other players at the top of their transfer wishlist.

Related Arsenal hold initial talks over signing £202k-a-week Real Madrid star

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Arsenal were believed to be lead contenders to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, but a plethora of Wednesday evening reports from credible media sources now indicate that Real Madrid are set to pip all Premier League clubs to his signature.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

The 20-year-old decided to give priority to Bernabeu switch, with Real moving in and agreeing a deal with Bournemouth to pay his £50 million release clause. Huijsen’s representatives are now in the Spanish capital negotiating with Los Blancos over the defender’s contract, and Xabi Alonso’s side are thought to be on the verge of sealing a full agreement.

This dramatic late swoop from Real, which eventually doomed Arsenal’s chances of signing Huijsen, emphasises why there is a need for Arsenal to show no hesitation in the market and, ideally, strike deals for their most desired targets as soon as possible.

Arsenal are prioritising the signing of a striker, and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres appears to be a serious target for Berta. However, with Enzo Maresca also on the hunt for a prolific marksman, there are reported fears within Arsenal that Chelsea could hijack their deal for Gyokeres.

Jonathan David announces Lille exit after rumoured Arsenal talks

Another centre-forward who is likely to be courted by a host of top sides, and one who will definitely leave his club, is Lille star Jonathan David.

The “superstar” Canada international has been free-scoring in Ligue 1 since joining them from Gent in a £23 million deal five years ago, bagging 25 strikes in 48 appearances this season, adding to his all-time Lille total of 109.

However, his contract is set to expire this summer, and David’s representatives have reportedly held talks with Arsenal, among other clubs.

The 25-year-old is set to be one of the most coveted free agents of 2025, with David now confirming that he’s set to leave Lille in a statement this week.

“I wanted to tell you myself that after so many years at the club, it’s time to say goodbye,” said the striker on social media, as translated by LW.

“I’ve had five wonderful seasons here. I know that it hasn’t always been easy but I hope that with my goals and celebrations, that I’ve managed to bring you some joy. Notably the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions and I think that with these two trophies together, we have brought a lot of pleasure and joy.

“I would like to thank all of my teammates, all the coaches, staff, technical and medical teams, the managers and everyone that I have met over the months at the club. Thank you very much for everything you have brought me over these years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

With David readily available, this could be a very intriguing opportunity for Arsenal, but they’ll have to move in quickly. Even though he can join on a Bosman, journalist Sacha Tavolieri recently claimed the overall cost of a deal could still reach £28 million due to his yearly salary, additional commission fees and signing bonus.

Arsenal could now swoop fast for a bargain forward signing after getting advice from a top former Real Madrid scout behind-the-scenes, according to an intriguing new report.

Arsenal set for season-defining Champions League tie against Real Madrid

Mikel Arteta called tonight’s clash with Real in the Champions League his biggest-ever game in management, which highlights the serious importance of their two-legged tie against the European champions.

£77m striker now gives Arsenal move green light after talks with Berta

A “lethal” striker has now said yes to signing for the Gunners, with Andrea Berta playing a key role in convincing him.

3

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 6, 2025

With nothing left to play for domestically and Liverpool on course to become Premier League champions, all eyes are on whether Arsenal can make history and upset Carlo Ancelotti’s Champions League heavyweights.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Brentford (home)	April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)	April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)	April 23rd
Bournemouth (home)	May 3rd
Liverpool (away)	May 11th

If Arsenal can knock Real out of the competition, they could even be considered favourites to win their first-ever Champions League title, and Arteta is taking tonight’s first leg very seriously.

“100%”, said Arteta when asked if their first game against Real is his biggest night in management.

“A joy to prepare the game, to look at them, just to look at the reaction of people and how we feel about ourselves coming into a game of this magnitude. The excitement around the club, the people, this is the stage that we want to be and where Arsenal has to be consistently. We are very proud to be there and now we’re very ready tomorrow to deliver.

“I think we deserve it [luck] but we have to earn it, and we have to earn it again tomorrow evening. We’re going to put all the ingredients, everything that is in our hands to play the game that we want and to take the game in the direction that we want. In order to achieve that, we’re going to need our people playing every single ball with us and that’s going to make a huge difference, because that’s something that is really needed.”

Attention is also turning to Andrea Berta’s first summer transfer window as their new sporting director, and the Italian is being helped by ex-Real scout Paolo Xavier behind the scenes.

Arsenal could "move quickly" for Vasco de Gama starlet Rayan

That is according to TEAMtalk, who state Arsenal have now joined the race for Vasco de Gama sensation Rayan.

The Brazil Under-20 international is apparently a recommendation of Xavier, who formerly worked at the Bernabeu and is now a “top” scout at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal could “move quickly” for Rayan after also learning that the South American forward has a tantalising £15 million release clause written into his contract, with Xavier identifying him as a target and the north Londoners “seriously” considering a deal.

However, they will indeed have to act fast, as Tottenham, Liverpool, Brighton, Bayern Munich and Fiorentina are all believed to have the teenager on their radar.

Nottingham Forest are also believed to be expressing an interest in Rayan, so this could turn out to be a pretty hectic battle for his signature this summer.

Captain Bavuma and head coach Conrad are happy for curators to prepare the pitches as they would like

Firdose Moonda25-Nov-2024It’s a stereotype as common as they come: go to the subcontinent and expect to be spun out, come to South Africa and watch your head (and all your other belongings – but that’s a different conversation). Except this time.South Africa will not prepare green tops for their four must-win Test matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer.Despite what gut instincts may say about the best way for them to maximise home advantage and even though they are playing Sri Lanka at venues where they lost five years ago, South Africa will leave it to individual ground staff to and hope for fair surfaces for their matches.Related

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“We’re not at liberty to instruct the groundsmen to prepare what we’d like. We just try to play on whatever has been prepared,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain said in Pretoria, where the team held their preparation camp before traveling to Durban for the first Test. “And there’s not a lot of concern from my side where we are playing Sri Lanka. Obviously Sri Lanka will be confident in those two venues because they were successful but we’re not going to ask for specific conditions”Sri Lanka beat South Africa in Durban and Gqeberha in 2019 but lost the next series in 2020-21, when they were beset by a spate of injuries. But that 2019 series was the first time a subcontinent side had beaten South Africa in a home series, which some say makes the decision to go back to those venues curious. Durban, in particular, has been a difficult place for South Africa in the last 15 years. Since March 2009, South Africa have played 10 Tests at Kingsmead and lost seven, including two each to Sri Lanka (their first Test win in the country came in 2011), Australia and England and one to India. Their last outing was in March 2022, when they beat Bangladesh by 220 runs, at the end of the Covid-19 restrictions, with a side that was depleted by the absence of IPL-bound players, which made up most of the first-choice attack.But Test coach Shukri Conrad is not buying into the talk that the coastal venues are more suited to subcontinent teams and wants to reclaim them as places South Africa consider their own. “You can’t play all your cricket at Centurion and the Wanderers,” he said earlier this month, referring to the Highveld venues which do give pace bowlers the edge. “We’ve got a fan base in Durban. We’ve got a fan base in Gqeberha and we’re looking forward to playing Test matches there.”Like Bavuma, he does not expect the groundstaff to prepare anything other than what is usually expected of them. “We just want good cricketing wickets,” he said. “That’s all I can ask for.”Keshav Maharaj is expected to play an important role in South Africa’s upcoming home Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesSo what might that be?First up, at Kingsmead, Durban’s long-serving groundsman Wilson Ngobese will retire at the end of this year and has been handing over the reins to his successor Wonderboy Khanyile. Along with former Newlands and Wanderers groundsman Evan Flint, a prodigy of Ngobese’s, who has been working in Kwa-Zulu Natal as a consultant, they have prepared the Test pitch together. It should be livelier than it is for domestic matches, where the local team, the Dolphins tend to prefer it slower and lower.”I was in conversation with Evan and it’ll be one of the new wickets and Evan guarantees me there’ll be some good pace,” Conrad said. “Domestically, they prepare it to spin because of the strength of their bowlers so I think the Dolphins go out deliberately preparing spinning wickets.”That is in stark contrast to the messaging of five years ago when, under Ottis Gibson, South Africa’s groundstaff were instructed to prepare green-tops, particularly for a 2017-18 series against India. The Wanderers got it so badly wrong that the pitch was rated poor and they were handed three demerit points, which have since expired. Gibson wanted to maximise the advantage an attack of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi could give South Africa, at the expense of their batters. South Africa’s ability to score big runs diminished to the point that between January 2018 and December 2021, only West Indies (among teams in the World Test Championship) had fewer centurions.The second Test at St George’s Park could see plenty of movement off the seam and perhaps even reverse swing come into play. “If you look at the records domestically, [Warriors allrounder] Beyers Swanepoel, for example, takes a host of wickets there,” Conrad said. Swanepoel has 52 first-class wickets from nine matches at the venue at an average of 14.44. “It can be very favourable for seamers as well.”It is also known to take turn later on, and South Africa back their first-choice left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, to take centre stage. “You want spin later on in the game and why we play arguably one of the best spinners in the world in Keshav in our side,” Conrad said.South Africa have also included spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy, who took a career-best 4 for 45 in Bangladesh last month, in the squad but have no room for offspinner Dane Piedt or wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, which suggests that even if there is turn, they’re not expecting it to be that big.All the discussion over home advantage is pressing because of what is at stake for the hosts. South Africa need to win all four of their remaining matches to guarantee a place in the World Test Championship final. They could still get there with three wins but would be dependent on other results. Either way, their fate lies in their own hands and they don’t plan on putting it in conditions.

When Gill walked off to a standing ovation after a 60-ball 129, it felt like another chapter had been written in his T20 transformation

Shashank Kishore26-May-20231:24

Manjrekar: Gill a once-in-a-generation player

Showmen like the big stage. They are at their best when the arclights are firmly on them. They embrace pressure and meet it with the sort of confidence that says, ‘I’m ready’.On Friday night, Shubman Gill had the stage, and was at his best.When a thunderstorm sent everyone scurrying for cover before the toss, Gill was pacing up and down the long stairway at the stadium. Perhaps it was the keenness to finish a job he couldn’t quite in Chennai. Or maybe it was simply his way of warming up.He exuded the confidence of a man at the peak of his game, ready with answers to anything Mumbai Indians were going to throw at him. When he walked off to a standing ovation after a 60-ball 129, you sensed another chapter had been written in Gill’s T20 transformation.Related

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From an accumulator who tried to bat long to make up for middling starts, to someone who goes for quick runs without trying to bash every ball – such a game can’t be without risks, but to have the belief that such risks are worth taking takes quite some doing.Gill’s batting is a train of simple batting mechanics; one frame segues into another. A stable base, still head, minimal and unexaggerated back lift, and nimble feet movement – quick but unhurried. It’s all proper coaching manual. But beyond everything, more than anything, there’s the calmness – he can send the ball where he wants.This can only come with clarity, not just in his game but also in the way he trains.When Rahul Dravid was India Under-19 coach, he had a theory about judging a player’s maturity. One part of it was to gauge how quickly they could develop a routine, even if it was something as simple – or, perhaps, ridiculous – as not batting in the nets prior to a big game, instead of simply following a set of instructions that players can get used to.1:54

Manjrekar: Gill took his T20 game to the next level in 2022

Last week, prior to the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gill exhibited a deep understanding of his own routines. He didn’t bat for long in the nets, but the kind of work he put in within that time underlined this maturity Dravid has spoken of.Gill batted for all of 15 minutes, not longer. The aim seemed to be to train specifically on his set-up against the short ball when it’s aimed at the body from wicked angles. It involved a quick trigger movement from middle to off, and the opening up of the leg side to try and use as much pace from the bowler as he could and pick them behind square. Not in front, mind you, but behind.The one in front of square is a shot Gill plays as well as anyone. So this was mostly to try and work towards strengthening another aspect of an already robust leg-side game. Twenty balls – same boring routine, of setting up, shuffling and manoeuvring deliveries bowled into his ribcage at different speeds and angles – and he walked out with the satisfaction of knowing his preparation was done.The IPL is a beast, not least because of the travel and the stream of matches that come and go thick and fast, but because it can be difficult to get in quality training sessions within that whirl. It can leave you on a high when the runs are coming, but when they are not, it can be your biggest bugbear. Which is why Gill’s training method and the sharp nature of it is intriguing.The game that followed the session was a display of fearless six-hitting that sent RCB packing and, far away, Mumbai Indians soaring. A week on in Ahmedabad, it was the sequel of sorts. It was pure, unhurried and beautiful. And it sent Mumbai Indians packing.You couldn’t help but will him to keep batting. The home crowd certainly felt that way. Maybe everyone did, except Tim David, who grassed a tough opportunity to reprieve Gill. He was on 30 then. You would never know what could have been had that catch been taken. And that’s the beauty of sport – it’s unscripted and leaves you guessing what’s coming next.Gill has certainly left everyone in wonder, having peeled off layer after layer to a robust game. Just when you wondered how much more he could unlock, he came up with something you didn’t expect, but have now accepted as perfectly normal.Shubman Gill got to his third century of the season in just 49 balls•BCCILike that six off Cameron Green in the 15th over, when you wondered for a split second how he would create something out of a 140kph short ball angled to cramp him. And, next moment, he made you go “wow”. As he moved sideways and out of the crease, the bat changed position and was held almost vertically, like one would hold one of those battery-operated mosquito-killing bats.Then it was a swat more than a shot. And he had hit it for six over cow corner. The bat speed to meet the ball, the wrist work, the forearm power and precision, all boss level.There was more of this in store.Like when Chris Jordan thought he had slipped in a perfect wide yorker, only to see Gill convert it into a low full toss by meeting the ball early and then deliberately opening the bat face to send it to the left of sweeper cover. Or when he hit that no-look pick-up shot for six over long leg and sauntered down the pitch to fist bump his partner – a bit of Sir Viv’s gum-chewing swagger.There was a visual from the dugout soon after Gill got to his hundred. Of Hardik Pandya smiling away looking at the screen that was replaying some of the shots from the innings, his expression almost one of disbelief, even as the rest of the dugout applauded. It was, after all, a knock where Gill pushed the boundaries of his own game.He had exhibited a full-blown sequel to his Bengaluru epic. Will there be a trilogy in the final?