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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate admits that transfer speculation has left him in a “tight spot”, with questions continuing to be asked of how long he will remain at Anfield. The France international defender is into the final year of his contract, meaning that he could hit free agency in the summer of 2026. La Liga giants Real Madrid are being credited with interest.

• Konate contract: Running down towards free agency

  Konate can do little to stop the rumours, with no extension to his current terms being agreed on Merseyside. For as long as his future remains up in the air, the 26-year-old centre-half will find himself at the centre of distracting gossip.

  There has been talk of a new deal being agreed with Liverpool, as Konate has been with the Reds since 2021. It has also been suggested that he could tread a similar path to former team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold by swapping Liverpool for Madrid – with no transfer fee needing to change hands.

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  Konate reacts to Anfield transfer rumours

  Konate is eager to point out that there is no substance to the speculation that he continues to generate, with no definitive decisions being made on his future. His form has dipped slightly this season, with Liverpool enduring uncharacteristic issues as a collective, with the exit rumours doing little to aid his cause.

  Speaking to while on 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with France, Konate said when asked about his regular presence in gossip columns: “It’s difficult, we can’t say everything because a lot of things are already being said in the media.”

  He went on to say of unwelcome stories potentially casting him in a bad light with loyal Liverpool supporters: “Some of the things that I read, I’m like… oh la la. That puts me in a tight spot with Liverpool fans, and they don’t even know all the ins and outs.”

  Konate has previously said of lining up a decision day with Premier League heavyweights: “My agents continue to discuss with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it.”

• Carragher hopes Konate signs new Liverpool deal

  Legendary former Reds defender Jamie Carragher is hoping that a deal can be agreed with Konate. He has told the : "I’d like him to stay but if he doesn’t stay, Liverpool will sign someone else. Liverpool won’t fall apart if Konate leaves. He's not Virgil van Dijk. He's a good centre-back who you hope will sign, but if he doesn’t want to sign, Liverpool will be absolutely fine.

  “He's a very good centre-back, he's a title winner at Liverpool, he's played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. He's obviously a quality centre-back. It's not poor management [if he goes for free]. You can't physically make somebody sign a contract. Then it's your decision, do you keep him to the length of his contract or do you sell him?”

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  Will Konate join Real Madrid? Who will Liverpool sign as a replacement?

  Liverpool were disappointed to lose home-grown star Alexander-Arnold to La Liga giants in the summer of 2025. A small fee was paid there, with Real prepared to complete a transfer prior to the England international officially becoming a free agent – with the Blancos’ FIFA Club World Cup campaign being factored into the equation.

  Konate has revealed that fellow countryman Kylian Mbapppe “calls me every two hours to sign for Real Madrid", with the World Cup-winning forward acting as an agent for those at Santiago Bernabeu.

  It may be that Konate ends up joining Mbappe in the Spanish capital. He has taken in 148 appearances for Liverpool across four-and-a-half seasons, registering six goals. Konate has formed part of Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup-winning squads.

  While Liverpool would like to retain his services, they were heavily linked with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi over the summer. He is another that is heading towards free agency in 2026, meaning that the Reds could land themselves a ready-made replacement for Konate. They also acquired highly-rated Italian defender Giovanni Leoni in the last transfer window and are expecting big things from him once a complete recovery from an unfortunate ACL injury has been made.

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O Flamengo aceitou a proposta do Internacional de 4 milhões de euros (R$ 21,65 milhões na cotação atual) por Thiago Maia, mas um imbróglio envolvendo a equipe carioca e o Lille, da França, atrapalha a venda.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasDicasFlamengo x Fluminense: estatísticas e informações para apostar no jogo pelo CariocaDicas24/02/2024FlamengoFlamengo: Ministério Público arquiva processo contra Marcos Braz por agressão em torcedorFlamengo23/02/2024Mercado do EsporteUniforme do Flamengo passa a valer R$ 214 milhões em patrocínios; veja raio-XMercado do Esporte23/02/2024

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A equipe francesa, dona de 50% dos direitos econômicos de Thiago Maia, quer que o Rubro-Negro repasse uma quantia maior para ceder 25% dos direitos.

O Internacional segue interessado em Thiago Maia, mas entende ser necessário a chegada de um volante e contratou Fernando, que ficou apenas 42 dias no Vila Nova-GO

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– Thiago Maia está mais distante do que estava, pois não tivemos respostas sobre as relações contratuais entre o Flamengo e ele. Nós avançamos  em outros jogadores  dessa posição, como o Fernando.- disse Alessandro Barcelos, presidente do Internacional, à Rádio Gre-Nal.

Enquanto aguarda o desfecho da novela, Thiago Maia segue treinando sepado no Ninho do Urubu. O volante, que atraiu interesse do Corinthians no início da temporada, está no Flamengo desde 2020.

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Newcastle United have won five of their six matches across all competitions in October, and the latest phase in Eddie Howe’s plan is starting to take shape.

It’s another trip to St. James’ Park for Fulham in December, with Newcastle drawn against the Cottagers for the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword on Wednesday evening, and the cup defence moves forward.

Howe made changes after that weekend win over Fulham, whose grit was spilt open when Bruno Guimaraes struck low and true on 90 minutes to seal a 2-1 win and allow United to make headway in the Premier League.

Sandro Tonali was rested for that one, replacing Lewis Miley after the hour mark. Against Spurs, the Italian took centre stage, and he dominated and dictated and took home the Player of the Match award.

He really is the difference-maker for the Magpies.

Why Sandro Tonali is Newcastle's main man

It wasn’t always this way. After Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for a hefty £55m fee in 2023, he would struggle to adapt to the Premier League climate before being hit with a lengthy ban for betting breaches, cutting his debut campaign short, with just 12 appearances made.

But he bounced back last year, forming an ever-tighter relationship with Guimaraes and Joelinton in the centre of the park. The synergised midfield charged a wonderful winning run of form and carried the Toon toward Wembley and victory in the Carabao Cup final.

Now, Tonali is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to pundit Paul Scholes. Whether this is true is open to debate, but he’s certainly in amongst the pack, and the fans would not see him swapped for any other number six in the business.

Against Tottenham, Tonali ran the show, effortlessly good as he defended and attacked and guided the flow of the contest where he pleased.

So energetic and enterprising in his central berth, Tonali covered so much ground against Thomas Frank’s side, and it was his whipped delivery that found Fabian Schar’s head in the box and set the home side on their way.

Newcastle have hit the jackpot with this Serie A star, and, while the season is still young, they appear to have done it again.

Newcastle's new version of Tonali

Newcastle are well-stocked across the field. Tonali is the superstar in the centre, but Guimaraes is too, and Howe has recrafted a frontline with talents like Nick Woltemade, who scored against Spurs and has the potential to be one of the best forwards in the country.

But there was a need to reinforce the St. James’ Park defensive line, too, and Malick Thiaw was chosen to join the project this summer, following the footsteps of his former teammate Tonali at AC Milan.

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle signed Thiaw in a £35m deal this summer. A talented defender, the German international had suffered regular injury setbacks in Milan, never starting more than 19 Serie A games in any one of his three campaigns.

But he has long been regarded as a “monster in the air” by the likes of journalist Martino Puccio, and he has developed one of the most underrated passing games from any centre-back across Europe.

Now, having started Newcastle’s past five Premier League fixtures and having excelled once again in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham, it’s safe to say Howe has got bang for his buck.

Against the Lilywhites, it was an all-encompassing performance, one that has only reaffirmed his quality and potential inside this squad. Marvelling at the display, Sky Sports’ Keith Downie hailed the player as being “an incredible piece of business” for the club.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

0

Touches

50

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

38/39 (97%)

Big chances created

1

Possession lost

2x

Tackles won

1/1

Interceptions

3

Recoveries

1

Duels won

2/7

Thiaw’s teething problems have been far less painful. Upon arrival, it was clear Newcastle had landed a progressive centre-half with qualities to advance Howe’s vision. As per data-driven platform FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90.

He is, quite simply, a cut above, and the Chronicle Live handed the ace an 8/10 match rating after he was done with Tottenham, remarking that he didn’t put a foot wrong.

In truth, that score could have been higher still. Not only commanding defensively, Thiaw also got stuck in from an attacking standpoint, winning the ball and adding to the attack ahead of Woltemade’s second-half strike.

In the Premier League, in fact, Sofascore record that Tonali has won 71% of his duels so far this season, completing 88% of his passes and recovering four balls on average each match.

There’s a long way still to go this season, but Newcastle’s two Milan-schooled talents are shaping up to be two of the key components in a campaign which promises so much for the outfit.

Given that we can reasonably expect Thiaw to polish and refine his skillset over the coming months, there’s a sense that United might even have landed one of Europe’s most talented in their position. And in that, he might soon sit alongside Tonali.

Not just Joelinton: Newcastle's "true legend" may now be on borrowed time

Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

The draw for the 2026 World Cup is finally over! After what seemed like an eternity, the real business finally got underway in Friday's ceremony in Washington DC, with Rio Ferdinand leading the way and sporting icons such as Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky teaming up to throw up some intriguing groups for next summer's tournament in North America.

Reigning champions Argentina are in with Austria, Algeria and Jordan, while 2022 runners-up France have been placed in the closest thing to a 'Group of Death' alongside Senegal and Norway. As for England, they were paired with Croatia, Panama and Ghana, while things went reasonably well for all three of the co-hosts – United States, Mexico and Canada, although the Canucks may well be hoping that Italy don’t belatedly qualify via the European play-offs.  

So, who were the big winners of the draw? Whose hopes of winning the tournament have been boosted? And which nations will be fearing an humiliating first-round exit? And GOAL breaks it all down below…

• AFP
  

  WINNER: The USMNT

  Things are suddenly looking up for U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine came in for plenty of stick during a trying start to his tenure that featured some desperately disappointing defeats and very worrying signs of a strained relationship with 'Captain America' Christian Pulisic. However, after a run of five games without defeat, including a 5-1 demolition of Uruguay achieved without some of his most talented players, Pochettino will now be very confident of avoiding an early exit at next summer's World Cup.

  Truth be told, there's absolutely no reason why the co-hosts can't progress as winners of Group D because the draw couldn't have gone much better for them: Australia were among the weakest sides in Pot Two, Paraguay finished sixth in CONMEBOL and, like the Socceroos, struggle to score goals; while Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo was the weakest of the UEFA play-off brackets.

  All things considered, a first World Cup quarter-final appearance since 2002 is a distinct possibility for the Americans if Pochettino can maintain the momentum he's built up in recent months.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  LOSER: France

  As one of the seeded sides in a 48-team World Cup, Dider Deschamps' France would have been forgiven for anticipating a rather straightforward group-stage assignment. What they've received, though, is a very early and very tricky test of their credentials.

  In Norway, Les Bleus drew the team that absolutely nobody wanted from Pot Three, meaning the French are definitely going to have a fight on their hands for top spot in Group I – and not just because they'll have to figure out a way to stop Erling Haaland.

  The 2022 runners-up have also been landed in the same pool as Senegal, who are ranked 19th in the world and showed just how dangerous they are by dismantling England in a friendly at the City Ground earlier this year. It's also worth noting that The Lions of Teranga upset France at in the opening round of games at the World Cup in South Korea and Japan 23 years ago. If history were to repeat itself in the U.S. next summer, France would actually be at risk of suffering another humiliatingly early exit.

• AFP
  

  WINNER: The surviving members of Belgium's Golden Generation

  A bit like Kevin De Bruyne all the way back in 2022, we'd pretty much given up on Belgium's 'Golden Generation' ever realising their potential. However, all hope is not yet lost. While several stars retired after the Red Devils' calamitous campaign in Qatar, De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel and Thibaut Courtois are still knocking about and, fitness-permitting, all four will feature at next summer's tournament in North America.

  Granted, the Belgians performed pretty poorly in qualifying. As winger Jeremy Doku admitted, the majority of their displays were sub-standard and we're not going to suddenly tout them as potential World Cup winners.

  However, Rudi Garcia's squad does not lack quality or experience, and should (in theory, at least) cruise through a group containing Iran, Egypt and New Zealand, with only The Pharaohs looking remotely capable of challenging them for top spot.

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  LOSER: Scotland

  When Scotland last appeared at the World Cup, in 1998, they were drawn in the same group as Brazil, Morocco and Norway. This time around, they've managed to avoid the Scandinavians, but having to once again tackle the Selecao and The Atlas Lions means the Scots could well struggle to reach the round of 32.

  Brazil may not be the force they once were, but they're still the record five-time champions and results have certainly picked up since Carlo Ancelotti took over during the summer. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise if the former Real Madrid boss were to coax the best out of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo next summer.

  As for Morocco, they're once again Africa's best hope of finally winning the World Cup. They finished fourth in 2022 and are presently on a 19-match unbeaten run.

  Bottom line: Scotland might need to produce the kind of heroics they pulled out of the bag in their dramatic and decisive qualifying win over Denmark just to make the knockout stage. And who knows, with the support of the travelling Tartan Army, maybe it's not beyond the realms of possibility?!

Thibaut Courtois has acknowledged Real Madrid’s relationship with manager Xabi Alonso has included “better or worse moments” after their vital 3-0 win over Athletic Club. The result snapped a run of three winless away games in La Liga and eased growing scrutiny around the squad. The Belgian goalkeeper also praised Los Blancos' response while urging the squad to maintain intensity.

• Real Madrid break three-match winless streak with 3-0 win

  Real Madrid returned to winning ways on the road with a commanding 3-0 victory against Athletic Club at San Mames, a performance described by Alonso as their most complete display of the season. Courtois produced a crucial save at 1-0 to deny Athletic Club their best opening, helping Madrid close the gap to Barcelona to a single point. The win came at a cost, however, with Eduardo Camavinga and Trent Alexander-Arnold sustaining fresh injuries during a night that otherwise revived confidence.

  The match carried added significance given Madrid’s previous three league fixtures had yielded draws, prompting external pressure on both the players and Alonso. Los Blancos played with noticeably higher intensity than in recent weeks, particularly compared to their sluggish performance in Girona, where Courtois admitted they “didn’t give enough”. The improved organisation, pressing and defensive structure helped Madrid control phases of play that had troubled them during November’s downturn.

  Despite the comfortable scoreline, the wider backdrop remains shaped by ongoing concerns over tactical consistency and dressing-room harmony. The clash followed a period in which reports claimed several senior players were unconvinced by Alonso’s methods, contributing to speculation about fractures within the squad. While Madrid delivered a response on the pitch, the internal noise surrounding relationships and expectations remains a defining theme of their season.

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• AFP
  

  Courtois opens up on Real Madrid squad's relationship with Alonso

  After the win over Athletic Club, Courtois gave a clear assessment of Real Madrid’s improved performance and the mentality shift required to avoid repeat lapses. “In the first half in Girona, we didn’t give enough, and we have to understand that today, if you don’t play at 100%, you can easily be beaten. What we’ve said is that we need to stop talking and start acting. Matches are always different; Athletic plays with a high defensive line, which creates more space, and it’s more difficult for us against Girona or Elche when they defend,” he told .

  He also highlighted the collective effort behind their victory. “We can improve against teams that play deep. It was a good team performance. We have to keep working and believing. In the end, we’re a team, and everyone has their role. Everyone played a great game. Everyone wants to contribute to the team’s success.”

  Courtois then addressed rumours of a strained relationship between the dressing room and Alonso, insisting the situation had been exaggerated externally. “I think we’re always close to him. Ultimately, we’re at Real Madrid, any small gesture is magnified by 10, and we’re people. Sometimes tensions are high, but I don’t think there was a problem between the team and the manager,” he told . “We started very well. In relationships, there are always better or worse moments, but I don’t think any player has felt that they were not OK with him, and we’re always OK. I don’t think there was ever a problem, on the outside, there’s always noise, but internally, we don’t notice it. There’s a lot of talk externally, when maybe on the inside it’s not like that, but we can’t come out and deny everything.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Real Madrid dressing room split over Alonso

  Courtois’ comments arrive during a crucial phase of Alonso’s tenure, as Real Madrid’s tactical misfires and dressing-room tensions have intensified scrutiny around the club. The early part of the campaign was defined by experimental setups and inconsistent performances, including a heavy defeat to Atletico Madrid. These setbacks contributed to the perception that Madrid lacked structure and presence in midfield, particularly during difficult stretches in November.

  Reports have also highlighted a dressing-room divide, with certain players struggling to adapt to Alonso’s tactical demands and rotation strategy. The publicised conflict with Vinicius Junior, who reacted angrily to a substitution in El Clasico and has reservations about renewing his contract at Real Madrid if Alonso remains, has amplified the sense of unease within the squad.

  Madrid’s victory at San Mames may signal a turning point, but the team remains under the microscope due to their inconsistent pressing, fluctuating intensity levels and reliance on moments of individual brilliance.

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• Real Madrid and Alonso face crucial winter period

  Real Madrid now prepare for back-to-back home fixtures against Celta Vigo in the league and Manchester City in the Champions League, matches that will test whether their improved display in Bilbao represents genuine momentum. Alonso must balance tactical refinement with squad management as injuries continue to accumulate, further complicating his efforts to re-establish stability. With external pressure unlikely to fade, Madrid’s ability to sustain results and harmony will determine whether they can shift the narrative and mount a stronger title challenge over the winter period.

Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

Noah Okafor

8

2 + 0

Brenden Aaronson

11

1 + 1

Dan James

8

0 + 0

Jack Harrison

10

0 + 0

Wilfried Gnonto

4

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

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Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

46

39

xG

11.43

8.15

Goals

9

10

Minutes per goal

396

261

Big chances created

9

21

Key passes per game

1.6

1.7

xA

6.05

10.30

Assists

2

12

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that the north Londoners will soon benefit from a “very unpredictable” weapon that is set to add something new.

This weekend, Sunderland are next in line to try and break down Arsenal’s imperious defence, which hasn’t been breached since their dramatic 2-1 win away to Newcastle back in September.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

The Black Cats, led by their arguable player of the season so far in ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, are no easy customers and have made one of the best starts by a newly-promoted side in Premier League history.

However, the numbers suggest Regis Le Bris’ side might have their work cut out for them at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal haven’t just kept eight clean sheets in a row across all competitions, but they also boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues and have marked themselves out as England’s set piece specialists in that time.

No other Premier League side has scored more goals from dead ball situations than Arsenal so far this season (12), with Arteta’s side bringing the dark acts back into fashion.

While Arsenal have been criticised by some for their perceived ‘boring’ style of play, especially from ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, Arteta won’t be fussed in the slightest as his team sit pretty at the top of the table.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline and threat from set pieces are undoubtedly the two main reasons why they’re currently in pole position to win their first Premier League title in 22 years, but speaking ahead of their clash with Sunderland, Arteta revealed they’re about to have another weapon at their disposal.

Mikel Arteta says "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus will add something new to Arsenal

£265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United back in January after rupturing his ACL, and reports once claimed that the Brazilian might not be back in action until next year.

However, Jesus has now returned to training, so his comeback is nigh, as Arteta explains how “thrilled” he is by the news.

The 28-year-old has been repeatedly linked with a January exit following the arrival of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to return from injury in time for the North London derby at the end of November.

That being said, it appears Arteta still has big plans for Jesus at Arsenal, with the forward capable of playing out wide as well as at centre-forward.

It will be very interesting to see how the former Man City star fits into Arteta’s tactical set-up, especially once their full complement of attackers in Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke return from injury too.

They started the season with 287 for 3 against RCB, and ended it with 278 for 3 against KKR

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2025

287 for 5 – SRH vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024

At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, boundaries rained down as SRH redefined T20 brutality, obliterating their own record from earlier in the season to post a staggering 287 for 3. Travis Head led the charge with a career-best 102 off 41, Heinrich Klaasen pummelled 67 off 31, and Abdul Samad applied the finishing touches with an unbeaten 37 off just 10 balls. That helped SRH win the contest by 25 runs.

286 for 6 – SRH vs RR, Hyderabad, 2025

The big question heading into IPL 2025 was whether the first 300-plus total would be scored. SRH, the favourites to do so, came tantalizingly close and fell 14 short. The top five collectively faced 118 balls, and not one of them struck below 200. On his SRH debut, Ishan Kishan added to the fireworks, smashing his maiden IPL ton.

278 for 3 – SRH vs KKR, Delhi, 2025

SRH began IPL 2025 by smashing the second-highest total in IPL history, but then their big-hitters fell away dramatically and last-year’s runners-up were the third team to crash out of the race for the playoffs. However, they ended the season in trademark style, by clobbering KKR for 278 runs in Delhi, the third highest total in IPL history. Abhishek Sharma made 32 off 16, Travis Head 76 off 40, but Heinrich Klaasen was the show-stopper with 105 not out off 39 balls – the joint third-fastest hundred in IPL history.

277 for 3 – SRH vs MI, Hyderabad, 2024

The carnage in Hyderabad resulted in an 11-year-old IPL record falling, RCB’s seemingly-insurmountable 263 for 5 from 2013 fell by the wayside thanks to a breathtaking, collective show from the SRH batters. Klaasen spearheaded the carnage with an unbeaten 80 off 34, while Head and Abhishek Sharma blasted rapid fifties. Mumbai Indians gave a spirited chase but lost steam, falling short by 31 runs.

272 for 7 – KKR vs DC, Vishakhapatnam, 2024

A rampaging Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batting unit laid down an early marker for a season of run-fests with a commanding demolition of Delhi Capitals (DC). Sunil Narine blazed 85 off 39, Angkrish Raghuvanshi kept pace with 54 off 27, and Andre Russell provided the finishing fireworks with 41 off 19. Only Ishant Sharma’s tight final over, conceding just eight runs, stopped KKR from climbing even higher on this list.

266 for 7 – SRH vs DC, Delhi, 2024

SRH ventured where no team had gone before in a T20 powerplay. Head and Abhishek blazed their way to a jaw-dropping 125 for no loss in six overs. At that point, 300 looked like a terrifyingly real possibility. But with the field restrictions lifted, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel pulled things back, bringing SRH’s innings down to more earthly realms. Shahbaz Ahmed’s unbeaten 59 off 29 balls, however, still powered them past 260.

England lose Zak Crawley to last ball of day after being set 374 to win with series on the line

Matt Roller02-Aug-20253:22

Bangar: ‘Jaiswal’s Sehwag-esque impact makes it easier for batters to follow’

The fate of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be sealed at The Oval on Sunday. England need another 324 runs to pull off the second-biggest chase in their history and win 3-1; India need eight wickets – or nine, in the improbable event that Chris Woakes walks out to bat one-handed – to square the series. The draw is no longer on the table.India are the favourites, and owe that status to four men: Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored his sixth century, and second of the series; Akash Deep, the nightwatcher whose maiden Test fifty wore England’s seamers down; Ravindra Jadeja, who passed 500 runs for the series; and Washington Sundar, whose late blitz took the target from 335 to 374 inside five overs.Related

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Oval and out: Jaiswal's series comes a full circle with statement hundred

England have been here before. They chased 371 in the first Test of this series with five wickets in hand, and cruised to 378 against India at Edgbaston three years ago without breaking a sweat. A punchy opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shaved 50 runs off the target as the shadows lengthened, and England will not be overawed by scoreboard pressure.But Crawley’s dismissal in the final over of the day swung the pendulum firmly in India’s favour. It was Mohammed Siraj, the last seamer standing in this series, who delivered a moment of high skill and high drama. With two balls remaining, Siraj pushed Jaiswal back to deep square leg, a bluff to mask the searing 84mph/135kph yorker which followed, and crashed into off stump.It will be a huge test of both teams’ character, skill and resilience as the series heads into its 24th – and surely final – day. A draw would be a superb achievement for India under new leadership, not least from 2-1 down and on the ropes in Manchester; for England, a series win would be their first against a ‘Big Three’ opponent under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.3:25

‘Root’s wicket will be most important for India’

In Woakes’ absence, this was a brutally tough day for their three greenhorn seamers Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton, who bowled 79 out of 88 overs between them in India’s second innings. Ollie Pope did his best to rotate them but the workload was immense, particularly without a specialist spinner. Their cause was not helped by six dropped catches, and India profited from their profligacy.Akash Deep was the unlikely protagonist of the morning session, seizing an opportunity to chance his arm after seeing out two balls as nightwatcher on Friday evening. He popped the third ball of the day over mid-on for four and decided to keep on swinging, punching the air and thumping his chest when he reached 50 for only the second time in his professional career.England could have had him twice in two balls: they were convinced that Tongue had trapped him lbw, only for the DRS to uphold umpire Ahsan Raza’s not-out call, and Crawley dropped Tongue’s follow-up at third slip. By the time his leading edge was pouched by Atkinson at point off Overton, Akash Deep had added 107 in partnership with Jaiswal.Akash Deep’s gleeful hitting cast Jaiswal in an unfamiliar role, playing in his partner’s slipstream. But he continued to inflict death by a thousand cuts on England’s seamers, scoring heavily behind square on the off side and seizing on any width offered. He reached his hundred after lunch by pinching a single into that very same region, bookending his first tour of England with centuries.By that stage, he had lost another partner. Shubman Gill’s fine series ended with the first ball after lunch, which nipped back off the seam and thumped into his knee roll to give Atkinson his seventh of the match. His overall aggregate – 754 – was second only to Sunil Gavaskar among Indian batters in a Test series, but his highest score in four innings in London was just 21.2:58

Bangar: ‘Akash Deep could be India’s No. 8’

Karun Nair soon became Atkinson’s eighth victim of the Test, edging behind for 17. Nair was struck on the glove first ball, and dropped by Harry Brook – whose view was obscured by Crawley diving across him – on 12 before failing to account for Atkinson’s extra bounce. After a top score of 57 in eight innings, it seems Nair’s comeback series may also prove to be his farewell.Dropped twice on Friday evening, Jaiswal got a third life from Duckett at leg gully, but holed out to deep point for 118 soon after. But India’s lead continued to swell: Jadeja successfully overturned an lbw decision after being struck flush on the right boot and added exactly 50 for the seventh wicket with Dhruv Jurel, as England finally resorted to their occasional spinners.The pitch had clearly flattened out from the first two days but still offered something to work with. Overton managed to get a 76-over-old ball to swing away and trap Jurel lbw, and Tongue threatened to end the innings quickly: Brook finally held on to one when Jadeja steered to him on 53, and Siraj was distraught when given out lbw off the inside edge, with India out of reviews.But Washington went down swinging, as though Brook’s advice in Manchester to “get on with it” was ringing in his ears. He hauled four leg-side sixes in 12 balls, the last of which brought up a 39-ball fifty. By the time he miscued to Crawley at midwicket to give Tongue his fifth wicket, he and Prasidh Krishna (0 off 2) had put on 39 vital runs for the 10th wicket.Duckett and Crawley were left with 14 overs to lay a foundation for England, and Gill was clearly desperate to avoid a repeat of their freewheeling stand in the first innings, posting a deep point from the outset to stem the flow of runs. If it initially seemed curious that Siraj was held back to first change, then his crucial strike vindicated Gill’s decision to give him a single, late burst.

The last instance of this rare dismissal in the Ranji Trophy came in 2005-06

Shashank Kishore18-Nov-2025 • Updated on 21-Nov-2025Manipur’s Lamabam Ajay Singh fell to one of cricket’s rarest dismissals in the Ranji Trophy plate league match against Meghalaya in Surat – given out for hitting the ball twice.Ajay had defended an Aryan Bora delivery, but hit it again to gently push it in the direction of the bowler. The Meghalaya players appealed and the umpire M Madhu ruled it out after giving it some thought. No one, including the batter, protested the umpire’s decision.Clause 34.1.1 of the MCC Laws states that a striker is out hitting the ball twice if, while the ball is in play, it makes contact with any part of their body or bat, and the striker then wilfully strikes it a second time with the bat or with any part of the body (other than a hand not holding the bat), before a fielder touches the ball – except when the second strike is solely to protect their wicket.