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It is rare for a Test to have shifted as far back and forth as this third Test between Pakistan and England has in the space of two days. But a gutsy century from Saud Shakeel, and allround brilliance from Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, lifted the hosts from the gutter to the top of the mountains of Rawalpindi. A first home series win since 2021 is in view.Shakeel’s remarkable 134 from 223 deliveries – his fourth in Tests – dragged Pakistan to 344, boasting a vital first-innings lead of 77. That was ultimately achieved thanks to vital lower-order assistance from Noman Ali (45) and Sajid Khan (48 not out) in stands of 88 and 72 before they resumed their primary roles to run roughshod over England’s top-order once more, leaving them 24 for 3 at the close.The tourists will be wondering how the script has been flipped onto them so comprehensively. It seemed unthinkable when Shakeel arrived on Thursday evening at 46 for 3. Or when Rehan Ahmed’s pre-lunch spell of 3 for 24 from eight overs had the hosts reeling on 177 for 7, still 90 behind. The legspinner bagged No.11 Zahid Mahmood first-ball to finish with figures of 4 for 66 in his first appearance of the series.Resuming on 16 overnight, Shakeel brought old world-style and substance. There were just five boundaries during his vigil, the fourth of those a firm sweep in front of square which took him to 50 from 92 deliveries. His fifth and final one came 108 balls later. It was appropriate that he had the honour of taking Pakistan to 267, cancelling out England’s opening effort, with a comfortable single driven down the ground off the penultimate ball before tea.He was also the glue throughout, present in all four of Pakistan’s half-century stands in their first innings. While the 53 and 54 with Shan Masood and Mohammed Rizwan respectively had been about consolidation and rebuilding, the partnerships with Noman and Sajid set a new agenda. The former did his bit to achieve parity, the latter unfurled a heavy assault with four sixes among six boundaries, which included blasting off-spinner Shoaib Bashir out of the attack as his final over went for 19.England had gone into lunch in the ascendancy, using an extended opening session to reduce Pakistan to 187 for 7, with Rehan taking three of the four wickets to fall after the resumption from 73 for 3. That included trapping Rizwan and Salman Agha leg before in the space of nine deliveries, before bowling Aamer Jamal via a drag on off a googly.Shakeel was able to bat through the morning but could have been removed on 26 when Bashir – who dismissed Shan Masood – found a leading edge through to Jamie Smith, who was unable to claim a low catch. The ball ended up ricocheting off the wicketkeeper’s left shin, reflecting the difficulty of the chance due to a lack of bounce.Still 80 behind after lunch, Shakeel and the very capable Noman set about drawing level with England’s first innings. The latter was the main aggressor, clouting Rehan for six down the ground as the 20-year-old struggled to find the full length that had come so easily in an excellent eight-over spell before the first break.Saud Shakeel reached a fine century in partnership with Noman Ali•Getty Images

Perhaps because there were two left-handers, Ben Stokes decided not to keep the legspinner on for the start of the session. When he did reintroduce Rehan, it was from the Media rather than the Pavilion End, where he had bowled all of his previous nine overs.The skipper’s frustration was compounded when Joe Root, brought on to bowl the 78th over, got his first delivery to spit out of the rough and take the shoulder of Noman’s bat when the left-hander was on 35. Stokes, fielding close in at first slip, got fingertips on the ball diving to his left. Noman had earlier corrected an LBW dismissal when on 10, with DRS confirming an inside-edge. It was the third decision umpire Sharfuddoula had overturned in this innings.The following over, Shakeel knocked another comfortable single into leg side to bring up his first hundred against England, and second at this venue. The celebrations from his batting partner and teammates in the home dressing room were far more animated than his, all too aware there was plenty of work to be done.Noman’s stay was ended by Bashir, getting the second new ball to skid into the pads of the No.9. But he found himself on the receiving end of Sajid’s acceleration at the start of the evening session, all while Shakeel was more than happy to hand the moustachioed whirlwind the strike. Even the blow Sajid wore on his chin that spilled blood on his shirt came from his blade, attempting to scoop Rehan over his shoulder.Shakeel’s stay was eventually capped at five hours and eight minutes, neither pulling nor defending a Gus Atkinson short delivery to sub-fielder Matthew Potts at midwicket. That Atkinson was not used sooner was another blight on Stokes’ captaincy after lunch, and it was odd that he did not turn to his own seam when Pakistan’s lower order were having their way with spin.When the innings was brought to a close by Rehan’s excellent googly into Mahmood’s stumps, a 5.20pm sunset suggested England did not have much to see out. But it was still enough time for a cascade of three wickets in 28 deliveries for just five runs.Ben Duckett, the most proactive player against spin, was trapped LBW on the back leg by Sajid, a decision the offie needed a DRS review to achieve. An arm ball from Noman then trapped Crawley – the fourth time the left-armer has pocketed the opener in as many innings – before Ollie Pope finished a dismal series with low hands offering a catch to slip, via a deflection from Rizwan’s gloves, for Noman’s second of the innings.The deficit is 53, and there is hope for England that Root and Harry Brook can make amends on day three. It was these two who combined for 454 in the first Test at Multan. But as all involved in Pakistan cricket will tell you, a lot can change in two weeks.

It’s been a summer to remember for Chelsea so far this year.

Enzo Maresca’s side capped off a great season by winning the revamped Club World Cup, and the board have been incredibly busy in the transfer market.

For example, the likes of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens were all through the door before they lifted the rather extravagant trophy in the US last month.

However, the Blues aren’t done there, as they’ve almost wrapped up the signing of Jorrel Hato and are closing in on another young talent who could be an even more exciting acquisition.

Chelsea close in on exciting talent

As things stand, it looks like the next transfer Chelsea are set to complete this summer is the one for Hato.

Transfer Focus

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

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The deal was given the ‘here we go’ treatment by transfers expert Fabrizio Romano yesterday evening, who revealed that the Dutchman has agreed to a “long term deal” at Stamford Bridge, and is set to cost “in excess of €40m,” which is about £35m.

There is no doubt that signing such a highly-rated young defender is exciting and will give Maresca plenty of options at the back, but the Blues aren’t finished there, and now look set to close a deal for another, even more exciting young player.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which claims that Chelsea are very interested in signing Emanuel Emegha.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the West Londoners are now “closing in on an agreement over personal terms” for a transfer that would take place next summer.

It’s not clear how much the Strasbourg striker would cost the Conference League champions, but Transfermarkt value him at around €25m, which is about £22m.

He might not be a well-known name to Premier League fans, but Emegha looks to be a tremendously promising young striker, and someone who could well be an even more exciting signing than Hato.

Why Emegha would be a more exciting signing than Hato

So, the first thing to say is that we’re are not disputing that Hato is a seriously exciting addition to this Chelsea squad, as at just 19 years old he already has 111 senior club appearances to his name.

However, two things really get fans on their feet in football, and they are goals and players that can make things happen in an attacking sense, which just so happen to be two things Emegha can do.

For example, when it comes to the first, he managed to rack up an impressive tally of 14 goals and three assists in just 27 Ligue 1 appearances, totalling 2307 minutes, last season.

Emegha’s 24/25 in the League

Appearances

27

Minutes

2307

Goals

14

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.62

Minutes per Goal Involvement

135.70′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, despite starting the campaign at just 21 years old, the Dutch centre-forward was able to average a goal involvement every 1.58 games, or every 135.70 minutes.

When it comes to the latter point, we can see in his underlying numbers that he is more than just a poacher as well.

According to FBref, he also sits in the top 11% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for carries into the penalty area per 90.

This suggests that, in addition to finishing chances at a reasonable rate, the “simply phenomenal” gem, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also brilliant at getting the ball into dangerous areas.

Finally, according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, the 22-year-old dynamo is also a “pacy runner” who’s brilliant at getting “in behind” defences, which is always the kind of player who’ll get fans up on their feet.

Ultimately, both Hato and Emegha are seriously promising talents, but given his position and goalscoring ability, it’s hard to deny that the latter would be the more exciting signing.

Related Better than Garnacho: Chelsea agree personal terms to sign £61m target

Chelsea could seal a better signing than Alejandro Garnacho.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 31, 2025

Victory secured with 38 balls to spare after Mills’ team is bowled out for 106

Andrew Miller14-Sep-2024

Gloucestershire 109 for 2 (Bracey 49*, Bancroft 39) beat Sussex 106 (Carson 26, M Taylor 3-25, Smith 3-25) by eight wicketsGloucestershire booked themselves a West Country showdown with local rivals Somerset in the Vitality Blast final, to give themselves a shot at their first silverware for close to a decade, as well as their maiden title in this competition, after a crushingly effective eight-wicket victory over Sussex in the second semi-final at Edgbaston.After being asked to bowl first on a drying pitch that was likely to offer increasing grip for the spinners – and having watched Somerset’s bowlers put the squeeze on Surrey in the opening contest – Gloucestershire made sure that the conditions would be academic come the sharp end, by routing their previously high-flying rivals for 106 in 18.1 overs. Matt Taylor and Tom Smith grabbed the lion’s share of the wickets with twin figures of 3 for 25, but David Payne’s 1 for 9 in four overs was the epitome of their performance.After that, the result was never truly in doubt. Despite the early loss of Miles Hammond, Cameron Bancroft and James Bracey broke the back of the chase with a second-wicket stand of 54, and Sussex’s grim day was summed up when Ollie Robinson dropped an utter sitter at mid-on, as Bracey went for broke with just six runs needed. He got it right two balls later, however, with a mighty drill over long-off to wrap up the chase with 38 balls unused.Sussex hadn’t had a prayer with so few runs to play with. Tymal Mills, doubtless ruing his call at the toss, tried to frontload his strike bowling, with Robinson relatively misery but wicketless in his four overs for 23, while the only other successful bowler was James Coles, whose 1 for 17 in three overs will count as further experience banked at the end of a breakthrough campaign.Payne and Taylor boss the powerplay
Payne’s harnessing of swing in the powerplay is his “super-strength”, as he told ESPNcricinfo in the build-up, and with metronomic inevitability he proved true to his word once again. His 21st powerplay wicket of the campaign, and tournament-leading 30th overall, was the whopper that Gloucestershire needed above all others.With 595 runs at 42.50 going into Finals Day, Daniel Hughes had been the rock of Sussex’s batting all season long, but he’d extended his tally by just one more run when Payne outfoxed him in his second over. With a hint of shape from over the wicket, he lured Hughes across his crease then beat his intentions with some extra bounce, the under-edge deflecting into his own stumps.Five balls – and no runs – later, Sussex’s innings was officially in the soup. Matt Taylor’s low full toss wasn’t quite the yorker he was aiming for, but then nor was Harrison Ward’s leading-edged response. Hammond snaffled the low deflection that somehow carried to mid-on, and though James Coles then cracked three of Taylor’s next four balls for four, he too fell to the fifth, as Bancroft intercepted at short midwicket.Taylor’s third and final wicket, however, was a true collector’s item. Round the wicket, perfect line and length, it gripped the dry pitch and ripped and bounced like a legbreak through Tom Alsop’s half-formed defences. His hat-trick ball was too full to trouble John Simpson – “you greedy boy!” joked James Bracey over the stump mic, but at 35 for 4 at the end of the powerplay, Sussex were scrambling for anything competitive.Cameron Bancroft makes a dent in Gloucestershire’s small target•Getty Images

Price is right for middle overs
Ollie Price’s first two balls weren’t the most auspicious. Five wides first-up, then four more byes as a very tight appeal for lbw deceived both batter and keeper. His third ball, however, was bang on the money. Round the wicket to the left-handed Tom Clark, and straightening just enough out of the footholes to peg back his off stump as Clark missed his sweep.And, after a solitary over for his brother Tom, Ollie made it two wickets in as many overs as Fynn Hudson-Prentice, one ball after finding the stands at deep midwicket, found the fielder there instead, as he got too greedy on a dragged-down delivery, and picked out Hammond’s safe hands once more to depart for a run-a-ball 13.No let-up through the back end
Five balls was enough for Tom Smith to prise out Sussex’s last realistic hope of a defendable total. Simpson also succumbed to the sweep as he was nailed on the full, just in line with off stump, leaving Sussex beached on 64 for 7 in the tenth, with little option but to bat out the overs and take whatever they could muster.Robinson and Jack Carson obliged for a time, adding a run-a-ball 37 to drag the total past 100. But back came Smith, tossing it above Robinson’s eyeline to lure a hack to deep mid-off. One ball later, he and Bracey combined for a moment that might have been designed as Jack Russell-Mark Alleyne tribute act, as Smith fired a faster delivery past the pads of the incoming Mills, and the unsighted Bracey whipped off the bails for a stumping that would have graced the club’s trophy-winning glory days at the turn of the 2000s.With options aplenty and only the resolute Carson resisting, Payne bowled out in the 18th over, conceding just nine runs in total in another stellar display, before Josh Shaw – scarcely any less frugal – mopped up the resistance with 11 balls left unused. It had been a performance to match their magnificent defence of 139 on his same ground in the quarter-final against Birmingham Bears. On this evidence, there was little reason to believe Gloucestershire couldn’t make it three Edgbaston wins in a row by the end of cricket’s longest day.

Manchester City are “close” to completing the signing of a “crazy” attacking player this summer, according to a new update from reliable journalist Joe Crann.

Man City not messing around this summer

Pep Guardiola’s side suffered a hugely disappointing by their high standards, with not winning a single trophy almost seen as a disaster after so much success under the Spaniard.

It’s fair to say that City have acted fast since the 2024/25 campaign reached its conclusion, with Rayan Ait-Nouri joining from Wolves to bolster Guardiola’s left-back options.

While Rodri’s return from injury will be huge next season, a new midfield signings was essential, not least considering Kevin De Bruyne has moved on, and Tijjani Reijnders has arrived from AC Milan in an exciting piece of business.

City’s most eye-catching addition of the summer so far is Rayan Cherki, however, with the former Lyon winger an incredibly talented player who Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has lauded: “I have never seen a player in history who dribbles as quickly as him, with both feet.”

Man City close to signing "crazy" striker

According to ]The Sheffield Star‘s Crann on X, Sheffield Wednesday teenager Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri is “close to finalising” his move to Manchester City, having bid for him earlier this year.

He adds that the 15-year-old striker is “now expected to complete a switch once he returns to the UK”, as City add another big talent to their ranks after their deal for Sverre Nypan, which has been widely reported.

At 15, Cadamarteri is clearly one for the future, but he has already made waves in his young career to date, standing out as one of Wednesday’s most exciting academy products in years.

After Reijnders: Man City now set to sign a new version of Phil Foden

Having already signed Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Rayan Cherki, Manchester City are now set to snap-up another “exceptional” youngster.

Jun 12, 2025

The Englishman has been hailed as “crazy” by Crann, while 24 goals in just 23 appearances for the Owls’ Under-18s is a stunning return, as highlighted by his father and former Everton striker, Danny Cadamarteri.

For City, this should be seen as a major long-term coup, beating others to the services of Cadamarteri, and it will be interesting to see how he develops at the Etihad in the coming years.

England quick savours the emotions of his successful return after fearing he was a ‘burden’

Melinda Farrell06-Jun-2024Jofra Archer had tears in his eyes as he surveyed the scene at Kensington Oval, about to represent England but, for the first time, in his motherland. When his name was announced at the start of the second over, his first in the match against Scotland, the cheering could hardly have been louder or warmer than if he had been wearing maroon.The loudest applause came from a large group of children in yellow uniforms, students of Archer’s , Christ Church Foundation. They had been given the day off lessons, along with students from Chris Jordan’s former school, to join friends and family and fans alike in welcoming the not-so-old boys home.”Yeah, it was a little bit emotional,” Archer said, speaking at Windward Cricket Club, just a stone’s throw from his Barbados home. “I had a little bit of water in my eye, a bit of a cry but I was just settling.”The prime minister invited us up to the box when [the match] got cancelled, but she said she pretty much cancelled school, and CJ’s old school, so the kids could come and watch us. It was really, really emotional. As I said earlier, I had a little bit of water in my eye and it wasn’t the rain. It was really, really nice. I saw a clip of one of the reporters as well – she went to primary school with me – and she was going around to people in the ground, by the statue, and that was touching. I felt really supported. I felt unbelievable.”Archer had avoided talking to the media ahead the game, preferring to concentrate on getting his return to Barbados under his belt.”Once you get the first ball out of the way, any nerves are gone,” he said. “You tend to forget everything else and just focus. I feel that’s the best way. There’s so much surrounding the cricket before you bowl a ball. So much goes into playing a game.”Certainly, a lot has gone into getting Archer ready for this tournament, so great is his value to the England side. Since he flew home from last year’s IPL and underwent surgery on his right elbow, his return has been carefully managed with England’s T20 World Cup defence in mind, the caution sharpened by his history of back and elbow injuries.Jofra Archer in action during the Scotland match•Getty Images”It was just a little bit of luck because, you know, if we’d gone a little bit… it could have gone wrong,” he said. “Maybe I could peak too early and could have missed this. Or I didn’t get up to speed fast enough and I miss it again. So I just feel very lucky that everything had checked along with this block. Hopefully I can peak for all of it.”Archer raised eyebrows during England’s tour of the Caribbean last year when he was spotted playing a local league match for his old school during the Barbados leg of the series, apparently without the knowledge of the ECB. However, he said he had been careful to monitor his own levels to ensure a gradual return to action.”I’ve been playing cricket since November. I’ve been fit since November,” he said. “I’ve just been trying not to do too much or too little. Just trying to be okay for this period, for this summer. Just really glad that everything seems to be going all right. Not just this tour but to finish the summer and continue playing a part. Obviously it’s been a while. I don’t know how much rehab I have in me.”He signed a two-year contract with the ECB in October – he was offered three years but turned it down – and was anxious to return to the fold and repay the faith shown by England Men’s Managing Director, Rob Key.”I found it a little bit worrying, not really frustrating, because I was able to spend most of my rehab here,” he said. “I only live 150 metres from this ground right now, so being able to do your rehab, just get away from the noise back in the UK, was really good. I made a joke with Keysy as well earlier. I said ‘I’m really glad I’m back playing because I reckon I would have lost my contract in October’. And he laughed and said, ‘no you’re all right’.”Sometimes you feel like a burden not playing, and sometimes I’ve seen a few comments as well, people saying he’s on the longest paid holiday I’ve ever seen. You try to not let it get to you, but you can ignore 100 of them but sometimes that 101 is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I’ve changed a lot of my social media stuff just so you don’t see a lot, but there’s a little that always filters through. But you’ve just got to keep going.”Jofra Archer speaks to the media ahead of England’s match with Australia•Getty ImagesIn March, Archer played his first competitive cricket since his elbow injury in Barbados. He felt he was fully fit from the first of five club matches. But it wasn’t until he bowled against Pakistan at the Oval in the fifth T20I that he knew his body was up to the rigours of international cricket.”It’s alright to train and it’s alright to play in games here, but to get that last 10% intensity and [feel] actually, the body is okay. You know when you are able to step it up and the body takes it, then that’s really, really refreshing.”Archer will not play Test cricket this summer. But his (hopefully) eventual return to Test cricket is being managed just as carefully as his rehab leading up to this tournament.”I’ve got a PDF file of every single game I’m supposed to play in from now till next summer anyway,” he said. “Yeah, they’ve really planned out almost everything. Probably the only thing they haven’t planned out is the showers I take. It’s been really, really good. Even when I wasn’t playing, they made me feel really involved as well. They sent me targets that I’d keep trying to tick off and it’s really nice that they’re actually falling into place, honestly.”Related

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Jofra Archer: 'I don't know if I've got another stop-start year in me'

England have one more match at Kensington Oval before moving to Antigua for the rest of their group matches, the highly anticipated clash with Australia that, after the washout against Scotland, may be crucial to their T20 World Cup hopes. The majority of fans will again be cheering, not just for England, but for one of their own. But there are a few extra guests Archer would like to sneak into Kensington Oval; his beloved dogs. Whether he can get them past security is another matter.”I can definitely try. I can put one of those service jackets on him and probably get caned, something like that.”The animal lover has added a couple of parrots to his menagerie, named Jessie and James. Not after the American outlaw, but for two characters in the Pokemon video game. They play for Team Rocket.England would dearly love to see Archer fire a few rockets of his own when they face Australia on Saturday.

Marnus Labuschagne top-scored with 93 as Glamorgan took control of their Vitality Championship match against Northamptonshire in Cardiff. Glamorgan reached the close on 390 for 8, 111 runs in front of Northamptonshire’s first-innings total.Kiran Carlson made 71 and Chris Cooke scored 58 as Glamorgan set about building a match-winning lead.Northamptonshire had a couple of chances that went begging and a few close lbw shouts that were unsuccessful, but Glamorgan maintained control for most of the day. Luke Procter’s 3 for 36 was the best return for the visitors.Glamorgan will resume with two first-innings wickets in hand and will be hoping to continue their push for a second Championship victory of the season.Glamorgan began day two on 36 without loss and Billy Root and Eddie Byrom did a good job at blunting what was left of the new-ball threat with a stand of 63. It was the introduction of the left-arm spin of Liam Patterson-White that brought about the first wicket when Byrom edged his second ball to Privthi Shaw who took a sharp catch at first slip.Root was dismissed by Justin Broad when he was trapped lbw by a ball that nipped back into him to leave Glamorgan 85 for 2. From there Labuschagne and Carlson batted brilliantly for a stand of 140 that took Glamorgan towards parity with Northamptonshire’s first innings.Labuschagne and Carlson were busy throughout their stand and ran well to put pressure on the Northamptonshire fielders, scoring at 4.5 runs an over. Labuschagne looked certain to make it to his 10th Glamorgan hundred, but he was also trapped by a Broad inswinger that hit him in front of the stumps.Sam Northeast hit his first ball to the boundary for four, but he edged Procter behind three balls later. When Carlson fell, Glamorgan had lost three wickets for 42 runs and were in danger of surrendering the strong platform they had built for themselves. With a relatively long tail in this match they needed some lower-order support to take them into the lead.Timm van der Gugten was promoted to seven and his stand with Cooke put on 68 runs and took Glamorgan into the lead. Van der Gugten was the aggressor, making 41 of those runs from 63 balls. His innings came to an end when he edged the new ball to the keeper McManus off the bowling of Procter.At the fall of van der Gugten’s wicket Glamorgan were 56 runs in front, a useful lead but not yet a match defining one. Cooke went some way to putting Glamorgan into a winning position with a 120-ball fifty with support from James Harris.Cooke fell in the closing stages of the day, but Harris and Mason Crane got Glamorgan to the close with the lead past three figures. Pitches in Cardiff have often flattened out as the match progresses, but Glamorgan are far enough in front to think they can push for victory.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is reportedly waiting for a green-light from the Kroenkes to seal his first major signing at the club, with an agreement for the player described as “done”.

Arsenal transfer plans as Mikel Arteta prepares for PSG

With their Premier League clash against Crystal Palace done and dusted on Wednesday evening, Mikel Arteta can now put full focus into their far more important Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG next Tuesday.

Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal "really" want £50m player, talks already held

The north Londoners are very keen.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

The Gunners face France’s champions in a mouthwatering European encounter which has the power to make or break Arsenal’s season, and Arteta’s side now have six days to prepare for their most crucial match of the season so far.

Arteta’s mind will only be on how to ge the better of Luis Enrique’s high-flying PSG side, who’ve seriously impressed both domestically and in Europe, but he’ll take comfort from the fact Aston Villa very nearly upset them in the last round.

Off the field, Berta and co are already making transfer plans for next season.

Arsenal are believed to be in the market for a second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker (GiveMeSport). It was also reported that they could bring in two midfielders, with Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes linked.

However, it has since come to light that the north Londoners could extend Thomas Partey’s contract instead, following an impressive end to the campaign.

It is unclear how this will impact their ongoing attempts to sign Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, but given Jorginho is still likely to leave the Emirates, Arteta will still be in need of reinforcements for the engine room.

Arsenal have been in talks to sign Zubimendi for months, and there is confidence that the Spain international will eventually arrive and depart his boyhood club for the Premier League, one year after he rejected a switch to Liverpool.

Arsenal agree Martin Zubimendi deal as Berta awaits green-light

According to journalist Juan Castro, writing in a column for Marca (via Sport Witness), Arsenal’s deal for Zubimendi actually seems to be “done”.

However, there are a few things holding up despite the alleged agreement, with one of them being Arsenal’s owners – Josh and Stan Kroenke. Berta is believed to be waiting on the club’s board members to sanction Zubimendi’s £51 million release clause payment, while Real Madrid could still come in to mount a late hijack.

If the Kroenkes refuse to green-light a move, it could collapse, with Los Blancos also posing some threat in the background, even if it is still unlikely Real pose a threat at this stage, with a deal very far down the line.

Zubimendi would be a stellar capture for Arteta, and has been described as the “perfect” midfielder for Arsenal, so supporters will be hoping the Kroenkes eventually give the go ahead.

With the summer transfer window approaching, Crystal Palace are now reportedly looking to shock a mega rich club in the race to sign one particular attacking talent for Oliver Glanser should he stay put.

Crystal Palace face Oliver Glasner concern

In his first full season in charge at Selhurst Park, it’s fair to say that Glasner’s impressive spell at Crystal Palace has not gone unnoticed. The Austrian is reportedly among the names on RB Leipzig’s radar as they look to welcome their replacement for the sacked Marco Rose. Having previously managed in Germany, there will be plenty of concern surrounding Glasner’s future in South London.

The Eagles have already suffered one major departure away from the pitch in the form of Dougie Freedman and the last thing that Steve Parish needs is to be left replacing both his sporting director and manager.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that Europe’s top clubs came swooping in for Palace’s top talents. Just last summer, the headlines surrounded Michael Olise, who eventually swapped Selhurst Park for Bayern Munich.

Now, on top of Glasner, Eberechi Eze has also been linked with a summer exit amid links to the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Given that Palace sit above both those sides in the Premier League this season, losing Eze to either would represent the most frustrating blow for Crystal Palace.

Potentially preparing for the worst, however, Palace have reportedly turned their attention towards a move to sign one particular Bundesliga talent ahead of Newcastle United.

Crystal Palace battling to sign "complete" Merlin Rohl

According to Bild in Germany, Crystal Palace are now shock contenders to sign Merlin Rohl from SC Freiburg this summer in a deal that will cost a reported €25m (£21m). With Liverpool and Newcastle also interested, there’s no doubt that the Eagles would be landing an impressive coup by signing the attacking midfielder in the coming months.

What would be most impressive if Rohl joined Palace over Newcastle specifically is how the finances of both clubs compare. These days, thanks to PIF, those at St James’ Park represent one of the richest clubs in world football and could put that billionaire status to good use this summer having managed their PSR issues over the last year. Meanwhile, Palace are often forced to sell before they can buy.

Just where Rohl’s next destination is remains to be seen, but his arrival would certainly ease any potential Eze exit blow for Crystal Palace this summer. The 22-year-old has earned plenty of praise during his Bundesliga rise over the years, including from former Ingolstadt coach Tomas Oral, who said: “Merlin’s the complete midfielder. He can do it defensively and offensively.”

With the Premier League calling, Palace will be desperate for Rohl to make his choice and join up with Glasner’s side this summer.

Series decider will draw curtain on English Test forays in Asia until 2027

Matt Roller22-Oct-2024England’s men do not play another Test in Asia for more than two years after Rawalpindi. It will therefore act as a decider in more ways than one, not only dictating the result of a gripping three-match series in Pakistan, but also informing long-lasting judgement on just how well equipped, or otherwise, Ben Stokes and his team are to compete in the subcontinent.It is a quirk of the schedule that after 17 Tests in Asia over the last four years, England are not due to return in the next two. Their white-ball sides will be back regularly, including for next year’s Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup in 2026, but their next Test tour is not until February 2027, in the form of a two-match series in Bangladesh.Since Stokes took over as captain two-and-a-half years ago, England’s record in Asia is an even one: five wins and five defeats, with one of those victories coming under Ollie Pope’s leadership. They are not the only team to have struggled in India over the last decade, losing 4-1 earlier this year, but a second successive win in Pakistan would put the shine on their subcontinent record.Related

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Rawalpindi was the scene of one of England’s greatest wins two years ago, when their batters racked up 506 for 4 in 75 overs on the first day of the series, before their bowlers’ skill and Stokes’ ingenuity enabled them to take 20 wickets on a lifeless surface. They are braced for a significantly different challenge this time around, which is reflected in their selection.Their side is radically different to any that they will pick in the next two years: Rehan Ahmed returns as one of three frontline spinners, while Stokes will act as the second seamer alongside Gus Atkinson. Pakistan’s groundstaff have put in every effort to create a turning pitch, with Stokes suggesting on Tuesday that “a few rakes” had been used, along with fans and heaters.”It looks like it will be a pretty decent wicket for the first couple of days,” Stokes said. “There’s not too much grass on it to hold it together, so the reasoning behind three spinners was, as the game progresses, that will probably come into the game… It was just weighing up who we think will be effective as the game goes on.”It’s pretty obvious there’s been a few rakes put across it… I’ve never been a groundsman, but you’d think a rake would assist the spin. You look down it, and we can have a good guess which ends the Pakistan spinners will operate from.” When asked if only one end had been raked, Stokes clarified: “No, both have – but there are certain areas.”While the grass was cut short on the strips either side of the playing surface in the second Test in Multan, there are only three pitches cut across the square in Rawalpindi this week. “With the outfield being like it was, lush and green, and not too much [on the] square to work with, we’ll probably struggle to get reverse-swing,” Stokes conceded.Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum inspect the pitch while the fans do their work•Getty ImagesPakistan’s approach towards pitch preparation in the last two weeks has raised some eyebrows: the decision to recycle the same strip in Multan was unprecedented, and groundstaff have gone to great lengths to tailor the surface in Rawalpindi to suit Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. But Stokes has declined opportunities to complain, delivering a simple verdict on Tuesday: “It’s good, innit?”Brendon McCullum believed that the toss skewed the second Test “65-35” in Pakistan’s favour, and it will be significant again in the third. “The toss, out in the subcontinent, plays a bigger role than anywhere in the world,” Stokes said. “[But] I don’t think we’re going to have as extreme conditions as the game goes on: it will be a day-one wicket when we start, not day six.”Historically, England tend to under-adjust to overseas conditions and find themselves wondering why their medium-pacers are ineffective on pitches without a blade of live grass on them. This year, they have been much more open-minded – as evidenced by Rehan’s inclusion as a wildcard third spin option, who they hope will create chances even if the pitch is flat.”Adding Rehan’s free spirit and desperation to change the game every time he’s got the ball in his hand is a massive bonus for us this week,” Stokes said, while discarding the relevance of his quiet season for Leicestershire. “Legspinners have an amazing ability to break a game open… You’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”The decider also presents Stokes with a final chance for some time to shift perceptions around his batting in the subcontinent: his batting average in Asia is 27.22, his lowest on any continent, with his single century coming on a Rajkot road eight years ago. In eight innings in Pakistan, he is yet to score a fifty.His farcical dismissal in Multan disguised the fact he top-scored in England’s second innings, and was the only batter to find a successful method by relying almost exclusively on his sweeps and reverses. For all his inspirational leadership, Stokes has not scored a Test century for 16 months: with the series on the line, he will be desperate to end that run.The success of the McCullum-Stokes regime will ultimately be dictated by their results next year against India and Australia, but this third Test will go a long way towards determining their team’s reputation in Asia. When asked how important winning would be, Stokes gave a one-word answer: “Very.” For all that England want to entertain, they have a singular focus this week.

“That’s driving me… It’s really good competition and it’s good for English white-ball cricket”

Matt Roller14-Aug-2022Will Jacks was on 94 when he decided that he would reach his hundred with a six. Every time he got back on strike in the 90s, the 21,677-strong crowd at the Kia Oval cheered, and Jacks decided they deserved a final flourish. “They were all screaming,” he said. “I thought to myself: I’ve got to get there with a six. For the crowd, I have to do that.”He crashed two singles to boundary-riders off Michael Hogan, and when Rehan Ahmed tossed one up, into his arc, he couldn’t resist: “I just had to go for it,” he said. He nailed the ball over wide long-on and punched the air as his home ground stood to applaud. After a hug with Sam Curran, he took a moment to let it all sink in, before putting his helmet back on and swinging Ahmed for six more to finish the game with 18 balls to spare.It was only four days ago that Will Smeed hit the first-ever Hundred hundred, also against Southern Brave, but Jacks’ innings was even more dominant. He scored just over three-quarters of Oval Invincibles’ 142 runs, 88 of his 108 coming in boundaries; Curran’s 11 not out was the second-highest score. “It was all about one man,” Sam Billings, their captain, said. “It was seriously special.”Related

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Jacks has been part of Surrey’s first team for five seasons, so it is easy to forget that he is still only 23 years old. He had never hit a T20 hundred before Sunday night – “it’s been one of my goals for the last three seasons, so it was nice to finally tick it off” – but has been a relentless run-scorer in the Blast, averaging 33.85 with a strike rate of 152.65 across the last three years.Blast crowds at The Oval are consistently among the best in the country, but Jacks has come into his own playing in the Hundred, relishing the occasions afforded by standalone, televised games: “It’s a great occasion every time you play in the Hundred,” he said. “I was really buzzing for tonight.” He is the third-highest male run-scorer across its one-and-a-half seasons to date, with an unmatched strike rate of 185.63 to boot.His success in Surrey’s Championship side this year suggests his form is sustainable, too, with a strong grounding in the first-class game and an orthodox style: 53 of his runs on Sunday night came in the ‘V’ down the ground, and his most productive shot was his textbook, high-front-elbow off-drive.Jacks started brightly against the swinging ball, twice punching George Garton through the covers before launching him for a huge six towards the gasholder at square leg. Shortly after easing his way to a 27-ball half-century, effortlessly finding gaps in the infield and clearing the ropes on demand, he was hit on the toe, and decided it was time to launch.”It was pretty painful,” Jacks said. “After that, I decided, ‘I’ve got to whack it here,’ because I didn’t really fancy running. I was seeing it cleanly, and was in control of my mind. When you’re in that zone, it doesn’t matter who is bowling.” He was right: he hit each of Brave’s six bowlers for at least two boundaries, and scored at a strike rate of 150+ against all of them.Jacks’ clarity of mind on the pitch is matched by his concision off it. “Like everyone else, I really want to play for England,” he said, straight to the point. “That’s driving me. I’m just really hungry at the moment. There’s a lot of players who are in that spot, guys who are playing well. It’s really good competition and it’s good for English white-ball cricket.Will Jacks played an inspired knock•Getty Images”I’m doing the right things at the moment. There’s so much competition around, and everyone knows that. It’s two innings, and that’s it. Every time, you’ve got to go out there with the mindset that ‘I have to score runs to put my name in that hat.'”There is no shortage of talent at the top of the order, but he is clearly highly regarded. He was part of the Lions squad that thrashed South Africa at Canterbury this week, hitting 34 off 26 from No. 7 – “my strike rate was pretty similar,” he joked – and would have been part of the 50-over squad earlier this summer but for Surrey’s reticence to lose another player from their Championship side.”He’s been knocking on the door for a while now,” Mahela Jayawardene, Brave’s coach, said. “It’s good for the tournament and it’s good for English cricket seeing all the younger guys coming here and showing the skillset that they have. That’s what it’s all about: giving them an opportunity with international cricketers. That exposure will obviously help them.”It is a cruel twist of fate that if selected for England’s tour to Pakistan in September, the man Jacks appears most likely to replace is his opening partner. Jason Roy’s second-ball duck against Brave, cleaned up by a hooping Garton inswinger, was his third in four innings so far in the Hundred. On the back of a grim T20I summer, he desperately needs a score.”Everyone is going to say he’s got another duck, but that was a fantastic ball,” Jacks said, quick to Roy’s defence. “It swung back beautifully and hit the top of middle. He’s an unbelievable player. I’ve stood at the other end from him for the last five years: I know just as well as everyone else what he can do.”He’s one of my good mates and I love batting with him. Everyone hopes he can find form. When he’s on form, nobody wants to bowl to him.”Whether Roy comes good or not over Invincibles’ final four group games, Jacks’ presence alongside him will ensure that no bowler in the competition is relishing the prospect to bowl to Invincibles’ opening pair.