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Newcastle United are in a brilliant position under Eddie Howe, though could now be willing to facilitate a surprise departure for one of their strongest performers, according to a recent report.

Newcastle United's summer transfer plans

Eddie Howe is a man who has commanded mass respect from supporters at St James’ Park due to their recent EFL Cup win and Premier League standing, but he will have work to do to retain some of his key stars this summer.

Alexander Isak is a central target for Liverpool heading into the window and they appear to be setting the scene for Darwin Nunez to exit the club, paving the way for a blockbuster replacement.

Keeping hold of the Swede will be the main priority for everyone concerned at Newcastle, but there is also potential that they could add to their exciting pool of talent, especially if they secure Champions League qualification.

According to reports, Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo could be set for a move to the Magpies after claims emerged stating he could be set to leave London for £50 million.

The Geordies are said to be in pole position for his signature, potentially creating a deadly triple-axis with Isak and Anthony Gordon as Howe’s men look to compete for further silverware.

Newcastle now eyeing £26m defender who played a full season with Tonali

Newcastle have not given up on signing another rising star from Milan.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 17, 2025

On the same token, Real Sociedad star John Aramburu is being lined up to strengthen Newcastle’s backline, showing that they are covering all bases in the hunt for quality additions.

However, with PSR and other realities to take into account, don’t be surprised if one or two surprise stories emerge across the market this summer that lead to unexpected departures, something the Magpies won’t be immune to going by recent developments.

Newcastle willing to listen to Tonali offers amid Man City interest

According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle could be willing to accept offers upwards of £68.5 million for Sandro Tonali after it has become apparent that he is open to leaving Tyneside this summer.

Pep Guardiola is reportedly on alert as Manchester City retain an interest in the Italy international, while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain remain in pursuit, with the Magpies prepared to accept a large sum after the player indicated he’s open to an exit.

Sandro Tonali key statistics in 2024/25 – Premier League

Pass accuracy

85%

Chances created

13

Tackles won

29

Shots

28

Touches in opposition box

36

Ball recoveries

152

Enjoying a fine campaign, Tonali has registered five goals and three assists in 39 appearances across all competitions as the Toon Army look to edge closer to claiming Champions League qualification.

Manchester City have an obvious void in midfield to fill amid Kevin De Bruyne’s impending departure, though it is hard to believe that Newcastle would be willing to sell one of their star assets directly to a rival.

Nevertheless, his openness to changing projects could throw the cat among the pigeons in that respect, especially given that selling Tonali may negate the need to fund their summer business by cashing in on other first-team players.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has held talks with the agents of a “dream” target for manager Mikel Arteta, and the Gunners know exactly what is required to convince the player to make a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Andrea Berta set for "big" first summer at Arsenal

The Italian was officially announced as Arsenal’s new director in late March, with Arteta since tipping Berta to have a “big” first summer transfer window at N5.

£200k-per-week Arsenal star "looking" to quit despite Real Madrid "masterclass"

He produced a truly excellent display against Los Blancos.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 9, 2025

Arteta candidly expressed his excitement over Berta’s appointment, and the 53-year-old could even orchestrate a summer spend of up to £300 million on seven key signings, according to GiveMeSport.

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

The north Londoners are plotting serious changes to Arteta’s squad across the board, defensively, in midfield and further forward, with Berta expected to target a new back-up keeper, full-back, midfielders, a left-winger, an alternative to Bukayo Saka and, of course, a goalscoring number nine (GMS).

The wide positions will be a key area of improvement, with uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Leandro Trossard as the Belgian begins to enter the final 12 months of his contract.

Saka was a dear miss when the England star was sidelined through injury, which undoubtedly played a role in Arsenal falling miles behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race, and Arsenal could move to bring in a proven back-up.

According to credible recent reports, that man could be Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, who’s capable of playing both on the right and on the left. Arsenal have also held very recent talks with Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane over signing as a free agent, but as things stand, the German favours remaining under Vincent Kompany.

With a move for Sane looking less likely, and Williams expected to push for a Bilbao exit, it is believed that Berta reached out for talks with the 22-year-old’s representatives last week.

The Spain international’s contract contains a tempting £48 million release clause, but the real issue will lie in his wages.

Nico Williams makes £250k-per-week demand to join Arsenal

Following talks with Berta last week, it has now been revealed by GiveMeSport that Williams will demand a salary of around £250,000-per-week to join Arsenal or any other interested club, which would make him the club’s third-highest earner behind just Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Arsenal’s wage bill is currently massive, and Berta will be eager to avoid skyrocketing it even further amid PSR and FFP regulations.

That being said, Williams is definitely worth the effort to prise away from Bilbao, if Arsenal can reach a compromise on his pay packet expectations. He bagged 19 assists in all competitions last term and played a starring role in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024, leaving little surprise that GMS have also reported the winger is a “dream” target for Arteta.

“Nico is unique, wonderful,” said José Mourinho recently.

“During the European Championship, people were focused on Lamine Yamal, who is obviously another wonderful kid, but personally, I prefer Nico. He’s a fantastic player, and you can’t think that a Turkish club could sign him. I hope he ends up with Real Madrid.”

Chelsea have decided not to fast-track Emmanuel Emegha’s arrival from Strasbourg despite Liam Delap suffering another significant injury setback, with the club maintaining their long-planned timeline for the striker’s summer 2026 arrival. Delap’s shoulder issue leaves Enzo Maresca short of natural No.9 options, but the Blues remain committed to their original transfer plans.

Delap's injury won't change Emegha transfer plans

Chelsea entered the week preparing for their Champions League trip to Atalanta with an unexpected disruption in attack after Delap suffered a nasty shoulder injury in the 0-0 draw at Bournemouth. Delap left the pitch with his right arm supported in a sling, leaving Maresca without one of his two recognised strikers and creating immediate questions about the club’s reinforcement plans heading into January. Although early assessments indicate the issue is “quite bad,” there is not yet a definitive recovery timeline.

Because of Delap’s absence, speculation quickly grew suggesting Chelsea might accelerate the arrival of Emegha, the Strasbourg forward already pre-signed for next summer. However, the has insisted that Emegha will remain in France until the end of the season as originally agreed, with no intention of altering the transfer schedule. Chelsea believe they have enough cover internally and prefer not to disrupt the development plan set for the 22-year-old Dutch striker.

Chelsea opted to bring back Marc Guiu from his Sunderland loan back in August after Delap's earlier injury, and the plan is to stick with the former Barcelona star yet again to provide cover for Delap. Guiu replaced the injured Englishman against Bournemouth, with Maresca explaining that the physical nature of the match suited the teenager more than using Joao Pedro as a makeshift centre-forward. As a result, the club does not see the need to adjust their recruitment plans mid-season, even amid another injury blow in attack.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChelsea left short of No.9s after Delap's injury

The timing of Delap’s injury is particularly disruptive given Chelsea’s need to balance Champions League commitments with Premier League progress. The club has scored in 20 consecutive matches across competitions before the Bournemouth draw, but the stalemate highlighted the fragility of their attacking output when key personnel are absent. Maresca’s forward line now depends heavily on the rotation of Guiu, Pedro, and Pedro Neto, the latter two of whom are not long-term natural fits as a conventional No.9.

While the decision to keep Emegha at Strasbourg appears firm, Chelsea know they must extract maximum versatility from their existing forwards in the coming months. Neto has operated as a false nine before, however, using him in that role regularly may hinder the team’s balance in wide areas. Pedro remains more effective between the lines, meaning Guiu becomes the most natural option, though the club acknowledges he is still raw and in the early stages of his development.

AFPEmegha's move pre-agreed for the summer of 2026

Emegha’s move to Chelsea was agreed months ago as part of the recruitment network shared between the club and their sister side Strasbourg. The plan is for him to complete the season in France to maximise minutes, given that he is still refining his physical and technical profile, and Chelsea consider a mid-season move potentially damaging to his progress. The Blues believe that arriving during pre-season offers him a much stronger platform to integrate and adapt.

These developmental considerations remain central to Chelsea’s reluctance to bring him in ahead of time despite the disruption caused by Delap’s injury. The 22-year-old forward has been closely monitored throughout the first half of the Ligue 1 season, and the west Londoners view his steady progression as evidence that sticking to the original timeline is beneficial. At the same time, Chelsea’s hierarchy trusts Maresca’s ability to extract attacking solutions from the current squad.

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Getty Images SportChelsea to utilise multiple players to cover for Delap

Chelsea are expected to continue with Guiu, Pedro, and Neto sharing responsibilities in central areas while Delap undergoes further medical assessment in the coming days. Maresca will rotate based on tactical needs, while the availability of Moises Caicedo and other key returnees may help stabilise the team’s overall structure. The manager is likely to offer further updates on squad depth following Tuesday’s Champions League match.

Attention will soon shift to Everton at Stamford Bridge, where a more traditional attacking setup may be preferred if Guiu continues to meet training expectations. Chelsea will be cautious not to overwork their young forwards amid a packed schedule, especially with Delap facing another potentially lengthy spell out. January discussions will continue internally, but the stance on Emegha appears settled barring an unforeseen change in circumstances.

Looking ahead, Emegha’s arrival in the summer remains a central part of Chelsea’s evolving forward blueprint, with the club expecting him to compete immediately for significant minutes. Delap’s long-term role will depend on his recovery and ability to stay fit.

Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for overseas leagues

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025R Ashwin, the only player with a base price in six figures, went unsold in the inaugural ILT20 player auction in Dubai. The former India spinner didn’t reappear in the accelerated auction, but there’s a possibility that he can still feature in the upcoming season as a wildcard. Two franchises, MI Emirates and Desert Vipers, are yet to complete their wildcard signings.Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for players who want to participate in T20 leagues outside Pakistan. No reason has been given as to why this action was taken.Vipers snapped up Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000) and Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000) all at their base prices.Vipers also picked the Afghanistan pair of Qais Ahmad and Faridoon Dawoodzai.West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Andre Fletcher fetched the highest bid of USD 260,000. MI Emirates outbid rivals to retain him for a fourth successive season.Related

Kieron Pollard to captain MI Emirates in ILT20

R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind, who was with MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals in the past, was the first player to attract a bid in the auction, also going to Vipers for USD 10,000.Pakistan-born UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique triggered a bidding war, with Gulf Giants bidding up to USD 170,000 for him, but Sharjah Warriorz used their RTM to match that bid and bring him back to their franchise. Siddique’s recent form is particularly encouraging: he was the third-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with nine strikes in three games at an average of 6.33 and an identical economy rate.Akshay Wakhare, a former Ranji Trophy winner with Vidarbha, earned a gig with Dubai Capitals while former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, who has now moved to the USA, went to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.A day before the player auction, Warriorz unveiled former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as a replacement for Kusal Mendis.The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches.JP Duminy raises the paddle for Sharjah Warriorz•ILT20SquadsAbu Dhabi Knight Riders (Total Spent: USD 1,457,000)
Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (USD 40,000), George Garton (USD 10,000), Brandon McMullen (USD 110,000), Ibrar Ahmed (USD 22,000), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad (USD 10,000), Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000), Mayank Chowdary (USD 10,000), Khary Pierre (USD 10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USD 10,000), Unmukt Chand (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly StoneDesert Vipers (Total Spent: USD 1,617,500)
Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Qais Ahmad (USD 40,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Faisal Khan (USD 10,000), Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000), Tom Bruce (USD 80,000), Matiullah Khan (USD 10,000), Tawanda Muyeye (USD 40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries GousDubai Capitals (Total Spent: USD 1,475,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq (USD 10,000), Tymal Mills (USD 80,000), Scott Currie (USD 250,000), Mohammad Nabi (USD 80,000), Farhan Khan (USD 10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000), Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi (USD 10,000), Shayan Jahangir (USD 10,000), Rushil Ugarkar (USD 10,000), Naveen Bidiasee (USD 10,000), Toby Albert (USD 10,000), Akshay Wakhare (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy NeeshamGulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah GurbazMI Emirates (Total Spent: USD 1,868,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu MendisSharjah Warriorz (Total Spent: USD 1,664,000)
Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (USD 170,000), James Rew (USD 10,000), Nathan Sowter (USD 100,000), Dwaine Pretorius (USD 120,000), Jayden Seales (USD 80,000), Harmeet Singh (USD 10,000), Wasim Akram (USD 55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam (USD 14,000), Raees Ahmad (USD 10,000), Richard Ngarava (USD 10,000), Shubham Ranjane (USD 10,000), Ethan D’Souza (USD 10,000), Taskin Ahmed (USD 80,000), Abdul Salman Khan (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar

Arsenal are flying at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s thumping 4-1 win in the North London Derby on Sunday has seen them go six points clear of second-place Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and seven points clear of Manchester City.

It was an incredible team performance from the North Londoners, but even so, Eberechi Eze stood out, scoring the first hat-trick in the competition since Alan Sunderland in 1978.

The former Crystal Palace star has been an excellent signing for Arsenal, and now the club are being linked with someone who’d be a dream teammate for him.

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

Arsenal may have spent big in the summer, but perhaps due to them being in a great position domestically and in Europe, they are already being linked with some huge players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

Juventus’ sensationally talented Kenan Yıldız, for example, has been touted for an £88m move to the Emirates, as has the £120m Elliot Anderson.

However, the North Londoners are also looking at another goalscoring centre-forward, someone who’d be a dream signing for Eze.

At least, that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Samu Aghehowa.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the Gunners are among the sides leading the race for his signature, even if Tottenham Hotspur are just marginally ahead.

However, on top of the competition, one of the hurdles the Premier League leaders will have to overcome to secure the Spaniard’s signature is the fact that it could take around €90m – £79m – to convince Porto to let him go.

Even so, given Samu’s ability, potential and goal record, this is a deal Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he could be a dream signing for Eze.

Why Samu would be a dream signing for Eze

Now, while it is most certainly simplistic, it is also true that the primary reason Samu would be a dream signing for Eze, and by extension Arsenal, is the fact that he’s an output machine.

After all, whether he’s playing on the wing or in the ten, the former Crystal Palace star will want whoever is playing down the middle to be someone who can reliably score goals and even provide assists for him at times.

Fortunately, that sounds a lot like the Spaniard.

For example, in 44 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 3,370 minutes, the 21-year-old racked up an impressive tally of 27 goals and three assists.

That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 112.33 minutes.

Appearances

44

16

Minutes

3,370′

809′

Goals

27

6

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

0.43

Minutes per Goal Involvement

112.33′

115.57′

He’s showing no signs of that being a hot streak either, as so far this season, the monstrous forward has chalked up six goals and one assist in 16 appearances, totalling 809 minutes.

In other words, he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.28 games, or more crucially, every 115.57 minutes.

On top of being a forward who’d be able to reliably finish the chances created for him, the former Atletico Madrid gem is also a battering ram of a player.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the four-capped international, whom journalist Zach Lowy described as “one of the best STs in Europe,” is not someone who’d struggle with the physical nature of the Premier League.

If anything, he’d thrive in it and be able to use his impressive stature to bully opposition defenders and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Finally, despite being such an imposing figure, he has demonstrated an impressive level of agility and movement through a few seriously impressive strikes.

Ultimately, while the fee is high, Samu is a goalscoring machine who would not only improve Arteta’s squad but also potentially help Eze’s goal and assist tallies explode.

Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him in January, before another side, like Spurs, gets to him first.

Forget Eze: Arsenal's "cult hero" is becoming Arteta's new Odegaard instead

The incredible Arsenal ace has been in fine form this season and is starting to become Arteta’s new Odegaard.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

For the first time in the series, India’s fast bowlers bowled poorer lengths than England’s. But they regrouped quickly to script a turnaround

Sidharth Monga01-Aug-2025

Prasidh Krishna returned his best figures in Test cricket•Getty Images

“Have you ever felt nothing good was ever gonna happen to you?”At lunch on day two at The Oval, some of the younger players in the India team would have felt the way Chris Moltisanti did when he uttered this immortal line in . Chris is easily frustrated by circumstances, impatient to move up in the North Jersey mafia hierarchy, and even tries his hand at writing a movie script.This Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has been an incredible learning curve for this young India team, a tour where they have had reason to believe that they haven’t been rewarded proportionately for their efforts. The situation at lunch on day two was India 2-1 behind in the series, 224 plays 109 for 1 in 16 overs, and yet another selection looking to blow in their face with just three fast bowlers in the side.Related

'That was the plan' – Prasidh on verbal duel with Root

Siraj, Jaiswal and Prasidh put India in front on 15-wicket day

Stats – The breathtaking Crawley-Duckett opening salvo

For the first time in the series, India’s fast bowlers had bowled poorer lengths than England’s, hit off the good areas by the sensational and skilful opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. One more session of it, and the series would have been gone. India badly needed a Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri to say, as he did in response to the aforementioned question: “Yeah. So what?”Paulie is one of the most ruthless and trusted henchmen of the mob boss Tony Soprano. He is as psychopathic as the other wise guys but he is not given to feeling pity for himself. He is one of the more stoic wise guys. At The Oval, it had to be one or all of the India fast bowlers to step up and say “so what”. We will get up again and do the work. We will do the right things again. So what if the results haven’t gone our way?Mohammed Siraj is a good fit as Paulie. Never to be Tony Soprano, not even of the fast-bowling group, but happy to do the hard work and step up when needed. Sometimes Siraj even reckons he is proud of being given the responsibility and does better when he is, but he knows he is not quite his “Jassi “. He didn’t start off well, bowling ordinary lines with the new ball, conceding 31 in his first four overs, which is why he had to watch Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna start off this crucial session.3:42

‘A workhorse, a man to have in the team’

Akash Deep had not had a great start himself. He had troubled Duckett, was all over him, hit him in the box, and nearly had him three times in his second over, but a reverse-pull for a six from Duckett completely rattled him. The next time Duckett charged at him, Akash Deep lost his length completely and was dismissively cut away. Duckett was almost telling him – twice in one over – that he was not quick enough. That he could leave the crease early and still have time to cut him if he changed the length.This was Bazball at its best, and India were on the back foot. The height difference between Crawley and Duckett meant India were getting cut and driven from the same lengths, which weren’t necessarily big errors. Prasidh looked the best of the three, but never forget that he was coming off the ignominy of having to sit out at Old Trafford for a bowler straight off the flight.It was this beleaguered trio that needed to say “so what” and get on with it. A session of 6 for 106 was as emphatic a “so what” as any. Being the wise guys, they needed to wise up a little first, which they did among themselves. Take your pick on who Silvio and Bobby – two of Soprano’s other lieutenants – are but this was a chat they needed to have to lift each other up. Prasidh said the three got into a corner and decided what had happened had happened. He said they needed to reassure each other, help each other when they veered off lines and lengths, and also “show some body language”.Mohammed Siraj celebrates after dismissing Ollie Pope•Getty ImagesThey knew they had – as a human reaction – started to bowl hard lengths as if in the middle overs of an ODI, but that was not going to help them. Immediately, they started bowling better lengths for this pitch: one with appreciable seam movement available. India have generally stayed on 6-8m for most of the series, but here they started hitting 5-6m more often: 13.4% of the times as opposed to 7.2% in the first session. So even when they pulled it back in reaction to aggression, they were still on the good length.As a result, they not only kept the edges and the stumps in play – thanks to the seam movement – but also gave the ball a chance to swing. Even though high-seam deliveries went down, their average swing went up, which created the combination India needed. Results were not instant, Crawley resumed just as merrily, but even though he didn’t start bowling, Siraj at mid-on was always reassuring his bowlers they were on the right track.Prasidh said it was challenging to keep bowling good balls when the batters played as well as Duckett and Crawley did, but they needed reassurance from each other that if they bowled well, “it was a matter of time”.1:45

Prasidh: I’ve been picked to do a job

Time, though, was not on their side. There were just three of them on a pitch that needed fast bowling the most. Bringing spin on would ease all the pressure. This is where Akash Deep, who took just one wicket, played a big role. He started the session with a five-over spell, had time off for just three overs, and then pitched in with a six-over spell from the other end. All the while clutching his shoulder and stretching it because of a niggle. These were not just any spells; they were 5-0-16-0 and 6-0-18-0 with plenty of questions asked.At the other end, the only fast bowler left standing after playing all Tests, Siraj pulled in a shift: 8-0-35-3. He pulled out the lethal combination of outswing and wobble-seam. He dragged Joe Root across with outswing before bowling the lbw ball with the wobble seam. As a true disciple of Jasprit Bumrah, in his first 12 overs, Siraj bowled only one ball fuller than 5m: the near-yorker to get Jacob Bethell out.It was then time for Prasidh to take over from Akash Deep and show off his wobble-seam ball. He has been bowling it for a while now, increasing the frequency of it as his trust in it had grown, but he also perhaps produced his first wicket with the way the wobble-seam ball is intended: to nip back in and trap the batter in front, Jamie Overton in this case.Good things now started to happen to the wise guys. The rain break came at just the right time to allow them to stay fresh and limit the damage Harry Brook could cause in the company of the tail. If you are just watching from the outside and thought the series was over at lunch, you are probably reacting like Silvio, a nod to if ever there was one: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

The MLB playoffs have officially begun and with it, the quest for some fortunate clubs to capture a championship. But for the other unfortunate clubs who missed out on October baseball, the month can bring change, particularly in leadership at the manager position.

Already, MLB has seen some clubs part ways with managers. To help keep track of the comings and goings, here's a running list tracking the manager status of every MLB team eliminated from the postseason.

Which MLB managers have been fired? Bob Melvin

San Francisco endured a disappointing campaign that saw the Giants race out to a 41-29 start and seem poised for the postseason, only to stumble to a 40-52 record the rest of the way to miss out on October. And unfortunately for Melvin, the underwhelming finish cost him his job. The Giants, after seemingly endorsing him by picking up his option for 2026 in July, made an about-face and opted to instead fire the three-time Manager of the Year. In two seasons managing San Francisco, Melvin went 161-163.

Rocco Baldelli

Rocco Baldelli's tenure in Minnesota started out with a bang, as the then first-year manager led the slugging Twins to just the franchise's second-ever 100-win season back in 2019. While the Twins never again eclipsed the century-win mark under Baldelli's stewardship, the club did go on to win two more American League Central titles, bowing out in the first round of the playoffs in each year while missing out on the postseason in his four other seasons at the helm. The firing of Baldelli, who had his 2026 option picked up earlier in the year, signals a reset on the field for a Twins team that gutted its roster at the trade deadline during the summer.

The "parted ways" categoryBruce Bochy

Bruce Bochy, a four-time World Series champion who led the Rangers to the franchise's first and only championship in 2023, mutually agreed with the club to part ways. Texas reached the pinnacle of the sport with Bochy perched on the top stoop of the dugout in 2023, but limped to 78-84 and 81-81 records in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Bochy himself even acknowledged that the club "underachieved" in '25, perhaps appreciating his and the club's shortcomings. But after coaxing him out of retirement, the Rangers can't look back at Bochy's tenure as anything but a smashing success.

Ron Washington

The Angels on Sept. 30 declined to pick up the 2026 options of manager Ron Washington and interim manager Ray Montgomery, a disappointing end to the Washington tenure. The 73-year-old Washington, who led the Rangers to two AL pennants in the 2010s, stepped away from managing duties on June 20 due to a health issue, which he later revealed to be quadruple bypass heart surgery, a procedure he underwent on June 30. Washington had hoped for the opportunity to return to manage the club in 2026, but it was unfortunately not to be. Washington went 135-189 in two seasons managing Los Angeles.

Brian Snitker

It was reported on Oct. 1 that Snitker, who was mulling a potential retirement, informed the Braves he would not be returning to manage the team in 2026. In a press release, the club announced that the veteran manager will be transitioning to "an advisory role" within the organization, adding that he'll be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame next season. Snitker led Atlanta to six division titles, a pair of 100-win seasons and managed the club to a World Series title in 2021. Snitker, the 2018 Manager of the Year, won the third-most games in franchise history. But the '25 campaign, an injury-riddled season in which the Braves started 0-7 and never fully recovered, was undoubtedly a disappointment.

Which MLB managers have been retained?Don Kelly

The Pirates on May 8 fired Derek Shelton and named then-bench coach Don Kelly the interim manager. Kelly led the club to a 59-65 record, including a winning record at home, while overseeing a pitching staff that recorded the fourth-best ERA in all of baseball since the All-Star break. The Pirates were obviously not pleased that the franchise endured its 10th straight losing season, but they were impressed enough with Kelly to extend his contract on Sept. 29.

Carlos Mendoza

The Mets, despite enduring one of the most inexplicable collapses for a seemingly postseason-bound club, on Sept. 29 announced that manager Carlos Mendoza would be returning as the skipper in 2026. It's not too surprising, given that president of baseball operations David Stearns had multiple times expressed his confidence in Mendoza in August. Despite the team's stunning fall from grace in 2025, Mendoza and the Mets are still just a year removed from reaching the National League Championship Series, and Stearns expressed his belief that the skipper is a "very good manager." However, Mendoza's coaching staff will be further "evaluated", suggesting there could be changes coming.

Oliver Marmol

Cardinals new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom on Sept. 30 announced that manager Oliver Marmol will return in 2026. Marmol led the Cardinals to a 93-win season and National League Central title in 2022, but hasn't reached those heights since, as St. Louis has finished below .500 in two of the last three seasons. But the club is transitioning to a new leader in the front office and looking to get younger on the field, so it appears patience is being exercised with Marmol.

Which MLB managers have been hired? Skip Schumaker

Schumaker, the former National League Manager of the Year award winner with the Marlins, on Oct. 3 was announced as the 21st manager of the Texas Rangers. Schumaker, regarded as one of the best young managers in the game, replaces a legend in four-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy, who led the Rangers to its first World Series title in franchise history.

Kurt Suzuki

The Angels on Oct. 21 hired Suzuki, a former 16-year MLB veteran, to be the club's next manager. The Angels had expressed interest in former MLB star Albert Pujols, whom they interviewed, as the next skipper, but they instead shifted their focus to Suzuki. A former big-league catcher, Suzuki has spent the last two seasons as a special assistant to general manager Perry Minasian. Suzuki, who has never been a manager, will attempt to help Los Angeles end a postseason drought that extends to the 2014 season.

Tony Vitello

The Giants took a leap of faith and hired former Tennessee Volunteers coach Tony Vitello to be their 40th manager. While the hire has raised eyebrows around baseball, Vitello's track record at the college level is for real. He turned the Volunteers into an SEC power, leading the program to the College World Series three times from 2021 to 2024, the final year of which resulted in the program's first national championship. Vitello takes over a Giants club that has missed the postseason in each of the last four seasons.

Craig Albernaz

The Orioles on Oct. 27 announced the hiring of Albernaz as the club's 21st manager in team history. He has never been a manager at any level, but has a wealth of experience to draw from, having began his coaching career with the Tampa Bay Rays, having served as a bullpen and catching coach for the Giants and then a bench coach and associate manager for the Cleveland Guardians. Albernaz inherits a young Orioles core that won 91 games just a year ago.

Derek Shelton

After parting ways with Rocco Baldelli in September, an experienced hand appealed to the Twins. Minnesota reportedly chose former Pirates manager Derek Shelton, who had managed the Pirates earlier in 2025 and served as the Twins bench coach in 2018 and 2019. Shelton compiled a 306-440 record in six seasons as Pittsburgh's skipper. He returns to Minnesota at a time of seeming transition, as the Twins are fresh off of a massive fire sale at the trade deadline and their second consecutive season missing the playoffs.

Blake Butera

The Nationals, like the Giants, opted to take a leap of faith with the club's managerial hire. Washington reportedly hired 33-year-old Blake Butera, a longtime minor league manager in the Rays' farm system, to be their manager. He is the youngest big league manager since 1972. After winning the Word Series in 2019, Washington endured six straight seasons of missing out on October baseball, resulting in the firing of manager Dave Martinez and a parting of the ways with interim manager Miguel Cairo.

Fast bowler was knighted in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours in April

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2025James Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, has received his knighthood from Princess Anne during a ceremony at Windsor Castle.Anderson, 43, was named in former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list in April for services to cricket, having brought the curtain down on his 21-year, 188-Test career at Lord’s in July 2024.He finished with 704 Test wickets, the most ever taken by a pace bowler, and behind only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708). He claimed a further 269 in ODIs – still an England record, despite playing his last white-ball match in 2015.After his international retirement, Anderson continued to play for his county Lancashire during the 2025 season, and excelled on his return to T20 cricket after a decade-long absence, as he helped take his club to Finals Day at Edgbaston.He also earned a wildcard contract with Manchester Originals in the Hundred, and is in talks to continue his county career into the 2026 season.

Crystal Palace could make a January move for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, with the Portuguese club’s stance on sanctioning a departure recently being revealed.

The interest in the Sporting star comes amid major doubt over Marc Guehi’s future, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United among the main suitors within the Premier League, while interest is also building from across Europe.

Losing Guehi would undoubtedly be a major blow, with the captain continuing to impress over the past few weeks, having kept clean sheets in three of his last four matches in all competitions.

However, with the 25-year-old’s contract set to expire next summer, it is looking extremely unlikely the Eagles will be able to keep hold of him, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of a potential replacement.

Crystal Palace could make January move for Ousmane Diomande

According to a report from Record (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace could make a renewed approach to sign Diomande in the January transfer window, having initially set €55m (£49m) aside to bring in the Sporting CP defender during the summer.

However, it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, with the Portuguese club eager to keep hold of the centre-back, given their aspirations of winning the Liga Portugal title, meaning Palace may have to trigger his €80m (£71m) release clause.

With the 21-year-old also being described as one of the ‘most coveted’ players in Sporting’s squad, Oliver Glasner’s side may face competition in the race for his signature, but it would be a major statement of intent if they were able to lure him to Selhurst Park.

Indeed, the youngster could have a big future ahead, given the praise he has received from scout Ben Mattinson, who dubbed the Sporting star as a “hybrid” between Arsenal defenders Gabriel and William Saliba, while also adding “he could become a monster in no time”.

Despite his age, the starlet has already built up a wealth of first-team experience, making 109 appearances for the Portuguese side, including 11 in the Champions League, which suggests he may now be ready to test himself in the Premier League.

Signing Diomande would undoubtedly soften the blow of losing Guehi, but the potential transfer fee of £71m could be an issue, given that Crystal Palace paid just £27m for their record signing, Christian Benteke.

Crystal Palace also targeting Ezri Konsa to replace Marc Guehi Crystal Palace identify Ezri Konsa as new target amid Marc Guehi uncertainty

The Eagles have joined the race for Konsa, with Guehi poised to leave on a free transfer next summer.

1 ByDominic Lund Oct 31, 2025

They are the first opening pair from England with a 500-plus aggregate in a Test series since Strauss and Cook in the 2010-11 Ashes

Sampath Bandarupalli01-Aug-20251:58

Bangar on Crawley-Duckett: Haven’t seen batting of that quality

7224 – Runs scored by Joe Root in Tests in England. His tally is the second-highest for any batter in a single country, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 7216 in India, and only behind Ricky Ponting’s 7578 in Australia.Root has scored 2006 runs against India at home so far. He is only the second batter to aggregate 2000-plus Test runs against a single opposition at home after Don Bradman, who had scored 2354 runs against England.8 – Number of 50-plus stands between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in Tests against India, the joint-highest by an opening pair, alongside Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Crawley and Duckett have 984 runs in 18 innings against India, only behind Greenidge-Haynes, who had 1325 runs in 30 partnerships.Related

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7.16 – The run rate during Crawley and Duckett’s 92-run partnership, which came in 12.5 overs. It is the second-highest run rate for a 50-plus opening stand against India in men’s Tests. .The highest is 7.18 by Shahid Afridi and Yasir Hameed, who added 91 in 12.4 overs in Bengaluru in 2005. Four of the top 15 fastest 50-plus opening stands against India have been by the Crawley and Duckett pair.539 – Partnership runs between Crawley and Duckett in this series so far. They are the first opening pair to aggregate 500-plus runs in a Test series since David Warner and Joe Burns’ 547 against New Zealand in 2015. They are also the first opening pair from England with a 500-plus aggregate in a Test series since Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook in the 2010-11 Ashes.48 – Runs scored in boundaries by Crawley at the time of reaching his half-century. It is the joint-second-highest runs scored in boundaries while completing a half-century in men’s Tests (Since 2002). Only Tim Southee scored more, with 50, on debut against England in 2008.Harry Brook falls over after nailing a jaw-dropping slog sweep•Getty ImagesCrawley’s 64-run knock featured 56 boundary runs, a percentage of 87.50. It is the third-highest boundary percentage in a 50-plus score for England in men’s Tests, behind only Andrew Flintoff’s 88.89% (48 out of 54) against New Zealand in 2004 and 88% by Chris Woakes (44 out of 50) against India in 2021.6 – Bowlers to take a four-plus wicket haul for India in this series, with Prasidh Krishna the latest. Only once have more bowlers had a higher tally in a Test series for India – seven against Pakistan at home in 1960-61, while six bowlers did so against West Indies in 1974-75 and also in the 2018 tour of England.1066 – Balls that KL Rahul faced in this series against England, the second-highest by an India opener in a Test series in England, behind Sunil Gavaskar’s 1199 on the 1979 tour. Only six visiting players have faced more balls than Rahul’s tally in this series while opening the batting in a series in England.Rahul’s 532 runs are the most for any opener in a Test series in England in nearly 22 years and the second-highest for India behind Gavaskar’s 542 in 1979.