England captain pinpoints powerplay assault as key factor in close contest

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-20241:21

Morkel: De Kock doesn’t overthink the game

England captain Jos Buttler described Quinton de Kock’s innings of 65 from 38 balls as “probably the difference” between the sides after South Africa closed out a seven-run win in St Lucia to extend their winning run at the T20 World Cup 2024 to six games.De Kock struck four sixes on the way to a 22-ball half-century, helping South Africa finish the powerplay on 63 without loss. With the surface notably slower than during the four preceding evening games at the Daren Sammy Stadium, South Africa could only post 163 for 6 at the end of 20 overs but they had enough in the bank to hold England at arm’s length.”I’d say in the powerplay, actually,” Buttler said, when asked at the post-match presentation where England had lost the game. “Quinton de Kock came out with a lot of intensity in that powerplay, and we couldn’t quite match that. I think we were probably 20 behind them after six overs. The wicket slowed up and we brought it back really well, we were quite happy chasing 160 [164]. But yeah, they bowled well in the powerplay and Quinton de Kock’s innings was probably the difference.”Related

How de Kock's local knowledge helped win the powerplay, and the match

Klaasen lauds SA for 'grafting and adapting to conditions'

Live report – England vs South Africa: Group 2 pace-setters clash

South Africa hold nerve against England to continue unbeaten march

England, by contrast, lost Phil Salt on the way to 41 for 1 from the first six overs of their chase, with Jonny Bairstow falling shortly after. When Buttler was dismissed for 17 off 20 and Moeen Ali holed out two overs later – both dismissed by Keshav Maharaj – England were 61 for 4 with 103 still required from 9.4 overs.A stand of 78 in 42 balls between Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone edged them back into contention, the pair taking 21 off Ottneil Baartman’s 17th over to bring the equation down to 25 needed from the last three. But Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje held their nerve to close out victory.”I think it’s still a good wicket,” Buttler said. “A little bit slower than we probably expected, but as I said, we were quite happy chasing 160. We came back really well with the ball after how well Quinny played in the powerplay. I thought Brook and Livingstone had a fantastic partnership there to take us so close and at one stage [we were] looking like favourites but it’s never quite as simple as that in T20 cricket and credit to South Africa for closing it out.”I thought we were really good [with the ball]. As I said, the powerplay was the best time to bat, and I think Quinny recognised that and took some calculated risks. But yeah, the bowling performance, to come back and restrict a really powerful line-up to what I thought was a par score was a great effort.”Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks added 86 in 9.5 overs for the opening wicket•Associated PressDefeat means England will have to beat USA in their final Group 2 game to retain hopes of reaching the semi-finals and defending their trophy, with the potential for net run rate to again be the decider.The equation for South Africa is more straightforward, with victory over West Indies on Sunday guaranteeing them a semi-final spot. Aiden Markram’s side have now won six games in a row, a run which has seen them prevail in several close finishes, and the captain praised their “fighting spirit” after holding off England’s charge at the end.”Yeah, we’ve had a few of those so far this comp,” Markram said. “But specifically today’s, probably getting to those last three overs and it looks like the odds will be heavily against you, and for the bowlers to hang in there, have really good plans and ultimately get the execution right, shows a lot of skill. But I think it comes from deeper and that fighting spirit, like you mentioned, helped us a lot.”On his bowlers’ approach between overs 15 and 17, during which Brook and Livingstone defied the conditions to add 52, Markram was philosophical.”It’s always a tricky one, you want to see the bowlers’ best skills. You want to give him the freedom to bowl his best ball first before changing to conditions. It was a bit nerve-wracking there in those overs. The plans were okay but the execution let us down, but that’s okay, that’s part of the game. You do have to give credit to Liam and to Brooky, they put us under the pump, and ultimately in the last few overs it was good to see the bowlers respond.”Markram also pinpointed the start de Kock gave his side, given the way conditions changed, adding that he felt South Africa were “getting closer to the really complete game” with their latest performance.”I thought Quinny and Reeza [Hendricks] took on the powerplay beautifully for us but then it definitely got slower,” he said. “I probably wanted another 10-20 runs, being greedy, especially on the back of that really good start. We needed to try and squeeze in the middle, try and save as many runs as we could in the field and build pressure that way. As a whole, we are probably getting closer to the really complete game of cricket. Not quite there just yet, but we are definitely on the right track.”

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

ECB Reporters Network17-Jul-2024

Liam Livingstone goes big•Getty Images

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

It’s all changing at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.

Ange Postecoglou may have led the club to their first trophy in a generation, but a 17th-place finish in the Premier League was enough for Daniel Levy and Co to send him on his way.

In his place, former Brentford manager Thomas Frank has been tasked with dramatically improving the club’s domestic form next season, and one way to make that happen is by adding genuine quality to the squad.

Fortunately, recent reports suggest the North Londoners may be closing in on a signing who’d be a more exciting addition to the team than Mathys Tel.

Tottenham transfer news

The transfer window may have only just opened again, but Spurs have recently been linked with many talented attackers, such as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa, who thrived under Frank’s management.

Transfer Focus

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

Moreover, to ensure the squad aren’t left short on numbers in attack next year, Levy and Co have also re-signed Tel on a permanent transfer.

The young Frenchman did well enough in spells last season, and the potential is certainly there, but based purely on what we saw from him this year, it’s hard to describe his £30m signing as particularly exciting.

The good news is that the Lilywhites now appear to be advancing in talks to sign someone who certainly would be an exciting signing: Antoine Semenyo.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Spurs are incredibly interested in the Bournemouth star and are ‘growing in confidence in striking a deal’ with the South Coast side.

The report does not mention how much the Ghanaian international could cost the North Londoners, but reports from earlier this month claim that a fee of up to £70m should be enough.

Now, that is certainly a lot of money, but given Semenyo’s ability and experience, it’d be worth it for Spurs, especially as he’d be a more exciting signing than Tel.

Why Semenyo would be a more exciting signing than Tel

Okay, so the first thing to address is that Semenyo has an inherent advantage here in that the newest attacking signings are going to be more exciting than a club re-signing someone they’ve had on loan before purely for the fact that they’ll represent something fresh and relatively unknown.

However, while this is undoubtedly the case here, there are other significant reasons why the Bournemouth star would be a far more exciting addition to the team than Tel, starting with their output.

In 20 appearances for the North Londoners, totalling 1257 minutes, the Sarcelles-born attacker was able to score three goals and provide a single assist, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every five games, or every 314.25 minutes.

In stark contrast, the Cherries ace scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 178.1 minutes.

Moreover, while the Frenchman can play off the left or up top relatively easily, the Chelsea-born ace can play off either flank, up top or even in midfield, thanks largely to the fact he’s ambipedal.

Finally, on top of everything else, the 25-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, also comes out way on top when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

For example, he comes out on top in almost all relevant metrics, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, successful take-ons and many, many more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.45

0.23

Progressive Passes

3.06

2.31

Progressive Carries

3.93

2.62

Shots

3.51

2.47

Shots on Target

1.12

0.85

Passing Accuracy

73.4%

74.4%

Key Passes

1.29

1.15

Passes into the Final Third

1.38

1.31

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.26

1.38

Live Passes

29.5

27.8

Shot-Creating Actions

3.71

2.47

Goal-Creating Actions

0.37

0.31

Successful Take-Ons

1.94

1.62

Ball Recoveries

4.44

3.62

Aerial Duels Won

1.85

0.38

Ultimately, while Tel is a talented player who could develop into something special, Semenyo is streaks ahead of him and would be a far more exciting signing for Spurs.

A better signing than Mbeumo: Spurs enter talks to sign "unbelievable" CF

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move to land an attacker who could star in North London.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 16, 2025

Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup following an extra-time victory over Benfica at the weekend.

Reece James looked like he had powered the Blues into the next round, but a penalty from Ángel Di María sent the clash into an extra 30 minutes.

The game was suspended for a couple of hours, just minutes from the final whistle, due to a storm threat, but Chelsea finally won the clash 4-1.

It may have taken 4 hours and 39 minutes, but Enzo Maresca’s side now face off against PSG for a spot in the semi-final.

Despite the focus being on the tournament and progressing as far as possible, the manager is still keen on bolstering his squad via the transfer market.

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Reports coming from the Athletic claim that the Blues have reached an agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion regarding a move for Joao Pedro.

The proposed deal looks set to be in excess of £50m and the Brazilian has agreed personal terms with the club.

With a medical booked in early for next week, it appears as though Maresca is closing in on signing another key target. Just what will Pedro offer the Blues?

Why Chelsea want to sign Joao Pedro

Maresca is looking to sell both Christopher Nkunku and João Félix this summer, with both players struggling for regular gametime last season.

Nkunku may have scored against Benfica, but with clubs such as Manchester United showing some interest in the Frenchman, it looks as though he might be sold.

Felix played just 20 times for Maresca last season, scoring seven times, but the Portuguese star spent the second half of the campaign out on loan at AC Milan.

Pedro’s arrival suggests one, or perhaps both, will soon be departing Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brighton star is versatile, being able to operate as a centre-forward, second striker or even out wide on the left flank.

Last term, he typically operated in an advanced role centrally, scoring ten goals for the Seagulls and registering seven assists, proving he is adept in front of goal and at creating opportunities for his teammates.

Such were his performances, the 23-year-old ranks highly among his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Indeed, not only does the forward rank in the top 12% for assists (0.28) per 90, but he also ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.33) and successful take-ons (1.34) per 90.

Furthermore, Pedro’s ability to get the ball into dangerous areas is evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes (3.6) and in the top 3% for progressive carries (3.05) per 90, indicating that he will offer a lot of attacking qualities for the Blues next term.

It won’t be the only area of the squad that the Italian will be keen on strengthening, however, especially with the added demands of Champions League football next term.

As such, it’s certainly worth Chelsea bringing in a defender or two this summer.

Chelsea's search for a defender

Last season, the club conceded a total of 59 goals across all competitions from 57 matches, and this record will be something Maresca aims to improve next term.

Over the same period, Chelsea scored 120 goals. This suggests that bolstering the defence is surely a bigger priority than adding to the forward line, notably Joao Pedro.

It looks as though the Blues are keen on a defender who played against them just last weekend – Antonio Silva.

Journalist Simon Phillips stated via his Substack that the Blues have been impressed with the youngster, saying:

“Chelsea have tried and made approaches and checks on a number of potential new centre back names this summer so far and still have more to look at and in to. Chelsea have been scouting Antonio Silva of Benfica all season and already have him added to our transfer shortlist alongside his team mate, Tomas Araujo.

“But Chelsea are looking for an out and out centre back and attentions have again turned to the 21-year-old Portuguese international who has just two-years remaining on his contract.”

The centre-back is valued at €32m (£27m) according to Transfermarkt, but Benfica will be looking for a much higher fee than that to sanction a sale considering his release clause stands at around £87m.

Given their defensive issues last term, Silva would be a better signing than Pedro, that’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Antonio Silva

The 21-year-old played over 40 times last season, including all four games at the Club World Cup for Benfica.

At the tournament, Silva averaged a 92% pass success rate, while winning a staggering 80% of his total duels contested, made 2.3 tackles per game and lost possession just 4.3 times per match in the States.

These performances have attracted plenty of attention, and there is no doubt that Silva is only going to get better and better.

Accurate passes

52.3

Tackles

1.5

Total duels won

4.5

Possession lost

7.7

Clearances

4.3

Balls recovered

4

After he burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old with a goal against Juventus in the Champions League back in 2022, Jamie Carragher claimed the defender was “going to be a superstar” and his upwards trajectory certainly suggests so.

When compared to his peers in the Champions League last season, Silva ranked in the top 1% for clearances (7.7) per 90, while also ranking in the top 16% for aerials won (2.36) and in the top 9% for touches in the defensive penalty area (12.91) per 90.

An impressive array of statistics indeed, and considering his ceiling is extraordinarily high, Maresca must make signing Silva a key priority this summer.

Pedro will certainly add plenty of dynamism to the club’s attacking department, but it is at the heart of the defence where the real improvements are required given the problems Maresca’s men suffered last term.

As such, spending whatever it takes to bring Silva from Benfica to the Premier League must be the next move BlueCo are planning.

If he lands his signature, Silva will almost certainly be a better signing than Pedro.

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 30, 2025

Ryan Mason has already won himself one standout signing since entering the pressurised West Bromwich Albion hot-seat.

Indeed, the Baggies forked out £3m on the services of Nathaniel Phillips to strengthen at the back, with Phillips just fresh off a relegation-saving season at Derby County in the Championship on loan from Liverpool. Now, he’s West Brom’s first major foray into the market.

Transfers at the Hawthorns are unlikely to halt there, though, as West Brom aim to bolster all over the pitch in the wake of Baggies stalwarts Grady Diangana, John Swift, and Semi Ajayi all leaving for nothing.

West Brom interested in another centre-back

A big chunk of West Brom’s long-standing servants are now nowhere to be seen in the West Midlands, as Mason prepares to leave his mark on proceedings.

It’s been heavily commented on, but the 33-year-old does have his past Tottenham Hotspur connections he can fall back on when targeting some sensational summer acquisitions, with both Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear reportedly in their sights when assessing the cream of Spurs’ young crop.

Away from treading down this familiar North London path, however, West Brom could be about to win a much-talked-about 22-year-old prospect from the EFL.

West Brom-based X account DOOD has speculated that Mason and Co. are interested in the possibility of acquiring Stockport County powerhouse Ethan Pye this summer, although nothing is in motion as of yet.

It’s clear when looking at his sublime 2024/25 season – which ended with him winning every personal Hatters accolade possible – why West Brom are hunting him down as a possible partner for Phillips in the heart of defence.

After all, many of West Brom’s star performers once plied their trade in the lower depths of the EFL, as the promotion hopefuls now hope that Pye can be another to burst into life up a division, much like Tom Fellows managed after an early lower league education.

How Pye can be Fellows 2.0

Looking at the final West Brom lineup fielded at the close of the 24/25 campaign is enough to validate how many of the Baggies’ seasoned first-teamers have the third tier to thank for an initial boost in confidence, with Darnell Furlong once loaned out to Swindon Town in League One, before his big Hawthorns break.

Two goals and five assists would come the experienced right-back’s way during his formative County Ground switch, which is amazingly five more goal contributions than Fellows would register on the books of Crawley Town prior to his moment in the spotlight.

The rest is history now for the Solihull-born ace, however, with the homegrown product one of the first names on the Baggies’ teamsheet last season when collecting a blistering 14 assists in Championship action.

Pye will hope he can be as much of a standout figure for the second tier side down the line if a move is finalised, considering the Manchester-born defender has also had to endure many a lower league loan, before developing into one of Dave Challinor’s integral pieces of the jigsaw last season at Edgeley Park.

Pye’s league numbers for Stockport (24/25)

Stat (* = per game)

Pye

Games played

35

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches*

73.7

Accurate passes*

44.4 (79%)

Ball recoveries*

4.5

Total duels won*

7.3

Clean sheets

11

Stats by Sofascore

Only two years prior to his breakout 24/25 offering Pye was plying his trade in the National League with Gateshead. Now, much like Fellows back at the Hawthorns, the Hatters’ success largely depended on the 22-year-old last season, with a mighty 7.3 duels won per game by Pye as Stockport dared to dream about promotion up to the Championship.

Hailed as “outstanding” by West Brom-based journalist Chris Hall, this could be a buy that sees West Brom repeat their unbelievable Fellows magic, with Pye more than ready to make a splash up a level.

It does appear to be only faint murmurs at this point, but West Brom will surely want to make more moves soon as the new season edges closer, with Pye perhaps the next figure to join the intriguing Mason project.

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أعرب لويس دي لا فوينتي مدرب منتخب إسبانيا عن رضاه التام عن أداء لاعبيه عقب الفوز ضد تركيا بسداسية نظيفة، في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 بعد أن سبق له وأنتقد مستواهم ضد بلغاريا.

وسحق منتخب إسبانيا، نظيره تركيا بعد أن تقدم الفريق الضيف بثلاثة أهداف في الشوط الأول، قبل أن يعود ليسجل ثلاثة أهداف أخرى في الشوط الثاني.

وقال دي لا فوينتي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “أنا فخور باللاعبين وبالمنتخب، سعيد للغاية بفريق يواصل النمو وأول من يفاجئ أنا”.

وأضاف: “فريقي لا يحتاج للكثير من الكلام، هم يفهمون الرسائل فورًا، لم نكن راضيين تمامًا عن ما قدمناه في المباراة الماضية”.

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وواصل عن رسالته للاعبين في مباراة تركيا: “أن لا نكرر الأخطاء نفسها، كنا بحاجة لهذا، إنه جيل من اللاعبين لا يكل أبدًا من العمل والرغبة في التحسن، وسط فرحة الفوز، نفكر بالفعل فيما سنفعله في المباريات القادمة لنكون أفضل قليلاً”.

وواصل دي لا فوينتي ليعرب عن آسفه بإصابة نيكو ويليامز: “إصابة مؤسفة، شعر بألم في العضلة المقربة وربما تكون عضلية وسنرى خلال فحوصات الغد”.

وعن ارتداء رودري شارة القيادة عند دخوله الملعب، علق دي لا فوينتي: “هذا الفريق كريم للغاية، كان قرار ألفارو، أنا فخور بهذا القائد، إنه رجل نبيل، وهذا يشرفه باتخاذه هذا القرار”.

وأشاد دي لا فوينتي في نهاية تصريحاته بلاعب آرسنال ميكيل ميرينو الذي سجل هاتريك ضد تركيا: “لدينا لاعبون رائعون، ميكيل يبدع في كثير من الأمور، هو لاعب عبقري وعالمي وأحياناً لا يحظى بالتقدير الذي يستحقه في إسبانيا”.

And so, a new era is here at Tottenham Hotspur, with Ange Postecoglou’s turbulent tenure coming to a close despite overseeing Europa League glory back in May.

That success in Bilbao has handed his successor, Thomas Frank, the chance to experience life in the Champions League, with the Danish coach seeking to prove himself at the truly elite level after years of stability at Brentford.

For the former Bees boss to truly flourish in north London, however, he will need to be handed the appropriate tools, with the Lilywhites having thus far only recruited Japanese starlet, Koto Takai – excluding the permanent captures of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel and Luka Vuskovic.

As noted by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the major priority appears to have the signing of a new, high-profile attacker to freshen up Frank’s forward line, with both Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa having been touted as potential targets of late, alongside Mohammed Kudus.

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With that mind, we have taken a stab at predicting – with the help of AI tool, ChatGPT – how that trio would perform at N17 next season…

Mohammed Kudus – 8-10 Premier League goals

The leading target to join Spurs ahead of next season appears to be Kudus, with recent reports indicating that Daniel Levy and co have struck a £55m agreement with West Ham United, having already had a £50m bid rejected.

The Ghanaian has enjoyed a respectable two-year stint at the London Stadium, following his £38m switch from Ajax in 2023, having chalked up 32 goals and assists in 80 games in all competitions.

That did include a disappointing return of just eight goals and assists in the Premier League last term, although that came amid real upheaval for the Irons, with Graham Potter replacing Julen Lopetegui midway through the campaign.

Under the guidance of Frank, and with a position finally nailed down for the versatile speedster, he could be revived next season. Indeed, ChatGPT certainly thinks so, suggesting that “a more central role and better service could boost his output”.

Their prediction is that the 24-year-old could manage to chalk up eight to ten league goals, alongside chipping in with a further six to eight assists.

Yoane Wissa – 15-18 Premier League goals

Much like the man we’ll come onto below, it would appear that Frank has his eye on some familiar faces this summer, with recent reports suggesting that a move could be in the works for Brentford goal machine, Wissa.

While somewhat in the shadow of Mbeumo and Ivan Toney before that, the 28-year-old’s stock has soared of late, following his return of 19 Premier League goals last season.

Previously a target for Nottingham Forest in January, with a £22m bid having been rebuffed by the Bees, now could be the time for the Congolese marksman to finally jump ship from the Gtech.

With that in mind, there would be no better place, arguably, than the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a reunion with Frank, with ChatGPT predicting that he could notch between 15 and 18 top-flight goals, provided he “adapts quickly and starts regularly”.

Bryan Mbeumo – 18-22 Premier League goals

While Kudus – and perhaps Wissa – look more likely to end up at Spurs this summer, there remains a glimmer of hope that Mbeumo could reunite with his former boss, amid prior claims that Levy was ready to hijack Manchester United’s move for the Cameroon international.

The 25-year-old’s preference appears to be to move to Old Trafford, although a deal has yet to be struck with the Red Devils, with Ruben Amorim’s side already seeing two bids rejected for the winger.

Non-penalty goals

0.17

0.40

Shots

2.61

2.08

Assists

0.10

0.18

Shot-creating actions

3.72

3.80

Pass completion

83.6%

66.1%

Progressive passes

2.75

3.72

Progressive carries

3.41

3.43

Successful take-ons

3.20

1.37

Touches in attacking box

4.41

4.43

Progressive passes received

7.51

9.25

If Spurs can re-enter the race, it could certainly prove fruitful, with Mbeumo having dazzled for the Bees in 2024/25, after scoring 20 goals in the top flight, finishing behind only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland in the scoring charts.

With 121 goals and assists to his name in 242 games under Frank to date, the left-footer would surely be able to slot in smoothly next term, with ChatGPT suggesting that “Mbeumo could immediately hit 20 league goals”, while representing “an upgrade in Spurs’ front line”.

In all, ChatGPT reckons he could get between 18-20 Premier League goals in 2025/26, alongside registering a further eight to ten assists.

The dream squad Spurs could build: £283m stars sign alongside Kudus

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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 8, 2025

It’s hard to imagine where Manchester United would be without Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese international undoubtedly the shining light in what’s been a dismal 2024/25 campaign.

The Red Devils finished 15th in the Premier League, just a couple of places above the drop zone, mainly due to the 30-year-old’s goal contributions, which saw him register 18 combined goals and assists in his 36 appearances.

He also fired Ruben Amorim’s side to the Europa League final, achieving a total of 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, by far and away the most in the first team.

Fernandes has maintained such levels over a sustained period after joining for £47m back in 2020, with such a deal now looking a bargain given his form at Old Trafford.

He’s registered 20 or more contributions in every year he’s spent with the Red Devils, but he desperately needs reinforcements in attacking areas next season if the side are to progress up the table.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Victor Osimhen has been a name widely linked with a move to Old Trafford this window, with the Nigerian looking to secure a move away from Napoli after spending the season on loan at Galatasaray.

Viktor Gyokeres is another player on Jason Wilcox’s radar, but it remains to be seen if they can convince him to secure a reunion with Amorim after the Swede stated his desire to move to Arsenal this summer.

However, the same can’t be said for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, with a deal seemingly edging closer to completion, according to reports..

The report notes that personal terms have been agreed over a summer switch to Old Trafford, with no other side having an opportunity to hijack the deal at this stage.

Transfer Focus

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It’s also states that the two clubs are edging closer to agreeing a fee for his signature, with the Bees previously demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with their star man.

Why Mbeumo would be United’s best signing since Bruno

There’s no doubt that Bruno has been United’s star man in recent seasons, but other players have joined the club and made an impact, just not on the same level and on a consistent basis.

Amad Diallo is one player who has demonstrated his quality over recent years, with the 2024/25 campaign his major breakout year within the first team.

The Ivorian has netted 11 goals and registered eight assists this campaign, with his best moment undoubtedly coming in the Manchester Derby – netting the winner against Pep Guardiola’s men at the Etihad.

Rasmus Hojlund was another big-money addition, also joining from Atalanta like Amad, but ultimately, his spell in England has been a disaster, scoring just 26 times in his two years at the club.

The signing of the Dane was the last time the club spent £70m or more on a player, but this time, a deal for Mbeumo will land them a proven Premier League star.

His experience in such a division will be key to any success at Old Trafford, potentially linking up with Bruno and improving on his tally, which saw him bag 20 goals in a season for the first time in his career.

The “superb” talent, as labelled by analyst Harry Brooks, has massively outperformed the aforementioned pair in 2024/25, further showcasing why he’d be the best signing since the Portuguese playmaker.

How Mbeumo compares to Amad & Hojlund in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Mbeumo	Amad	Hojlund
Games played	38	26	32
Goals & assists	27	14	4
Shot-on-target accuracy	43%	36%	40%
Progressive passes	3.7	2.8	0.4
Passes into final third	1.7	1.2	0.6
Take-on success	47%	46%	27%
Goals per shot on target	0.5	0.4	0.3
Stats via FBref

Alongside outscoring the duo, he’s also notched a higher goal per shot-on-target rate this season, reaffirming the clinical ability he possesses within the final third.

However, alongside his goalscoring ability, he’s also demonstrated his creativity, completing more progressive passes and more passes into the final third – able to have an impact whether it’s scoring or assisting in attacking areas.

If he can carry over such form to Old Trafford next campaign, he will be a phenomenal addition and one that could take some of the pressure off Fernandes in terms of being the key man for United.

The club have often spent big and been unsuccessful, as seen with Hojlund, but this time around, there’s a different feel, with Mbeumo having all the tools to be a success at the Theatre of Dreams.

The new McTominay: Man Utd moving to sign "one of the best CMs in Serie A"

Manchester United have a player in their sights who could replicate Scott McTominay’s success.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 19, 2025

Poor form from the batters was the primary reason for Bangladesh’s disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, according to vice captain Taskin Ahmed. He said that almost everything went according to plan except the batting during Bangladesh’s 47-day tour of the Americas.In a tough environment for batters across the tournament, Bangladesh’s batting unit had the lowest collective average among the Super Eight teams.Bangladesh’s top three failed to give them a start in any of their innings with Litton Das scoring the lone fifty from those positions. Towhid Hridoy’s 153 runs at 128.57 was their best batting performance but Shakib (111 runs at 106.73 SR) and Mahmudullah (95 runs at 94.05 SR) couldn’t provide him with enough support in the middle order.Related

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“The seniors’ off-form had an effect on the team but not off the field,” Taskin told reporters at the Dhaka airport, after the Bangladesh team’s arrival on Friday morning. “They are great team men. We stayed as a team for 47 days. Everything was fine off the field. It is quite normal that a team will have problems when important players are not in form. I am hopeful that we can recover from this, and play better soon.”Taskin said that the batters only found better pitches when they reached the West Indies but even then he said that he hadn’t seen such a long batting slump by Bangladesh in his international career.”When you talk about the batting, if you look at the statistics, I think every [teams’] batting department suffered in the USA this time. Bowlers got a lot of help. We got better [batting] wickets in the West Indies.”I haven’t seen such a long bad patch for the batters in my ten years playing for Bangladesh. I hope it goes away quickly.”We never had great numbers in T20s. We are improving slowly. We cannot just look at minus points; we are in the negative already. We are trying to get a ‘plus’. Your frustration is expected. We will give you a good win. You have to keep faith in us. We will give it our best.”Taskin was part of a strong bowling display from Bangladesh. He was returning from injury but Tanzim Hasan and legspinner Rishad Hossain led the bowling charts; Rishad remains in joint-third position among the tournament’s top wicket-takers, ahead of the final. Taskin said that it proved talented cricketers are coming up from Bangladesh.”The bowling unit has been doing well for the last few years. We have been consistent. It will keep getting better.”Tanzim and Rishad are among the tournament’s top wicket-takers. It is a positive. We have some future stars emerging from Bangladesh. It says that we have ability. What has taken place has hurt us and the fans, especially our inability to win certain matches,” he said.Taskin said that they were left disappointed with the last game against Afghanistan especially, when Bangladesh had to chase down their target in 12.1 overs to make it to the semi-finals but couldn’t get the job done.”We could have done a lot better. We were all quite disappointed with the last match. We tried to win it in 12 overs, but when we realised it wasn’t possible, we tried to win the game. We still couldn’t win.”There are positives from the campaign. Our bowlers did very well throughout the tournament. We qualified to the Super Eight. We won three matches in the T20 World Cup for the first time. So there are positives, but there are negatives too. We are disappointed like the rest of you. We didn’t play up to expectations.”

He was preferred by the selectors over Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain of the 2024 T20 World Cup winning squad

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-20241:32

‘Hardik will be massively disappointed’

Suryakumar Yadav has been confirmed as India’s new T20I captain, ahead of Hardik Pandya who was the vice-captain of the squad that won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June.Suryakumar’s first assignment is the three T20Is in Sri Lanka on July 27, 28 and 30, which is also the first assignment of India’s new coach Gautam Gambhir. It’s also seen as the first step towards building for the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in 2026. While Hardik is part of the T20I squad, Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain.Gill had captained India in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe that followed the T20 World Cup.The need for a new captain arose following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is after winning the World Cup. Though Hardik was Rohit’s deputy at the T20 World Cup and is a more experienced captain – he has led India in three ODIs and 16 T20Is, apart from leading Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the IPL – it is understood fitness concerns and workload management may have been factors in the decision taken by the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar.ESPNcricinfo LtdHardik had suffered an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup last October-November and was out of action until the start of IPL 2024, when he returned to lead MI. Hardik has played in just 46 of the 79 T20Is India have played since the start of 2022.Suryakumar, meanwhile, has captained the Mumbai state team in the domestic circuit. More recently, he led India to a 4-1 win over Australia in a T20I series last November, followed by a 1-1 series draw in South Africa.Suryakumar was not named in the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour, while Hardik, too, is taking a break from 50-over internationals.