Liverpool have reportedly had a “phone call” with the representatives of a big-money attacking player, as they look to sign a replacement for Darwin Nunez.

Slot's beautiful Jota tribute before Preston

The Reds started their pre-season with a 3-1 win away to Preston North End on Sunday afternoon, on what was an emotional occasion after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota earlier this month.

Prior to the game, Arne Slot provided some beautiful words on the Portuguese, showing exactly why he was such a perfect successor to Jurgen Klopp.

“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?

“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we’re going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don’t want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don’t think you have to be different than your emotions tell you.”

Now, it is a case of Slot and his Liverpool players trying to achieve lots of success with Jota in their thoughts, and further signings may help in that respect. A new update has now emerged regarding a potential addition in the final third.

Liverpool have "phone call" with £78m Nunez replacement

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal on X, Liverpool have been in contact with a “phone call” to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko’s agents about a £78m move to Anfield, coming in to replace the likely-to-leave Nunez, who scored against Preston.

Sesko feels like an ideal option to come in and lead the line for the Reds, considering it looks increasingly unlikely that they will be able to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old is already such a prolific and dominant striker, scoring 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig, as well as 16 in 41 caps for Slovenia.

Related Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m

Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

If Liverpool could sign Sesko on top of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this summer, it would be outstanding business, with a new backup centre-back potentially the next priority after Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen.

An emphasis on investment remains at BlueCo’s Chelsea, but several learning curves have been passed and there’s a feeling that things are not so scattergun anymore.

With Enzo Maresca’s side preparing to take on the Paris Saint-Germain super-team in the Club World Cup final, the club will be permitted to take only the briefest sojourn before a reduced pre-season commences ahead of 2025/26.

There has already been a deluge of new arrivals for the west Londoners, who secured their place back in the Champions League and won the Conference League across Maresca’s first season at the helm.

Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have been poached from domestic rivals, while Jamie Gittens, 20, has finally completed his £51.5m transfer from Borussia Dortmund, having been hailed by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley as “England’s best left winger in 2024/25” before he plateaued over the closing months of the term.

The talented Estevao, Kendry Paez and Dario Essugo are all bound for Stamford Bridge too, but Chelsea still have a few more tricks up their sleeve.

The latest on Chelsea's summer transfer window

Noni Madueke has been granted permission to engage in the personal technicalities of his proposed transfer to Arsenal, with the Gunners having seen a £52m offer accepted.

The right winger is a talented player but hardly indispensable. And he’s not the only one the Blues are willing to offload in order to reshape in a superior fashion. Indeed, Nicolas Jackson may be sold, with Todd Boehly reportedly pricing the Senegalese striker at an eye-watering £100m amid interest from AC Milan.

Elsewhere, Chelsea have been mooted to make their move for Aston Villa’s dynamic attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, something which Madueke’s departure would facilitate.

But Maresca seemingly wants some more competition out on the left, too, with Mykhaylo Mudryk in interminable purgatory and the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix all likely to leave this summer.

And that’s why Chelsea could make an approach for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma, who, aged 28, is settled as one of the most underrated wingers in the Premier League.

That’s according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, who has confirmed that Chelsea (and Arsenal) have considered making a move to sign the Japan international this summer.

Bayern Munich and Saudi Arabian suitors are also looking to get a deal done, and while there’s a sense that Mitoma’s entourage are drumming up interest to get a bumper new contract at the AMEX, the door is ajar for a summer switch, though Brighton would certainly need to lower their £80m asking price.

Why Chelsea want to sign Kaoru Mitoma

Mitoma joined Brighton from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale and was instantly loaned out to Royal Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian Pro League, something which proved instrumental for his development as he polished his physical properties before being unleashed in the Premier League.

Now, he’s a seasoned veteran, having completed 108 appearances for the Seagulls across all competitions, scoring 24 goals and assisting 20 more.

His 37-goal involvement return in the Premier League, across 88 matches, is also nothing to be sniffed at. Mitoma isn’t the most prolific player, but he is immensely talented and endowed with the pace and intelligence to make a real difference.

In fact, the 28-year-old ranked among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last term for non-penalty goals and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, which highlights the impact he could have in Chelsea’s first team.

Is there any proof that Gittens, so young and untested, could bring such an instant effect to Maresca’s squad? Indeed, cast your mind back to Jadon Sancho’s days at Dortmund, and you will find all the substance needed to form such a compelling argument.

Matches (starts)

36 (28)

32 (21)

Goals

10

8

Assists

4

3

Shots (on target)*

1.6 (0.8)

1.6 (0.8)

Big chances missed

12

4

Pass completion

81%

82%

Big chances created

8

6

Key passes*

1.0

0.7

Dribbles*

1.4

2.4

Ball recoveries*

2.8

2.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.3

Duels won*

4.1

4.9

While Gittens is maybe a bit more active in the duel, and certainly has the makings of a clinical wideman, Mitoma is more complete in his performances, with BBC pundit Shay Given even claiming he’s “at the heart of everything positive” Brighton do in the Premier League.

There is also the pretty significant factor that Mitoma plies his trade in the Premier League, whereas Gittens has been cutting his teeth these past few years in the Bundesliga, a division of ostensibly lower quality.

The aforementioned Bailey has regarded Mitoma as “one of the Premier League’s best”, and it’s clear to see why. Though consistency might not be the Japanese’s strong suit, he has shown quality on England’s biggest stage that most wingers could only dream of, and even then, such ambitions would be hazy, ill-defined things.

While Gittens has the makings of something special, Chelsea would be wise to ease him into a position of seniority at Stamford Bridge. Signing Mitoma and allowing the pair to jockey for starting roles could prove a move that bears dividends for the success of Maresca’s project.

Chelsea will be raising the bar in the months to come. European nights will be freighted with the added expectation and intensity that the Champions League theatre brings. Mitoma is exactly the kind of player who could help the club tackle this issue and come up with a solution.

Bad news for Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea open first talks to sign £43m "animal"

Enzo Maresca is looking to sign a Spanish midfielder this summer

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 13, 2025

Birmingham Phoenix gave themselves a healthy boost in their quest for the top three with a fantastic win against Northern Superchargers in The Hundred at Edgbaston on Tuesday.Phoenix dominated with the ball, blowing the visitors away for just 83, before knocking off the fastest chase in the history of the The Hundred men’s competition thanks to Ben Duckett and Moeen Ali.Northern Superchargers won the toss and chose to bat, with much excitement at the return of England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes.Unfortunately for Stokes, he made an inauspicious start: made to wait 20 deliveries at the non-striker’s end before being bowled first ball by one that nipped back through the gate from Tim Southee.Birmingham’s Kiwi pace attack set the tone for Phoenix’s victory. Southee took a wicket with his first ball to dismiss Matt Short, before Adam Milne got rid of the dangerous Nicholas Pooran.Captain Harry Brook attempted to rebuild from 19 for 3, with Adam Hose, but even Brook found the pitch tough going as he succumbed to Chris Wood with the score at 36 for 4 halfway through the Superchargers’ innings.Superchargers’ cause wasn’t helped by a superb run-out from Duckett to remove Hose 10 balls later. Southee completed his sublime spell with 3 for 15 and his partner Milne 3 for 20 with the visitors bowled out for a meagre 83 – the second-lowest total in the Men’s Hundred competition.Duckett continued from where he left off for Phoenix on Saturday, racing to 43 from 20 balls, alongside opening partner Moeen, who was similarly speedy for his 37 from 21.Phoenix’s 10-wicket win dents Northern Superchargers’ hopes of making The Hundred Eliminator, while Moeen’s team have put themselves in the mix for the latter stages of the tournament as they leapfrogged their opponents into third after five matches.Meerkat Match Hero Southee said: “We assessed conditions reasonably quickly and the seamers hit a good length that proved difficult to play. It was a pretty clinical performance all round.”This is a great team to be a part of and I’m enjoying my time here. That goes a long way, and it is nice to chalk up another win.”A win like that can only do wonders for the confidence going into our next games, but we know we are heading to a different ground and different opposition, so we have to start again. There are no easy teams in this tournament so we should have another good couple of matches coming up.”

Leeds United have now held direct “conversations” with an “unplayable” striker over a potential summer move to Elland Road, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Leeds eyeing new striker after Nmecha

The 49ers Enterprises and Leeds have already added one centre-forward to their ranks this summer, having sealed the signing of Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer, but they remain keen on bringing in another striker, with the 49ers ready to splash the cash.

That is despite the fact Daniel Farke already has Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford on the books, with the former finishing as the Championship’s top scorer last season, picking up a total of 19 goals and seven assists in 46 outings.

Bamford, on the other hand, has entered the final 12 months of his contract, with the striker also previously admitting he would consider making a move to the MLS one day, saying: “It is something that I would be open to, yeah. We [Bamford and his family] just don’t know when yet.”

Alongside Longstaff: Leeds now strongly considering bid for £15m midfielder

The Whites are stepping up their pursuit of another “brilliant” central midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Jul 9, 2025

As such, it would make sense for the Whites to bring another striker through the door, and they have now made an approach to sign another former England international for free, according to Bailey.

Speaking to Leeds United News, the journalist confirmed that direct talks have been held with former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, saying: “Leeds have had conversations with Dom Calvert-Lewin.

“He’s considering his options and Leeds are certainly one of them, there has been talks. Callum Wilson as well, but Leeds have held talks for Calvert-Lewin but he’s not close to signing or anything like that.”

As the centre-forward is now without a club after leaving Everton, he will be available on a free transfer this summer, although his wage demands could be high, having raked in a whopping £100k-a-week at Goodison Park.

"Unplayable" Calvert-Lewin is Premier League proven

With Leeds looking to avoid the drop in their first season back in the top flight, it makes sense to bring in players who are proven in the Premier League, and the ex-Everton striker certainly fits the bill in that regard.

The 28-year-old has amassed a total of 57 goals and 18 assists in the Premier League, with his most prolific season coming in 2020/21, netting 16 times in 33 games. During his senior career, Calvert-Lewin has scored 89 goals for club and country.

Pundit Tony Cascarino has also singled out the Englishman for high praise, describing him as “unplayable”, while also adding: “His leap is phenomenal, the best in the Premier League and he leads the line well, holding up the ball and running channels.”

That said, Calvert-Lewin is well-known to have struggled with injuries throughout his career, so it would be a risk for Leeds to make a move, especially with Bamford already on the books, with the 31-year-old also well-known to be extremely injury-prone.

كشفت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، عن أفضل لاعب في مباراة الأهلي وإنبي، التي أقيمت بين الفريقين، اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتواجه الأهلي مع إنبي، في إطار الجولة السادسة من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد المقاولون العرب.

وتعادل النادي الأهلي مع إنبي، إيجابيًا بنتيجة هدف لمثله، سجل للمارد الأحمر محمود حسن تريزيجيه بضربة رأس من داخل منطقة الجزاء، وأحزر التعادل لـ إنبي أحمد العجوز من ركلة جزاء.

طالع | موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة في الدوري بعد التعادل مع إنبي

واختارت رابطة الأندية عقب انتهاء المباراة، لاعب النادي الأهلي، محمود حسن تريزيجيه أفضل لاعب في المباراة.

وبفوز النادي الأهلي، ارتفع رصيده إلى النقطة الثامنة، ليحتل المركز الثامن في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري الممتاز، حيث انتصر في مباراتين وتعادل في مثلهما وخسر في مباراة.

Liverpool find themselves in the hunt for reinforcements and could look to swoop under the nose of rivals Everton to land an attacking target, according to a report.

Liverpool set to trigger more business after Kerkez announcement

After Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz were confirmed by the Reds, Milos Kerkez is also now set to join in a £40 million move from Bournemouth. The Hungary international joins Arne Slot’s revolution and signs on after weeks of negotiations by all parties to find agreement, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Moving on, Liverpool have turned their attention to Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and an agreement over personal terms is said to be close as he enters the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Talking up a potential deal, Keith Wyness believes Guehi moving to the red half of Merseyside would suit all parties as Oliver Glasner will be keen to cash in before losing the England international on a free becomes a distinct possibility.

He stated: “It would be a no-brainer for them (Liverpool) if they can get hold of him, and all the noises coming out of the Marc Guehi camp are that he’s keen to go.

“I think it’s a fantastic deal. I think Palace also recognise that I think he’s got just another year left on his contract. So they’d like to cash in as well. All parties could be very happy.”

While Liverpool’s summer business is bubbling away, they could now bid for a midfielder who has already been firmly on the radar of their closest rivals.

Liverpool could hijack Everton to sign Merlin Rohl

According to reports in Germany via Sport Witness, Liverpool could move for SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl this summer despite Everton having already made two bids to sign the Germany Under-21 international in January.

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are also in the frame to sign the Berlin-born star, who registered a solitary assist in 20 appearances over the course of last season.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 24, 2025

Labelled “very dangerous” by Antonio Di Salvo, Rohl managed to create nine chances in action for Freiburg on Bundesliga duty and also completed 12 dribbles despite suffering a ligament tear that limited his scope to make a lasting impact.

Nevertheless, he is now back fit and firing and has even scored at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships in a 3-2 win for Germany against Italy.

Admittedly, Liverpool have strong competition for places currently in the middle of the park, though it would be intriguing to see who could make way if Rohl were to arrive at Anfield, potentially at the expense of arch-rivals Everton.

Visitors lead by 165 overnight, with hopes of pushing for third consecutive win

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2024

Jake Libby was one of Worcestershire’s trio of half-centurions•Getty Images

Fifties by Jake Libby, Brett D’Oliveira and Adam Hose ensured Worcestershire would make Essex bat again in their rollercoaster match at Chelmsford.When bad light took the players off the field with 20 over remaining on day three of the Vitality County Championship match, Worcestershire had turned a 138-run first-innings deficit into a 165-run lead.Libby laid the foundations for the recovery with a 112-ball 65 at the top of the order. But it was an 80-run stand for the sixth wicket between D’Oliveira (51 from 71 balls) and Hose (64 off 91) – the pair coming together with two runs still required to erase the arrears – that gave Worcestershire hope of securing a third successive victory to move clear of the relegation area.Simon Harmer spearheaded the mercurial Essex attack, sending down 26 overs in the foreshortened day and taking 3 for 110, including the wicket of Hose to an extraordinary delivery. Essex will be looking for a first victory in four games on the final day to maintain their fading interest in the title race.Nightwatchman Joe Leach lasted just four balls on a grey, overcast morning before Sam Cook ended his 21-ball nought by inducing a thick edge through to the wicketkeeper. Gareth Roderick narrowly avoided a pair before he was turned around by Jamie Porter on six and nicked to second slip.Libby found good support from Kashif Ali in a 51-run third-wicket stand until Paul Walter was introduced and with his fourth ball had Ali following the ball across him through to slip.Libby survived a couple of scares but reached his fifty from the 90th ball faced, his eighth four helped on its way high over the wicketkeeper’s head. His latest partner Rob Jones took a liking to Harmer, hitting four successive boundaries, two of them identical shots on the sweep.However, the 55-run fourth-wicket stand was broken soon after lunch when Libby drove loosely at Cook and was caught low down at backward point. And six runs later, Jones went for another sweep against Harmer, this time more uppishly, and Dean Elgar completed the dismissal when running back from square leg.That left Worcestershire five down and still two runs short of making Essex bat again. That landmark was duly achieved and built on as Hose and D’Oliveira dug in obdurately initially to the extent that Porter came on for three overs and went off again without conceding a run. The first fifty of their partnership took 16 overs.The run-rate rose steeply with 31 runs added by the pair in the next four overs before Matt Critchley switched ends to give Harmer a rest and first ball had D’Oliveira fencing to second slip. Harmer’s rest spanned the tea break but his first ball after the interval brought the downfall of Hose, who padded up outside off-stump to a ball that turned prodigiously as it hit the crease to leave him bewildered to see the bails lying on the ground behind him.Harmer had a third wicket to his name when Ethan Brookes went to reverse-sweep, as he had successfully on several occasions in the first innings This time, however, the ball popped up off an edge to Robin Das diving full-length at short leg to cling on one-handed.With the floodlights on and the light deteriorating appreciably, Essex declined the option of taking the new-ball when it was due after 80 over, sticking with their spinners. The gesture proved in vain as the umpires deemed it too dark to continue an over later.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will be desperate to ensure that his decision to sack Ange Postecoglou won’t come back to bite him, and he’s apparently prepared to back new manager Thomas Frank so he can give the Australian’s replacement the best-possible chance of success.

Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining

The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

Postecoglou ended the club’s 17-year wait for a major trophy by guiding them to an historic Europa League final victory over Man United last month, a result which also gifted them a spot in the Champions League next season, but Spurs’ torrid 2024/2025 domestic form meant that Levy was forced into the tough call of letting him go.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Frank is now tasked with re-settling the dressing room whilst helping Spurs to kick on from their memorable night in Bilbao, and the Dane has already paid homage to his predecessor’s work at N17.

“I think Ange has done something special. He’ll forever be a legend in Tottenham,” Frank said in his first interview as Tottenham boss.

“It’s important to understand we all stand on the shoulders of others. I’m going in on the foundation Ange built, and his coaching staff, and I’m very humble about that. I’ll do my very best to continue the great work he put in.

“The feeling, the excitement, the joy and the happiness in the fans’ faces, the pictures were ‘wow’. Hopefully, we can create more of those moments. That will be the ultimate dream: to do that and build on that.”

The 51-year-old is reportedly keen to upgrade his new ranks by signing a proven wide-attacking player, especially considering Son Heung-min may have already played his last competitive game for Tottenham amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

Many high-profile Premier League names have been linked already, but chief among them is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

The England international guided Palace to their first ever major trophy last season, bagging the winner in a 1-0 victory over Man City in the FA Cup final, adding to his impressive tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Eze has been a star player at Selhurst Park ever since his move there from QPR, and Eagles chairman Steve Parish was left “astounded” by the lack of interest in him last summer.

Tottenham ready to pay £68 million for Eberechi Eze

The £100,000-per-week forward, who can play both as a CAM and out wide, has certainly got admirers this time round, and Spurs are one of the chief contenders for his signature.

Reports have suggested that Frank has personally recommended Eze as a target for Tottenham, with TEAMtalk now sharing an update on the situation amid rumours that the player would also be keen on a north London move.

The outlet states that Tottenham are ready to meet the price required to sign Eze, his £68 million release clause, and the ex-Arsenal academy man is “enthusiastic” about swapping south London for a place in Frank’s side.

Frank also apparently believes that Eze would be a stellar addition for the Lilywhites, and one capable of thriving both on the wing and as a complement to James Maddison in the centre of attacking midfield.

Palace are also open to receiving Eze’s final fee in installments, even if they’d want an upfront payment of £45 million, something which Tottenham are prepared to offer as well.

This could be one to watch in the coming days/weeks, as Spurs want to act “swiftly” and provide Frank with fresh additions ahead of a crucial campaign.

The 25-year-old registered his first professional century having come in at 53 for 3

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2024Josh Blake registered a sensible run-a-ball century to carry Surrey to only their second Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory of the season at Chelmsford.The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman survived on 40 when Luc Benkenstein floored a chance at deep square leg, but having come in at 53 for 3 after 14 overs, had doubled his previous highest score and was still there on 100 not out when Surrey closed on 306 for 4.Blake put on 98 in 20 overs for the fourth wicket with opener Ryan Patel (83 from 106 balls) and then an unbroken 155 in 16 pulsating overs for the fifth with the hard-hitting Ollie Sykes, who hit five sixes in an unbeaten 87 from 56 balls.Defeat meant neither team could qualify for the knock-out stages and Essex never looked likely to record their second win of the tournament. Only captain Tom Westley offered much resistance with 78 from 84 balls as dispirited Essex fell 90 runs short of their target with more than three overs unused.Surrey elected to bat and got off to a slow start, meandering to 39-2 in the first powerplay. But they upped the tempo in the second half of the innings when they added 192 in 25 overs, 117 of them in the final 10 as Blake and Sykes smashed the toiling Essex bowlers to every corner of the Cloud County Ground.Patel had held things together early on, but his innings was comparatively sedate by what came later. He reached his fifty from 68 balls with his seventh four, a cover drive off Tom Westley. He followed that with No8, cutting Jamal Richards to the longest boundary on the ground, to bring up Surrey’s 100. But by that time he had lost three partners before forming the alliance with Blake.Jamie Porter, with a white ball in hand for the first time in a year, took two of that trio, bowling Dom Sibley shouldering arms to one that swung in and took oft-stump, and claiming a second when Cameron Steel moved across to give himself room and was lbw to a straight delivery. In between, Shane Snater had Ben Geddes pinned in front, playing down the wrong line.Though the boundary to the Pavilion side was less than 50 yards from the wicket, Essex defended it resolutely and it was not until the 33rd over that Blake pierced the field with a reserve-sweep off Westley. Next over, though, brought the downfall of Patel as he drove Noah Thain uppishly to wide mid-off where Westley took a diving catch.Sykes had scored eight in his List A debut on Tuesday, but eyed up the shorter side where he deposited Thain twice for sixes in an over that cost 15. He added a third off Richards before lofting Porter over the longer midwicket boundary. A fifth over midwicket off Snater took the 19-year-old to a 34-ball fifty.Blade was not hanging around either, and lifted Snater over cover point for his only six to sit alongside nine fours before a single in the last over took him to three figures from 100 balls.Essex’s pursuit of 307 never really got going as wickets fell regularly. Nick Browne slashed Conor McKerr to slip, Feroze Khushi swung at James Taylor to be caught behind, and Robin Das was stumped by the alert Blake off a legside wide from Patel.Benkenstein pulled Nathan Barnwell to deep square leg with the floodlights now on and the run-rate rising. Noah attempted to reverse-sweep Cameron Steel and fell lbw, Simon Fernandes tickled McKerr behind, while Westley’s two-hour knock ended when he slashed Steel to short mid-off.Snater lasted three balls before he was bowled by Yousef Majid, Richards was stumped, Ben Allison lofted the only six of Essex’s innings in a career-best 32 not out before Steel claimed his fourth wicket for 50 when Porter hammered to long off.

Pakistan women’s team have not received daily allowances during their ongoing training camp in Multan, which started on September 1. The women’s squad, which is at the camp ahead of Pakistan’s three T20I matches against South Africa next week, will receive allowances once the series starts.But the decision marks a change in policy from how the allowance structure was determined at previous camps, and is also in contrast to how it is handled for the men’s national team.In the past, ESPNcricinfo understands that the women’s team received modest daily allowances at training camps. This time, however, the PCB is providing accommodation as well as three meals to the members at the camp; at previous camps, three daily meals were not provided. A PCB official told ESPNcricinfo the board’s policy dictated that if three meals a day and hotel accommodation were made available, no daily allowances over and above that would be provided.Related

• South Africa begin T20 WC prep with spin test against Pakistan

• The Champions Cup: can it live up to the hype?

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In theory, that remains true for the men’s side, too, but is rarely, if ever, put into practice. During the most recent men’s training camp, held ahead of Pakistan’s Test series against Bangladesh, the players were offered daily allowances over and above the accommodation and any food provided. However, three free full meals were not made available free of cost, with the allowances considered compensation in lieu of that. At previous camps over the years, the men’s side have almost always been awarded daily allowances, often with up to two meals freely available.It is not clear why the change in meal and allowance structure has kicked in for the women’s side, which has effectively seen a reduction in the recompense offered at training camps. At the Pakistan women’s camp in early April in Karachi, before the start of their white-ball home series against the West Indies, three full meals as well as some monetary daily allowances were provided to all participants. Thereafter, though, the PCB has deemed offering financial recompense surplus to requirements if three full meals are being provided.ESPNcricinfo understands the change in policy has left a number of the women’s players disappointed, with some believing being away from home for a camp merits beyond merely meeting the basic daily needs of lodging and food. There were hopes this would improve at future camps, with the women’s side gearing up for the women’s T20 World Cup, to be held next month.The situation arises at a time when the PCB’s scale of expenditure in other avenues of the game is at an all-time high, particularly in the form of stadium upgrades believed to cost the PCB tens of billions of rupees. The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is being rebuilt almost from scratch, with the National Stadium in Karachi also seeing a significant overhaul. There is some construction work due at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium too, as the PCB prepare to host the Champions Trophy in 2025, the first ICC event they are scheduled to host in nearly three decades.Meanwhile, the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup, the domestic 50-over competition, has also seen a large financial outlay. The tournament will see the PCB offer prize money of around PKR 49 million, nearly ten times what was on offer last year, and almost half of what the PSL made available earlier this year. The mentors for the five sides – all former cricketers – are also being paid huge salaries – approximately PKR 5 million per month in three-year deals that will, all told, cost the PCB around PKR 900 million in mentor salary payments.The women’s central and domestic contracts are also yet to be finalised and announced. Last year, 19 women were awarded central contracts from August 1 2023, due to run till June 30, 2025. However, they were to be assessed at the end of the first 12 months, with six further weeks having passed since that assessment date, with any revisions to the contracts still pending. The men’s central contracts, too, are well past their assessment date, and though they are expected imminently, there is no official word yet on when any changes will be announced.