Leeds United were given a reality check on Saturday when they were hammered 5-0 by Arsenal at The Emirates in their first away game of the Premier League season.

The Whites beat Everton 1-0 at Elland Road on the opening day of the season, lifting the mood instantly, but were brought crashing back down to earth against the Gunners.

During the Sky Sports commentary of the clash with Arsenal, Gary Neville noted that the starting front three for Leeds needed everything to be “perfect” for them to make an impact, due to their lack of physicality.

That front three included Dan James, Joel Piroe, and Wilfried Gnonto, who were all key players in the Championship title-winning campaign last term. The Premier League is a different beast to the Championship, as Neville explained, and Daniel Farke needs more physicality in his frontline.

Leeds will be well aware that they will not be able to be in control in matches as much as they were in the second tier, which means that they will have to do a lot more scrapping and fighting to earn points at this level.

That is why the 2024/25 Championship top goalscorer, Piroe, may eventually find himself watching on from the sidelines more often than not.

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Buy Premium NowPremier League Experiences Why Joel Piroe may lose his place as a starter

To his credit, Farke has tried to remain fairly faithful to the players who got the club to the Premier League in the first two matches, starting the Dutch striker in both games ahead of Lukas Nmecha.

Unfortunately, however, Piroe’s lack of physicality has already been very apparent. The striker has lost ten of his 11 duels in the top-flight so far, per Sofascore, which shows that oppostion centre-backs have found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.

This is not a new concern over the former Swansea City marksman, though, as the left-footed centre-forward struggled with the physicality of the Championship at times in the 2024/25 campaign as well.

Dribble success rate

31.8%

Bottom 27%

Successful dribbles

0.41

Bottom 35%

Fouls won

0.44

Bottom 9%

Duels won

2.24

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

26.9%

Bottom 10%

Aerial duels won

0.90

Bottom 12%

Aerial duel success rate

21.4%

Bottom 17%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe ranked very poorly among his positional peers in a host of physically-based metrics, which is why his start to the Premier League season has not been a surprise.

Leeds were a dominant team that did not need to scrap for second balls and constantly engage in duels in the Championship, which allowed the striker to simply focus on tucking away chances, which he did very well.

Piroe scored 19 goals for Leeds last season, per Sofascore, but his lack of physicality may prevent him from making a similar impact in the Premier League.

Leeds make contact to sign LaLiga star

That is why a fresh report linking the Championship champions with interest in a physical forward should come as very bad news to the current Whites striker.

Transfer Focus

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

According to AS, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs to have made an approach to Getafe over a potential deal to sign Christantus Uche this summer.

The report claims that the Whites have made contact with the Spanish side to register their interest in the versatile attacker, but they have not formalised their interest with an offer as of yet.

It adds that Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Burnley have also made contact with Getafe in pursuit of a possible deal for the Nigeria international.

AS also reveals that Getafe are preparing to cash in on Uche to improve the club’s finances and have currently set an asking price of around £17m, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the four mentioned clubs are prepared to pay that much for him.

Why this is bad news for Joel Piroe

As aforementioned, Piroe’s lack of physicality appears to be an issue for him, and the team, in the Premier League, and it could cost him his place in the starting XI.

The club’s reported interest in signing Uche is, perhaps, a sign that Farke recognises the need for more physicality at the top end of the pitch, because the Getafe star is an incredibly physical attacker.

In fact, the Nigerian star has played 31 times as a central or defensive midfielder in his career, per Transfermarkt, and U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that he could be developed into a “midfield monster”.

Whilst, due to his experience and potential to play in that role, Farke could utilise Uche in the middle of the park, the 22-year-old played as a striker for Jose Bordalas against Celta Vigo on the opening day of the LaLiga season.

Uche scored and grabbed an assist in a 2-0 win for Getafe away at Celta Vigo, and the clip above shows how the attacker used his mobility and strength to find the back of the net.

Appearances

33

1

xG

3.73

1.01

Goals

4

1

Big chances created

7

1

Assists

6

1

Duels won per game

6.8

9.0

Aerial duel success rate

42%

75%

As you can see in the table above, the £17m-rated forward also showcased his physicality in LaLiga last season, winning 6.8 duels per game on average, compared to Piroe’s 2.24 in the Championship.

Whilst, perhaps because of his outings in midfield as well as up front, Uche is not a prolific goalscorer who is likely to go and score 15 or 20 goals in the Premier League, the Getafe star could be the physical outlet that Leeds are currently lacking.

Having a ‘monster’ like Uche to hold the ball up, win flick-ons, and compete with Premier League centre-backs in duels could help the Whites in tight games where they will not be in complete control of the ball.

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This is why the club’s interest in the forward is bad news for Piroe, because the 22-year-old star is the profile of player who could send the Dutchman down to the bench.

Chelsea are widely believed to have sealed a 2026 deal for Brighton starlet Julio Enciso via their sister club Strasbourg, with the 21-year-old poised to spend one year in Ligue 1 before switching to Stamford Bridge.

Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources confirmed the news earlier this week, and it is a transfer which has received due praise considering Enciso’s sky-high potential.

The Paraguay international, tipped to become a legend for his country, has already displayed real glimpses of his talent in the Premier League – even scoring against Chelsea and notching an assist during their 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town in April – when he was on loan at Portman Road.

£17 million for a youngster of his calibre could be seen as a real steal by BlueCo, and they were helped by the fact his Brighton contract was due to expire next year.

By joining Strasbourg on loan this season, Enciso will gain valuable minutes in France, and in a league well known for developing attacking players.

Chelsea’s strategy to nurture him abroad reflects a clear plan: allow him to mature in a competitive environment before embracing the pressures of west London. For BlueCo, who have doubled down on signing young, high-upside players, Enciso fits the model perfectly.

Versatility is one of his standout traits. Primarily deployed as an attacking midfielder, Enciso is equally comfortable drifting in from the left wing or supporting as a second striker.

Statistically, his 2024/25 season tells a balanced story. While appearances for Brighton’s first team were limited – 12 in total – his productive loan spell at Ipswich yielded two goals and three assists in just 13 outings.

Journalist shares Julio Enciso to Chelsea twist after BlueCo deal

While the prospect of his eventual move to Chelsea is an enticing one, journalist Graeme Bailey is actually reporting information contrary to other sources.

Indeed, it is believed that Enciso’s 2026 Chelsea transfer is actually no guarantee after all, and he’ll have to prove his worth at Strasbourg first before Maresca’s side consider it.

Given the lack of competitiveness across the channel when compared to the hustle and bustle of Premier League life, odds are that the former Club Libertad Asunción sensation will light up Ligue 1.

Though most of the attention has been on Liverpool’s remarkable summer spending spree, with the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz having featured prominently in the early weeks of the season, the Reds have continued to strengthen their academy standard.

Liverpool’s transfer business this summer has issued a declaration of intent to the rest of the Premier League and Europe. On Monday, capping off such ambitious spending, Alexander Isak completed his record-breaking move to the club, ending an unsavoury saga that culminated with FSG the victors.

Liverpool have sold a few of their forwards, in fairness, and moved for two strikers instead of signing a left winger.

Luis Diaz, indeed, joined Bayern Munich for £65.5m, but Slot thinks academy sensation Rio Ngumoha has what it takes to star in the Colombian’s stead over the coming year.

The meteoric developments of the Anfield side’s youth scene in recent years have played an enormous part in the top-level success, and it’s perhaps fair to say that the bar has never been higher.

Rio Nghumoha's big moment

It was a stunning moment. Liverpool had blown their lead against ten-man Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, and looked to be heading for a 2-2 draw in their second fixture of the season, having relied on a last-minute winner one week before against Bournemouth at Anfield.

It is only over the past several years that there has been a shift in youth quality, with ‘Klopp’s Kids’ notably playing a significant role in winning the Carabao Cup in 2023/24 and steering the ship through a period of steep injury problems.

Klopp’s decision in creating this culture took Liverpool above anything they had previously created through their youth system, the academy playing a bigger role than ever before.

Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes have since overseen the sales of several such youngsters, but Liverpool remain the source of some of the country’s finest football talent, with Nguomha the perfect example of this.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

Having turned 17 shortly after scoring the winner at Newcastle, Ngumoha is now one of the Premier League’s youngest goalscorers, and on his debut in the competition at that.

The electric-paced left winger has what it takes to be a future talisman at Liverpool, like Mohamed Salah before him and as Isak is expected to perform after his much-publicised move.

But, he’s not the only one in Slot’s sights, with Liverpool having also signed a young striker who might be viewed as becoming Isak’s understudy in the coming years.

Liverpool have a young version of Isak

In Isak, Liverpool have opted away from their typical strategy of signing up-and-coming prospects with bags of potential, and have instead landed a number nine they view as being in contention as one of the best in the world.

Last season, pundit Jamie Carragher even remarked that he was “the best striker in the Premier League right now”.

Liverpool would love to create a homegrown version of the Swede, and might find that they can do exactly that with teenager Will Wright, who joined the club from Salford City in League Two this summer.

Technically gifted and clinical in front of goal, Wright proved himself to be one of the most prolific youngsters in his sphere last season, scoring over 40 goals for the development side.

His ease and accuracy when finding space and taking a strike truly show how he could grow into one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League, with Total Football Analysis describing him as having ‘many of the characteristics to be a top-level centre-forward’.

Furthermore, the 17-year-old is already 6 foot 3, and so has that unique blend of lankiness and technical quality that falls into the same tactical DNA as a superstar like Isak, who uses his frame effortlessly to bypass defenders and find an opening to score.

Wright has already featured four times for the Liverpool U21s after earning as many first-team outings with Salford last season. Clearly, the Preston-born talent is held in high regard, belying his youth to impress at a higher level.

Isak, 25, might be a superstar right now after his prolific performances with Newcastle over the past three years, but he has developed over many years and different grounds, first finding his feet in the final third when a Borussia Dortmund prospect on loan in the Netherlands with Willem II. There he scored 13 goals across 16 matches in the Eredivisie.

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If Wright succeeds in translating his form from the youth stage to the top level, he has shown that he has the physical attributes and natural-born goalscoring sense to make a real impact under Slot’s wing at Liverpool in the years to come.

Ngumoha might be the talk of the town after scoring the winner at Newcastle, coming up trumps in the most remarkable of ways to secure his side three points.

But Wright only needs some time to showcase his quality in the box, and fixtures in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this term might see him earn the chance to shine.

Isak is set to be Liverpool’s number one for quite some time, but with Ekitike bolstered by top talents like Wright, Liverpool have the depth to create a project of sustained success over many years.

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With a deal agreed to sign goalkeeper John Victor, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly leading the race to sign another South American star for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nottingham Forest agree Victor deal

Espirito Santo requested a goalkeeper and it looks as though he’s set to get one in the form of Victor this week. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal to sign the Brazilian from Botafogo, who is set to get the Premier League move that he’s been after since West Ham United ditched their attempts to secure his signature.

Espirito Santo also requested full-back cover and has also seen that demand met by those at the City Ground, who have welcomed Nicolo Savona from Juventus.

Speaking for the first time since becoming the latest to arrive in the Midlands, the defender said: “I am very excited to be here. It is a new experience for me as a person and a player. It is such a historic club, and the move is a dream come true. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans at the City Ground, and I will give my all for the shirt.”

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Whether Victor and Savona are enough to satisfy Espirito Santo will be the big question. Talks between the Forest boss and Marinakis are reportedly scheduled this weekend in what should give those at the City Ground a strong indication of where Espirito Santo’s immediate future lies.

With the deadline fast-approaching, meanwhile, reports suggest that the Tricky Trees are targeting yet another South American star.

Nottingham Forest leading Cuiabano race

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are not leading the race to sign Cuiabano from Botafogo. Forest have, of course, already welcomed Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha from the Brazilian club, whilst an agreement has also been reached for Victor. Now, they could sensationally sign a fourth player from the club.

Full of praise for all three potential Forest stars, analyst Ben Mattinson described Cuiabano as “powerful” and “pacy” when links first emerged that the Tricky Trees had him in their sights. Now, in a late move, they could finally get their man.

Like Savona, the Brazilian would also satisfy Espirito Santo’s demand for cover at full-back just as the window is coming to a close. At just 22 years old, there’s still plenty of room for improvement in the Midlands too, and European football should ensure that he receives the game time needed to enjoy that improvement.

After being hooked by Liverpool again during the weekend's Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace, it has been suggested that Florian Wirtz might soon have to worry about his starting place under Arne Slot. The Germany international, who arrived for what was a British record transfer fee at the time, is still yet to score or assist in the Premier League or Champions League.

• Subbed when Liverpool needed a goal

  Wirtz was the main man at former club Bayer Leverkusen prior to his £116 million ($156m) move to Anfield early in the summer transfer window. But it hasn't been smooth sailing since rocking up at Liverpool, yet to complete a full game in any competition.

  Saturday's trip to Selhurst Park was the earliest that Wirtz has been brought off, and it came when Liverpool were 1-0 down and chasing a goal. Slot replaced him with Federico Chiesa and it was the Italian who went on to grab the equaliser – not that it mattered in the end.

  Wirtz had previously been starting centrally in the No. 10 role, but he had to make do with coming off the bench in the Merseyside derby and began on the left against Crystal Palace.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Slot's 'concern' over performance

  In a column for The Times, former Chelsea, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino suggested it is "damning" that Wirtz's minutes and impact is reducing, rather than increasing.

  "The fact that Wirtz has been replaced in all of his Liverpool starts thus far is damning and suggests that Slot may have some concerns over his performances," he said.

  "It's not as if Wirtz is carrying a knock or lacking match sharpness; he played with Liverpool during pre-season and completed two full matches with Germany during the previous international break."

• Struggling to cope with Premier League physicality

  There is always going to be a bedding in period for any player who moves internationally, getting used to a new country and environment. But when such a huge transfer fee has been involved, fans are less willing to be patient as they wait to see results.

  "There is no doubt about the ability of a player like Wirtz," Cascarino reasoned.

  "We all witnessed how he pulled the strings for Bayer Leverkusen when they went unbeaten to win their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24. That player hasn't showed up in England however, and on Saturday [against Palace] Wirtz was constantly getting caught on the ball and was unable to connect the intricate passes that have previously made him such a threat. At Leverkusen, you would see Wirtz pick up the ball in midfield and glide past players before being decisive in the final third, but that has deserted him at Liverpool.

  "The Premier League is more physically demanding than the Bundesliga, and Wirtz is struggling to adapt to its intensity. He has been too easy for opponents to shrug off the ball, and has struggled to cope with the lack of time and space opponents have given him. There have been brief flashes against Palace in the Community Shield and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, but these have been too few and far between."

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• Should Wirtz have joined Bayern Munich instead?

  Bayern Munich legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently suggested that he thinks Wirtz would have been better off staying in Germany this summer, moving to the Allianz Arena instead.

  "I have to honestly say, I still feel sorry for Florian Wirtz because I think the player would be better off at Bayern Munich than at Liverpool," Bayern's former CEO said.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians recebeu, nesta sexta-feira (23), o prêmio CONAFUT, de melhor departamento de futebol feminino do Brasil no ano de 2022. 70% dos votos vieram de um júri especializado, 20% dos participantes do evento e 10% de votação popular.

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+ Corinthians aproveita erros do Santos, e Ruan Oliveira se destaca em vitória; veja notas

Esta é a terceira vez que as Brabas garantem o prêmio CONAFUT, vencendo a categoria em 2018 e 2021. Cris Gambaré, diretora do futebol feminino do Timão, ressaltou o trabalho realizado no clube nesses últimos anos. 

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

– O Corinthians é um case de sucesso no futebol feminino porque conseguiu ocupar o espaço correto. Foi dada essa oportunidade e soubemos fazer da melhor forma o que a equipe precisava em cada ano – disse Cris ao receber o prêmio da CONAFUT.

continua após a publicidade

A diretoria destacou que a meta do departamento é colocar o clube entre os cinco melhores do mundo.

– O melhor foco para seguir como referência é sempre buscar um objetivo a mais. E, claro, além de tudo isso, respeitar as atletas, a comissão técnica e o nosso próprio espaço – concluiu Cris.

+ Timão se afasta do Z4? Veja tabela e os próximos jogos do Brasileirão

Em 2022, as Brabas faturaram a Supercopa do Brasil, o Campeonato Brasileiro e a Copa Paulista.

Boehly’s Cain International wins auction with 100% valuation in region of £80 million

Vithushan Ehantharajah and Nagraj Gollapudi11-Feb-2025The Todd Boehly-backed Cain International have succeeded in securing a stake in Hundred side Trent Rockets. The group, led by Chelsea director Jonathan Goldstein and the football club’s joint-owner Boehly, put in the winning bid for a 49% stake in Rockets, valuing 100% of the team at what ESPNcricinfo understands to be around £80 million.The two parties will now finalise their agreement over an eight-week period that begins at the conclusion of the Hundred sale, with Nottinghamshire confirming on Wednesday that they will be retaining their majority 51% stake in the team*.Cain International had been in the running for London Spirit, but pulled out of the bidding early, with a Silicon Valley consortium eventually triumphing in a bidding war with a mammoth £295m valuation of Spirit. This time, Cain International came out on top in a live auction. They are understood to have beaten the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders and Indian investor Amit Jain, who was working in conjunction with Royal Challengers Bangalore.”The experience of Cain and Ares in helping businesses in recreational and leisure sectors to grow, and their focus on delivering long-term benefits, made them an ideal fit for this investment,” Andy Hunt, Nottinghamshire’s chair, said. “The Hundred has been an undoubted success in Nottingham – welcoming a diverse audience, attracting some of the world’s best players and delivering an experience for supporters that is unrivalled on these shores.”This investment, alongside those in other competing teams, will both help to safeguard the future of our 18-county system and elevate The Hundred to ensure it is able to thrive as one of the finest competitions of its kind worldwide.”Goldstein, CEO of Cain International, said: “Cricket has long been a cornerstone of British sport, bringing communities together and creating moments that last a lifetime. Trent Rockets is a team with a strong heritage and an exciting future, and we’re thrilled to be part of that journey. We look forward to working with the team to build on its success and deepen its impact in Nottingham and beyond.”Rockets won the men’s Hundred in 2022, with their women’s team earning their best placing of third in the same season. The men’s team is currently coached by Andy Flower, with Jon Lewis in charge of the women’s set-up.The sale of Rockets had originally been scheduled for February 3 but was subsequently delayed as the ECB sought to keep investors in the process who had failed with earlier bids. Nottinghamshire were understandably wary of their place in the queue, and saw prospective suitors – such as Lucknow Super Giants, who ended up with a 70% stake in Manchester Originals – put their money elsewhere. But the end result, which will see them retain a controlling stake of 51%, is positive.The acquisition sees Boehly expand his sporting portfolio, having established roots in the UK as the leader of a consortium that purchased Chelsea for £4.25 billion in 2022.He is also co-owner of French football team Strasbourg and the LA Dodgers baseball team. Goldstein, a property entrepreneur, co-founded Cain International with Boehly in 2014, and also operates as the investment bank’s CEO. They are set to become one of four non-IPL owners, and the second to have involvement in English football after Knighthead Capital, the co-owners of Birmingham City who won the race for Birmingham Phoenix.The total valuation of the eight franchises is set to exceed £900 million, with Southern Brave, the final team up on the table, sold on Wednesday to GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, who bought a majority stake in host county Hampshire last year. It is understood they are keen to partner up with other investors for the 49% portion of the team.*February 12, 1100 GMT – This story was updated following confirmation of Southern Brave’s sale and Nottinghamshire’s equity stake

It has been a dire start to the 2025/26 season for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side have picked up a single point so far this term, and are yet to score a goal, three games into the new campaign. It is a worrying sign.

Of course, losing players like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who were both on loan for the second half of last season, has impacted them.

That is why, on transfer deadline day, the West Midlands side are pushing for a new attacker.

Aston Villa’s latest attacking target

With the transfer window set to slam shut at the earlier time of 7pm, it does not give Emery long to add an attacker to his squad.

Transfer Focus

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

Fabrizio Romano is reporting that there are ongoing ‘negotiations’ for Villa to sign Manchester United star Jadon Sancho today, amid the prospect of Emi Martinez heading in the other direction.

Both clubs are attempting to secure an ‘agreement’ on those deals.

Romano explains that the England international ‘has to decide his future today’, and a move to Villa Park could offer a viable solution. A fee of £20m was quoted for the forward earlier in the window, and that could be a fee Villa need to pay themselves.

Why Sancho would be a good signing

Described as a “maverick” in his younger days by former coach Louis Lancaster, Sancho’s career trajectory has perhaps not gone as expected. His time at Old Trafford has been far from easy, although he did impress on loan at Chelsea last season.

At 25 years of age, Sancho has bags of Premier League experience now. He’s featured 89 times in the English top flight for the Red Devils and Enzo Maresca’s Blues, with 12 goals and 11 assists coming in that time.

Of course, the London-born star became known thanks to his sensational time at Borussia Dortmund. Over two spells in Germany, Sancho played 158 games, scoring 53 times and assisting 67, helping win the DFB-Pokal in 2020/21.

Well, this would be a move similar to one Villa made in January, when they brought Asensio in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Real Madrid star enjoyed a successful loan spell at Villa Park for the second half of last season, where he was able to get his career back on track after falling out of favour in the French capital.

Asensio only played 21 times for the club, but had a huge impact on Emery’s attack. He was deadly in front of goal, bagging eight times, and chipped in with an assist, too.

It is easy to see why Sancho could be the second coming of Asensio at Villa Park. Both players have somehow seen their careers take a bit of a downward spiral, falling out of favour at their respective clubs.

Yet, with the Spaniard able to play regular first-team football and become a key player for Villa, he bolstered his stock once more. It is easy to see how Sancho could do the same.

Their numbers from last season are similar, too. For example, Sancho averaged 1.94 key passes and 2.3 take-ons completed per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Asensio notched up an average of 2.12 key passes and 1.06 completed take-ons each game.

Key passes

1.94

2.12

Progressive passes

4.59

5.36

Take-ons completed

2.3

1.06

Progressive carries

5.2

2.72

Ball recoveries

5.05

3.05

Sancho could certainly become Villa’s new Asensio and really get his career back on track at Villa Park. He is clearly a talented attacker who could thrive in the pockets for Emery and help revitalise a struggling Villa attack, which is missing Asensio’s impact.

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The first ever WPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) aim to adopt an “aggressive approach” in all three departments. They want their players to be “fearless” in their quest to lift a second title in three seasons in front of their home crowd, according to head coach Charlotte Edwards.For the upcoming third edition of the WPL, MI have bought wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, and allrounders Nadine de Klerk, Akshita Maheshwari, and Sanskriti Gupta, whom captain Harmanpreet Kaur called “exciting talent”. De Klerk is the only international name among those, and the only one above 25 years of age.MI have also started preparing for the new season with almost a week’s training done in Navi Mumbai, mainly with the Indian players.Related

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• Gujarat Giants vs RCB to kick off WPL 2025 on February 14

“Every player that comes into MI hopefully knows what’s expected of them. But equally [important is] that aggressive approach which is what we want to have throughout when we bat, bowl or field – and that’s something we tried to put across most of the players,” Edwards said at a press conference in Mumbai. “But equally, have that clarity about what our strengths are.”Every player, we just want them to be fearless, and obviously, most of all, have lots of fun. That’s what makes me and obviously Jhulan [Goswami, bowling coach and mentor] very happy is when they’ve got smiles on their faces and they can impact games like the way they have done.”I thought we played some fantastic cricket last year, and that’s all we can ask [for]. Things that we really set here is that we want people turning on the TV and watching the Mumbai Indians playing, and we certainly did that last time – we had some entertaining games of cricket.”One of those entertaining games in WPL 2024 was when MI had chased down 191 against Gujarat Giants, led by Harmanpreet’s stunning 95 off 48 balls, an innings which was studded with ten fours and five sixes. But when it came to the Eliminator, MI fell just five runs short in their pursuit of 136 against eventual champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), as their middle order failed to score 16 runs off the remaining 12 deliveries after their captain’s dismissal.Last year, MI fell just five runs short in the Eliminator against RCB•BCCI

“We missed out by the narrowest of margins last year, which was disappointing. But we played the way we wanted to play, and this year, it’s just pure excitement for it,” Edwards said. “That we can keep building this team, to keep improving and hopefully get back to the winning ways, and get back to CCI (the Brabourne) and be in another final this year.”This time, MI have as many as nine players under the age of 25, including the 16-year-old Kamalini, who scored 143 runs for winners India during the recently-concluded Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Edwards said the key was to teach those youngsters that being aggressive was not only about hitting sixes.”The wonderful thing about youth is they’ll come in, and they will be aggressive,” she said. “So now it’s for us to just teach somehow to play T20 cricket, and it’s not all about hitting sixes. And that’s our job now to instil that within the players, but never take away this aggressive approach that we want to just build on their wonderful talent.”And that’s what’s impressed me so much about the talent coming through. They’re just so forward-thinking and open-minded, and it’s so wonderful to coach, and they do it all with a smile on their face, which makes me very happy.”

Goswami: WPL’s motto is to expand women’s cricket

While the maiden WPL was held in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the second season expanded to Bengaluru and Delhi. The third edition that starts from February 14 will be played across four cities: Vadodara, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Goswami, who played international cricket for over 20 years, said expanding the women’s game in the country was the “motto” of the WPL, while she also hoped to lift the trophy at the Brabourne Stadium again, which will host the final two league games and the knockouts.”One of the best things about WPL is it’s now going in different places in our country, and it will impact local young girls, [and] budding cricketers – to motivate them, encourage them,” she said. “And that is the ultimate motto of WPL – to go to different venues and expand women’s cricket, particularly in our country.”Baroda (now Vadodara) will be a new venue for all of us. Recently, the Indian team played a series against West Indies [there], and the wicket was good; it’s a new stadium. Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium is a fantastic stadium. Coming back to Mumbai, [we’re] looking forward to coming back in our home and playing in front of our MI fans. It’s a big thing, and we have fond memories of our first year, and [are] really looking forward to this season and playing in front of our MI fans.”MI’s first game in WPL 2025 will be on February 15, against Delhi Capitals in Vadodara.

Eberechi Eze used to be referred to as ‘Snake Hips’ by his former team-mates due to his incredible dribbling ability and agility, according to ex-Queens Park Rangers colleague Nedum Onuoha. The playmaker, who has been capped 13 times by England, is now lighting up the Premier League and Champions League with Arsenal after completing a summer transfer from Crystal Palace.

How Eze got to QPR following teenage heartbreak

Eze is widely regarded as one of the top flight’s most gifted attackers, but he has had to work hard to put himself in this position. He was released by Arsenal, Fulham, Reading and Millwall as an academy player, before finding a loving home at QPR in the Championship. It was in west London where he rubbed shoulders with Onuoha for two seasons before the veteran defender headed to Major League Soccer to finish his career with Real Salt Lake.

AdvertisementWatch the clipReason behind Eze's nickname revealed

Speaking on the Full Time Therapy podcast, Onuoha revealed how he was wary of Eze’s talent even at a young age, and how he is thrilled for his former team-mate to be thriving on football’s biggest stages.

"We used to call him ‘Snake Hips’!" Onuoha said. "He would just come towards you, give you one of these [shoulder drops] and you always take the bait on one of them. The reason why lots of people who have played with him speak so highly of him is because he’s a really good guy and he loves football. Like I saw him after the FA Cup final, and he’s like, ‘I can’t believe it, I never thought I’d be here’. All this stuff. This is someone at 27 where, in theory, the love of the game could have very well left the chat a long time ago. He adores it, a really good person."

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Eze distraught after Arsenal rejection

Eze’s love of Arsenal made his release from the club as a teenager all the more heartbreaking. In a 2020 interview with , Eze said: "I was 13 [when I was released]. That was the worst one. I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it’s going to be OK but not being able to get over it. Then I went to Fulham and I was finally starting to enjoy my football again. We played Arsenal a few months later but, when I went over to shake the academy manager’s hand, I started welling up. All the feelings came back."

Eze first joined QPR in 2016 and spent four years at Loftus Road before securing a Premier League move, joining Crystal Palace in the south of the capital city. It was at Palace where Eze made himself a household name in his home country, helping the Eagles up the table and eventually playing a starring role in their FA Cup triumph last season, securing the club’s first piece of major silverware.