Bedingham makes way in the only batting change from South Africa’s squad that drew 1-1 in Pakistan

Firdose Moonda27-Oct-2025

Temba Bavuma will be back to lead South Africa’s Test side in their two-match series against India next month after recovering from a calf strain. Bavuma missed the start of their World Test Championship title defence against Pakistan after sustaining the injury in England in September.He will not play in any of the white-ball matches that start in Pakistan this week but will be in a South African A side to play India A in a first-class match in Bengaluru before joining the Test squad.Bavuma’s inclusion is the only batting change from South Africa’s squad that drew 1-1 in Pakistan and comes at the expense of middle-order batter David Bedingham, who did not play either of the matches.Related

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Bedingham has played 15 Tests for South Africa and scored one hundred and four fifties, but before his 82 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo he had gone 12 innings without a fifty. With Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis and Zubayr Hamza in the squad, there is no room for Bedingham.”The guys that did duty in Pakistan in the Test matches have shown what they’re capable of, and a case can be made for all of them to be re-selected. The reason why they got selected ahead of David was because I feel that in these conditions they’ll be more effective,” Shukri Conrad, South Africa head coach, said on Bedingham. “It doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the road for David. It wasn’t so long ago that he was one of our star performers at Lord’s so really horses-for-courses. For what we’re potentially going to face, I believe the guys that we got are ahead of David in that respect.”You leave a player out and it’s never easy, especially if they’ve done as well as they have done. But again, I’ve got to take the emotion out of all of it. We’ve made some tough decisions along the way so every time you make a decision like that, it’s particularly tough, but you’ve got to take the emotion out of it.”You basically look at the raw facts and say, ‘right, what do we believe is going to be effective on these surfaces? And who best to stack up against said opposition on those surfaces,’ you know? And look, in eight months’ time, however long, when we play a Test match back home again, I’m sure David will be in that line-up. But purely for Pakistan and India, what we’re expecting, the guys that we’ve selected, we believe, are better equipped.”On Hamza’s selection for the India Tests, Conrad said that he’s a “really good player of spin, it’s as simple as that.” Hamza had recently scored a century for South Africa A against New Zealand A in Potchefstroom last month.”He [Hamza] was close to playing in Pakistan when we considered balance of side and he is the next batter up,” Conrad said. “In these conditions, I must continually add that, in these conditions, we’ve always said that everything we do is conditions-based and condition-specific.”South Africa have stuck with three specialist spinners as all of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy performed well in Pakistan. Offspinner Prenelan Subrayen, who played in the first Test while Maharaj was recovering from a groin strain, has not been included.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen make up the pace pack, with Lungi Ngidi not included after also missing out on the Pakistan tour.The two-match series starts in Kolkata on November 14 before the second Test in Guwahati from November 22. South Africa will also play three ODIs and five T20Is on the tour.South Africa Squad for India Tests
Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Zubayr Hamza, Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.

The Kingston Test was a nightmare for the batters as Starc set a new record for the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history

Sampath Bandarupalli14-Jul-202527 – West Indies’ total in the fourth innings of the third Test at Kingston against Australia. It is the second-lowest total in the history of Test cricket, only a run more than New Zealand’s 26 all-out against England in 1955 at Auckland.The 27 all-out is now the lowest total for West Indies in the format. Their previous lowest was 47 against England at the same venue in 2004.The 170 runs they aggregated across both innings are the lowest by West Indies in a Test match where they were bowled out twice. Their previous lowest was 175 against England at The Oval in 1957.14.3 – Overs batted by West Indies in their second innings. It is the third-shortest all-out innings in Test cricket, behind 12.3 overs by South Africa when they were all out for 30 against England in 1924, and 13.5 by Sri Lanka against South Africa last November.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Number of ducks in the West Indies’ second innings at Kingston. It is the first ever instance of seven batters getting out for a duck in a Test innings. There have been nine instances of six ducks previously, with the latest being at Edgbaston earlier this month.15 – Number of balls that Mitchell Starc needed to complete his five-wicket haul in the second innings. It is the fastest five-for in men’s Tests, a record he bettered by four balls.Ernie Toshack against India at Brisbane in 1947, Stuart Broad against Australia at Nottingham in 2015 and Scott Boland against England at the MCG in 2021; all completed their five-wicket hauls in 19 balls.516 – Runs aggregated by West Indies and Australia in Kingston, the seventh-fewest for a men’s Test match and the lowest since 1910, where both teams were bowled out twice.Only 1045 balls were bowled across the four innings, the lowest for any Test with four all-out innings since 1910 and the fourth-fewest ever. It is also the third-shortest Test to not end in a draw in West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 – Bowlers to take three wickets in the first over of an innings in men’s Tests since 2002. Irfan Pathan did it before Starc, when he claimed a hat-trick in the opening over of the Karachi Test in 2006.West Indies’ innings started with a scoreline of 0 for 3, courtesy of Starc’s opening over. It is only the sixth instance of a team losing their first three wickets without a run on the board in a Test innings.Starc took two wickets in the first over of the fourth innings against West Indies in 2015 at the same venue. He is the only bowler to have taken multiple wickets in the first over of a Test innings twice since 2002.6 – Runs collectively added by West Indies’ top six batters. It is comfortably the lowest by any team’s top six in a men’s Test innings and half of the previous lowest – 12 by Australia against England at Sydney in 1888.ESPNcricinfo Ltd19062 – Balls that Starc bowled in Test cricket to claim his 400th wicket. He is the second quickest to that milestone by balls bowled, behind only Dale Steyn, who needed 16634 balls.10 – Scott Boland became only the tenth bowler to take a hat-trick for Australia in men’s Tests, and the first since Peter Siddle against England at Brisbane in 2010. Australia now have 12 hat-tricks in men’s Tests, only behind England’s 15. Hugh Trumble and Thomas Matthews picked two hat-tricks each in their Test careers.6 for 9 – Starc’s bowling figures at Kingston are now the best for a player in their 100th Test match. Muthiah Muralidaran’s 6 for 54 against Bangladesh in 2006 was the previous best.48 – Steven Smith’s score in the first innings is the highest individual score of the match. The Kingston Test is only the 16th occasion in the men’s Tests where no batter scored a fifty (Matches with at least two complete innings).The previous such Test was between India and South Africa at Nagpur in 2015. Nine of the 16 Test matches without an individual fifty-plus score were played before 1900.

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

Sidharth Monga01-Aug-2025

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

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

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

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

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

Prasidh: I’ve been picked to do a job

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

Southampton have been one of a number of teams with a managerial vacancy in the Championship during the international break, alongside Norwich, Middlesbrough, and Swansea.

Boro are set to appoint Kim Hellberg from Hammarby and Vitor Matos is in talks to take over at Swansea, but it is Norwich who have made the most eyebrow-raising appointment.

The Canaries have hired Belgian coach Philippe Clement, who has won four domestic cups in Belgium and Scotland and four Belgian top-flight titles in his career, per Transfermarkt, working for Club Brugge, Genk, Monaco, and Rangers.

Norwich are 23rd in the Championship table, with half as many points as Southampton, yet they have attracted a head coach who has won 170 of his 287 league games as a manager, averaging 2.00 points per game, per Transfermarkt.

The latest on Southampton's managerial search

According to Daily Echo reporter Alfie House, as relayed by SaintsExtra, Southampton are set to hand interim head coach Tonda Eckert the next three Championship matches before further assessing the situation.

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The Saints play Charlton, Leicester City, and Millwall in those three games, after Eckert beat QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in his first two matches in the dugout.

House’s update adds that Southampton have spoken with managerial targets and that they do not have a clear standout candidate at this moment in time, which is why Eckert will be given the next three games to stake his claim for the permanent job.

Instead of appointing the interim on a permanent basis, Sport Republic could hire their answer to Norwich’s ambitious Clement swoop by bringing reported target Brendan Rodgers to St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should appoint Brendan Rodgers

If the Canaries are able to attract a manager like Clement, who has won eight trophies and managed some big European clubs, whilst second from bottom in the Championship, Southampton should make a statement of their own with a move for the former Celtic boss.

Described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, like the new Norwich manager, Rodgers would come in with an incredible career behind him and a history of winning games and trophies on a consistent basis. In fact, he won the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership title with Celtic ahead of Clement’s Rangers side.

The Northern Irish boss, who was hailed as a “pillar of strength” by Hoops captain Callum McGregor, is an incredibly experienced tactician who has been there and done it in England and Scotland.

Stat

Rodgers

Clement

League games managed

597

287

League games won

322

170

League games drawn

122

63

League games lost

153

54

Points per league game

1.82

2.00

Trophies won

13

8

League titles won

4

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is even more experienced than Clement and has won five more trophies in his career, with 11 of those coming at Celtic, and the other two with Leicester.

The Saints target also has experience in getting out of the Championship. He won the play-offs in the 2010/11 campaign after a third-placed finish in the second tier with Swansea, which shows that he also has experience for what Southampton need this season.

Therefore, Rodgers could be a brilliant appointment for the club if they can convince him to make the drop down to the Championship, which is what Norwich were able to do with Clement.

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur had a gut feeling it was Shafali Verma’s day when she threw the ball to the opener with South Africa ticking along in their run chase of 299 in the World Cup final.Shafali, who made a career-best 87 with the bat earlier, responded by delivering two key breakthroughs to help India win their maiden World Cup title.Shafali had bowled just 14 overs for a single wicket in 30 ODIs coming into the match, but it took her just two balls to end a 52-run stand between South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus in the 21st over with a sharp return catch. And with the first ball of her second over, she got another big wicket as Marizanne Kapp was strangled down leg.Related

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“When Laura and Sune were batting, they were looking really good, and I just saw Shafali standing there. And the way she was batting today, I knew today’s her day,” Harmanpreet said at the presentation ceremony. “She was doing something special today, and I just thought I have to go with my gut feeling. If my heart is saying I should give at least one over to her, I’m going to give her.”And then I just asked her, ‘can you bowl one over?’ And she was so ready, and she’s always wanted to bowl for the team. I think that was a turning point for us.”Shafali only came into India’s squad before the semi-finals after opener Pratika Rawal suffered an injury during their final league-stage match that ruled her out of the tournament.”When she came to the team, that time we spoke to her, ‘we might need your two or three overs’. And she was like, ‘you know, if you give me the bowling, I’m going to bowl 10 overs for the team,'” Harmanpreet said. “And that showed how confident she was to bowl for the team. Credit goes to her. She was so positive. Salute her, the way she was there for the team.”Despite having pulled off a record chase of 339 at the same venue in their semi-final against Australia, Harmanpreet said their total of 298 was enough, considering it was on a different pitch, the overcast conditions and the extra pressure of a final.There were moments when the score looked to be insufficient with Wolvaardt marching to a second consecutive century, stitching fifty-plus stands with Tazmin Brits, Luus and Annerie Dercksen in the process.But, with the asking rate starting to climb, South Africa lost their last five wickets for 37 runs, with Deepti Sharma running through the lineup.Deepti Sharma followed up her half-century with a five-wicket haul•ICC/Getty Images

“We should give credit to the South Africa team. They played it beautifully. In the last moment they panicked a little bit, and that’s where we caught the game,” Harmanpreet said.”And I think we, as a group, we have been talking about, you know, once they started doing a little bit, you know, something here and there, we have to catch that. And I think that right time Deepti came and took those crucial wickets.”In the league stage, India slipped to consecutive defeats against South Africa, Australia and England – the three teams that finished above them. But, India registered a memorable win to knock defending champions Australia out before sealing the title against South Africa.”Yeah, last game also we spoke that self-belief was there that, you know, even though we lost three back-to-back games, but we knew this team has something special to turn things around the table,” Harmanpreet said. “So, I think credit goes to each and every member. They stayed positive. They knew what we have to do the next three games, and I think everybody was so involved.”

Vinicius Jr has softened his stance over a blockbuster salary request and is now edging closer to accepting Real Madrid’s reduced contract proposal. The Brazilian, once determined to match Kylian Mbappe’s earnings, has shifted course just weeks after tensions with Xabi Alonso threatened to derail negotiations.

How contract tensions reached breaking point

Vinicius' renewal saga has been a defining off-field story at Madrid this season. The Brazilian’s current contract runs until June 30, 2027, and talks first stalled two years ago when the club offered him around €20 million (£17m/$22m) per season, an amount he felt undervalued him at a moment when he was viewed internally as the club’s future superstar.

Back in 2023, with Karim Benzema gone and Jude Bellingham only beginning his Madrid journey, the Brazilian believed he deserved compensation befitting the club’s attacking focal point. His camp argued he was worth closer to €30m (£25m/$33m), placing him in the same bracket as Mbappe, whose current Madrid package reaches €23m (£19m/$25m) net annually with bonuses included. Negotiations continued into this season, but progress was limited.

The real setback came when reports claimed Vinicius informed the club he would not sign an extension “while his relationship with Alonso remains so strained.” The winger’s frustration grew as he was substituted repeatedly, omitted from starting lineups, and finished the full 90 minutes only four times all season. That, combined with Madrid’s dip in form, pushed the contract talks into a deep freeze until events in Greece shifted the mood.

AdvertisementAFPInside the Alonso rift and the divided Madrid dressing room

Spanish reports suggested the tension between Vinicius and Alonso symbolised a broader split inside the squad. revealed that six players – Vinicius, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Ferland Mendy were unhappy with the coach’s tactical choices and substitutions.

Vinicius, seen as the centre of the unrest, felt his role had been diminished. Being left out of major starting line-ups and used inconsistently only deepened his irritation. Meanwhile, the club’s marquee figures – Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras were said to be firmly behind Alonso.

The flashpoint came during the last Clasico, when the 25-year-old reacted angrily after being substituted. He issued a written apology days later but pointedly left Alonso’s name out. That omission strengthened the perception of a fractured relationship.

But according to reports , Vinicius later apologised in person to both the staff and the full squad. And when Madrid beat Olympiacos 4-3 in Greece, Vinicius walked directly to Alonso at full-time, the two embracing publicly, signalling a desire to move forward and stabilise the situation.

Why Vinicius is now willing to accept reduced terms

The shift in tone off the pitch has coincided with talks reopening on the financial side. Vinicius earns €15m gross per season under his current deal, and although his initial objective was to match or surpass Mbappe’s figures, now indicate that he is prepared to accept significantly lower terms than his earlier €30m target.

His willingness to compromise stems from several evolving factors. His form has dipped, with just 11 goals in his last 40 league and Champions League appearances, reducing the leverage he once held. At the same time, no major European club has made a concrete approach for him, despite speculative links to Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, which has further softened his negotiating position. There is also a growing understanding within his camp that Madrid remain the club best positioned to maximise his long-term potential and keep his Ballon d’Or ambitions alive. Most importantly, the tension with Alonso appears to have cooled after recent conciliatory gestures, removing one of the biggest emotional obstacles to signing a new deal.

Together, these developments represent the first real breakthrough in more than two years of stalling negotiations. The player and the club are now described as aligned once again, with both sides optimistic about reaching a final agreement in the coming months. It is also a crucial moment, as Vinicius would be free to negotiate with other clubs from January 2027, once he enters the final six months of his existing contract, a scenario Los Blancos are determined to avoid at all costs.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Madrid’s No.7?

The Brazilian now enters a crucial stretch: the final 18 months of his contract and a pivotal moment in his Madrid career. His market value will decline with every passing month unless a renewal is sealed. The club want clarity before the summer window opens in 2026; the player wants assurances on his role and long-term project fit.

On the pitch, he still has the opportunity to reverse his recent decline and re-establish himself as a decisive figure alongside Mbappe and Bellingham. Off it, Madrid expect discussions to accelerate before the end of the season, with both sides confident a middle ground can be reached. All eyes now turn to the negotiation table where Vinicius Jr’s future at the Bernabeu will be decided once and for all.

Arsenal are flying at the moment.

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

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

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

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why Samu would be a dream signing for Eze

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

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

Fortunately, that sounds a lot like the Spaniard.

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

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

Appearances

44

16

Minutes

3,370′

809′

Goals

27

6

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

0.43

Minutes per Goal Involvement

112.33′

115.57′

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed another injury doubt ahead of their looming derby clash at home to Tottenham, following the now-confirmed news that star defender Gabriel Magalhaes is set for weeks on the sidelines.

The Gunners welcome Spurs to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday brimming with confidence, as Arteta’s side look to extend their remarkable recent dominance over their fiercest rivals and strengthen their grip atop the Premier League summit.

Arsenal enter the 198th North London derby in commanding form despite a late setback at Sunderland ending their 10-match winning streak. They sit four points clear at the top of the table, and history suggests they’re well-positioned to maintain that advantage.

Arsenal have won five of their last six Premier League encounters with Spurs, including three consecutive victories – their longest winning run against Tottenham since the late 80s (The Analyst).

Home advantage has proven decisive in this fixture. Indeed, Arsenal have lost just one of their last 32 home Premier League derbies against Tottenham, winning 19 and drawing 12, with that solitary defeat coming in November 2010 (The Analyst).

The Emirates has become a fortress against their arch rivals, with Arsenal having scored in each of their last 26 home league games against Spurs, netting at least twice in the previous eight meetings.

However, Arsenal have had numerous injury doubts to contend with, as they have for most of this season.

Gabriel is now reportedly set for at least a month on the sidelines after injuring his thigh on international duty with Brazil, with Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus have all been missing recently.

Riccardo Calafiori could miss Tottenham as Arsenal dealt another injury doubt

As well as this, star left-back Riccardo Calafiori, who’s been one of Arsenal’s players of the season so far according to Ray Parlour, was nursing a hip problem on international duty with Italy.

After checks this week, Fabrizio Romano stated that Calafiori is ready to play with no injuries, just ‘overload’, so Arteta’s latest update actually comes as quite a surprising twist.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, via football.london, Arteta says that Calafiori has been unavailable, and they’ll have to wait and see if he can take part against Spurs, pending another Saturday training session.

With Gabriel already ruled out, losing Calafiori would strip Arsenal of their two most versatile defensive options in one fell swoop.

If the former Bologna star is ruled out, Myles Lewis-Skelly is poised to return at left-back, with one of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie replacing Gabriel. Calafiori’s been in exceptional form this term, so much so that Lewis-Skelly, one of Hale End’s latest rising stars, has barely got a look-in despite his excellent end to 24/25.

The 23-year-old would be a sore miss for Arteta, who is now facing a real selection headache ahead of one of Arsenal’s biggest games of the year.

Will the start of yet another new era off the park lead to one on the pitch for Rangers?

On Monday, it was announced, somewhat out of the blue, that both chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had been sacked, just weeks after they had been publicly backed by Andrew Cavenagh and other members of 49ers Enterprises.

Thelwell and Stewart oversaw the hiring and swift firing of Russell Martin, as well as appointing his successor Danny Röhl, with the power vacuum upstairs likely to see the German head coach have a rather large say when it comes to January recruitment.

Before the transfer window opens, Rangers have eight more matches to play, with Röhl still attempting to build a cohesive team out of the mishmash squad he has inherited, but which big-money signing should find himself on the bench against Falkirk on Sunday?

Danilo's continued poor performances

Rangers have signed plenty of players who have not lived up to their price tag in recent years, with Danilo right towards the top of that list.

Since arriving from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £6m, the Brazilian striker has made just 67 appearances for the Light Blues due to injury problems.

However, when he is on the pitch, he is not delivering either, scoring just 15 times for the club, of which three have come this season, putting in a very underwhelming display during Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Braga, as the table below documents.

Shots on target

1

3rd

Expected goals

0.15

6th

Successful dribbles

2

7th

Accurate passes

14

18th

Passing accuracy %

71%

17th

Touches

34

18th

As the table documents, Danilo made little impact on the night’s proceedings.

His major moment came just after the half hour mark, played in-behind by Mohamed Diomandé, but tamely shooting straight at Lukáš Horníček, lacking any semblance of confidence or conviction, never appearing to believe he was going to score.

In the Brazilian’s defence, he was deployed out of possession on the left-wing so, with that in mind, Röhl surely must start his forgotten special young talent when Falkirk visit Govan on Sunday instead.

Rangers' youngster with an exciting future ahead

Amazingly, 26 matches into this season across all competitions, only two Rangers players have scored four goals or more, namely Djeidi Gassama and James Tavernier.

Just below them on three goals is Findlay Curtis, despite the fact he has barely featured for three months.

The teenaged academy graduate made his senior debut against Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup in January, but was one of the stars of Martin’s ill-fated tenure, scoring three times before 24 August.

The pick of the bunch was this rocket to secure a 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos in a Champions League qualifier back in July.

Overall, Curtis has seen 244 minutes of action this season, but just 17 minutes of this have come since the start of September, not featuring at all in 12 of Rangers’ last 15 fixtures.

He was given a nine minute cameo by Röhl during the defeat to Roma earlier this month, this the only time he has been seen under the new manager.

Despite this, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserts that he has an “exciting future ahead”, while Kai Watson asserts that he “looked really bright” every time he is called upon.

Curtis’ direct dribbling and fearlessness is something Rangers severely lack, especially with Mikey Moore currently sidelined, while fellow wingers Oliver Antman and Thelo Aasgaard simply are not offering enough.

Thus, with games against Falkirk, Dundee United and then Kilmarnock up next, Röhl surely has to reintegrate Curtis, or risk him becoming the latest Rangers youngster who is forced to depart in search of first team opportunities.

Forget Djiga: Rohl must bin Rangers flop who lost the ball every 2 touches

Following Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Braga in the Europa League at Ibrox on Thursday, which flop must Danny Röhl axe who was even worse than Nasser Djiga?

Nov 28, 2025

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

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

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ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

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