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NZ batter had represented the franchise in 2025, but was released despite being their highest run-getter

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025

Kane Williamson had also played for DSG last season•Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Kane Williamson is set to replace Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam at Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) ahead of SA 2025-26, ESPNcricinfo understands. DSG had bought Taijul for R500,000 (approx. US$28,858) at the mega auction in September, but he’s set to miss the upcoming fourth edition of the SA20.Williamson, meanwhile, had made his debut in the tournament when he represented DSG last season, but was released by the side despite being their highest run-scorer. He scored 233 runs at an average of 46.60 and a strike rate of 118.87 in eight games. DSG finished at the bottom of the table.Williamson’s return to the SA20 continues his foray in the franchise world. Last month, he was appointed Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) strategic advisor in the IPL. Earlier this year, after his maiden stint at the SA20, he played in the Hundred for the first time in his career and in the Vitality Blast after seven years. Soon after, Williamson signed only a casual agreement with New Zealand Cricket to have flexibility in playing overseas.Related

Brevis, Markram earn record sums at SA20 2025-26 auction

Kane Williamson retires from New Zealand T20Is

Williamson joins LSG as strategic advisor

Last week, he also retired from T20Is with the T20 World Cup only three months away.At the SA20 next year, Williamson will join Noor Ahmad (retained), Sunil Narine and Jos Buttler (both pre-signed), among others, as DSG look to improve on their performance from last season.The fourth edition of SA20 begins on December 26, with DSG playing the opening game against MI Cape Town in Cape Town.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

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 TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

India A lost three quick wickets in the morning session but an unbroken eighth-wicket stand between Suthar and Kamboj helped seal the win

Shashank Kishore02-Nov-2025

Rishabh Pant top-scored for India A with 90•PTI

An unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 62 between Anshul Kamboj and Manav Suthar guided India A to a thrilling three-wicket victory over South Africa A in the first four-day fixture at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence on Sunday.India A’s chase of 275 looked on shaky grounds when they lost three quick wickets – all to short-pitched bowling – in the morning session. Then Suthar, with a first-class highest of 96, stonewalled the fast bowlers into frustration, allowing Kamboj to feast on some tired bowling in the second session to seal victory.Resuming on 119 for 4, India A needed a further 156 runs with six wickets in hand, and Rishabh Pant took charge in typically explosive fashion. Unbeaten overnight on 64, Pant launched Okuhle Cele over extra cover for six off just the second ball of the day in a 14-run opening over. He was at his audacious best, forcing the fast bowlers to abandon their fuller lengths and switch to a barrage of short deliveries from around the wicket.Unruffled, Pant continued to counterattack – pulling with authority and even launching Tiaan van Vuuren for six over deep midwicket when the left-armer overpitched slightly. But van Vuuren struck back in the same over, banging one in short as Pant advanced, only for the ball to loop off the splice of the bat to slip.Pant departed for a scintillating 90 off 113 balls, an innings studded with 11 fours and four sixes, three of them against the spinners, to give the visitors an opening. But the chase was far from over as Ayush Badoni displayed an array of attractive flick shots as the fast bowlers attacked the stumps to extract a hint of reverse against the old ball.However, every now and then they kept banging it into the body – with both Badoni and Tanush Kotian falling in eerily similar fashion, out hooking to fine leg. At 215 for 7, South Africa A smelt victory with van Vurren, who accounted for Rajat Patidar, Pant and Badoni, breathing fire. This was when Suthar was happy to weave away from bumpers, take blows on the body and fight to survive – giving India A some cushion.Manav Suthar shared a crucial partnership with Anshul Kamboj•PTI

With 17 needed, Kamboj – also hit on the helmet by van Vurren’s bouncer – used the long handle to slog sweep offspinner Prenelan Subrayen for six to bring the target within touching distance. Kamboj wasn’t blindly slogging for much of his knock; he was a bit more adventurous in trying to throw the fast bowlers off their lengths.Occasionally, luck favoured him too, like when one pull shot flew off a top-edge for four and another landed short of two fielders on the leg side fence. But with 11 needed, a heave flew off wide of short third off a thick edge to bring the target within single digits. Suthar hit the winning runs when he charged down the pitch to loft Subrayen over mid-on.Kamboj finished unbeaten on 37 to take away a confidence boosting performance from the match, along with an impressive 3 for 39 in the second innings that triggered South Africa A’s slide on the third afternoon. In displaying enough batting resilience, Suthar showed there’s more to him than just classical left-arm spin, which brought him four wickets.The pick of India A bowlers, however, was Kotian, who picked up four-fors in both innings – displaying control and guile in equal measure to showcase to the selectors why he can be an able back-up for Washington Sundar in the Test squad.There was also some batting time for B Sai Sudharsan in the first innings, although he’d have been disappointed with his manner of dismissals in both innings. In the first, his outside edge got him into trouble as he was out nicking. In the second, he was beaten on the inside edge, lbw to an in-ducker.Ayush Mhatre hit an attractive half-century in the first, while Devdutt Padikkal, who was part of the Test squad for West Indies, missed out in both innings even as Karun Nair, the man he displaced, continued to pile on the runs in the Ranji Trophy.

Barcelona have finally received the kind of news they have been waiting months for. Pedri’s accelerated recovery puts him on course to face Chelsea in a crucial Champions League clash, Joan Garcia is set to return after the break, Raphinha has also entered the final phase of his rehabilitation, with their injury returns coming at an ideal time for manager Hansi Flick.

Pedri’s fast-tracked return ahead of Chelsea clash

Pedri’s injury during the El Clasico loss to Madrid was one of the defining blows of Barcelona’s turbulent season. The midfielder tore the distal biceps femoris muscle in his left thigh, a serious hamstring injury that was expected to leave him out for six weeks. The timeline meant missing vital Champions League fixtures and the entire November international window, depriving Barca of the player who dictates tempo, links phases, and provides balance in midfield.

In his absence, Barcelona visibly suffered. Without Pedri’s positional intelligence and control, their build-up became erratic, transitions slower, and Flick’s game model lost its anchor. Matches against Club Brugge and league opponents highlighted how heavily the side still leans on his presence.

However, in a major and somewhat unexpected twist, Pedri has responded extremely well to treatment, allowing Barcelona’s medical staff to accelerate his reintegration. Journalist Xavi Campos confirmed that he is now expected to be available for the Champions League clash against Chelsea on November 25 in a match that could decide top spot in the table. Barcelona will not risk him against Athletic Club, but the plan is clear: Pedri will be eased in at Stamford Bridge.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesJoan Garcia’s return restores stability between the posts

If Pedri’s injury hurt Barcelona’s structure, Garcia’s absence damaged their foundations. Before tearing his medial meniscus in late September, the 24-year-old was in outstanding form: seven matches, three clean sheets, only five goals conceded.

His injury, which required arthroscopic surgery on September 27, came at the worst possible moment. Barcelona had begun to settle defensively, and Garcia’s chemistry with the back line was improving every week. His replacement, Wojciech Szczesny, offered experience but struggled to replicate Garcia’s calm presence. Over nine matches, Barca conceded far more chances, lacked assurance in build-up, and visibly missed their first-choice keeper.

The international break, however, has worked in Barcelona’s favour. With no competitive fixtures, Garcia has been able to use the fortnight to complete the final stages of his rehabilitation without pressure. Reports now confirm he is fully recovered and expected to start against Athletic Bilbao when La Liga resumes.

Raphinha enters the decisive phase of his recovery

The international break also offered Barcelona something they have rarely enjoyed this season: a quiet training environment with no new injuries and even better, clear signs of progress. The most encouraging update concerns Raphinha, who has officially entered the final phase of his recovery.

The winger has been working individually at Ciutat Esportiva, focusing on strength, explosiveness and controlled workload to avoid setbacks. With only a handful of first-team players in training, all eyes shifted to him and every report from inside the club described his evolution as “very positive.” If his progress continues, he is expected to rejoin full sessions right after the international break, giving Flick another guaranteed starter during a period in which rotation will be unavoidable.

His comeback also arrives at a moment when other attacking options, such as Lamine Yamal, remain in longer recovery programmes.

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Getty Images SportRare positive window for Flick amid a season of setbacks

For coach Flick, the first months of the season have resembled a survival test rather than a smooth managerial transition. Multiple key players dropped out with long-term injuries, medical disagreements created tension with national teams, and constant squad disruption made it nearly impossible to establish a consistent style of play.

At various points, Flick lost Pedri, Raphinha, Gavi, Garcia, Yamal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and several defenders. Tactical adjustments became reactive rather than strategic, and results fluctuated as Barcelona tried to adapt.

This is why the current wave of good news feels so significant. Pedri’s accelerated return, Garcia’s full recovery, and Raphinha’s advancing rehabilitation collectively give Barcelona something they have not had all season which is continuity. Flick will finally be able to work with a more complete squad, regain tactical balance, and build consistency ahead of a demanding fixture calendar.

Australian power-hitter belts five sixes before Welsh Fire mess up chase of 130

ECB Media20-Aug-2025A 19-ball half-century from Hilton Cartwright led Southern Brave to victory over Welsh Fire in a tight game in The Hundred.Cartwright made an unbeaten 51 to help Brave rally to 129 for 8, before Brave’s bowlers closed the game out with the ball in a topsy-turvy chase.Electing to bowl first in helpful conditions, Welsh Fire’s new-ball pairing of David Payne and Matt Henry were exceptional, bowling 20 of the first 25 deliveries.Henry in particular was relentless, dismissing Leus du Ploy and Jason Roy on the way to a remarkable return of 2 for 5 from 20 balls – the second-most economical figures in the short history of the Hundred.Brave skipper James Vince dug in, helping his side recover to 53 for 3 at halfway before eventually falling when he pulled a short ball from Chris Green straight down Saif Zaib’s throat at deep midwicket for 29.Enter Cartwright. The Aussie big-hitter went on the attack immediately, hitting five sixes, mixing power and innovation, as he reached a 19-ball half-century, finishing 51 not out as the Brave made 129 for 8.Jonny Bairstow’s lively start was not enough for the Fire•ECB/Getty ImagesIn the run chase, Jonny Bairstow came out swinging, hitting Craig Overton for two fours and a six in the first set. He then smashed Reece Topley for two fours as the Fire raced to 23 for 0 from the first 10 balls before he fell for 22, skying Overton to du Plooy in the ring.The chase ebbed backwards and forwards and with 20 balls left, Fire needed 27 to win with three wickets in hand and just the tail for company for Tom Kohler-Cadmore.Five wides from Jordan took some of the pressure off before four were taken from Jofra Archer’s final five, including Laurie Evans putting down David Payne behind the stumps to leave 16 required off 10.Kohler-Cadmore (25) then found Cartwright in the deep off Coles, leaving Payne and Henry – Fire’s heroes with the ball at the top of the day – to find the crucial 12 runs to take Fire to victory, from final five to be bowled by Jordan. He delivered a fine last five to ensure it was the Brave who got over the line.”That was an absolute thriller. It ebbed and flowed that whole second innings. The crowd got a bloody good game tonight,” Cartwright said. “I took the game on and it paid off, thankfully… It was an all-round team effort tonight. I thought the bowlers did an outstanding job to defend a small total.”

Australia allrounder Matt Short prefers opening the batting, but has revealed his best chance of playing at next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka is in the middle and lower order.The 29-year-old toured the West Indies for Australia’s underwhelming 2024 World Cup showing as a reserve player outside of the 15-man squad and did not play.The current T20 series against India, which concludes in Queensland with matches on the Gold Coast and at the Gabba, has a lot riding on it for Short.Related

• Power-packed, but not bulletproof: where Australia stand ahead of T20 World Cup

• Unbeatable series lead on the line in rare Gold Coast fixture

• Head leaves T20I squad for red-ball Ashes preparation

His best innings for Australia, including a dynamic 66 off 30 deliveries against South Africa in 2023, have come as an opener. However, Short, who played his first two matches of the current series at No.7, has been given a clear picture of his path to T20 World Cup inclusion by the side’s brains trust.”Personally I think I am suited to the top of the order, but having conversations with selectors and coaching staff, I think, looking forward to that T20 World Cup, I know that our top four or five is going to be pretty locked in,” Short said.”If I was to make the XI in the World Cup, I think my best chances are in the middle or lower order. We are probably using this series to see guys in different positions and looking ahead to that World Cup.”[To play at the World Cup] would be massive. I missed out on the one in the West Indies where I was a travelling reserve, but I love playing cricket for Australia no matter if it’s in the World Cup or a series like this. I am happy taking what I am getting, whether that is in the top order or through the middle.”The Adelaide Strikers captain confirmed himself as a cricketer of absolute class when he was player of the tournament in BBL 12 and BBL 13, where his powerful batting and crafty offspin stole the show.That high level of consistency was the stepping stone for Short to gain selection in both the Australian T20 and ODI sides, where he debuted in 2023.Short enjoys the ball coming onto the bat, but has set himself a goal of upping the ante when facing spinners.”There’s always ways to improve,” he said. “Looking at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, it is probably my game against spin that probably needs a little bit of work.”Especially when you look at our squad and the power hitters we have got through the middle like Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis … guys that have had that experience in India before and have that real power game against spin.”It is obviously a challenge, and playing for Australia is not easy, so we will have to wait and see.”

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

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

Kieron Pollard to captain MI Emirates in ILT20

R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

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

Mikel Arteta is being backed to bring Arsenal’s long wait for Premier League title glory to a close as the Gunners are working with their “strongest ever squad” in the Emirates Stadium era. That is the opinion of Nigel Winterburn, who has told GOAL in an exclusive interview why domestic dominance can be restored in north London during the 2025-26 campaign.

• When did the 'Invincibles' win Arsenal's last Premier League title?

  The fabled ‘Invincibles’ of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires were the last Arsenal side to claim a top-flight crown. They did so back in 2003-04, with more than two decades having passed since that memorable coronation.

  Arteta has carried the Gunners close during his spell in a demanding coaching role, with the Spaniard overseeing three successive runners-up finishes. The challenge now is to shake that ‘nearly men’ tag and deliver tangible success.

  A positive start has been made to the current season, with a six-point lead at the summit being opened up through 12 fixtures – including a 4-1 derby victory over arch-rivals Tottenham last time out. Defending champions Liverpool have slipped dramatically off the pace, while Manchester City have not been as consistent as Pep Guardiola would have liked – despite Erling Haaland posting stunning numbers on the goal front.

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  No more excuses: Does Arteta have to deliver title glory?

  Quizzed on whether Arteta has to deliver, with there no more excuses to be found in the title-chasing stakes, Arsenal legend Winterburn – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “I don’t think there have been any excuses from Arteta and the club. If you want to look at it ruthlessly over the last three seasons, we just haven’t been quite good enough. We have made huge strides, there is no doubt about that. I believe this is the strongest squad that Arsenal have ever had at the Emirates – in terms of its depth. We are seeing that. We have got some huge injuries, but the players that have come in have done exceptionally well and the team are just rolling out the results.

  “I think there has been a little bit of frustration there at times with supporters feeling that we should have done business last season. I don’t know if I completely agree with that, people saying we could have had a big push for the title last season by signing a striker. I’m not so sure. I never felt comfortable last year when we were trying to play catch-up on Liverpool. I felt Liverpool looked like a machine that were not going to give you many chances. With Arsenal, with the injuries, they weren’t quite good enough to close that gap. If you look at some of the stats as well, it might tell you a different story to just buying a striker and fixing the problem. I don’t think that would have been the case. We have come up short in the last three seasons. We have been very close. The players that we have added to the squad this season gives me huge belief that we will be very, very difficult to beat.”

• Timeline for success: Arsenal prediction from former Gunners star

  Ex-Gunners winger Anders Limpar told GOAL back in March that Arteta is not under immediate pressure to break a Premier League title duck. He will, however, be aware that patience can only stretch so far.

  Limpar said of the Gunners’ bid to land the most prestigious of honours: “When it comes to titles, of course as an Arsenal fan that would be unreal to win the Champions League or the Premier League, but it’s not necessary. Over the last few years we have been so close, so everybody is looking at Arsenal and thinking we have to win. Of course we have to win something, the FA Cup or League Cup.

  “To go for the Champions League or a Premier League title, that’s so hard to win. In my opinion, we don’t need to win the two big titles over the next year or two, we should be up there among the best.”

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  Strength in depth: Arsenal have spent big in pursuit of glory

  The Gunners certainly form part of that pack, with greater depth being added to their ranks through the additions of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.

  They have suffered just one Premier League defeat in 2025-26, while conceding only six goals. Arteta is now in a position where he can make dreams come true for a loyal fan base, with Arsenal needing to prove that they can handle the added weight of hope and expectation.

Glasgow Rangers were hit with a big blow during the summer transfer window when Hamza Igamane moved on from Ibrox to sign for Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

The French side swooped in to sign the Morocco international for a fee of £10.4m, thanks to a release clause in his contract, after he spent just one full season in Glasgow.

Igamane showcased his quality on a regular basis in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the graphic above, and that is why it was such a blow for the Scottish Premiership giants to lose him in the summer.

The right-footed centre-forward arrived at Ibrox in the summer of 2023 as a 21-year-old and inexperienced striker, and Philippe Clement provided him with the chance to play regular football and develop.

Igamane, as evidenced by his goal tally last season, took advantage of the chances that Clement, and later, Barry Ferguson, offered him on the pitch, which earned the striker his big-money move to Lille.

Unfortunately, replacing the Moroccan centre-forward has proven to be a task too difficult for Kevin Thelwell, as the club’s current striker options have struggled this season.

Ranking the first-team striker options at Rangers

Rangers swooped to sign Youssef Chermiti from Everton for a fee of £8m, the most they have paid for a player since the £12m move for Tore Andre Flo in 2000, and agreed a deal worth up to £4.2m to bring Bojan Miovski in from Girona.

On top of signing Chermiti and Miovski to make up for the departures of Igamane and Cyriel Dessers, the Light Blues decided to keep hold of Brazilian forward Danilo, leaving Russell Martin with three centre-forward options.

Danny Rohl has inherited those three options and it still remains to be seen which of those three is his preferred option. Danilo has started four games, Chermiti has started three games, and Miovski has started three games across the manager’s six games in all competitions.

The Brazilian striker has been the most effective option, so far, with a return of two goals in three Scottish Premiership appearances under the German tactician, whilst Miovski is yet to score for him and Chermiti has scored once.

James Tavernier

2.9

4

+1.1

Bojan Miovski

2.16

1

-1.16

Thelo Aasgaard

1.63

1

-0.63

Djeidi Gassama

1.43

1

-0.43

Nicolas Raskin

1.07

1

-0.07

As you can see in the table above, only Miovski ranks within the top five players with the highest xG in the Premiership this season, and he has underperformed his xG by 1.16 goals.

It is hard, therefore, to rank the Macedonia international any higher than bottom of the pile because he has had enough chances in front of goal to have more than one league strike to his name.

Chermiti ranks in second place, as he also has one Premiership goal but has only started one match, and that leaves Danilo in first place, with three goals and one assist in all competitions, per Sofascore.

The fact that the former Feyenoord ace can be considered the best striker option at the club with three goals to his name in November, though, shows that the club have failed to replace Igamane’s influence in the final third.

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It is, therefore, unfortunate that there is a former Rangers academy graduate, who left the club for nothing, currently shining and looking like he would have been their next Igamane at Ibrox.

The former Rangers star who could have been their next Hamza Igamane

Robbie Ure, per Transfermarkt, left Glasgow on a free transfer to sign for Anderlecht’s academy in the summer of 2023 at the age of 19, after only making three appearances for the first-team.

The then-teenage Scottish centre-forward scored one goal in three games for the senior side. After his first senior goal, against Queen of the South, teammate Scott Arfield described the striker as “magic” in their post-game interview.

Ure had scored 17 goals in 37 B team matches and five goals in ten Youth League games at academy level, per Transfermarkt, but was not given more than three appearances for the first-team, despite scoring in one of them.

The Scotland U21 international went on to score 12 goals in 38 games for Anderlecht’s Futures team in 18 months in Belgium, before sealing a move to Swedish side Sirius to play regular first-team football.

Since his move to Sweden, Ure has made a name for himself with a return of 11 goals and four assists in 28 starts in the Allsvenskan in the 2025 campaign for Sirius, per FotMob.

xG

10.54

Top 9%

xG on target

11.13

Top 9%

Goals

11

Top 11%

Chances created

44

Top 1%

Assists

4

Top 11%

Touches in the opposition’s box

116

Top 9%

Duels won

157

Top 7%

Duel success rate

43.5%

Top 30%

As you can see in the table above, the former Rangers marskman ranks incredibly highly among forwards in the division for scoring goals, creating chances, and winning duels.

This shows that he has been outstanding technically and physically at first-team level in Sweden. Now, if Rangers were linked with a promising 21-year-old striker with his statistics this season, supporters would surely be excited by the prospect of that signing.

The Gers already had him on their books, though, and did not give him enough opportunities to shine at senior level before he decided to move on at the end of his contract in 2023.

Rangers just lost an incredibly exciting and talented young goalscorer, in Igamane, and they could have had their next version of the Moroccan if they had kept hold of Ure and given him chances to impress at Ibrox.

He scored goals at youth level at Ibrox, he scored in one of his three senior outings for the club, he scored goals for Anderlech’s academy, and now the youngster is scoring goals regularly at first-team level in Sweden.

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Rangers, therefore, already had their next Igamane in the making at the club, but they were unable to convince him not to walk away for nothing in 2023, which they will surely regret in hindsight.

Chelsea made it back-to-back league wins at the expense of managerless Wolves on Saturday night as the Blues cruised to a 3-0 victory on home turf. The win lifted the west London side up into second and closed Arsenal's lead at the top to six points. The result, meanwhile, leaves Wolves rooted to the foot of the table with just two points from the opening 11 games.

Chelsea looked threatening early on, with captain Enzo Fernandez at the heart of everything for the Blues in the first half. The Argentine forced Sam Johnstone into action in the third minute as the midfielder's free-kick looked to be looping into the far corner.

Johnstone was required again minutes later, this time to deny Alejandro Garnacho after the winger was played in brilliantly by compatriot Fernandez. The former Manchester United winger should have perhaps done better as Chelsea pushed for the breakthrough.

And it was Fernandez again who was playing a central role for the west London side, this time as he came close to scoring an Olimpico. Johnstone was left stranded as the 24-year-old's corner lofted over the Wolves shotstopper, and it took a Toti Gomes clearance off the line to prevent a stunning opener.

Chelsea continued to push for the opener, and finally found the breakthrough shortly after the restart. Garnacho worked the ball onto his right and played an inch-perfect cross from the left for Gusto to head in his first ever senior goal. 

Midway through the second half and Joao Pedro doubled Chelsea's advantage. Estevao, who'd been on the pitch for 68 seconds, played a low cross into the box that was deflected into the path of Pedro, who made no mistake from close range.

Garnacho was again involved in Chelsea's third as the Argentine broke down the left. The summer signing sped away from two Wolves defenders before presenting Pedro Neto with a simple finish for the Portuguese winger to net his third league goal of the season.

Chelsea could ultimately have put up a big score against Wolves as Marc Guiu missed a couple of late chances but the Blues will have been thrilled with what proved to be a comfortable home win.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

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Robert Sanchez (6/10):

Rarely called upon against a blunt Wolves attack but made a couple of solid claims.

Malo Gusto (8/10):

Granted the license to get forward and it paid off. Headed past Johnstone early in the second half to break the deadlock with what was his first ever senior goal.

Wesley Fofana (7/10):

Carried out his defensive duties with ease. Distribution vital as the Blues dictated the play against the Premier League's basement boys.

Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):

Another solid if unspectacular showing from the defender. Tidy on the ball as Chelsea dominated possession. Made a key clearance from a Hugo Beuno cross that was destined for Jacob Strand Larsen after the Blues had gone ahead.

Marc Cucurella (7/10):

As Chelsea focussed their attacks down the left, he linked up well with Fernandez and Garnacho.

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Moises Caicedo (7/10):

Fairly wasteful in possession but made up for it by protecting the backline well.

Enzo Fernandez (8/10):

Forced Sam Johnstone into action with an early free-kick that was destined for the top corner. Provided a fine pass for Garnacho in the 12th minute that the winger failed to convert. Almost scored an Olimpico midway through the first half.

AFPAttack

Pedro Neto (8/10):

A regular thorn in the side of the Wolves backline. Bagged Chelsea's third with a comfortable finish.

Joao Pedro (7/10):

Settled nerves as he scored Chelsea's second midway through the second half.

Alejandro Garnacho (9/10):

Should have done better when played in by Fernandez early on. A regular threat down the left, it was his inch-perfect cross for Gusto that provided the breakthrough. Provided the assist for Neto's first and Chelsea's third.

Liam Delap (5/10):

Didn't get sent off, which is a marked improvement on his last showing against Wolves. 

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Estevao (7/10):

Replaced Liam Delap midway through the second half. Made an immediate impression as his low cross was deflected to Pedro to double Chelsea's advantage. Played a fine cross late on that Guiu couldn't connect properly with.

Marc Guiu (5/10):

Missed a fairly easy chance shortly after coming on. Should have scored during his short time on the pitch

Reece James (6/10):

Kept things simple after his introduction

Jamie Gittens (N/A):

Replaced Pedro in the 83rd minute.

Andrey Santos (N/A):

Came on for Fernandez late on.

Enzo Maresca (9/10):

Made a couple of personnel changes following the midweek draw with Qarabag and his selections paid off as Chelsea dominated.