A brilliant Leicestershire bowling performance, led by South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder’s 2 for 19, underpinned a come-from-behind 10-run win over Durham as they defended 141 in a thrilling Vitality Blast clash dominated by the bowlers at Seat Unique Riverside.The Foxes were under pressure at the halfway point having posted 140 for eight, including Rishi Patel’s opening 48 off 44 balls and 3 for 20 from England Test quick Matthew Potts.Despite sluggish conditions, Durham would still have been confident of victory. But it wasn’t to be. Mulder’s seam accounted for two early wickets as they slipped to 19 for 3 and failed to recover, falling short of chasing 17 off the last over.Ashton Turner hit 49 for Durham, who finished on 130 for 8, added to Graham Clark’s 53 not out off 56. But Josh Hull’s final over sealed Leicestershire’s third win and consigned Durham to a third defeat. Both have played five.Inserted, Leicestershire started brightly, led by opener Patel, who posted his second successive 48.Left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson had Sol Budinger caught behind – 10 for one after five balls – but Patel and Rehan Ahmed (20) played with intent. One Ahmed ramped boundary over the keeper off Jonathan Bushnell’s seam was particularly memorable.Even when Ahmed fell run out at the striker’s end by Nathan Sowter’s throw from mid-on, the Foxes were encouragingly placed at 53 for 2 after seven overs with Patel set.But spin and pace off, including seamer Ben Raine with two wickets, put the squeeze on expertly – and boundaries were limited.Patel hit Sowter’s leg-spin for six over long-on but was bowled next ball aiming to slog-sweep the same bowler – 90 for 3 in the 13th. The good work of spinners Sowter and Parkinson, who struck once apiece, opened the door for the seamers to burst through.Raine (2 for 28) and Potts claimed all of their wickets in the latter stages of the innings as the Foxes fell from 95 for 3 in the 14th over to 128 for 8 in the 19th.Raine removed overseas duo Mulder and captain Peter Handscomb, lbw and bowled – the latter for 26, and has now taken seven wickets in his last two Blast appearances. Potts had Louis Kimber caught and bowled Ben Cox and Lewis Goldsworthy.But wickets continued to fall to keep this game in the balance, with Durham slipping to 19 for 3 in the fifth over.After towering quick Hull had Alex Lees brilliantly caught behind by a diving Cox, Mulder’s seam had compatriot David Bedingham caught at mid-on and Ollie Robinson trapped lbw with successive deliveries.However, that was when Turner intervened, with the help of fourth-wicket partner Clark, who played wingman in an 85 partnership. Turner slog-swept spinners Goldsworthy and Ahmed for two big sixes over midwicket.Durham were back in control but not home and hosed, especially when Turner was run out at 104 for 4 in the 16th. Raine and Paul Coughlin holed out off Ben Mike and Goldsworthy, and things turned quickly.Bushnell was run out and Potts bowled in a fabulous penultimate over from seamer Scott Currie, which only cost three. That left excellent Hull – 1 for 16 from his four overs – with plenty of breathing space.And despite Clark reaching his fifty, he was unable to find the boundary at the end. It proved costly.Durham bowled well, but Leicestershire were even better.

It is far from a secret that Celtic are in the market to add to their options in the wide areas before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

The Hoops lost Portuguese forward Jota to a long-term knee injury in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he is not going to be available in the opening months of next season.

Losing the forward, who arrived on a permanent deal from Rennes for a second spell at Parkhead in January, came as a blow to Brendan Rodgers, because he had hit the ground running upon his return to Glasgow.

Jota produced four goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, despite only starting seven of those matches, in the second half of the season, before his injury.

Celtic are now in the market to bring in a left winger who can plug the gap that his injury has created, whilst also having the potential to compete with him for a starting berth in the future.

One left-sided attacker who has emerged as a reported target for the Scottish giants this summer is Royal Antwerp star Michel-ange Balikwisha.

The latest on Celtic's pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently reported that the Hoops are in talks with the 24-year-old wide man over the possibility of a move to Glasgow in the coming weeks.

The journalist claimed that talks are already underway and that the right-footed wing wizard is keen on securing a transfer to Parkhead before the end of the window.

Tavolieri did not mention how much money it would take for Royal Antwerp to part ways with their star forward, but The Scottish Sun revealed, in April, that he is valued at £5m by the Pro League outfit.

Balikwisha’s performances in the Pro League in the last two seasons suggest that the potential is there for him to be a value-for-money signing at £5m for the Hoops, as he has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Starts

27

12

xG

6.46

2.65

Goals

7

4

Big chances created

6

7

Key passes per game

1.5

1.6

Assists

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target has racked up 11 goals and eight assists in 39 starts in the division, outperforming his xG in both campaigns, which speaks to his efficiency in front of goal.

These statistics suggest that he could replace the goals and assists that the Hoops have lost through Jota’s injury, if he can translate his performances over to the Premiership at Parkhead.

At the age of 24, Balikwisha would also arrive in Scotland as a player who could have his best years ahead of him, with time to develop and grow, and this could make him an interesting long-term addition, as well as a player who could replace Jota in the short-term.

A fee of £5m would be a decent outlay for the winger, but the Hoops already have a number of forwards who are worth significantly more than that, including Japanese forward Daizen Maeda.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Dazien Maeda

The Scottish giants initially signed the Japan international on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos in the January transfer window at the start of 2022, before they snapped him up on a permanent basis that summer.

Their decision to sign him permanently has turned out to be a blinder because the versatile attacker has gone to become an incredibly valuable player, both in terms of his market value and his value to Rodgers and the team.

Maeda has racked up 62 goals and 28 assists in 158 appearances for the Hoops to date, and remains a regular starter in the attack after three-and-a-half-years in Glasgow. This shows that he has provided consistent quality as a threat at the top end of the pitch during his time in Scotland so far.

His form in the 2024/25 campaign was particularly impressive. The 27-year-old star ended the season with an eye-catching haul of 33 goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances for Rodgers’ side, whilst playing as a left winger and as a centre-forward.

Maeda’s sublime form in the top-flight earned him the Premiership Player of the Year award, which shows that he was deemed to be the best player in the entire division.

The Japanese speedster’s market value has soared as a result of his fantastic performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants, so much so to the point that he is now worth around £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.

Jan 2022

£1.5m

June 2022

£3m

November 2022

£3.5m

December 2022

£4.5m

June 2023

£5m

December 2023

£5.5m

May 2024

£6m

October 2024

£6.5m

December 2024

£7m

March 2025

£9.5m

June 2025

£13m

As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has soared by a whopping £11.5m throughout his time in Scotland, to the point where he is now worth £13m, as per Transfermarkt.

He is the most valuable player in the Celtic squad, ahead of the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, and Reo Hatate, which speaks to how impressive his valuation of £13m is.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with the Japanese marksman, who has been the subject of reported interest from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, because they struck gold by signing him when he was valued at just £1.5m.

The forward has developed into the most valuable member of the squad, and the most prolific after a haul of 33 goals this season, as illustrated by him being worth a whopping £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.

Their next Kuhn: Celtic reach agreement to sign "dangerous" star

Celtic have agreed a deal to sign a “dangerous” wide attacker for around £1.7m, so here is why he could be the Hoops’ next Nicolas Kühn.

1 ByBen Gray Jun 19, 2025

Hopefully, the Scottish giants will be able to retain his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and he will continue to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

With Chelsea having secured Champions League football at the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, things looked more positive for Enzo Maresca’s side.

Since taking over last summer, he’s done an admirable job in the Stamford Bridge hot seat, notably winning the Conference League on the way to sealing that top-four place.

It’s rare you get the chance to win major silverware over the summer too, but Chelsea have been presented with that at this year’s revamped Club World Cup.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

However, in true Chelsea fashion, they’ve had a topsy-turvy time of it out in the United States.

They won their first game 2-0 against LAFC but were embarrassed by Brazilian opposition, Flamengo, 3-1 on Friday night.

“We know we could hurt them in some areas”, said former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho after the game. Having recently left Arsenal, the veteran rolled back the years against his ex-employers, notably winning possession more times (8) than Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo (7) put together.

Jorginho wasn’t the only one out there embarrassing Chelsea players, as Nicolas Jackson will testify.

Jackson’s moment of madness against Flamengo

Chelsea actually started their game against Flamengo in fantastic fashion.

Pedro Neto – who scored against LA a few days ago – was on hand once again to find the back of the net.

Sadly, it all went pear-shaped in the second half when goals from Wallace, Danilo and Bruno Henrique sealed all three points.

At 2-1 down, their cause certainly wasn’t helped by Jackson. Only a matter of months ago, the striker nearly ruined Chelsea’s top five hopes by getting sent off at Newcastle and he let his teammates down again on Friday.

Liam Delap – fresh off assisting Fernandez’s goal in their Club World Cup opener – started the game but didn’t enjoy as much success this time around, subbed off in the 64th minute for Jackson.

Well, just four minutes later, the Senegalese forward found himself back in the locker room after being sent for an early bath.

Jackson lunged in late with his studs and the referee saw no other option but to send him off. Celebrating his 24th birthday, it’s safe to say this wasn’t the happiest of occasions for the forward.

Chelsea have already been in the market for upgrades to their forward line this summer and in Delap, they have already signed a fine rival. Yet, amid links to players like Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike, perhaps BlueCo just better cut their losses on the player now.

As bad as Jackson was, he wasn’t the only culprit in the defeat.

What else went wrong for Chelsea against Flamengo

Jackson will and should no doubt take much of the blame but Chelsea’s defence put in a rather shambolic performance at the back.

Starting with Flamengo’s equaliser, it was right-back Malo Gusto who failed to cover himself in much glory. He was caught out by a deep cross to the back post where Gonzalo Plata got free of every defender.

Poor positioning from Trevor Chalobah and Levi Colwill subsequently allowed Plata to head the ball back across goal where Henrique had a tap-in.

Gusto was once again caught out for the second when he was easily beaten to the ball by the aforementioned Henrique from a corner, with the ball then finding itself to Danilo who converted another tap-in for the Brazilians.

The third was largely down to Colwill, who failed to clear following a bit of pinball in the area. The result? A third and final goal for Flamengo, capping off a truly woeful day for Chelsea’s defence.

Now, while he was far from the worst defender on Friday, Chalobah certainly didn’t have a good night either. Colwill and Gusto made the big mistakes, but the central defender is only proving why Chelsea should be looking to get rid.

Chalobah came back to the club in January after half a season on loan at Crystal Palace and truth be told, that feels like his level.

Minutes played

90

Touches

61

Accurate passes

58/59 (98%)

Key passes

0

Ground duels won

0/0

Aerial duels won

1/1

Clearances

2

Interceptions

0

Tackles

0

The Express’ Sam Smith summed things up nicely post-game, handing the Englishman a 5/10 match rating.

He wrote that Chalobah will need “to produce better performances if he is to win admirers in the transfer market,” indicating that a “move for the defender seems likely” amid interest from Italian side Napoli.

Remarkably, Chalobah started ten league games after being recalled over the winter but following Chelsea’s nightmare at St James’ Park, he sat out the remaining games, wins over Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, where clean sheets were kept in both matches.

The defender also sat out of the 2-0 win against LA earlier this week, only further indicating that he should probably be on the bench.

Still, with interest from Naples brewing and the Blues looking at signing players such as Jorrel Hato, space must be opened up for upgrades.

If Maresca has any sense, this could well have been the last time we saw Chalobah in Chelsea colours. Like Jackson, a move elsewhere surely beckons.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Qualified teams, format, venues & how to watch

The FIFA Club World Cup takes place this summer, with plenty of teams set to head to the United States in July 2025.

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 30, 2024

Ghosh struck a quick 86 as India declared their first innings on 603 for 6

Srinidhi Ramanujam29-Jun-2024South Africa showed great fight to reach 236 for 4 on the second day of the one-off Test in Chennai after India declared their first innings at a record 603 for 6. At stumps, the visitors were still 367 runs behind. But on a pitch where Indians bowlers were able to extract sharp turn and bounce from the second session of the day, Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp, with their half-centuries and a 93-run stand for the third wicket, displayed commendable resilience and technique.After a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series and conceding 525 on the first day of the Test, South Africa did not let India dent their confidence on Saturday.Related

Stats – India become first team to breach 600 mark in women's Tests

After India declared their innings in the morning, Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch looked composed in the six overs before lunch, with the captain punishing a half-tracker from Sneh Rana and an overpitched delivery from Pooja Vastrakar for four. This was before Wolvaardt struck a confident drive through mid-off in the first over of the innings by Renuka Singh.However, Rana – who got the ball to spin more than any other spinner – got the first breakthrough in the eighth over when she bowled one rare short ball. But it kept low and Wolvaardt completely missed her pull to be trapped lbw. Bosch and Luus stayed on for the next 23 overs, stitching 63 runs. However, Bosch, who hit four fours and a six, fell a few overs before tea. Rana was at it once again. After the previous ball spun sharply, Rana bowled one full outside off. Anticipating the turn, Bosch leaned forward and nicked it to Deepti Sharma at slip.Richa Ghosh took just 54 balls to bring up her half-century•BCCIAt 96 for 2, South Africa found stability via Kapp and Luus who blended caution with aggression. Luus respected the good deliveries, scoring almost equally on the off and leg side. In all, she scored 65 off 164 balls that included six fours and one six over long-on against Rana.The duo put on 93 before Deepti broke the stand when she beat Luus’ inside edge and trapped her lbw. Luus reviewed the on-field decision but it was in vain. Delmi Tucker became Rana’s third victim when Richa Ghosh took a sharp catch to dismiss her for an eight-ball duck.Kapp, like Luus, played more off the back foot and scored predominantly on the off side, with seven of her eight fours coming in that area. She reached 50 off 87 balls and remained unbeaten on 69 off 125 at stumps. She fought cramps and a stiff back towards the end of the final session, but didn’t throw her wicket away.Once Tucker departed, Nadine de Klerk joined Kapp with the pair stitching an unbroken 38-run stand off 56 balls. De Klerk showed good intent in the final hour and hit five fours in her unbeaten 27 off 28 balls.Earlier, Ghosh and Harmanpreet Kaur started sedately but soon converted their starts into half-centuries. The pair stretched their stand to 143 runs. Harmanpreet made 69 off 115 balls before being dismissed in the 15th over of the day when fast bowler Tumi Sekhukhune trapped her in front to leave India at 593 for 5.Ghosh hit seven more boundaries on Saturday, 16 in all, her 90-ball innings, using her strong wrists to good use to play powerful cut shots. She fell for her career-best 86 when she missed a sweep off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and was lbw.

New Rangers manager Russell Martin is willing to sell a “brilliant” player in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Martin eyeing first signings as Rangers boss

The Martin era at Ibrox is officially underway, with the former Southampton boss hoping to bring plenty of success back to the club, having had to watch rivals Celtic dominate the Scottish Premiership over the past decade or so.

The 39-year-old is clearly extremely excited to get started, admitting as much soon after his confirmation as Rangers’ next manager: “It’s an incredible feeling. I’m really grateful to the board, to Patrick (Stewart), to Kevin (Thelwell), for their faith in me. It’s been a tough and rigorous process and it’s taken some time, but that’s what you expect when you want to be manager of a club of this stature, size and expectation. I’m desperate to get started and I’m excited about what’s to come.”

It’s now a case of Martin being backed in the transfer market, with the Englishman signing players who he sees as ideal for him, and Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes could reportedly be his first addition. He knows the player well from his spell in charge of Saints, and he could add quality in possession, having completed 90.8% of his passes in the Premier League in 2024/25.

That said, some current Gers players could depart before next season gets underway, and a key update has dropped regarding one individual.

Martin could sell McCauslandAccording toThe Daily Record,Ross McCausland's Rangers future is up in the airbecause Martin is considering listening to offers for him.It is stated that Championship side Cardiff City are the latest club to show an interest in signing him this summer, with the 22-year-old preferring to stay put at Ibrox.

It’s ruthless from Martin, should he dispatch of McCausland in the summer window, considering the Northern Irishman is a talented young player who has been lauded by Lee McCulloch in the past.

“McCausland was absolutely brilliant. Bubbly, has pace, technical first touch. Tremendous. Playing in this cauldron, given the magnitude of this game, he looked full of confidence. I think the fans really took to him. He really gave the stadium a lift.”

However, McCausland was limited to only four starts in the Scottish Premiership last season, suggesting he isn’t seen as a key man moving forward, so the club do have a big decision to make this summer.

The new Lundstram: Martin wants to make £18m star his first Rangers signing

As Russell Martin starts his overhaul of Rangers’ squad, could he sign a “class” midfielder in a deal reminiscent of John Lundstram’s move to Ibrox?

Jun 8, 2025

He only has two years remaining on his current deal, so time is running out before his price tag starts to drop, and if Martin feels like he is an expendable figure, moving him on now makes the most sense.

West Ham United have now submitted an enquiry over a deal to sign one of England’s hottest rising stars, who is expected to cost over £40m this summer, according to a report.

West Ham set sights on new midfielder

In truth, West Ham may have to strengthen in a number of different positions if they are to kick on next season, having collected just 43 points in the 2024-25 campaign, resulting in a 14th-placed finish, but there is a real desire to bring in a new midfielder.

Indeed, the Hammers have identified a number of targets in midfield over the past week, with it most recently being revealed they are leading the race to sign Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika, despite rival interest from fellow Premier League side Everton.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Raphael Onyedika

Club Brugge

£25.5m

Yunus Musah

AC Milan

£21m

Mario Stroeykens

Anderlecht

£17m

Stroeykens differs a little from the other targets, given that the Belgian is attack-minded, predominantly featuring in an advanced role for Anderlecht last season, and the Irons also have their eye on a similar type of player from within the Premier League.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states West Ham have now submitted an enquiry over a deal for Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, having been closely monitoring the Englishman’s situation at Anfield.

There could well be fierce competition for Elliott’s signature, however, with nearly half of the Premier League submitting enquiries of their own, including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, who are set to take part in next season’s Champions League.

RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund headline the interest from abroad, with Jurgen Klopp pushing to sign his former player, and the Reds are willing to cash-in on the attacking midfielder if they receive an offer of more than £40m.

"Phenomenal" Elliott leads England U21s to Euros glory

England retained their U21 European Championships title courtesy of a 3-2 victory against Germany on Saturday night, and the Liverpool maestro played a major role in the triumph, scoring a total of five goals throughout the tournament.

However, the 22-year-old didn’t play anywhere near as significant a role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season, picking up just one goal and two assists after featuring sporadically throughout the campaign.

Related He'd perfectly replace Kudus: West Ham submit bid for £17m "creative force"

Kudus seems set to leave West Ham United this summer.

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jun 25, 2025

As such, the Englishman may need to move on this summer, and his performances for his country suggest he could be capable of making a real impact elsewhere, so it is exciting news that West Ham are in the mix for his signature.

Having been lauded as “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch, Elliott could be a fantastic addition to Graham Potter’s squad, and the fact he has Premier League experience could make the England U21 star a preferable option to Stroeykens, who is unproven outside Belgium.

The 2025/26 campaign will be all change for Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a strong end to last season for Vitor Pereira’s side, the Old Gold promptly lost their two biggest names, Matheus Cunha, who switched to Manchester United and Rayan Ait-Nouri, who joined their rivals, Manchester City.

Now, the West Midlands side will have to recruit well and pick themselves up to build on what was an impressive end to the season. Under Pereira, they went from relegation candidates to one of the inform sides, going unbeaten in eight of the final 11 top-flight games.

The transfer window reopens on Monday, giving Wolves the chance to reshape their squad ahead of a huge campaign in 2025/26. Here is a look at their dream lineup next season, with some of those potential new additions.

1

GK – Jose Sa

The man between the sticks once again next term for the Old Gold will surely be Jose Sa. The Portugal international just won the Nations League for the second time with his country, and will surely be hoping to carry that form into the new Premier League season.

Last campaign, Sa started off shakily and was actually dropped from the starting lineup by former boss Gary O’Neil. However, his performances picked up, and he ended the season with seven clean sheets to his name in 29 games.

2

CB – Santiago Bueno

Santiago Bueno’s future at Molineux isn’t as clear-cut as others in this side. Wolves may well recruit at centre-back, but with the need to replace Cunha and Ait-Nouri, they might not have the money left over.

The Uruguay international played 29 games in the Premier League last season, but his involvement definitely decreased under Pereira. However, his performance at Old Trafford at the end of the campaign was described as “assured” by journalist Liam Keen. Perhaps the new boss will have seen enough promise in that to show faith.

3

CB – Toti

A key man at the back for the Old Gold last season was Toti, and it seems like he will be one of their first-choice defenders again in 2025/26. His role in this side is as the central centre-back in Pereira’s back-three system.

Last season, Toti, who has also played international football for Portugal, made 31 Premier League appearances. He also captained the side in their penultimate game of the season, showing excellent leadership skills and trust from the manager.

4

CB – Emmanuel Agbadou

A January addition for the Old Gold, Emmanuel Agbadou, was impressive during his first few months in the Premier League. He played 18 times in all competitions, helping his side to five clean sheets and even managing to get himself on the scoresheet.

He has certainly made a great impression during his short stint in the West Midlands. Journalist Nathan Judah said he was “one of the signings of the season” before going on to say that “he looks so comfortable” playing in the English top flight. A great start to life at Molineux.

5

RWB – Nelson Semedo

It is imperative for Wolves that they manage to keep Nelson Semedo at Molineux this summer. The club “have made an offer” to their captain, with his contract set to expire in a few months time. They can’t afford to lose such an experienced player.

Semedo was crucial for both O’Neil and Pereira last term, taking over the captaincy halfway through and dealing with that situation admirably. He played 34 Premier League games and grabbed four assists. Given this is a dream lineup, let’s assume he chooses to stay in the West Midlands. He would certainly be a huge loss.

6

CM – Andre

After his summer move to Molineux from Fluminense last summer, Andre really grew into his role in that Wolves midfield. Football analyst Ben Mattinson said he “quietly had a really good season” for the Old Gold, praising him for his technical ability in possession. As per FBref, he averaged 3.96 progressive passes per game, highlighting exactly what Mattinson meant.

In total, the Brazilian, who is a full international for his country, made 33 Premier League appearances last season. He played 90 minutes on 11 occasions under Pereira, showing just how much he trusts the midfielder.

7

CM – Joao Gomes

The other half of Wolves’ Brazilian pivot is Joao Gomes. The former Flamengo man was a key member of the Old Gold midfield, playing 36 games and using his extra attacking responsibility well, scoring three goals and grabbing an assist.

If some of Andre’s statistics stand out, then Gomes’ certainly do. He played the most progressive passes among his teammates last season, with 165, and topped the charts for tackles and interceptions, with 141, just pipping Andre in second, who notched up 128. That is a midfield pairing that will be crucial to Wolves’ success next season.

Gomes key stats in 2024/25 PL season vs teammates
Stat	Gomes number	Rank vs teammates
Progressive passes	165	1st
Passes into final third	122	1st
Tackles and interceptions	141	1st
Ball recoveries	200	1st
Progressive carries	59	4th
Stats from FBref

8

LWB – Gerard Martin

Finally, we reach the first new signing of this Wolves dream lineup. That man is Barcelona left-back Gerard Martin. According to a report from one Spanish news outlet, the Old Gold have ‘expressed interest’ in signing Martin this summer. They suggest that an offer of £10m or more would be enough to convince the La Liga champions to sell him.

Make no mistake about it, Martin would have a tough job on his hands, replacing Ait-Nouri, “the best left back” in the Premier League, according to Wolves man Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. However, he has been in and around a fantastic environment at Barca, and played an important role under Hansi Flick last term.

In total, the 23-year-old featured 42 times for the club last season, grabbing three assists, including two against Inter in the Champions League semi-final. With the quality of delivery on show from Martin, it surely showcases just how deadly he can be as a wing-back.

9

RAM – Bilal El Khannouss

The second new signing in this dream Wolves side is Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss. GiveMeSport reported at the end of May that the Old Gold ‘have set their sights on making a move’ for the Morocco star ‘as a direct replacement for Cunha’. It is a deal that could cost them upwards of £22m.

Replacing Cunha will obviously be no easy task for whoever Wolves sign this summer, but perhaps El Khannouss is the best man for the job. After all, he is a “magician” according to football scout Antonio Mango, and that is what they are surely looking for.

At just 21 years of age, it was a seamless adaptation to the Premier League for the Morocco international last season. The Foxes’ attacking midfielder scored twice and grabbed three assists in 32 Premier League games last season, including a winning goal away to Tottenham Hotspur.

10

CF – Jorgen Strand Larsen

Jorgen Strand Larsen’s silky link-up play, which should combine superbly with El Khannouss, will still make for a great watch. Last term, he played 21 key passes in the Premier League.

The Norway star will join the club permanently after he made 35 appearances in the Premier League, enough to trigger the buy clause. In that time, he was sensational, with 14 goals and four assists, showing some of the aforementioned link-up play. Pereira will hope he can continue that excellent form into next season.

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

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

• Klaasen lauds SA for 'grafting and adapting to conditions'

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

• South Africa hold nerve against England to continue unbeaten march

England, by contrast, lost Phil Salt on the way to 41 for 1 from the first six overs of their chase, with Jonny Bairstow falling shortly after. When Buttler was dismissed for 17 off 20 and Moeen Ali holed out two overs later – both dismissed by Keshav Maharaj – England were 61 for 4 with 103 still required from 9.4 overs.A stand of 78 in 42 balls between Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone edged them back into contention, the pair taking 21 off Ottneil Baartman’s 17th over to bring the equation down to 25 needed from the last three. But Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje held their nerve to close out victory.”I think it’s still a good wicket,” Buttler said. “A little bit slower than we probably expected, but as I said, we were quite happy chasing 160. We came back really well with the ball after how well Quinny played in the powerplay. I thought Brook and Livingstone had a fantastic partnership there to take us so close and at one stage [we were] looking like favourites but it’s never quite as simple as that in T20 cricket and credit to South Africa for closing it out.”I thought we were really good [with the ball]. As I said, the powerplay was the best time to bat, and I think Quinny recognised that and took some calculated risks. But yeah, the bowling performance, to come back and restrict a really powerful line-up to what I thought was a par score was a great effort.”Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks added 86 in 9.5 overs for the opening wicket•Associated Press

Defeat means England will have to beat USA in their final Group 2 game to retain hopes of reaching the semi-finals and defending their trophy, with the potential for net run rate to again be the decider.The equation for South Africa is more straightforward, with victory over West Indies on Sunday guaranteeing them a semi-final spot. Aiden Markram’s side have now won six games in a row, a run which has seen them prevail in several close finishes, and the captain praised their “fighting spirit” after holding off England’s charge at the end.”Yeah, we’ve had a few of those so far this comp,” Markram said. “But specifically today’s, probably getting to those last three overs and it looks like the odds will be heavily against you, and for the bowlers to hang in there, have really good plans and ultimately get the execution right, shows a lot of skill. But I think it comes from deeper and that fighting spirit, like you mentioned, helped us a lot.”On his bowlers’ approach between overs 15 and 17, during which Brook and Livingstone defied the conditions to add 52, Markram was philosophical.”It’s always a tricky one, you want to see the bowlers’ best skills. You want to give him the freedom to bowl his best ball first before changing to conditions. It was a bit nerve-wracking there in those overs. The plans were okay but the execution let us down, but that’s okay, that’s part of the game. You do have to give credit to Liam and to Brooky, they put us under the pump, and ultimately in the last few overs it was good to see the bowlers respond.”Markram also pinpointed the start de Kock gave his side, given the way conditions changed, adding that he felt South Africa were “getting closer to the really complete game” with their latest performance.”I thought Quinny and Reeza [Hendricks] took on the powerplay beautifully for us but then it definitely got slower,” he said. “I probably wanted another 10-20 runs, being greedy, especially on the back of that really good start. We needed to try and squeeze in the middle, try and save as many runs as we could in the field and build pressure that way. As a whole, we are probably getting closer to the really complete game of cricket. Not quite there just yet, but we are definitely on the right track.”

A “spectacular” player has now “said yes” to a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, with an approach set to be made in the next few days, according to reporter Santi Aouna.

Brighton could still play in Europe amid Crystal Palace issues

There are doubts over whether Crystal Palace will be allowed to play in the Europa League next season, amid issues surrounding multi-club ownership, and bitter rivals Brighton could be the beneficiaries.

Indeed, courtesy of their eighth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, the Seagulls could replace Palace in the competition, should they be removed by UEFA, although football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes the Eagles have a 95% chance of taking part.

As such, the chances of Fabian Hurzeler’s side embarking on a European adventure are slim, but the manager is clearly keen to inject some quality into his squad this summer regardless, having now made inroads towards signing a new midfielder.

Every completed Premier League deal in the 2025/26 summer transfer window

Find every top-flight deal this summer here.

1

By
Stephan Georgiou

Jul 17, 2025

That is according to an update from Foot Mercato’s Aouna on X, who has revealed that Marseille midfielder Azzedine Ounahi has “already said yes” to a move to the American Express Stadium this summer, with a verbal agreement in place on a four-year deal.

Having spoken directly to the Brighton board, Ounahi was convinced by the project on offer, and the Seagulls are set to approach Marseille in the coming days, in order to strike a deal.

It is unclear what sort of fee the French side would be looking to receive for the midfielder, but they signed the former Angers man for a fee of €8m (£7m) back in January 2023, which could be a good reference point.

"Spectacular" Ounahi could get career back on track at Brighton

The Moroccan may have been expected to kick on after the 2022 World Cup, having played a key role in his side becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-final stage, impressing Luis Enrique with some of his performances.

The Paris Saint-Germain manager described the maestro as “spectacular” after the round of 16, and he has since gone on to catch the eye on loan at Greek side Panathinaikos, performing extremely well across some key statistics for midfielders over the past year.

Statistic	Average per 90
Assists	0.16 (87th percentile)
Successful take-ons	2.27 (99th percentile)
Progressive carries	3.09 (99th percentile)
Progressive passes	8.77 (97th percentile)

Of course, performing well in Greece does not necessarily mean the Morocco international will be a sure-fire success in the Premier League, but he is certainly exhibiting promising signs, and he could get his career back on track at the American Express Stadium.

Having displayed a keen eye for picking up assists, while also being lauded for his “defensive reliability” by scout Jacek Kulig in the past, Ounahi is clearly a well-rounded midfielder, and it is promising news that he has now agreed terms on a move to Brighton.

The pitches have come in for criticism after the surfaces used for the first two games were extremely hard to bat on

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-20242:03

Flower on New York pitch – ‘Bordering on dangerous’

The ICC has acknowledged that the two pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Ground in New York have been substandard and are striving to “remedy” the issue for the remaining T20 World Cup games at the venue.In a statement on Thursday, a day after India and Ireland played their group game on an extremely difficult wicket, the ICC said “the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted.”The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”The first match played at the new venue in New York – a pop-up cricket stadium built in park land in the span of five months, with drop-in pitches made in Florida and transported there – was between South Africa and Sri Lanka on June 3. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 77 on pitch no. 1, and South Africa achieved the target only in 16.2 overs.Related

T20 World Cup 2024: New York, Tarouba pitches rated 'unsatisfactory' by ICC

Explainer – what's wrong with the T20 World Cup pitches in New York?

Rohit Sharma retires hurt in India's opening T20 World Cup game

Klaasen on New York pitch: Batters need to suck it up

On June 5, India bowled Ireland out for 96 on pitch no. 4, and though they won by eight wickets two of their batters – Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant – suffered blows to the body. Rohit had to retire hurt after getting hit on his arm. Ireland’s Harry Tector was also struck on the finger by a sharp bouncer from Jasprit Bumrah.Following the India-Ireland game, the pitch came in for heavy criticism from several former cricketers, with Andy Flower, an expert on ESPNcricinfo’s Timeout show, saying it was “bordering on dangerous”.Pitch no. 2 and 3 have not yet been used for games and it was observed that grass had been shaved off one of those surfaces. The New York venue is scheduled to host six more group games, including India versus Pakistan on June 9.