Everton are now close to signing a “strong” £34 million player after agreeing personal terms, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Everton set to turn to alternative targets after missing out on Tete
Signing a new right-back has become one of David Moyes’ priorities in this transfer window, as the club decided to let Ashley Young leave, following the expiration of his contract. Seamus Coleman has signed a new one-year deal to remain, but Moyes wants more competition in that area of the team and earmarked Fulham’s Kenny Tete as a target.
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The Toffees were confident of landing the defender after discussing details over a contract, but instead, Tete decided to sign a new contract at Fulham and remain at Craven Cottage. The right-back has extended his stay until 2028 and believes Fulham is a “special club where he can develop”.
This news means Everton have to continue their search for a new right-back, and the BBC have reported that alternative targets for the Toffees could include Kyle Walker-Peters, who is a free agent after leaving Southampton, or Vladimir Coufal, who is also a free agent and knows Moyes well from their time at West Ham.
While they assess their options for a new right-back, the Premier League side appear to be closing in on their second signing of the summer.
Everton close to signing £34m Barry after agreeing personal terms
According to Romano, Everton are now close to signing striker Thierno Barry from Spanish side Villarreal.
The Italian states that the deal has advanced, as the Toffees and the player have now agreed personal terms; all that remains are the final details, and then this transfer is complete.
It’s been widely reported that Barry has a release clause worth £34 million, and Villarreal’s sporting director, Fernando Roig Nogueroles, has been clear that if the player is to leave, it will be for around that price.
He said: “We want the player, and if he were to leave, it would have to be, if not for the release clause, something very close to it. If not, he won’t leave.”
Apps
35
Starts
25
Goals
11
xG
12.41
Goals per game
0.3
Shots on target per game
0.7
Goal conversion
15%
Assists
4
xAG
1.95
Big chances created
7
The Toffees are said to be prepared to pay that sum of money but may look to pay in installments to reach that figure in total. The arrival of Barry, who has been dubbed a “strong physique”, has just got more important for Everton, as on Monday, Dominic Calvert-Lewin announced that he was leaving the club following the end of his contract, meaning options at the top end of the pitch have just become even lighter.
Barry’s expected arrival will likely see him become Moyes’ regular striker, as his physical presence and stature make him the perfect striker in a Moyes team.
Leeds United have welcomed Sean Longstaff to Elland Road as their latest arrival of the summer transfer window, after they officially announced a deal for the midfielder on Friday night.
Fabrizio Romano reported that the Whites have paid a fee in excess of £12m to Newcastle United to bring the experienced midfield star to West Yorkshire ahead of next season.
The Magpies academy graduate may not be the only central midfielder to come through Thorp Arch this summer, though, as Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach has also been linked with a move to the club.
Leeds have reportedly held talks with the Bundesliga club and agreed personal terms with the players, but they are yet to agree a fee for his services.
Leeds enquired about LaLiga star
Whilst they appear to be heavily pursuing a deal for Stach, the Championship champions also have other options on their shortlist of targets to bolster their options in midfield.
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 The Athletic, Leeds United made contact with Getafe over a potential deal for versatile star Christantus Uche several weeks ago this summer.
The report claims that the Whites enquired about his situation and did not opt to make an official offer for his services, although it remains to be seen if they are planning to submit a bid for him later in the window.
It adds that the 22-year-old talent has a release clause of around £22m (£21.6m) in his contract with the Spanish side, which means that Leeds could trigger that to land him.
The Athletic also reveals that the Nigeria international, who made his debut for his country in May, is open to the idea of joining a Premier League club.
Leeds could find their own Joelinton
Daniel Farke could unearth his own version of Joelinton by signing Uche and moulding him into a midfield destroyer to bolster his team ahead of next season.
The Brazil international joined Newcastle United as a striker for a reported fee of £40m from Hoffenheim in 2019 under Steve Bruce, before Eddie Howe spotted his potential to be a central midfielder.
Joelinton applauds Newcastle fans
Since making the transition, Joelinton has emerged as one of the Premier League’s top midfield destroyers, making 2.8 tackles and interceptions and winning 5.7 duels per game in the division last term.
Uche has started more games as a striker (18) in his career than any other position, but has also started 15 times as a defensive midfielder in the past, and U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that he could be turned into a “midfield monster”.
Tackles won
0.76
Top 11%
Duels won
8.13
Top 13%
Aerial duels won
3.31
Top 28%
Interceptions
0.36
Top 25%
Ball recoveries
3.96
Top 8%
Possession won in the final third
0.90
Top 11%
Fouls committed
1.98
Top 29%
As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old star thrived out of possession in LaLiga for Getafe last season, ranking highly among forwards in a host of defensive metrics, notably winning duels and recovering the ball off the opposition to regain possession for his side.
Meanwhile, the Leeds target only scored four goals in 33 appearances, along with six assists, which does not suggest that his future lies as a prolific centre-forward option, just like when Joelinton scored two goals in 38 Premier League games in his first season at Newcastle as a striker.
Therefore, Farke could be the coach to help Uche follow in Joelinton’s footsteps by transitioning from a low-scoring, defensively savvy, centre-forward into a ‘midfield monster’, as Antonio Mango put it.
The Getafe attacker has played in midfield before, as aforementioned, and has the strong physical and defensive attributes to suit playing as an enforcer in front of the back four, which is why this is a move that could be a very interesting one for Leeds to make.
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It may now be down to Leeds to decide whether they want to go through with a swoop for Stach or if they want to activate Uche’s release clause, so there could be an intriguing few weeks to follow.
Adelaide, meanwhile, has secured a seven-year commitment to a pre-Christmas slot for their Test
Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-2024Australia and England will play a one-off Test at the MCG in March 2027 to mark 150 years of the format. The confirmation of the anniversary fixture in Melbourne came as Cricket Australia [CA] and state governments announced that the MCG, SCG and Adelaide Oval had locked in seven-year staging agreements for their regular Tests.The Test in 2027 will replicate the Centenary Test of 1977 which Australia won by 45 runs, matching the margin of the first Test played in 1877. In 1977, Rod Marsh and Derek Randall struck centuries while Dennis Lillee claimed 11 wickets.The annual Boxing Day (Melbourne) and New Year’s Tests (Sydney) have been guaranteed in until 2030-31 while Adelaide has secured a seven-year commitment to a pre-Christmas slot for their Test after the South Australia government made a pitch for the New Year’s Test.Although the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) is only inked up to early 2027, England and India have confirmed tours in the four years after that.Related
Gabba to be demolished after 2032 Olympics, cricket to get new home in Brisbane
Australia-England 150th anniversary Test in 2027 will be a pink-ball day-night match
Australia-England Test to mark 150 years of Tests scheduled for March 11 in 2027
Ashes 2025-26: CA schedules Brisbane day-night Test after Perth opener
Is this the end for the Gabba?
Meanwhile, Optus Stadium in Perth will host the opening Test of the season for the next three seasons. Mike Baird, the Cricket Australia chair, said that it was the Western Australian government’s decision not to seek a longer deal. That means next year’s Ashes will start in the west rather than the traditional Gabba in Brisbane. They will then host New Zealand at the start of the 2026-27 season.The future of Gabba has been left clouded amid uncertainty over the redevelopment plans for the stadium ahead of the 2032 Olympics and only the next two seasons – matches against India and England – have been confirmed with a chance the Gabba doesn’t host a Test for a considerable time after that. The 2026-27 season will be the first time in 50 years that the Gabba won’t host a Test.”In Brisbane it is harder [to plan] because of the infrastructure,” Baird said. “There is just uncertainty, so we’re not sure of the long-term solution. What we do know is the Gabba has a use for life that ends in 2030. We need a solution, and are working with the AFL as well on a long-term solution.”We want a great venue in Brisbane, that can support Queensland Cricket and Australian cricket for years to come.”ESPNcricinfo LtdAdelaide is the traditional home of day-night Test cricket having hosted seven of the 12 matches held in Australia although the new agreement does not guarantee that all future Tests there will be pink-ball encounters and the 2025-26 Ashes Test will be a red-ball game with Brisbane hosting the day-nighter. Adelaide Oval will also host a New Year’s Eve BBL game for the next seven years.England will tour for a five-match Ashes series in 2025-26 and New Zealand will be the visitors in 2026-27. The latter series will be extended to four Tests from the original three on the FTP and be played in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Australia are then due to tour India for five Tests in January and February 2027.With the additional anniversary Test, there is a potential squeeze on the calendar in March 2027 with Australia due to host Bangladesh in two matches which are part of the World Test Championship. There is a chance those games will be moved although under the current WTC structure would need to be played ahead of the June 2027 final.Although rival states made attempts to take the marquee Christmas and New Year Tests off Melbourne and Sydney it was always an unlikely outcome. Beyond 2026-27 there could be an opportunity for other venues to compete for a Test should the Gabba be unavailable which would bring Hobart and Canberra into the mix. Tasmania has ambitions to host indoor Test cricket at their proposed new multipurpose stadium although that won’t be available until at least 2028.The staging agreements confirmed on Sunday are one of the final big projects completed by outgoing CA CEO Nick Hockley who announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down next March.A future schedule for women’s internationals will be confirmed in the coming months when the next FTP is complete but Adelaide has been guaranteed an ODI or T20I every season.Cricket Australia match allocationsNew South WalesSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31) Confirmed matches: Men’s New Year’s Test each summerQueenslandTwo seasons (2024/25 & 2025/26) Confirmed matches: 1 Men’s Test to be played prior to 30 December each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summerSouth AustraliaSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31) Confirmed matches: Men’s Day/Night Test vs India (2024/25), Men’s Christmas Test (2025/26 to 2030/31), 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer, 1 Women’s T20/ODI each summer and BBL match on New Year’s Eve each summerVictoriaSeven seasons (2024/25 to 2030/31) Confirmed matches: Men’s Boxing Day Test each summer, Women’s 90th Anniversary Day/Night Test vs England in 2024/25 and Men’s 150th Anniversary Test vs England in 2026/27Western AustraliaThree seasons (2024/25 to 2026/27) Confirmed matches: First Men’s Test each summer and 1 Men’s ODI/T20I each summer
Uncapped Bilal Sami, Darwish Rasooli and Abdul Malik also named for Afghanistan’s first bilateral ODI series against SA
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2024Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan is set to be back in ODIs for the first time since the World Cup last October-November, after being named in the 17-member squad to face South Africa in the upcoming three-match series in the UAE.However, Afghanistan continue to miss the services of mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is still recovering from a sprain in the index finger of his right hand, even as they left out wristspinner Noor Ahmad. Chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said offspinner AM Ghazanfar, who had made his ODI debut in March, “will cover” for Mujeeb against South Africa.But Rashid’s return helps make up for Mujeeb and Noor’s absence. Rashid was ruled out of Afghanistan’s ongoing one-off Test against New Zealand, with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) saying he can’t play red-ball cricket till he gets medical clearance due to an “ongoing injury”.ESPNcricinfo LtdRashid had undergone back surgery after last year’s World Cup, and was thus out of action for four months, during which time he missed entire assignments against UAE, India and Sri Lanka, and ODIs against Ireland. That apart, Rashid also had to withdraw from the BBL, PSL and the SA20, before finally returning to action in the Ireland T20Is this March.Since his surgery, Rashid has only played T20s, following up his comeback series with the IPL, T20 World Cup, MLC, the Hundred, and the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL), Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition. But after back trouble, Rashid also injured his hamstring while playing for Trent Rockets in the Hundred, as a result missing the last week of the competition, before facing back issues again at the SCL, where he played three games.Meanwhile, Afghanistan have also called up uncapped medium-pace bowler Bilal Sami, and top-order batters Darwish Rasooli and Abdul Malik for the ODIs against South Africa. While Rasooli has played seven T20Is and Malik has played two Tests, Sami is yet to represent Afghanistan in any format.According to an ACB release, Malik was called up to act as cover for the injured opening batter Ibrahim Zadran, whose ankle sprain first forced him to miss the one-off Test against New Zealand, and now rules him out of the ODIs against South Africa.The three-match ODI series begins on September 18, with all games to be played in Sharjah. This will be the first time that Afghanistan and South Africa will be facing-off in a bilateral ODI series, having only met at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups before.For Afghanistan, this series will serve as preparation for the Champions Trophy early next year, for which they qualified for the first time by finishing sixth in the league stage of the 2023 World Cup.Afghanistan squad for South Africa ODIsHashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad
Chelsea are now ready to offer Blues players as part of a swap deal for an “unbelievable” Premier League and England star, according to a report.
Blues set sights on another attacker
The Blues have already strengthened their forward options considerably this summer, with the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens sealing moves to Stamford Bridge, but Enzo Maresca remains keen on adding another attacking midfielder to his ranks.
The west Londoners have ramped up their interest in a number of playmakers over the past few days, with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers being identified as their top target, although there are two other exciting options on the shortlist.
Target
Current club
League G/A in 2024-25
Morgan Rogers
Aston Villa
19
Xavi Simons
RB Leipzig
17
Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace
16
Maresca’s squad is arguably already bloated, meaning it could make sense to offload some unwanted players in swap deals for new signings, and a new report has revealed the Club World Cup champions plan to do exactly that.
Indeed, according to a report from The Boot Room, Chelsea are ready to offer players as part of a swap deal for Aston Villa’s Rogers, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile among the potential options.
Villa have also expressed an interest in Nicolas Jackson, as Unai Emery is keen on reuniting with the former Villarreal man, so it may also make sense to use the 24-year-old as a makeweight in negotiations.
The Blues can arguably afford to get rid of Jackson, given that Delap and Pedro have arrived this summer, with the latter playing a major role in their Club World Cup triumph, scoring three goals throughout the tournament.
Should a swap deal not be possible, Chelsea may have to spend big to get a deal over the line, with Villa reportedly looking to receive over £90m.
"Unstoppable" Rogers could be statement signing for Chelsea
The west Londoners should be in a strong financial position after winning the Club World Cup, having raked in around £85m, meaning they may be able to afford to make another statement signing this summer.
The Villa star would be exactly that, having performed remarkably well across the 2024-25 campaign, proving himself in his debut season in the Champions League by collecting four goals and three assists in 12 outings.
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Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has also been left impressed by the 22-year-old England international, describing him as “unstoppable”, and given the attacking midfielder’s age, he still has plenty of time to develop further.
Rogers could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea, and it would be an added bonus if they were able to get Jackson off the books as part of the deal, given that Pedro has already proven he is capable of leading the line next season.
Manchester City are now keen on hijacking Manchester United’s move for an “incredible” player, who is set to be available for £35m this summer, according to a report.
Man City's summer rebuild continues
Pep Guardiola has made major changes to his squad this summer, with the Man City boss looking to reclaim the Premier League crown from Liverpool, and Phil Foden believes the rebuild was necessary after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.
Foden said: “It is needed after last season, bringing in fresh legs and the new additions have done well. They have settled very quickly.
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“We can all see their quality from the Club World Cup and what they bring to the team. We have got a big squad at the moment but I think it is definitely needed. I’m looking forward to the season and linking up with players that I like to play with and enjoying it really.”
Bad news for Doku: Man City preparing £87m bid for "world class" forward
As Manchester City seek to reclaim the Premier League title, they are preparing an £87m bid to sign a “world class” attacker who’s better than Doku.
ByBen Gray Aug 6, 2025
It is certainly true that Guardiola is blessed with a large squad, and having added Nico Gonzalez in the winter, before bringing in Tijjani Reijnders this summer, there are plenty of options in the middle of the park.
However, according to a report from Takvim, Man City are now keen on signing Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara, who is also being targeted by Man United, with the Red Devils even set to make a formal offer for his services in the coming days.
The Turkish club are reluctant to sanction Sara’s departure this summer, but they could be tempted if they receive an offer of €40m (£35m), amid widespread interest from the Premier League.
AZ Alkmaar's Ernest Poku and Seiya Maikuma in action with Galatasaray'sBarisAlperYilmaz
Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Aston Villa are also credited with an interest in the Brazilian, although United’s interest appears to be the most advanced, with an offer in the works.
"Incredible" Sara could flourish in the Premier League
The 26-year-old has experience in England, performing remarkably well for Norwich City in the 2023-24 campaign, picking up 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 Championship outings.
That season alone proved the maestro is more than ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, but he has since gone on to prove himself in Turkey too, amassing 11 league goal contributions last season as Galatasaray went on to win the title.
As such, Sara could flourish at the Etihad Stadium, although there are some doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing for Man City, given that Guardiola is already well-stocked in central midfield.
Arsenal star Alessia Russo has been confirmed as the highest-rated Women's Super League player in the soon-to-be released EA Sports FC 26 game.
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It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
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Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
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$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
From
$59.99
Buy Standard
Standard Edition
It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
From
$69.99
BuyUltimate
Ultimate Edition
Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
From
$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
From
$59.99
Buy Standard
Standard Edition
It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges
From
$69.99
BuyUltimate
Ultimate Edition
Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included
From
$89.99
Buy+ Pre Order Bonus
Standard Edition + PO Bonus
Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content
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Buy EA Sports FC 26 ratings revealedRusso tops WSL rankingsLionesses score highly as wellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱EA Sports FC 26 RUSSO LEADS PLAYER RATINGS WITH CALDENTEY & SHAW
Gunners striker Russo and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw were joint-top WSL scorers last term with 12, and now they, alongside Arsenal ace and player of the season Mariona Caldentey, have been given 89 ratings – the best in the division. Chelsea's Guro Reiten is fourth at 88, and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly is tied with fellow Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp, and Millie Bright on 87. Ella Toone is the top-ranked Manchester United player in 16th with 85.
AdvertisementEA SPORTS FC 26 TOP WSL RATINGS
Top 26 Barclays Women's Super League
Rank
First Name
Last Name
Common Name
OVR (Overall ratings)
Position
Team
League
1
Alessia
Russo
89
ST
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
2
María Francesca
Caldentey Oliver
Mariona
89
CM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
3
Khadija
Shaw
89
ST
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
4
Guro
Reiten
88
LM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
5
Chloe
Kelly
87
RM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
6
Lucy
Bronze
87
RB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
7
Leah
Williamson
87
CB
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
8
Beth
Mead
87
RM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
9
Lauren
Hemp
87
LW
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
10
Katie
McCabe
87
LB
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
11
Millie
Bright
87
CB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
12
Sam
Kerr
87
ST
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
13
Grace
Geyoro
86
CM
London City
Barclays WSL
14
Sandy
Baltimore
85
LM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
15
Erin
Cuthbert
85
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
16
Ella
Toone
85
CAM
Manchester Utd
Barclays WSL
17
Caitlin
Foord
85
LM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
18
Yui
Hasegawa
85
CDM
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
19
Vivianne
A
85
ST
Manchester City
Barclays WSL
20
Kim
Little
85
CDM
Arsenal
Barclays WSL
21
Lauren
James
85
RM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
22
Naomi
Girma
85
CB
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
23
Keira
Walsh
85
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
24
Chiamaka
Nnadozie
85
GK
Brighton
Barclays WSL
25
Hannah
Hampton
84
GK
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
26
Sjoeke
Nüsken
84
CDM
Chelsea
Barclays WSL
EA Sports FC 26ARSENAL DOMINATE WSL TOP 10 BUT NOT EUROPE'S
While Russo, Caldentey, and Shaw lead the WSL pack, which features six Arsenal players in the top 10, they don't make up the top three in Europe. Spain stars Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati are tied on 91, and Barcelona team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen is third at 90. Incidentally, the Lionesses may have been helped in the player ratings after beating Spain in the Euros final this summer.
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WHAT NEXT?
EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Edition is being launched on September 19, 2025, but the Standard Edition of the game is out a week later on September 26. In the meantime, WSL action continues over the course of this weekend.
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There is a serious rain threat over the entire game, with bad weather forecast for the whole week
Ashish Pant15-Oct-2024Persistent and occasionally heavy rain in Bengaluru has forced the cancellation of India’s training session the day before the first Test against New Zealand at the city’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The session, originally slotted for 9.30am, was first postponed by an hour and then cancelled altogether with the rain showing no signs of relenting.New Zealand ‘s training session, slotted for 1.30pm, did take place*, but in the indoor facility at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy, also in the Chinnaswamy premises.The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast rains for the rest of the week, which could seriously affect the Test match. There is a 70% to 90% chance of rain on the first and second days of the Test, and a yellow alert has also been issued for many places in the state of Karnataka (of which Bengaluru is a part).Bengaluru has experienced a lot of rainfall for the past week. It rained on Monday as well, two days before the game, but both teams managed to finish their respective training sessions. India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma also had time to get a good look at the surface, which was followed by a long discussion with the pitch curator.There was rain in Bengaluru all through Monday night and Tuesday morning, and the covers at the Chinnaswamy stayed in place. There was some activity when the rain stopped for a bit around 1pm, and the covers were being moved a bit, but within half an hour the clouds opened up again and the covers were back in place.
Absolutely pelting down in Bengaluru a day before the first #INDvNZ Test. India team practice delayed, and this doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon @ESPNcricinfo pic.twitter.com/pJQEHwun52
— Ashish Pant (@ashishpant43) October 15, 2024
The weather had taken away roughly half the playing time of India’s last home Test, in Kanpur against Bangladesh just over two weeks ago, but India still managed to win the game with some quick run-scoring and fantastic bowling.New Zealand’s tour of the subcontinent has also had its share of weather woes – their first Test of the tour, a non-World Test Championship (WTC) game against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, couldn’t be played at all, though the lack of proper drainage facilities at the venue played as big a role as the weather in that case.The Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, has a world-class drainage facility. The venue has a subsurface aeration system installed, which is designed to allow play to begin within minutes of the rain ceasing.That was apparent on Tuesday when, despite rain lashing down for close to six hours, there were no signs of puddles on the outfield. The only small pool of water was around the edges of the covers. It can be assumed that on match days, if the rain relents, play won’t take much time to resume, unlike in Kanpur where a soggy outfield delayed proceedings for hours.India are coming into this Test on the back of a 2-0 win against Bangladesh while New Zealand suffered a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka. India are perched at the top of the WTC rankings and a 3-0 series win here will go a long way towards helping them seal a third straight WTC final berth. New Zealand, currently placed sixth, are also not out of the race yet.
England take series to decider after completing second-highest run-chase in the Caribbean
Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Nov-2024 England 329 for 5 (Livingstone 124*, Salt 59, Bethell 55, Curran 52, Forde 3-48) beat West Indies 328 for 6 (Hope 117, Carty 71, Rutherford 54) by five wicketsIn the battle of captain’s centuries, there was one clear winner. Liam Livingstone’s devastating 124 not out from 85 balls trumped Shai Hope’s far more sedate 117 as England sealed victory in the second ODI by five wickets.That it was Livingstone’s maiden 50-over century is one thing. But leading an inexperienced group, the responsibility he assumed to see England home in a chase of 329 – and thus square the series at 1-1 – in such jaw-dropping fashion is worthy of the highest praise.The tourists looked up against it after Phil Salt’s 59 and Jacob Bethell’s 55 – his maiden international half-century – had beenthe only scores of note in the top four. But a watchful stand between Livingstone and Sam Curran (52) evolved into a match-twisting epic of 140 from just 107 balls.The acceleration at the end that brought victory with 15 balls to spare is showcased best in the breakdown of Livingstone’s approach into the final 10 overs, with 100 still to get. He headed into this period on 46 from 57, before striking 78 off his final 28 deliveries.Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie – 4 for 41 in the first ODI – was taken down for 14 and 16 at the start of the back straight to nurse his worst figures of 0 for 71. Jayden Seales was carted for 26 in an over, before debutant Shamar Joseph was thumped for 24. No one was safe. All in all, Livingstone thumped nine sixes among his 14 boundaries.Aside from a hacked edge from Livingstone on four that flew between Hope and a wide first slip, there was little Hope could do to turn back the tide. Earlier in the day, his 17th century had seemingly done the main graft to put West Indies at a commanding position at the halfway stage with 328 for 6, meaning England needed to complete the second-highest ODI run-chase in the Caribbean.Hope arrived at the start of the fourth over and batted through to the end of the 47th. There was vital support from Keacy Carty – whose 71 came in a third-wicket stand of 143 – and Sherfane Rutherford – his punchy 54 providing the majority of 79 for the fourth. Cameos from Shimron Hetmyer and Matthew Forde helped ransack 93 from the final 10 overs, even if Livingstone’s final flourish make that look well below par.Shai Hope made his 17th ODI century to propel West Indies to 328 for 6•Getty ImagesLivingstone’s decision to bowl after winning the toss was immediately vindicated by the removal of both West Indies openers in the first 19 deliveries. John Turner was responsible for both initial strikes for his first wickets in international cricket, the second of which was the prized wicket of Evin Lewis. The hero of the first ODI was snared down the leg side for just four following Thursday’s match-winning 94.But things unravelled, characterised by England’s use of nine bowlers for only the second time in ODIs. That they could have dismissed Hope on 60 also cut them deep.From 12 for 2, consolidation was the initial aim for Hope and Carty, who could have been removed on eight. An English squeeze involved three fielders at backward point, but Bethell – the middle of them – could only palm a skewed drive from Carty which would have given Turner a third dismissal.The pair made it out of the Powerplay on 41 for 2, a figure bumped up in the 10th over by Hope’s first boundary – a stunning back-foot launch over extra cover for six off Turner. A brace of straight drives off Saqib Mahmood – the only change to the XI from the first ODI, with Jamie Overton sitting out – and a second six, lofting Adil Rashid over cover, was then followed by some quiet rotation.Once satisfied the early losses had been offset, risks were taken to lift the run-rate. However, having cleared midwicket after Bethell dropped short to bring up his 42nd fifty-plus score, from 66 deliveries, it was a botched defensive push that should have brought his innings to an end on 60. A edge of Bethell bounced out of the hands of Salt behind the stumps.Carty was soon moving to his fourth ODI fifty from 62 deliveries. He was then given two lives when a top-edge took Turner over the boundary at deep fine leg, then the fielder dropped a far simpler chance off the very next ball. Both came as Archer nailed his short-ball plans.That miss would only cost three runs, as Rashid returned to bowl Carty through the gate at the start of the 31st. But that brought Rutherford to the crease, who ended up striking seven boundaries – three of them sixes – for a fifth half-century from just 35 deliveries.Though he was dismissed a ball later – caught at deep cover attempting to replicate the six over the same region that took him to fifty – Hetmyer’s breezy 24 off 11 kept the pressure on. He was also dropped on 2 by Will Jacks down at long-on.Related
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Once Hetmyer was dismissed, caught by Archer at gully off a Rashid googly, Hope pressed down on the accelerator. After leaning into a drive off his 118th delivery to move to 100, he smeared Rashid for a four and six to wide long-on as 13 was taken off the 36-year-old’s final over.Hell-bent on throwing his bat at everything sent his way, Hope misread a slower delivery from Archer that was well-taken by Livingstone charging in from long-off. Forde then picked up the baton for the final straight, striking three successive sixes off Mahmood in the final over to lift the hosts to 328 for 6.Though England shot themselves in the foot with four drops, they were also guilty of spurning opportunities to make immediate amends with the bat. Salt looked on his way to redemption, carrying the start of the innings on his back, shrugging off the loss of Jacks in the fifth over to contribute 36 of England’s first fifty runs.When Shamar Joseph, making his ODI debut with his namesake Alzarri rested, bounced out Jordan Cox for an agonising 4 off 19 deliveries, Bethell arrived to take England to 107 for 3 by the 20-over mark.Both were culpable for relinquishing control. Salt skied the first ball of Forde’s new spell at the start of the 21st for 59, then Bethell dumped Roston Chase into the hands of long-off after reaching a maiden international fifty.But the duo of Livingstone and Curran, players still with much to prove despite their experience, refused to panic. Curran initially took the reins as the aggressor, starting smartly with a six off Motie having noticed an extra fielder in the outfield meant the umpires would call it a no-ball. He contributed 31 of the initial 50 for the fifth wicket before Livingstone, after five overs without a boundary heading into the final 10, decided it was going to be all on him.The starter pistol was set with a charge off Motie down the ground to bring up Livingstone’s fifty from 60 deliveries, before he signed off the 41st over with a slog-sweep over deep midwicket off the very next delivery. Back-to-back sixes in Motie’s next over – the second bringing up the century stand from 92 – also found the grass banks.Pace was then put back on the ball, which played further into Livingstone’s favour. When Curran was dismissed a ball after the skipper had nudged his 77th ball down the ground to move to 100, Dan Mousley played his part to a tee – simply dabbing singles. The most important came at the start of the 48th over, giving Livingstone the strike for the honour of hitting the winning run.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has enjoyed a fruitful summer transfer window in his second year in charge of the club, after Federico Chiesa was his only signing in 2024.
Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike have all come through the door at Anfield to bolster the Dutchman’s options across the park.
The focus is now turning to further exits from the club, after Luis Diaz’s move to Bayern Munich, as Liverpool have accepted an offer from Al Hilal for centre-forward Darwin Nunez.
Fabrizio Romano reports that the Pro League team are set to pay an initial fee of around £46m for the striker, who is poised to agree a three-year contract with Al Hilal to leave England after three years on Merseyside.
Nunez may not be the only high-profile exit to come later this month, though, as Harvey Elliott may also be on his way out of Anfield to move to the Bundesliga.
Romano claims that RB Leipzig are in contract talks with the England U21 international and have made him a priority target to replace Xavi Simons this summer.
Why Harvey Elliott may leave Liverpool
According to Romano, Elliott ‘loves’ Liverpool and would like to stay at the club, but is currently exploring his options because of a potential lack of game time next season.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
The English whiz is said to have seen the new signings come through the door this summer and has realised that it may be too difficult for him to get enough opportunities to impress.
Elliott is a terrific young talent, as evidenced by his five goals in six matches at the U21 European Championship this summer, and it would be a blow for the Reds to lose a prospect with his ability.
However, it is hard to begrudge his desire to explore options elsewhere when you consider how his minutes on the pitch dropped after Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout at Anfield.
Appearances
34
18
Starts
11
2
Minutes
1,367
399
Goals
3
1
Big chances created
5
1
Assists
6
2
As you can see in the table above, Elliott found game time harder to come by under the Dutch coach after playing a fairly important role under Klopp in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign.
Unfortunately, Slot did not see him as an important part of his side, as the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch were preferred ahead of him in the middle of the park.
Liverpool player Harvey Elliott
Liverpool should, therefore, look to replace Elliott with a midfielder who is more likely to be utilised by the former Feyenoord head coach throughout the season.
Liverpool join the race for Juventus midfielder
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Juventus central midfielder Douglas Luiz before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the former Aston Villa sensation is available for a fee of €40m (£35m), which has seemingly alerted a host of clubs to his availability.
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It states that Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and West Ham United are also keeping an eye on his situation, which means that the Reds could face plenty of competition for his signature.
CaughtOffside adds that Liverpool are showing an interest in the Brazil international, but that it is Forest who are currently leading the race to sign the midfield maestro.
Douglas Luiz at the Club World Cup with Juventus.
It now remains to be seen whether or not the Premier League champions will decide to seriously pursue a deal to win the race for the former Manchester City youngster, who could arrive at Anfield as a perfect replacement for Elliott.
Why Liverpool should sign Douglas Luiz
The Res should be looking to get a deal over the line for the Juventus talent before the end of the summer transfer window because he could be a better fit for what Slot is looking for.
As aforementioned, Elliott did not get much game time in the Premier League last season. That may have been because he is a unique and creative midfielder who lacks outstanding physical attributes, which means that he needs to play in an attacking role or in a team that is built around him.
Luiz, however, is a versatile and physically strong midfielder who can play as a number six or as a number eight in a 4-3-3 system, which makes him far more suited to what Slot needs in the middle of the park.
The Brazilian star, who played 19 times in the Serie A for Juventus last season, is also a proven Premier League performer who can hit the ground running at Anfield in the 2025/26 campaign.
Luiz, who was hailed for his “exceptional” performances for Villa by Statman Dave, has 175 appearances in the Premier League in his career to date, which shows that he is an experienced operator at that level.
His form for the Villans and Unai Emery in his last two seasons in England also shows that he is a well-rounded midfielder who can offer quality in and out of possession.
Appearances
37
35
xG
2.83
6.97
Goals
6
9
Big chances created
7
10
Assists
6
5
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.1
2.4
Duel success rate
52%
51%
As you can see in the table above, Luiz is a box-to-box midfielder who can provide goals, assists, tackles, and interceptions for his side in the Premier League, whilst also holding his own in duels.
He also ranked within the top 36% of midfielders in the division for progressive passes per 90 (5.05) in the 2024/25 season, which shows that the Brazilian ace excels at playing between the lines to progress attacks for his side.
Juventus'DouglasLuizreacts
This suggests that Luiz suits playing in a deep-lying midfield role where he can break up attacks with tackles and interceptions, whilst having time and space to pick out progressive passes.
The 27-year-old star is, therefore, suited to playing as the number six as an alternative to Gravenberch, whilst his goal and assist return also suggest that he could play slightly further forward as a number eight to contribute at the top end of the pitch.
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Overall, Luiz would be the perfect ‘replacement’ for Elliott because he has a midfield profile that seems far more suited to what Slot wants in his three-man midfield, and he has the versatility to play in a defensive or offensive role, making him the ideal utility player for the Reds.