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Liverpool have agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz (£100m, which may eventually rise to a British-record £116m).

Trent Alexander-Arnold look his preternatural playmaking skills with him to Real Madrid, but Liverpool’s creative fluency will remain intact, or maybe even hit another level, with the German number ten in Arne Slot’s squad.

Excitingly, The Times report that more signings should be expected for the Merseysiders, who won the Premier League last season. However, one or two sales may have to take place, with Luis Diaz attracting interest from Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League.

If the Colombian, who was so important last season, does leave, Liverpool would need to sign a replacement, and FSG appear to have one in mind.

Liverpool chasing Luis Diaz replacement

According to Football Insider, Liverpool have been informed that a bid worth around £75m will be enough for Newcastle United to authorise the transfer of Anthony Gordon.

Gordon, 24, was wanted by Liverpool last summer before the Magpies found less damaging ways to avoid a PSR-related punishment,

Whether Liverpool are willing to spend a king’s ransom on the player will be dependent on Diaz’s future, but if their 28-year-old forward does leave, this appears to be the player at the top of Slot’s list.

Why Liverpool want Anthony Gordon

When Liverpool tried to sign Gordon one year ago, he had just been crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Season after posting 28 goal contributions.

Transfer Focus

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

A “nightmare for anyone” he plays against, as Gordon has said himself, the Three Lions star is “always trying to make things happen.” Typically playing off the left flank, signing him would make perfect sense if Diaz does indeed head off for pastures new.

He might not have produced the same effect last year, but Gordon has still shown us the scale of his qualities, and you wouldn’t bet against him levelling up once more under Slot’s wing.

Especially if Liverpool pull off an audacious move for Alexander Isak, who has forged such a seamless connection with the England winger over the past several years.

Isak needs no introduction, having been on Liverpool’s radar for a while now. However, with Newcastle securing a place back in Europe, the Toon will be looking for around £150m.

The elite goalscorer isn’t just the guy who finishes moves off. He created 11 big chances in the Premier League last season, thus perfect for the electric-paced Gordon to latch onto, as Newcastle fans would attest to.

If Liverpool manage to bank some funds through player sales over the coming weeks, it might just be that a deal for Isak becomes more plausible, and if Gordon’s signature is also secured, a fluent and fearsome frontline could dovetail into the Anfield brood, with Salah sure to jump at the chance to work with such partners.

Gordon even went as far as to say that the Sweden striker is “the best in Europe”. With such an innate connection forged across the past two terms, Liverpool may well hit the jackpot by pulling off this double signing, surely sealing their place as one of the continent’s finest outfits across the coming age of football by doing so.

After Wirtz: Liverpool enter race to sign "world-class" £64m Gordon upgrade

Liverpool are interested in signing a new winger this summer.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 11, 2025

Leeds United are reportedly keen on completing the signing of a 24-year-old goalkeeper this summer, being seen as an alternative to heavily linked targets like Sam Johnstone and Caoimhin Kelleher.

Leeds eyeing new goalkeeper this summer

The Whites may have only recently sealed promotion from the Championship, but focus will already be on life back in the Premier League next season and what surgeries in the squad are required.

Indeed, Leeds need to conduct plenty of business in the transfer market, in order to have a squad that is capable of coping in the top flight, with a new goalkeeper near the top of Daniel Farke’s wishlist, due to Illan Meslier continuing to be an error-prone player and 34-year-old Karl Darlow not being the long-term solution between the sticks.

Wolves ace Johnstone is one rumoured target for the Whites, having had to generally play second fiddle to Jose Sa this season, with the Englishman no doubt keen on being first choice elsewhere and regularly being on the pitch during the peak years of his career.

Meanwhile, Liverpool stopper Kelleher has also been linked with joining Leeds, with the Republic of Ireland international behind Alisson in the pecking order and highly unlikely to oust arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. He could be an excellent signing, having played his part in the Reds winning the Premier League title this season, starting 10 league games.

Leeds planning offer for Orlando Gill

Writing on X, journalist Uriel Lugt claimed that “offers will arrive” for San Lorenzo goalkeeper Orlando Gill this summer, and Leeds are one of those sides “interested” in snapping him up. While his club are in no rush to sell him, their head could be turned if the right bid arrives. The 24-year-old’s current contract runs until December 2027, but the Whites look like they are going to try and entice him away from the club long before then.

Gill is certainly a lesser-known option for Leeds compared to those mentioned above, currently plying his trade in Argentina with San Lorenzo. That’s not to say that the Paraguayan wouldn’t still be a good choice for the Whites, though, having kept nine clean sheets in 18 appearances for his current club at senior level.

Johnstone or Kelleher would arguably still be more of a surefire bet for Leeds, however, having both not only proven themselves in the Premier League, but also represented England and Ireland at international level.

Farke needs to bring in a ‘keeper who can hit the ground running from the opening day of the season, and there is more chance of one of them making more of a seamless transition from their current club to Elland Road, compared to a player who hasn’t yet tasted English football.

Leeds now make approach to sign "fantastic" £25m Premier League attacker

He could be a great signing for the Whites this summer.

By
Henry Jackson

May 11, 2025

That said, Leeds’ recruitment team need to be trusted if they ultimately see the 6 foot 5 Gill as the best choice to sign in the summer window, during a potentially exciting period in which Paraag Marathe is reportedly ready to give Farke as much as £150m to spend on new signings. Bringing him in as second choice feels more likely, though, given his lack of experience at the top level.

Celtic could look to make a move for a Premier League “superstar” in the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman.

Rodgers expecting busy summer at Celtic

The Hoops have again comfortably sealed Scottish Premiership title glory this season, but the next step is for them to become more of a force in the Champions League.

Brendan Rodgers will know this more than anyone and want to bring in some top-quality players. The Celtic manager has made it clear that he expects there to be plenty of business in the coming months:

“We have to look at and adapt to situations as well. We all know fine well here there’s a player trading model, which means that we will probably get offers for some of our players in the summer. And if that happens, then we have to be flexible and be able to adapt to that. If I said that everyone now would be here, then you’d maybe only have a few, two to three players coming in of high quality, but we’ll just have to see.”

There are sure to be ins and outs at Celtic before next season gets underway, with Arne Engels strongly linked with a move to Atalanta, but now a big claim has emerged regarding the Hoops signing a renowned player.

Pundit talks up Celtic signing superstar

In quotes provided by Celts Are Here, Goodman talked up the idea of Celtic signing Brighton striker Evan Ferguson in the summer window:

“I was shocked looking into Evan Ferguson’s season. He only started a combined three Premier League games for both Brighton and West Ham. To me, it looks like his confidence is on the floor. I thought in January, and this is no disrespect to the Scottish Premiership, that Evan Ferguson should aim higher. But given what’s happened, a move to Celtic wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

“If he goes to Celtic, he would be guaranteed goals, which would only boost his confidence and help bring out the player that we saw break through at Brighton. Evan Ferguson just needs to play football. If a move to Celtic means he can do that, then I understand why he would do it.”

In truth, it is arguably a left-field call by Goodman, with Ferguson unlikely to trade the Premier League for Celtic, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel impossible.

The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international’s stock has fallen of late, hence Brighton deciding to send him out on loan to West Ham, where he hasn’t scored a single goal in the league this season.

That is in contrast to his breakthrough campaign on the south coast of England, where he netted 10 senior goals in 2022/23.

For that reason, he could see Celtic as a chance to rebuild his career, be a star man and play in the Champions League, having been called a “superstar” by Micah Richards in the past.

Celtic in talks to sell "excellent" ace with personal terms being discussed

Would selling him be a blow for the Hoops this summer?

1 ByHenry Jackson May 23, 2025

As mentioned, Hoops supporters arguably shouldn’t get their hopes up too much, but even if Ferguson only joined on loan from Brighton for a season, he could still be an exciting addition.

Given the high standards he’s set for himself in 2024/25, Liverpool boss Arne Slot has a huge job on his hands this summer to continue the process made in recent months.

The Dutchman took the reins from Jürgen Klopp last summer, offering a seamless transition and leading the side to Premier League glory at the very first attempt.

He managed to achieve such a feat with multiple games to spare, winning 25 matches out of a possible 35 to date, losing on just three occasions, with one coming on home soil.

However, the Dutchman faces a huge task on his hands next time around to maintain such a success and hand the club an opportunity to make it back-to-back titles.

If such an achievement is to happen at the same point in 12 months time, this summer transfer window will be crucial, with the hierarchy needing to hand Slot the funds to make the additions he needs.

An update on Liverpool’s pursuit of new signings this summer

With the transfer window just around the corner, numerous names have been mentioned over a potential move to join Liverpool, including Bournemouth’s left-back Milos Kerkez.

The Hungarian has been on their shopping list for many months now, with the Reds still in the hunt for his signature, leading to a potential saga throughout the off-season.

However, the opposite side of the pitch could also be in line for investment, with Slot’s men closely monitoring a move for Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong, according to reports in Spain.

They state that the Reds are to submit an offer in the region of £34m for the 24-year-old star, who’s made 47 appearances across all competitions for the German outfit this campaign.

It also claims that the Dutchman is the manager’s key target for the upcoming window, with Frimpong having the tools to come into the side and soften the blow of one player’s pending departure.

Why Liverpool’s £34m target is the dream TAA replacement

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool fans have been left dismayed after right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold confirmed he would be ending his 20-year stint with his boyhood club.

The 26-year-old has racked up over 350 appearances after making his first-team debut back in the summer of 2016, winning a staggering six major trophies – including two Premier League titles.

However, after such an impressive stint at Anfield, it’s going to be tricky to replace such a talent, which could subsequently have an impact on their ambitions of going back-to-back in the Premier League next campaign.

Premier League

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Champions League

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FA Cup

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Carabao Cup

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Europa League

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Club World Cup

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CL Qualifying

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It’s a positive sign that the hierarchy have already wasted little to no time in targeting a replacement, with Frimpong having the tools to do just that – or even provide an upgrade on the Englishman.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from 2024/25, the Leverkusen star has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas – with the fee touted potentially being a bargain for the Reds.

The Dutchman, who’s been labelled “one of the best wing-backs in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, has managed to complete more progressive carries per 90 this campaign – handing Slot an added attacking threat from full-back.

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, but whilst also attempting more take-ons – highlighting the threat he poses with the ball at his feet.

Defensively, he’s been just as impressive, winning more tackles against players attempting to dribble past him – with Frimpong able to offer added stability, something which Trent often struggled with at Anfield.

£34m for a player of his calibre in today’s market is an absolute steal, allowing the club to land a player who can fill the role for many years, given his tender age.

Whilst losing Trent will be a huge disappointment to many, the Leverkusen star has the chance to allow supporters to forget about his departure and play a key role in any success endured under Slot in the years to come.

Better signing than Sesko: Liverpool plot move for "world-class" £64m ace

Liverpool appear to be making a huge move to land a new striker for Arne Slot this summer.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 7, 2025

The ECB hoped for better, but will the 2024 edition prove enough to entice the investors?

Matt Roller19-Aug-2024This was not a vintage year for the Hundred, just as it has not been a vintage English cricketing summer. The season’s main event – the men’s T20 World Cup – happened overseas, the touring men’s Test teams are ranked No. 7 and 8 in the world, and the Olympics and football’s European Championship have dominated the attention of general sports fans.For the ECB, the 2024 instalment of their shiny new thing has been about consolidation and proof of concept. They will hope that the prospective investors in hospitality suites across the finals weekend were engaged enough by some tense knockout games that they paid scant attention to declines in scoring rates and crowd numbers which defined the rest of the season.The sales process will officially get underway next month, with stakes of 49% or more in each franchise on offer. The stated aim is to “take the competition to the next level” – most obviously, by staving off competition from overseas leagues for the best players in the world through higher wages – with the proceeds shared across English cricket.Official figures showed a seven percent decline in ticket sales from 2023, from 580,000 to 540,000, most obviously outside of London. Between them, Lord’s and The Oval hosted 10 matchdays out of 34 but contributed around 46% of the Hundred’s total attendance this year: no wonder London Spirit and Oval Invincibles are expected to be the most sought-after franchises.Rob Hillman, the ECB’s director of major events, said the board were “immensely proud” of the Hundred’s fourth season, citing record-breaking attendances at women’s fixtures. “We look forward to seeing how it grows in the future and how we build on these foundations as we seek partners to help make the Hundred even bigger and better,” Hillman said.The women’s tournament remains some way ahead of the men’s in its status relative to the global game. “I can’t speak highly enough of how it’s put the women’s game on the map,” said Heather Knight, whose London Spirit side won their first title. “You look at the crowd and it’s so different to what you’d see at a men’s Test match… it’s brought different people to the women’s game.”The cricket itself was a mixed bag. The first week of the men’s competition suffered on account of clashes with Major League Cricket and England’s third Test against West Indies. That was compounded further by Jos Buttler’s calf injury, which deprived the Hundred of its best player and badly exposed Manchester Originals’ previous reliance on his runs.A batch of balls that swung and seamed early on, combined with indifferent pitches and heavy investment by teams into their bowling attacks prompted a sharp decline in scoring rates: around 14 runs per 100 balls in the men’s competition, and seven per 100 balls in the women’s. It brought bowlers back into the game – but probably too much so for casual followers.Nicholas Pooran arrived without luggage for his first game but found form for Northern SuperchargersThe success of Oval Invincibles – back-to-back champions, three defeats in two seasons – has benefitted the men’s tournament as a whole, with their focus on continuity in recruitment helping them to create an identity as a side. In the women’s game, the best stories were Welsh Fire’s resurgence and the unexpected struggles of Southern Brave, whose title defence culminated in a wooden spoon.The overlap with MLC caused a swathe of farcical one-match signings: Mohammad Amir bowled 15 of the first 20 balls in the men’s competition, then flew straight to Canada’s Global T20. Nicholas Pooran, the top draft pick, arrived with his luggage stuck in transit after a night on a transatlantic flight, then made 10 off 15 balls using a borrowed bat on Northern Superchargers debut.The women’s competition proved that investment can attract the world’s best players, with a 60% increase in top salaries tempting Meg Lanning and Ash Gardner to feature for the first time. Annabel Sutherland, another top-bracket £50,000 signing, was named MVP after starring with bat and ball for the Superchargers.But this season was a reminder that short-form leagues live or die on the quality of domestic players as much as their overseas stars. Lanning’s involvement was a major coup but she averaged 17 with a single half-century; Pooran batted brilliantly after his false start, but Andre Russell earned nearly £1,400 per run during an abject season for London Spirit’s men.Related

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'Tired' pitches to blame for low scores in men's Hundred, says Lewis Gregory

Jos Buttler ruled out of the Hundred with calf injury

Andrew Flintoff's first foray falls flat as Hundred's tough sell continues

There were only four overseas players in the men’s final, with Spencer Johnson injured and Andre Fletcher running the drinks for Southern Brave. But there were still 15 players with international caps involved in a high-quality game. “Our domestic pool of players is phenomenal,” said Sam Billings, the winning captain. “The standard is only second to the IPL.”England player availability is just as – if not more – important than that of overseas players, so Ben Stokes’ hamstring tear in his fifth-ever Superchargers game was a PR disaster. The ECB responded by resting Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests; next year, the Hundred has a clear run from early August, starting immediately after India’s tour.The public response to Stokes’ injury underlined the fact that the tournament remains hugely unpopular in some quarters. “There’s a few Lancs fans who want me burned at the stake,” Keaton Jennings said – perhaps only half-joking – having captained them at the start of the Metro Bank Cup only to sign a replacement deal with London Spirit a few days later.The imminent sale means nobody knows exactly what the 2025 season will look like. “It is a huge unknown, of course,” Billings said. “There will be big change.” Any alterations to team names or salaries may wait until 2026, as details of investments are finalised: “We are going to take our time in order to make sure that we get to the right decisions,” Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, said.The Hundred is now four years old and for all the division that it has caused, it has shown signs of delivering on two of its core objectives: accelerating the growth of the women’s game, and attracting new fans to cricket. This winter’s sale process will dictate whether it can achieve a third, and its biggest yet: underpinning the sport’s financial future in England and Wales.

They play their best cricket when riding a wave of emotion, but they also need to hang in when it is not going their way

Sidharth Monga02-Nov-20221:36

Moody: Litton aside, Bangladesh went about their power-hitting the wrong way

Litton Das has batted in 154 T20 innings. He has scored 40 or more at a strike-rate of over 150 only three times. He is still considered Bangladesh’s best bet by many. Aesthetics have a lot to do with that. When he is on song, he doesn’t look like he is incapable of anything. The pull, the cut, the cover-drive, the deft late-cut, he plays them all, and does so languidly. Yet his T20 record: average of 22.95 and strike-rate of 125.95.T20 cricket, more than any format, strips you of any leeway style might get you. If you can’t use your aesthetics to score runs, and quick runs, you are discarded. A few Bangladesh batters – whether stylish or not – fall in that category. Play on a slow pitch, neutralise the opposition’s six-hitting, and they are a dangerous team. When you are chasing 185 against India on a cold night in Adelaide, you need some six-hitting to even dream of winning.Related

Win or bust for Bangladesh and Pakistan, but even full points might not do

Sriram: 'If we can challenge a team like India, we are not far away'

Litton comes out of his shell and shows the way for Bangladesh

'We didn't talk about it being fair or unfair' – Shakib on resumption of play in slippery conditions

India survive Litton Das scare in wet Adelaide

This is when Litton stuns India. He has no choice but to come out swinging. Even when he does come out swinging, Litton doesn’t look like he is playing a single shot in anger. KL Rahul says that it is the fact that Litton is hitting good balls away without an element of slogging that has fazed the India bowlers. They have been kicked off their lengths and plans.There are quite a few Bangladesh supporters in the stands, but the silence among the Indian section is so deafening you can’t hear the Bangla cheers. Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are all taken apart. He brings up his fifty in 21 balls. It is difficult to plan for this kind of assault from a batter with those stats. A measure of how good Litton is, that while he has scored 56 off 24 in the powerplay, his partner Najmul Hossain Shanto has managed just four off 12. Another measure of how good Litton has been is that Bangladesh are 17 runs ahead of the DLS par score when it starts raining at the end of the seventh over.

****

We are in the bizarro universe now. Normally sides fielding are more reluctant to resume play in post-rain conditions. Here India are desperate to play on. On the other hand, the more it rains the better it is for Bangladesh. No more play gives them the elusive win over India in a world event. If we lose 10 overs, Bangladesh have to chase 23 in three; if we lose five, they will need 76 in eight.The ground staff keep running a rope on the ground almost through the rain break. Even before it stops raining, the big cover comes off. In all likelihood, this is just the ground staff showing confidence in the radar and getting a head start when it comes to drying the surface. It stops raining at about 9.37pm, about 40 minutes after it first started coming down. That’s a loss of two overs. You would think it would take another 20 minutes or so, a total loss of seven overs, but it is announced play will resume at 9.50pm, giving Bangladesh a further target of 85 in nine overs.As the ground gets through the final touch-ups, India look relaxed, in their huddle, regrouping after that assault. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan is seen having an animated discussion with the umpires while India captain Rohit Sharma mostly just stands and listens. Shakib is seen running his hand on the ground and showing them the water that comes up with it. Even after the umpires’ chat with the captains is done, Litton comes and has a chat with the umpires with some finger-pointing towards the ground.Bangladesh are not happy. This break has broken the momentum, but it is not long enough to help them mathematically even though the wet conditions will challenge India’s bowlers and fielders.Just to make things worse, Litton slips when running on the first ball. He injures his wrist too. He is running on the edge of the pitch, but when he is sliding in at the end of the run, he is almost on the grass next to the pitch, which takes him down. They decide against two. On the next ball, the second is properly on. This time, Litton is running on the grass and slips during the second. He doesn’t fall, but on this precise occasion, India, who almost comically couldn’t hit the wickets from close range against South Africa, manage a direct hit from the deep.Litton Das slipped while running between the wickets•ICC/Getty ImagesLitton is furious, looks back at the grass that nearly tripped him and walks off in disgust. If you are already feeling hard done by, this is enough to make you want to protest.

****

This is the exchange in the early goings at Shakib’s post-match press conference.Reporter: Shakib, smiling:Reporter: Shakib, still smiling: Reporter: Shakib, smile getting wider: Reporter: Shakib doesn’t know what to say.Reporter: Shakib: Reporter: Shakib: Reporter:

****

Shakib at this press conference is different from the Shakib we know. The Shakib who kicks down stumps, who argues with umpires, who gets into fights with spectators, who gesticulates at the camera for spending too much time trained on him, is the voice of the reason at the end of the match.However, how he is during the match in that dugout is important. Shakib is not the only emotional person in that team. That team runs on emotion. If anybody has been to Bangladesh, they will know the country runs on emotion.Emotion is Bangladesh cricket’s superpower. And during the rain break they have probably been told they have already failed to protest about a Virat Kohli fake-fielding incident. Twice in this tournament Kohli has remonstrated with the umpires even before they have had a chance to call a no-ball. It has annoyed the fans of the opposition. Not the merits of the call, but that Kohli gets to remonstrate. Now that there has been a chance to put Kohli on the spot, both the umpires and the batters have missed it. This is where emotion would have been well spent.You can imagine it is all building up. Then there is a chance to finally put one past India after the nightmares against them: the borderline no-ball to turn it around in the 2015 World Cup, the premature celebrations in the 2016 T20 World Cup, the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka. And now they have a chance not only to beat India but also to have proper semi-final aspirations.It is all at risk, and then what happens to Litton has happened.Then one after the other, Bangladesh batters keep swinging. Some shots come off spectacularly but Bangladesh don’t need these risks. Most teams in these circumstances give themselves a few balls to get themselves in knowing no target is safe when they take it deep. Bangladesh don’t have experience of doing so. More importantly, they don’t have known six-hitters on whom they can rely to finish the game if it gets tight.They are also angry, they are emotional, and they start playing the kind of shots Litton didn’t play at all.India on the other hand are doing small things right. Their long-on is wide, almost a deep midwicket, where two slogs end up. Rahul nails that direct hit. Arshdeep gets yorkers right with that wet ball. They are a lesson in being clinical.Emotion is also Bangladesh cricket’s kryptonite.

****

Never mind the coincidence that Bangladesh fall short by five, the same number of runs India would have been penalised had Kohli’s fake-fielding been noticed. In the fact that they come this close despite making all kinds of mistakes is a lesson. They play their best cricket when riding a wave of emotion, but they also need to hang in when it is not going their way. A lot of it comes from depth in your team, but sometimes you have to consciously keep the emotions aside. A bit like how Shakib does at the press conference to avoid controversy and fines. On the field they have to find a way to avoid it when it begins to harm them, which can admittedly be difficult when the amount of play left is as little as nine overs.

Here’s a look at seven young Indian bowlers who could make a mark at the 2020 edition of the IPL

Varun Shetty and Sidharth Monga08-Sep-2020ALSO READ: Uncapped Indian batsmen to watch out for
Ravi BishnoiTeam: Kings XI PunjabWhy we’re excited
Bishnoi is at the batsman all time with his legspin, relentless with his intent to attack and suffocating to face. The 20-year-old was the highest wicket-taker at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and is among the brightest wristspinning prospects in the Indian domestic circuit. He will be working with Anil Kumble, whose bowling he seems to have been inspired by.How will he fit it into the XI?
The Kings XI have invested a decent amount in signing Bishnoi, and he will likely be used in rotation with M Ashwin, the only other frontline wristspinner in the squad.Ishan PorelTeam: Kings XI PunjabWhy we’re excited
Porel has incrementally become one of India’s most promising fast bowling prospects over the last few years and is coming off a career-high domestic season, even if it ended in March. He has worked relentlessly to go from “medium-fast to fast” and looked unplayable by the end of the last Ranji Trophy season.How will he fit it into the XI?
It would be hard to explain if Porel is not his team’s automatic domestic fast-bowling choice to pair with Mohammed Shami.Shivam Mavi played nine games for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2018•BCCIShivam MaviTeam: Kolkata Knight RidersWhy we’re excited
The fast bowler had everyone’s attention after a rollicking U-19 World Cup in 2018, but it has been frustratingly stop-start since as he battled injuries. But Mavi said he is back to full rhythm and is ready to make up for lost time.How will he fit it into the XI?
A tournament in the UAE might not be the ideal place for a bowler of Mavi’s strengths – pace, swing, and bounce – to make a full-fledged comeback. But the Knight Riders could use him as a rotational option, given how important workload management can be over a 53-day long tournament.Kartik TyagiTeam: Rajasthan RoyalsWhy we’re excited
He’s fast, accurate, and swings it both ways. Tyagi also has a mean yorker and is already considered as one of the best among India’s upcoming generation of fast bowlers. He hasn’t played at the senior level since 2018 because of injuries but led India’s bowling attack with success at the last U-19 World Cup.How will he fit it into the XI?
Kartik brings variety to a four-man domestic fast bowling line-up that will compete for two or three starting XI spots. He is the junior-most in that group, but Royals are invested in their youth and could try and ease him in, perhaps alongside Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat and Ben Stokes.Shahbaz Ahmed played a key role in taking Bengal to the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy final•PTI Shahbaz AhmedTeam: Royal Challengers BangaloreWhy we’re excited
In a sparkling season for Bengal, Ahmed became their go-to man with ball, and even with bat at times. That they made the knockouts, leave alone the Ranji final, was the result of the left-hander’s ability to tone down an otherwise boisterous batting approach; but if he wasn’t doing it with bat, he was doing it with ball: he took 35 wickets, their joint-highest. He not only ran through teams with his left-arm spin but also played a crucial supporting role to their fast bowlers when needed. A complete package.How will he fit it into the XI?
In the UAE, we see Ahmed rising above Pawan Negi in the pecking order for the Royal Challengers and playing in any combination that involves three spinners.R Sai KishoreTeam: Chennai Super KingsWhy we’re excited
Sai Kishore is the quintessential Super Kings spinner: he can bowl in the powerplay, he has got no gimmicks about his orthodox left-arm spin, and he is economical. He took 20 wickets at an economy of 4.63 for Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, far and away the best last season.How will he fit it into the XI?
It is fair to assume, especially in the absence of Harbhajan Singh, that Sai Kishore will have a more involved role for the Super Kings now. Particularly against teams that are likely to have a fair number of right-handers in the early overs.Kamlesh NagarkotiTeam: Kolkata Knight RidersWhy we’re excited
We have been excited about him since the 2018 U-19 World Cup but injuries have unfortunately denied him any senior T20 cricket. His captain Dinesh Karthik feels the youngster has dealt with them bravely, is still bowling “150 clicks” and is “on par with Ravindra Jadeja” in the field.How will he fit it into the XI?
He is junior-most among the Knight Riders’ young Indian fast bowlers, but the franchise rates him highly. Karthik believes he should focus on shorter formats and focus on his explosive pace. Those are enough indicators the team might be ready to unleash him this year.

During the All-Star Game last Tuesday in Atlanta, Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte's home was burglarized back in Phoenix.

This week, Marte shared that around $400,000 worth of items were stolen from his home. He didn't detail what exact items were stolen, but it was previously reported that some jewelry and other big items were taken.

Marte ended up landing on the restricted list when the All-Star break ended on Friday to take some personal time. He returned on Sunday vs. the St. Louis Cardinals and spoke with the media about the home break-in. It understandably shook him up a bit.

“Everyone is clear that it’s not a situation that we can feel good about. I’m losing about $400,000, and I think that’s a lot,” Marte said, via . “It was a bit of a tough situation, but we came back here to try not to think about those things that have happened. It doesn’t feel good. Everyone knows what happened. And we’re hoping that things are remedied.”

Police shared last week that no one was at Marte's home at the time of the burglary. There is an ongoing investigation regarding the break-in, but there haven't been any updates as of the time of this writing.

The incident is just the latest in a series of recent robberies involving well-known athletes across multiple leagues, where players' homes have been repeatedly targeted while they are traveling for events or away games. Among those impacted are NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, as well as basketball bigwigs Luka Doncic and Bobby Portis.

Liverpool have now received the green light to make their move for a defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Slot: Teams "think they can get a result" against Liverpool

It wasn’t a disaster at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to rescue a draw against Sunderland, but it was hardly an inspiring performance from the Premier League champions yet again.

Despite breaking their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in the summer, the Swede was back to his subdued ways just days after netting his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham United. And whilst Florian Wirtz at least played a part in the equaliser and looked bright throughout, Liverpool’s attack was a far cry from their scintillating best of past campaigns.

What should concern Arne Slot the most is his own admission that teams now believe they can “get a result” against his Liverpool side. That should never be the case at the home of the champions, but the Dutchman also denied that Anfield’s fear factor has evaporated this season.

He told reporters: “No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season.

“And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”

The only positive for Slot to take from the Sunderland game is that his side, whilst found wanting in attack, were harder to break down defensively. With fixtures coming thick and fast, that defensive foundation will be important but so will any depth that Liverpool add in that area in January, especially if they sign Joel Ordonez.

Liverpool receive green light to make Ordonez move

As reported by TeamTalk, Liverpool have received a green light to make their move for Ordonez after maintaining contact with the defender’s camp. Racing alongside Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Club Brugge defender, the Reds could land an ideal alternative for Marc Guehi.

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Despite reportedly reopening talks to sign the Crystal Palace man, Liverpool may be forced to wait until next summer when his contract expires to secure his signature. If that does prove to be the case, then those at Anfield should turn to Ordonez.

Although Como scout Ben Mattinson aired caution around Ordonez’s “aggressive” nature last year, it’s the exact trait that Liverpool have been lacking this season. The Reds have been physically outmatched and the arrival of the 21-year-old would go a long way towards solving that problem.

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