Despite already spending big this summer, Manchester City are now reportedly set to hold talks in an attempt to seal one last blockbuster move for Pep Guardiola.

Man City targeting late transfer flurry

After starting the transfer window so strongly with the arrivals of Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri, it looked as though Manchester City had commenced and ended their summer business in clinical fashion early on. Since then, however, Savinho and Ederson have thrown unexpected spanners into the works which could force the Citizens to land at least one more blockbuster move.

Both players missed City’s opening day thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers through ill-timed injuries as rumours continue to emerge over their futures. Whether they make swift recoveries in the event of a late summer switch will certainly be interesting to see, however, with Tottenham Hotspur chasing Savinho and Galatasaray already in talks to sign Ederson.

In the event that Ederson does depart, which looks likely at this stage, Guardiola could reportedly welcome Senne Lammens before the end of the month. Although the Citizens initially had their sights set on Gianluigi Donnarumma, reports have since emerged that any deal to sign the Italian has become difficult due to Paris Saint-Germain’s £22m asking price.

As a result, City have reportedly turned their attention towards Lammens and hijacking Manchester United’s move to sign the Royal Antwerp shot-stopper.

Meanwhile, when it comes to potentially replacing Savinho, those at the Etihad have shifted their focus towards what would be one of the headline deals of the summer in the closing stages of the window.

Man City set to hold talks to sign Rodrygo

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Manchester City are now set to hold talks to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid, with the Brazilian’s representatives already on their way to commence discussions. Madrid reportedly value the winger at around £87m, but are open to letting him leave before the end of the month.

Related Another Reijnders: Man City have made £86m superstar their main target

Manchester City have now made this £86m superstar their main summer target.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2025

Reportedly going head-to-head with Liverpool in the race to sign Rodrygo, City will have their eye on revenge on the Reds after watching on as Florian Wirtz chose Anfield over the Etihad earlier this summer.

What’s more, if City are looking to replace Savinho, then doing so with a star of Rodrygo’s calibre would certainly send a statement of intent around the Premier League. Dubbed “special” by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, the 24-year-old is arguably one of the best wingers in the world.

Rodrygo

Real Madrid stats

Appearances

270

Goals

68

Assists

51

In one swoop, City could have the potential to form one of the Premier League’s most deadly partnerships between Erling Haaland and Rodrygo – one which could see them restore their English crown just one year after conceding it to Liverpool.

Liverpool’s 2025/26 campaign is upon us. This weekend, Arne Slot will lead his troops out for the first time this term, looking to claim the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, who won the FA Cup in May.

The curtain-raiser is little more than a prelude to the campaign, but for the Premier League champions, it’s an opportunity to showcase the new quality added to the ranks, and to set the tone for the years ahead.

The likes of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike will be gunning for starts up top, while full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong will hope to kick off a long and fruitful partnership on the flanks. Giorgi Mamardashvili may make his debut following Alisson Becker’s departure from pre-season due to a personal issue. The Brazilian has since returned to training.

One player who will not feature for the Reds is Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who desperately wants to sign for the Merseysiders and has already been the subject of a rejected £110m bid.

But will sporting director Richard Hughes manage to pull it off?

The latest on Alexander Isak to Liverpool

Newcastle’s struggle to sign a new centre-forward has inhibited Liverpool in their quest for “the best striker in the Premier League”, as Isak has been described by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

Isak’s position at Newcastle appears untenable, for he was not included in the club’s recent barbecue, a get-together involving the squad, staff and family members, and he has also been ordered to train alone.

With the Magpies actively searching for a new number nine, it feels like Isak will be granted the chance to move at some stage this summer, albeit that is hardly a certainty. For their part, Liverpool are said to be readying a fresh approach, according to reports.

24/25

42 (41)

27

6

23/24

40 (36)

25

2

22/23

27 (18)

10

3

Should Liverpool fail to capture their quarry, FSG have earmarked several alternatives, with one in particular appearing a curious choice.

Liverpool open talks for Isak alternative

According to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool are interested in signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford this summer, should they fail to prise Isak away from St. James’ Park. It’s understood that initial enquiries have been made.

Wissa, 28, was one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards last season and is valued at £50m. Suitors will hope to pay less. Newcastle have led the race over recent weeks, but Tottenham Hotspur and Al-Nassr have also expressed a desire to snap him up.

The DR Congo international has now returned to training after previously going on strike, though he still targets a move away from the Gtech Community Stadium.

That said, if Liverpool were to bump up the intensity of their intrigue, there’s perhaps a sense that Hughes might inadvertently add to the Magpies’ woes, for Wissa would surely be enticed by a one-way trip to Anfield.

Why Liverpool are interested in Yoane Wissa

Wissa might not be the flashiest name on the market, but he’s a clinical goalscorer and he’s proven in the Premier League. Last season, he scored 20 goals across all competitions, including 19 in the Premier League.

Hailed by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam for his “absolutely sensational” finishing, Wissa might not have Isak’s dynamism or staggering technical ability, but he’s rather good at what he does, and would provide the perfect counterpoint to Ekitike.

Last season, Ekitike ranked among the top 10% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

He does, however, mirror Isak’s ready-made clinical nature, and that’s something that could prove important given that Ekitike is not the finished product.

There’s a partnership there, for sure. Wissa and Ekitike might not be stylistically similar as number nines – and that bodes well for Liverpool’s long-term fluency – but the Bees star could become the Reds’ next version of the former Eintracht Frankfurt man all the same.

That’s because Newcastle have a vested interest in the £25k-per-week talent, with their interest longer-standing too (the Tyneside outfit first bid for Ekitike in 2022, before ultimately signing Isak).

For Liverpool to steal ahead and pile more misery onto the Carabao Cup champions would be a cruel blow to those of a Toon persuasion, but the argument for signing Wissa is strong.

Forking out another British-record fee on Isak is understandable, but that doesn’t mean Liverpool should spend a ridiculous amount on an alternative just to tick a box. In Wissa, an astute purchase could be made, and one which would enhance and progress the team all the same.

With Darwin Nunez on the cusp of completing a permanent transfer to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, this would be a necessary move to make, and one which would see Wissa establish himself as Liverpool’s next version of Ekitike.

Wissa might not have Isak’s show-stopping name, but there’s no question that the DR Congo star boasts a wealth of Premier League experience and would serve as a welcome counterpoint to the expansive Ekitike.

Liverpool have already stolen one centre-forward target from Newcastle this summer, and they could do the same again by completing a shrewd move for Wissa, should a deal for Isak fall through.

He's like Gerrard: Liverpool preparing formal offer for £120k-p/w "wizard"

Liverpool are looking to close several more transfer deals this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 8, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaif has jetted into the French capital from America for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony after originally planning to stay Stateside. His club's star forward Ousmane Dembele is the favourite to be crowned the best player in the world on Monday night in Paris but faces competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

Al-Khelaifi changes Ballon d'Or plans

The PSG chief had not originally been expected to attend the Ballon d'Or but has changed his plans, according to reporter Ben Jacobs. Al-Khelaif has decided to fly back to Paris to represent the club at the ceremony. The move may well be taken as a sign that Dembele will indeed be crowned the best male player in the world on Monday night.

AdvertisementAFPPSG backing Dembele for victory

Al-Khelaifi has previously called for journalists to cast their vote honestly for the Ballon d'Or and acknowledged that Dembele is the favourite for victory. He said: "For sure, he is. Dembele is an amazing player, an amazing striker, and he works really hard for the team. And an amazing person also. I think all of you guys know that, so I hope everybody gives [their] honest opinion."

Doue and Neves to join Dembele at ceremony

Dembele will be present at the ceremony as he is currently sidelined with injury for PSG. He is expected to be joined by team-mates Desire Doue and Joao Neves who have also been ruled out of action with injury, per RMC Sport.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)GOALPSG face Marseille on same night as Ballon d'Or

Al-Khelaifi's decision was also made after PSG's Ligue 1 clash with Marseille was rearranged for the same time as the Ballon d'Or ceremony. The game was due to be played on Sunday but was rescheduled due to poor weather, meaning PSG may be light on representatives at the Ballon d'Or ceremony as they will be needed for the team's Classique clash.

Hobart Hurricanes overcame the late withdrawal of captain Nathan Ellis to hand Sydney Sixers their first BBL loss of the season.Ellis pulled out from Wednesday afternoon’s game at Ninja Stadium with illness, but his bowling team-mates stood up against the table-topping Sixers.Hurricanes posted 161 for 6 and bowled out Sydney for 111 in 19.3 overs to jump to fourth on the ladder with a third win in a row. Chris Jordan picked up 3 for 22, including the big wickets of James Vince early and noted finisher Jordan Silk in the middle overs. He was assisted by fellow import Waqar Salamkheil, who took 2 for 22 with his left-arm wristspin and bowled Kurtis Patterson with one that turned the other way.Allrounder Nikhil Chaudhary was impressive, top-scoring with 42 from 31 deliveries and picking up 1 for 15 with the ball.Sixers, who stay in first place on the ladder, had won four from four prior to the match, while Hurricanes are on the rise after being flogged by Melbourne Renegades in their opening game.Earlier, evergreen Sixers quick Jackson Bird took career-best T20 figures of 4 for 16 on familiar turf in Hobart after his side won the toss and elected to bowl.Jackson Bird returned 4 for 16 but there wasn’t a lot of heroics from the other Sixers bowlers•Getty Images

Bird, the 38-year-old who played for Tasmania for more than a decade, removed big-hitters Matthew Wade, Shai Hope, Ben McDermott and Tim David.Opener Mitchell Owen got Hurricanes off to a brisk start with 33 from 17 balls but couldn’t go on.Returning from a calf injury, Wade was scratchy in a 16-ball 15 and became Bird’s first victim off a nifty caught and bowled. Bird then had West Indian Hope caught behind two balls later as Hurricanes lost three wickets within ten runs.McDermott (34 from 25) came to life in the power surge, hitting 20 off one Hayden Kerr over, but he was undone by Bird, who also returned late to get rid of David via a top edge.Sixers’ chase had a bright spark early when English opener Vince launched a Billy Stanlake delivery over the hill. But they wobbled to 28 for 3 inside the first five overs and couldn’t stem the flow of wickets.Hurricanes spinner Peter Hatzoglou, who replaced Ellis and played his first game of the season, finished with 1 for 15.

Fabrizio Romano has now shared another update on Tottenham and their pursuit of Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, with chairman Daniel Levy serious about backing new manager Thomas Frank in this latter stage of the summer window.

Spurs are in dire need of a fresh number 10 option, and were so even before James Maddison’s lengthy injury lay-off.

The Lilywhites were on the verge of striking a £60 million deal for Morgan Gibbs-White this time last month, but an unprecedented chain of events involving legal threats saw the attacking midfielder remain at Nottingham Forest – where he’s since penned a new deal.

Maddison’s ACL rupture has merely accelerated Levy’s plans to reinforce Frank’s central attacking options, with Spurs now actively pursuing a deal for Eze as their chief solution.

Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham want to pay a similar fee to that of Mohammed Kudus, who they signed from West Ham for around £55 million, whereas Palace are demanding close to £70m.

“Eze a longstanding target, but earlier in the window Spurs had decided not to move,” wrote journalist Ben Jacobs, via X.

“Spurs aware Arsenal have player buy in, but believe Eze has not discounted their project. Spurs also prepared to move quickly. Both Spurs and Arsenal view Eze as a No.10. Understand Spurs’ starting valuation similar to the £55m paid for Mohammed Kudus. Palace want £68m release clause triggered or matched, even after it expires.”

In some exciting news for Spurs supporters, a deal for the 27-year-old wouldn’t have any impact on their pursuit of Man City winger Savinho, who’s viewed as a separate move entirely to Eze and not an alternative.

In quick succession, Levy and technical director Johan Lange are attempting to both fill the creative void left by Maddison’s absence and sign a replacement for club legend Son Heung-min, who departed for MLS side LAFC nearly two weeks ago.

Fabrizio Romano shares what he's now heard about Tottenham and Eberechi Eze

Taking to X on Thursday, Romano shared an update on Tottenham’s negotiations for Eze.

The reliable transfer journalist claims that Spurs are prepared to open formal talks for the England international, and confirmed that Eze would be keen on a move to N17 if Palace and their London rivals can agree on a fee.

The former QPR star bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, not to mention Palace’s FA Cup final-winning strike against Man City at Wembley – a moment of heroics which saw Oliver Glasner’s side lift the club’s first ever major trophy.

He also averaged more shots, key passes and successful takes-ons per 90 than any of his teammates in the top flight, with Tottenham now working to hijack Arsenal’s long-term interest in Eze by moving ahead first.

Who’s playing

Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 7.30pm IST

What to expect – contrasting powerplays and middle overs

Even though Delhi Capitals have had a better squad on paper over the years and Gujarat Giants have relied a bit too much on their overseas contingent for a poor overall record in WPL, only two points separate them right now in the fledgling stages of the 2025 season. DC have won half their games so far whereas Giants have points from just one out of three, and even though the sample sizes are small, both teams have shown holes in their performances which they will hope don’t get compounded as the season progresses.DC, to start with, have had strong powerplays thanks to their prolific opening pair of Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma. It’s in the middle overs (7-16) where they have failed to take off from the platform set for the middle order. DC have not only lost the most wickets (18) in that stage, they have also been the slowest (6.67) in those 10 overs that has led to them being bowled out twice already.Related

• Chinelle Henry lights up Chinnaswamy with Andre Russell-inspired 'range hitting'

• Stats – Henry smashes joint-fastest fifty in the WPL, Harris third to take a hat-trick

• Henry's onslaught, Harris and Goud's dream spells get Warriorz off the mark

In their last game, which they lost to UP Warriorz, DC’s all-international bowling attack also leaked 12 wides, something they “are looking to really tighten up,” according to head coach Jonathan Batty.Giants, contrastingly, have had to bank on their middle order despite having two reputed international names in Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney at the top. Giants have managed to score at just run a ball in the powerplay, with Wolvaardt striking at 80 and Mooney at 104.16, which has mounted pressure on the prolific Ashleigh Gardner and hard-hitting Deandra Dottin. Giants could not only do with a quicker start against arguably the most potent attack in the league, but they would also love for some runs from their Indian contingent of D Hemalatha and Simran Sheikh, who have scored just 27 runs off 36 balls together this season. What will perhaps boost their confidence is that DC are having their worst season with the ball so far in the powerplay, leaking 8.41 runs an over compared to 6.51 last year and 5.74 the in 2023.

Team news and likely XIs

Despite coming on the back of a loss, DC have a solid XI and may not feel the need to tinker unless they want to bring in left-arm spinner Radha Yadav for offspinner Minnu Mani as Giants have only one left-hand batter in their top seven.Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Sarah Bryce (wk), 7 Niki Prasad, 8 Jess Jonassen, 9 Shikha Pandey, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Minnu Mani/Radha YadavIf Giants want to replace Hemalatha at No. 3, their only Indian option is Bharti Fulmali.Gujarat Giants (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt, 2 Beth Mooney (wk), 3 Dayalan Hemalatha/Bharti Fulmali, 4 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 5 Harleen Deol, 6 Deandra Dottin, 7 Simran Shaikh, 8 Kashvee Gautam, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Sayali Satghare, 11 Priya Mishra

Players to watch: Meg Lanning and Priya Mishra

Closing in on 800 runs, Meg Lanning is the most prolific batter in WPL, but she has looked far from her best this season. Barring her 69 against UPW, Lanning has struggled against the swinging new ball in both Vadodara and Bengaluru. What augurs well for her is she came into the WPL while averaging a healthy 51.14 for Victoria in the domestic one-daters last month which means she won’t be short on confidence.Legspinner Priya Mishra, who has played nine ODIs, has been among the top Indian performers this WPL. With five wickets under her belt so far, that places her on top of Giants’ charts; her scalps include Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris and Deepti Sharma. Her pace variations through her flight and sliders have foxed batters so far and she will hope it continues on Tuesday too.

Key stats

• Giants are yet to win a game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This will be their first game in Bengaluru this season and they lost all four there last season
• Teams batting first and second in Bengaluru have won one game each and the record in WPL 2024 in Bengaluru stood at 4-7
• DC and Giants have been among the poorer fielding sides this season, having put down six and four chances each

The pair added 215 for the fourth wicket, helping Vidarbha recover from 24 for 3

Shashank Kishore26-Feb-2025

Stumps Danish Malewar and Karun Nair at are different stages of their careers.At 21, Malewar, a heavy run-getter in the age-group circuit, is in his maiden season. At 33, Nair, a two-time Ranji Trophy winner with Karnataka, has overcome a form slump to enjoy a second wind which has the potential to turn into something bigger, possibly an unlikely Test call-up eight years after he last played in one.On Wednesday, Malewar and Nair were at the forefront of an incredible Vidarbha fightback on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final against first-timers Kerala in Nagpur. The pair added 215 for the fourth wicket as Kerala’s bowling reserves were severely tested.Vidarbha recovered from 24 for 3 in the first hour and looked primed to take the opening-day honours when Nair’s run out late in the day for 86, after being sent back by Malewar as they tried to steal a bye, gave Kerala a late lift.Vidarbha went into stumps on 254 for 4 on a VCA Stadium surface that flattened out as the day progressed, with Kerala at the receiving end of a slow-burn kind of treatment they meted out to Gujarat in the semi-final.Malewar and Nair superbly negated Kerala’s major threat – spin – as Jalaj Saxena and hometown hero Aditya Sarwate, who made the switch from Vidarbha ahead of the 2024-25 season, proved ineffective.The spin twins had combined figures of 0 for 92 off 26 overs, although Saxena was the only bowler who induced a possible opportunity when he managed to induce the outside edge from Malewar after he was beaten in flight and drift while on 110. The resultant edge as he pushed at the delivery that didn’t turn as much flew past a vacant slip that had only a few overs earlier been taken out.That was the only genuine wicket-taking delivery all afternoon; the Nair dismissal was entirely down to Rohan Kunnummal’s presence of mind and pinpoint accuracy as he ran to his right from the slips to stop the ball that deflected off the keeper’s pad.Then he fired a flat throw to the stumps to catch Nair well short after he was sent back by Malewar. Yash Thakur was sent in as a nightwatcher and remained unbeaten on 5 alongside Malewar, who was 138 not out – his highest score yet.The partnership between Malewar and Nair not only denied Kerala for large parts of the day but also covered up for a slightly unconventional move from Vidarbha that may have been scrutinised had they collapsed.Vidarbha promoted Parth Rekhade, a lower-order batter to open in place of Atharva Taide, who had been left out. And after he was out two balls into the game – courtesy an lbw decision Kerala overturned through DRS – they sent in Darshan Nalkande, a seam-bowling allrounder who bats in the lower-order, at No. 3.That move backfired too as Nalkande mistimed a pull to deep square as Nidheesh picked up a second wicket.Eden Apple Tom celebrates the wicket of Dhruv Shorey•KCA

Kerala’s boisterous energy and keenness to take the game on had them burn an lbw review off Dhruv Shorey, the only genuine top-order batter in the top three. Shorey looked assured for the brief while he was at the crease but nibbled at a short and wide delivery from 19-year-old seamer Eden Apple Tom to the wicketkeeper to leave Vidarbha in choppy waters.Malewar and Nair joined hands at a time of crisis and slowly rebuilt the innings, not through denial but by picking runs whenever the bowlers erred. Malewar left the ball well outside off, forcing the bowlers to attack the stumps. And as they went full, Malewar brought out some incredible wrist work – at times picking length balls from middle-and-off through midwicket and mid-on. He was equally impressive off the back foot, while tucking deliveries off his hip.Malewar got to his half-century in style as he stepped out to launch Sarwate over the long-on boundary. The first real rash stroke he played was to get into the 80s when he chased a short and wide Nidheesh delivery to slash it towards third man.Nair occasionally kept pepping Malewar every time he erred, and was the more industrious out of the two – sweeping spinners off their lengths, on a couple of occasions reverse sweeping Sarwate to prevent him from settling into a rhythm.Nair’s driving through the covers was imperious – especially off rookie Apple Tom who was playing in only his third game, three years after debuting as a 16-year-old. Nair’s defence was compact, as he negated Kerala’s tactic of attacking the stumps and looking to get some reverse swing with a short midwicket in place.Like he raised his fifty, Malewar showed no sign of nerves in the 90s either, stepping out to launch Sarwate over long-on to get to 99, and then whipping him through midwicket for a boundary to raise his century.Nair, meanwhile, brought up his half-century off 125 balls and then feasted on some tired bowling to charge towards what would’ve been his fourth hundred of the season, and 23rd overall, in the final session. Before his run out had him uncharacteristically flinging his bat in disappointment as he walked back to a dressing room that stood up to applaud a rescue.

Bayern Munich are prepared to reward Michael Olise with a contract extension just over a year after he arrived from Crystal Palace on a deal that runs until 2029. The Frenchman has been phenomenal ever since his switch to the Allianz Arena, and the Bavarian giants are reportedly adamant on wasting no time to tie down their superstar with a renewal.

• Bayern discuss Olise renewal

  Bayern are extremely impressed with the performances of Olise, who made a sensational £52 million (€60m/$70m) switch from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024. Although his deal runs through to 2029, the Bavarians have already begun discussions internally to reward the Frenchman with a new deal.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Olise 'extremely comfortable' at Bayern

  According to a report from , Bayern are keen on ensuring Olise commits his future to the club beyond 2029 by offering a new deal that will run longer. The report adds that while talks are yet to open between Bayern and Olise's entourage, the topic will most likely be discussed later during the ongoing season. 

  The right winger has been praised by sporting director Christoph Freund, who inadvertently fuelled transfer speculation by sidestepping a question about Olise's rumored exit clause during a press conference in August. 

  "Michael feels extremely comfortable in the group. It's just a good mix at the moment," Freund stated recently. 

• A 2026 departure ruled out?

  The rumours of Olise having a 2026 exit clause in his current Bayern deal were followed by reports that Liverpool are eyeing the 23-year-old as the long-term successor to Mohamed Salah. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have been linked, too. However, German media seemingly laid waste to those claims by suggesting that no such clauses exist in his contract. Bayern are determined to convince Olise that his long-term future lies in Munich.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  When will Olise next be seen in action?

  The French international will be keen on adding to his ridiculous tally of 24 goals and 26 assists in 62 games for Die Roten when Vincent Kompany's men welcome Werder Bremen on Friday.

“It was a brain fade moment,” he said as he rued Kerala’s missed chance of winning their maiden Ranji title

Shashank Kishore02-Mar-2025Thirty youngsters, part of the state under-14s and under-16s, had been flown into Nagpur by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) in anticipation of Sachin Baby’s team creating history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title. While they didn’t see their illustrious seniors win Indian domestic cricket’s biggest prize, some of them clicked pictures with the replica of the Ranji Trophy, perhaps dreaming of laying their hands on the main one in the years to come.Several members of the Kerala team, heartbroken and lost for words, recognised the presence of these young kids in the stands, posing for pictures even as Baby momentarily brought some comic relief at the presentation. “You guys have beaten us in all three knockout stages. Next time, guys, we’ll beat you. We’ll give you a tougher time,” Baby told the Vidarbha team in jest.In 2017-18, Kerala were beaten by Vidarbha in the quarter-final. In the following season, Kerala were ousted in the semi-final. In 2024-25, Kerala were vanquished in their maiden final. Baby was part of all the heartbreaks. This one may have been the toughest to take, because Baby was at the front and centre of their march. A lead was in touching distance when Baby let the temptation of a hundred in his 100th first-class game get to him.”Brain fade,” he said at the post-match press conference, of the slog he dragged to Karun Nair at deep midwicket on 98. The occasion couldn’t have been bigger; a century in his 100th first-class game may have well killed the game. But it wasn’t to be; it was as if they’d run out of luck in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, which they scraped through courtesy leads of one and two runs respectively.The Kerala side with the runners-up trophy•KCA”As the leader, I’ll take the blame,” he said. “My shot changed the momentum of the game. I wanted to be there for the team, and we were six down. I wanted to be there till the end to get the lead. I wanted to have a lead of 100-plus if at all we got a lead. That would have made a difference.”Baby couldn’t quite explain why he played the slog – it was instinct more than a calculated risk, one that he will perhaps replay in his mind over and over again. “I was playing all along the ground till that moment, but then I don’t know what happened and why I played that shot. But that and the dropped catch of Karun [Nair] were important moments of the game.”And then he continued. “If I take credit for the success, I will take the blame for failure, too. Nobody plays a shot to get out. That shot was not on my mind, actually. Maybe, it was a brain fade moment. But on this wicket, you had to play shots. If I had played too defensively, there would have been pressure on the team and myself.”At 36, Baby is the oldest member of this side. He hates the use of the word ‘veteran’ to describe ageing stars. He says he’s never felt fitter – all possible signs of him wanting to continue. But without wanting to make it about him, he continued: “We have to improve still. I was telling the team about how Vidarbha came back from the defeat in last year’s final to win the trophy this year.”

Birmingham City might not be wrapped up with all their dramatic summer business just yet.

At the start of the frantic transfer window, you couldn’t move for rumours suggesting the Blues were going to splash the cash on another exciting talent, with the number of incoming signings standing at 12.

That tally could well sneak over to the 13 threshold before 7pm, as a late loan deal looks to be in the offing to boost Birmingham’s already flashy attack.

Birmingham to sign Premier League attacker

It would be fair to say the whirlwind activity has slowed down in recent times, however.

Expect the pace to pick back up, though, with Football League World revealing that the Blues are plotting a late loan move for experienced Sunderland forward Patrick Roberts, alongside also not giving up on winning the services of Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun.

The report states that Chris Davies wants more ammunition after a lacklustre showing in Birmingham’s recent 2-0 loss to Leicester City, with Roberts ticking the boxes.

Derby have also been interested this summer, but it looks as if the Championship newcomers are lone suitors now chasing after the 28-year-old with Sky Sports reporting on Monday lunchtime that the Blues are ‘set to sign’ the winger on loan.

How Roberts could be Gray 2.0

He might well end up being Davies’ second coming of Demarai Gray, offering the Blues another skilful, yet seasoned head up top.

After all, while he has fallen down the pecking order as Sunderland shot up to the Premier League, Roberts would still be a top asset for Birmingham to possess temporarily, based on his previous EFL heroics.

From 170 games at the notoriously punishing level, Roberts has amassed a healthy haul of nine goals and 22 assists, with nine of those goal contributions coming about just last season, before he was cast aside for Sunderland’s own quickfire business.

Gray has also proven himself to be sharp, tricky performer – much like Roberts down the right flank – whenever he’s plied his trade in the tough division, with eight goals and four assists next to his name from 76 Championship career outings.

Two of those assists have been tallied up since his return to the club, with Birmingham hopeful that the loan addition of another second-tier veteran can propel the Blues further into the promotion reckoning, after a largely positive return to the level so far, minus the disappointment of the 2-0 loss at the King Power Stadium.

Roberts at Sunderland in the Champ

Season

Position

Games

G/A

24/25

4th (promotion)

42

2 + 7

23/24

16th

32

0 + 2

22/23

6th

42

5 + 7

Sourced by Transfermarkt

After all, from his three seasons at the level with the Black Cats to date, Roberts has managed to steer the Wearside outfit to two triumphant playoff finishes, culminating in the glory of promotion at the end of last campaign.

Tony Mowbray would even herald his slick Englishman as “magic” during the 2022/23 season, irrespective of his side unfortunately slipping up in the lottery of the playoffs, with Davies now wanting a slice of Roberts at his very best to improve an attack already boasting Kyogo Furuhashi, Jay Stansfield, and the aforementioned Gray.

The West Midlands outfit has shown they can already cut it with the big boys of the EFL’s elite league, with just one defeat from their opening four league encounters.

But, landing Roberts, who is just fresh off a promotion success, could be a sublime addition to really take Birmingham to that next level, as his know-how, alongside Gray’s further experience, attempts to make back-to-back promotions an insane reality.

Related Birmingham hold talks to sign "valuable" £3m ace; waiting on "green-light"

This is exactly what Chris Davies could be after.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 1, 2025