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Ben Green five-for sets seal on Hampshire demolition

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2024

Tom Abell and Sean Dickson produced a scintillating fourth-wicket stand of 144 in 11.2 overs to lead Somerset to a 63-run Vitality Blast win over Hampshire Hawks at Taunton.Abell smashed an unbeaten 96 off just 47 balls and Dickson hammered 65 off 32 deliveries to help the hosts post 241 for 5, their third-highest ever Blast total, after losing the toss. Their stand was a Somerset record for the fourth wicket in the competition.Hampshire replied with 178 all out, Ben McDermott hitting 46 off 28 balls and Ben Green claiming a career-best equalling 5 for 29. Victory put holders Somerset back on track after successive group defeats on the road.The hosts did not allow the loss of three wickets in the powerplay to affect their momentum, reaching 58 for 3 by the end of the sixth over, despite the dismissals of Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Banton.If Hampshire were pleased to see the back of those three big-hitters, two of them to Michael Neser, their satisfaction soon turned to concern as Abell and Dickson set about their attack, taking the score past 100 in the 11th over.Abell hit the first six of the game to bring up the 50-stand in 31 balls and the pair required only a further 18 deliveries to take their partnership to three figures. The 13th over, bowled by James Fuller, went for 21 as Abell crashed three successive fours through the off-side and Dickson ended it with two more boundaries.Both players reached half-centuries in the 15th over, Dickson’s occupying 25 balls and Abell’s 30. Dickson celebrated with a six over backward point off John Turner and by the time he was caught at long-on off a Liam Dawson full toss the stand had overtaken Somerset’s previous best for the fourth wicket in Blast cricket – 110 between Babar Azam and Lewis Goldsworthy against Glamorgan at Cardiff in 2020.Lewis Gregory smacked 18 off 8 balls and Abell ended his majestic knock with a straight six off Turner as Somerset completed their highest-ever Blast total against Hampshire. Abell struck 12 fours and three sixes as only Benny Howell of the Hampshire bowlers went for less than ten an over.McDermott and James Vince began the Hampshire reply undaunted and brought the fifty up in just 4.4 overs. By then end of the powerplay they had increased the total to 65, McDermott dominating with some savage blows.Green made the vital breakthrough for Somerset in the eighth over, bowling McDermott with his second delivery as he advanced down the pitch, and struck again with his fourth ball as Vince lofted a catch to long-off to make it 78 for 2.The over ended any doubts about the outcome. Soon Hampshire were requiring more than 15 an over and Green, who claimed 30 Blast wickets with his medium pace last season, struck again when Joe Weatherley launched a catch to deep midwicket to make the score 101 for three in the 11th over.James Fuller hit a straight six off Josh Davey, but perished next ball trying to repeat the feat. Howell cleared the ropes off successive van der Merwe deliveries, but when he and Toby Albert fell in the same Riley Meredith over Hampshire’s cause was lost and a clatter of wickets, including two for Green, followed.

There is a lot for Arsenal to do this summer.

For the third time in a row, Mikel Arteta’s side ended this season as Premier League runners-up, and as things stand, their rivals for next year are making some impressive moves in the transfer market.

However, while the Gunners are yet to announce a signing, that doesn’t mean they aren’t working towards a few, with Martin Zubimendi’s move to the club now looking like a matter of when and not if.

The Spanish international could be a needle mover for the North Londoners, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now looking to advance towards another international who could be utterly game-changing.

Arsenal plot move for international superstar

It would be fair to say that the journey to sign Zubimendi has been a long and somewhat stressful one for Arsenal – one that is still not quite complete.

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

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The first serious reports that the club were making serious progress in securing his services came out in January, courtesy of Sami Mokbel, but in the months that followed, there have been more than a few stories from Spain suggesting that Real Madrid was going to hijack the move.

Fortunately, reports in the last few days, notably from Fabrizio Romano, have revealed that the paperwork is now done and that fans can expect an official announcement soon.

However, while the Real Sociedad will surely help improve the balance of the North Londoners’ midfield, the club now appear to be moving towards an even better signing: Viktor Gyokeres.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Portuguese outlet A Bola, which claims that Arsenal have reignited their intense interest in the Sporting CP star.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are planning to make another offer for the free-scoring forward, which, according to other stories from earlier this week, could be up to 80m, which comes out to around £68m.

Furthermore, according to a recent update from Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, the North Londoners “will sign” the former Coventry man this summer, as he “was their first target from the start.”

It would undoubtedly represent a mammoth investment from Arsenal, but given Gyokeres’ out-of-this-world ability in front of goal, it would be worth it, and he would be a better signing than Zubimendi.

Why Gyokeres would be a better signing than Zubimendi

Firstly, as we’ve already mentioned, fans should be excited about the seemingly imminent arrival of Zubimendi this summer, as the Sociedad star has proven himself to be a defensively solid and inventive creative six at both club and international level over the last couple of years.

However, if we are talking about who could have the more significant and immediate impact on Arsenal’s title chances in the Premier League and Champions League next season and, therefore, be the better signing this summer, we think it’s impossible to look past Gyokeres.

We say this for one massive and simply impossible to ignore reason: his output.

Since moving to Sporting in the summer of 2023, the Stockholm-born phenomenon has been a seemingly unstoppable goalscoring “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson.

For example, in his first campaign with the Lisbon outfit, he racked up a ridiculous tally of 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 appearances, totalling 4169 minutes.

Gyokeres’ recent form

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

50

52

Minutes

4169′

4248′

Goals

43

54

Assists

15

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.16

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.87′

63.40′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

This means the former Coventry City star maintained an average of 1.16 goal involvements every game or one every 71.87 minutes, and somehow, he did even better this season.

In 52 appearances, totalling 4248 minutes, the goalscoring “monster,” as dubbed by one analyst, found the back of the net on 54 occasions and provided 13 assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Just imagine a centre-forward as outrageously clinical as the 27-year-old leading the line for the Gunners, with Bukayo Saka to his right, Martin Odegaard behind him and potentially a new winger to the left.

Even if he was only able to replicate a third of his output in North London, the Swede could be the difference between a fourth runners-up finish on the spin or finally getting over the line.

Therefore, while Zubimenidi will be a great signing, Gyokeres has the potential to be far better for Arsenal.

Related The new Saliba: Arsenal schedule talks to sign "exceptional" £43m star

The incredible youngster could turn into something truly special at Arsenal.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 25, 2025

Last season might not have ended in the glory many Arsenal fans hoped it would, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

After all, Mikel Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years and secured second in the Premier League despite the absurd number of injuries they had to contend with.

Moreover, when he was fit, Bukayo Saka reached an entirely new level, ending the season with an outrageously impressive haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances.

Saka’s 24/25

Appearances

37

Starts

30

Minutes

2619′

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So, fans should be delighted about reports now linking Arsenal to a Premier League star who’d be a dream teammate for the Hale End icon.

Arsenal target Premier League stars

As Arsenal really need to make good on their resurgence over the last few years and finally get over the line next season, it makes sense that they have been linked with so many Premier League players this summer, such as Noni Madueke and Anothy Gordon.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former looks likely to cost in the region of £50m, and while he might not be the most popular target among the North Londoners’ fans, he’s young, dynamic, and was able to amass a tally of seven goals and four assists in 32 league games last season.

Gordon, on the other hand, could cost as much as £80m, but again, he’s shown signs he could be something special, amassing 39 goal involvements in 85 league games since joining Newcastle United.

However, there is another, even more exciting Premier League star who now appears to be a serious and attainable target for the Gunners, someone who Saka would no doubt love playing with: Eberechi Eze.

At least that is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, reaffirmed that Arsenal’s interest in the £100k-per-week Crystal Palace star is real and significant.

Furthermore, he revealed that the deal for the player could be “wrapped up in the next hour if they wanted to” and that the Eagles ace is supposedly “desperate” to join the North Londoners.

However, to get their man, the Premier League runners-up will likely have to pay his release clause, which stands at around £68m.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has more than proven he’d be worth the outlay in recent campaigns, and we have no doubt that he’d be an incredible teammate for Saka.

Why Saka will love Eze

The first and undoubtedly most important reason Saka will love playing alongside Eze is an incredibly straightforward one: his output.

Despite playing in a midtable side, the Greenwich-born game-changer was able to amass a brilliant tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

That means the 27-year-old dynamo maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Eze’s immense 24/25

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Just imagine how many goals and assists the Gunners’ mercurial number seven would have to his name after a season of playing with someone as productive as the former QPR gem.

Moreover, last season also showed that he is the archetypal ‘big game player’ as not only did he open the scoring in Palace’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, but he then went and scored the only goal in the final and led the club to their first major trophy in their entire existence.

So, when the North Londoners find themselves in a high-stakes must-win game next season, which will probably be a common occurrence, the Hale Ender can rely on his new teammate to be just as impactful as he is.

Finally, should the goalscoring “superstar,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, move to the Emirates in the coming weeks, then not only will he be able to form a partnership with Saka at club level, but also on the international stage, as he’s becoming more and more involved with the England team now.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as not only would he help improve the entire team, but he could also form a game-changing partnership with Hale End’s favourite son.

Related Arsenal talks with "unique" target "advanced" after further moves this week

The Gunners closer to another deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 3, 2025

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh played support roles as India drew level 1-1 in the T20I series, with three games still to play

Karthik Krishnaswamy07-Jul-2024

India’s first step into a new era of T20 cricket began with a stumble on Saturday, but they dusted themselves off well and truly to close out the weekend with a portentous win headlined by their most futuristic player. Abhishek Sharma, who lit up IPL 2024 with his incandescent, all-intent displays at the top of the order, gave international cricket its first glimpse of his ability on Sunday, taking Zimbabwe apart with a 46-ball century, the joint third-fastest by an India batter in T20Is.Related

Abhishek Sharma's territory is expanding

Stats – Abhishek Sharma hits India's third-fastest T20I hundred

That effort led India to 234 for 2 – their second-highest T20I total away from home – and left Zimbabwe needing to pull off their highest successful chase – they had only once hauled down a target above 199. They didn’t get anywhere near close, as India’s vastly superior bowling attack made full use of a two-paced pitch while defending a total that was well above-par. The margin of victory – exactly 100 runs – perfectly summed up the contest.A deceptive startOn Saturday, Zimbabwe had opened the bowling with Brian Bennett, deploying his offspin against India’s left-hand debutant, and that had brought a first-over wicket-maiden with Abhishek out for a duck. The same match-up kicked off the second T20I after India opted to bat, and Abhishek got off the mark in international cricket off the first legal ball he faced, pulling it for six.It was a sign of what was to come, but it also wasn’t. International cricket isn’t necessarily a standard than the IPL, but it can be very, very different. This was a Harare pitch with a bit of spongy bounce and seam early on, and Zimbabwe’s attack used it well in the powerplay to keep India to 36 for 1.Shubman Gill fell in the second over, chipping Blessing Muzarabani straight to mid-on, and the towering quick was Zimbabwe’s best bowler in the early stages, troubling Ruturaj Gaikwad in particular with his lift and movement in the corridor. Abhishek took time coming to grips with the conditions too, and at one point was batting on 27 off 23 balls.Then he looked to clear his front leg and hit Luke Jongwe’s nibbly medium-pace over the top, and miscued it high in the air over the mid-off region. Wellington Masakadza got under it, and put it down.Abhishek Sharma’s savours the feeling of getting to a maiden international ton•Associated Press

Abhi shakes the roomFrom that point on, Abhishek was unstoppable, clattering 72 runs in his last 23 balls at the crease, hitting five fours and seven sixes in that time. Suddenly, the conditions ceased to bother him. He was rocking back to marginally short balls and pulling with fierce power. He was stepping out and freeing his arms gloriously to loft over the covers. A modest Zimbabwe attack, suddenly, was looking like what it was.There was another drop along the way, Tendai Chatara running to his right from long-off and getting only the heel of his palm to a lofted drive off Sikandar Raza, when Abhishek was on 77 off 40. Zimbabwe were in the firing line, though, and with all the batting India had in the dugout – they had left out the left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed and included an extra batter, handing Sai Sudharsan his T20I debut – he was taking nearly every ball on. Abhishek wasn’t worried about getting out – this is why he made such an impact in the IPL even though his longest innings of the season only lasted 28 balls – and on this day luck smiled on him.Along the way, he left a couple of bowlers nursing vivid bruises. Dion Myers’ slow-medium disappeared for 4, 6, 4, 6, 4 in the 11th over, the pick of the hits a monster pull that hit the roof beyond the leg-side boundary to bring up Abhishek’s fifty. Then Masakadza, unfortunate both to have dropped Abhishek and to be a purveyor of left-arm orthodox, went for 6, 6, 6 in the 14th over – the last of them a one-handed swipe over backward square leg that brought up Abhishek’s century – before a miscue off the next ball ended the onslaught.Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad put on 137 off 76 for the second wicket•Associated Press

Gaikwad and Rinku pile it onOr not, because Zimbabwe still had six overs to bowl and India were in the mood now. Gaikwad’s struggle against the conditions and the rust of playing his first competitive cricket since the IPL extended all the way until his 38th ball, when he brought up his fifty with a pulled four off Jongwe. He took Chatara apart in the next over, the 18th, hitting him for three fours and a six to eventually finish unbeaten on 77 off 47.India’s main source of end-overs carnage, however, was Rinku Singh, who had been unlucky to miss their World Cup campaign while boasting an average of 89 and a strike rate of 176.23 in 11 innings at the time the squad was announced. He was in his element here, promoted to No. 4 with the perfect entry point for his skills, slapping the sixth ball he faced for a charging six over the covers and finishing the innings with a four and back-to-back sixes off Jongwe, who ended with figures of 0 for 53 in four overs. Not what he may have anticipated when he induced Abhishek to miscue on 27.Mukesh, Avesh and Bishnoi wrap it upIf Zimbabwe had any hope going into their chase, it lay in the composition of India’s attack. Having picked the extra batter, they were playing only four frontline bowlers, which left four overs to be completed by part-timers Abhishek and Riyan Parag.Abhishek isn’t a part-timer in domestic cricket, and has plenty of variations to go with his stock left-arm orthodox, but he discovered how difficult bowling in the powerplay in an international game can be, conceding 19 in the second over with Bennett in an aggressive mood. Bennett took hold of Mukesh Kumar in the next over as well, hitting him for a pair of massive back-to-back sixes – over square leg and then down the ground – but he fell next ball.Brian Bennett got Zimbabwe off to a flying start with 26 off 9 before being bowled by Mukesh Kumar•Associated Press

That was the second wicket Mukesh had taken with an in-ducker, after one in the first over to bowl Innocent Kaia through the gate. That sort of seam movement, with a bit of inconsistent bounce thrown in, was a defining feature of Zimbabwe’s powerplay: they scored 22 runs more than India did in that phase, thanks to Bennett’s aggression, but they lost four wickets to India’s one.One of these summed up how challenging the conditions still were: a bouncer from Avesh Khan skidding onto Sikandar Raza as he shaped to hook, forcing him to fend a catch off the glove to the keeper.Zimbabwe’s innings continued to flounder after the powerplay, with Ravi Bishnoi looking particularly unhittable – Johnathan Campbell, sweeping and reverse-sweeping with increasing desperation, failed to put bat on five successive balls from him, and bottom-edged the sixth into his body. Wessly Madhevere batted from the start of the chase all the way to the 17th over, and made 43 off 39 balls. Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 134 with eight balls remaining, with Mukesh and Avesh bagging three wickets apiece and Bishnoi finishing with 2 for 11 from his four overs.

كشفت تقارير صحفية موقف لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة من التسجيل في رابطة أندية الدوري الإسباني للموسم الجديد 2025/2026.

وعاش النادي الكتالوني مسلسلًا طويلًا على مدار فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المنقضية مع أزمة تسجيل اللاعبين والصفقات الجديدة بوجه التحديد.

وتمكن برشلونة من تسجيل عقد حارسه خوان جارسيا بنجاح بعد صراع طويل مع الدولي الألماني تير شتيجن، ثم التخلص من بعض اللاعبين أبرزهم إنيجو مارتينيز وإينياكي بينيا، مما ساهم في سهولة تسجيل لاعبين آخرين مهمين بالنسبة لتشكيل الألماني هانز فليك.

وعلى رأس هؤلاء اللاعبين الذين تم تسجيلهم بنجاح في رابطة أندية الدوري الإسبابني هم الدولي الإنجليزي ماركوس راشفورد والحارس البولندي فوتشيك تشيزني الذي ظهر لأول مرة في بطولة الدوري أمام رايو فاليكانو.

اقرأ أيضًا | رباعي برشلونة يثير قلق فليك قبل مواجهة فالنسيا في الدوري الإسباني

ووفقًا لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتفو” الإسبانية، فإن برشلونة تلقى خطابًا من رابطة الدوري الإسباني بالموافقة على تسجيل الجناح الشاب روني باردجي لاعبًا في قائمة النادي لهذا الموسم.

وأفادت الصحيفة بأنه وفقًا للمدير الإداري برابطة أندية الدوري، سوف تسمح لـ باردجي هذه الموافقة النهائية بالمشاركة في مباراة الأسبوع المقبل ضد فالنسيا المقرر إقامتها في 14 سبتمبر الجاري.

الجناح السويدي حصل على الضوء الأخضر من إدارة النادي للانضمام للفريق الأول لبرشلونة كما أراد النادي منذ بداية الموسم وستتوقف مشاركته وفقًا لاختيارات فليك.

يُذكر أن برشلونة مشواره في بطولة الدوري الإسباني بفوز ثمين على ريال مايوركا، بثلاثية نظيفة، كما كرر انتصاره على نظيره ليفانتي في الجولة الثانية بنتيجة 3/2، لكنه تعثر أمام رايو فاليكانو وتعادل تعادلًا إيجابيًا بنتيجة 1/1.

After watching on as the last six promoted sides suffered instant relegation, Sunderland have entered this transfer window ready to put an end to that trend and are now reportedly set to welcome yet another impressive signing.

Sunderland continuing summer overhaul

To say the Black Cats are ensuring that they’re Premier League-ready would be an understatement. Those in Wearside have shown no hesitation when it comes to spending this summer, breaking their club record to sign Habib Diarra and following that up by welcoming Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Enzo Le Fee on a permanent deal and Chemsdine Talbi.

After becoming the latest to arrive, Talbi told Sunderland’s official website: “I’m really excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to play for this Club. I made the decision because it’s a great project with a talented, exciting team full of young players – and that really motivated me.

“The Premier League is the biggest and best league in the world, so I’m looking forward to getting started. I know the fans will get behind me from the start, and I can’t wait to see them at the stadium.”

Those at the Stadium of Light have every reason to be excited by the winger’s arrival after he scored seven goals and created another five in all competitions at Club Brugge last season. At just 20 years old, the new arrival is a player full of potential and one who could realise that potential in full under Regis Le Bris.

Related Upgrade on Lauriente: Sunderland eye club-record move for "silky" £39m star

Sunderland could land a club-record move if they sign this £39m star.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jul 10, 2025

Even after Talbi, however, Sunderland are still not done in the transfer window. Reports have now emerged that the Black Cats have agreed a deal to sign yet another reinforcement and arguably one of their most impressive yet.

Sunderland agree £18m deal to sign Simon Adingra

According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Simon Adingra from Brighton & Hove Albion with a Thursday medical set to be completed for the winger to finalise a move worth an initial €21m (£18m).

Whilst Adingra struggled to keep hold of a starting place under Fabian Hurzeler last season – starting just 12 Premier League games – he remains a player full of potential at just 23 years old. For just £19m, Sunderland have arguably landed an absolute bargain.

After drawing with Liverpool in 2023, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi sung the praises of Adingra alongside his Brighton teammate Carlos Baleba, saying: “We played with a lot of very young players. I have to congratulate my club because they found another two great players – Adingra and [Carlos] Baleba.”

So, although his momentum was halted by Hurzeler last season, Adingra now has the perfect opportunity to get back on track and hand Sunderland a quick, tricky new winger.

تمكن فريق ريال مدريد من مضاعفة النتيجة في مباراته الجارية حاليًا ضد نظيره فريق ريال سوسيداد، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

ويستضيف ملعب “ريالي أرينا” مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد وريال سوسيداد، في الجولة الرابعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

ونجح ريال مدريد في تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك ريال سوسيداد، في الدقيقة 43 من عمر الشوط الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق أردا جولر بعد تمريرة من النجم كيليان مبابي، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى التركي الذي سددها في شباك أصحاب الأرض، معلنًا عن هدف ثاني. هدف أردا جولر في مباراة ريال مدريد وريال سوسيداد

كان كيليان مبابي قد سجل هدف ريال مدريد الأول في الدقيقة 12، وطُرد المدافع دين هويسن في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط نفسه، ليضطر الملكي إلى اللعب منقوصًا.

Former captain and team-mate braced to be overtaken as England’s leading run-scorer

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2024

Alastair Cook hailed Joe Root as “a genius” after losing his record for the most England Test centuries to his former team-mate. Root made 103 in the second innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Saturday, his second hundred of the match and his 34th overall in Test cricket, taking him clear of Cook’s former benchmark of 33.”He is quite simply England’s greatest, and it’s absolutely right that he should have this record, on his own,” Cook, who was England’s captain in each of Root’s first 53 Tests, said on commentary for the BBC’s “Take it in, Joe. We are watching a genius.”I don’t think there’s a batsman that I can remember watching play [who shares] the sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I called it when he was on about 6 today, that he was going to get 100. I know he’s in great form, but it’s just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work.”Twin hundreds at Lord’s took Root’s career aggregate to 12,377 runs, and he needs 96 more runs at The Oval next week to overtake both Kumar Sangakkara and Cook. That would make him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test history, and England’s highest. “He’s just got the final one to tick off next week,” Cook said. “In this kind of form, there’s no reason why he can’t.”Root milked Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during his second hundred of the match, scoring 60 runs off the 59 balls he faced from him. “The spinner was bowling today, and quite honestly, he could have hit him wherever he wanted with absolutely no risk,” Cook said. “That is the art of batting: low-risk shots which score you runs.”Cook was in the opposition when a teenaged Root made his List A debut as an 18-year-old in 2009, making 63 off 95 balls for Yorkshire against Essex. “He couldn’t get the ball off the square,” Cook recalled. “Everyone said, ‘he’s a good player’, but I didn’t see that.”Related

Joe Root ticks the boxes to make the unremarkable unmissable again

Root 143 repels Sri Lanka before Atkinson 74* turns screw

Clenched fist in a velvet glove as Joe Root comes good when it matters again

Joe Root notches record 34th Test hundred as England close in

Root breaks records with twin tons at Lord's

But three years later, Cook was England’s Test captain when Root made his international debut in the final match of their 2-1 series win in India. “I saw someone mentally ready to play Test cricket,” Cook said. “The only check was when he walked out to bat for the first time, how he would handle it.”The game was in the balance and he walked out to bat with his England cap on, looking 13, massive smile on his face. I watched his first few balls, and I was like, ‘This bloke is here to stay.’ I honestly said, ‘He’s scoring 10,000 runs.’ I don’t know who I said it to, but I know that I said it.”

Chelsea have reportedly agreed terms with Dutch starlet Xavi Simons ahead of a proposed move for the RB Leipzig attacking midfielder.

It would represent another excellent attacking signing by Enzo Maresca, who is clearly leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of glory with the Blues this season.

With Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro already joining this summer, the manager has plenty of strength in depth in the final third.

While Simons would be a sublime signing, aren’t the Blues better off spending money trying to bolster their backline instead?

As such, they are eyeing a move for someone who would do just that.

Latest on Chelsea transfer news

The vast majority of the transfer news recently has been regarding attacking players. As mentioned, Simons is closing in on a move, while Maresca is keen on signing Alejandro Garnacho too.

Transfer Focus

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Now, according to L’Equipe, Chelsea could be ready to pounce for PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the French side willing to sell him if he doesn’t commit to a new deal.

The Euro 2020 winner has less than a year left to run on his existing contract and the Ligue 1 outfit don’t want a repeat of the Kylian Mbappé debacle that occurred last summer, when the Frenchman departed on a free transfer.

That opens up the possibility that the Blues could see an offer accepted, were they to lodge a bid, with a price tag of around £34m having been touted this summer.

Given the Blues need a solid shot-stopper if they wish to go far in the Champions League and challenge for the domestic title, the Italian is the perfect solution.

Could he even be a better signing than Simons?

Why Chelsea must sign Gianluigi Donnarumma

There is no doubt Simons would bolster the attacking department, but Maresca already boasts a stellar attacking unit, having acquired Delap, Pedro and Gittens already – three players who contributed 38 goals combined in 2024/25.

With teenage sensation Estevao Willian also set to join the mix, the Italian boasts a stellar cast of forward options, led by Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto. It is defensively, however, where Chelsea face bigger problems.

Last term, they conceded 64 goals across 64 matches, while ‘keepers Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen were hardly convincing, the former having made five errors leading to a goal in the top-flight.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s stats for PSG in Ligue 1 (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

23

Clean sheets

4

Save percentage

68%

Saves made

2.2

Pass accuracy

87%

Errors leading to goals

0

Long ball accuracy

44%

Stats via FBref

Comparing the Spaniard to Donnarumma, there is clearly a difference in quality. Last season, the Italian not only conceded fewer goals domestically (25 vs 34) than Sanchez, but he also completed a higher percentage of passes (87.3% vs 69.7%).

The PSG ‘keeper also conceded fewer goals per game than Sanchez (1 vs 1.1) and lost possession fewer times (3.3 vs 11.8) during their respective domestic leagues last term.

He was hailed as “sensational” by journalist Joe Prince-Wright during PSG’s clash against Arsenal in the Champions League last campaign and the Italian would give Maresca a massive boost regarding his goalkeeping options.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five divisions, Donnarumma ranks in the top 12% for goals against per 90, signifying just how impressive he has been over the previous 12 months for his club side.

A first Champions League winners medal will surely have given the 25-year-old a confidence boost. Moving to Chelsea would ensure he gains plenty of gametime throughout 2025/26, that’s for sure.

Can he be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Maresca? And more importantly, the former AC Milan ‘keeper would surely be a better signing than Simons, given the club’s need for a stronger backline.

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Enzo Maresca is welcoming another exciting player.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 26, 2025

يستأنف ريال مدريد مواجهاته في الدوري الإسباني بلقاء إسبانيول بداية الأسبوع المقبل، بعد الفوز الصعب الذي حققه الفريق على مارسيليا في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري بـ دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتلقى ريال مدريد صدمة من الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم بعد حصول دين هويسن مدافع الفريق على بطاقة حمراء مباشرة أثناء مواجهة ريال سوسيداد في الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وبحسب “كادينا كوبي” الإسبانية فقد أكدت لجنة الاستئناف في الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم إيقاف دين هويسن لمباراة واحدة، وقد رفضت استئناف ريال مدريد على البطاقة الحمراء التي تلقاها.

وكان ريال مدريد قد سارع إلى تقديم استئناف بعد طرد دين هويسن أمام ريال سوسيداد لكن لجنة الانضباط التابعة للاتحاد الإسباني قامت برفضه.

أقرأ أيضاً.. تقارير: ريال مدريد يفجر غضب جماهيره في مباراة مارسيليا بسبب فلسطين

وقد أحال ريال مدريد الأمر إلى لجنة الاستئناف وطالب ريال مدريد بإلغاء قرار الطرد مستشهداً بواقعة أنتوني لاعب ريال بيتيس في وقت سابق الذي تم رفع عقوبته بعد تقديم أدلة فيديو.

كما أقرت لجنة الاستئناف بخطأ طاقم التحكيم في طرد مدافع ريال مدريد دين هويسن والذي قام بتعطيل مهاجم ريال سوسيداد قبل انفراده بالحارس تيبو كورتوا لكن لجنة الاستئناف أيدت قرار طرده.

وبناء على رفض استئناف ريال مدريد فإن دين هويسن لن يلعب مباراة فريقه القادمة ضد إسبانيول على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو، وسيرفع النادي القضية لمحكمة التحكيم الرياضي على أمل إلغاء البطاقة الحمراء وإيقافه.