If SRH had a bit of a hole at No. 3 last season, they may have found the perfect candidate to fill it this time around

Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Mar-20252:46

Rapid fire: Are Kishan and SRH a perfect match?

Did you see that?Did you see Abhishek Sharma step out, realise that Fazalhaq Farooqi had followed him with a bouncer into his body, and still have the time to lean back, manufacture room, and carve the ball over backward point?Did you see Sanju Samson hook Mohammed Shami for six, and slap and chop him either side of point for a pair of surgical first-over fours?Did you see Dhruv Jurel welcome Pat Cummins to IPL 2025 with a 90m six over long-on, with a bat-swing like the smoothest golf drive?Related

• 'Do I have to come and hit every ball?' – Kishan's thoughts on being bought by SRH

• SRH fall one run short of their own record IPL total

• Ishan Kishan revelling in 'a lot of freedom' at SRH

• Kishan's 106* ensures SRH ease to win in 286 plays 242

This was quite a match if you were a top-order batter, keeper-batter, or keeper-batter who bats in the top three and has been part of India’s recent T20I squads. Abhishek and Samson are India’s current opening pair in the format, and Jurel their reserve keeper in their most recent series.Between them, they scored 160 off 83 balls.It wasn’t quite the match for Yashasvi Jaiswal, but it could so easily have been that. If he had uppercut Simarjeet Singh a few inches higher, or if Abhinav Manohar had mistimed his jump at point by a few milliseconds, you might be reading an open-mouthed appreciation of his gifts.2:06

‘Kishan hammered everyone to every corner’

India’s T20I present was there, as was India’s all-format future, in a clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) that produced an aggregate of 528 runs, the second-highest in IPL history.The defining innings of this match, however, came from someone else – another top-order batter who keeps wickets, who could easily be a defining face of India’s present and is young enough to be their future too, but whose innings on this day, for complicated reasons, felt like a blast from the past.A blast, perhaps, from November 2023, when Ishan Kishan was India’s Test keeper in the long-term absence of Rishabh Pant; their back-up opener in ODIs, with a double-hundred in that format; and possibly their first-choice T20I keeper, with his last three innings in that format including two blistering fifties against Australia.November 2023 wasn’t all that long ago, but try measuring that in Indian cricket time. The Kishan of March 2025 is a cricketer who hasn’t played for India in nearly 16 months and is out of the BCCI’s central contracts list. Others have taken his place in India’s squads, and taken full ownership of their roles. Time has stood still for Kishan, seemingly, and Indian cricket has simply kept moving.An unfettered version of Ishan Kishan was on show on his SRH debut•BCCIBut then, he’s only 26. And did you see that?Did you see Kishan step out to Maheesh Theekshana on Sunday afternoon and send him whistling over the ducking umpire’s head with that trademark, unfettered follow-through? Did you wonder why the sight of this familiar figure kitted out in unfamiliar colours made so much sense?The shot brought up SRH’s fifty, and it was just the fourth over of their innings. It was just the third ball Kishan had faced. Travis Head and Abhishek had put on 45 in 3.1 overs, and it made so much sense that another no-holds-barred intent machine would follow them to the crease. This has been the SRH way since their revolutionary 2024 season, and this has always been the Kishan way.Interviewed between innings, Kishan gave a glowing endorsement of the SRH management, particularly their captain Pat Cummins, and if you were so inclined, you could have listened to his words and heard less-than-glowing assessments of previous captains and managements.”The captain especially, the skipper in our team is just giving a lot of freedom to everyone, doesn’t matter if you get a lot of runs or if you get out early. [As long as] you’re doing everything for the team, it’s all fair, and that is the confidence every player needs, so hats off to him, and hats off to the management.”Now everyone says pretty much the same things about the captains and managements they happen to play for, but SRH can only play the way they do if they fully empower their batters to keep taking the high-risk option. There’s a clarity to how Abhishek and Head bat, a seeming absence of the thought of failure or its consequences, and Kishan, at his best, plays the same way.Ishan Kishan slammed his first IPL hundred•BCCIOn 25, for example, he went after a short ball from Sandeep Sharma that was angled away from him, aiming for the gap to the left of deep point. The ball bounced a little more than ideal for this horizontal-bat slap, and there was perhaps less width than ideal, but Kishan threw himself into the shot. He didn’t quite middle it, and was perhaps lucky that the ball didn’t quite carry to the fielder. But from the way he played that shot, it was clear it would have been okay for him to get out that way.On 39, he leaned across to the off side to try and scoop Jofra Archer over short fine leg, and this shot was almost entirely premeditation, hugely dependent on guesswork as to the bowler’s intended line and length. He guessed the line right, but not quite the length, and only managed a top-edge, but it went for six anyway.It’s precisely this sort of educated abandonment of control that unlocks the ability for teams to score at 14 or 15 an over as SRH did right through their innings. It was the first ball of the over, and Kishan had shown Archer he was coming for him, no matter what. Under these circumstances, the bowler running in can’t just think of the field he’s set and the line and length he wants to bowl, but also the means by which the batter can manipulate those things. Kishan hit two more sixes in that Archer over, the 13th of the SRH innings, and they too were all about manipulation – both times he stepped away to the leg side and freed his arms to launch full balls aimed at the base of the stumps over the cover point boundary.Kishan hit 11 fours and six sixes in all, and while some of these flew unstoppably off the middle of his bat, there were others that could count as miscues or chancy hits that could have led to his dismissal on other days. Those, though, were in one sense his best shots of the day, because they fully captured the spirit of his innings: that top-edged scoop that put Archer under pressure; that low full-toss that was close to being a well-executed wide yorker, stabbed off the toe-end to just elude mid-off; the collapsed back-knee slog-sweep that barely cleared deep square leg.This is the SRH way, and this is the Kishan way. If they had a bit of a hole at No. 3 last season, they may have found the perfect candidate to fill it this time around. And along the way, he could yet find a way to force himself back into conversations about India’s present and future.

Pakistan may be sitting at the bottom of the Super Four table after another fairly convincing defeat against India, but their best performer on the night felt the game showed what Pakistan were capable of. Sahibzada Farhan, who dominated the first ten overs of the contest and scored a 34-ball half-century, was confident Pakistan were well set up to put themselves on the board against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.”The way we batted today, the boys are very confident,” Farhan said, speaking after the game against India. “The wickets in Abu Dhabi are true and the ball comes onto the bat, and we’ll play to win.”Unlike Sri Lanka, who have played two of their four games in Dubai, Pakistan’s four matches at the Asia Cup have all taken place there. Without a formal training session, they will go into a game which may end up proving an eliminator for the losing side, with Sri Lanka having begun the Super Fours with defeat to Bangladesh. Farhan, though, dismissed the idea that preparation was a concern.Related

• Similar goals, similar problems: SL, Pakistan resume borderline sappy yet competitive rivalry

“We’re very well prepared. The boys are confident ahead of the Sri Lanka game because this wasn’t a one-sided game; it was one we took right to the end.”That increased optimism is largely down to Farhan himself. His start, particularly in the way he took down Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay, as well as the aggression against Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the four overs that followed, took Pakistan to 91 for 1 in ten overs, their highest midway total against India. Despite a post-drinks slowdown which robbed them of momentum, Pakistan posted 171, requiring India to complete the highest successful chase of the tournament for victory.”I worked a lot on my six hitting,” Farhan, who hit three sixes and is Pakistan’s highest run-scorer of the tournament, said. “When I used to score runs before, there were very few boundaries among them. If we’d won this game, it would have been very valuable to me. Performing against India is very highly rated but I just regret we didn’t win the game today.”The mistake we were making in previous matches was losing wickets early on and not utilising the powerplay. This time around our powerplay was brilliant, with 91 in 10 overs. There was a collapse in the middle and we’ll look to rectify that.”When, with a six of Axar, Farhan reached his half-century, he opted to celebrate in a manner that raised eyebrows at the time, with Farhan cocking his bat and miming the firing of a gun. It was just one of the flashpoints in an ill-tempered game between the two sides, though Farhan said there was nothing to read into it.”That celebration was just a spur of the moment. I rarely celebrate when I get to fifty,” he said. “But when I got there I suddenly got the idea of celebrating, and so I did without knowing or caring how people would interpret it. We should play aggressive cricket against any team, not just India, the way we played today.”Farhan hoped Pakistan and India aren’t done with each other yet in the Asia Cup. “We’d love to be able to meet India again in the final.”Their trip to Abu Dhabi is likely to have a huge say in determining how realistic that ambition is.

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has revealed how close Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk came to leaving Anfield as free agents in the summer of 2025. Two talismanic figures on Merseyside entered the final year of their respective contracts before eventually agreeing fresh terms. The Reds were prepared to walk away from discussions there if the numbers did not make sense.

Exit fear: Van Dijk & Salah entered final year of deals

Van Dijk has been an on-field leader throughout his time with Liverpool and now fills the captain’s armband. He hoisted the Premier League title aloft last season and has passed 330 appearances for the Reds having joined them from Southampton for £75 million ($98m) in January 2018. He is now tied to a deal through to 2027.

Salah’s contract has been extended to the same point, with the Egyptian superstar being talked into a prolonged stay with the Reds. After being heavily linked with teams in the Saudi Pro League, the prolific forward is looking to complete a decade of service at Anfield. He has plundered 250 goals through 417 appearances.

There was the threat at one stage of both Van Dijk and Salah moving on, leaving Liverpool with sizeable holes to fill in their squad. Protracted discussions ultimately delivered agreements that everybody is happy with.

AdvertisementGettyContract talks: How Liverpool get Salah & Van Dijk to stay

Discussing that process, Werner has told of how sporting director Richard Hughes helped to avoid any drama on the exit front for John W Henry and Fenway Sports Group: "My impatience is balanced by his patience. I'd call him frequently and say, ‘Richard, how are things going with Mo Salah and his contract?’, and he would say, ‘Tom, it will all be good in the end’. I think all the agents who deal with him would say that he conducts business in a very respectful way. He has a plan and he executes it.

"We were delighted that the new contracts for Mo and Virgil were sorted. But you know what? If Richard had called and said, ‘The chasm is too big’, I would have respected that too. John, Mike and I try to find people who are excellent at their jobs and let them do their jobs. We don't meddle, we just provide support and advice from our point of view. There's a lot of trust. I can't say enough wonderful things about Richard."

Could Salah leave? Transfer admission

While Liverpool fans were delighted to see Van Dijk and Salah stay, both have seen their performances in 2025-26 called into question. Wayne Rooney is among those to have demanded more from the Reds’ skipper when it comes to maintaining high standards.

It has been suggested that Salah may yet be moved on, while Liverpool can demand a fee, with ex-Reds goalkeeper David James telling GOAL recently: "You could envisage a situation where Mo's numbers aren't what Liverpool need. And if there were a potential suitor somewhere else, then I'm sure with conversation, because Mo does have a say in it, that Liverpool would be willing to let him go.

"Under contract, I don't think I could see a situation where Mo's going to hang around just to get paid. I think there would be a situation where, through conversation because I know the dialogue with Liverpool is always really good, that the two parties would sit down and discuss the future.

"However, if Mo starts doing what Liverpool would like him to do and Mo I'm sure would like to do and starts scoring loads of goals, then their hand could be forced by a potential suitor, because whatever club is interested, Saudi logically as they're the ones with the money, they may make an offer that Liverpool can't refuse."

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Getty Images SportLiverpool fixtures: Next up for the Reds

Defending Premier League champions Liverpool, who have slipped to eighth in the table through 11 games this season – suffering five defeats and conceding 17 goals – will be back in action after the November international break on Saturday when playing host to Nottingham Forest, who sit inside the relegation zone.

Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal have not had too much trouble integrating their summer signings so far this season.

The standout addition has probably been Martin Zubimendi, but despite the criticism he received a few weeks ago, Viktor Gyokeres isn’t too far behind.

After all, before his recent injury, the Swedish international had scored six goals in 14 appearances, which makes him the club’s joint top scorer.

With that said, Arsenal still appear to be looking for someone who could one day replace him, and who better than someone compared to both Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta?

Arsenal target Haaland & Mateta hybrid

While Gyokeres is having a decent season with Arsenal so far, he is being outscored by both Haaland and Mateta.

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The former, for example, has already amassed a frankly ridiculous tally of 19 goals and one assist in 15 appearances for Manchester City, while the latter has a tally of eight goals and nine assists in 19 games for Crystal Palace.

With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would be interested in signing a young striker who has been compared to both international superstars.

According to a recent report from Spain, the young striker in question is Etta Eyong.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are more than just interested in the Levante gem, and have now decided to activate the youngster’s £40m release clause.

The story claims that, should everything go as planned, an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a young player, but Eyong could be the ideal heir to Gyokeres, especially as he’s won comparisons to both Haaland and Mateta.

How Eyong compares to Haaland & Mateta

The first thing to note is that, given he only turned 22 last month, Eyong is still a work in progress.

However, even in his short career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to score, and that is just one of the qualities he shares with Haaland and Mateta.

For example, in 30 appearances for Villarreal B last season, the Cameroon international scored 19 goals and provided six assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.

Then this season, upon taking the step-up to La Liga, the exciting forward has racked up a tally of five goals and one assist in nine appearances for Levante.

Moreover, one of those goals came against Real Madrid – and he nabbed one against Arsenal in pre-season – so he cannot be accused of simply being a flat-track bully.

However, while his output is hugely encouraging, the comparisons to Haaland and Mateta primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.

They have compared the 22-year-old to every forward across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Frenchman is the most similar, and the Norwegian is the eighth.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.63

0.63

Progressive Carries

0.73

0.56

Progressive Passes Received

4.04

4.39

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.50

Live Passes

12.8

12.7

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Cameroonian has ranked closely to the two internationals.

In the Palace star’s case, these metrics included non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, live passes, and more, all per 90.

Goals per Shot

0.22

0.32

Goals per Shot on Target

0.46

0.54

Expected Assists

0.07

0.09

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.72

In the case of the City monster, the underlying numbers included metrics such as shot-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, all per 90 minutes.

These last two statistics are particularly encouraging, as they suggest that when the “incredible” Levante star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is in a dangerous situation, he is almost as clinical as the Norwegian goal machine.

Ultimately, it is still early in Eyong’s career, but as things stand, he looks to be an excellent young striker and someone who could be the perfect Gyokeres heir for Arsenal.

Major injury update now emerges on Arsenal star Gabriel before Tottenham

The centre-back suffered an injury on international duty with Brazil.

ByDominic Lund Nov 17, 2025

There are few top-tail left-arm bowlers like him, who have the chops in the powerplay as well as at the death

Deivarayan Muthu24-Jan-20251:37

What makes Arshdeep stand out?

An India fast bowler has been dominating T20Is over the past three years, and his name is not Jasprit Bumrah. On Wednesday, he became India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, leapfrogging Yuzvendra Chahal, after besting England’s top order in Kolkata. He’s now on the verge of becoming the fastest quick bowler to 100 T20I wickets. If he gets there on Saturday in Chennai, he will become the third-fastest overall to the landmark after Rashid Khan and Sandeep Lamichhane.Since making his T20I debut in July 2022, Arshdeep Singh has grown into an all-round, all-purpose bowler: he gets the new ball to hoop around; if it doesn’t swing, he keeps it tight; and then brings excellent defensive skills in the end overs. Besides nailing the yorker, from both over and around the wicket, he has a deceptive bouncer in his repertoire. It’s not for nothing that Arshdeep is the leading wicket-taker in the powerplay (42) and death (46) – the toughest phases in the format – in T20Is since his debut.Even England’s Bazballers couldn’t prevent him from bossing both those phases in the T20I series opener at Eden Gardens. Phil Salt is among the fastest-scoring batters in the powerplay, but Arshdeep left him scoreless with a back-of-a-length delivery that seamed and burst off the deck, drawing a leading edge to the keeper.Related

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Abhishek: 'The team has always told me to keep my attacking intent'

In his next over, a game of cat-and-mouse ensued between Arshdeep and Ben Duckett. The England batter had originally shaped to scoop Arshdeep over short fine and upon spotting it, Arshdeep shifted his lines much wider of off and pitched it very full. Duckett adjusted well and ended up reverse-scooping Arshdeep over short third for four. Arshdeep shifted his line back to the stumps and subtly dragged his length back to also have Duckett skying a leading edge next ball. Even Jos Buttler and Harry Brook couldn’t get him away in an outstanding opening spell of 3-0-10-2. Arshdeep then returned for the 19th over, closing out his shift with nifty slower variations and yorkers.These variations and his mastery over them make Arshdeep a special bowler. After Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra had retired, India’s selectors had cast their nets far and wide to find the next left-arm seamer. While they trialled Jaydev Unadkat, Barinder Sran, S Aravind, Khaleel Ahmed and T Natarajan in the role over the years, nobody had Arshdeep’s range.”If you remember, Arshdeep came into the spotlight in the IPL by bowling the tough overs for Punjab Kings,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time:Out show. “He bowled the death overs also very well and then started playing for India. I think it was in England that we saw him swing the ball for the first time, with the new ball. So that was like an added feature to Arshdeep, who looked like an all-purpose T20 bowler but somebody who could swing the ball… But [in the first T20I], you saw more seam [movement] off the pitch; so there was some smartness there.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”He realised that there was enough in the pitch to bowl shorter and not try and get the ball full. He made life really difficult for the opening batters. He’s somebody who has got swing, seam, he can bowl the bouncer and has got the yorker as well. India are fortunate to see Arshdeep finding his stride here.”Even in T20 cricket globally, there are very few top-tail left-arm bowlers like Arshdeep. Trent Boult is the OG new-ball ace, he doesn’t quite have the defensive skills at the death. Marco Jansen can also get the new ball to hoop around, but he, too, tends to leak runs in the end overs. Moreover, Jansen has often cracked under pressure and has struggled to find a way back.Arshdeep, like every other bowler, has copped punishment at the death, but he is so unflappable that he finds a way back. In the first T20I against New Zealand in Ranchi two years ago, Arshdeep had conceded 7(nb), 6,6,4 in the last over and it cost India a fair bit. In the second T20I in Lucknow at the death, he responded with 2-0-7-2.In December 2023, at a much smaller ground against Australia, the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Arshdeep gave up 37 in his first three overs, but he nervelessly defended nine off the final over to go from “culprit” to hero.Arshdeep Singh produced a double-strike with the new ball at Eden Gardens•BCCIEarlier in 2022, after having dropped a catch against Pakistan in an Asia Cup thriller in Dubai, he was met with the vilest abuse on social media. In his next game against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup at the MCG, though, he swung out Babar Azam and bounced out Mohammad Rizwan in the powerplay. He fronted up to bowl the difficult overs in the injury-enforced absence of Bumrah at the time.In the next T20 World Cup, which India won, Arshdeep came away as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 17 strikes at an economy rate of 6.31. Who can forget his defensive masterclass in the four-run penultimate over against David Miller and Keshav Maharaj in the famous final in Barbados?Arshdeep’s adaptability and bouncebackability then had seven of the ten teams bidding for him at the IPL 2025 auction last December. India’s team management now believes that those skills can be valuable in ODIs as well in the upcoming Champions Trophy.In T20Is, at 25, he has already established himself as one of the best in the world and his race to 100 wickets can only embellish his status even further.

Rashid, Nabi and Noor shared six wickets as Pakistan batters barely found any answers to spin

Danyal Rasool02-Sep-2025

Afghanistan sealed an emotional victory over Pakistan with a sublime performance from their spinners, squeezing Salman Agha’s men out and triumphing by 18 runs. In the wake of the earthquake at home where the death toll has crossed 1400, a resilient performance from Afghanistan in Sharjah proved much too good for Pakistan with Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal producing a 113-run second-wicket partnership that formed the backbone of their innings.It was an innings held up almost entirely by that single pillar; while Zadran and Atal scored 65 and 64 respectively, no other batter managed to get beyond single figures. Pakistan’s bowlers might have felt the had done enough as an economical showing from Saim Ayub and a sensational one from Faheem Ashraf kept Afghanistan on a leash, with Pakistan needing 170 to win in wet, dewy conditions.For the Afghan spinners, though, the dew proved an almost laughably negligible impediment. Fazalhaq Farooqi set them up by getting rid of Ayub for a golden duck and a misfiring Sahibzada Farhan shortly after. It was just the window Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi needed to run riot in the middle. No Pakistan batter was ever really able to work out which way Noor turned the ball or how to target Rashid without taking extreme risks.The trio took six wickets among them as Pakistan lost 7 for 49 to slump to 111 for 9. At the time they were looking at a chastening defeat, but Haris Rauf restored some balance to the scorecard with a breezy little cameo, an unbeaten 34 off 16 that took Pakistan past 150, and made the game look more competitive than Afghanistan’s dazzling spin attack had ensured it really was.Ibrahim Zadran scored a second fifty in two games•Emirates Cricket Board

Zadran, Atal combine for a special standPakistan made a dream start after being put in to bowl with the early dismissal of Rahmanullah Gurbaz. By the end of the fourth over, Afghanistan had only shuffled along to 18. But Atal and Zadran have made a bit of a habit of partnerships that straddle multiple phases of an innings, and they produced their most impressive one yet.The first signs of a gear shift came when Rauf, who struggled all day with the ball, was smashed for a four and a six in the fifth over. Thereon, Atal and Zadran rendered the Pakistan bowlers strangely toothless, while gradually cranking up the scoring rate. The signal to launch had been building, but at the same time seemed to come out of nowhere as the pair plundered 20 off Sufiyan Muqeem in the 14th over. By the time the partnership was finally broken, the duo had added the second-highest second-wicket stand in Afghan T20I history.Faheem Ashraf returned his best T20I figures•AFP/Getty Images

Ashraf’s silver liningOn a forgettable day for Pakistan, Ashraf’s spell stood out, going some way to burnishing his short-form bowling credentials. It was a slow, spin-friendly wicket, but with Pakistan struggling to break that Atal-Zadran stand, they turned to Ashraf in the tenth over. He went through it without either inflicting or sustaining much damage, but it was his three-over stint at the back-end that demonstrated his value.It was he who broke that partnership off the second ball of the 16th, and was unfortunate not to snare Azmatullah Omarzai later on that over when Mohammad Nawaz shelled one. He would get his man with a beautifully disguised slower delivery next over, with another change of pace doing for Zadran two deliveries later. Taking pace of the ball continued to work when it proved too good for Nabi. At a time when Pakistan’s bowlers were travelling from the other end, Ashraf’s last three overs had seen just 18 scored and four wickets taken, ensuring the batting side were kept below 170.Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi made life tough for the batters•Getty Images

Afghan spinners rip through the middle orderThis is why Afghanistan feel so confident defending totals. There was plenty of dew by the midpoint of Pakistan’s pursuit, but Afghanistan’s spinners buzzed around the batters, relishing their defence of a total that was just about par. Pakistan had consolidated after two early wickets, and kept up with the rate; Fakhar Zaman took 15 off Omarzai’s first over to help Pakistan to 52 for 2 in the powerplay.In the eighth over, though, the spinners began to weave their web. Nabi threw in the change-up, darting the ball in as Fakhar sliced his smear to short third for Farooqi to grab. With the runs drying up, Pakistan threw in a signature unforced error, some lazy running combined with a clever bit of work from Rashid catching Salman short of his crease.Left-arm spinner Noor, curiously benched for the first two games, made up for lost time with a wicket off his first delivery to send Hasan Nawaz packing. Mohammad Haris failed to punish a long hop from Nabi the following over to allow Afghanistan to burrow deep into Pakistan’s tail. They had gone from 62 for 2 to 82 for 6, and no amount of deep batting can hedge against that kind of collapse against an attack of Afghanistan’s quality.

Manchester United’s transfer business has left the supporters with a lot to be desired over the last couple of years, with numerous of their high-profile additions failing to impress at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have spent nearly £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, with former boss Erik ten Hag spending around £600m of the sum on his own.

Current boss Ruben Amorim has already splashed over £200m since his arrival last November, in an attempt to try and lead the club back to the glory achieved under Sir Alex Ferguson.

No manager has been able to win the Premier League title since the Scotsman retired back in 2013, but the added investment in recent years could help Amorim become the first man to achieve such a feat.

There’s no denying he needs added reinforcements in the months ahead to provide him with the all-round quality that he needs to take the club back to the top of England’s top-flight.

United’s hunt for added reinforcements in January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been strongly linked with a move for Angelo Stiller, with the German seen as an option to bolster the midfield ranks.

The 24-year-old is also said to be on the shortlist of Real Madrid ahead of the January transfer window, which could present a fierce battle between the sides for his signature.

However, it’s also been reported that he could be available for a fee in the region of £53m, a potential bargain for a youngster who has bags of time to develop further in the years ahead.

He’s not the only Bundesliga star currently in the Red Devils’ sights, with forward Karim Adeyemi another player who the hierarchy are considering a move for in January.

According to Sky Sports, Amorim’s men have reportedly made contact with Borussia Dortmund over a deal for the 24-year-old, who’s scored three goals in 2025/26 to date.

German outlet BILD also claim that Niko Kovac’s men currently value the German international at around the £70m mark, but it’s unclear whether United would pay such a figure during the winter window.

Why United’s £70m target would be another Mbeumo

During their recent summer spending spree in the transfer market, United splashed a mammoth £71m on the signature of forward Bryan Mbeumo from fellow Premier League side Brentford.

Such a price tag generated huge excitement within the fanbase, not to mention his incredible goalscoring ability last season, which saw him end the year on 20 league goals.

The Cameroonian has already made an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, scoring five times in his 11 league appearances – the most of any player in the first-team squad.

The 26-year-old has operated on the right-hand side in behind the striker, often catching the eye with his impressive left-footed efforts – subsequently winning the October Player of the Month award.

He may have cost a pretty penny, but there’s little denying Mbeumo has massively transformed the club’s frontline and made the side a force to be reckoned with once again.

However, they could be about to land another version of the forward with a deal for Adeyemi in the months ahead, with the German possessing numerous similar qualities.

He also operated off the right-hand side and likes to cut inside onto his favoured left-foot, which has also allowed him to hit the ground running in the early stages of 2025/26.

His underlying stats also showcase the talent he possesses, with the 24-year-old able to add further depth and quality into Amorim’s already impressive frontline.

Adeyemi, previously been dubbed “incredible” by former Red Bull Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle, has completed 2.3 dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga to date, whilst also notching 6.8 touches in the opposition’s box per 90.

Karim Adeyemi – Bundesliga stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

10

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

75%

Successful dribbles

2.3

Touches in opposition box

6.8

Shots taken

2.8

Duels won

5.9

Aerial success rate

60%

Stats via FotMob

Both of the aforementioned tallies showcase his incredible ability to get the ball into dangerous areas, potentially handing Mbeumo the chance to improve further at Old Trafford.

The youngster has also registered 2.8 shots per 90 this campaign, showcasing his ability to add the end product to his mazy runs when taking on the opposition.

Other numbers, such as 5.9 duels won per 90 and a 60% aerial success rate, highlight his all-round nature in the final third, which could make him a hugely exciting addition.

There’s no doubting that it would be a surprise to see another mammoth sum forked out for an attacker after Mbeumo’s move, but the pair could well offer a deadly threat in front of goal.

Should Adeyemi make the move to Old Trafford, he could reach the next step in his career, potentially leading the club to new heights during Amorim’s tenure in charge.

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Sunderland have now made a decision on Granit Xhaka’s future, amid interest from Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.

The Black Cats have surpassed all expectations so far this season, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table after collecting 19 points from their opening 11 games, and Regis Le Bris & co deserve major credit for the work they did in the transfer window.

It was a summer of change for the Championship play-off final winners, bringing in new additions all over the pitch, including at centre-forward, with Brian Brobbey getting off the mark courtesy of a dramatic late equaliser against Arsenal before the international break.

However, arguably Le Bris’ best addition has been Xhaka, with the central midfielder’s importance underlined by the fact he has played every minute in the Premier League so far this season, receiving plaudits from former defender Micky Gray after impressing against West Ham United.

Gray described the Swiss maestro as “absolutely incredible”, before going on to add: “You could see him trying to speak to everybody and calm everybody down. And when the ball came to his feet, he wasn’t rushing his passes. He was slowing everything down. So that experience is absolutely huge.”

Juventus eyeing January move for Sunderland star Granit Xhaka

As such, it will come as no surprise to learn that the 33-year-old is attracting attention ahead of the January transfer window, with a report from TuttoSport (via Sport Witness), revealing Juventus are now eyeing a shock winter transfer.

The 142-time Switzerland international’s agents are said to be seeking a move, given that their client has made a fantastic start to the campaign, with the report bizarrely also claiming the Black Cats are willing to sanction a January move if he asks to leave.

Sunderland have done extremely well to be competing at the top end of the Premier League table, and they are already nearly half-way to the magic 40-point mark, but they are not out of the woods just yet, so it would, of course, be a mistake to cash-in this winter.

The Basel-born midfielder has contributed one goal and three assists in the Premier League this term, with Wayne Rooney suggesting he could be the signing of the season, given his experience and leadership qualities.

The former Arsenal man has also impressed at international level during the current break, scoring a penalty and making a number of other key contributions as Switzerland ran out emphatic 4-1 winners against Sweden on Saturday.

In all honesty, it was a major coup for Sunderland to even sign Xhaka in the first place, and given that he remains under contract until 2028, there is no need to cash-in this January or in the summer.

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Nov 17, 2025

Turkey’s national team reported over €300,000 worth of jewellery missing from their dressing room after the 2-2 draw against Spain in Seville, triggering a police investigation. A luxury watch and two rings vanished from La Cartuja before being recovered. At least one arrest has been made as authorities work to uncover how the theft took place.

• Theft shock in Seville: Turkey report €300k jewellery missing

  Turkey’s World Cup qualifying draw against Spain ended in dramatic fashion both on and off the pitch, after the Turkish federation reported the disappearance of high-value jewellery from their dressing room at La Cartuja Stadium. According to the initial complaint, a watch valued at approximately €200,000 and two rings estimated at more than €60,000 each were discovered missing shortly after full-time.

  The Turkish delegation noticed the items were gone while preparing to leave the dressing room following the 2-2 draw. Stadium personnel later said they received a routine notice that “the Turkish team had left something behind in the locker room,” which at first appeared to be a common oversight. However, when staff checked, it became clear the missing belongings were not simply forgotten but potentially stolen, prompting an immediate formal report.

  According to , police had launched a criminal investigation within hours, treating the incident as a suspected case of theft inside an area with restricted access. The timing of the disappearance, and the high value of the items, intensified scrutiny around the stadium’s security protocols during international fixtures.

  Authorities later verified that the items were found and returned to Turkish officials, but by then the case had already escalated into a criminal probe involving multiple police units.

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• Items recovered as police confirm arrest

  The report confirmed that both the watch and the two rings have been located and recovered, easing initial fears that they had been moved off-site or trafficked. However, the discovery did little to close the case, with officers emphasising that the objective now was to establish the full chain of events.

  Spanish authorities stated that “the investigation is ongoing. Efforts are being made to determine exactly how the theft occurred and who is behind it.” Their remarks underscored that the recovered items do not automatically rule out internal involvement, especially given that La Cartuja’s dressing rooms are typically accessed only by players, staff, security personnel and approved stadium employees.

  At least one arrest has been made, with police confirming they are analysing whether the individual had legitimate stadium access at the time. Investigators are working to determine if the detainee is a stadium employee or someone who “entered the area without permission,” a distinction that could reshape the legal penalties attached to the case.

• Security review & legal process ahead

  The recovery of the stolen items has eased immediate tensions, but both national federations are now awaiting the formal outcome of the ongoing police investigation. Stadium officials at La Cartuja are expected to carry out an internal security audit, especially regarding locker-room access and surveillance coverage during high-profile international fixtures.

  With at least one arrest confirmed and the possibility of more to follow, Spanish authorities will continue examining whether the incident was opportunistic or part of a coordinated attempt to target high-value belongings. Further updates are expected once forensic analysis and security footage reviews are completed.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Turkey settles, while Spain bracing for biggest arena

  The alleged theft cast a shadow over what had been a gripping night of football. Spain secured their place at the 2026 World Cup after a tense 2-2 draw with a spirited Turkey side, finishing atop Group E despite being pushed to the brink.

  Dani Olmo opened the scoring in the fourth minute after superb wing play from Marc Cucurella, but Turkey’s Deniz Gul equalised in the 42nd minute with a finish that punctured Spain’s previously perfect defensive record in qualifying. Turkey then stunned the home crowd when Salih Özcan made it 2-1 in the 55th minute with a precise low strike following an intricate build-up.

  The result extended Spain’s unbeaten run in qualifiers to 31 matches, maintaining a streak of World Cup qualifications dating back to 1978. Turkey, meanwhile, settled for a playoff position, having needed a near-impossible seven-goal margin to top the group.

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