Big picture: A big day three beckons for the Ashes

From two days of Ashes insanity, to two weeks of Ashes inanity. Rarely has the dead time between Tests felt so rich in promise, yet filled with pointlessness, as in this past fortnight. From that hyperactive 19-wicket opening gambit in Perth and the shock and awe of Travis Head’s romp to victory, we’ve since been pitched headlong into a waffle-filled void, fuelled by an Ashes hype-machine that had been in overdrive from the start of November, but has since been in desperate need of red-hot takes to slake its thirst for narrative.In the absence of actual action, we’ve had talk of beer matches and food mountains from the peeved executives at the Optus; we’ve had pontification about the value of pink-ball practice matches from a cast of ex-Ashes combatants (whom Ben Stokes is now adamant are not “has-beens” after all). And in Brisbane this week, we’ve even had talk of potential fines for England’s scooter-based traffic violations. Thursday’s resumption of hostilities under the Gabba floodlights will surely be sweet release for two sets of players who have heard enough yakking, and will now be ready to get back to some hard yakka.What have we learned in this impatient lull? Not a whole lot, if truth be told. In spite of the speed of their meltdown, England still competed more gamely in Perth than in any Test in Australia since their victorious tour in 2010-11. If they get the better of the conditions in what Stuart Broad has described as a pink-ball “lottery”, they could yet restore the optimism with which they launched this campaign. If they do not, or if they bat as frivolously as they did in that crucial post-lunch passage of play on day two, a third 5-0 whitewash in six tours could already be loading. Choose your path, there’ll be plenty opportunities to retro-fit your narrative come the end of the Sydney Test.Related

• Root unperturbed by Starc pink-ball challenge

• Pink-ball Tests still an Australian speciality after a decade

• Stokes primed for most important assignment as England captain

• Boland buoyed by Perth spell: 'I'm good enough to compete with anyone'

• Switch Hit podcast: Pink ball, Bazball, Gabba gamble

For the time being, it’s a chastened (if not reformed) England that has regrouped at the Gabba. This Ashes tour has been front and centre of their planning for three-and-a-half years, right from the inception of the so-called Bazball project, and they’ll know – notwithstanding their fightback from 2-0 down in 2023 – that they cannot afford another false start. There was nervous energy in spades in Perth, and while that translated wonderfully well into a kinetic frenzy with the ball in the first innings, even the most pigheaded advocate of England’s no-consequences mindset would acknowledge that the loss of 20 wickets in less than 70 overs was a dereliction of batting duty.As for Australia, they were scarcely any less shocked by what they witnessed in Perth – although the sight of Head launching Jofra Archer for a back-foot six over long-on might have been a key contributor to that. Amid the chaos caused by Usman Khawaja’s back spasm, and the unsatisfactory compromise that forced Marnus Labuschagne to open in the first innings, Head’s subsequent promotion proved a masterstroke. It met England’s go-getting attack head-on, and challenged them in the same manner that Yashasvi Jaiswal had done in his own six-laden onslaughts in India two years ago. If Bazball is all in the mind, then Head was in England’s heads by the end of that innings, rather than vice versa.England’s chosen route back to parity has already taken an interesting turn. Mark Wood reported soreness in his knee after a wicketless display in Perth and is out of the reckoning – who knows for how long, although his fitness for flatter decks to come (particularly in Adelaide) could yet be as much of a priority as the here-and-now. But into his place comes not another seamer, nor the primary spinner Shoaib Bashir (who had been England’s designated 12th man in the first Test), but the each-way-bet option of Will Jacks, a selection that smacks, ever so slightly, of a team second-guessing themselves.Travis Head hit 123 off 83 in the second innings of the first Test•Getty Images

It’s an interesting predicament that leans into the vacuousness of the discourse since Perth. So much of England’s mindset-led approach has been about blocking out the noise and doubling down on positive reaffirmation from within the dressing-room walls – the logic being that, if you believe that the team has your back no matter what, then you already own your half of the mental battle.But never before has this England team encountered noise quite like this – a 24/7 media bombardment that will surely have seeped into their subconscious decision-making, even if they are overtly still as bold as brass. Batting more sensibly at key moments, for instance, may be a pre-requisite for this Ashes fightback, but if that comes at the expense of bravery, then what will that do for their over-arching ethos? Scott Boland’s decisive burst in the second innings at Perth was arguably a case in point, after he’d been taken at more than six an over in the first, while Stokes has already admitted his captaincy was found wanting when Head started teeing off in the run-chase. It’s hard to imagine, for instance, that he’ll dare to declare after 60 overs to get bowling in the twilight, as was the case when England won their most recent pink-ball Test in Mount Maunganui two years ago.Australia, meanwhile, are in a happy and familiar position in this series: 1-0 up, for the fourth home Ashes in a row, and heading into a format in which their record is unparalleled, both in terms of volume of matches and victories secured. But, thanks in no small part to England tripping over their own feet when well set, they know they were spared a deeply uncomfortable denouement in that first Test. The onus is on the visitors to finish the inquisition they started, before it’s too late for beg for third chances.

Form guide

Australia: WWWWL
England: LLDWL

In the spotlight: Mitchell Starc and Joe Root

The story hasn’t changed for Mitchell Starc, but the expectations have been ramped up an extra notch. At Perth, he was the last man standing of the greatest pace trio of the modern era, and he responded supremely, with a career-best 7 for 58 and ten wickets in the match. Now, he’s been asked to do so again, in a form of the game in which he is simply without equal. His 81 wickets in day-night Tests include a startling haul of 6 for 9 in his most recent outing, as West Indies were routed for 27 in Kingston in July. If he makes the pink ball talk as loudly as it can do under the Gabba floodlights, there’ll be plenty more where that came from. Starc has a chance to put the Ashes beyond realistic reach, before Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have even bowled a ball in anger.Mitchell Starc dismissed Joe Root in both innings in Perth•Getty Images

There’s no ducking the issue for Joe Root any more. If his team are to turn their fortunes around in this series, then England’s greatest run-scorer desperately needs to come to the party. Notwithstanding Zak Crawley’s pair, Root’s performance in Perth was arguably the most culpable among many failures in that first Test, in particular his skittish second-innings drive that capped England’s post-lunch collapse. His scores of 0 and 8 did little to dial down the pre-series chat about his modest record in Australia, and were perhaps an indication of the very real nerves he felt coming into a legacy-defining campaign. Now, however, he needs his vast experience to steer his team’s agenda. Of all the ways that England might have envisaged losing in Australia, Root going missing was not among them.

Team news: Jacks in, Khawaja out

Usman Khawaja’s failure to recover from a back spasm has arguably spared Australia an awkward decision, seeing as his inability to open at Perth was what enabled Travis Head to stride up to the top of the order and turn the first Test on its head. Head now seems likely to retain his role alongside Jake Weatherald, with Josh Inglis looking set to slot into the gap in the middle order: his prowess against short-pitched bowling might be the clincher, with Beau Webster again unlucky to miss out. There’s still no absolute clarity on Pat Cummins, who remains with Australia’s squad and even batted in the nets on Tuesday, but he is not officially part of their squad for this Test as he continues his return from a back injury.Australia (probable): 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Josh Inglis, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Brendan Doggett.Will Jacks is back in England’s Test team after three years away•AFP/Getty Images

With Wood ruled out due to a knee issue, Jacks is the surprise inclusion in England’s XI. He comes into the side as England’s frontline spin option, ahead of Bashir, whose consistent selection over the past two years had seemingly been with a view to him playing a central role in this Ashes campaign. Instead, England have opted for the insurance that Jacks’ significantly better batting provides at No. 8, while hoping that his offspin can front up for England as it did on debut at Rawalpindi, three years ago to the week, when his six first-innings wickets proved crucial to a famous win over Pakistan. In part, it is a reflection of the “lottery” of the pink-ball Test – and given Jacks’ ongoing rebirth as a No. 7 in the ODI team, he could yet play some hybrid “finisher” role in a typically fast-paced innings – but it is a rare case of England hedging their bets in the Bazball era, rather than going all-in on a preferred strategy.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Gus Atkinson, 11 Jofra Archer.

Pitch and conditions

Curator Dave Sandurski said on Tuesday that he would leave 3mm of grass on the pitch, and the familiar green tinge may fade away under the Queensland sun. Despite some spicy practice pitches in the Gabba nets, there is a suggestion this track could be on the slow side, and with the current batch of Kookaburra balls reportedly going soft quickly, that could spell hard times for fielding sides if either team can keep wickets in hand heading into 50-60 overs. That said, England couldn’t bat beyond 35 on either occasion at Perth. New-ball swing, under the floodlights, is sure to be a feature at some stage of the contest.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have won 13 and lost one of their 14 pink-ball Tests to date.
• All but one of these (their most recent, against West Indies in July) came on home soil, including each of their three wins against England in the Ashes, at Adelaide (in 2017-18 and 2021-22) and Hobart (2021-22).
• However, their solitary defeat in a day/night Test came at the Gabba, against West Indies in January 2024.
• England, by contrast, have lost five of their seven pink-ball Tests to date, although they did win their most recent, against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in February 2023.
• Starc, with 81 wickets at 17.08 in 14 Tests, has almost twice as many pink-ball wickets as the next most prolific bowlers, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon (both 43 at 17.34 and 25.62 respectively), and nine times as many as the most experienced bowlers in England’s squad, Mark Wood and Joe Root (nine each).
• Starc needs three more wickets to overtake Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history.

Quotes

“They’ve said for a while they’re not going to really change the way they go about their business. I don’t expect too much different.”
“Many teams have gone to the Gabba and lost to Australia, but this is a brand new outfit. Lots of guys are on their first Ashes tours, so this is going to be a new experience for them… It doesn’t hold too much fear.”

At the same time, he is mindful of the “balance between attracting retired Indian players and keeping the league competitive”

Vishal Dikshit13-Nov-2025SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith “would love to have more Indian players” in their T20 league and it’s something they will continue to work on with the BCCI. So far, former India batter Dinesh Karthik is the only Indian to have played in the SA20, having turned out for Paarl Royals in the last season.The BCCI’s current policy is such that no player active in Indian cricket – international, domestic or the IPL – can participate in overseas T20 leagues, which is why Karthik participated in the SA20 only after his retirement from Indian cricket. The league has a strong Indian connect as well, with all six teams owned by IPL team owners.”Firstly, we would love to have more Indian players [in SA20],” Smith said in Mumbai on Wednesday. “I think whenever India play in South Africa, you can see the love for the Indian team. The talent is incredible. I think we will continue to work with the BCCI on these things. And I think if that ever changes with the six IPL franchises, I think we’re perfectly suited to be able to attract Indian players. Those type of contracts with Dinesh signing with Paarl Royals is always a direct deal between the franchise [and the player]. And I think, obviously, with retired players and more retired players coming, it’s a balance between attracting that retired Indian player but still keeping your league competitive. And our franchises really want to win, as you’ve experienced in IPL and in SA20. So they’re always looking for the best players who can perform consistently.”The fourth season of SA20 will go on for a month from December 26, 2025 to January 25, 2026 across six cities. Even though South Africa mostly play the traditional Boxing Day Test from December 26 in their home season, this time that day will mark the start of their marquee T20 league. Last year, they had hosted Pakistan at the time, which saw a thrilling game that South Africa clinched by two wickets to seal their WTC final spot. In 2023, India had played the Boxing Day Test – also in Centurion – which the hosts won a lot more convincingly, by an innings and 32 runs. Barring in 2022, 2012, 2008, 2005 and 2001, South Africa have played the Boxing Day Test at home regularly since the start of this century, and before that too.This time, South Africa will be in India for an all-format tour that begins with two Tests from November 14 and will culminate with the last of the five T20Is on December 19, with only a week’s gap for the SA20 to begin. As Smith pointed out, there was no Boxing Day Test agreed upon in the FTP for this year by Cricket South Africa.Dinesh Karthik became the first Indian player to appear in the SA20•SA20

“Yeah, it’s actually always been the case, though, in this cycle, that Cricket South Africa never had international cricket in this window,” Smith said. “The South African team is here [in India] until 20 December. And then SA20 is now taking place there. And then there’s the T20 World Cup here in India in February. So it was a very small window. And I don’t think South African cricket ever had a tour lined up, never mind being WTC champions. I think this goes back years in terms of the FTP cycle.”Such is the crunch in the cricket calendar that only two days after SA20 ends in Cape Town, South Africa will host West Indies for a T20I series starting from January 27 in Paarl. Soon after that the T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7 in India.Smith also lauded the recent laurels in South African cricket, especially in ICC events over the last few years. The men’s team won their first WTC, in June at Lord’s this year, and recently the women’s team made their first ODI World Cup final, finishing as the runners-up to India earlier this month. In 2024 and 2023 as well, South Africa had made the finals of the women’s T20 World Cups.Does that mean a women’s SA20 is coming soon?”In terms of women’s cricket, we’ve spent a lot of time and effort investing in grassroots with Under-19 camps and schools programmes,” Smith said. “I think Cricket South Africa is working on a domestic programme now. I think the challenge that South African cricket has is that our national women’s team is very good, but the tier below needs to be developed. So we’ll look at it probably from next season, obviously with women’s IPL and national team schedules getting busier and busier. We’ll probably look to start exhibition matches like IPL did.”CSA could take a leaf out of the BCCI’s book, who started with a Women’s T20 Challenge – like a mini women’s IPL – in 2019 with three teams. That T20 tournament was played for two more years – in 2020 and 2022 – before the BCCI launched a five-team Women’s Premier League in 2023.

Sunderland have now reportedly made contact in the race to sign a teenage sensation, who is on course to leave his current club as a free agent next summer.

Le Bris praises "demanding" Premier League ahead of Liverpool clash

Sunderland just do not know when they’re beaten in the Premier League. They are writing a blueprint that every newly-promoted side must follow to secure survival and their comeback victory against Bournemouth followed that plan to perfection.

The Black Cats came from two goals behind to secure a dramatic victory and keep hold of their place in the top six after 13 games. With Liverpool at Anfield up next, things don’t get any easier, but Sunderland have relished the challenge of upsetting the odds so far this season.

Regis Le Bris was full of praise for both his side and the Premier League itself following Sunderland’s victory over Bournemouth, telling reporters: “This league is really demanding. You make two mistakes and are punished.

“With the ball, we are good, so just keep pushing. We are able to hit their defence, and it was important to be clinical in the box. I think here we have a great energy in the stands. If we give a lot on the pitch, then they will react. We deserved to win in the end.

“It’s important to play game after game. We went to Fulham last week and we lost. We were dominated. We go again. It’s positive to start this week with three points. It’s an exciting league with tough challenges but we want those challenges.”

Survival, which almost looks guaranteed already, would be a major achievement on the pitch, but it would also make an impact away from the action. The Black Cats are already thinking about the future on that front, targeting Rangers teenager Bailey Rice.

Sunderland make contact to sign Bailey Rice

According to the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones, Sunderland have now made checks on Rice, who is on course to leave Rangers as a free agent next summer after rejecting the Gers’ contract offers.

The 19-year-old became the club’s youngest post-war player to make a Scottish Premiership appearance in 2023, but now looks destined to leave Ibrox with Sunderland, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City all queueing for his signature.

Manchester City were also tracking the young midfielder when he decided to leave Kilmarnock, only for Rangers to jump in and secure his arrival.

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For Sunderland, it would therefore be a major coup to land a player of Rice’s potential. Man City’s initial interest highlights how highly he’s rated in England and praise from Rio Ferdinand echoed that earlier this year.

The Manchester United legend said on commentary when Rangers squared off against Manchester United last year: “I tell you what, I’m liking Rice by the way, he’s come on and looked composed, the kid’s got something about him, he’s got a lovely left foot on him.”

Sunderland star who Speakman was "excited" to sign is the new Jermain Lens

Liverpool are in a dire rut of form at the moment and the pressure only ramped up on Arne Slot following their 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday evening.

As if Slot didn’t think things could get any worse, what hasn’t helped is Mohamed Salah’s remarkable interview after the game.

The Egyptian has been on the substitutes bench for the last three games and according to reports, will not travel to Milan when the Reds face Inter in the Champions League this week.

What Mo Salah has said about his Liverpool future

Salah was in conversation with reporters after Liverpool’s dismal draw with Leeds at the weekend and it’s safe to say he did not cover Slot and Co in glory.

“‘I’m very disappointed, Salah began. “I’ve done so much for this club – everyone can see that – over years, especially last season, sitting on the bench I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I feel it.”

The Liverpool great continued: “It’s very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame. Club promised me a lot in summer. So far I I’m on bench three games, so can’t say they have kept those promises.

“I say many times I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship, I don’t know why. It seems like someone does not want me in the club.

“But again this club, I always support it. my kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I will always do. I called my mum yesterday because I knew I wasn’t going to start and told my mum and dad to the Brighton game [next Saturday].”

How Salah trained on Monday

Salah smiled and chatted with his teammates on Monday as he attended the club’s first training session since his outburst over the weekend.

He arrived on the training pitch in conversation with French striker Hugo Ekitike. Salah listened as Slot addressed the squad and then took part in a series of warm-up and passing drills, interacting with the likes of Curtis Jones, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The session was overseen by Slot who is really up against it now. Who the Liverpool board decide to side with, Salah or the Dutchman, will be very interesting.

Sri Lanka started well but were all out for a mere 211, a target Pakistan chased down comfortably

Danyal Rasool16-Nov-2025Pakistan eased to a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka to seal a 3-0 series whitewash. Three wickets from Mohammad Wasim and contributions from others bowled Sri Lanka out for 211, before a half-century by Fakhar Zaman took much of the jeopardy out of the chase. Sri Lanka fought hard through the middle, getting rid of Babar Azam and Salman Agha in quick succession, and though it succeeded in slowing Pakistan down, the visitors ultimately had too few runs to play with as Pakistan cantered to the win with 5.2 overs to spare.When Sri Lanka began their innings, they appeared to have designs on a total above 300. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara were timing the ball particularly sweetly, racing along to a 50-run partnership inside the first eight overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi, in particular, was punished early by Mishara, who exploited the gaps as an opposition side racked up a 50-run opening partnership against Pakistan for the sixth ODI in succession.But as has been so often the case for the visitors, wickets derailed their progress significantly. Mishara had chopped a few early on and survived, but Nissanka’s first inside edge clattered into the stumps, and from there Pakistan started to squeeze. Wasim found a bit of extra bounce to draw Mishara’s outside edge, and the free-flowing runs were suddenly no longer coming.Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama rebuilt, but not nearly at the speed Sri Lanka needed on a wicket that looked like it would only continue to get better. Left-arm wristspinner Faisal Akram, replacing Abrar Ahmed in the side, enjoyed an excellent first spell, deploying his variations to great effect and keeping the batters honest. He had Samarawickrama trapped in front in single digits, but the batter got the decision reversed on review because the ball was turning too much.Kusal Mendis scored 34•Getty ImagesBut the pressure was invariably building up. It had taken 75 balls to score just 43 runs, and by the time Wasim returned to the attack, the urgency to score quickly had been amplified. He knocked them off course with a yorker that cleaned up the stand-in captain Kusal Mendis before a double blow from Akram blew the innings wide open. It included a splendid delivery that sliced through Samarawickrama’s defences two runs shy of a half-century, as well as a soft return catch that did for Kamindu Mendis.Sri Lanka have set much store in 23-year-old batting talent Pavan Rathnayake, even if he was batting a tad too deep for their liking. The debutant showed impressive temperament as he shepherded the tail, and arguably played the shot of the day with a back-foot punch that flew over cover for a six. But he got limited support from the tail as Pakistan chipped away at the other end, and with nine wickets down, his desperation to get back on strike cost him his wicket. He had put up a spirited 32, but the 211 Sri Lanka ended up with never looked near enough.Zaman drove that point further home as he started off in a hurry. It was almost as if he was making up for lost time after Haseebullah Khan’s brief tortured stay at the crease resulted in a 12-ball duck, the young wicketkeeper-batter getting more desperate with each ball before ultimately smearing one straight to mid-on. Babar Azam’s arrival lifted the crowd’s spirits while Zaman took care of the run-scoring, freeing his arms and finding the gaps either side of the wicket with regularity in the powerplay. Babar, meanwhile, looked like a man with rediscovered confidence, timing the ball beautifully as Pakistan cruised through the first 15 overs.Fakhar Zaman scored a rapid fifty•AFP/Getty ImagesZaman took on Jeffrey Vandersay, who was playing his first game this series, but the legspinner dragged his side back into the contest. After smacking him for his second boundary, Zaman went after Vandersay again, only for Kamindu Mendis to take a spectacular catch diving forward in the deep. Shortly after, he did for Babar with a googly that beat the batter all ends up, sneaking through the gate and making a mess of his stumps.With their tails up, it was the first time since the opening powerplay in the game that Sri Lanka placed any kind of pressure on Pakistan. Vandersay beat Agha with a lovely legbreak that drifted in and then ripped away to trap him in front, and suddenly, the 97 runs Pakistan still needed seemed very far away.But Rizwan and Hussain Talat hunkered down. For a while, run-scoring seemed a secondary thought; the next ten overs produced just 32 runs. But most importantly, Sri Lanka were being kept out of the wickets column, and with the asking rate far too modest to have any impact on the game, Pakistan, bit by bit, dragged themselves towards the finish line.It left the last hour of the game in a holding pattern where the outcome was all but certain, but Talat and Rizwan were in no hurry to put Sri Lanka out of their misery. Rizwan coasted towards his half-century while Talat saw an opportunity to amass a few more runs in what has been a successful series for him. In the 43rd over, Maheesh Theekshana had Talat lbw but the batter got the decision overturned as the ball-tracking showed the ball bouncing over the stumps. It just about summed up Sri Lanka’s stuttering series in the Rawalpindi cold before the hosts finally limped over the finish line.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have reportedly locked horns in a battle to sign Liga de Quito’s 16-year-old sensation Ederson Castillo. The midfielder has attracted serious interest from the European heavyweights after dazzling displays at youth level, though they face stiff competition from Atlético de Madrid and Anderlecht who are also tracking his progress.

• European giants circle Ecuadorian wonderkid

  According to reports emanating from and , the teenage midfielder has become the primary target for a host of Europe's most prestigious clubs. Castillo, who is currently plying his trade with Liga de Quito (LDU), has seen his stock rise meteorically following a breakthrough campaign with the youth sides.

  Despite being just 16 years of age, he was an instrumental figure in LDU’s recent triumph in the Ecuadorian U-19 tournament. His performances were marked by a maturity that belies his years, prompting the club’s hierarchy to invite him to train with the senior squad on multiple occasions. Reports indicate that both United and Bayern have moved to the front of the queue, registering concrete interest in the player as they look to secure his services before his valuation skyrockets. The battle for his signature is expected to be fierce, with European scouts now a regular presence at LDU's Pomasqui training complex, analysing every touch and pass the youngster makes as they prepare their final reports for club directors back in Manchester and Munich.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  United and Bayern face stiff competition

  While the financial might of United and Bayern often clears the field, this transfer battle is far from a two-horse race. Atlético de Madrid are reportedly monitoring Castillo closely. The Spanish giants, led by Diego Simeone, have a long history of success with South American players who possess the requisite grit and technical quality. 

  Furthermore, Belgian outfit Anderlecht are firmly in the mix. While they cannot compete financially with the likes of United or Bayern, they offer a compelling sporting project: a proven pathway to first-team football in a development-friendly league. Anderlecht have already successfully recruited from Liga de Quito in the recent past, signing Nilson Angulo, which could give them a unique advantage in negotiations. The Belgian route is often seen as a smarter intermediate step for South American talents before making the jump to the Premier League or Bundesliga, allowing them to adapt to the European game away from the blinding spotlight of the very top tier.

• Ecuador's golden generation spurs interest

  This developing transfer saga is emblematic of a wider shift in the transfer market. Ecuador has rapidly established itself as the new "gold mine" for elite talent in South America. The unprecedented success of players like Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie, and Pervis Estupinan in Europe’s top five leagues has convinced top clubs that the region is producing "best-in-class" athletes who can adapt physically and technically to the rigours of European football.

  For United, a move for Castillo would be entirely consistent with the club’s revamped recruitment strategy under their new sporting structure. The Red Devils are keen to move away from paying exorbitant fees for established stars, focusing instead on identifying high-ceiling teenagers. Bayern share this philosophy, with their "Bayern Campus" project designed to integrate top international talents into the first team at a young age. Both clubs are desperate to find the "next Caicedo" at source, rather than paying a British record fee for him years later as Chelsea did.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  FIFA regulations delay potential move

  Despite the intense speculation, any potential deal for Castillo comes with a significant logistical caveat: FIFA’s regulations on the international transfer of minors. Under current rules, Castillo cannot officially register and play for a European club until he turns 18. This means that any agreement reached in the coming months would likely mirror the structure of Chelsea’s high-profile deal for Kendry Paez, who is now on loan at Strasbourg.

  The fellow Ecuadorian wonderkid agreed to join the Blues at 15 but remained at Independiente del Valle to continue his development until he was old enough to move in June this year. For Castillo, a similar "pre-contract" arrangement is the most likely outcome. He would theoretically sign for a European giant but remain on loan at LDU for the next two years. This period would allow him to gain vital experience in the Ecuadorian Serie A and potentially the Copa Libertadores before crossing the Atlantic, ensuring he arrives in Europe ready to compete for a first-team place immediately. 

Chelsea are set to learn the outcome of a hearing into the club's alleged breaches of agent regulations during the Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge. An independent regulatory commission is hearing the case which is due to conclude this week. If the Blues are found guilty, they could face sanctions ranging from a fine to a possible points deduction or transfer ban.

Chelsea charged with 74 rule breaches

The Premier League side were slapped with 74 charges by the Football Association back in September relating to payments to agents and intermediaries between 2009 and 2022. The allegations also relate to transfers, particularly signings of former stars Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o and Willian. Chelsea responded to the charges at the time by confirming they had self-reported the situation to the game's governing body after becoming aware of the issues during the takeover by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital in 2022.

AdvertisementAFPWhat sanctions could Chelsea face?

The hearing into the allegations faced by the Blues is now set to conclude, as reported by . There is no timescale yet for when a verdict will be announced, but Chelsea are said to be "hopeful" of only being handed a fine by the FA due to the fact they self-reported the potential rule breaches previously. However, it is possible the Blues could face stiffer sanctions than simply a fine. The report adds that a guilty verdict could see Chelsea handed a "transfer ban or points deduction." Any such punishment is expected to be appealed by the Premier League side.

The Hazard factor

Chelsea's signing of Hazard has long been the subject of much scrutiny. The Blues beat Manchester United to his signature, with the Belgian star going on to win Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League titles with Chelsea. It's previously been reported by that the Red Devils missed out on Hazard, despite the fact a fee and personal terms had been agreed, as they refused to pay the player's agent John Bico a "huge backhander" to seal the transfer.

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What Chelsea have said about the charges

The club issued a statement after the charges with announced that read: "Chelsea FC is pleased to confirm that its engagement with The FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion.

"The Club’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules. Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the Club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.

"The Club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the Club’s files and historical data. We will continue working collaboratively with The FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to The FA for their engagement with the Club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago."

Australian fast bowler back for third spell at Taunton to help title defence

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025

Somerset have confirmed the return of Riley Meredith as one of their overseas players for next year’s Vitality Blast.Meredith, 29, was the leading wicket-taker with 28 in the competition as Somerset won the Blast in 2025. He also played a key role in getting them to the final the year before. Overall, his record for Somerset is 42 wickets at 18.47, with an economy of 8.16.”Riley played an integral part in our success this summer and we’re delighted to be bringing a player of his quality back to the club,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said.”His genuine pace and aggression will always trouble batters and he brings something different to our attack. I know that our Members and supporters will be looking forward to seeing him take to field for us again in 2026.”Everyone connected with the club is looking forward to Riley bringing his trademark pace and energy back to the Cooper Associates County Ground. We can’t wait to see him charging in again as we look to defend our title in 2026.”Meredith has played one ODI and six T20Is for Australia, but not featured since 2024 (when he missed Finals Day after being called up for international duty).He is expected to be available for the duration of the Blast next summer, with the competition returning to a May-July window.”I’ve loved my time with Somerset, and it was great to be able to contribute to this year’s success,” Meredith said. “It’s a really good group of players and I can’t wait to be back in Taunton and playing in front of those fans.”

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