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Liverpool have been plugging away under Arne Slot’s management in recent weeks, looking to recover their title-winning form from last season.

And while the Reds have made a measure of progress after that abject Anfield defeat against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, winning at West Ham before recovering to seal a draw against Sunderland, much more is needed.

Despite a summer of heavy spending, it’s clear that there are gaping holes in Slot’s squad, with the backline beyond fragile and the motley group of elite forwards lacking synergy and understanding.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will be rolling up his sleeves as the January transfer window inches closer.

Liverpool's winter transfer plans

Without a doubt, Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo’s names have been touted at the highest frequency this season, and it’s understood that Semenyo could be at the very top of the list after FSG decided against directly replacing Luis Diaz in August.

However, Semenyo’s £65m price tag and the growing interest from Premier League rivals such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur suggests FSG would be wise to keep their book of options open.

And they have. According to Spanish sources, Barcelona have been left disgruntled in their bid to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig following rising interest from Liverpool and Spurs.

Leipzig value the 19-year-old winger at €90m (about £78m), and after holding talks with the Bundesliga outfit, Liverpool and Tottenham are primed to make official offers this winter.

Why Liverpool should sign Yan Diomande

Though Cody Gakpo has come under flak for his performances this season, he has still scored four goals and provided three assists across 12 Premier League starts.

Semenyo would jockey with the Dutchman for a place on the left flank, but signing Diomande might actually be the more providential move for Liverpool as a whole, bringing back Diaz’s electric pace and energy while establishing a duality of option that could see both players thrive.

And anyway, Diomande might be a work in progress at the moment, but the teenager has the potential to become a superstar, with coach Harry Brook calling him an “explosive and well-rounded athlete” who will soon be “worth £100m plus”.

Semenyo might be one of the Premier League’s most dangerous wide forwards, but the data certainly suggests that Diomande has what it takes to supersede him in the power rankings, should he move to Liverpool in 2026.

Already, he is more active and incisive across ball-carrying and -playing metrics, and in the Bundesliga this term, the two-sided winger has notched three goals and two assists from only eight starts, averaging 2.8 dribbles and winning 4.2 duels per fixture (as per Sofascore).

The Ghana international has been in red-hot form in the Premier League this season and he’s a big-game player besides, but he has gone more than two months without a goal contribution and there’s a compelling case to be made that Diomande could grow into a greater player.

Slot needs to consider the balance and fluency of his outfit as a whole, and this could be a deal to enhance that and then some, allowing the likes of Gakpo to continue to earn opportunities while adding depth and, more importantly, elite quality.

That is not to discredit Semenyo’s talent. The Cherries star is a fantastic, Prem-proven forward. It merely underlines the calibre of player Diomande may well become.

The new Trent: Liverpool shortlist "one of the best players in the world"

Liverpool have not replaced their iconic full-back’s presence down the right channel.

By
Angus Sinclair

6 days ago

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

With various doubts, from age to technical, over the specialist openers in the debate, McSweeney has risen to the top

Alex Malcolm10-Nov-20242:20

Malcolm: ‘McSweeney could be a future captain if he finds his feet’

With Australia’s newest Test match opener Nathan McSweeney standing just a few metres away outside the MCG, chair of selectors George Bailey was asked whether his selection had been the toughest he had made in his tenure in the job.Bailey is never one to give much away. Nor should you ever read too much into his comments. But there was just a momentary pause before he answered.”Not necessarily,” Bailey said. “I think it’s a good thing when you’ve got options, and there’s players that are putting their hands up for different roles. So I think, not necessarily difficult on that front, but always looking for what you think the best balance will be and the sort of make-up of that team.”Related

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The reality is this was a challenging selection. Despite the insistence from the selectors that this wasn’t a bat-off, or “the great Australian bake-off” as Bailey jokingly put it, the way the Australia A teams were selected and the batting orders, on top of the public debate, clearly showed there was no standout candidate even if the selectors had an idea of which way they were leaning from a long way out.Age, Bailey insisted, was not a factor despite McSweeney being 25 and a “super age”, as Bailey called it, compared to a 32-year-old Marcus Harris and a soon to be 32-year-old Cameron Bancroft.The non-selection of 19-year-old Sam Konstas and a host of decisions this panel has made in recent times would be evidence in their eyes that they do pick for the here and now. But it is hard to believe that either consciously or unconsciously, a panel as thoughtful and analytical as Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide did not at least consider the possibility that selecting an exclusively over 30s XI in Perth was not the ideal way to future-proof a team that is hurtling towards a transition period.Where they have been consistent is with the insistence that batting positions don’t matter, and they are intent on picking the best players in the country for the Test team.This is where McSweeney’s selection is fascinating. He is set to open the batting in Perth having never done it at Sheffield Shield level and having only done it at first-class level for the first time against India A in the last five days.

Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricketGeorge Bailey on Nathan McSweeney

“I don’t think it’s a huge adjustment to go from three to opening,” Bailey said. “I think in the 15 or so games that he’s been batting at three for South Australia, I think he’s been in before the 10th over about 20 times. He’s had plenty of experience. I think his game and the way he plays, I don’t think the adjustment will be too much.”It’s worth drilling into those numbers. The 15 Bailey refers to is the overall innings McSweeney has batted at No. 3 in Sheffield Shield cricket (one of those came for Queensland before the move to South Australia which accelerated his rise). He has averaged 30.86 with one century and three half-centuries that have all come this calendar year in his last seven hits in the position.It is understood Australia’s selectors did a deeper dive into the candidates’ performances against the best Shield attacks on the Test venues in the recent past to find a separator amongst them. McSweeney stood out.Last season he made 64 and 100 in a low-scoring game against a New South Wales attack featuring Jackson Bird and Chris Tremain, 112 not out at the Gabba against Michael Neser, Mark Steketee and Mitchell Swepson, and 117 against the Shield finalists Tasmania on a brutal wicket at Bellerive where the next highest score in the game was 68. This season he scored 55 and 127 not out against NSW at Cricket Central in Sydney where Nathan Lyon took eight wickets across 63.3 overs. His 39 and 88 not out against India A were standout performances in Mackay on a surface assisting the quicks.Nathan McSweeney has impressed at a time when Shield runs have been at a premium•Getty ImagesBut it’s worth noting he batted at No. 3 in just two of those eight innings, No. 4 in five of them and No. 5 once. His entry points were in the 26th, 18th, 46th, 19th, 24th, 11th, 4th and 25th overs respectively. Two of those four centuries came batting behind a nightwatcher.Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No. 3 in Tests with eight centuries, including a double, and though he won’t admit it publicly, even he found the adjustment to opening difficult.For this reason, Harris and Bancroft have a right to feel aggrieved. For 12 months the selectors have pointed to past success stories of Usman Khawaja, Justin Langer, Simon Katich and Shane Watson as converted Test openers to support their stance that batting positions do not matter. But there is a chance they are outliers depending on how you view things. As Smith showed, and as most grizzled openers will attest, there is a distinct difference between occasionally walking out early at one or two for not many to face the new ball and doing it day in, day out for over a decade as Harris and Bancroft have.Harris’ Test scores of 79 and 70 at the SCG and Perth Stadium against a Jasprit Bumrah led India attack in 2018-19, and 76 against James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on an MCG minefield in 2021-22, do not seem to have overturned perceptions around his inability to convert starts and the large gulf between his first-class record at the bowling graveyard of the Junction Oval compared to the Test venues.His 74 against India A on Friday appears to have been too little too late, despite no other top three batter in the game, including McSweeney, passing 25. His play against spin would also be a factor. He looked far from comfortable against Tanush Kotian’s offspin. Australia’s hierarchy are wary of giving R Ashwin a look at four left-handers in the top seven.Marcus Harris’ hopes of resuming his Test career will now likely depend on injury to others•Getty ImagesFor Bancroft, perception about his technical deficiencies are becoming reality. After he was overlooked in January having dominated the Shield for two summers, he was never going to be selected having returned 29 runs in eight first-class innings this season. Bailey insisted the door wasn’t closed for either Harris or Bancroft. But brutally for both men, it is clear they are the wrong side of 30, and despite higher career averages than McSweeney, those too are the wrong side of 40 despite this being a difficult era for batters in Shield cricket.It is noteworthy that McSweeney’s consistency of mechanics, method and decision-making have been praised in the aftermath of his selection.For Konstas, his time is coming but it’s not quite now. When Khawaja will end remains a mystery, but the 19-year-old appears perfectly poised to assume his position with more first-class experience under his belt.Ultimately, McSweeney is in the right place at the right time. He has been identified as a future Australian leader and his first-class form is matching that standing.”[We’re] really thrilled with Nathan’s game,” Bailey said. “Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricket. I think he’s wonderful person. He’s clearly had some good leadership exposure now, good catcher, bowl’s some good off spin too. So the package is really impressive.”He is, however, about to step into a new world.

They might still be in the relegation zone, but things are starting to look up for West Ham United this season.

Following their draw away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have lost just one of their last six games.

The Portuguese manager has made the East Londoners far harder to play against and is getting more out of players, such as Callum Wilson.

The Englishman is starting to look like his old self, but if reports are to be believed, West Ham could soon sign an upgrade.

West Ham target Wilson upgrade

While the Hammers have most certainly improved over the last couple of months, it’s clear that they still need reinforcements in the January window, and so it’s not been a surprise to see them linked with a host of talented players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Chelsea’s Axel Disasi has once again been touted for a move to the London Stadium, as has Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jose Sa.

Yet, as good a signing as those two would be, neither one could be described as an upgrade on Wilson, unlike Joaquín Panichelli.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, West Ham are one of a few Premier League clubs interested in the Argentine striker.

Alongside the East Londoners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Aston Villa have set their sights on the RC Strasbourg star.

A potential price for the 23-year-old is not mentioned in the report, but given that his £28k-per-week contract runs until 2030, he’s unlikely to come cheap.

With that said, West Ham should still do what they can to sign Panichelli, even if his arrival would be bad news for Wilson.

How Panichelli compares to Wilson

Now, it should be said that, as things stand, Wilson is doing an excellent job for West Ham.

However, football is a brutal game, and if the Irons can find themselves a better striker in the winter window, they should sign them.

So, with that said, is Panichelli a better forward than the Englishman?

Well, when it comes down to their output, the most important metric of all for forward, the answer is resounding yes.

For example, so far this season, the Argentine, whom U23 scout Antonio Mango has dubbed “one of the most in-form Strikers in Europe,” has scored ten goals in 19 appearances.

Appearances

19

13

Goals

10

4

Assists

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.38

That means that the former Deportivo Alavés star is averaging a goal involvement every 1.9 games.

In contrast, the former Newcastle United ace has scored four goals and provided one assist in 13 appearances this season, resulting in a goal involvement every 2.6 games.

Another area in which the Córdoba-born gem clearly has a significant advantage over the Irons ace is age.

The once-capped international only turned 23 in October, whereas the Coventry-born poacher is 33 and set to turn 34 in February.

Now, this may not be an issue at the moment, but it does mean Nuno cannot build a team around the Englishman, which isn’t the case for the “clinical” Strasbourg striker, as dubbed by Mango.

Ultimately, while Wilson shouldn’t be moved on, West Ham should sign Panichelli next month to rival him for game time and then eventually surpass him to become the club’s starting number nine.

West Ham already have a Paqueta replacement who's 'like Kevin De Bruyne'

Nuno already has his Paqueta replacement in a hugely exciting West Ham star.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

Lionel Messi helped to inspire Inter Miami to a historic MLS Cup triumph, but the Argentine GOAT was not really in a party mood when wild post-match celebrations were taken in. Club co-owner Sir David Beckham formed part of those, as he led a conga line, but Messi – who has enhanced his status as the most decorated player of all-time – looked like he would rather be anywhere else in the world.

• Historic win: Inter Miami land MLS Cup in 2025

  The Herons have savoured MLS Cup glory for the first time, with impressive progress being made over the course of five years since becoming another expansion franchise in 2020. Acquiring eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in 2023 represented a notable coup for the club.

  He helped them to Leagues Cup success a matter of weeks after arriving in South Florida, before claiming the Supporters’ Shield in record-breaking style last season. Inter Miami have now landed the ultimate prize, with Vancouver being seen off in the 2025 MLS Cup final.

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• Watch Messi forced to join Beckham's conga line

• How many trophies has Messi won?

  The contest took place at Chase Stadium, as the Herons prepare to bid farewell to that venue and move into a new purpose-built home for 2026. They delivered the perfect send-off when overcoming Thomas Muller and the Whitecaps.

  Messi was not among the goals in a 3-1 win over Vancouver, but delivered Golden Boot-winning exploits during the regular season – finding the target on 43 occasions across all competitions.

  The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker now has 47 major titles to his name. He was full of smiles after hoisting the MLS Cup aloft as captain of Inter Miami. Beckham was on hand – alongside wife Victoria – to join in with those celebrations.

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  Back for more: Messi under contract through 2028

  The party carried on long after confetti had been cleared from the field, with Inter Miami’s squad getting the chance to let their hair down alongside friends and family. Beckham was front and centre again, with the Manchester United and England legend leading players in a conga as drinks flowed.

  Messi was dragged into that performance, seemingly against his wishes. The evergreen 38-year-old looked less than impressed at being forced to parade alongside Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo De Paul.

  While not really being in the party spirit, Messi will be back for more with Inter Miami next season. He has committed to a new three-year contract that will take him through 2028. The all-time great also has a World Cup title defence with Argentina on his agenda, with the expectation being that he will form part of the Albiceleste’s plans for the major tournament that is heading to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

Highlights from round four of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26

Shashank Kishore02-Dec-2025

Hardik returns from injury in style

Returning to competitive cricket for the first time since injuring (left quadricep) himself ahead of the Asia Cup final in September, Hardik Pandya struck an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls to power Baroda home in a tall chase of 223 against Punjab.Hardik put together a crucial third-wicket partnership of 101 with Shivalik Sharma, who was tactically retired out on 47 off 32. This allowed Jitesh Sharma, Baroda’s new recruit, to join Hardik with the side needing 30 off 15 balls. Baroda needed just nine more balls to seal victory.Hardik’s batting performance somewhat made up for his underwhelming returns with the ball. He finished with figures of 4-0-52-1, with much of his early damage caused by Punjab captain Abhishek Sharma who waltzed to an 18-ball 50, before being dismissed off the following delivery.Punjab’s innings went into overdrive courtesy Anmolpreet Singh (69 off 32) and Naman Dhir (39 off 28). Yet, they found the target easily razed down in the end, with Baroda winning by seven wickets.Both sides have two wins in as many matches in Group C, which is currently led by Gujarat, who have three wins in four matches.

Shaw’s rapid 66 trumps Suryavanshi ton

After scores of 14, 13 and 5 in his first three knocks, Bihar’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi, set to be India’s opener at next month’s Under-19 World Cup, made heads turn with an unbeaten 61-ball 108. In the process, he became the youngest player (14 years) to hit a ton in the tournament.Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest batter to score a century in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy•PTI

Suryavanshi hit seven fours and seven sixes in Bihar’s 176 for 3. Suryavanshi’s three centuries are the joint-most by an Indian in 2025, along with Abhishek Sharma. Ayush Mhatre and Ishan Kishan have two hundreds each.Suryavanshi’s knock, however, wasn’t enough in the face of an opening onslaught from Maharashtra captain Prithvi Shaw. Hoping to attract the attention of IPL franchises after going unsold for IPL 2025, Shaw laid the foundation of Maharashtra’s chase with a 30-ball 66 at the top of the order. Maharashtra eventually got home by three wickets in hand with one over to spare.This was Maharashtra’s second win in four games, while Bihar continued to remain winless.

Sarfaraz slams maiden ton as Mumbai remain unbeaten

Sarfaraz Khan slammed his maiden T20 century, an unbeaten 47-ball 100, in Mumbai’s 98-run win over Assam. This was their fourth win, which puts them at the top of Group A.The other contributions in Mumbai’s 220 for 4 were Ajinkya Rahane, who made a 33-ball 42 opening the innings; Ayush Mhatre made 21, fresh off two consecutive centuries; the end of the innings also received a finishing kick courtesy Sairaj Patil, who slammed an unbeaten 9-ball 25. In response, Assam were bundled out for 120; Riyan Parag, the captain, bagged a two-ball duck. Shardul Thakur, the Mumbai captain, picked 5 for 23

Padikkal century crushes TN

Devdutt Padikkal struck his fourth T20 century – an unbeaten 46-ball 102 – as Karnataka bounced back from two back-to-back losses to trounce Tamil Nadu by 145 runs. This is their second win in four matches that keeps their chances of making the Super Fours alive.Sent in to bat, Karnataka raced to a 69-run opening stand between Mayank Agarwal and BR Sharath (53 off 23), before Padikkal took centrestage. He hit 10 fours and six sixes in his innings. The in-form R Smaran, who has made quite an impression so far this season, made 46 not out. TN captain Varun Chakravarthy conceded 47 off four wicketless overs.TN’s chase never got going; they were eventually bowled out for 100 in 14.2 overs with N Jagadeesan’s 21 being the top score. B Sai Sudharsan managed just 8. Karnataka’s legspinning duo of Shreyas Gopal and Pravin Dubey picked up three wickets apiece.Related

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The result puts TN in the bottom half of Group D, with their domestic season going from bad to worse. After finishing the first half of the Ranji season winless and going through a coaching reshuffle for the white-ball leg, they’ve now managed just one win in four matches and are in danger of not progressing beyond the group stages.

Bishnoi, Tendulkar make an impression

Released by Lucknow Super Giants ahead of IPL 2026, Ravi Bishnoi offered a timely reminder of his quality with a three-for in Gujarat’s emphatic win over Puducherry. The result – their third in four games – keeps Gujarat well-placed for a Super Four berth. Bishnoi now has six wickets in four outings, at an economy of 7.62.File photo: Ravi Bishnoi goes through his bowling drills•PTI

Choosing to bowl first, Gujarat skittled Puducherry for just 83 in 13.1 overs before cantering to the target in nine overs. Opener Aarya Desai sealed the chase with an unbeaten 53 off 30 balls. The defeat was Puducherry’s second in four matches.Freshly traded to LSG, Arjun Tendulkar starred in Goa’s impressive win over a formidable Madhya Pradesh side. Tendulkar returned figures of 3 for 36, including the late wicket of Venkatesh Iyer for 5 to restrict MP to 170 for 6.Goa then cruised through the chase, sealing victory with seven wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. Abhinav Tejrana’s brisk 55 off 33 and Suyash Prabhudessai’s composed, unbeaten 75 off 50 ensured there were no hiccups along the way.Both MP and Goa have two wins in four games in Group B.

WI captain saw their improved performance in Delhi after being forced to follow as a positive sign

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-20253:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

Roston Chase saw encouraging signs in West Indies’ performance against India in Delhi, despite the visitors losing by seven wickets.Shai Hope and John Campbell made centuries, the first two for West Indies in 2025. The team also batted 80-plus overs in both innings after failing to get to that mark all year, improvements that meant more coming against a strong Indian bowling outfit that included Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.”Yeah, I think this is the kind of fight that I wanted to see from us, from matches before”, Chase said at the post-match press conference. “So, I think this is a stepping stone, a building step for us to go forward and improve as a Test-playing nation. This is a performance that I think will give us the confidence and boost us in terms of that belief that we can do it against proper Test-playing nations.Related

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“I just want to see the guys continue in this vein and don’t let us go back to those ways. Even if it’s for us to lose, we have to lose in a good way. In a positive way, where we can have a lot of positives coming out of the game.”West Indies came to India without two of their best fast bowlers, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, who were both laid low by injuries. Ultimately, it wasn’t the bowling that let them down though. Chase understood that his side needed to improve their batting to get their first points in this new cycle of the World Test Championship.”I think where we could improve mainly is our batting,” Chase said. “I think that’s what let us down for the last two series. I think we have a good bowling attack, we had a few injuries. I just think that once we can put good first-inning totals on the board, we will be able to fight for some wins in the Test Championship.”John Campbell and Shai Hope put on West Indies’ highest partnership of the 2025 so far•AFP/Getty ImagesBut this process is complicated by the way the West Indies cricket system currently functions.”When a lot of our players come into the international level, they play like 20 first-class games, 15 first-class games,” Chase said. “While other teams, when guys come into international cricket, they have like 80 first-class games, 100 first-class games.”Domestic competitions help batters learn how to score big runs and replicate the process over an extended period of time. West Indies, though, are having to manufacture success without that essential ingredient. This is part of why they have had one-off wins, against Australia in Brisbane and against Pakistan in Multan, but are struggling for consistency.”So for us, it’s always learning on the job,” Chase said. “So if a guy can get a little longer run [playing Test matches] so that he can adjust and adapt to this level and see what it takes for him to improve and to be consistent at this level, I think that’s good. And I just think that the fight that we showed in this last game will, as I said, give us that belief and that confidence to know that we have what it takes to perform at this level.”One bright spot for West Indies on this tour of India was the allrounder Justin Greaves, who finished the series with an unbeaten 50 from No. 7 and showed good skill in combating India’s spinners.”Yeah, well, actually, if we had batted first, he [Greaves] would have batted at No. 6,” Chase. “But obviously him being the allrounder, bowling allrounder, bowling many [14 out of 134.2] overs first, we just wanted to give him some rest. So we just put him at No. 7. But yeah, I think he’s a capable batsman. I know him for a long period and I personally think his batting is better than his bowling.”West Indies’ next Test match is in December against New Zealand. Chase accepted the first year of this WTC cycle has been hard on his team but hoped for better returns in 2026.”And I think that we had a chat and this first year in the cycle, we always know it was going to be tough with opposition like Australia, India and then we go to New Zealand. But I think that once we learn from what we’ve done in those series and take it into the next year where we have guys like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, guys that we are closer to in the rankings, I think that we can be more competitive against those once we learn from these games.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Fernando Diniz deve promover uma novidade na equipe titular do Fluminense para o duelo contra o Colo-Colo, do Chile, válido pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores. Durante a preparação para o confronto, o técnico realizou testes na equipe e existe a possibilidade do volante Martinelli iniciar a partida no Maracanã como zagueiro.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

Com isso, o jogador deve ocupar a vaga de Thiago Santos, que vai para o banco de reservas, e formar a dupla de zaga com Felipe Melo. Lima, por sua vez, assume uma posição no meio-campo.

No entanto, essa não será a primeira vez que Diniz promove uma mudança de posicionamento de seus jogadores no clube. Contratado como volante em março do ano passado, Thiago Santos passou a atuar como zagueiro sob o comando do treinador e teve seu vínculo renovado com o Flu até o fim de 2025.

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Outro jogador que experimentou essa transição foi André. Formado como meia nas categorias de base, o jogador já atuou como defensor em diversas ocasiões. Inclusive, desempenhou o papel em parte do duelo contra o Boca, na final da Libertadores.

O treinador também foi responsável por transformar Caio Henrique em lateral-esquerdo. Meia-atacante de origem, o jogador migrou de posição sob comando de Diniz em 2019 e se tornou titular absoluto do Fluminense. Caio Paulista, atualmente no Palmeiras, também foi passou por transformação semelhante no Tricolor das Laranjeiras.

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PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO DO FLUMINENSE

Após empatar em 1 a 1 com o Allianza Lima, no Peru, o Fluminense terá novidades para o duelo contra o Colo-Colo. Recuperados de lesão, Paulo Henrique Ganso e Germnán Cano estão à disposição de Diniz e devem iniciar o duelo.

Para dar maior qualidade e fluídez à saída de bola, Martinelli deve ocupar a vaga de Thiago Santos e forma a dupla de de zaga ao lado de Felipe Melo.

Portanto, a provável escalação do Fluminense tem: Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Felipe Melo, Martinelli, Marcelo; André, Lima, Ganso; Marquinhos, Arias, Cano.

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Owners of the three franchises confirm they will continue working with the PCB for next ten years

Danyal Rasool25-Nov-2025

The owners of Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Islamabad United have all confirmed they will renew their ownership for ten further years. The announcements follow previous public statements from Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi also officially confirming their renewed ownership.It means the five franchises the PSL began with have signed deals to continue with the same owners. Shortly after United went public, Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen announced he would not be extending his ownership of the franchise.Each franchise was widely expected to renew. Kings, who were initially the most valuable franchise in 2016, officially saw the smallest percentage growth in their annual franchise fee, representing what were perceived as particularly beneficial terms. They were valued at PKR 440 million (approx US$1.57m) in 2016 and about 790 million (approx US$2.8m) in the most recent valuation.Related

Multan Sultans owner decides not to renew ownership of PSL franchise

With incumbent owners retaining franchise rights, they are required to pay the old value plus 25% of the new valuation, meaning Kings’ annual franchise fee comes to around PKR 640 million (approx US$2.3m). That means their market value has dipped below that of Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, and is only higher than Quetta Gladiators.”A decade ago, we made a promise to help bring cricket back to Pakistan,” Kings owner, Salman Iqbal, tweeted. “Today, I am proud to announce that we have officially renewed Karachi Kings’ franchise rights for the next 10 years! This isn’t just a renewal; it’s a recommitment to the vision that built the HBL PSL.”Quetta and Islamabad have joined them. Gladiators are understood to have the lowest market value but the largest growth in their value. Their annual fee in 2016 was about PKR 187 million (approx US$660,000). With their market value going up to approximately PKR 690 million (approx US$2.45m), retention means the owners will have to pay in the region of PKR 360 million (approx US$1.28m) per year.United, too, have pipped Kings in market value, which is estimated at about PKR 860 million (approx US$3.06m). This is up from PKR 255 million (approx US$910,000) at the advent of the PSL, requiring owner Ali Naqvi to pay about PKR 470 million (approx US$1.67m).Two new teams will be added ahead of the next season of the PSL, which is set to be held between March and May 2026. With Sultans’ ownership group declining to retain, the PSL has to find an ownership solution for three teams before the draft for the 11th edition can get underway.

Liverpool fans have flooded Mohamed Salah’s first social media post since his explosive interview in which he accused the Reds of throwing him under the bus during what has become a testing season for everybody at Anfield. The Egyptian also claims that his relationship with Arne Slot has broken down. Supporters have urged him not to make things “personal” and risk tarnishing his legacy.

• Salah rocked the Liverpool boat after being benched

  Salah, who has earned legend status across eight memorable seasons with Liverpool, felt the need to speak out in public after being left on the bench for a dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds. That fixture was the third in a row that the 33-year-old winger has found himself named among the substitutes.

  The two-time Premier League title winner has claimed that certain people are trying to force him out of Anfield, a matter of months after committing to a two-year contract extension. He has also suggested that his past achievements – which include 250 goals for the Reds – should make him an almost guaranteed starter, regardless of collective struggles for form.

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  Salah left out of Liverpool's squad for Inter clash

  Many have been quick to condemn his comments, with the boat being rocked at a time in which Liverpool are looking to steer a course towards calmer waters. He has been left out of Arne Slot’s plans for a Champions League clash with Serie A giants Inter at San Siro on Tuesday.

  Salah did train alongside the rest of his team-mates before they headed to Italy, but it remains to be seen whether he will pull on a famous red shirt again – with Africa Cup of Nations duty fast approaching. He will head off with his country following a meeting with Brighton on Saturday.

• Fans urge outspoken Salah to apologise

  Salah is being urged to eat a healthy portion of humble pie and build bridges with those that he has antagonised on and off the field at Liverpool. @carpbedlam has said on social media: “You ruined it Mo, time to apologise mate. Liverpool and it's real fans will forgive you this one.” On a similar note, @PresidentofTW added: “Come back to your senses, apologize to the coach, and trust that Slot will be kind enough to bring you back to the team and put you on the bench again.”

  @ATexels said when advising Salah on what should happen next: “Legend at the club, but you are making this look like Isak leaving Newcastle. Please don’t make this personal.” @Lermbda has pointed out that there was “no need for that Mo”, but @W1LLSLive believes there could still be a way back. He said: “Training alone proves he still has the mentality for the club.”

  They were all responding to a post from Salah which shows him hitting the gym at Liverpool’s training centre. He has little company there, with Slot’s side in Milan ahead of a return to European action.

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• What Slot said in response to Salah's comments

  When asked about Salah’s comments at his pre-match press conference, Slot told reporters: “I am a firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player. But that is not… I can leave it with that I think.” He added when pressed further on whether the Egyptian superstar will represent the club again: “I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”

  Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson has stated his hope that Salah will not be phased out. The South American said of his absent team-mate: “I don’t think anything but I hope he plays again for the club.”

  Salah, who previously struggled in English football at Chelsea, joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer of 2017. He has taken in 420 appearances for the club, helping them to domestic and continental honours.

  His new contract is due to run until 2027, taking him to a decade of service on the red half of Merseyside, but serious questions are now being asked of whether said deal will be honoured. Slot is also seeing his future become the subject of intense debate, with the Dutch tactician overseeing just one win from Liverpool’s last six games in all competitions.