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Manchester United are looking to add to their squad while not overstepping the mark financially, and they have now reportedly made an enquiry for a Brazil international, according to reports.

Man Utd eye shock Dominic Calvert-Lewin deal

The Red Devils and INEOS are looking to add to the pack after Matheus Cunha’s arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers and find themselves pushing to land Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. Diego Leon has also finalised his move to the club.

Reports suggest a deal could be finalised by Monday that would see the Cameroon international head to Old Trafford. At the same time, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins and Nigeria hitman Victor Osimhen have also been touted as potential offensive recruits.

However, Manchester United could sign free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a squad rotation option. However, journalist Ben Jacobs believes he may need to lower his wage demands before a deal for the ex-Everton striker can become viable.

He stated: “Calvert-Lewin’s wage demands are very high, and therefore it is unlikely that Man United will move in that direction unless the demands decrease or they have a hole in the squad later in the window. As a free agent, the player will be rigid on his demands.”

Premier League experience will become paramount for the Red Devils in their rebuilding phase. Ruben Amorim is likely to have one game a week to manage most weeks, offering the possibility of focusing solely on the club’s league position without external commitments.

INEOS make £320m: AI predicts players Manchester United will sell this summer

It could be a busy summer ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.

1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 21, 2025

Cup football will also present a chance at silverware. Nevertheless, there is plenty of work to be done in the market before Manchester United are back challenging for honours, though their latest pursuit wouldn’t be a bad step in the right direction.

Man Utd make Douglas Luiz enquiry

According to reports relayed by FootballTransfers, Manchester United and therefore INEOS have submitted an enquiry regarding Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz’s availability following a frustrating campaign that has seen the Brazil international be placed on the transfer list.

Everton and Fulham are also in pursuit of the ex-Aston Villa man, who made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Old Lady last season.

He has previously been lauded as a “very underrated” engine room presence by Paul Merson, with the former Arsenal man claiming Luiz was every bit as good as the likes of Declan Rice and Rodri while he plied his trade in the West Midlands.

Douglas Luiz in 2024/25 – key statistics in Serie A (Fotmob)

Tackles won

8

Duels won

36

Pass accuracy

90.4%

Recoveries

31

Long ball accuracy

75%

Earning £138,000 per week in Turin, there is also talk that Luiz could be used as a part of a swap deal that would see Juventus land Jadon Sancho, albeit aforementioned striker Vlahovic is also mentioned, making the saga a possibility and nothing more.

Injury problems hampered the 27-year-old last term, and a return to the English top-flight could now be on the cards, though there would be other considerations to take into account for Manchester United.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are two existing deeper-lying midfield options, while Kobbie Mainoo can also operate in the six, so Amorim would potentially need to think about cutting someone loose to ensure his side had the space to acquire Luiz.

Lalas also pushed back on claims from Pulisic, Tim Weah that ex-USMNT stars criticize players unfairly

Lalas dismisses characterization of criticism as "evil"Questions Pulisic involving his father in public disagreementMeola also hit out at Mark Pulisic for jumping into frayWHAT HAPPENED

Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas questioned Christian Pulisic’s decision to involve his father, Mark, in the back-and-forth between current and ex-national team players, suggesting the forward should handle criticism on his own.

Despite a summer in which he was entangled in controversy and the subject of harsh criticism, Pulisic maintains he made the right decision to withdraw from the 2025 Gold Cup. In the latest episodes the PULISIC docuseries, his father, Mark, echoed his son's comments and challenged previous USMNT stars to reflect on their own accomplishments before calling out the current team for its struggles.

"These guys want clicks and social media," Mark Pulisic said in the documentary. "Don't get me wrong, I respect all of them. I mean, they were players that I looked up to. But quite frankly, the guys before us didn't win anything either. I think they should look in the mirror and look at their last performances for the national team before they start talking sh*t.

"It's jealousy. You know, people want to be in issues, and they'll find any reason to bring him down. But Christian doesn't give a sh*t what anyone says."

That sparked a response from Lalas.

“Don't bring your dad to a fight,” Lalas wrote in a column for FOX Sports. “I get that Mark Pulisic, like other dads out there, has been involved directly in bringing up, in this case, Christian. I get that he's a former coach. But who brings their dad to a fight? If you're angry at me or Landon or anybody else who is being critical of you, that's fine.

“You have a platform, you have a microphone – some would say bigger than anybody else out there – to get that off your chest, but you don't need to bring your dad. Never once has it even occurred to have my father defend me from the slings and arrows that are inevitable, but well done. You got me to watch, and you got exactly what you wanted.”

Lalas also pushed back on accusations from Pulisic and Tim Weah that ex-U.S. stars criticize players unfairly for attention. He argued that their complaints only fueled the very attention they claimed to resent, while rejecting the suggestion that his analysis crossed into something more sinister.

“First and foremost, if you're going to accuse people of doing things for clicks and for attention or to watch a show, well played,” Lalas wrote. “That's exactly what you just did, and it's exactly what happened… We are evil? That's a whole other level. I don't feel evil. I don't think that I am, and I don't think that any of the other guys that you may have been referring to are evil in our criticism. But if they were, I sure as hell wouldn't respect them.”

AdvertisementWHAT TONY MEOLA SAID

Another U.S. legend, Tony Meola, shares a personal history with Mark Pulisic as they played together. Meola advised him to stay out of the media disputes.

"I've been friends with Mark Pulisic for a long time. We played together at the youth level. You gotta stay out, Mark," Meola said on the Call it What You Want podcast. “I know you’re a dad, I know you get emotional, your kid is at the top of the heap, right? I’ve got other friends in other major sports in America that their kids right now are in top of the heap.They listen to this all the time about their kids. 

"You can’t respond. Stay out. Christian is a big boy. He will be able to do this on his own. He will be able to carry this team.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Meola and Lalas’ comments highlight the increasingly tense relationship between current USMNT stars and the previous generation of players who now work in media.

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

The USMNT will face immediate tests during the next FIFA international window with friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 and Japan on Sept. 9.

Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1. This after the ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term – for the chair and the independent director – be changed.In a statement on Monday, the ICC said that the recommendation will now be “circulated for approval” among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members.While no reason behind the recommendation was made public, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC’s drive for better governance. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity.Shah, who is 35, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay, who has served two of his three terms since being elected in 2020 for the first time. The independent director’s position, meanwhile, has been lying vacant since former Pepsico chair Indra Nooyi finished her three terms earlier this summer.There were changes to the ICC men’s cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative.In a statement issued by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association*, Edwards said, “I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. Having been in the ICC Associate Member system, and playing with and against many Full Member and Associate Member sides over the past six years, I believe I have a good understanding of the challenges Associate countries and players face. I look forward to representing these countries to the best of my ability.”The women’s FTP – the second, after the one announced in 2022 – will be out soon•Getty Images

Women’s FTP for 2025-2029 to be out soonThe ICC Board has approved the next women’s future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced in a few days. It will be the second FTP for women following the one announced in 2022.The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) also approved shifting the calendar for the women’s rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 each year. In order for the rankings to reflect, the teams will have to play a minimum of eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) as opposed to the six currently. This is because of the increase in the volume of women’s cricket.The mechanism for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalised. Currently, there are 16 women’s teams with ODI status. Apart from the 11 Full Members, five Associate Members – Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and USA – were included in the 2022-2025 cycle. For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top-two Associate teams that qualify for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier 2025 will gain ODI status, while the remaining three slots will be filled based on the T20I rankings at the time of annual update [May 1, 2025]. This will mean that their ODI status will hinge on their T20I performances.The creation of two annual T20I tournaments between 2025 and 2028 for Associate teams has also been approved. This is to boost competition ahead of the 16-team women’s T20 World Cup in 2030.

da winzada777： Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has started a new era at the football club, looking to build on the progress made by Ange Postecoglou.

da imperador bet： The Aussie won the Europa League in his final game in charge, securing their place in the Champions League and handing the supporters a memorable night at the end of a dismal season.

Such a decision to sack him may have appeared harsh, but it now hands the former Brentford boss the opportunity to create new history for the club in North London.

With the summer transfer window once again open for sides to make new additions, the hierarchy have already wasted no time in targeting moves to hand him with the tools he desires.

Numerous areas of the pitch are in need of investment to help provide quality and depth in key areas, especially if they are to be competitive in the Premier League and Europe.

The latest in Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

After Frank’s arrival, winger Bryan Mbeumo has been largely touted with a move to follow his former manager across the capital to join Spurs this window.

However, if they are to land the 25-year-old’s signature, they will have to fend off interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils seemingly in pole position at present.

Another name has entered the frame within the attacking department in recent days, with Rennes star Arnaud Kalimuendo firmly on their radar, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites have been in talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a deal for the 23-year-old, who’s scored 18 times across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that he’s valued at around the €25m (£21.3m) mark, but will face competition for his signature, with sides in Spain and Germany also wanting a move for the 23-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s next Wissa

As previously mentioned, Mbeumo was a key part of Frank’s success at Brentford, but striker Yoane Wissa also thrived under his guidance and reached levels never seen in his career before.

The DR Congo forward made 35 appearances in the league last time around, registering a total of 19 goals and four assists, forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian.

Like his current teammate, he’s been linked with a move to join Spurs this window, potentially following the manager in moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

However, they’re not alone in their hunt, with Nottingham Forest once again emerging in the race after having an offer rejected for him back in January.

If Frank is unable to land a reunion with Wissa, he should pursue a move for Kalimuendo, with the Frenchman having all the tools to be a threat in the Premier League.

The Rennes ace, who’s been labelled “one of the most prolific” stars by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, backing up the claim made about him.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher take-on success rate – handing Frank the all-round option he’ll need in North London.

Most goals scored by U23 STs in Europe’s top-five leagues (2024/25)

Player

Club

Games

Goals

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Stade Rennais

33

17

Hugo Ekitiké

Eintracht Frankfurt

33

15

Emanuel Emegha

Strasbourg

27

14

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

33

13

Mika Biereth

Monaco

16

13

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

37

12

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

35

11

Joao Pedro

Brighton

27

10

Stats via Transfermarkt

Kalimuendo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, also registering more carries into the final third and more passes into the opposition area per 90, handing the attackers around him the chance to thrive too.

Whilst Wissa may appear to be a solid option given his time under the manager at the GTEC, a move for the Frenchman could allow the boss to land his next attacking star.

If he can transfer his skillset across to England, it would be a superb signing, having the potential to explode into an elite level talent given his tender age.

Related He's more exciting than Tel: Spurs now confident of signing £70m "monster"

The outrageously talented attacker will be incredible for Spurs.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 17, 2025

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, GOAL looks at the state of the shot-stoppers vying for a spot next summer

With the Gold Cup complete and the World Cup on the horizon, there are still more questions than answers at the U.S. men's national team's goalkeeper position. Traditionally a position of strength for the USMNT, goalkeeper remains a major talking point at the moment – one that was furthered, but not ended, by an interesting summer run.

At the Gold Cup, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino surprised many by sticking with one player, Matt Freese, throughout the tournament. Matt Turner, the incumbent, watched from the bench. As a result, the U.S. didn't eliminate contenders from the goalkeeper race but, instead, added them, making it even more complicated as they head into the home stretch of this World Cup cycle.

Currently, there are options, both veteran and inexperienced, in this pool, and all of them will believe they have a chance at making it onto the World Cup roster. Three will be included, but only one will start, and the races are heating up for each of the spots heading into next summer.

Post-Gold Cup, GOAL is looking at the state of the USMNT, analyzing the positional battles that will ultimately define next summer's team. First up: goalkeepers.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Starter: Matt Freese

  This, of course, is very much up for debate and could certainly change by the World Cup, if not sooner. At the moment, though, the edge goes to Freese, who proved capable throughout the Gold Cup.

  Handed his first start just before the tournament, Freese was generally solid during his run this summer, save for one botched clearance in the group stage. His penalty kick heroics against Costa Rica gave him a signature moment, too, as he stared down the legendary Keylor Navas and never came close to blinking.

  Instead, he went the correct way over and over again, making three crucial saves to send the U.S. to the semifinals.

  Freese's biggest assets are confidence and minutes, and he'll continue to build on both with New York City FC.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Backup: Matt Turner

  Throughout the summer, the message from USMNT camp centered on how helpful Turner was to Freese. Despite being the only experienced member of the goalkeeping pool, Turner didn't treat his Gold Cup backup status as a demotion. Instead, he treated it as an opportunity to help, going above and beyond to work with Freese.

  And while Turner was magnanimous in his backup role this summer, that doesn't mean he's settled on that outcome. He will, of course, be gunning for that starting spot, and he'll need to make a critical club move if he wants to land it.

  His proposed transfer to Lyon seems to still be on and, if he does head to the French club, he'll need to play not just consistently, but perform at a high level. He clearly has the talent and attitude, so it may all come down to the right fit at the right club – and the time is now to make that happen.

• Getty Images
  

  In The Mix: Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen

  There's a butterfly effect at play here. If both Schulte and Steffen hadn't been injured, Freese may not have started six straight games at the Gold Cup – and as a result, may not have emerged as the potential starter coming out the tournament. Such is the impact injuries can have, but it's also a reminder of how quickly things can change.

  Steffen, thus far, has seemed the most likely contender, having impressed during January camp. Unfortunately, the Colorado Rapids goalkeeper has been unfortunate, with injuries keeping him out of the team at crucial junctures. Steffen has plenty of ability – but as they say, the best ability is availability, and he hasn't been healthy often enough since Pochettino took over.

  Schulte, too, was unavailable this summer after sustaining an injury just before camp. He looked poised for a breakthrough after starting against Canada last fall. There's still time for the Columbus Crew shot-stopper, though, as he looks to make his own case.

• AFP
  

  For The Future: Chris Brady, Diego Kochen, Gaga Slonina

  There are multiple interesting goalkeepers in the pipeline, all of whom have some level of USMNT experience on their resume.

  Brady had the most recent engagement, having served as the third goalkeeper at this summer's Gold Cup. Again, that opportunity fell his way due to injuries, but it was certainly worthwhile, as he got to spend a month competing and learning from Freese and Turner – as well as the USMNT's coaching staff. The Chicago Fire star will surely benefit from that experience as he looks to keep building in MLS.

  Slonina, a former Fire star, just won the Club World Cup with Chelsea, albeit as the club's third goalkeeper. He'll almost certainly be headed back out on loan this season after an injury cut his time at Barnsley short last season.

  And then there's Kochen, the rising Barcelona goalkeeper who could also use a spell away from his megaclub. Just 19, the Miami-born goalkeeper is one to watch as he looks to break through at the senior level.

Manchester City are getting through plenty of work at an early stage of the transfer window and could now pounce for one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, according to a report.

Manchester City look to push Rayan Ait-Nouri deal over the line

While Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders look set to join Manchester City from Lyon and AC Milan, respectively, there may be more good news on the way for Citizens’ supporters if David Ornstein’s latest update on business at the Etihad Stadium is anything to go by.

With the Club World Cup approaching and the need for signings to help Pep Guardiola evident, Rayan Ait-Nouri is closing in on a move to the blue half of Manchester from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Although a full agreement has yet to be reached between all parties, there is an expectation that the Algerian left-back will head to Manchester City shortly to compete with Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake on the left-hand side of defence.

Intriguingly, Guardiola has admitted he wants to run with a small squad to ensure he is able to allocate minutes appropriately rather than harbouring fringe stars with no realistic prospect of first-team football.

“I said to the club I don’t want that (a large squad). I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

His comments indicate that a quality over quantity approach may be the method of action taken to streamline his group after a trophyless season. Putting emphasis on the ‘quality’ he craves, Guardiola could now move for one of Europe’s most explosive young talents to provide a fresh injection on the flanks.

Manchester City line up swoop for Bradley Barcola

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have extensively scouted Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola during his excellent campaign for the French giants.

The outlet claim the 22-year-old could be a long-term replacement for Jack Grealish at the Etihad, though the Champions League holders are said to value the winger at around £101 million.

Bradley Barcola’s superb campaign for PSG – Ligue 1 (Fotmob)

Completed dribbles

34

Successful crosses

7

Shots on target

39

Chances created

50

Expected goals

13.58

Touches in opposition box

228

Becoming a force on the flank, Barcola registered 21 goals and 19 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions for PSG, which has also seen Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur coming to the table for his signature.

Nevertheless, Luis Enrique isn’t keen to lose one of his star men and is set to offer the Lyon-born star a contract that would see him remain at the Parc des Princes until 2030.

Manchester City are on the lookout for talent to shape the next few years of silverware they hope to achieve and Barcola would be someone who could thrive under Guardiola’s tutelage if he were to pitch up on English shores.

Elgar, Browne half-centuries set platform for visitors on opening day in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network24-May-2024Essex recovered from an early evening wobble to reach 287 for four at stumps on day one of their Vitality County Championship derby with Kent at Canterbury.Openers Dean Elgar and Nick Browne scored 77 and 65 respectively, putting on 146 for the first wicket.Joey Evison took two for 38 for a Kent attack weakened by injuries, but after reducing Essex to 224 for four, they were unable to shift either Jordan Cox or Michael Pepper, who were unbeaten on 51 and 35 at the close.When Essex won the toss and chose to bat a collective groan was uttered by the Spitfire Ground die-hards, who came in hope rather than expectation.A healthy first day crowd of 1,200 watched a one-sided first session unfold as an undercooked attack toiled.Browne was on nought when he drove at Stewart and Evison couldn’t cling on to a tough chance at mid-on, but that was about as close as Kent came during a sterile opening session.The hosts’ morning was summed up when Elgar reached 60 after a misfield from Zak Crawley, who sprinted 50 yards and clawed the ball back from the boundary, only for it to ricochet off his trailing arm and go back over the rope for four.An already injury-hit bowling attack was weakened further when Wes Agar injured his shoulder while fielding just before lunch, at which point it was 102 for nought.Browne reached 50 with two off Evison, but Matt Parkinson finally broke through in the 46th over, when Elgar charged down the wicket and was stumped by Harry Finch.Evison then produced a beauty that swing back in and bowled Browne middle-stump, which meant it was time for Cox to walk out at the St. Lawrence for the first time since his cross-Thames flit last year.He was given diplomatic applause, took ten balls to get off the mark and then hit Parkinson back over his head for six. At that point Cox looked like he was going to “go hard or go home”, but he reined himself in the face of some miserly Kent bowling and it was 185 for two at tea.Tom Westley flashed at Arafat Bhuiyan and was caught at first slip by Crawley for 21, but Grant Stewart couldn’t hold on to a violent return catch offered by Cox when he was on 15.Matt Critchley survived a strong lbw shot from Evison, only to be trapped in front by the same bowler in his next over for 13, but Kent opted not to take the new ball due to Agar’s ongoing absence.Cox continued to play watchfully while Pepper injected some aggression to tilt the contest back in Essex’s favour. They made an unbroken stand of 63 during the day’s final hour and Cox brought up his half-century with successive fours off Parkinson in the final over.

Openers overturn the deficit as Nottinghamshire set themselves for final-day push

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2024

Haseeb Hameed hits down the ground•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire 360 and 177 for 1 (Hameed 91, Slater 70*) lead Somerset 470 (Abell 111, Pretorius 95*, Pennington 5-96) by 67 runsSouth African all-rounder Migael Pretorius added an unbeaten 95 to his four first-innings wickets to help Somerset carve out a 110-run first innings lead on day three at Trent Bridge – yet with Nottinghamshire 177 for one in their second innings at the close, Craig Overton’s team have a lot to do if they are to take home a third Vitality County Championship win of the season.Pretorius, who spent part of last season with Durham, hammered six sixes and eight fours in a 71-ball assault to ensure that the efforts of Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby on day two were not wasted.Somerset had suffered a mid-innings stumble from 315 for four to 356 for eight and were still in arrears until Pretorius and Jack Leach (37) put on 79 in rapid time, the 29-year-old Pretorius missing out on a second career hundred only because he ran out of partners.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Dillon Pennington took five for 96, raising his tally for the season to 29 with his first five-wicket haul since moving from Worcester to Trent Bridge in the winter. Leg spinner Calvin Harrison’s reward for bowling 39 overs in the heat was figures of three for 173.Yet the wicket of Haseeb Hameed, bowled by captain Overton for 91, is Somerset’s only second-innings success so far from 58 overs of toil after the Nottinghamshire skipper had shared a 172-run opening partnership with Ben Slater, who finished on 70 not out in the company of nightwatchman Olly Stone.Earlier in the day, Abell could add only six to his unbeaten 105 on Monday before he misread a ball from Harrison that trapped him leg before. A glancing blow on the helmet facing fast bowler Stone had hardly helped his cause.His dismissal sparked a flurry of wickets. New batter Kasey Aldridge lasted only seven deliveries before being brilliantly caught at second slip by Harrison off Pennington, who found some extra bounce in his next over to frustrate James Rew, caught behind for 49.At 325 for seven in the 99th over, the sides were level on points, yet the next 11 overs saw Somerset surge ahead thanks largely to Pretorious, whose aggressive hitting brought him a 32-ball half-century.Pretorius hammered six over midwicket off Pennington and cleared the rope three times off Harrison, who was hit down the ground for another maximum by Leach. Back-to-back fours off Pennington from the England man raised the 400-mark in the 107th over.Pennington had Overton (20 from 13 balls) leg before and Harrison dismissed Leach via an edge behind soon after lunch, but Nottinghamshire missed out on a third bowling point. Not only that, they were powerless to stem the flow of runs from Pretorious.He launched one enormous slog-sweep off Harrison that achieved the not inconsiderable feat of clearing the Smith-Cooper Stand before driving Pennington for his sixth six – and could count himself mightily unfortunate to be left stranded when last man Jake Ball, who faced just five balls and contributed not a single run to a 35-run partnership, was leg before to give Pennington his five-for.Somerset were in a commanding position, in theory at least. Yet they would almost certainly have to bowl Nottinghamshire out for a second time if that position were to become a platform for a win, which looked potentially to be a tall order on an increasingly docile pitch.Thereafter, little happened to challenge that assessment. Dusty footmarks offered something for Leach to work with bowling from the Radcliffe Road End. The left-arm spinner was in action as early as the eighth over as openers Hameed and Slater set about negotiating the 26 overs up to tea but fashioned only one real chance in that period, the left-hander Slater put down by Overton at slip on 27.It allowed the pair to reach the interval with 72 runs knocked off the deficit, a platform from which their partnership became the biggest opening stand of the season for Nottinghamshire when it passed 81. Both completed half-centuries soon afterwards, the captain from 101 balls, Slater from 107.The final session similarly brought no rewards until the last 20 minutes of the day when Overton, bringing himself back for one last burst of pace, with Rew standing up to the stumps, bowled Hameed nine short of a century to break the partnership on 172.

After helping Sunrisers Hyderabad amass 287 for 3 with a 39-ball century and break the IPL record for highest total for the second time this season, opener Travis Head said his side would fancy targeting 300 as their next challenge. He also credited the captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori for pushing the openers to keep being aggressive in the first six overs.”[Our total] needs a three in front of it, does it now?” Head joked, when asked between innings about the benchmarks Sunrisers are setting for themselves, after the first innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. “It’s proper batting. We’ve wanted to be exciting the whole time, and we’ve wanted to take the game on, and Pat and then Dan have put pressure on the batting line-up to make sure we try and maximise the powerplay and then keep going.”We’ve got guys like [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Abdul] Samad and Nitish [Kumar Reddy, who] didn’t even get a hit today. We’ve got some power through the middle, and we want to keep just putting the foot down as much as we can. We know that’s not always guaranteed, but at the moment I think we’re setting it up really well in each game and getting to the score that we need.”Related

• Maxwell takes a break to refresh after asking to be rested by RCB

• Shock and awe all around at Head's hair-raising hundred

• Du Plessis: 'When the confidence is low, there's nowhere to hide'

• Stats – Sunrisers Hyderabad break their own record for highest-ever IPL total

• Head, Klaasen play decisive hands in Chinnaswamy big bash

Sunrisers smashed 22 sixes, the most in IPL history, and Head hit nine of them. Along with Abhishek Sharma, Head helped Sunrisers race away to 76 for 0 in the powerplay while also getting to his fifty. After the game, Head said he was enjoying batting with Abhishek. “We complement each other really well. He’s a young player and pretty fearless. There was a little bit of spin in the powerplay and he was so dominant against them. I’m loving it.”Head was eventually out in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102. His wicket brought zero respite though, as Klaasen pumped a 31-ball 67 from No. 3. Klaasen too was full of praise for his team-mate for setting up the match and making his job easier. “Unbelievable start there from Heady. It’s a special knock that. Puts the bowler under a lot of pressure,” Klaasen told the broadcaster after the game. “[I] came in and wanted to be very sensible and knock it around and make sure he faces majority of the balls. It is difficult to out-hit players like that so when it’s his night, make sure I’m on the other side and wait for a couple of bad balls. And then I should take over when he gets out.”It was nice batting out there, the wicket was nice and good but the tempo was set there upfront. Its nice to have bowlers under pressure when you come in.”

أكد جيرارد مارتن، مدافع نادي برشلونة، على سعادته الكبيرة بفوز فريقه يوم أمس الأحد على نظيره خيتافي ، وذلك لحساب بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

برشلونة استمر في نتائجه الرائعة خلال الفترة الأخيرة هذا الموسم وحقق انتصارًا عريضًا على حساب خيتافي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد، ضمن الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإسباني.

وجعل هذا الانتصار برشلونة يعزز موقعه في المركز الثاني وبرصيد 13 نقطة، خلف ريال مدريد المتصدر برصيد 15 نقطة وبالعلامة الكاملة من خمس انتصارات.

أقرأ أيضًا .. أولمو: لولا تسجيلنا مبكراً لأصبحت المباراة معقدة أمام خيتافي

وأشار مارتن في تصريحات نقلها موقع ”Barca universal” ، إلى أنه فخور حقًا بتحية جمهور برشلونة له في ملعب يوهان كرويف خلال لقاء الأمس ويسعى إلى تقديم المزيد.

وقال مارتن: ”أشعر برضا كبير عن مستواي وفخر كبير بتحية جمهور برشلونة لي وبرؤية أدائي الجيد وتقدير الناس لي، وفي النهاية، أنا سعيد للغاية وأريد تقديم المزيد”.

وأتم الظهير الأيسر في حديثه: “عندما تتاح لي فرصة اللعب، أسعى جاهدًا لاغتنامها وأظهر للمدرب أنني في أفضل حالاتي وهذا كل شيء”.

ويعول مدرب برشلونة، هانز فليك، على خدمات مارتن في مركز الظهير الأيسر بشكل أساسي، وذلك مع غياب أليخاندرو بالدي بسبب الإصابة.