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There have been two significant problems for Arsenal this season, which have resulted in yet another trophyless campaign.

The first is their numerous and significant injuries, and the second is their lack of cutting-edge up top, which said injuries have exacerbated.

For example, as things stand, the North Londoners have scored 17 goals fewer than Liverpool in the Premier League despite being just one place behind them in the table.

So, with such a clear deficit between them and their title rival, it’s hardly been surprising to see a host of talented attackers linked with the Gunners in recent weeks, such as Bryan Mbeumo, although even with his lofty price tag, one of Arsenal’s own stars is worth millions more.

Why Arsenal want sign Mbeumo

So, according to reports from earlier this week, Arsenal are keen on signing Mbeumo during the summer, but what is it about him that has caught the North Londoners’ eye

Well, the main thing is that even though he’s not the biggest name around and plays for a team who were in the Championship just a few seasons ago, the Cameroon international is a lean, mean goalscoring machine.

For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 3487 minutes this season, the “unplayable” attacker, as dubbed by Brentford boss Thomas Frank, has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 124.53 minutes.

Moreover, on top of his prolific nature in front of goal, the former Troyes star can play in a number of different positions, from right-wing to centre-forward to second striker, and he’s even made a few appearances off the left.

In all, Mbeumo would bring a mountain of goals with him to the Emirates and help bulk out Arteta’s attacking options, making his supposed £60m price tag seem relatively reasonable.

Yet, while he’d likely be a hit in North London, the Brentford star would have to hit the ground running and then some to see his valuation get anywhere near one of his potential teammates.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Mbeumo

The good news for Arsenal is that while they haven’t all performed at their best this season, they do have a few very talented attackers in the squad, such as Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz.

However, when it comes to someone who is worth considerably more than Mbeumo, only one player stands out: Bukayo Saka.

Yes, according to Transfermarkt, the young Englishman is worth up to an astounding €150m, which is about £126m, or a whopping £66m more than the Brentford ace is likely to cost the club.

Now, while that might sound like an absurd valuation, it’s probably a fair one, as, despite still being just 23 years old and missing over three months of the season, the Hale End superstar has still been the Gunners’ most productive player this season.

For example, in just 36 appearances, totalling 2592 minutes, the “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.38 games, or every 99.69 minutes.

Moreover, according to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions from shots and goal-creating actions, the top 2% for expected assists, the top 5% for goals plus assists and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Mbeumo would be a brilliant signing, it feels unlikely that he’d ever be as valuable as Saka, as the talismanic winger is already performing at a world-class level and has many more years to get even better.

Gyokeres alternative: Arsenal working to sign "monster" £60m Havertz upgrade

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Jack Salveson Holmes

May 20, 2025

Manchester United have now held talks with the agent of a “sensational” player, who is among the main contenders for the Ballon d’Or, according to a report.

Man Utd's pulling power called into question

The Europa League loss against Tottenham Hotspur means, of course, that Champions League football has once again eluded Man United, and Roy Keane has suggested his former club no longer have the pulling power to attract top players.

However, Old Trafford clearly remains an attractive destination, even though European football will not be on offer next season, with it recently being revealed that Bryan Mbeumo would still prefer to join United ahead of Tottenham Hotspur.

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There have also been suggestions that Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres remains interested in a move, despite the highly sought-after striker attracting the attention of some other top clubs, suggesting the Red Devils clearly still have pulling power.

As such, Man United have now stepped up their pursuit of the highly-regarded Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, making contact with his agent, Enzo Raiola, in order to discuss a potential summer move.

Donnarumma’s PSG contract is set to expire next June, meaning he could be on the move this summer, despite expressing a willingness to remain at the French club, saying: “My priority is to stay at PSG. I don’t think there will be problems in the negotiations.”

Ruben Amorim is keen to bring in an upgrade on Andre Onana, but it could be difficult to tempt the goalkeeper into a move, considering his desire to remain in Paris, and Champions League finalists Inter Milan could provide competition for his signature.

"Sensational" Donnarumma emerges as Ballon d'Or contender

With just one year left on his deal, the Italian could be available for just £34m this summer, which could be a bargain fee for a player vying to win the Ballon d’Or, currently ranked fourth in the 2025 Power Rankings.

In recent times, a player from the Champions League winners has often scooped up the prestigious award, and the 26-year-old kept a clean sheet in PSG’s 5-0 demolition of Inter in the final, although Desire Doue was arguably the star of the show.

Not only did the PSG shot-stopper impress in Munich, but he also caught the eye of Joe Prince-Wright in the semi-final against Arsenal, with the reporter suggesting the Italy international was one of the main reasons his side progressed past the Gunners.

Evidently, Donnarumma could be a fantastic signing for Man United, but it seems unlikely that he would be willing to leave the European champions to move to Old Trafford.

Nottingham Forest are “ready” to make their move for an England international in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer claim.

Damaging draw for Nottingham Forest as Marinakis takes centre stage

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side suffered a poor afternoon at the office on Sunday, drawing 2-2 at home to already-relegated Leicester City in the Premier League, affecting their Champions League qualification hopes badly.

Amid the disappointment, Forest continue to be linked with potential additions in the summer window, but the quality of their signings is likely to be affected by which European competition they qualify for next season, something owner Evangelos Marinakis is all too aware of.

Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah has been linked with a move to the City Ground at the end of the season, with the 22-year-old struggling for regular playing time this season, and unlikely to oust Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate any time soon. He could be an exciting young option with a bright future in the game.

Forest are also believed to be considering a move for Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee, with the Englishman in a similar situation to Quansah, in terms of not being a key starter for one of the biggest teams in the country.

Nottingham Forest "ready" to sign Loftus-Cheek

According to MilanLive [via Sport Witness], Nottingham Forest are “ready” to move for AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer, and could pay just £17m for his services.

The 29-year-old could leave the Serie A giants at the end of the season, following an injury-plagued campaign, though Fulham and West Ham are also mentioned as possible destinations. Meanwhile, Roma’s “excellent” relationship with Milan could give them the edge in the race to snap him up.

Loftus-Cheek could be an interesting option for Forest this summer, with the former Chelsea man a 10-cap England international who appeared for the Three Lions at the 2018 World Cup, playing four times. He is one of the best dribblers in his position in Europe, ranking in the 92nd percentile for progressive carries by central midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues.

The midfielder has now racked up 66 appearances in a Milan shirt, scoring 10 goals – it would be more if it weren’t for injury problems – and Owen Hargreaves has spoken of his admiration for him.

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Loftus-Cheek only has two years remaining on his current Milan deal, so they seem happy to cash in this summer, and he would be a shrewd addition for Forest, adding experience and physicality in the middle of the park, and not at an extortionate price.

Dillon Pennington was Nottinghamshire’s outstanding performer as Lancashire were denied the prosperity they had been hoping for when they opted to bat on day one of their Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge.Skipper Keaton Jennings made 91 and overseas batter Tom Bruce 73 but Lancashire let a good position slip, tumbling from 190 for 2 to close on 306 for 8.Pennington inflicted heavy damage by taking 3 for 15 in an excellent five-over spell with the second new ball before seamer Dane Paterson dealt Lancashire a further blow by removing Bruce in the day’s penultimate over.With Australian spinner Nathan Lyon rested for this round, Lancashire have named England pace bowler Saqib Mahmood in their line-up for the first time in 12 months following a stress fracture.It had looked like evolving as Lancashire’s day until the last half-hour of the middle session, when Jennings and George Balderson, who had shared a third-wicket stand worth 107, were both out in quick succession.The morning session had been theirs until Josh Bohannon’s dismissal by Lyndon James from what would have been the penultimate ball before lunch. Bohannon had picked up four boundaries against the Nottinghamshire allrounder, albeit one off an edge, but was struck on the front pad as he looked for a fifth through the on side and was clearly out.Despite pace bowlers Pennington and the fit-again Olly Stone subjecting Lancashire’s openers to a testing opening passage on a used pitch with a decent covering of grass, Nottinghamshire’s only breakthrough prior to that had come in the 10th over, when Paterson found the edge to have Luke Wells caught at second slip.Encouraged by James’ breakthrough, which had ended what had been a threatening partnership between the aggressive Bohannon and a more measured Jennings, Nottinghamshire emerged from lunch with renewed energy. Yet it was Lancashire’s third-wicket pair who dominated for the next couple of hours.Jennings, having built a painstaking 128-ball half-century, which he completed with his 10th boundary, upped the tempo. A paddle sweep for four and a nicely driven straight six off Calvin Harrison’s legspin signalled growing assuredness and he looked well set for a second hundred of the season.But Nottinghamshire’s bowlers never let their effort levels dip and fought back in the half-hour before tea.Jennings will take the blame for his own demise, going for a reverse sweep against Harrison but able only to top-edge it to slip where Tom Moores – back in the Nottinghamshire side for the first time this season but unable to prise the wicketkeeper’s gloves from Joe Clarke – took an easy catch.But the departure of Balderson was purely down to the skill of the bowler, Stone’s impressive contribution deservedly rewarded when the batter was beaten for pace as he tried to flick across the line, squarely in front as the ball collided with the front pad. The two wickets transformed 190 for 2 into 196 for 4.Lancashire’s double setback meant two new batters at the crease, but with Bruce taking the lead, reaching a half-century off 69 balls, it took the second new ball for Nottinghamshire to restore a measure of parity on the day, Pennington striking twice in the space of nine deliveries as George Bell edged to first slip and Matthew Hurst to third.The ex-Worcestershire quick picked up his third scalp when England spinner Tom Hartley found the safe hands of Harrison at second slip, after which Bruce reined himself in noticeably. Lancashire picked up a second batting point but the loss of Bruce, leg before to Paterson, was another big blow.Before play began, players and spectators observed a minute’s silence in respect for Josh Baker, the Worcestershire spin bowler who died last week at the age of just 20. Baker represented his county against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge only last month.It was a particularly poignant moment for Pennington and Jack Haynes, who now wear Nottinghamshire colours but shared the New Road dressing room with Baker before switching counties at the end of last season.

The left-arm spinner counts swing/drift among his main tools in T20 cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jun-20241:50

Bishop: Hosein’s five-for will boost his morale

Late on a warm Saturday night in Providence Guyana, Akeal Hosein made spin bowling look easy. Big turn first ball, a plumb lbw with his second, then four more dismissals – all bowled or lbw – only two boundaries conceded, and his team on track to a rollicking victory by the time he’d finished his overs.An uninterrupted four-over spell, figures of 5 for 11… but all that only a cinch, Hosein said. Polishing up your skills to get to a place where batters, from however inexperienced a team, have no idea how to play you – all that takes time.Because there was serious skill in how Hosein bowled against Uganda. And these are skills that very few players ever in the history of cricket have possessed. Hosein is one example of an ultra-modern breed of cricketer – the spin bowler who operates in the powerplay. More than that, he is a spin bowler who counts swing/drift (in terms of physics acting on the ball, they are basically the same thing, we just tend to call it swing when it is fast and drift when it’s slow), among his main tools.Related

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While there was turn on offer for Hosein on the Providence surface, it is this drift with the new ball that brought him the majority of his wickets. He bowls at a fast spinner’s pace, but sends the ball down seam upright, a little tilted. On Saturday, he was getting the ball to swing/drift late. Batters frequently played down the wrong line, and as Hosein was frequently attacking the stumps, this meant a lot of lbw and bowled dismissals.After the match, Hosein revealed he’d been working with Sunil Narine – another ultra-modernist, and a bowler who uses swing/drift to excellent effect.”I’ve been doing lots of work here,” Hosein said. “We had a camp before we came into the World Cup, but I’ve been doing lots of work with Sunil Narine as well. He’s a very close friend of mine.”So, it’s just about constant work. And especially when you start getting success your way, we know the game has evolved so much that guys are going to be reading about you. Guys are going to be doing their homework. So, you always have to try and stay one step ahead.”Among the other reasons for Hosein’s success against Uganda is that he kept the length up, and the pace fairly quick, so batters had to keep committing to front foot shots to him.”Today I thought I’d judge my spell mainly on the lengths that I bowl, and I know once I execute those lengths it’ll be tough for most batsmen to play,” he said. “I think it’s a pitch where if you really go searching, sometimes you can miss your length.”With Hosein having bowled himself into some form in this match, West Indies are now looking increasingly ominous in what is a home World Cup for them. They have overcome two oppositions they were expected to beat – Papua New Guinea and now Uganda. But they have tougher games coming up – against New Zealand, and Afghanistan.”I think going into the third game, we definitely are force to reckon with,” Hosein said. “We have been playing good cricket over the last 12 years and we have improved immensely in areas that we weren’t the best at.”

The surface prepared for the Boxing Day Test has come in for criticism from all sides, with only Adelaide currently succeeding in getting the balance right

Daniel Brettig at the MCG28-Dec-2017When Steven Smith posted no fewer than three covers for Alastair Cook midway through day three at the MCG, he provided a succinct statement as to the lifelessness of the pitch prepared for the showpiece match of Australia’s cricketing summer. Admirable as Cook’s innings was for offering proof that his career is far from over, it was achieved on a pitch that presented very little risk of nicking off to slips the bouncing ball – the manner in which so many of his innings this series had ended.Cook’s innings took him past Brian Lara on the list of Test run-makers. After he made his 375 at the Recreation Ground in Antigua in 1994, Lara commented on how much he would have liked to roll up the pitch and carry it around everywhere with him. Being a drop-in, this MCG surface could actually travel wherever Cook wanted it to, but in terms of entertainment, and balance between bat and ball, it would be better used as a portion of the current project to widen the Tullamarine freeway linking Melbourne to its airport.The MCG has long been a wonder of Test cricket, offering up massive and diverse crowds to watch the long form of the game at the traditional holiday time of year. If Boxing Day’s roll-up of 88,172 narrowly failed to reach a new mark for the highest-ever day’s crowd at a Test, follow-ups of 67,882 and 61,839 provided further reminders of how this multipurpose colosseum can attract some of the best and brightest gatherings not only in cricket but all of sport.But Melbournians have seldom had the benefit of watching cricket played on a surface to match the quality of their attendances. For decades the demands of football in the winter presented problems for both the pitches and the outfield, culminating in a period in the 1980s when the surface was universally considered the worst in the country. Among the many elements of nostalgia inherent in this week’s anniversary celebrations for the 1977 Centenary Test is how the players involved have contrasted the excellent Bill Watt pitch prepared for that game with the poor fare that followed it.Drop-ins were gradually introduced to the square from 1996 onwards, replacing the unreliability of the past with a far more consistent brand of mediocrity. Unless it starts with green grass on the top and moisture underneath to allow seamers and spinners some early traction, the MCG surface simply does not deteriorate fast enough to offer enough of a challenge over the course of four or five days.

I would like fast, bouncy tracks that go through, day in and day out, that’d be lovely. We don’t get it when we’re at homeDarren Lehmann

This strip’s turgid nature, then, has been entirely unsurprising from the moment Australia’s captain Steven Smith remarked on Christmas Day that it “looked ready to go three days ago”. It rather underlined the fact that in an otherwise thriving environment for the game down under, pitches are becoming an increasing sore point. The fact of the matter is that apart from Adelaide Oval’s success in converting from a traditional square to a drop-in collection with a new but still distinct character, all of Australia’s international venues currently have conditional caveats against them.James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, set out his idea of the standard for international pitches in Australia when speaking on ABC Radio earlier in the Test: “I think the broad statement is pitches are incredibly important to the future of Test cricket, we need to provide an entertaining contest, we need to provide a balance between bat and ball and I think broadly we’ve seen that in the three Test matches so far this summer.”Of the four pitches prepared so far this season, Adelaide’s stands out alongside Perth in terms of providing the sort of balance Sutherland spoke of. Brisbane, talked up as breathing fire in the lead-up to the series opener, was too sluggish by half until the match was well into its journey, necessitating the sort of grinding innings Smith constructed to wear down England’s bowlers. The WACA Ground’s pace and bounce were a welcome sight after some years of disappointing pitches, but it was also a parting shot, as all major matches move to the new Perth Stadium from later this season – early signs are that its drop-in surface is still some way short of the desired standard.Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann offered the following assessment: “Brisbane was too slow day one and day two, would’ve liked more bounce in that track, but it certainly quickened up and once we get quick and bouncy tracks we see what we can do. Adelaide was a really good track for day/night Test cricket and Perth was quick and bouncy. So you’d like a bit more bounce and pace in a lot of them, it’s a big weapon of ours.”At the end of the day you’ve got to chop and change don’t you. Sydney I presume will be a traditional Sydney track, so you get a well-rounded cricket venture around the country with five Test matches. We would’ve liked a little more bounce in the [MCG] track if we’re perfectly honest, I think both sides would’ve, Jimmy [Anderson] said the same thing. It doesn’t break up here so it’s going to be good for five days, so it’s going to be tough work. We’ve got to bat well in the second innings.”One of the curiosities of Australian pitches is how Adelaide Oval and its curator Damian Hough have succeeded in matching a far higher, more precise standard than all other venues are held to. The reason for this was finding a balance between the need for a fair Test match pitch but also to protect the somewhat less durable pink Kookaburra ball used in day/night matches – a complex process that has involved Hough, Cricket Australia, Channel Nine and the Australian Cricketers Association. This season Hough produced a strip that offered seam by day and swing by night, before there was just enough variable bounce towards the end for Josh Hazlewood to exploit fully and thus seal the match.Yet in other cities, the mere expectation of a pitch offering a modicum of bounce in addition to whatever local characteristics might be evident has been beyond many. Take for example the surface prepared at North Sydney Oval for the women’s day/night Ashes Test earlier this season – a dull as dishwater pitch that was about as suited to the format as a traditional Christmas dinner is to a 38C Australian summer. Likewise the Gabba’s slowness this season, or the road-like pitches commonly seen at the WACA Ground in recent years, or the MCG this week.Steven Smith studies the pitch at the MCG•Getty Images”They play a lot more footy here at the MCG,” Lehmann said of the contrast between the Adelaide and Melbourne drop-ins. “But it’s just the way they compact them and the soil they use. Adelaide they’ve just got it right, they’ve got great form with the day/night Test basically, keep the grass a little bit longer, so the difference here [is it’s] a little bit flatter, hoped it would break up and it may still break up, we’ll wait and see with how it plays day four and five. I accept that [multipurpose venues] but I also would like fast, bouncy tracks that go through, day in and day out, that’d be lovely. We don’t get it when we’re at home, which is just the way it is.”Given how much CA has worked at maximising audiences for the game through adroit broadcasting deals and shrewd investment in the Big Bash League, it remains mystifying as to how venues as august as the MCG and SCG cannot get their conditions right. In Melbourne the competing interests of football and cricket have long been contentious, but no more so than they are now at the recast Adelaide Oval. In Sydney, the Trust and Cricket New South Wales have endured a testy relationship, epitomised by the abandonment of a Sheffield Shield match due to a muddy infield the umpires deemed unsafe in 2015.Priorities for the SCG seem to extend not much further than the January Test and a handful of BBL games, but even then the pitch is not always of great quality. In the corresponding Ashes match four seasons ago, the match was over in little more than two and a half days, moving Lehmann to offer the following salty assessment: “Words will get me in trouble here. It’s disappointing, a three-day Test match. The SCG I remember was always a good wicket and spun obviously days four and five. Hopefully we can get back to that at some stage. I certainly got surprised by the state of the wicket here and to finish in three days is disappointing – for the crowd more so than anyone else.”Another window into how Australian grounds can do with more and better investment was shown by the damp patch that briefly endangered the conclusion of the Perth Test when water leaked under the two layers of covers commonly used in this part of the world. While the Australian climate is far less worrisome for pitch preparation than England’s, many visitors remained surprised at how basic the precautions were.Perhaps there is an element of generational change to all this: Hough is a younger curator than either the SCG’s Tom Parker (who retires this season) or the Gabba’s Kevin Mitchell Jnr (who finished up after the Brisbane Test). The previous MCG curator David Sandurski has moved to Brisbane to replace Mitchell, while the WACA Ground’s Matthew Page is MCG-bound. But in catering successfully to a mass audience in contrast to the increasingly boutique scale of the English game, CA and the state associations would do well to ensure that pitches and playing conditions are not left behind.

IPL franchises, private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds among bodies consulted for tournament’s future

Matt Roller05-Dec-2023The ECB have consulted with owners of IPL franchises, private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds on the prospect of investment in the Hundred, and want counties to reach a decision on its future in the early months of the 2024 season.The Hundred’s existing model features eight clubs which field both men’s and women’s teams and are owned entirely by the ECB. These clubs have been run by boards comprising county representatives and independent directors in the tournament’s first three seasons.But the ECB and counties have discussed the model extensively since the end of the 2023 season and are in the second phase of a three-part consultation period, in the hope of reaching a decision in April 2024. This would allow them time to implement changes for the 2025 edition of the tournament.As things stand, the ECB’s preferred option is to open the tournament up to private investors, seeing the Hundred as an opportunity to bring money into the English game. The specifics of the model remain up for discussion, with one possibility involving the addition of two new teams – most likely based in the south-west and north-east.The most likely outcomes both involve the ECB handing 50% equity stakes in Hundred teams – which would become franchises – to their primary host counties. Surrey, for example, would be given a 50% stake in Oval Invincibles, while MCC, who own Lord’s, would be provided a 50% stake in London Spirit.Guy Lavender and Bruce Carnegie-Brown, MCC’s chief executive and chair, told members in a meeting on Monday evening that the ECB has been speaking to a wide range of potential sources of capital including IPL franchise owners, private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds.That raises the prospect of investment in the Hundred from the Middle East, potentially from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) or the various state-owned funds in the United Arab Emirates. MCC also encouraged members to consider which potential investors they would feel comfortable with the club being in partnership with.Lavender told ESPNcricinfo in a statement: “The purpose of the Members’ informal meeting was to socialise some of the issues with the membership regarding the future direction of The Hundred, including developing thinking and engaging them with the information available at this time.Related

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“At present, nothing has been proposed or decided and it is premature to land on any particular conclusions until the ECB consultation and decision-making process involving the whole game has been completed, as well as our own consultation with Members.”Discussions at ECB level have also raised the prospect of an 18-team ‘open pyramid’ structure which would see the addition of a second division of the Hundred with promotion and relegation. This model would also involve clubs being opened up to private investment, though appears to have lost some of its initial support.Another option discussed by the ECB and counties was to open the Hundred itself up to private investment, rather than the teams, following reports a year ago of a £400 million bid for a 75% stake from a British private investment firm. However, this is not among the preferred options as things stand.Despite extensive speculation over its future since Richard Gould and Richard Thompson took over as chief executive and chair at the ECB, the Hundred will continue in some form for at least five more years and is underpinned by Sky Sports’ broadcast deal with the governing body.There is also widespread agreement across the English game that salaries in the Hundred will need to increase if it is to attract the world’s best players. The Hundred’s top male earners in 2023 were paid around 15% less than their equivalents in the Indian-backed Major League Cricket, despite the Hundred lasting nine days longer.Andy Anson, Lancashire’s chair, proposed a change from the 100-ball format to T20 last week, but such a shift appears unlikely at this stage. Gould said earlier this year: “The format is not something that is on my agenda… it’s given us that point of difference. Everyone around the world, in the cricketing world, has heard of the Hundred.”The Hundred’s model is relatively unusual on a global scale and is most similar to Australia’s Big Bash League, where teams are run by state boards. That stands in contrast to most other major T20 leagues, such as the IPL, where teams were set up as franchises owned by private investors or their companies.It is understood that any change to the Hundred’s model would require a three-quarters majority amongst the 18 first-class counties and MCC, and proposals remain at a relatively early stage.

The former batting star’s role with the state had been announced before the season

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2023Australian ODI great Michael Bevan’s appointment as a coaching consultant for struggling New South Wales is over before it began.The former Blues great revealed he is yet to be brought into the state set-up this season as their winless Sheffield Shield streak extended to 15 with a thumping defeat to Victoria last Sunday.”It was announced pre season that I would be working with @CricketNSW as a batting consultant  – to date, this hasn’t happened,” Bevan posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.Related

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“Given the timing, I feel it is important that the current coaches are afforded every opportunity to stamp their quality and be allowed to guide cricket nsw back to a position of strength within @CricketAus.”Unfortunately this means, this year they won’t be receiving the magical bevo “finishing” methodolgy (sic). Maybe next year.”Cricket NSW trumpeted Bevan’s position in September following the embarrassment of the state’s first winless Sheffield Shield season since 1938-39.New South Wales’ struggles

Victoria, MCG: lost by 205 runs
South Australia, Adelaide Oval: lost by 186 runs
Queensland, Cricket Central: match drawn
South Australia, Karen Rolton Oval: match drawn
Victoria, Albury: lost by 10 wickets
Queensland, Gabba: lost by five wickets
Tasmania, SCG: match drawn
Victoria, Junction Oval: lost by 69 runs
Western Australia, SCG: lost by 133 runs
Tasmania, Hobart: match drawn
South Australia, Wollongong: match drawn
Queensland, Drummoyne Oval: match drawn
Western Australia, WACA: lost by eight wickets
South Australia, Adelaide Oval: lost by five wickets
Western Australia, Bankstown: match drawn

The 53-year-old, and fellow Australia white-ball great Shane Watson, were announced as consultants to coach Greg Shipperd, who himself was rushed into the top job midway through last summer after the axing of Phil Jaques.Bevan was supposed to be acting as a batting coach, while Watson, who has been commentating in India during the World Cup, was given the role of mentoring and mindset coaching for players.In a statement, Cricket NSW said: “Earlier this year, Cricket NSW announced that former great Michael Bevan would begin work as a consultant, working as a batting coach with the NSW Blues squad.”Unfortunately, Cricket NSW and Bevan were unable to come to a timely agreement on commencing work with the Blues. Cricket NSW values and acknowledges the experience and skillset that Michael Bevan can bring and look forward to the potential of working with him in the future.”During a 50-over career for Australia spanning 10 years, Bevan averaged 53.58 – the seventh-highest ODI average in history – across 232 games. He scored 19,147 first-class runs, the majority of them for NSW.

انتقد الإعلامي أحمد شوبير أداء لاعبي الزمالك أمام وادي دجلة في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين على استاد السلام، مؤكداً أن الفريق الأبيض فرّط في فرصة ثمينة للانفراد بصدارة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال شوبير عبر إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “مباراة الزمالك ووادي دجلة كانت فرصة لا تعوّض، الأهلي خسر، والزمالك كان أمامه فرصة ذهبية ليتصدر جدول الدوري، كان يمتلك 10 نقاط، والفوز كان سيضعه في الصدارة بـ13 نقطة كاملة، وهو ما كان كفيلاً بمنحه دفعة كبيرة للمنافسة، الفريق مكتمل الصفوف تقريباً باستثناء محمد شحاتة ونبيل عماد ونجا، بل إن بعض العناصر عادت مثل أحمد فتوح وأحمد حمدي ومحمد السيد”.

وأضاف: “الزمالك كان أمام خصم صاعد من الدرجة الثانية، وكل التقدير والاحترام لوادي دجلة، لكنه في النهاية فريق صاعد حديثاً، ومع ذلك قدّم مباراة رائعة، ومدربه محمد الشيخ (32 عاماً) أدار اللقاء بشكل مميز، الزمالك تقدم مبكراً عن طريق ناصر ماهر في الدقيقة العاشرة، لكن الفريق لم يحافظ على أفضليته، واستقبل هدفين عن طريق أحمد فاروق ودياسطي”.

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وتابع شوبير: “محمد صبحي كان نجم الزمالك الأول، أنقذ مرماه من أكثر من فرصة محققة، بينما لاعبو الزمالك لم يقدّروا جمهورهم ولا قيمة المباراة، وسلّموا اللقاء بسهولة، وكأنهم يهْدونه لمنافسيهم سواء الأهلي أو بيراميدز أو المصري”.

وأوضح: “محمود الونش، الذي أحبه كثيراً، ارتكب خطأ لا يُغتفر عندما حصل على بطاقة حمراء بلا داعٍ، الحكم محمود بسيوني كان ممتازاً وأدار اللقاء بحزم، وأكد من جديد أنه من أفضل حكام مصر”.

وأكد شوبير أن تصريحات مدرب الزمالك فيريرا عقب المباراة كانت لافتة: “فيريرا قال بوضوح: (لا نستحق الفوز)، وهو كلام في منتهى الواقعية، في المقابل، مدرب دجلة هنّأه على الأداء وأشاد به، وهذه الروح نفتقدها منذ زمن”.

وختم شوبير: “لاعبو الزمالك أضاعوا على أنفسهم فرصة لا تتكرر كثيراً، الأهلي تعثر، والدنيا كانت مهيأة للانقضاض على الصدارة، لكن الفريق لم يظهر بالشكل المطلوب، حتى إن تغييرات دجلة كانت مؤثرة ومنحتهم الأفضلية حتى النهاية، الدوري مازال طويلاً، لكن الزمالك أضاع فرصة كانت في المتناول”.

Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is said to be high on Mikel Arteta’s list of ideal strikers for Arsenal, with another update on his price tag now surfacing in what could be a boost for the Gunners.

Arsenal identify Alexander Isak as dream transfer target

Multiple reports from the last few months have indicated the Sweden international, who boasts 19 goals from 29 appearances in all competitions already this season – has plenty of admirers within the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal now submit £50m offer for "outstanding" Spurs target, claims report

The Gunners have now made a bid for a defender Tottenham tried to sign in January.

By
Dominic Lund

Feb 17, 2025

Isak helped to knock Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup semi-finals recently, putting in a stellar performance against them during the second leg at St. James’ Park, and opened the scoring for Eddie Howe’s side in their first leg victory.

The 25-year-old has been a nightmare for Premier League defences and Arsenal’s own backline since he made the move to England from Real Sociedad, with Arteta and co identifying him as a “dream” transfer target.

“I mean, Arsenal’s dream priority is Alexander Isak, and I’m still told that he would like to join a Champions League club and stay in the Premier League in the long run,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs to GiveMeSport.

“But of course, in the short-to-medium term, he’s on fire for Newcastle United. He’s invested at Newcastle, and he’s well contracted at Newcastle, so they aren’t worried about necessarily losing Isak imminently, nor do they feel they absolutely have to agree a new contract with him because he remains healthily contracted.

“So it’s a bit of a dream target for Arsenal.”

Isak’s deal still has another three years left to run, meaning the Magpies can afford to charge premium rates for their world-class marksman in the event major clubs do come knocking for his signature.

Reports have suggested that the former La Liga sensation could cost as much £125 million, which means Arsenal would have to break their transfer record to strike a deal for Isak, if Newcastle even entertained the idea of selling him.

Arsenal told new Alexander Isak price tag in boost for Mikel Arteta

However, a new claim has emerged courtesy of Spanish news outlet Sport, which may well come as a boost for Arteta in his pursuit of the superstar number nine.

Indeed, they report that Newcastle have set Isak’s valuation at a fee in excess of £83 million, which is a seismic drop from other mooted figures. Arsenal are yet again mentioned by Sport as one of the contenders for his services, but they face stiff competition from Chelsea and Liverpool, who are also in the running.

While £83 million is still a hefty figure, you can make a very serious case that Isak is one of the best centre-forwards in world football right now, and quality attacking players of his ilk will all command a marquee price tag.