Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is personally leading the charge to sign a “powerful” player, with an offer now ready to be submitted, according to a report.

Berta taking hands-on role at the Emirates

Having laid the foundations, the Arsenal hierarchy believes now is the time for the team to start winning silverware, and Berta has a big role to play, with the Italian regarded as a master negotiator, capable of being involved in multiple deals at once.

The 53-year-old is taking a hands-on role at the Emirates Stadium, attending training sessions and press conferences, while also putting in work behind-the-scenes to secure agreements for the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi.

There have been some disagreements with Mikel Arteta, however, especially when it comes to which striker they should bring in, with Berta keen to sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, while the manager would prefer to sign RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Berta is simultaneously working on moves for both strikers, indicating a decision is yet to be made as to which striker is the preferred option, and the north Londoners are also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.

That is according to a report from Super Deporte (via Sport Witness), which states Berta is now leading the charge for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, who has recently been identified as a key target by Arteta.

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Such is Arsenal’s level of interest, they are now ready to submit an offer in the region of €20m – €25m (£17m – £21m) for Mosquera, with around €3m – €5m (£2.6m – £4.3m) of the higher amount based on bonuses relating to performance.

Berta is said to be key to the deal, with the sporting director retaining a long-term interest in the 21-year-old, having also targeted him during his time with Atlético Madrid.

"Powerful" Mosquera could be ideal centre-back signing

With any new centre-back signing unlikely to immediately take Gabriel or William Saliba’s spot in the starting XI, it would make sense to bring in a younger centre-back, capable of replacing one of the first-choice options on a long-term basis.

The Valencia star is showing very promising signs in La Liga, having now established himself as a key player, missing just one La Liga game last season, while the defender has also received high praise from former youth coach Miguel-Ángel Angulo.

Angulo said: “He’s characterised by a physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age.”

Having also received plaudits from Statman Dave, Mosquera is clearly an exciting young player, who could provide Arsenal with the depth to compete on all fronts next season, before going on to stake a claim for a regular starting spot.

Sheffield United are now on the verge of signing an “electric” £3.5 million attacker who Ruben Selles already knows well.

Like every other team up and down the country, the Blades are currently in the midst of their pre-season preparations as the return of domestic action gets closer and closer. United got another pre-season game under their belt on Tuesday night, as they faced non-league side York City and won 6-2.

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However, the Blades were without a few key players for the fixture, with midfielder Tom Davies one noticeable absentee. Selles has revealed that Davies has picked up a groin injury during their time in Girona, and he could now miss the start of the Championship season.

“With Tom Davies, it is a little bit different. He got an injury in Girona, and so we expect him to be out for some weeks. He will be back in approximately a month.

“He’s unlucky. The way we do things and the way we try to perform demand a lot from the players. And with Tom, the most important thing is that he recovers well, and when he comes back, he stays healthy for the rest of the season.”

Sydie Peck was another United player that missed out on Tuesday night, but Selles has revealed that Peck’s injury isn’t as serious: “Sydie picked up a late injury, so he has not been able to start pre-season with us.He has been training, but it was more about building him up, and hopefully, he will be involved in the next game.”

Sheffield United now close to signing Louie Barry on loan

As the Blades continue their pre-season preparations, they are now closing in on their third signing of the summer. According to Sky Sports, Louie Barry is now expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

The report states that both clubs have agreed the deal, while Barry has also agreed to the switch, and he is now expected to join up with the Blades next week. This comes after Hull City agreed a deal worth £3.5 million with Villa to sign Barry, only for the deal to then fall through as the Tigers were hit with a three-transfer-window embargo.

This transfer will see Barry link up with Selles once again, as the pair worked together in the second half of last season, as Barry joined the Tigers after a successful first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County.

Divisions

Apps

Goals

Assists

Championship

4

0

0

League One

47

16

6

League Two

53

17

6

Barry, who has been dubbed “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, struggled to make an impact at Hull as he picked up a serious injury. But during his time at Stockport, the versatile forward scored 25 goals in 46 games across two separate loan spells, and Selles will be hoping he can get that productivity out of the youngster at Bramall Lane.

Tottenham Hotspur has often been the home to top-level attacking talents, with Harry Kane undoubtedly one of the best to ever do it for the club in North London.

The Englishman holds the record for the most goals scored in the club’s history, netting 280 goals for the Lilywhites before his subsequent departure back in 2023.

Dominic Solanke has been the man to fill the void in the last 12 months, costing a club-record £65m, but has only registered nine goals in the Premier League and has so far struggled to match his price tag.

Thomas Frank’s arrival will potentially shake things up at the club, potentially wanting to put his own stamp on the squad after taking the reins following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal.

New additions are to be expected with the hierarchy likely to hand him the funds to make his own impact, with numerous names mentioned already during the off-season.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new striker this summer

Yoane Wissa is a player who has starred under Frank at Brentford, scoring 19 times in the league this season, but his £50m price tag may force other targets to be considered this window.

Evann Guessand has emerged as another option for the Lilywhites this window, potentially offering a cheaper alternative, but would still be a superb addition after registering 22 combined goals and assists this campaign.

However, another option from France has emerged as a key target, with Lyon’s Georges Mikautadze firmly on their radar after their pending relegation to Ligue 2, according to Tutto Juve.

Their report claims that Frank’s side are preparing a concrete offer for the 24-year-old who’s registered 17 goals and nine assists throughout the 2024/25 season.

It also states that the Lilywhites are front of the queue for his signature, looking to take advantage of the French side’s financial situation and land a bargain deal for the Georgian international.

Any move could cost around £25m, according to other reports.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s answer to Isak

Alexander Isak has been a striker who has tormented countless sides in the Premier League, cementing himself as one of the leading talents in England’s top flight.

The Swede has registered over 20 goals in each of the last two campaigns, scoring six times against the Lilywhites – the joint most of any side in his professional career.

His subsequent form has caught the attention of various sides across the division, but the Magpies’ £150m price tag has prevented any side from making a move for his signature.

Any side across the world must wish they had an attacker as deadly as Isak, but players of his calibre usually cost a small fortune in today’s market.

However, Frank’s side could land their own version of the talisman this window in the form of Mikautadze, with the Lyon star labelled as a similar player to Isak by FBref.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from this season, the Georgian has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, highlighting how much of an astute piece of business he would be this window.

Mikautadze, who’s been labelled a “living legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has posted a higher shot on target accuracy rate this season, demonstrating his ability to be more clinical with the chances that have fallen his way.

How Mikautadze compares to Isak throughout 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Mikautadze	Isak
Games played	34	34
Goals & assists	19	27
Shot on target accuracy	44%	43%
Progressive passes	3.4	2.8
Pass accuracy	77%	75%
Passes into final third	1.3	1.1
Aerials won	0.9	0.8
Fouls drawn	1.5	0.4
Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and made more passes into the final third, having the skillset to provide others around him with opportunities alongside his goalscoring ability.

The Lyon star has produced an impressive all-round nature to his game, winning more aerials and drawing a higher tally of fouls per 90, offering a constant nuisance to the opposition.

If he can replicate the levels produced by Isak in England, it would be a phenomenal piece of business by Frank and Co, handing the club a new dimension in the final third.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the 24-year-old would cost, it would likely be a bargain deal given Lyon’s finances, taking the Lilywhites to the next level if they can pounce this window.

Frank's own Kane: Spurs in talks to sign one of the "best STs in the world"

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making moves to land a new talisman this summer.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 26, 2025

تحدث الإيطالي كارلو أنشيلوتي، المدير الفني لمنتخب البرازيل الأول لكرة القدم، حول تدريبه لـ فينيسيوس جونيور لاعب ريال مدريد الإسباني، ورحيله عن باريس سان جيرمان ومعايير بطل كأس العالم 2026 المقبل.

ويمتد عقد أنشيلوتي مع منتخب البرازيل لمدة عام واحد إذ ينتهي عقب كأس العالم المقبل، والذي من المقرر أن يقام في شهر يونيو 2026 بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وقال أنشيلوتي من خلال حوار أجراه مع صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية عن معيار المنتخب المتوج بكأس العالم: “أعتقد أن بطل العالم القادم سيكون الفريق الذي يدافع بشكل أفضل، وليس الذي يهاجم بشكل أفضل، هذه هي كرة القدم”.

وعن تدريبه لفينيسيوس جونيور أكمل: “سهولة في تدريب فينيسيوس؟ بالتأكيد، علاقتي به رائعة فهو ينفذ ما أطلبه، لم أواجه أي مشاكل معه أبدًا لكن مع المنتخب الوطني لا داعي للتعامل مع هذه المشاكل كثيرًا، إذا لم يكن اللاعب راضيًا عن دوره فلا مشكلة، سأستدعي لاعبًا آخر، لم أعد مضطرًا لتحمل لاعب طوال الموسم مثلما كنت عليه في النادي”.

وفيما يتعلق بمواجهة إيطاليا في كأس العالم المقبل، أجاب ضاحكًا: “سيكون الأمر معقدًا للغاية لكن البرازيل يجب أن تفوز”.

وعن رحيله من تدريب باريس سان جيرمان أردف: “أردت الرحيل، لم يُرد باريس سان جيرمان رحيلي حتى أن ناصر الخليفي أراد تجديد عقدي، صحيح أن موقف النادي بعد الهزيمة في نيس في ديسمبر لم يكن جيدًا (أعطاه باريس سان جيرمان تحذير قبل مباراة دوري أبطال أوروبا ضد بورتو)، لكن لو كنت أرغب في البقاء، لفعلت ذلك”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي يكشف سر فشله مع ريال مدريد الموسم الماضي.. ويصرح: فريق وحيد سأدربه بعد البرازيل

وبشأن بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، استطرد: “لقد لحقت أضرار جسيمة باللاعبين، فكرة هذه البطولة جيدة جدًا ولكن يجب أن تكون جزءً من جدول مباريات مختلف عن هذا، ومع ذلك يريد الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم دائمًا عددًا أكبر من المباريات، ويريد الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم دوري أبطال أوروبا بعدد أكبر من المباريات، والدوريات في معظمها لا ترغب في تقليص عدد الفرق في البطولات من 20 إلى 18 فريقًا، بل إن بعض الاتحادات تريد عددًا أكبر من المباريات”.

وأضاف: “هذا يسبب ضررًا كبيرًا على اللاعبين، إصابات كثيرة ومستوى مباريات أقل بالطبع”.

وعن أسلوبه في كرة القدم، صرح: “الأسلوب لا يعتمد عليك بل على اللاعبين الذين تملكهم، فرض بيب جوارديولا أسلوبًا مع تشافي، وإنييستا، وسيرجيو بوسكيتس، وليونيل ميسي، أعتقد أن يورجن كلوب فرض أيضًا أسلوبًا قائمًا على الحدة والضغط لأنه كان يمتلك لاعبين بهذه الصفات، على العكس لم يكن جوارديولا ليتمكن من فرض أسلوبه على لاعبي كلوب، وكلوب الذي حاول الضغط على تشافي، وبوسكيتس، وإنييستا، وميسي، لم يكن لينجح”.

وحول هدوئه الأكثر من معتاد هل يعتبره أسلوبًا تكتيكيًا أتم: “إنه ليس أسلوبًا تكتيكيًا، قدرتي على إدارة الناس ليس اللاعبين بل الناس”.

Towards the end of the opening T20I between Australia and Scotland in Edinburgh, talk switched from Travis Head’s pyrotechnics to the ‘long ball’ tactics of left-arm spinner Mark Watt and the grey areas of the Law that his innovation approach challenges.The ball after having Mitchell Marsh taken on the rope, Watt delivered one of his 25-yard deliveries to Josh Inglis who made the very late decision to step away with it taking the leg bail. The umpire called ‘dead ball’, although he did appear to speak to Inglis. It happened again a short while later when Marcus Stoinis stepped away having started to face up, although on this occasion the ball missed the stumps.”It’s just trying to rush [the batters],” Watt has previously explained. “By the time I’ve let it go, the batsman looks up and the ball’s halfway down the wicket.”The wording of the relevant Law, 20.4.2.5, showed the umpire had made the correct call. “Either umpire shall call and signal Dead ball when…the striker is not ready for the delivery of the ball and, if the ball is delivered, makes no attempt to play it. Provided the umpire is satisfied that the striker had adequate reason for not being ready, the ball shall not count as one of the over.”However, the “adequate reason” for the batter to pull away is left for the umpire’s discretion and Watt clearly felt Inglis had been ready to face. Freeze frames of the moment Watt started his run up did appear to suggest that Inglis was still looking down when tapping his bat, although he was looking towards the bowler before the ball was delivered.On commentary, the former Scotland captain Preston Mommsen suggested Inglis had been fortunate. “The unexpected nature of the delivery coming from 23, 24 yards. He’s a very lucky man to still be there,” he said.There wouldn’t have been an impact on the result, but it’s not the first time the debate has been sparked as to whether Watt was denied a wicket. The same situation occurred in the T20 World Cup earlier this year when Oman batter Khalid Kail was ‘bowled’ after stepping away and umpire Chris Brown called dead ball. On that occasion Watt and captain Richie Berrington spoke to the umpire but on Wednesday, apart from a few gesticulations the game went on, although there were boos from the crowd after the second dead-ball call.During the World Cup example, Tom Moody, who was commentating for the game, believed Kail was ready and ball shouldn’t have been dead. “The batter’s looking up. He’s ready. To me, that is a legitimate ball,” Moody had said. “The ball is live. As soon as the batter has placed his bat down and faces up, looks up to the bowler, he’s ready to go.”Australia were on alert for the tactic when they faced Scotland in the T20 World Cup in St Lucia, where Inglis was a member of the squad and Stoinis was in the XI.

Teenage spinner claims ten wickets on Notts debut but contest ends in high-scoring draw

ECB Reporters Network01-Sep-2024Surrey saw their romp towards a third consecutive Division One title lose a little momentum as they were forced to settle for a draw against relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire in the Vitality County Championship at Trent Bridge.On a day when their teenage off-spinner Farhan Ahmed’s 10-wicket match haul claimed a 159-year-old record set by no less a cricketing legend than WG Grace, the home side, who had been set a target of 298 to win from a minimum 48 overs when Surrey declared at 177 for nine in their second innings, were 121 without loss when the sides shook hands on a draw at 5pm, openers Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater having each made half-centuries.The result means that Surrey’s lead of 35 points at the start of this round of matches, after winning seven of their previous eight matches, is cut to 24 thanks to Somerset’s victory over Durham at Taunton. Surrey and Somerset meet at Taunton next week.At the other end of the table, after Warwickshire and Worcestershire both won, the points taken for the draw – a merit worthy achievement after trailing by 120 on first innings – leaves Nottinghamshire 10 points ahead of Lancashire in the battle to avoid being relegated alongside Kent. All sides have three matches to come.Rory Burns made 71 to go with his first-innings 161 with Liam Patterson-White finishing with five for 94 before the declaration came, but the Nottinghamshire left-arm spinner’s achievement was again upstaged by his young team-mate Ahmed, with whom he shared all 53 overs of the Surrey second innings.Already in the record books on his Championship debut as the youngest player to bag five wickets or more in a first-class match in Britain, he achieved another mark of distinction, arguably even more prestigious, when he claimed Jordan Clark as his 10th wicket of the match.This enabled him to replace Grace as the youngest to take 10 or more wickets in a first-class match in Britain – in fact anywhere other than in South Asia.Grace returned the extraordinary match figures of 13 for 84 – on his first-class debut – for Gentlemen of the South against Players of the South at the Oval in June 1865, at the age of 16 years 340 days.With a match analysis of 10 for 247 at the age of 16 years and 192 days, Ahmed lowers the record by 148 days. He bowled a staggering 76.4 overs in the match, which may be a record in itself for a debut appearance.Surrey, who had missed out on a fourth first-innings batting point that seemed theirs for the taking, arguably made another mistake when they declared just shy of an hour after lunch.The timing meant Nottinghamshire would have to score at more than six runs per over to win the contest on a pitch that had yielded at barely three-and-a-half all game, with the Kookaburra ball reportedly hard to get away on a slow surface.Surrey were banking on England off-spinner Will Jacks, who had matched Ahmed by taking seven first-innings wickets, and leg-spinner Cam Steel to exploit the fourth-day pitch but Hameed and Slater were rarely troubled as neither could find a way through.Earlier, Surrey had advanced from 13 for one overnight to 104 for four by lunch, playing in light for that period so gloomy that bowling spin was the only option for Nottinghamshire skipper Hameed.A second-wicket stand worth 57 was broken by Patterson-White, who induced a miscue to short midwicket by Ryan Patel, following up by turning one sharply to bowl Will Jacks three balls later.Patterson-White had Burns dropped at square leg on 39, after which the Surrey captain’s stop-start dithering over a single into the offside off Ahmed saw new partner Ben Foakes run out by Hameed’s throw to keeper Kyle Verreynne.As the tempo increased after lunch, with Surrey now chasing runs for the declaration, Ahmed completed his 10 for the match by bowling Burns and having Clark caught behind in a botched scoop attempt.Patterson-White raised his five for the innings by having Sai Sudharsan caught at deep midwicket and bowling Conor McKerr and Tom Lawes, for his pains getting clubbed for two meaty sixes by Dan Worrall before Burns signalled the declaration.

Everton are looking to strike on the market and could now have moved ahead of their rivals in the race to sign a midfielder with Premier League experience, according to a report.

Everton ready to bring in new recruits

The Toffees have added Carlos Alcaraz and Thierno Barry to their ranks as they begin to step up their hunt for reinforcements, and they could now look to fight Manchester United for the signing of Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in a bargain £9 million deal off-set by his relegation release clause.

Shedding some light on the situation, Pete O’Rourke stated: “I think he will leave Leicester this summer. Obviously, this release clause in there makes it easier for clubs to try and sign Ndidi.

“I think it could be one of the bargains of the transfer window due to that £9million release clause. I’m not surprised Everton have been having a look at him. There’s also interest from Crystal Palace, Fulham and Manchester United as well. There will also be interest from abroad, as Juventus are very much interested in the midfielder.”

In recent weeks, Everton have also made an enquiry to sign Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, though they were rebuffed in their approach despite being willing to pay £30 million for the Scotland international.

Abdoulaye Doucoure and Orel Mangala have left vacancies to be filled within David Moyes’ engine room, and the Friedkin Group have their sights on premium arrivals to replicate their impact at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton’s first five Premier League fixtures

Leeds United (A)

Elland Road

Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

Hill Dickinson Stadium

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Aston Villa (H)

Hill Dickinson Stadium

Liverpool (A)

Anfield

With that in mind, the Toffees could now burst ahead of their rivals to bring in a midfielder who has already enjoyed plenty of success in the Premier League.

Everton in active negotiations to sign Douglas Luiz

According to TEAMtalk, Everton are in active negotiations to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, and they could now leap ahead of several rival suitors in the race for the Brazil international.

Moyes views the former Aston Villa man as an ideal addition to solidify his engine room due to his top-flight experience and quality in possession, and he may be available for a bargain fee of £21.6 million after a disappointing campaign in Turin.

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After a return of 27 appearances across all competitions, Olympic gold medallist Luiz is also being tracked by Fulham, Manchester United and Aston Villa. Still, Everton appear to be the ‘most active’ club when it comes to pursuing a transfer with the Toffees ‘serious about making a move’.

Now, it is expected that they will up their bid to bring him to Merseyside in the coming weeks and hope to convince the Rio De Janeiro-born star that his future lies under the guise of Moyes.

Previously, Luiz has been labelled “amazing” by Roy Keane and clearly has a lot left to give at the elite level and a change of clubs could be the perfect tonic to reignite his career.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca isn’t entirely satisfied with his squad just yet, despite having sealed deals for Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro for around £140 million already, with the tactician looking to strengthen one key area.

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The west Londoners have parted company.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2025

UEFA are watching the west Londoners like a hawk right now, amid an agreement that Chelsea need to sell players and end the summer window with a positive balance sheet (Kaveh Solhekol).

The governing body fined Chelsea nearly £27 million last week for breaching FFP rules, and this could rise to north of £50 million if they fail to comply again over the next four years (BBC).

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

BlueCo will therefore need to be very careful when it comes to green-lighting more signings before deadline day on September 1, but they have made some headway with regard to player sales.

Chelsea sold Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli for a total fee of around £19 million, with Noni Madueke also about to join Arsenal in a £50 million deal and Djordje Petrovic on his way to Bournemouth for £25 million (Fabrizio Romano).

These departures, all in all, will accumulate £94 million, including their already-confirmed sales – and that’s not even counting Mathis Amougou’s permanent switch to Strasbourg.

Chelsea are also in the Club World Cup final, which has banked them £80 million worth of prize money.

It seems that Chelsea are actually doing a solid job when it comes to balancing their books, so we cannot rule out the possibility of further incomings just yet, and there are a host of other players who seem likely to be sold in the coming weeks – including Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Chelsea not out of Mike Maignan race with AC Milan star keen to join

If Chelsea can make room on their balance sheet, it is believed that AC Milan number one Mike Maignan is still firmly on their radar, coming after negotiations over a move for the Frenchman broke down earlier in the window.

That is according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who told TBR Football that Chelsea could still sign Maignan this summer, and the 29-year-old remains keen on a switch to Stamford Bridge with Maresca wanting a new number one.

“Max Allegri has talked about Mike Maignan staying on as captain, but that has little impact on the situation as he’s yet to sign a new contract yet, meaning he has one year left on his current deal. Chelsea are keeping close tabs on the Maignan situation,” said Bailey.

“We understand that he would like to go to Chelsea. Robert Sanchez was told earlier in the summer that he can go and they offered him to West Ham as part of the Mohammed Kudus deal.

“Enzo Maresca has made it very clear that he wants a new number one. He doesn’t like any of the current options. So yeah, we haven’t heard the end of Mike Maignan to Chelsea this summer, that’s for sure.”

Maignan has been described an “elite” goalkeeper, and it’s hard to argue with that verdict. If Chelsea wish to become genuine title contenders, they need a reliable ever-present between the sticks, and Maignan could be that man.

Given his contractual situation, Milan also won’t be able to demand too high a fee for his services – giving Chelsea a golden opportunity to add both pedigree and experience to Maresca’s backline.

Afghanistan captain hopes the ACB “will try harder to give us opportunities against good teams in the future”

Vishal Dikshit and Daya Sagar08-Sep-2024

Hashmatullah Shahidi: “We want to show to the world our best format is Test cricket”•AFP/Getty Images

Apart from hoping to play Test cricket more frequently going forward, Hashmatullah Shahidi wants “one good home venue” in India instead of going from place to place, as they currently cannot play international cricket back home in Afghanistan.Afghanistan will host New Zealand for a one-off Test starting on Monday in Greater Noida, near Delhi. Their other home Tests since becoming a Full Member have been in Dehradun, Lucknow and Abu Dhabi. Sticking with one home venue will make them a stronger and more effective team in red-ball cricket, Shahidi said.”If you see, India is our home and when we host teams, the other nations have played more cricket than us here,” Shahidi said while addressing the media the day before the Test. “So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us.Related

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Three uncapped players in Afghanistan squad for NZ Test

Rashid takes a break from Test cricket on medical advice

“And one more thing, if you see our players, they have good record in first-class cricket because we play in our own grounds [in Afghanistan]. We know our own conditions very well. So hopefully that time comes in future that teams come to Afghanistan. Then our average will be even higher than what it is right now and hopefully our cricket board and BCCI give a good venue for us in India and we play a lot of cricket in one venue.”Afghanistan have played nine Tests in their six years at this level, and even though they are slotted to play 22 Tests in the current FTP – from 2023 to 2027 – only a handful are against the top sides. In the current FTP, Afghanistan have so far played against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ireland, and after the New Zealand game, have Tests scheduled against Zimbabwe (six), Ireland (three), India (one), Australia (one) and West Indies (one).”In six years, nine games is not, I cannot say it’s a lot,” Shahidi said. “If we get a lot more chances with the good teams, we will improve, and our cricket board is doing that job. Like with New Zealand, if you see their history of Test cricket and where they are in the rankings right now, it’s a good opportunity for us and hopefully our cricket board will try harder to give us opportunities against good teams in the future. I think if we get more chances on regular basis, we will improve a lot because if we see as a team and as a country, we are brave people and we always accept challenges.It all looked rather wet and forlorn the day before the Test in Greater Noida•Daya Sagar/ESPNcricinfo

“If we get three- or four-match series in one time, I think it will be very good for us as a side. If you look at our past, we get one Test match and we start preparing for that ten days before. So it’s not easy to come to red-ball cricket. Playing matches will make us even better on judging the ball and playing good cricket in red-ball format, compared to playing in the nets. So if we play three-four games back to back I think it will be better.”Ranked 12th in the ICC Test rankings, Afghanistan are a force in the white-ball formats, ranked ninth in ODIs and tenth in T20Is. They took down teams like England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup last year and made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in June this year after beating New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh.”About Test cricket, 100% we want to improve,” Shahidi said. “We want to show to the world our best format is Test cricket. And I mentioned before that we accept all kinds of challenges, and I am telling the boys also that these opportunities are very big opportunities for us, each and every one to show our skill, to show our talent and make… if I am a batsman, make a big score, big runs. So your name will be among the big names in the future. So if you want that, this is the place and time to show. I think we have that ability to do it and need to show it.”At this stage, it’s not clear how much red-ball action Afghanistan will get from this Test as a weather threat looms over the game, with rain and moderate thunderstorms forecast for the coming week.

Hoping to spark their transfer window into life to follow up on Thierno Barry’s pending arrival, Everton have reportedly entered the race to sign a Championship star.

Who Everton are targeting after Barry

With Barry reportedly on his way to complete a move worth around £30m from Villarreal, it won’t be long until Everton are able to shift their focus towards further incomings. Just who those targets are is the big question. As things stand, names such as James McAtee and Takefusa Kubo remain the most interesting and the Toffees could yet push on to land two more attacking reinforcements.

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The Toffees are in the market for reinforcements.

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McAtee particularly stands out. The Manchester City graduate desperately needs to leave the Etihad in search of consistent game time and entering a new era with Everton at The Hill Dickinson Stadium would hand him exactly that.

Whilst he was forced to play a frustrating role last season, McAtee still impressed whenever given the opportunity to thrive under Pep Guardiola. So much so that the Spaniard had nothing but positives to say about the 22-year-old after he scored a hat-trick against Salford City in the FA Cup.

Even after that praise, however, McAtee’s future looks destined to come away from the Citizens. Of course, the last time that City sold a young player like McAtee, Chelsea gained an incredible player in Cole Palmer, who is now one of the best that the Premier League has to offer.

Whether Everton can repeat Chelsea’s genius for McAtee remains to be seen, but midfield reinforcements seem to be the Toffees’ priority with or without the Man City gem this summer.

Everton join Hayden Hackney race

According to Sky Sports, Everton have now joined the race to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer after making initial enquiries over his availability.

Joining a hectic race to sign the £25m midfielder, the Toffees may finally hand Hackney a well-earned path to the Premier League and land an impressive replacement for the departed Abdoulaye Doucoure in the process.

Minutes

3,792

2,564

Progressive Passes

440

38

Tackles Won

56

28

Ball Recoveries

281

150

To say that Hackney is ready for the Premier League would be an understatement. Even as Boro failed to secure a spot in the playoffs last season, he dominated the Championship in the middle of the park both in and out of possession and recently helped England U21s to a European Championship triumph.

It’s no surprise that former manager Michael Carrick was so full of praise for his star man, telling reporters after Hackney won the Young Player of the Year award in 2024: “I’m not taking any credit for Hayden Hackney winning the Young Player of the Year award.

“He’s a talented lad and more importantly he is so down to earth and humble. He’s willing to listen and he’s a very fast learner, so anything you tell him he takes on board straight away.”