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Everton will surely feel smug about the number of top-drawer academy products they’ve managed to uncover.

The likes of Anthony Gordon and John Stones have the blue half of Merseyside to thank for kickstarting their Premier League careers, before Newcastle United and Manchester City beckoned, while Everton undoubtedly got more out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin than what was expected, after once picking him up as an 18-year-old prospect from Sheffield United.

71 goals would come Calvert-Lewin’s way across 273 games, but even he will know his rise to Toffees first-team glory pales into insignificance when weighed up next to Wayne Rooney’s remarkable ascent from teenage prodigy at Goodison Park to world-beater with Manchester United.

David Moyes was the boss who first gave Rooney a chance in the Everton senior mix at just 16 years of age, as the Scotsman now goes about assessing what promising youngsters he currently has at his disposal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium who could also go on to have an extensive career at the very top.

Everton's most promising youngsters right now

Many of the Everton U21s personnel right now will surely be dreaming of their Rooney moment in the spotlight under the Glaswegian.

Omari Benjamin could well feel he’s deserving of a first-team opportunity very soon, especially if Beto continues to fluff his lines on Merseyside, with the former Arsenal youth player turned rising star at the Toffees boasting two goals this season in Premier League 2 action.

Up to 12 goals in total now for the U21s, it only feels like a matter of time before the 19-year-old hotshot is handed some men’s minutes.

Other names catching the eye include Justin Clarke, who also boasts two goals himself this season in the Premier League 2, alongside 18-year-old Joel Catesby, who is more of a creative force than a goalscoring menace, having accumulated seven assists to date in both the U18 and U21 picture.

Moyes will have to err on the side of caution with some of these promising starlets, however, with the gap between youth football and the pressures of the Premier League a notoriously hard one to bridge.

That’s why the youth-focused boss will be over the moon with how well this other exciting youngster is doing out on loan away from Everton, as the Toffees potentially now have their best prospect since Rooney burst onto the scene.

Everton's biggest prospect since Rooney

The once wide-eyed number 18 would never look back after being slotted into the first team at just 16, with 17 goals and four assists tallied up for the Toffees during his first stint on the Merseyside, ending up being just the start of his unbelievable tale in the Premier League.

Harrison Armstrong will hope his current loan spell with Preston North End is a similarly memorable first chapter he can look back on in a few years time after he’s exploded in the Everton first-team set-up, with one Preston-based content creator already tipping him to have a “huge future” beyond Deepdale.

Armstrong has even picked up a Man of the Match accolade out on loan in Lancashire, too, with seven duels won across the course of his bruising 90 minutes, the sort of grit Preston needed to complete a 3-2 comeback win over Sheffield United on Friday night.

With three assists also next to his name in the Everton first-team picture, it’s clear that there’s a plausible pathway to the senior side for Armstrong under Moyes when this formative stint is complete, having also been previously dubbed a “first team regular in the making” at Everton by journalist Richard Buxton.

Everton U18s

22

5 + 1

Derby County

15

1 + 0

Everton U21s

15

3 + 1

Everton

8

0 + 3

Preston

8

0

The bold claims don’t stop here, either, with another Preston-oriented voice also wildly stating that he “will play for England one day” long after his Championship journey is up.

After all, the likes of Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins must still be eternally grateful for their respective EFL educations, before they then went on to receive a Three Lions cap.

Everything is pointing in the direction of Armstrong being Everton’s brightest prospect since Rooney’s whirlwind moment, with it now being up to the 18-year-old to succeed with all this hype weighing down on him.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton flop must be axed if Richarlison joins

This Everton dud will surely be on borrowed time even more if Richarlison rejoins the Toffees.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Vidarbha allrounder Harsh Dubey chipped in with 84 in a game where Rishabh Pant took body blows

Shashank Kishore08-Nov-2025

Dhruv Jurel made two centuries in the same game against South Africa A in Bengaluru•PTI

Dhruv Jurel struck his fifth first-class century and second in the match, to strengthen his case for a middle-order spot in next week’s first South Africa Test in Kolkata.Jurel struck an unbeaten 127, rescuing a floundering India A innings for the second time in the match, as they declared on 382 for 7, setting South Africa A 417 to win in a little over three sessions. The visitors were 25 for 0 at stumps, with openers Lesego Senokwane and Jordan Hermann surviving 11 testing overs from Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna.Siraj was particularly menacing, testing the inside and outside edge of Senokwane in his last two overs, where there were as many as three appeals for caught behind that were turned down – all superb decisions by umpire Akshay Totare – before he shouldered arms and survived a close leave to one that just missed the off stump. Siraj’s spell read 6-2-10-0.Related

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Rishabh Pant scores half-century after retiring hurt against South Africa A

Rishabh Pant returns to India's Test squad for South Africa series

Jurel came in to bat with India A reeling at 108 for 4 when Rishabh Pant, the captain, retired hurt on 17 after copping multiple blows on the body and helmet by fast bowler Tshepo Moreki. Prior to this, India had lost KL Rahul after he managed to add just one to his overnight 26 when he was bowled off a nip-backer from Okuhle Cele.Jurel found an ally in allrounder Harsh Dubey, who took on the role of the aggressor early on in their partnership. Having had very little bowling to do in the first innings, Dubey proved his batting chops in making 84 as he put on 184 for the sixth wicket with Jurel. Dropped at slip off the very first delivery, Dubey used his feet well to loft spinners Prenelan Subrayen and Kyle Simmonds down the ground. He was also excellent while sweeping.At the other end, Jurel blunted a fired-up Moreki by defending with a straight bat and playing as close as he could to the body. Against spin, there were no half measures: he was either fully forward while driving, or assured while rocking back to cut. For much of his innings, Jurel hardly played across the line.On 49, Jurel had a massive slice of luck when he lunged forward to defend a sharp turner from Subrayen as the ball bounced back onto the stumps in a manner reminiscent of Siraj’s dismissal at Lord’s off Shoaib Bashir to signal England’s victory earlier this year, except this time the bails remained intact. To his credit, Jurel cashed in on that luck, getting past a half-century – it took him 83 deliveries to get there – and then shifting gears to cruise past three-figures.South Africa A took the second new ball immediately upon being available and struck off the second delivery when Dubey was out driving to the slips. That is when Pant returned to bat and quickly pounced on anything loose to charge towards a half-century. Pant got hit for a fourth time with a short ball, from Tiaan van Vuuren, the left-arm seamer, as he tried to pull. On 65, he attempted a slog that he top-edged to the wicketkeeper to drag the innings to a close.

While Gaikwad hit 184 for West Zone, the likes of Iyer and Thakur had lukewarm games

Ashish Pant07-Sep-2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal – 4 and 64

Jaiswal began the semi-final by clipping Khaleel Ahmed to the deep-square leg boundary. But his innings lasted just three balls when Khaleel nipped a length ball sharply back into Jaiswal, who played all around it, and was trapped lbw for 4. He was visibly unhappy with the decision, and was seen talking to the match referee at the end of the opening day.After a low score in the first innings, Jaiswal started the second cautiously. There weren’t any flashy shots or attempts to clear the ropes early. But once he got the hang of the surface, Jaiswal attacked. There was a reverse sweep over point against Harsh Dubey before Jaiswal charged down and smashed the left-arm spinner straight over the sight screen. He scored 64 off 70 balls on the final day, with his innings including three fours and three sixes.Related

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Shreyas Iyer – 25 and 12

Iyer got an early reprieve in the first innings and started positively, but failed to convert his start into a big score. He struck four fours in his innings of 25 off 28 balls, but was done in by Khaleel’s around-the-wicket angle. Iyer tried to run the ball fine towards deep third, but could only manage an inside edge that flattened his middle stump.In the second innings, Iyer nudged offspinner Saransh Jain past slip, and then waltzed down the track and deposited him into the sightscreen. But he soon fell, edging Jain behind to the wicketkeeper for 12.Ruturaj Gaikwad hit 22 runs in an over against Khaleel Ahmed•PTI

Ruturaj Gaikwad – 184 and 16

Gaikwad’s first-innings 184 was the knock of the match. He came in with West Zone on 10 for 2 in the fourth over, with the ball moving around under cloudy skies. Gaikwad was cautious against seamers Deepak Chahar and Khaleel, and then cashed in against the spinners. He accelerated his innings perfectly, reaching his eighth first-class century off just 131 balls. Gaikwad finished on 184 from 206 deliveries, the highlight being a 22-run over against Khaleel, where he struck him for four fours and a six.In the second innings, Gaikwad hit Dubey for two straight sixes, but fell for 16 after being caught at first slip.

Shardul Thakur – 64 and 6, and 0 for 42

The West Zone captain scored a crucial 64 in the first innings, having an 84-run stand with Tanush Kotian to push the score past 400. Thakur was assertive in his stroke play, hitting seven fours and a six in his 98-ball knock. But his run out on the second morning became the turning point, with West Zone losing their last four wickets for 27 runs.Thakur’s bowling, however, felt flat. He bowled only 11 overs in the first innings, including two maidens, and conceded 42 runs.Rajat Patidar scored 77 the only time he batted in the semi-final•PTI

Tushar Deshpande – 0 for 76

Deshpande was the quickest among the fast bowlers. He toiled the most among the West Zone quicks, adopting the short-ball tactic in his later spells, and was also uncomfortable to face. Deshpande hit at least two Central Zone batters on the midriff, and had them ducking and weaving. But all that didn’t translate into a wicket.

Rajat Patidar – 77

Patidar was one of six half-centurions in Central Zone’s only innings as they piled up 600 to take a first-innings lead and secure a place in the final. Patidar stroked 14 fours in his 77 off 84 balls, and looked fluent throughout. A key feature of his knock was the quick singles he ran to mid-off and mid-on as he raced to a 62-ball fifty. On the third morning, Patidar smashed Kotian for four fours in an over before being cleaned up by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.Deepak Chahar went for 52 runs in 14 overs in the first innings•PTI

Khaleel Ahmed – 2 for 82 and 0 for 12

Khaleel bowled with good pace in the first innings, but was expensive, going for 82 runs in 15 overs. He found the right channels on the first morning but couldn’t sustain it in the later spells. Gaikwad took Khaleel for 36 runs in 24 balls in the first innings, but Khaleel did remove Jaiswal and Iyer. He bowled just four overs in the second innings, conceding 12 runs.

Deepak Chahar – 1 for 52

Chahar had an average outing with the ball. He removed Harvik Desai with an outswinger on the first day, but otherwise seemed ineffective. With the surface not assisting the fast bowlers much, Chahar found it tough and went for 52 runs in 14 overs, managing just one wicket. He did not take the field in the second innings, though he did not look in any visual discomfort.

Tottenham Hotspur could be back on the hunt for another head coach a lot sooner than they would’ve wanted, and one candidate to replace Thomas Frank may find the job too good to turn down.

Pressure piles on Thomas Frank amid Tottenham slide

Frank’s tenure has reached boiling point following three consecutive defeats that have exposed major frailties and escalating supporter unrest.

After humiliating losses against Arsenal (4-1), PSG (5-3) and most recently Fulham (2-1), with just one victory to show from their last seven in all competitions, Spurs currently languish 12th in the Premier League table, boasting just one win at home all season.

Tottenham have suffered ten league defeats on their own turf in 2025, equaling their worst-ever calendar year record. With challenging fixtures against Newcastle, Liverpool and Crystal Palace due this month, starting against the Magpies this evening, things don’t get any easier for Frank.

Premier League home form table

Team

Wins

Draws

Losses

Points

GD

16. Burnley

2

1

3

7

-1

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

5

1

10

Media sources also suggest that players have grown increasingly bewildered by Frank’s constant tactical alterations, with strategies frequently changed moments before kickoff or abandoned entirely during matches.

Saturday’s Fulham capitulation — conceding twice within six minutes before Mohammed Kudus’ consolation ultimately proved futile — exposed defensive fragility that has seen Spurs ship eleven goals across their last three encounters.

Relationships between supporters and players have also deteriorated dramatically, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario subject to constant booing against Fulham following his catastrophic error which gifted Harry Wilson their second goal of the game.

Frank criticised fans in the aftermath, calling the behaviour ‘unacceptable’, and this has only heightened tension between Spurs and Lilywhites loyalists in the stand.

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The tactician elaborated on this in his pre-Newcastle press conference, attempting to reassure supporters that their feelings matter but the north Londoners need to create a ‘fortress’ at home.

Reports are now emerging that Tottenham are beginning to make contingency plans in the event they decide to sack Frank, so nothing but a victory will do against Newcastle as the Dane looks to relieve the humongous pressure on his shoulders.

Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner

If Frank is shown his P45, one manager who’s very much in contention to replace him is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

Former Palace chairman and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan admitted back in September that he urged ex-Spurs chair Daniel Levy to consider appointing Glasner, and it isn’t hard to see why.

The Austrian, who guided Palace to their first ever major trophy after an historic FA Cup final win over Man City in May, also led the south Londoners to an unprecedented 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions this year — before it was ended by Everton at the Hill Dickinson.

This run was made all the more impressive given his very limited resources and the constant threat of losing star players, with Spurs believed to be real admirers of Glasner’s work.

That is according to TEAMtalk, who report that, while Frank is safe for now, Tottenham could make a move for Glasner and accelerate new manager plans if this slide continues.

They also state that Tottenham could prove ‘irresistible’ to Glasner as a managerial opportunity, with the 51-year-old’s future far from certain as his contract is due to expire at the end of June.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, who won the Europa League with them in 2022, is a fine candidate to succeed Frank and his looming free agent status makes the prospect of a move all the more appealing.

Daniel Farke has reportedly been handed an ultimatum by authoritative figures at Leeds United, with a new report revealing that the German head coach could risk losing his job if he doesn't manage to eke out a win in his side's upcoming fixtures against Liverpool and Chelsea this week. Farke has been under tremendous pressure in recent weeks after Leeds dropped into the relegation zone.

Farke walking a tightrope at Leeds United

Senior figures at Leeds United expect Farke to lose his job if he cannot inspire his team to turn their fortunes around this week, according to a report from . The club will host title contenders Chelsea and reigning champions Liverpool at Elland Road on Wednesday and Saturday, but failure to win either game could jeopardise Farke's position at the club. 

There is "sympathy for him in some quarters owing to a belief that results have not reflected some positive performances," which could be suggestive of the notion that the German head coach's job hangs in balance. Leeds collected eight points from their opening six league encounters, but are since experiencing a barren stretch of results which has seen them lose six of their last seven outings – four of them in succession. 

Despite being backed with a £100 million (€114m/$132m) summer investment, Leeds find themselves battling for survival after a 100-pointer campaign in the Championship last season, which saw them win the second-tier. Following their most recent loss, a gut-wrenching 3-2 defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City, they are left languishing in 18th position on the Premier League. The good news is that a few positive results will give them breathing room and buy Farke the leeway he requires to save his job. The bad news? There's not much time – or hope – left for that to happen, with Chelsea and Liverpool's challenges on the horizon.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFans have started losing patience with Farke

On November's penultimate weekend, Leeds hosted Aston Villa after slipping into the relegation zone for the first time this season, following Nottingham Forest's shock 3-0 shellacking of Liverpool at Anfield and West Ham's draw with Bournemouth. 

Things looked bright for the home side afer Lukas Nmecha fired his team into the lead in the eighth minute. However, all the hard work was undone courtesy a brilliant second-half brace from the magnificent Morgan Rogers. 

While the loss undeniably soured the mood, the real spectacle came courtesy of a 61-year-old passionate Leeds fan. Seething with anger, he stormed from the stands and onto the pitch midway through the match, trying to confront Farke near the Leeds dugout, before being escorted off by stadium stewards. The fan got to within several yards of the technical area to bawl out at the 49-year-old, but the Leeds boss was totally unaware of everything else that had been unfolding before his eyes at Elland Road that day.

"Everyone is disappointed," Farke told reporters after the game. "I don't want one change in our supporters. I don't want them to be happy after (we have lost) and to give some plaudits. 

"We have a very passionate fan-base, and this is what we want – it's a privilege. I don't want our supporters to change one per cent. They should be angry and disappointed. I feel exactly the same, and for that, we would expect it, that it's like this. I totally understand this."

Farke wants to keep Leeds 'in the promised land'

Ahead of Leeds' opening day encounter against Everton in August, Farke made a determined vow to lead the club back to where it belongs – among the best in the Premier League. “I’ve always been in the mindset not to do the selfish things in my career, but to do things when I’m convinced ‘I need to do this’,” Farke said. “I want to leave this club in a better place than when I arrived. I’m just focused on taking the next step for Leeds United. I want to keep this club in the promised land. It’s a club which belongs in the Premier League. The fanbase is second to none.”

However, the reality stands in stark contrast, far from anything imagined more than three words since that promise, with Leeds ominously navigating relegation waters and Farke on the verge of being relieved of his duties.

In any case, Farke remains committed to the cause and has shown enough conviction to turn things around, at least as far as his words are concerned. "No. We don't have to speak about this topic, because this is not a topic I think one second about, really not," he responded when asked if he has received any reassurances from Leeds' hierarchy.

"It's not the question I am worried one second about. If you can't handle the heat, don't become a manager of Leeds United."

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Getty Images/GoalSpeculation suggests Leeds are already looking for replacements

According to the rumour mill, Leeds have started preparing for life after Farke. Two prime candidates who could be approached by the club in the near future are Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou. 

Rodgers stunned Celtic supporters last month when he announced that he would be stepping down from his job at Parkhead. If reports are to be believed, he is eager for a Premier League return. 

On the other hand, Postecoglou has had an exhausting past six months. He was sacked by Spurs right after they won the Europa League, but made an immediate return to coaching by taking over a struggling Nottingham Forest side following the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo. The Australian, though, lasted only eight winless games before being let go of. It is said that he's not aiming for a return to managerial duties at the moment, but the Leeds job could interest him nonetheless.

Juventus are now reportedly keeping close tabs on Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto as they attempt to solve their defensive problems under new manager Luciano Spalletti.

Heading into the November international break, those at Stamford Bridge have reason to be optimistic. They bounced back from a 2-2 draw against Qarabag in style on Saturday, putting three past a managerless Wolverhampton Wanderers side. It was the Blues at their best, with Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto and unexpected goalscorer Gusto all getting on the scoresheet.

The dominant victory sets them up for the perfect return when they visit Burnley after the international break. It’s a game that Chelsea should win to commence an all-important week which then features games against Barcelona and Arsenal. Victory in those two would suddenly spark interesting questions about the Blues’ ambitions.

Burnley vs Chelsea

Premier League

22/11/2025

Chelsea vs Barcelona

Champions League

25/11/2025

Chelsea vs Arsenal

Premier League

30/11/2025

Leeds United vs Chelsea

Premier League

03/12/2025

Bournemouth vs Chelsea

Premier League

06/12/2025

As things stand, Enzo Maresca’s side are third in the Premier League and six points behind leaders Arsenal. If the Club World Cup winners are to be serious title challengers then victory over the Gunners is a must at Stamford Bridge.

The January transfer window is also worth keeping an eye on. Those in West London are rarely shy when it comes to splashing the cash and they’ve already been linked with moves for the likes of Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz.

The right-back is one of the best in his position in the world and would instantly hand Reece James plenty to think about and hand Gusto quite the problem. The Chelsea man has already lost his place to James this season and rumours are now arriving about his own future.

Juventus now tracking Malo Gusto

Serie A giants Juventus are now tracking Malo Gusto, according to reports in Italy relayed by TuttoJuve. The Italian club are looking to solve their right-back problem and have identified both the Chelsea star and Atletico Madrid’s Nahuel Molina as 2026 targets.

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He’s enjoying an impressive campaign.

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Gusto has started just six of Chelsea’s 11 Premier League games so far this season, but Maresca reiterated that he is one of his “main players” after he scored his first goal for the club against Wolves.

The versatility that Maresca praised has seen Gusto play both right and left-back as well as right-midfield throughout his career, and while that added depth is value from a player on £45,000-a-week, he’s been unable to make any of those positions his own at Stamford Bridge.

As James continues to keep the Frenchman out the side, it will be interesting to see whether he makes a decision about his Chelsea career if Juventus come calling. A move to the Italian giants, even amid their current struggles, wouldn’t exactly be a major downgrade for Gusto.

Chelsea launch move to re-sign Antonio Rudiger; he's made Real Madrid decision

The Punjab Kings and Chhattisgarh batter talks about impressing Brian Lara, his rollercoaster career so far, and the season ahead

Ashish Pant09-Oct-2024Players showing up at the IPL out of near obscurity and leaving a mark isn’t new. You get a handful of such names almost every season, and you got them this year too. Think Mayank Yadav, who hit 156.7kph. Or Harshit Rana, who played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning run. Or Nitish Kumar Reddy, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s newest star.Another name made the rounds even before IPL 2024 got underway: Shashank Singh, who was picked by Punjab Kings in rather interesting circumstances at the auction, and went on to smash 61 not out off 29 against Gujarat Titans, 46 not out off 25 against SRH, and 68 not out off 28 against Kolkata Knight Riders – the last one in a record T20 run chase.That wasn’t Shashank’s first IPL rodeo. Nor was it the first time he had bittersweet feelings about the auction.Related

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December 23, 2022. He distinctly remembers the day of the IPL 2023 auction. He had just finished a Ranji Trophy game against Services in Delhi and was getting ready to catch a plane to Kerala, where his side, Chhattisgarh, were due to play their next match.After moving from Delhi Capitals (2017) to Rajasthan Royals (2019-21), Shashank finally made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022. He had to wait until his sixth game to get a bat, and in his first innings, against Gujarat Titans, he smashed Lockie Ferguson for three back-to-back sixes in the final over to finish on an unbeaten 25 off six balls, leaving social media abuzz. ” [Who is this Shashank?] read a tweet from Yuvraj Singh. Harbhajan Singh marvelled at the young man’s power-hitting, and so did several experts on social media.Shashank didn’t have another innings of note that season but he received positive feedback from the team management, which included Brian Lara, the SRH batting coach. He had reasons to be optimistic about his chances, but on auction day he found no bidders.”Even now, when I think about it, I get very uneasy,” Shashank says. “I still don’t know how I spent that night [after the auction]. I can’t explain how those two to three months of my life went. cricketing emotions ” [I had lost those cricketing emotions.]”After the SRH year [2022], I was expecting that things would be good for me. I was expecting too much from myself and IPL as well. But I was not picked. After that, I had a very lean patch. So many thoughts were coming into my mind. cricket [If there was something good happening, I didn’t react to it. Any which way, things weren’t exactly going right.]He was out hurt for the next IPL. He should have been there, he thought. He was good enough to be a part of a team, any team.”I always wanted to test myself in red-ball cricket – to find out where exactly I stand”•Saikat Das/BCCICut to a year later and Shashank became Kings’ crisis man, helping them eke out wins from almost unwinnable situations. The two contrasting years at the IPL were a microcosm of his career.

****

Shashank was born in Bhilai in Chhattisgarh but played a lot of his early age-group cricket in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where his father, an officer in the Indian police, was posted. At 16 he moved to Mumbai for better opportunities. There he got a massive reality check.Coming from Bhopal, where cricketing infrastructure was not as developed, he was up against players of the calibre of Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur, and he realised he needed to level up quickly. He joined the DY Patil Academy under the tutelage of former India fast bowler Abey Kuruvilla, who became his mentor.”When I was in Bhopal playing school cricket, there weren’t a lot of inter-state matches. But when I went to Mumbai, I saw the competition,” Shashank says. “I was surprised by just how much talent the players had, compared to me. Be it fitness, cricketing skills, training, the struggle… that’s when I told myself that just this much work won’t do.”Then I joined DY Patil and Abey Kuruvilla sir, and obviously there my life completely changed. He gave me all the freedom. The initial days in Mumbai really made me tough. Even when I got settled in Mumbai, that competition was always there. The culture, that definitely got imbibed.”For the next ten years Shashank played every tournament that came his way: Kanga league, Times Shield, DY Patil league. It took him some time to get there, but he made his Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy debuts for Mumbai in 2015. However, with competition for spots tight in Mumbai cricket, he failed to get into the red-ball side. Even in white-ball cricket, matches were few and far between. He played three List A games, all in 2015, while his last T20 game for Mumbai came in 2018.Shashank with Punjab Kings team-mate Shikhar Dhawan•Arjun Singh/BCCIThen came probably one of the toughest decisions of his career. At 27, Shashank decided to part ways with Mumbai to try and play first-class cricket elsewhere and prolong his professional career. He moved to Chhattisgarh, the state of his birth. Kuruvilla helped, by speaking to the secretary of the cricket association there, and soon enough Shashank made his Ranji Trophy debut for the state in the 2019-20 season.Did he feel the move was a step down?”Yes, 100%,” Shashank says. “I cried. I still remember that night when I went to Abey sir and told him that I don’t want to leave Mumbai cricket. I am very emotional towards that Mumbai cap. But sir was very honest to me.”He said, in red-ball cricket it would be very difficult because Abhishek Nayar is there, Shivam Dube is there. [In] white-ball, we were all playing. There you can accommodate allrounders. But in red-ball it gets difficult.”I always wanted to test myself in red-ball cricket – [to find out] where exactly I stand. When you start playing cricket, it is mostly about Test cricket. Obviously you want to challenge yourself at the toughest competition.”It was very difficult for me to accept that I won’t be playing for Mumbai, I won’t be wearing that Mumbai cap, I won’t be in their dressing room. It took me a few days to digest it. I made the decision to play for Chhattisgarh because I wanted to test myself in red-ball cricket.”Shashank has since been a regular in the Chhattisgarh side across formats. Starting in 2019, in 21 first-class games for the state he has scored 858 runs at an average of 31.77, and taken 12 wickets with his medium pace. In List A cricket, he has better numbers: 859 runs in 23 innings at 40.90 and 31 wickets, while in T20s he averages 18.75 with the bat. In the 2023-24 season, he became the first Indian to score 150-plus runs and take five wickets in the same List A game, a feat he achieved against Manipur.Shashank says his success in the IPL has given him more credibility with his team-mates•Saikat Das/BCCIIn a lot of ways, the 2023-24 season was a turning point in Shashank’s career. He was among the runs and wickets during the Vijay Hazare Trophy and had decent returns in the Mushtaq Ali tournament as well. He finished IPL 2024 as Kings’ highest run-getter with 354 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 164.65, and more recently scored back-to-back centuries for Chhattisgarh in the KSCA league in Bengaluru.Shashank’s new-found success in the IPL has helped him earn more respect from his Chhattisgarh team-mates.”The friendships, the bonding, how they used to pull my leg earlier, all that is there. But now they have started trusting me more with my batting abilities, now they have started respecting me more as a cricketer,” he says. “I am not the captain of the state but sometimes, when I give my opinions, the management as well as the players, they respect it. ‘Okay if Shashank is saying this, there must be some logic in it.'”Along with his growing reputation, there has also been an upsurge in his social media following, from a few hundreds it now numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The people who used to troll him earlier over the name confusion at the auction ended up praising him for his steely determination when, seemingly overnight, he became the centrepiece of Kings’ success.How did the sudden spotlight feel?”I felt happy – obviously, anybody will,” Shashank says. “You get out of the lift and all the people know you by your name.”When I came to the team hotel ahead of the IPL, they asked my name. I said, ‘Shashank Singh’, and they were like, ‘Right, yeah… which state do you play for?’ Oh, Chhattisgarh. After a month they were like, ‘Oh, here’s Shashank Singh.’ It felt nice, and who won’t like it?”I still remember, there was a huge Punjab Kings poster which had pictures of me, Arsh [Arshdeep Singh], Jitesh [Sharma], and I think Sam [Curran]. I sent that picture to my mother. It felt nice to open the [hotel] window in the morning and see my face. I won’t lie. You go shopping, you go out to eat, people ask for a selfie, autograph, recognise you… I feel blessed.”Shashank is a big AB de Villiers fan, but the cricketer he really looks up to is Lara. The former West Indies captain was SRH’s batting coach when Shashank was part of the team and he credits Lara with giving him the confidence and belief to succeed at the IPL.Shashank moved from Chhattisgarh, where he was born, to Bhopal, then to Mumbai, and now is playing for Chhattisgarh•Anupam Nath/Associated Press”I came into the IPL only because of Brian Lara. He literally changed my mindset, and the technical part as well,” he says. “He has changed my cricketing things – from being a normal cricketer to a good IPL cricketer. He has had a great impact on my cricketing journey.”I remember, the first time when I came to bat in front of him, I just tried to impress him. I was trying to hit every ball. One round of six bowlers finished, he called me and said, ‘Don’t try to impress me, just bat. I know you can bat well’.’ Then I calmed down, played according to the merit of the ball, and then he was impressed. He was the one who said, ‘Shashank, you are not a No. 6 batsman’, and gave me the confidence.”Ahead of a long season, Shashank says he has worked on a number of things. The first was to “stop being harsh on myself”. He didn’t have a great Ranji Trophy season last time around, managing just 232 runs in six games, which he believes was down to him being confused and overthinking his technique. But now, having played in the IPL, spoken to different coaches, he has developed clarity of thought.”Till last year I was extremely confused whether I should change my batting style in red-ball cricket,” he says. “But this year when I met Sanjay [Bangar] sir, and lately I met Wasim [Jaffer] as well in Mumbai. They just told me to play my normal game and not change just because the format is changed.”I have now started to react to the ball and have started backing myself, like I do in white-ball cricket, and I have stopped overthinking. Even if I score four zeroes in four innings, who cares? There is a chance I could score a century in the fifth.”And the other thing I worked on is my bowling and fitness. I was pretty sure as to what I needed to work on in my training. Before this, I wasn’t sure of the areas to work on. I was all over the place. Now I know where I am standing.”Shashank is not looking ahead to the IPL 2025 auction or thinking about retentions. For now, he wants to replicate his good form in the three major domestic tournaments, which begin with the Ranji Trophy on October 11. He wants to be an X-factor player for whichever team he plays for and is working hard towards it. The rest, he says, is destiny.

Micky Van de Ven’s addition back in the summer of 2023 raised eyebrows among many Tottenham Hotspur supporters, especially after the hierarchy forked out £40m for his signature.

Such a fee was a hefty one during the Daniel Levy era, but it may have come as more of a surprise given the Dutchman was largely an unknown quantity to many of the fans.

However, just over a couple of years on from his move, he’s cemented himself as a key member of Thomas Frank’s squad – arguably being one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Despite his defensive role, the 24-year-old has had a huge impact within attacking areas, netting three times in the Premier League this season – putting him joint top of the Lilywhites’ goalscoring charts.

It’s not all been plain sailing for the club within the defensive department, with numerous other big-money additions unable to live up to the hefty fees paid for their services.

Spurs’ issues at centre-back for Van de Ven’s arrival

Spending big on centre-backs hasn’t been alien to Spurs in recent years, as seen by their £42m addition of Davinson Sanchez back in the summer of 2017 – a then club-record transfer.

The Colombian racked up over 200 appearances for the Lilywhites over a six-year period, subsequently leaving in the summer of 2023 to join Turkish side Galatasaray.

He was a solid option under various managers in North London, but ultimately, the fanbase were left disappointed – especially after paying a club-record fee for his signature.

Joe Rodon was another youngster signed by the hierarchy to potentially grow into an elite-level centre back, subsequently paying Swansea City £11m back in the summer of 2020.

However, the Welshman would only make 15 Premier League appearances for the club, before being sold to Leeds United as part of the Archie Gray deal in 2024.

It’s safe to say with Van de Ven, times have changed in North London, but the club have already unearthed another top-level talent who could be a real hit with the fans in the years to come.

The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Van de Ven

Whilst he’s been battling with injuries over the last few months, Van de Ven’s importance to the Spurs side simply cannot be understated – with Frank’s men a much better side with the Dutchman at the back.

He’s already helped the Lilywhites keep seven clean sheets across all competitions, with the 24-year-old evidently having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

The defender has also demonstrated his strength in another area, with the former Wolfsburg man registering the fastest speed of any player in England’s top-flight throughout 2024/25.

At present, he’s currently partnered by Cristian Romero at the heart of the backline, but that could be about to change in the years ahead, given the emergence of Luka Vuskovic.

The Lilywhites forked out a reported fee in the region of £12m for the signature of teenage sensation from Hajduk Split, with real hope he can be a first team starter in the near future.

The Croatian has spent a couple of years out on loan, with his spell on loan at Westerlo catching the eye – but for his attacking quality rather than his talent at the back – just like Van de Ven.

He scored seven times and notched two assists in his 36 outings, a simply staggering feat for a young defender, which earned him another loan move – this time to Bundesliga side, Hamburg.

The prospect of top-flight German football may have seemed like a huge jump to many, but the 18-year-old has wasted no time in impressing the supporters of Die Rothosen.

Vuskovic, who’s been labelled “one of the most exciting teenage centre-backs” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already opened his account for the German side in 2025/26.

Games played

6

Goals scored

1

Pass accuracy

84%

Duels won

10.2

Aerial duels won

7.5

Aerial success rate

87%

Dribbles completed

100%

Touches

85.8

However, his defensive stats are just as impressive, with the youngster winning a staggering 10.2 duels per 90 – 7.5 of which have been in the air – subsequently achieving a success rate of 87%.

He’s also completed 100% of the dribbles he’s attempted, whilst completing a total of 84% of his passes – showcasing his incredible all-round game despite his tender age.

It’s very rare you come across such a dominant young centre-back, but it’s clear Vuskovic has all the tools needed to be a monster hit with the Lilywhites fanbase in the years to come.

Should he stay on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t emulate Van de Ven’s success in North London and even surpass the Dutchman’s recent levels.

Frank's next Toney: Paratici leading Spurs move for "one of the best STs"

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a January move to land a new talisman for Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 28, 2025

Manchester United’s draw against West Ham United yesterday once again highlighted the struggles faced by the side during Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s strike looked as though the Red Devils would secure all three points for the second time in a week, but their inability to defend set pieces ultimately cost them all three points.

Soungoutou Magassa’s effort was enough to secure the visitors a point, with Amorim left frustrated by his side’s lack of killer instinct to put the game to bed in the second half.

The result leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League, just two points off fourth, but the season could already look a whole lot different had the side managed to once again hold on for the win.

Numerous players failed to deliver during the meeting at Old Trafford, which could see the manager make some needed changes ahead of their next outing over the weekend.

United’s poor performers against West Ham last night

During the draw against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, Luke Shaw was once again handed a start in the Premier League, now taking his run of starts to 14 in a row.

However, it was yet another performance to forget for the Englishman, with the centre-back struggling to deal with the threat posed by opposition forward Jarrod Bowen.

Shaw was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of the ground duels he entered, whilst also committing three fouls – showcasing his inability to stop his compatriot from impressing.

At the other end of the pitch, Bryan Mbeumo also struggled to continue his fine recent form in the Premier League, as the Cameroonian once again failed to find the back of the net.

Like Shaw, he struggled in his duels against the Hammers at Old Trafford, as seen by his measly tally of 100% aerials lost out of the five battles in which he entered.

He also failed to complete any of the crosses he attempted, whilst only placing one of his shots on target, subsequently being unable to provide the added threat needed in attacking areas.

The Man Utd star who needs to be dropped after West Ham

After failing to win for an eighth time in the league this campaign, Amorim will certainly need to find a winning formula quickly if he is to be a success as United manager.

He’s massively come under fire over recent months for his lack of success in the role, no doubt down to his reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system in key moments.

At 1-1 last night, he had the opportunity to bring Kobbie Mainoo onto the pitch in an attempt to secure victory, but it was his conservative substitutions which led to the draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed in his post-match interview when one journalist suggested that the Englishman should have been brought on to push for the win.

Such a move wasn’t the only questionable decision made by Amorim last night, with the manager deciding to utilise Ayden Heaven at centre-back alongside Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui.

The youngster was handed his first league start of the campaign, but it was a decision that massively backfired, given his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams last night.

He featured for 45 minutes during the contest, before being replaced at the break after picking up a yellow card for a rash tackle on Bowen during the closing stages of the half.

The 19-year-old lost 100% of the duels he entered, whether that being on the ground or in the air, whilst committing two separate fouls, which no doubt led to his booking.

Heaven was also only able to complete a measly tally of six passes out of a possible ten, with none of his long balls being completed – showcasing his struggles in possession.

His struggles were compounded by his lack of involvement during the first half, only achieving a tally of 17 touches of the ball – with goalkeeper Senne Lammens having more, as seen by his tally of 29.

Senne Lammens – stats against West Ham

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

29

Goals prevented

0.06

Passes completed

23

Pass accuracy

79%

Saves

1

High claims

1

Recoveries made

8

Stats via FotMob

After such a performance, the manager must surely look to more senior options to fill the void, when his Red Devils side face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.

Leny Yoro was brought on to replace the Englishman at the break, with the manager needing to select the Frenchman next time around to help the side return to winning ways.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall 7 days ago

Australia are on the brink after taking six wickets in the final session, with England still trailing by 43

Tristan Lavalette06-Dec-20255:03

‘Neser has justified his selection ahead of Lyon’

Mitchell Starc continued his remarkable Ashes 2025-26 after stonewalling a weary England attack amid Brisbane’s stifling humidity before dismissing Joe Root under the lights as Australia finished day three on the brink of a comprehensive second Test victory.Just five days into this much-hyped series, England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes look forlorn although skipper Ben Stokes survived a tough period before stumps.The situation is grim for England after spending more than half a day wilting in the heat before losing six wickets under the lights in the final session. Quicks Scott Boland and Michael Neser, perhaps justifying his controversial selection over offspinner Nathan Lyon, had the pink ball zipping around on the Gabba surface.Related

• Australia's tail smokes and chars predictable England in Gabba cauldron

But the standout of the day was again Starc, who is submitting an Ashes series for the ages after he top-scored with 77 off 141 balls to help Australia secure a sizable 177-run first innings lead. It meant England’s second innings started late in the second session amid the dipping sun as the floodlights took over.Starc did look gassed after his batting effort as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett finally managed to survive the opening over for the first time in the series.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett added 45 runs in the first six overs of the second innings•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Duckett was lucky on 6 after rifling back to Neser who couldn’t take a sharp return catch although he would soon get more opportunities. In what was England’s best passage of a tortuous day, Duckett and Crawley batted well and eased to 45 for 0 after just six overs.There was some concern over Starc who grabbed at his lower left side and he needed some painkillers. However, Australia’s dominance resumed in the final session with Boland rattling the stumps of Duckett with a delivery that was short of a length but didn’t get above shin height.Ollie Pope briefly defied Boland, who had his tail up, but did not look convincing as he edged nervously on several occasions. He did manage to get to 26 only to fall in tame fashion when he was caught and bowled by Neser after miscuing a drive. It was the third time in the series that Pope failed to kick on from a start with the pressure on his spot set to intensify once more. England’s increasingly slim hopes rested on Root, fresh off his first ton on Australian soil in the first innings.But he watched in horror as Crawley on 44 attempted to drive on the up only to miscue and chip back to a giddy Neser, who couldn’t believe his good fortune. All the pressure fell on Root but he could not back up his first day heroics after he fell caught behind on review having chopped down on a full and wide Starc delivery.Boland was almost unplayable and thought he had Harry Brook caught behind on 15, only for replays to show that he missed the ball by a mile. But on the next ball he had Brook nicking off in a decision that was overturned on review.Pushing through the pain barrier, the indefatigable Starc summoned a remarkable late spell that accounted for Jamie Smith as the match appears headed for an early finish on day four.Mitchell Starc left Ben Stokes exasperated•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Starc had earlier played a major role in Australia’s supreme and complete effort with the bat, marked by six half-century partnerships and five individual fifties. It didn’t even matter that no one kicked on for a big score. For just the 12th time in Test cricket, every batter made it into double figures but no centuries were struck.Australia batted with controlled aggression – apart from a bizarre passage of play late on day two – much to the envy of England as they finished with a run rate of 4.34.Starc had the right template, leaving the ball well but swinging freely when the bowling missed its length which was quite often in a ragged England effort.Seamer Brydon Carse encapsulated their wildly inconsistent performance by taking four wickets, including Steven Smith and Cameron Green in the space of three extraordinary deliveries on day two, but he leaked 152 runs from 29 overs.England had started the day desperately needing a strong start after a slew of dropped chances proved costly under lights on day two. Australia resumed on 378 for 6 with the aim of not only scoring runs but stretching their innings through the daytime when batting has been at its best.Alex Carey quickly became the latest Australian to notch a half-century, crisply off 55 balls, before Stokes nicked off Neser with a perfect length delivery.Mitchell Starc acknowledges his half-century•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Starc came out aggressively to dish up more pain to Carse, whose tame attempts at a short-ball barrage proved once again ineffective. The second new ball did seem to produce more inconsistent bounce off the surface, offering hope for England to wrap up the innings. They appeared to be closing in when the luckless Gus Atkinson finally took his first Ashes wicket after nicking off Carey for 63, ending 41 overs of toil without reward in the series.But England were made to endure the heat for a few more hours as Starc and Boland combined for the longest partnership of the series in terms of balls faced. Starc cleverly farmed the strike as their plan to keep batting until the sun set worked to perfection.England appeared on the brink of imploding with a flustered Stokes furious with Jofra Archer after some lackadaisical fielding allowed Boland to get off strike. A lionhearted Stokes tried to will his team by pushing his body through a long spell but to no avail as he finally turned to spinning allrounder Will Jacks who only bowled one over on day two in his return to the side.Jacks opened the second session with a delivery that fizzed and bounced past Starc’s bat, no doubt catching the eye of Lyon in the terraces. But a few deliveries later Starc smoked a boundary to notch his 12th Test half-century. In the process he became the first Australian to score a fifty and take a five-wicket haul in an Ashes match since Mitchell Johnson during his wondrous 2013-14 series.Starc moved past Stuart Broad for most career Test runs batting at No.9 as he inched closer to a maiden century having once made 99 in India. But after more than two hours in the middle, Starc started to feel the pinch as he called for medical assistance with his right elbow feeling sore. He didn’t last much longer after holing out to mid-off but England’s agony was prolonged by No.11 Brendan Doggett and Boland, who finished 21 not out in a career high Test score.Jacks finally ended Doggett’s resistance to claim the first wicket through spin in the series.