Bukayo Saka etched his name into history on Thursday night, becoming Arsenal’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer for England after netting a stunning strike against Wales. Just a day after celebrating five years since his Three Lions debut, the 23-year-old produced a trademark curling finish to register his 13th goal for the national team and surpass Gunners' legend Cliff Bastin’s record.

Saka etches his name in England and Arsenal history books

England eased past Wales in a commanding 3-0 friendly victory at Wembley, with Saka providing the moment of magic that sealed the win. The Arsenal winger scored England’s third of the night with a sensational right-footed effort from the edge of the box, leaving goalkeeper Karl Darlow with no chance. Earlier in the evening, Morgan Rogers had opened the scoring inside three minutes before Aston Villa teammate Ollie Watkins doubled the lead soon after.

Saka's strike took his England tally to 13 goals, surpassing Bastin’s long-standing record of 12 to become Arsenal’s top-scoring men’s player in Three Lions history. The goal came almost exactly five years after the Gunners star made his England debut — coincidentally against Wales — in October 2020.  Saka’s curling effort not only capped off a dominant first-half display but also underlined his growing influence as one of England’s most decisive attacking outlets.

AdvertisementGettySaka: Putting Hale End back on the map

Saka’s milestone underscores his evolution from a talented teenager to one of the Premier League’s most complete forwards. For Arsenal, his success with the Three Lions represents a proud moment — no player in the club’s history has contributed more goals to England’s cause. It’s a record that places him ahead of icons like Bastin, Tony Adams, and Ian Wright, reflecting his unique blend of longevity, versatility, and impact on the international stage.

His rise has coincided with England’s transformation into a global powerhouse. From breaking through during Euro 2020 to starring at the 2022 World Cup, Saka has been a constant presence in England’s new golden generation. Under new boss Thomas Tuchel, he remains central to the system, in a team built around young stars like himself, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

The 23-year-old’s achievements also highlight Arsenal’s resurgence as a producer of elite English talent. While many of the club’s past stars made their mark in domestic competitions, Saka’s sustained impact on the international stage marks a modern shift — proof that Arsenal’s Hale End academy continues to nurture players capable of leading their country.

Saka's Three Lions journey – highs and lows

Saka has amassed 45 caps and scored 13 goals, evolving into one of the Three Lions’ most consistent and creative forces. His first international goal came in June 2021 against Austria, marking the beginning of a prolific run that has seen him score in every major competition he’s played.

At Euro 2020, Saka was one of England’s breakout stars, shining in knockout games against Germany and Denmark. His journey, however, was not without adversity — he missed the decisive penalty in the final against Italy, prompting widespread support after suffering racial abuse online. Rather than letting the setback define him, Saka responded with maturity, becoming England’s Player of the Year in 2023 and netting a memorable hat-trick against North Macedonia in Euro 2024 qualifying.

At the 2022 World Cup, he scored three goals, including a brilliant brace against Iran, proving his ability to perform on football’s biggest stage. His consistency and versatility have made him indispensable for every England manager he’s played under. Now, under Tuchel, Saka’s role remains vital — his pace, composure, and tactical intelligence make him one of the first names on the team sheet whenever fit.

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Getty Images SportSaka key to England's 2026 World Cup hopes

Saka’s record-breaking goal further solidifies his place as one of England’s modern greats, and with several years ahead of him, the tally is likely to grow. He will now turn his focus to England’s upcoming fixtures as Tuchel continues fine-tuning his squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With qualification virtually secured, the manager is expected to keep building around the Arsenal man’s creativity and cutting edge.

With the World Cup looming and some injuries impacting training, Mauricio Pochettino challenged to put puzzle together

AUSTIN, Texas – It's not quite a full-strength U.S. men's national team, but it's close. Mauricio Pochettino promised that this October camp would be the start of a whittling-down process for the World Cup. He's delivered. Save for a few injury absences, this USMNT is looking closer to complete as it features most of the team's big stars.

Antonee Robinson, for example, is back after close to a year-long absence. Weston McKennie, Tanner Tessmann and Cameron Carter-Vickers are back for the first time since the CONCACAF Nations League. Malik Tillman is healthy, too, after missing September. This approaching the A-team and, while that's great news, obviously, it also creates some tough selection decisions.

But late Injuries, meanwhile, could impact the XI, too, as Pochettino said Thursday that Robinson, Christian Pulisic and Alex Zendejas are all dealing with minor issues. Beyond that, after making a move to a three-at-the-back system last camp, Pochettino has some choices to make.

There are talented players to place in different spots. How does he sort between them? Which players fit where, and what pieces might need to move depending on tactics?

GOAL projects how the USMNT could line up on Friday against Ecuador.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  GK: Matt Freese

  Pochettino could go with the returning Matt Turner, it just depends on what message he wants to send. If Turner starts, it's a clear indication that the goalkeeping race is back on and that Freese isn't, in fact, the defacto leader. If Freese starts, it's a show of confidence in the NYCFC shotstopper that he's the guy – at least for now.

  Given the need to keep building Freese, it makes the most sense to roll with him and continue giving him the confidence and minutes needed to be a No. 1. Turner, then, could start then start next week against Australia, if  Pochettino desires.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  LWB: Max Arfsten

  There were already concerns about throwing Robinson in here given his recent injury history, but realistically, if he was to play minutes in either game, this would have made the most sense. He could then have more than a week to properly gear up for Fulham's match at Arsenal, keeping him on a one-game-per-week cadence as he builds back to fitness. 

  However, Robinson didn't work with the team in the final pre-game training session. As a result, don't expect Pochettino to risk him. Give Arfsten the minutes and see what happens for the match against Australia next Tuesday.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  CB: Tim Ream

  The most likely candidate to wear the captain's armband on Friday, Ream can once again start in one of those outside centerback spots in the back three. It's a great system for him, in truth, as it takes advantage of his passing and game-reading abilities while helping mask some of the miles that have been put on his legs over the years.

  Pochettino could, of course, mix things up with a younger option in this spot, but it's worth putting at least one more game of Ream in a back three on film before trying out other options. In that sense, it might as well be the tougher game of the two.

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  CB: Chris Richards

  No need to over-explain this one. Richards is, quite possibly, the USMNT's most irreplaceable player. He's made himself a locked-in starter, whether that's in a back two or three. It would be surprising to see anyone else Richards anywhere else but in the starting XI on Friday.

Legendary manager Jose Mourinho picked his three greatest players in football history, choosing between modern-day icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese boss has worked with some world-class players during his managerial career, representing the home dugouts at Stamford Bridge, San Siro, Bernabeu and Old Trafford during his career.

As well as managing Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, Mourinho has also won European trophies with FC Porto and AS Roma.

The ‘Special One’ has also had a lot to say during his career, producing some brilliant quotes over the last 20 years.

9 of the best Jose Mourinho quotes

The Special One has had a way with words over the years.

By
Barney Lane

Dec 2, 2024

Mourinho was asked back in 2016 for his top three players of all time, and as to be expected, he didn’t shy away from giving an answer.

Jose Mourinho’s 3 greatest players in history

3

Pele

Brazil

One of Mourinho’s three GOAT’s is World Cup hero Pele, who broke goalscoring records during his playing days.

A forward for the big occasion with Brazil, records say Pele scored 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, with more than 600 of those coming for Santos.

Pele’s World Cup stats
Games	14
Goals	12
World Cup titles	3

Talking after Pele passed away in 2022, Mourinho paid tribute to the Brazilian, calling an interaction with him as one of his “proudest moments”.

“In 2005 I received the BBC award directly from the king’s hands, and to this day it’s one of my proudest moments. I was so so happy to have him in Manchester where we had such a nice chat and nice time. Rest in peace, King Pele, and thinking of his loved ones. I am very sad.”

2

Diego Maradona

Argentina

Also on Mourinho’s list is Diego Maradona, with the pair having a close relationship before the latter’s passing in 2020.

A classic number 10 who helped transform the game, the Argentine arguably single handedly won his country the World Cup in 1986. At club level, Maradona is best known for his time with Italian side Napoli but also played for Barcelona in the 1980s.

Diego Maradona’s Argentina stats
Games	84
Goals	32
Assists	27
World Cups won	1

Mourinho said Maradona would regularly call him and has vowed to continue the attacker’s legacy.

“I made sure that my son knows a lot about him, even being born after he was a player. I know my son will make sure when he is a father he will not let his kids forget. It was a bit similar with Di Stefano; I never saw him play football, but my dad made sure I knew a lot about him.”

1

Lionel Messi

Argentina

Despite never working with Lionel Messi, coming up against him on numerous occasions during his time as Real Madrid manager, Mourinho has picked the Argentine over Cristiano Ronaldo.

Between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho and Madrid faced Barcelona and Messi 27 times but only won eight of those meetings against the Catalan giants.

Years Messi has won the Ballon d’Or	Club
2009	Barcelona
2010	Barcelona
2011	Barcelona
2012	Barcelona
2015	Barcelona
2019	Barcelona
2021	Barcelona
2023	Inter Miami

Mourinho, when asked for a player he wishes he could have coached, said that Messi “never needed a coach” as “he was born with everything”. High praise indeed.

“One in particular? I don’t have a player I can tell you. Messi has never needed a coach. Who tells you ‘I coached Messi’? It’s absurd. Messi knows everything, he was born with everything. You can only say that I had the honour of having trained him.”

Mourinho’s reply when asked for his three best players was:

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a derrota contra o Grêmio por 2 a 1 no último domingo (13), o Fluminense tem a semana livre para treinamentos e acelerar a recuperação de jogadores que estavam ou estão entregues ao Departamento Médico, do clube. É o caso do meio-campista a Alexsander e do lateral-esquerdo Jorge; ambos sofreram graves contusões, mas vivem momentos diferentes no processo de recuperação. Confira a situação do DM do Flu.

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ALEXSANDER
A espera pelo retorno de Alexsander está cada vez mais próxima do fim. A expectativa que o jogador de 19 anos, que sofreu uma lesão no joelho em maio no jogo contra o Cruzeiro no Mineirão, esteja presente no duelo de sábado (19) diante do América-MG no Maracanã. O camisa 5 vive um processo de transição e voltou aos treinamentos com bola no CT Carlos Castilho e a tendência é que esteja à disposição do técnico Fernando Diniz.

+ O que explica jejum do Fluminense fora de casa? Listamos cinco razões

O processo de recuperação do Moleque de Xerém traz ânimo para a torcida tricolor, visto que o desempenho do Fluminense caiu desde a lesão de Alexsander e a volta do jogador é fundamental para o duelo contra o Olimpia, pelas quartas de final da Copa Libertadores.

JORGE
A situação de Jorge, no entanto, é mais complicada. O lateral-esquerdo foi contratado por empréstimo junto ao Palmeiras no fim de 2022 e chegou para ser o titular da função. No entanto, o jogador de 27 anos, que disputou apenas quatro jogos pelo Fluminense, sofreu uma grave lesão no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho direito e no menisco em fevereiro.

+ Cupom LANCEFUT com 10% OFF para os fanáticos por esporte em compras acima de R$299,90

Duas semanas após a contusão, Jorge foi operado e, desde então, se recupera da cirurgia e realiza fisioterapia para acelerar o processo de volta aos gramados. Contudo, o atleta ficou sem espaço após as chegadas de Marcelo e Diogo Barbosa. O clube não divulgou um prazo estimado para o retorno de Jorge, mas a tendência é que o lateral não jogue mais em 2023.

Rio Ferdinand has called out one Manchester United player for their performance in the 2-1 victory against Chelsea.

Man Utd back on track after victory over Chelsea

It hasn’t been an ideal start to the new Premier League season for Man United, but they managed to get back on track against Chelsea last time out, securing a narrow 2-1 victory, although they didn’t make things easy for themselves.

With Robert Sanchez being sent off after just five minutes, and the Red Devils racing into a 2-0 lead before the break, the win should’ve been a formality, but Casemiro made things far more difficult for Ruben Amorim’s side by being sent off just prior to half-time.

Wayne Rooney was left particularly annoyed by the Brazilian picking up a second yellow card, with the United legend describing the Brazilian midfielder as “silly” and “naive”.

Despite Trevoh Chalobah scoring with ten minutes left to play, Amorim’s side held on for an important victory, but Ferdinand was unimpressed with one of his former club’s summer signings.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents (via Metro), the 46-year-old singled Benjamin Sesko out for criticism, and was left in disbelief at just how poorly he performed, saying: “In the first half, against 10 men, he’s had six touches. Six touches!

“I think the responsibility goes to the striker as well [as other players],

“In today’s game there’s enough at your disposal technology-wise and clip-wise that you can get it in black and white on the iPad and say to your teammates, ‘You know when you got in that position, look where I am.”

Roy Keane was right, I threw the towel in, says Man Utd star after Chelsea

The Red Devils icon didn’t hold back either…

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 22, 2025 Sesko must start showing signs of improvement soon

Amorim will be delighted he managed to stave off some pressure by winning against a strong side in Chelsea, but the manager is also likely to be concerned by Sesko’s display, and the start the Slovenian has made to life at Old Trafford.

It was always going to be a big ask for the young striker to make the step-up, but he has undoubtedly fallen short of expectations, having failed to register a single goal or assist in his opening six games for Man United.

Not only did the 22-year-old barely touch the ball against Chelsea (albeit he had eight, not six), but he was also ineffective in the Manchester derby, recording just 19 touches, the lowest number of any player that started the match.

Ferdinand is not the only former United player that has criticised the centre-forward either, with Kasper Schmeichel claiming he was a needless signing, saying: “It’s nothing personal against Sesko – but we didn’t need the third striker, we needed a centre midfield player who can control that bit of the pitch, and we needed a goalkeeper.

In fairness, Manchester City and Chelsea were always going to be tough tests, and Amorim will be hoping Sesko can get off the mark in one of the upcoming games, which are much kinder on paper, with United set to travel to Brentford next Saturday, before taking on Sunderland at home.

Atletico Madrid are one of the biggest clubs in Spain and have some superstars on the books at the Metropolitano Stadium.

In fact, in the 2025/26 season, Atletico have an annual payroll of €157,285,000, with the average player earning an incredible €6m a season.

But who earns what under Diego Simeone? Every Atletico Madrid player has been ranked in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank

Player

Gross pay per week

Gross pay per year

1

Jan Oblak

€400,577

€20,830,000

2

Julian Alvarez

€240,385

€12,500,000

3

Antoine Griezmann

€180,385

€9,380,000

4

Conor Gallagher

€173,077

€9,000,000

=5

Marcos Llorente

€160,192

€8,330,000

=5

Alex Baena

€160,192

€8,330,000

7

Nicolas Gonzalez

€144,231

€7,500,000

=8

Alexander Sorloth

€140,385

€7,300,000

=8

Clement Lenglet

€140,385

€7,300,000

=10

Koke

€128,269

€6,670,000

=10

David Hancko

€128,269

€6,670,000

=12

Jose Gimenez

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Robin Le Normand

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Pablo Barrios

€120,192

€6,250,000

=12

Giacomo Raspadori

€120,192

€6,250,000

16

Thiago Almada

€100,000

€5,200,000

17

Johnny

€80,192

€4,170,000

18

Nahuel Molina

€72,308

€3,760,000

19

Juan Musso

€64,038

€3,330,000

=20

Giuliano Simeone

€60,000

€3,120,000

=20

Javi Galan

€60,000

€3,120,000

22

Matteo Ruggeri

€40,000

€2,080,000

23

Thomas Lemar

€31,250

€1,625,000

24

Marc Pubill

€23,846

€1,240,000

25

Carlos Martin

€16,154

€840,000

Here's a detailed look at Atletico Madrid's top 10 earners… 10 Koke €128,269 per week

Club legend and captain Koke has been on the books with Atletico Madrid since he was a child, with his first professional contract coming back in 2009.

Since then, Koke has recorded an incredible tally of over 690 appearances in red and white and has won nine major honours. His deal expires in 2026 as it stands.

9 Clement Lenglet €140,385 per week

After spending the 2024/25 season on loan at the Metropolitano from Barcelona, Clement Lenglet made his move to Atletico Madrid permanent.

The French defender signed a three-year deal worth €7.3m per season.

8 Alexander Sorloth €140,385 per week

Alexander Sorloth is on the same salary as Lenglet, although the Norwegian forward joined 12 months earlier from Villarreal.

His contract also expires in 2028.

7 Nicolas Gonzalez €144,231 per week

Nicolas Gonzalez is on loan at Atletico Madrid for the 2025/26 season from Italian giants Juventus, although the Spanish side will have the option to make a move permanent at the end of the campaign.

For now, Atletico will pay the winger €7.5m for the season in wages.

6 Alex Baena €160,192 per week

Joining in the summer of 2025 in a deal worth around around €50m from Villarreal was Alex Baena.

Capable of playing on either wing or as an attacking midfielder, Baena signed a five-year deal at the Metropolitano.

5 Marcos Llorente €160,192 per week

Also on €8.33m per season is versatile midfielder Marcos Llorente, who moved to the club from rivals Real Madrid in 2019.

Capable of playing as a right-back, right-midfielder or central midfielder, Llorente appears to be a dream player for Simeone and has turned out over 250 times for Atletico since his arrival.

4 Conor Gallagher €173,077 per week

English midfielder Conor Gallagher swapped Chelsea for Atletico in 2024, with the La Liga side paying around €40m for his services.

Gallagher signed a five-year deal worth €9m per season and looks set to play a key role at the Metropolitano during that time.

3 Antoine Griezmann €180,385 per week

Coming in at third place is Antoine Griezmann, who completed a permanent return to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona in 2022 for €40m.

His time at Camp Nou didn’t exactly go to plan, but he has been back scoring goals on a regular basis for Atletico and became the club’s all-time top goalscorer in 2024.

2 Julian Alvarez €240,385 per week

Atletico splashed the cash in 2024 to sign forward Julian Alvarez from Manchester City, who sold the World Cup winner for a club-record fee.

The Argentina international could end up costing the Spanish giants €95m (£78.9m) if all add-ons are met, with Alvarez picking up €12.5m per season.

1 Jan Oblak €400,577 per week

Comfortably top of the charts and Atletico Madrid’s highest-paid player is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who earns a whopping €20.83m per season.

The Slovenia international has been one of the best ‘keepers in the world for some time now and has been with Atletico since 2014. His huge contract was signed in 2022 and runs until 2028.

George and Brewer star with the ball as the Bears dominate at Chelmsford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Apr-2025

Emily Arlott made a career-best 130•Joshua Stacey

Emily Arlott’s maiden List A hundred spearheaded a stirring Warwickshire fightback as they recovered from 22 for five to overcome Essex for their first win in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition.The 27-year-old seamer flourished with the bat, hitting 130 from 141 balls and sharing century partnerships with both Chloe Brewer (44 from 75) and Charis Pavely (31 from 40) to propel the Bears to 289 all out at Chelmsford.Essex seamer Eva Gray returned career-best figures of five for 62 – but the home side’s tally of 32 wides did them no favours and they were bowled out for 181 in response, despite half-centuries from Grace Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith.Left-armer Katie George and medium-pacer Brewer picked up three wickets apiece as Essex were dismissed with 11 overs unused.Essex’s decision to bowl after winning the toss appeared to be more than vindicated when Gray wrecked the visitors’ top order by capturing four wickets in the space of 10 balls.Sterre Kalis was first to depart, lbw playing across the line to Kate Coppack before Amara Carr’s diving catch behind the stumps removed Davina Perrin, while George and Abbey Freeborn were both castled by inswingers from Gray.Nat Wraith also fell cheaply, caught at slip, but Brewer – who survived a difficult chance to cover from her second ball – led the Bears’ counter-attack, driving sweetly through the off side and injecting the innings with momentum.However, she was gradually overtaken by her partner, who punched Coppack for four over midwicket to reach her half-century and continued to accelerate after Brewer’s departure as she and Pavely shared another three-figure stand.Dropped at mid-on on 85, Arlott maintained focus and advanced to her century before dispatching Sophia Smale for three successive boundaries and thrashing a huge leg-side six off Gray as the Warwickshire total passed 250.Arlott eventually became Gray’s fifth victim, bowled attempting to paddle, but the damage had already been done and Issy Wong’s belligerent unbeaten 29 from 14 ensured the Bears finished on a high, with 16 coming from the final over.Wong struck with the ball when Essex launched their reply, nipping one back to clatter into Jo Gardner’s off stump, but Scrivens kept the scoreboard ticking over with a lively knock of 53 from 76.Warwickshire’s spinners struck twice in successive overs, with Scrivens edging behind off Pavely and Jodi Grewcock bowled by Georgia Davis, although Griffith took up the baton with gusto, hammering Davis down the ground for the only six of the innings.But Griffith shed partners at regular intervals, with Brewer pouching a trip of catches off George (three for 38) at midwicket and then claiming two wickets in three balls herself as Essex’s lower order fell apart.Four wickets went down for a single run, including that of Griffith for a creditable 72 from 76 and Brewer (three for 18) wrapped up Warwickshire’s success by trapping Munro leg before.

“He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks,” Najmul Hossain Shanto says of Mushfiqur Rahim, who has a highest score of 37 in his last 12 Test innings

Mohammad Isam24-Apr-2025From his horrendous shot to get out at the start of the fourth day to the increased salaries the players now get to the market value of Bangladesh cricket, the questions were varied and came to Najmul Hossain Shanto like gunfire at the press conference following the Sylhet Test defeat to Zimbabwe.He was upfront about the shot he had played and the impact it had on the game, but fumbled for answers to the trickier questions. Transitions could be brutal on captains, especially when you have lost to a lower-ranked, unfancied side.”It was my fault that we lost the match, that’s the truth,” Shanto said. “My wicket early in the morning [off the second ball of the day] ruined the whole match for us. If we [Shanto and Jaker Ali] had added 50 or 60 more runs at that time, we would be in a better position. I don’t want to blame anyone else. I am taking all the responsibilities since my dismissal came at a very bad time. I always think about taking scoring opportunities. Maybe I could have taken more time [before playing my shots]. But I will play that shot [again], maybe the timing wasn’t right [on this occasion].”Related

Large and in-charge: Muzarabani proves too big a hurdle for Bangladesh

Zimbabwe seal Sylhet thriller to complete first away Test win since 2021

Shanto fell when he attempted to pull a short delivery outside off from Blessing Muzarabani and ended up sending a leading edge to deep fine leg. But there were specialist batters left at 194 for 5. While Jaker continued his good touch in Tests, Shanto’s deputy Mehidy Hasan Miraz was troubled by Zimbabwe’s short-ball plan even as he tried to score quickly. He was one of the three wickets that Bangladesh lost in the first half-hour.Bangladesh were guilty of not showing enough application, Shanto said, especially against Muzarabani, who finished with career-best match figures of 9 for 122.”Of course, he [Muzarabani] bowled well, and there is some added advantage due to his height. But still, the batting unit should have taken a bit more responsibility,” Shanto said. “We should have planned a bit better against him. He’s their main bowler. It was necessary to handle his spells [better]. I think we did it for some time but that was not enough.”Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim dilemmaBangladesh are also grappling with Mushfiqur Rahim’s batting form. He is the veteran of the side, the last link to the previous era, but hasn’t scored much since the 191 against Pakistan in the ten-wicket win in Rawalpindi last August. There is also the matter of Mushfiqur being just five Tests away from becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 Tests.Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished with ten wickets for the Test•AFP/Getty ImagesBut a best of 37 in his last 12 Test innings means Mushfiqur’s place in the team is far from guaranteed, milestone or not.”He is an experienced cricketer. He is not only contributing with his batting, he is a part of the planning group as well when we field,” Shanto said. “He helps the batters. He talks a lot during training. Of course, his batting is important. I am not thinking about his milestone or achievements from the past, I don’t think he is either. I hope, with one match remaining, he will make a comeback. I am not giving up hope. He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks.”Shanto also defended their choice of pitch in Sylhet, which had more pace and carry than pitches in the country usually do. “I don’t think we should take home advantage to such a great extent just because we have lost a match. I think we should play on this type of pitch against this opposition.”The bright spot for Bangladesh, not for the first time, was their spin bowling. Mehidy picked up ten wickets in the Test – becoming the third Bangladeshi to get to 200 Test wickets in the process – and Taijul Islam took two, both in the second innings, as Bangladesh made it tough for Zimbabwe. “Miraz and Taijul tried hard and they bowled extremely well,” Shanto said. “Credit must be given. But I think there weren’t enough runs on the board.”

Leeds United are looking to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the transfer window officially slams shut for another year this evening.

The Whites were reportedly looking to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week to add to their attacking midfield ranks, after he spent last season on loan at Leicester City.

Unfortunately, Chelsea decided to pursue a loan move for the Argentine playmaker and are now closing in on a deal to add him to their squad at Stamford Bridge.

Leeds were, of course, unable to compete with the Champions League football that Enzo Maresca’s side have on offer, and look set to miss out on Buonanotte.

Leeds have playmaker on their radar

The Championship champions are still in need of another option in the frontline after missing out on the Brighton youngster, and are reportedly looking further afield for an alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

According to LeedsLive, Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan has emerged as a potential option for Leeds United on deadline day, as they could make a last-gasp move for the star.

The report claims that the Armenia international is one of a number of playmakers on the club’s radar as they look to bolster their options in that position before the window slams shut.

It adds that Bilal El Khannouss, Dilane Bakwa, and Manor Solomon are also being looked at by the Whites, as they look at traditional number tens and natural wingers on both sides.

Daniel Farke, though, worked with Spertsyan, who was linked with an £11m move to Southampton earlier this summer, and he may be a shrewd addition to the squad.

Why Leeds should sign Eduard Spertsyan

The West Yorkshire outfit should look to pursue a deadline day deal for the Armenian star because he could be an even better option than Buonanotte as an attacking midfielder.

Spertsyan has not experienced English football before, so it would be a risk in that respect, but his form for Krasnodar suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad.

The 25-year-old star, who was described as an “elegant” player by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is heading into the prime years of his career and could offer a huge threat at the top end of the pitch if he can adapt to the Premier League.

Appearances

28

7

Goals

11

4

Big chances missed

5

1

Key passes per game

2.1

3.9

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

6

8

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan has delivered 15 goals and 14 assists in his last 35 appearances in the Russian Premier League, including eight assists in seven games this season.

These statistics show that the £11m-rated star is an incredibly creative player who looks to play key passes constantly each match, whilst he can also provide a significant threat as a goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Buonanotte has produced eight goals and three assists in 58 outings in the English Premier League in the last two seasons for Leicester and Brighton combined, per Sofascore.

This suggests that Spertsyan would be an even better signing for Leeds if they can get him to translate his performances for Krasnodar over to English football this season.

It would be a risky addition, given his lack of experience in England, but his immense form in Russia suggests that it could be worth the risk as an alternative to Buonanotte, who has not delivered consistently in the final third in his career to date.

James upgrade: Leeds are in late talks to seal "remarkable" £20m signing

Leeds United are reportedly in talks to sign a star who could be an upgrade on Dan James.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

Rajasthan Royals (RR) became the second side to be eliminated from the IPL 2025 playoffs race after they lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) by 100 runs in Jaipur on Thursday. Of the 11 matches they have played so far, they have won only three, and Aakash Chopra and Abhinav Mukund felt their problems started with their retention and auction strategy.RR retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma for a combined 79 crore out of a total purse of 120 crore. Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan were some of the big names they let go of and didn’t buy back at the auction.”I am thinking that once they decided to go with an all-Indian batting line-up,” Chopra said on ESPNcricinfo Time Out, “in which Samson was the most experienced and the oldest, with Shimron Hetmyer lower down the order – the only overseas batting option – is that even a viable option?Related

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“We say it’s a young man’s game, fine but if you put all of them together – they’re all talented, they’re all skilful – but there’s not a senior stateman in the side, something that Jos Buttler used to do till last year, is that even a viable option? Even in the Indian T20 team, you still need a Suryakumar Yadav to handle whoever else is around him, before and after him. Hardik Pandya comes in and gives you some amount of stability.”This kind of performance almost represents what the youth can give you on a day when everything goes wrong. Of course, what Vaibhav Suryavanshi will give you is also what youth can give you one day, but there are two very drastically opposite ends of performances that can happen with this team and you do not really have a senior guy to hold it together.”Chopra felt RR spent too much to retain Jurel (14 crore) and Hetmyer (11 crore), which handcuffed them when it came to assembling a good bowling attack. They did buy Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana but all three have had a below-average season.Jofra Archer has ten wickets in 11 games at an economy of 9.66•BCCI

“I don’t think Dhruv Jurel would have fetched 14 at the auction,” he said. “I don’t think Shimron Hetmyer would have got 11. So that’s 25 crore, and if you think those two are worth 15, 16, or 17 in the auction put together, you still free up 8 crore. In fact, I would also invest in the two Indian spinners. Your spinners have to be Indians most of the time, unless there is Rashid [Khan]. Most [Indian] spinners are generally very expensive. If you’re looking at Chahal, you can’t get him again. He went for 18 crore. Noor Ahmad was one guy they should have, could have gone for. They didn’t really target him. They went for Wanindu. See, Wanindu has been a phenomenal bowler for Sri Lanka but his returns in the IPL are very middling.”Abhinav agreed with Chopra. “Their one good bowler and the one whom they spent the most money on is Archer,” he said. “Unfortunately, their Indian picks didn’t go right. Tushar Deshpande was benched for this particular game; he was bought for a lot of money, 6.5 crore.”But then again, you invested in two more batters: Nitish Rana [4.2 crore] and Vaibhav Suryavanshi [1.1 crore]. How much ever I think, I would not have bought them [for that money]. I would have invested that money in a couple of good bowlers.”The last time they had Avesh Khan, Chahal, Ashwin, Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma. These are five proper, bankable bowlers. That’s a well-rounded bowling line-up. You should eventually get at least two or three. But you decided not to retain any bowler [barring Sandeep] and now they are facing the wrath of it.”Another hole that RR failed to plug at the auction table was that of an allrounder. That meant, despite the Impact Player rule, they often lacked depth in both batting and bowling.”The only team that was not having a sixth bowling option despite Impact Player was Rajasthan Royals,” Chopra said. “Now Riyan Parag is giving you a couple of overs but is he your best sixth bowling option? No, he is not.”I thought they would fix that problem, that, okay, we need a bridge, somebody who can bat and bowl, we will get an allrounder in the auction. Again, they didn’t go in that direction either. So, what they didn’t have, they didn’t try to acquire. What they did have, they thought they would get it in the auction, but they didn’t, which is their bowling department.”