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Leeds United are beginning to wrap up deals swiftly, and Daniel Farke is now eager to thrash out another agreement to bring a talented operator to Elland Road, according to a report.

Leeds United set to sign Lucas Perri from Lyon

Addressing the goalkeeping department ended up being a critical assignment for Farke and company this summer, but they appear to have successfully completed that mission amid confirmation that Lucas Perri will join the Whites from Lyon.

Taking to social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano confirmed Leeds will imminently sign Perri, putting an end to their long-running quest to replace Illan Meslier.

He stated: “Leeds United have agreed deal in principle with OL for goalkeeper Lucas Perri. Medical tests booked and formal steps to follow, as Fabrice Hawkins reported. Deal in place to join LUFC.”

Coming in for a fee in the region of £15 million, the 27-year-old will offer an element of calm between the sticks, but there is plenty more work to be done if Leeds have designs on staying in the Premier League.

Looking to strengthen from middle to front, the Whites are monitoring the situation of Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss and he is said to be available for £22.5 million following the Foxes’ relegation from the top-flight last term.

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Potentially, the Morocco international could arrive in tandem with Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz, offering Farke a solid source of creativity and goals that may help his side in their fight to stay up.

Nevertheless, the German coach is also concerned with keeping the ball out of the net and is now said to be plotting a surprise move for another goalkeeper after Perri.

Leeds United eager to sign Robin Zentner

According to Transferfeed, Leeds United are eager to wrap up an agreement for Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner, and he is viewed as a potential key player who could offer high-calibre competition to Perri between the sticks.

After earning a spot in the Bundesliga’s team of the season in 2024/25, he is someone with notable experience that may help Farke’s mission of having two established goalkeepers fighting it out for the number one jersey rather than being reliant on a sole presence.

Zentner would also continue the trends of Leeds signing physically imposing players this summer, standing at 6 foot 4.

Robin Zentner’s excellent Bundesliga season in 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Saves

102

Save percentage

71.3%

Clean sheets

9

High claims

45

Accurate long balls

210

Enjoying a fine campaign, Zentner, labelled an “incredibly good goalkeeper” by Bo Henriksen, made 34 appearances across all competitions, though he is still to make an appearance for the German national side despite some excellent performances.

Ultimately, Leeds’ two-pronged goalkeeper strategy may leave one player at risk of losing regular minutes. There have been success stories within this mode of operation elsewhere, such as David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal, though it can be a complicated process to navigate.

Either way, you can never get enough competence to support the spine of your team, so it would make a degree of sense to ensure Leeds cover all bases after some goalkeeping mishaps last season.

Arsenal are poised to spend over £200 million this summer at least, if certain deals go through, so they’ll need to eventually balance the books by selling players.

£80m player gives "positive" response about joining Arsenal after contact

He’d be yet another ambitious deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard arrived at the Emirates Stadium recently for a total of around £75 million, not including add-ons, while Noni Madueke also sealed a £52 million switch from Chelsea.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£75m

Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera’s initial £13 million move, not including add-ons which could take it up to £17 million, brings Andrea Berta’s spending up to £140 million – with the player set to undergo his Gunners medical on Wednesday.

After Mosquera, Arsenal are finalising a move for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres after reaching an agreement in principle (The Athletic). Mikel Arteta’s side will pay an upfront fee of around £55 million, plus an extra £10 million in add-ons, which means Berta is set to fork out a minimum £195 million on transfers with the club’s deals so far.

As we’ve seen with Chelsea and Aston Villa recently, UEFA operate strict financial fair play rules, with the Premier League duo fined for breaches and forced to sell squad members so they can register new players for their European campaigns next season.

While there is no indication that Arsenal are in any similar danger, or with regard to PSR, Berta will be keen to err on the side of caution and offload a few surplus men.

Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and 19-year-old defender Maldini Kacurri are named as players who Arsenal could likely choose to sell or loan out, with uncertainty also surrounding both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard (The Athletic).

Arsenal have already let Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos leave the club this summer, with the north Londoners also terminating Takehiro Tomiyasu’s contract following his injury nightmare.

Arsenal could terminate Karl Hein deal amid Sevilla interest

Now, according to Spanish news outlet Vamos di Sevilla, they could repeat that with 23-year-old goalkeeper Karl Hein.

The 39-cap Estonia captain appears out of Arteta’s long-term plans and has only ever made one senior appearance for the club in a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton in 2022 – a match where he also gave away a penalty.

He spent last season on loan at Real Valladolid in La Liga, starting 31 league games and keeping five clean sheets in that time as they were relegated to the Spanish Segunda División.

However, Sevilla are believed to be keen on him, and Hein is ready to accept an offer from them to leave the Emirates. Vamos di Sevilla also suggest that Arsenal could terminate Hein’s contract, just under 12 months before it is set to expire in 2026, or even green-light another loan.

In any case, he is apparently one of the Sevilla sporting directors’ favourite options, so this could be one to keep an eye on.

The storm that has clouded Newcastle United’s early summer transfer window is perhaps showing signs of abating, even if Eddie Howe’s outfit have seen bids rejected for three top targets.

That’s according to the Times, whose revelation that offers for Anthony Elanga, Joao Pedro and James Trafford were rebuffed will no doubt have been met by a chorus of frustration over on Tyneside.

At the very least, United are showing ambitious intent, and though slapping a £200m price tag on Alexander Isak to ward off interest from Liverpool might have proved a double-edged sword, for clubs will hardball the Toon in their own dealings henceforth, there’s no doubt breakthroughs will be achieved in the coming months.

However, it might be wise for Howe and co to pin some alternative names to the board. Indeed, in Pedro’s case, an exciting backup has been found, and he might even prove the better pick.

Newcastle open talks for elite forward

As per GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle have opened talks with Xavi Simons’ representatives as they look to welcome some attacking additions this summer.

Expected to depart RB Leipzig after they failed to qualify for Europe, the 22-year-old playmaker has a £60m price tag and has expressed a desire to move to the Premier League.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all had discussions with the player’s camp too, so this one’s wide open at the present stage.

Why Newcastle want Xavi Simons

While dynamic, Simons isn’t as out-and-out an attacker as Pedro; instead, the Dutchman merges the creative with the incisive to an emphatic effect.

He’s the real deal, all right, and given the finances involved, would perhaps go on to prove an even better signing than Pedro, if push comes to shove.

Such masterful versatility is hardly something Howe’s going to say no to, and Simons would add a new creative dimension to a side which finished the 2024/25 Premier League season ranked sixth in the division for big chances created (112) after finishing joint-second with Manchester City (97) the term before.

It’s clear Howe needs such a virtuoso to take that next great step, and given that Simons finished the campaign ranked among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers for passes attempted, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 18% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for ball recoveries, as per FBref, he clearly knows his stuff.

Athletic and driven, Simons would add a wealth of quality to the Magpies fold, with his haul of ten goals and seven assists across just 25 Bundesliga matches further highlighting his clinical nature.

Left winger

41

10

11

Right winger

17

5

5

Attacking midfield

17

6

7

Centre-forward

1

–

–

Moreover, he missed just two big chances and averaged two key passes and 5.4 successful duels per game. Though Pedro would be a brilliant attacking addition, Simons might just have that little bit more, with his versatility both through positional and prolific value likely to add so much to the United project.

Pedro, sure, is a steady supplier of goal contributions, posting 30 goals and ten assists across 70 matches, but he’s not quite so refined, indeed operating in a more advanced berth that you’d have to think will be occupied by Isak.

Howe makes sure his players know their duties and toe the line, but Simons’ expansiveness is part of what makes him special, a “superstar”, as has even been remarked by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Newcastle need to beat off Premier League opposition to secure this man’s signature, prioritising a deal over the likes of Pedro.

Better than Elanga: Newcastle open talks to sign £43m "game-changer"

Newcastle are beginning to ramp up the gas in the summer transfer market.

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Chelsea are set for a hectic summer mini-window ahead of their looming Club World Cup campaign, which commences in just under a fortnight, and it has already started in fine fashion with the signing of Ipswich Town star Liam Delap.

Chelsea seal Liam Delap deal with more targets identified

The striker has now completed his medical at Stamford Bridge, according to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, and he can now be considered a new Chelsea player as BlueCo seal their first deal of the summer.

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He comes in to bolster Enzo Maresca’s forward line after scoring 12 league goals for a relegated Ipswich side last season, with Chelsea activating Delap’s £30 million release clause and bringing in a striker who can be considered a real bargain.

Chelsea are by no means done there, either, and could yet bring in more players before the first mini-window shuts on June 10.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

3

Man City

71

+28

4

Chelsea

69

+21

5

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

According to some reliable sources, Chelsea are actively pushing to sign Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike after Delap, and the prospect of two quality strikers joining Maresca for next season cannot be ruled out.

The Blues are also actively pursuing a new winger, with journalist Simon Phillips sharing what he calls an “exciting” update on their chase for a wide attacker.

Chelsea tell Nico Williams' agents they're ready to pay £50m

Writing via his Substack, the reporter claims Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams is a serious target, and there has been communication between parties.

Phillips states that Chelsea held talks with Williams’ agents last week, and they’ve informed the £170,000-per-week Spain international’s camp that they’re prepared to pay his release clause, reported to be around £50 million.

“I also have some brand new and exciting news on new wingers/attacking midfielders as Chelsea look to try and push one through in the next 9 days. Nothing is guaranteed yet, but this is what they’re trying to do,” wrote Phillips.

“SPTC sources have heard that Chelsea approached the agents of Nico Williams again last week and held talks.

“The player likes the idea of London and the Premier League, but he has always had his heart set on joining Barcelona. However, they are not yet moving on him. Any negotiations here could end up being drawn out though, which would mean any involvement in the CWC is unlikely – but that is not going to be a dealbreaker by any means. It’s more important to get the right targets in. Chelsea have informed his agents that we are prepared to pay his release clause.”

The 22-year-old, after a slow start to 2024/2025, turned his form over the second half of the season and matched the kind of performances which saw him play a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph last year.

Williams racked up 19 assists in all competitions across 23/24 as well, highly impressive numbers, and there is little denying he’d add a completely new dimension in attack.

Leeds United are marching on towards promotion to the Premier League and could clinch it by the end of the Easter matches if results go their way.

The Whites play Oxford away and Stoke at Elland Road and if they win both matches and Sheffield United fail to pick up maximum points, their place in the top-flight will be secured.

Of course, that still means that Daniel Farke’s side need to do their job and pick up all three points in both of their games, on Friday and Monday, to put themselves in a strong position, after their 2-1 win over Preston North End last weekend.

The West Yorkshire outfit are bidding to earn promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking, after they lost 1-0 in the play-off final last term.

They could be about to secure that promotion without a particularly creative number ten in their ranks, as USA international Brenden Aaronson has racked up two assists in 42 appearances – including 39 starts – in the Championship.

This is the polar opposite of the 2023/24 campaign when Farke had the incredibly impressive Georginio Rutter to provide creativity as an attacking midfielder.

Why Georginio Rutter was so important for Leeds

The French dynamo was the creative hub of the team, whether he was deployed as a centre-forward or as an attacking midfielder, with his ability to slice open opposition defences on a regular basis for the Whites.

Rutter ended last season with an eye-catching return of six goals, 22 ‘big chances’ created, and 15 assists in 45 appearances in the second tier for Leeds, which shows that he made a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch.

The left-footed star, as shown in the clip above, was capable of the sublime in the Championship last term because of the quality he possessed on the ball.

That also shines through in the underlying data behind his performances for the West Yorkshire outfit in the 2023/24 campaign, as he ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of key creative metrics.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.29

Top 2%

Assists

0.39

Top 2%

Shot-creating actions

4.41

Top 2%

Progressive passes

4.46

Top 3%

Successful take-ons

3.06

Top 1%

Progressive carries

2.89

Top 5%

As you can see in the table above, Rutter was one of the best forwards in the Championship at creating high-quality chances for his teammates to find the back of the net, whilst he also progressed the play consistently through passes and carries to get his team up the pitch.

These statistics, and his overall return of goals and assists, explain why he was so important to Farke’s side and why it was a blow when he moved to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer.

The Whites do not currently have another creative playmaker like Rutter in the squad, as Aaronson has failed to provide consistent quality in that respect, but they do have a player out on loan with the potential to be the manager’s next version of the French magician.

The Leeds star who could be the next Georginio Rutter

As aforementioned, Aaronson’s return of two assists in 39 starts in the Championship this season does not suggest that he has the quality to step up to the Premier League to be the chief creator in the number ten position.

This means that Farke and Leeds have to consider their options and look at alternatives ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, whether that be a new recruit or a player coming back from loan.

One player who could return from a loan elsewhere to stake a claim for a place in the team is attacking midfielder Sam Greenwood, who is currently on loan at Preston North End.

The Lilywhites have the option to sign him on a permanent deal at the end of his current loan spell, but reporter Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, has revealed that they are ‘unlikely’ to splash the cash required to exercise that option.

This means that Leeds can bring the 23-year-old star back into the fold at Elland Road, or at least provide him with an opportunity to impress in pre-season before a final decision is made on his future.

In the Championship this season, Greenwood has scored five goals, created 14 ‘big chances’, and claimed five assists in 28 starts for Preston, which means that he has created a ‘big chance’ every other match on average.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.23

Top 3%

Assists

0.11

Top 47%

Shot-creating actions

3.43

Top 6%

Progressive passes

2.33

Top 16%

Successful take-ons

0.92

Top 18%

Progressive carries

2.36

Top 3%

As you can see in the table above, the English whiz is similar to Rutter in the sense that he ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers as a creative and progressive force in an attacking midfield role.

The key difference between the two, however, appears to be that Rutter’s teammates were clinical with the chances that he created for them, hence why he ranked in the top 2% for assists, whilst Greenwood’s teammates have been very wasteful in front of goal.

These statistics show that the Leeds loanee, whose set-piece delivery was once described as a “weapon” by pundit Noel Whelan, has the potential to develop into Rutter 2.0 for Farke.

He is a creative threat who can slice open defences to provide his teammates with high-quality opportunities on a regular basis, which is not something that Leeds currently have with Aaronson in the number ten role.

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Therefore, it could make sense for Farke to take a look at Greenwood in pre-season to see if he has what it takes to make the step up to be the new Rutter, as his statistics show that the potential is there for him to do so.

In the Premier League, Arsenal have been left to bemoan their lack of a fit centre-forward.

Truth be told, even before Kai Havertz sustained a season-ending hamstring injury, they needed more cover in an attacking area.

Just weeks before, Gabriel Jesus was dealt a cruel blow of his own, picking up an ACL injury that means we are unlikely to see him play again in 2025.

That didn’t spur the recruitment team at the Emirates Stadium into life and they have been made to pay the price since.

Still, Mikel Merino has been in fine form since becoming the club’s leading number 9, scoring six goals in his ten outings as a striker. Not bad numbers indeed.

However, the Spaniard, despite his incredible finish against Real Madrid, is not the long-term answer.

Arsenal's hopes of signing a new striker

Andrea Berta has now been in the job a few weeks and his main objective over the summer transfer window must be to strengthen the club’s offence.

It promises to be an exciting summer at Colney with the Gunners not only needing a new forward but also a winger, a back-up goalkeeper and potentially even a midfielder. Martin Zubimendi is reportedly edging close towards a deal.

So, who will the shiny new striker be? That’s the question on everyone’s lips down at N5.

David Ornstein confirmed a few weeks ago that Sporting CP sensation Viktor Gyokeres is one of their leading targets but work is also being done on Benjamin Sesko.

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A flurry of reports linked the Slovenian with a move last summer but he ended up penning new terms with German club RB Leipzig.

A year on and his departure from the Bundesliga looks far more likely. Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, Arsenal continue to keep a ‘close on’ on the 21-year-old with new steps now taken in a bid to secure his signature.

The report notes that the London club have had ‘direct contact’ with the player’s camp to discuss a move and the feeling after that meeting has been a positive one.

Sesko’s contract – which expires in 2029 – currently contains a release clause valued at around €70m (£60m).

How Sesko compares to Haaland and Isak

A few years ago, Arsenal were monitoring the progress of Alexander Isak. The Swede was at Real Sociedad at the time and wasn’t yet a truly rampant goalscorer.

The year was 2022 and Isak’s contract in Spain also contained a release clause, one that was slightly more than Sesko’s at about £75m.

Sadly, the Gunners deemed that too expensive and since then, he signed for Newcastle for £63m and become one of the Premier League’s leading lights, scoring 20 goals this term, third to only Erling Haaland and Mo Salah in the top-flight.

So, Arsenal must learn their lesson. Miss out on Sesko now and you could be looking at a price tag of over £100m in a few years’ time.

The Slovenia international may not be the finished article just yet, but he possesses a unique profile and Berta must buy now, with Arteta undoubtedly having the ability to turn him into a top-class talent, just like Isak.

Indeed, if Arteta can get a tune out of Merino in the club’s forward line, a midfielder by trade, just think what he could do with an actual striker.

Goals scored by Arsenal targets: 2024/25

Player

Games played

Goals scored

Viktor Gyokeres

45

44

Victor Osimhen

33

29

Alexander Isak

35

24

Hugo Ekitike

41

20

Benjamin Sesko

40

19

Matheus Cunha

29

15

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Described as “the new Erling Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, Sesko has found the net 19 times in 40 matches this term and seems to be getting better season by season, still aged 21.

Like Haaland, he’s a tall centre-forward. The Norwegian stands at 6 foot 4 while the Arsenal target is a fraction taller at 6 foot 5.

What that allows the pair of them to do is a number of things. Not only are they physical but their lengthy running stride and pace makes them a total nightmare for a defensive line.

Sesko would not get as much time and space in the Premier League, something Haaland is now all too familiar with, but their games marry up nicely when assessing their ball striking as well.

Just look at the thunderbolt below from Leipzig’s star man. It’s a thing of beauty and something that, let’s be honest, no Arsenal player in the current squad is capable of.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that Sesko is actually right-footed, but that’s not a bad thing, particularly when you consider Havertz is left-footed, meaning Berta would be adding more variety to the attack.

While someone like Gyokeres – who has scored 44 goals this season – and Isak, a proven Premier League striker, would be amazing signings, perhaps the best thing to do is go out and get Sesko, an unpolished diamond but someone who possesses elite potential.

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Also: was Sri Lanka’s 531 the highest Test total to not feature an individual century?

Steven Lynch09-Apr-2024There were six half-centuries but no hundreds in Sri Lanka’s first innings at Chattogram. Was this a record? asked Sudarsan from India
As has been widely reported, Sri Lanka’s 531 in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram last week was the highest Test total not to include an individual century. The previous-highest was India’s 524 for 9 declared against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976-77, when the highest score was Mohinder Amarnath’s 70.That Kanpur innings was the first to contain six half-centuries but no hundreds; Sri Lanka’s effort in Chattogram was the sixth. The previous time it happened was in 2017, when six England batters reached 50 against West Indies at Headingley, but no one made it to three figures – the highest individual contribution then was Moeen Ali’s 84.There were only 21 dot balls in Sunrisers’ recent record IPL total. Was this the fewest dots for any T20 innings? asked Nikhil from India
Sunrisers’ 277 for 3 against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad last month was indeed the highest total in IPL history, beating Royal Challengers’ 263 for 5 against Pune Warriors in Bengaluru in April 2013. And the 21 dot balls was also a record in a full (20-over) innings in the IPL; there were 23 (11 by Andre Russell) in Delhi Capitals’ 228 for 4 against Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah in October 2020, and 24 in Sunrisers’ 207 for 3 against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali in April 2017.We don’t have ball-by-ball details for many T20 matches, so it’s impossible to identify the overall record. But 22 is definitely not the fewest: there were only 19 dot balls in Melbourne Stars’ 273 for 2 in their Big Bash League match against Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG in January 2022. Note that the ESPNcricinfo database counts dot balls from the bowlers’ perspective – so a no-ball that doesn’t produce any runs off the bat doesn’t count, as the penalty runs go against the bowler (unlike byes or leg-byes). In the recent Sunrisers’ innings there was one no-ball (by Gerald Coetzee) that wasn’t scored from, so by some interpretations the innings included 22 dot balls.Sam Northeast’s innings the other day means he has scored quadruple- and triple-centuries in first-class cricket, but no doubles. Is there anyone else with such a record? asked Robert Jenkins from England
That innings of 335 not out by Glamorgan’s captain Sam Northeast against Middlesex at Lord’s last week was the highest individual first-class innings at Lord’s, beating the 333 of Graham Gooch for England against India in a Test in 1990. There have been only four other first-class triple-centuries at Lord’s.Northeast also scored 410 not out for Glamorgan against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 2022, but you’re right that he hasn’t yet made a score of between 200 and 299. He did come close, with 191 for Kent against Derbyshire in Canterbury in June 2016, and 190 a few weeks later against Sussex at Tunbridge Wells.None of first-class cricket’s other quadruple-centurions (there are only eight of them) failed to record a double-century, although Aftab Baloch came close: apart from his 428 in 1973-74, his next-highest score was exactly 200 not out the following season, also against Baluchistan. Apart from him, Archie MacLaren and Bhausaheb Nimbalkar also never made a triple-century to go with their 400s, but they did reach 200.Among batters who have played a minimum of 25 innings in the IPL, KL Rahul has the highest batting average of 46.26•BCCIWho has the best batting average in the IPL? asked Conrad Stephens from South Africa
Given a minimum of 25 innings, there are only two batters who average over 40 in the IPL. Both are current players, so this may change, but as I write KL Rahul averages 46.26, and David Warner 41.57. Heinrich Klaasen currently averages 42.56 from 20 innings, and Sai Sudharsan 45.28 from 16.Devon Conway, who has not featured in this year’s IPL, averages 48.63 from 22 innings. And if you don’t have any qualification at all, Vivrant Sharma had one innings for Sunrisers last April, and scored 69 against Mumbai Indians. For the full list, which is regularly updated, click here.I noticed that Paul Stirling recently became the first Irishman to appear in 300 international matches. Who’s the next closest to 300 from outside the top Test-playing nations? asked Peter Blundell from Australia
Paul Stirling played his 300th official international for Ireland against Afghanistan in Sharjah last month, and has now reached 304. Mohammad Nabi, who was on the opposing side that day, has now played 285 international matches.The leader among the non-Test nations is Scotland’s Richie Berrington, with 202; Collins Obuya, who retired recently after a long career for Kenya, played 179. For the list, which includes players from recent Test nations Afghanistan and Ireland but not the longer-established ones, click here.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The Under-19 World Cup hasn’t gone to plan for the England spin-bowling allrounder, but it hasn’t stopped him from dreaming big

Sreshth Shah04-Feb-2022During the 2017 Champions Trophy, the ICC had a ticket giveaway – for one lucky person and a family member – to watch the India vs Pakistan game. There were entries from all over the world. The winner was 13-year-old Fateh Singh, whose name had been entered by his father Gurj Landa. Cheering for India was an “unreal experience” for Fateh, and the day was capped with India defeating Pakistan rather convincingly in that group-stage fixture.Fast forward five years, and Fateh is in another ICC tournament. But everything about this one is different. The India blue from 2017 has been replaced by the England blue. He is in the middle, not in the stands. Most importantly, the allrounder has played a key role in his team’s first appearance in the final of an Under-19 World Cup in 24 years.Related

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It hasn’t been a smooth ride, though. The first challenge was after joining the Nottinghamshire academy as a left-arm seamer who had the potential to become an allrounder. Given his height, or lack thereof, Fateh was told quite early by coach Andrew Jackman that he might be better off trying out left-arm spin instead. The rise has been steep since.”It was tricky, but I adapted to the change,” Fateh tells ESPNcricinfo. “After that I watched videos of Yuvraj Singh, Daniel Vettori and Monty Panesar. When I bowl, my plan is to stay with my stock ball as long as possible. And if I get hit, then I adapt and change my course.”That obstacle, of transitioning from seamer to spinner, however, was just one of many for Fateh.In 2015, Fateh was diagnosed with alopecia universalis, an autoimmune disease that causes loss of body hair. One’s hair is part of one’s identity, more so for a Sikh, the community Fateh belongs to.Two years later, his mother had to move away from the family and shift to an assisted-living facility because of her own health complications, which still continue.

“Moeen is fearless, a natural ball-striker. He’s been through quite a bit in his career, so for him to get to the top and captaining England [in four T20Is] too is quite inspirational”

“It doesn’t affect your health physically, it just affects your hair,” Fateh said of his own condition. “Truth be told, I didn’t know how to deal with it. It was a new thing. As I got older, it got harder, but I started to accept me for who I am. So, regardless of what anyone says, this is me and I am okay with that.”It is something that has attracted attention, though. Fateh has learnt to live with it. “People put cricket and alopecia together and say ‘it is crazy how well you’ve done despite it’. But for me, it’s normal. It doesn’t bother me,” he says. “It is one of the first things people ask me about and I’m more than happy to answer questions regarding it because I know people are curious about it and I could inspire them.”But I just don’t like it that people turn sympathetic towards me. I just dislike when someone feels like they feel sorry for me.”Eventually, though, it’s what you do in the field that matters most. On that front, Fateh’s record is outstanding, from being a nine-year-old in the county’s Under-11 side, or his first Nottinghamshire century at 11, or being the club’s Under-13 captain.He was also a net bowler for England when India toured in 2018 for the Test series, and by the time the 2021 season was over, his 28 wickets for the Under-18s at an average of 11.57 resulted in call-ups to the county second XI and into the England Under-19 squad.”I was a net bowler during India vs England in 2018. And Moeen Ali was so approachable,” Fateh says. “And I was a stranger to Moeen, but he took out time outside training to give me advice, which I really appreciated.”I am a bit like Moeen, to be fair, and by far he is my favourite cricketer. He is fearless, a natural ball-striker. He’s been through quite a bit in his career, so for him to get to the top and captaining England [in four T20Is] too is quite inspirational.”Fateh Singh has played only two matches at the Under-19 World Cup, for just one wicket, and hasn’t batted at all•ICC via GettyThe World Cup, however, has been below-par for him so far. He has been a part of only two starting XIs even as his team has won five games in a row, and he hasn’t had a chance to show off his batting chops. At 3.15, he has been England’s most economical bowler, but the side has preferred Rehan Ahmed, the attacking legspinner, ahead of him. “In my last game, I bowled seven overs for only 12 runs. But did not get a wicket,” Fateh says. “I would have wanted to play more, but it’s a team game.”That, though, hasn’t stopped him from dreaming.”After the World Cup, I want to make the first team, which is a good challenge since Notts have a very strong side,” he says. “I have a two-year contract, so I hope to renew it. I don’t think too far ahead, want to stay in the present. But my white-ball skills are my strong suit right now.”To be the leading Test wicket-taker would be nice, but for me, a nice one would be to play in the IPL and be the leading wicket-taker in a season and take more [wickets] than anyone has done before.”I used to always watch Mumbai Indians. That’s when Sachin Tendulkar used to play. My family is from Punjab, so obviously I love Punjab Kings. But I’d watch any team play, like when Virat [Kohli] and AB [de Villiers] are batting together for RCB. I’d love to give the IPL a crack.”It’s ambitious, but it’s best to not bet against Fateh Singh. Fateh means “conquest”. The young man has done some of that already. And he is keen to live up to his name.

حرص محمد مجدي أفشة لاعب الأهلي ومنتخب مصر الثاني، على توجيه رسالة لجماهير الكرة المصرية، بعد خروج الفراعنة من بطولة كأس العرب.

وفشل منتخب مصر في التأهل من دور المجموعات في بطولة كأس العرب، بعدما حقق تعادلين وخسارة ليحتل المركز الثالث في المجموعة ويودع مبكرًا.

وكتب أفشة عبر حسابه على منصة التواصل الاجتماعي انستجرام: “قبل أي كلام يتقال لازم يكون أوله جملة واحدة بس”.

طالع.. خالد الغندور: ما حدث في كأس العرب “كارثة”.. ودفعنا ثمن خلاف حسام حسن وطولان

وأضاف::آسف جدًا جدًا، مهما حصل ومهما اتقال اسم مصر كبير وكان فيه أفضل من كده أنا عن نفسي بعتذر وحزين جدًا ومش بهرب من أي مسؤولية”.

وأكمل: “اللعب باسم منتخب مصر مينفعش فيه الأداء اللي حصل ومفيش تبرير ولا كلام أكثر من كلمة آسف جدًا كان لازم أفضل من كده، حقكم بصراحة، آسف مرة واحدة مش كفاية آسف مليون مرة”.

England seamer shows she belongs after four-year wait to make her England debut

Valkerie Baynes23-May-2025Em Arlott’s player-of-the-match performance in just her second game for England felt like a long time coming, but the two well-documented false starts to her international career are just part of the story.Arlott took 3 for 14 in a remarkable four-over spell at Hove, including 18 dot-balls that helped reduce West Indies to 81 for 9 in the second T20I. After their nine-wicket victory, however, she revealed that she had been battling anxiety for years. So much so that, had she been handed her cap on either of the two previous occasions she was called into the England squad, she wasn’t sure how she would have handled it.”Everything’s kind of happened at the right time,” Arlott said. “With where I was at before, it’s probably not quite a publicly known thing, but I’ve struggled with anxiety in the past and probably, if I played before, I think I would have been a different person and player on the pitch. Whereas now I feel like I’ve really worked on that away from the game. I am coming into this with a lot more confidence and actually believing that I’m good enough to be here.”Arlott made her international debut aged 27 on Wednesday, taking 1 for 28 in the first T20I in Canterbury.In her latest match, she accounted for West Indies’ strongest batters, Hayley Matthews – who scored 100 of her side’s 146 in that opening game – and former captain Stafanie Taylor, returning from injury to bolster the line-up. At one point in her spell, Arlott had three wickets for seven runs in the space of 14 balls, with the two big names falling either side of Zaida James, well caught by Sophia Dunkley at short midwicket.Arlott also took a catch off spinner Charlie Dean to remove Shemaine Campbelle, who was also returning from injury as West Indies tried to find support for Matthews with the bat.Her debut had come after call-ups to England’s squads to face India in 2021 and South Africa the following year, when she had to leave the camp before the series began because she was suffering the after-effects of Covid. That last near-miss left her fearing that the chance to play for her country might have passed her by.Arlott’s latest call-up came off the back of a strong start to the domestic 50-over competition. Her 14 wickets for Warwickshire has her joint-second on the Metro Bank One Day Cup wicket-takers list, while her pivotal 130 against Essex didn’t go unnoticed by Charlotte Edwards, the new England Women’s head coach who has placed increased emphasis on domestic form as a selection tool. Personally, Arlott said a stint with Western Australia in the WNCL over the winter had also played a key role in getting her to this point, along with a lot of work to manage her anxiety.Related

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“I had to reflect a lot on what I could control in my life,” she said. “The last time I came into this environment, I don’t think I believed I was good enough so I didn’t really expect anybody else to believe that I was good enough. I’ve always struggled going into newer teams and not knowing people and having to adjust. The teams that I’ve played for at regional level have both been based in Birmingham, so I’ve been quite fortunate that I haven’t really gone anywhere else.”I just challenged myself. In the winter, I went to Perth and I didn’t know anybody and just made myself have to do something uncomfortable. Actually it’s been really nice that a lot of people have come up to me being like, ‘you’re a different person than you were 12 months ago’, I think in terms of confidence and – not necessarily cricket, but just as a person – I think I’m more content with who I am, and not really caring how people take that.”I’m really proud of myself getting to this point. It has been a long old journey to get here and it was never promised that I would even get here. I’ve just tried to control what I can in my life, my career. I felt like if I just kept working hard, then hopefully when I got that break I would take it with both hands, and run with it and not look back.”Arlott paid tribute to her team-mates for their support, as well as Edwards after a slightly awkward phone call to confirm her selection to both the T20I and ODI squads for West Indies’ visit .”I’ve just bought a puppy and he was being a nightmare, and bit me two minutes before she called me, so I was a bit flustered,” she said. “I’m not going to lie, I cried because he bit me really hard. So he was being a nightmare and then she obviously popped up on my phone and I was like, ‘what the hell is this about?’ She said some really nice things about how I’ve been going. I didn’t really respond, I was a bit flustered because of the dog, but I didn’t want to tell her that. It was all just a wild five minutes.”But she’s been great and it was nice that I’ve been rewarded for being consistent. I just kept chipping away at regional level because, for a long time, I felt like it went unnoticed no matter how well I did or didn’t do it. It was really nice that she’s come in and I’ve had a couple of years to almost prove myself and actually be able to sit there and go, that’s enough, which is nice.”Arlott said the focus on domestic form was a marked turnaround under Edwards’ leadership.”It makes people feel like, ‘why can’t it be me?’,” she said. “It’s always been contracted players and you can guess the squad that’s going to get picked and probably one or two extras that are doing well. It just means that people are getting picked that are in form, rather than necessarily contracted, which can only be good for us. Maybe squads look different from series to series, but I think that’s great and it shows how far we’ve come.”The true test of how far England have come since the Ashes defeat that sparked so many changes – including Edwards’ appointment as Jon Lewis’s successor – might have to wait until India arrive later in the season. But the distance Arlott has travelled is now clear to see.