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The five-match series in Mumbai is part of India’s build-up towards the inaugural Under-19 T20 World Cup

Shashank Kishore20-Nov-2022Batter Shweta Sehrawat will lead India Under-19 women against New Zealand Under-19 women in a series of five T20s in Mumbai from November 27 to December 6. The series is part of India’s build-up towards the inaugural women’s Under-19 World Cup (T20 format) to be played in South Africa in January 2023.Sehrawat, a top-order batter, led one of the four sides at the Under-19 T20 Challenger Trophy that finished earlier this month.Sehrawat was the top run-getter in the tournament, making 163 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 111.64, including a highest of 51. After that, Sehrawat also topped the run charts and strike rates, scoring 164 runs at 151.85, at the Under-19 quadrangular series, which featured West Indies, Sri Lanka, and two teams from India.Batter Soumya Tiwari has been named vice-captain of the 15-member squad. She made 107 runs in four innings at the Challenger Trophy, the fourth-best in the competition but at a strike rate of 79.25. Also part of the squad is Shikha Shalot, a middle-order batter, whose unbeaten 69 off 49 was the highest individual score of the competition.In fact, the top four run-getters in the competition all found a place in the squad – Sehrawat, G Trisha, Shalot and Tiwary.Hrishita Basu and Nandini Kashyap have been named wicketkeepers. Among batters to have faced at least 50 balls in the Challenger Trophy, Basu’s strike rate of 132.25 was the best.The bowling attack consists of three of the top four wicket-takers – Sonam Yadav, Archana Devi and Titas Sadhu. Sonam topped the charts, picking up seven wickets in four games at an economy of 3.81. Archana, second on the list, ended with six scalps. Sadhu has represented the senior Bengal Women’s team; in the latest Women’s T20 Trophy, she picked up two wickets in four matches at an economy of 4.07.All matches in the series will be played at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. Before the India series, New Zealand will play West Indies in two T20 fixtures at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, on November 22 and November 24.Squad: Shweta Sehrawat (capt), Soumya Tiwari (vice-capt), Shikha Shalot, Trisha G, Sonia Mehdiya, Hurley Gala, Hrishita Basu (wk), Nandini Kashyap (wk), Sonam Yadav, Mannat Kashyap, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Titas Sadhu, Falak Naz, Shabnam MD

Marseille are reportedly in talks to sign Lille midfielder Angel Gomes amid transfer links with Manchester United and Arsenal.

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Gomes out of contract in summerLinked with Man Utd and ArsenalMarseille in talks with midfielderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to L'Equipe, Marseille have enquired about the 24-year-old – who is set to become a free agent this summer. The report states Roberto De Zerbi's team have now made a contract offer for the England international.

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Ever since it became clear that Gomes would not sign a new deal at Lille, he has been left out of the first-team. United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have been linked with the ex-Red Devils player but so far it seems Marseille have stolen a march on the Premier League sides.

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Gomes, who could link up with Mason Greenwood if he signed for Marseille, has not played for Lille since March 1 and is not expected to feature in the final games of the Ligue 1 season as well due to his contract stance.

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The soon-to-be free agent will watch on the sidelines as his side, who sit fifth in the table, round off their season away to Brest this weekend and then they host Reims on May 17.

Arsenal scored twice late to secure a massive 2-0 win over Leicester City in a game that saw few chances at either end as the Gunners struggled to kick into gear with their makeshift attack.

Leicester City

Match Stats

Arsenal

39%

Possession

61%

5

Shots

10

2

Shots on target

4

9

Fouls committed

10

2

Corners

7

Leicester City player ratings Mads Hermansen – 5

Had very little to do and could do nothing when Merino headed past him 10 minutes from time.

James Justin – 7

Was having an excellent game until he was forced off through injury towards the end of the first half.

Wout Faes – 6

Was excellent in keeping the Gunners quiet for much of the afternoon but was caught under the ball for the opening goal which undid all of his hard work.

Caleb Okoli – 7.5

The best of Leicester’s defenders all afternoon, its a mystery he hasn’t featured more often.

Victor Kristiansen – 4

Tormented by Ethan Nwaneri all afternoon, and both goals ultimately came down his side.

Wilfred Ndidi – 8

Was excellent for the Foxes on his return to the side, breaking up play well and helping his side keep Arsenal at bay for much of the game.

Boubakary Soumare – 7

A strong performance from the Frenchman to help shut-down Arsenal’s chief creator in Martin Odegaard.

Bobby de Cordova Reid – 5

A willing runner but very little end product.

Bilal El-Khannouss – 5

Could not make the most of what little he had of the ball and was booked for a late challenge.

Jordan Ayew – 6

Was his usual terrier-like self as he harried the Arsenal defence, but got no joy on this occasion.

Jamie Vardy – 6

Ran the channels willingly but had very little service and should have done better finding a teammate with a breakaway at 0-0.

Substitutes: Coulibaly 6.5, Mavididi 5

Arsenal player ratings David Raya – 6

Hardly had a save to make but walked away with another clear sheet.

Jurrien Timber – 6

Continued to pull his side forward from fullback without much joy.

William Saliba – 6

Kept Jamie Vardy quiet but in truth had very little to do.

Gabriel – 6

Didn’t put a foot wrong at the back.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 8

A really strong performance from the Arsenal academy talent who saved his side a goal with an excellent piece of last-ditch defending.

Thomas Partey – 6

Really struggled in the early stages but grew into the game and made some vital tackles as the game wore on.

Martin Odegaard – 5

Arsenal’s captain struggled in front of a stubborn Leicester defence, and despite some cute flicks it was far from his best performance for the Gunners.

Declan Rice – 7

His usual hard-working self and barely put a foot wrong while others around him struggled.

Ethan Nwaneri – 9

Despite his youth, everything bright Arsenal did ran through the teenage gem, who hit the woodwork twice with excellent efforts before producing a delicious cross for Arsenal’s winning goal.

Leandro Trossard – 5

Asked to play as a striker and in wide areas, but offered nothing in either as he struggled against the Leicester defence before providing an excellent ball for Merino to seal the win.

Raheem Sterling – 3

Another awful display for Sterling in an Arsenal shirt, which saw him substituted just after the hour mark after failing to make an impression in attack for the Gunners.

Substitutes: Merino 9, Calafiori 6, Jorginho 5, Tierney 6

Flamengo are interested in signing Joao Felix from Chelsea this summer and plan to launch a loan bid for the Portugal international.

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Felix wanted in BrazilHas struggled during AC Milan loan spellSigned seven-year deal in 2024 Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Felix has struggled since his move to Italy and has seen his playing time severely limited. In total, the Portugal international has made just a mere five Serie A starts, and has provided just one assist. However, Chelsea may be limited in the suitors they can find, as they convinced the playmaker to sign a seven-year contract upon his arrival in 2024.

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Flamengo are interested in signing Felix on loan, with a purchase option, but it remains to be seen if the Blues would be willing to countenance such a move. Felix is not said to be interested in moving to Brazil, but there is said to be rival interest from Benfica, a move that the 25-year-old may well be more amenable to. He made 43 appearances for the Portuguese club in the 2018/19 season after coming through the youth system.

DID YOU KNOW?

Felix also struggled for minutes during the first half of the season at Stamford Bridge, making just three starts, prior to his initial move to Milan. He has struggled for minutes in every season since 2023/24, when he played 44 times for Barcelona on loan.

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Milan play Genoa on Monday evening. They currently languish in ninth place in Serie A.

Chelsea have endured somewhat of a drop-off in recent weeks under Enzo Maresca, failing to live up to the early standards he set for himself in the early stages of his time at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian only lost two of his first 10 Premier League matches at the helm, looking as though they could be in an unexpected title battle at one stage.

However, their form has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, losing four of the last eight matches, seeing them slip to sixth place and sitting behind Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the recent decline, with seven first-team members currently sitting on the sidelines and unable to aid the manager in his attempts to secure Champions League football.

Maresca has still been able to rely on one player who’s been the shining light in West London since his big money to the club a couple of years ago.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

After his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer had an immediate impact for the Blues, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in his debut year in West London.

Such a record has made the Englishman’s task of matching such a tally this time around that little bit harder, but he’s already produced numerous moments of magic that have taken the division by storm once again.

The 22-year-old has already scored 14 times during the ongoing campaign, whilst also registering six assists for his teammates – with his combined tally the highest in the first-team squad.

His best performance undoubtedly came in the 4-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion, with Palmer scoring all four in the first half, becoming the first player in the division’s history to achieve such a feat.

Despite his excellent form under Maresca, the club may have allowed the next version of the superstar to slip through their net – making a mistake in allowing him to depart the club.

The player who could’ve been Chelsea’s next Palmer

Living up to the high standards set by Palmer is no easy feat, something which no player currently at the Bridge has managed this season given his tally of contributions.

However, the thought of having another version of the England international is a scary prospect, but one that unfortunately won’t come to reality after letting Tyler Dibling slip through their net.

The 18-year-old, who is currently starring for Southampton in the Premier League, was brought for £1.5m by the Blues back in the summer of 2022 – but it would be a move that was short-lived.

After making just two appearances for the academy, he would return to the Saints after failing to settle, with the Blues potentially living to regret their decision not to make the teenager more at home when they had the opportunity.

He’s since developed into a key member of their first team in 2024/25, making 21 appearances in the league and scoring twice – leading to journalist Eduardo Hagn labelling the talent as “outrageous”.

Dibling possesses very similar traits to Palmer, with the pair both left-footed and operating off the right-hand side and cutting onto their stronger foot after gliding past the opposition.

Games played

21

25

Goals & assists

2

20

Shot-on-target accuracy

39%

39%

Progressive carries

3.8

3.3

Carries into final third

2.8

2.1

Pass accuracy

78%

75%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.3

As seen by their figures from 2024/25, the Saints star has matched or bettered Palmer in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he brings, possessing the ability to become even better given his tender age.

Whilst there was not much the club could’ve done to stand in his way at such a young age, his development away from the Bridge appears to have rubbed salt into the wounds – demonstrating what they could’ve had.

Unfortunately for the fans and Maresca, Dibling will always remain a case of what could’ve been, with the hierarchy now having to pay a fee in the region of £55m if they were to bring him back to West London in the coming months.

Chelsea must rue selling "Messi of goalkeepers" who’s better than Sanchez

Chelsea already sold the “Messi of goalkeepers” who is far better than Sanchez

2 ByConnor Holden Feb 20, 2025

All the major moves made by IPL franchises on the deadline day to release players ahead of the auction for the 2023 season

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-20225:59

Uthappa: Chennai might look to buy back Bravo

Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians have made wholesale changes to their squads by releasing more than ten players each ahead of the auction for the IPL 2023 season on December 23.Knight Riders released 16 players, while Mumbai let go of 13 including veteran Kieron Pollard, and Sunrisers cut ties with 12 players including their captain Kane Williamson. Mayank Agarwal was another captain not retained as he was among the nine players let go by Punjab Kings.Related

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Sunrisers Hyderabad release Kane Williamson ahead of IPL 2023 auction

While Pollard and Super Kings’ Dwayne Bravo were the most high-profile West Indians not retained, there were several other younger players from the Caribbean who were released by their teams. Sunrisers let go of Nicholas Pooran and Romario Shepherd, Lucknow Super Giants released Jason Holder and Evin Lewis, Mumbai released Fabian Allen, Royal Challengers Bangalore let go of Sherfane Rutherford, Punjab released Odean Smith, and Gujarat Titans did not retain Dominic Drakes.At the end of the deadline day – November 15 – to retain and release players, Sunrisers had the largest purse (INR 42.25 crore) for the auction on December 23, followed by Kings (INR 32.20 crore), Lucknow Super Giant (INR 23.35 crore), Mumbai (INR 20.55 crore), Super Kings (INR 20.45 crore), Delhi Capitals (INR 19.45 crore), Gujarat Titans (INR 19.25 crore), Rajasthan Royals (INR 13.2 crore), Royal Challengers Bangalore (INR 8.75 crore) and Knight Riders (INR 7.05 crore).5:14

Jaffer: Mumbai in big trouble if Archer isn’t available

Here are how the squads stack up after the franchises released and retained players:Mumbai Indians
After finishing at the bottom of the league in IPL 2022, Mumbai have let go of a number of players. They have retained their batting core, but will need to rebuild their bowling attack around Jasprit Bumrah, especially their spin stocks. And they will hope that Jofra Archer is fit and firing in time for IPL 2023.Players released: Kieron Pollard (INR 6 crore), Anmolpreet Singh (INR 20 lakh), Aryan Juyal (INR 20 lakh), Basil Thampi (INR 30 lakh), Daniel Sams (INR 2.6 crore), Fabian Allen (INR 75 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1.3 crore), Mayank Markande (INR 65 lakh), Murugan Ashwin (INR 1.6 crore), Rahul Buddhi (INR 20 lakh), Riley Meredith (INR 1 crore), Sanjay Yadav (INR 50 lakh), Tymal Mills (INR 1.5 crore)
Players acquired via trades: Jason Behrendorff
Purse remaining: INR 20.55 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal
Chennai Super Kings
Super Kings finished ninth in IPL 2022 but they haven’t made dramatic decisions in terms of releasing players. Bravo is the biggest name they let go of, but they had released him last year too, only to buy him back at the auction. Will they do that again next month? And after months of speculation, Super Kings have retained Ravindra Jadeja after a tumultuous 2022 season when he was appointed captain and then replaced by MS Dhoni midway through the tournament.Players released: Dwayne Bravo (INR 4.4 crore), Robin Uthappa (INR 2 crore), Adam Milne (INR 1.9 crore), Hari Nishaanth (INR 20 lakh), Chris Jordan (INR 3.6 crore), Bhagath Varma (INR 20 lakh), KM Asif (INR 20 lakh), Narayan Jagadeesan (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 20.45 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 2
Current squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana
3:23

Uthappa: Titans have one of the more balanced squads

Gujarat Titans
Defending champions Titans have let go of only six players (two of whom were traded to Knight Riders) ahead of the auction, but they still have a healthy purse of INR 19.25 crore to spend. So expect them to go hard to pick up a couple of players they need to fill the gaps in their squad.Players released: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 50 lakh), Lockie Ferguson (INR 10 crore), Dominic Drakes (INR 1.1 crore), Gurkeerat Singh (INR 50 lakh), Jason Roy (INR 2 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 19.25
Overseas slots remaining – 3
Current squad: Hardik Pandya (capt), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad
Delhi Capitals
Capitals finished fifth in IPL 2022, just outside the playoffs, but they haven’t made wholesale changes to their squad. Their biggest move was to trade Shardul Thakur to Knight Riders. The other players they have released weren’t regulars in their first XI last season.Players released: Shardul Thakur (INR 10.75 crore), Tim Seifert (INR 50 lakh), Ashwin Hebbar (INR 20 lakh), Srikar Bharat (INR 2 crore), Mandeep Singh (INR 1.1 crore)
Players acquired via trades: Aman Khan
Purse remaining: INR 19.45 crore
Overseas slots remaining 2
Current squad: Rishabh Pant (capt), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal
4:07

Are Lucknow Super Giants missing a genuine allrounder?

Lucknow Super Giants
In their first season, Super Giants made it to the playoffs but lost the eliminator to Royal Challengers. Perhaps the biggest surprise among their list of released players is Holder, who they had bought for INR 8.75 crore. Perhaps the Super Giants are freeing up their purse to go after someone specific – Ben Stokes, Sam Curran? – at this auction.Players released: Andrew Tye (INR 1 crore), Ankit Rajpoot (INR 50 lakh), Dushmantha Chameera (INR 2 crore), Evin Lewis (INR 2 crore), Jason Holder (INR 8.75 crore), Manish Pandey (INR 4.6 crore), Shahbaz Nadeem (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 23.35 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: KL Rahul (capt), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi
Rajasthan Royals
Last year’s runners-up Royals have let go of nine players, and among them are five overseas players who got little to no game time last season: James Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Rassie van der Dussen, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Corbin Bosch.Players released: Anunay Singh (INR 20 lakh), Corbin Bosch (INR 20 lakh), Daryl Mitchell (INR 75 lakh), James Neesham (INR 1.5 crore), Karun Nair (INR 1.4 crore), Nathan Coulter-Nile (INR 2 crore), Rassie van der Dussen (INR 1 crore), Shubham Garhwal (INR 20 lakh), Tejas Baroka (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 13.2 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: Sanju Samson (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa
6:24

Uthappa: Sunrisers Hyderabad will go all out to get Ben Stokes

Sunrisers Hyderabad
After starting off with two losses followed by five straight wins last season, Sunrisers crashed and burned to finish eighth in the league and it has resulted in a huge clean out at the franchise. Captain Williamson, who had been retained for INR 14 crore, has been released along with Pooran, who at INR 10.75 crore had become the most expensive West Indian ever bought at an auction. The question is – who are Sunrisers thinking of as their future captain, or are they looking to buy back Williamson at a lower price? They have the most money – INR 42.25 crore – to spend at the auction.Players released: Kane Williamson (INR 14 crore), Nicholas Pooran (INR 10.75 crore), Jagadeesha Suchith (INR 20 lakh), Priyam Garg (INR 20 lakh), Ravikumar Samarth (INR 20 lakh), Romario Shepherd (INR 7.75 crore), Saurabh Dubey (INR 20 lakh), Sean Abbott (INR 2.4 crore), Shashank Singh (INR 20 lakh), Shreyas Gopal (INR 75 lakh), Sushant Mishra (INR 20 lakh), Vishnu Vinod (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 42.25 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers finished fourth in the league and then lost Qualifier 2 to Royals in the playoffs. After a promising campaign, they have released the fewest players – five – among all the teams, and no one who was a regular fixture in their first XI. As a result, they have the second-lowest purse for the auction, and only two overseas slots to fill.Players released: Jason Behrendorff (INR 75 lakh), Aneeshwar Gautam (INR 20 lakh), Chama Milind (INR 25 lakh), Luvnith Sisodia (INR 20 lakh), Sherfane Rutherford (INR 1 crore)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 8.75 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 2
Current squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep
4:03

Jaffer: ‘Punjab need a calming influence in the middle order’

Punjab Kings
Following yet another season in which they failed to make the final four, Kings have rung in the changes, releasing nine players including their 2022 captain Mayank. Apart from Odean, none of their other releases were major players in their first XI last season, and Punjab go into the auction with the second-highest purse.Players released: Mayank Agarwal (INR 14 crore), Odean Smith (INR 6 crore), Vaibhav Arora (INR 2 crore), Benny Howell (INR 40 lakh), Ishan Porel (INR 20 lakh), Ansh Patel (INR 20 lakh), Prerak Mankad (INR 20 lakh), Sandeep Sharma (INR 50 lakh), Writtick Chatterjee (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 32.2 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar
Kolkata Knight Riders
As many as 16 players have been released by Knight Riders, and after trading in Shardul, Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, they have only 14 players in their squad and the smallest purse – INR 7.05 crore – to spend at the auction. They finished seventh last season, and need to make some smart tactical buys to bolster their bench for next season.Players released: Pat Cummins (INR 7.25 crore), Sam Billings (INR 2 crore), Aman Khan (INR 20 lakh), Shivam Mavi (INR 7.25 crore), Mohammad Nabi (INR 1 crore), Chamika Karunaratne (INR 50 lakh), Aaron Finch (INR 1.5 crore), Alex Hales (INR 1.5 crore), Abhijeet Tomar (INR 40 lakh), Ajinkya Rahane (INR 1 crore), Ashok Sharma (INR 20 lakh), Baba Indrajith (INR 20 lakh), Pratham Singh (INR 20 lakh), Ramesh Kumar (INR 20 lakh), Rasikh Salam (INR 20 lakh), Sheldon Jackson (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: Shardul Thakur, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Lockie Ferguson
Purse remaining: INR 7.05 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh

Chelsea have now opened talks over a summer move for an “incredible” forward, and they are willing to make an offer of £83m to get a deal over the line, according to a report.

Maresca keen on new forwards

Nicolas Jackson’s form has been on a downward spiral since December, while fellow forward Christopher Nkunku has scored just three goals in the Premier League this season, meaning Enzo Maresca is now keen to bring in new attacking options in the summer.

Maresca is thought to rate Athletic Club winger Nico Williams extremely highly, and the Blues are said to have offered the Spaniard a £319k-per-week contract to move to Stamford Bridge.

Another wide option the west Londoners have in mind is Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, and they have now made their first move to sign the winger, tabling a blockbuster £66m bid in an attempt to get a deal done this summer.

Chelsea join huge race to sign £15,000-p/w youngster after sending scouts

He’s one to watch…

1 ByTom Cunningham Mar 2, 2025

Earlier this week, it was revealed Chelsea are also in a strong position to sign AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, with the Italian club now more open to a departure, and there has since been a new update on their pursuit of the Portugal international.

According to a report from Spain, talks have now been opened with Leao’s representatives ahead of what could be a big-money move this summer.

The Blues are willing to make an offer of €100m (£83m) for the winger, with the board expressing a serious interest in getting a deal done, having identified him as one of their key targets.

Chelsea are said to be the frontrunners for the forward, who Milan would prefer to keep hold of, but there is a feeling the Italian side could be tempted to sanction a sale, should they receive a big offer.

"Incredible" Leao could be a fantastic signing

Maresca recently sent scouts to watch Bologna defender Sam Beukema in action against AC Milan, but their attention may also have been drawn to Leao, given that the Portuguese forward bagged his sixth goal of the season in the Serie A.

Although Milan lost 2-1, the former Lille man put in another impressive performance, having been a key player for the Serie A side for quite some time, amassing 68 goals and 52 assists in a total of 247 appearances for the club.

Not only that, but the 25-year-old also ranks very highly on some key attacking metrics, when compared to his positional peers over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Successful take-ons

3.11 (95th percentile)

Progressive carries

4.80 (82nd percentile)

Non-penalty goals

0.39 (81st percentile)

Assists

0.31 (81st percentile)

Touches in attacking penalty area

6.70 (89th percentile)

Leao has been a brilliant servant to Milan, but he may want a fresh challenge after spending six seasons in Italy, and if he decides to test himself in the Premier League, his attacking numbers indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea and one to watch by the looks of things.

Eight-wicket win completed inside first hour on fourth morning

Matt Roller20-Dec-2022England needed 38 minutes to complete a resounding eight-wicket win on the fourth morning in Karachi, eventually gunning down their last-innings target of 167 in 28.1 overs. Ben Duckett slapped Mohammad Wasim for the winning boundary to seal a 3-0 series victory, the first time Pakistan have been whitewashed in a series that took place on home soil.With 55 more runs needed after a chaotic attempt to seal the third Test inside three days, England were slightly more restrained on the fourth morning but still took only 11.1 overs to clinch the clean sweep. Duckett finished 82 not out, becoming the second-highest run-scorer in the series in the process, with captain Ben Stokes unbeaten on 35 at the other end.Related

'I certainly feel ready now' – Duckett hungry for more, in all conditions, after impressive Test return

'Nighthawk' cameo caps Rehan Ahmed's match-seizing day

Rehan Ahmed, putting the game in super fast forward

Babar Azam offers delusion over solution as Pakistan's shortcomings are exposed

This was England’s ninth win in 10 Tests since Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and coach respectively, a remarkable turnaround after a run of one win in 17 before their appointments. They have obliterated an under-strength Pakistan in their first Test series in the country since 2005, who now face a short turnaround before they play New Zealand on Boxing Day.Asked at the presentation for his verdict on the series, Stokes simply said: “Perfect.” He later added: “We’ve adapted really well, whether that be with bat or ball. The confidence that every individual has in themselves and the people around them is unbelievable. Every person has stood up at some point and put in some kind of match-winning performance.”We knew what cricket means to Pakistan and we knew what it meant to Pakistan for us to be here. The support that we’ve had has been incredible. We felt like the cricket that was played was just being celebrated. We came here to win but we also came to play an exciting brand of cricket and get people in to watch. To walk off to a reception like we have at every ground, being the winners over the home team, was very special.”England cruised to victory on the final day of the series, in front of another sparse crowd at the National Stadium. Stokes set the tone, muscling the third ball he faced through midwicket, while Duckett continued to sweep, reverse-sweep and paddle-sweep liberally off Abrar Ahmed as he extended his form in a hugely impressive comeback series.Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes shake hands•Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesStokes’ attention soon turned to the opportunity to pull clear of McCullum as the outright leading six-hitter in Test history, and he was dropped by Salman Ali Agha at wide long-on as he looked to hit the 108th six of his Test career. He tried twice more, slog-sweeping into the deep on the leg side and chipping Abrar down the ground, but was unsuccessful – throwing his head back and looking to the dressing room with a wry smile.That left Duckett to back-cut Wasim through point with the scores level, raising his arms aloft as the ball ran away to the boundary rope for four. England had only ever won two Tests in Pakistan before this tour, but now clinched a third consecutive win on their return after a lengthy absence.Azhar Ali, commemorative stump in hand, was applauded off the field with a tear in his eye after the final appearance of his long and distinguished international career for Pakistan. He retires from Test cricket with 7097 runs at 42.49, including 19 hundreds, from his 97 caps.Harry Brook, the leading run-scorer on the tour with 468 in five innings, was named Player of the Series after hitting three hundreds in his second, third and fourth appearances as a Test cricketer. “He’s set Pakistan on fire,” Stokes said.The third Test turned on the third afternoon when Stokes belatedly introduced Rehan Ahmed, England’s 18-year-old debut, to the attack, who promptly ripped through Pakistan’s middle and lower order. He took 5 for 48, becoming the youngest man in Test history to take a five-wicket haul on debut, and set up a routine chase.With Stuart Broad on paternity leave and James Anderson rested, this was England’s first win with neither bowler in the side for 15 years. The most recent such win came in June 2007, when Michael Vaughan captained them to victory against West Indies.

French media and fans spoke highly of Mason Greenwood as the ex-Manchester United star scored in Marseille's win over Le Havre.

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Greenwood scored in Marseille's win over Le HavreSecured a Champions League slotStar winger garnered praise from French mediaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MATCH?

Amine Gouiri starred with a brace while Greenwood scored an 85th-minute goal as Marseille beat Le Havre 3-0 on Saturday in their penultimate match of the Ligue 1 2024-25 campaign and secured a spot in next season's Champions League. This was the winger's 19th goal of the season, as he still trails Ousmane Dembele by two strikes in the Golden Boot race.

AdvertisementAFPHOW DID THE FRENCH MEDIA RATE GREENWOOD'S PERFORMANCE?

L'Equipe had a mixed reaction to the former Manchester United star's performance as they rated him 6/10 and wrote: "Another strange performance from the English winger, who often favoured individual solutions and who retreated at his own pace, regularly jogging in the second half. Sometimes terribly annoying, he also has undeniable talent, and he gave his team victory with a sharp left-footed strike (85th). Replaced by LUIZ FELIPE (89th), who led to the switch to five at the back."

Le Phoceen, on the other hand, rated Greenwood 8.5/10 as they wrote: "The former Mancunian created the most dangerous chances for Marseille. And most importantly, he saved his team from a 1-1 draw with a marvellous strike that Matthieu Gorgelin could do nothing about. The goal sent OM into the Champions League!"

WHAT ARE THE FANS SAYING ON SOCIAL?

Fans were much kinder to the 23-year-old as they hailed the Marseille star's performance against Le Havre.

A fan with the X handle @awa40144 wrote: "I’ll choose him over every other player walking this planet when it comes to striking the ball from different angles to finish. No player walking this planet ever comes close."

A United fan with the X handle @RangerBanker73 wrote: "This guy is crushing it over there."

Another fan with a handle named @temiadetunji wrote: "The way he strikes the ball is so powerful. That left leg is one of the best in the world."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD AND MARSEILLE?

Roberto De Zerbi's side will now aim to secure a second-place finish in the Ligue 1 with a win over Rennes in their final match of the season at home on May 17.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has appeared to fire shots at Arsenal and head coach Mikel Arteta by claiming that 'excuses are for teams who don't win'.

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Liverpool beat Arsenal to Premier League titleArteta argued over reasons for title lossSlot seems to take shots at Arteta's excusesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal have fallen short of the mark in the Premier League title battle for the third year running as Liverpool ran away with a title win, the Reds' 20th English top-tier title. Arteta has put out a lot of reasons for the Gunners' failure to win the league title this year, indicating that untimely injuries and wrong refereeing decisions hurt his side's chances of properly pressuring Slot's side in the title race.

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Liverpool secured the Premier League title on Matchday 34 with a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur and have since slowed down as they have lost twice and drawn once, against Arsenal. Slot has now opened up on helping the Reds equal Manchester United's record as the club with the most league titles in the English top-tier, as the Dutchman also appeared to take shots at Arteta's 'excuses'.

AFPWHAT SLOT SAID

Speaking to BBC Sport, Slot talked about the challenges of leading Liverpool to the league title after taking over from Jurgen Klopp last summer. The Dutchman said: "All these excuses you could give to Liverpool… with us maybe not spending… or not bringing new players in, or taking over from someone.

"All these things are excuses for teams that don't win the league, and it's nice that if you have all these excuses, that you don't have to use them, but you still just won it."

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Slot's side did not fully live up to the hype they had created at the start of the season as they flopped in the FA Cup and the Champions League, and lost to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. The Dutchman will be hoping that he can improve his squad later this summer as they look to battle for all possible titles.