Category Uncategorized

Arsenal transfer chief Andrea Berta has now contacted another club’s director over signing an alternative to Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyokeres, with “concrete talks” also ongoing for his signature.

Arsenal reported to be in advanced talks for Viktor Gyokeres

Over the last fortnight, a plethora of reports in the Portuguese media, and some closer to home, indicated that the Gunners were seriously advancing when it comes to Gyokeres’ signature.

Arsenal seal first summer sale as "high level" player completes European move

A few more expected to follow this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini May 23, 2025

Portuguese newspaper O Jogo boldly claimed in its Monday headline that Gyokeres is “on his way to Arsenal”, even reporting that a £59 million fee was agreed, while fellow outlet A Bola reported news of a £135,000-per-week salary offer from Mikel Arteta’s side.

Boavista 0-5 Sporting CP

10.0

Sporting CP 5-1 Estrela de Amadora

10.0

Sporting CP 3-1 Moreirense

9.91

Sporting CP 3-0 AVS Futebol SAD

9.68

Nacional 1-6 Sporting CP

9.52

CaughtOffside shared similar information, namely that Arsenal had entered advanced talks to sign Gyokeres, but claimed the overall package on offer for the 26-year-old was actually closer to £10 million per year.

These differentiating claims all have one thing in common, which is that the ex-Coventry City star, who’s scored an incredible 53 goals in all competitions this season, appears to be on the verge of a north London move.

Berta is also said to be a major admirer of Gyokeres and has been pushing hard to secure the Scandinavian’s signature ahead of other interested clubs, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

However, that isn’t to say Berta doesn’t have a Plan B or alternative targets, amid some reports that Arteta actually prefers RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko over Gyokeres as a potential arrival.

Journalist Simon Phillips wrote last week via his Substack that Arteta still wants Sesko at Arsenal, one year after their offer to the Slovenian was publicly rejected in favour of a contract extension at Leipzig (Fabrizio Romano).

Now, according to a fresh update from Sky’s Plettenberg, it appears Berta is attempting to grant Arteta his wish, despite their recent talks over Gyokeres.

Arsenal "in concrete talks" to sign RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko

Taking to X, the reporter claimed on Friday that Arsenal are “in concrete talks” to sign Sesko from Leipzig, and Berta has contacted their director, Marcel Schafer, for negotiations over the Bundesliga striker, who’s scored 21 goals in all competitions.

Sesko’s £67 million release clause could prove tempting for Berta and Arteta, considering he’s improved on his goal tally from last season and boasts certain physical traits which could help him become a success in the Premier League.

One of them, as per former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, is Sesko’s revered speed.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who, despite his 1.95m (6’4″), is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Arsenal’s search for a new number nine appears to have taken a fresh turn, but they could do far worse than Sesko, who’s one of Germany’s most lethal marksmen.

A £45,000-a-week star has said yes to signing for Leeds United following promotion to the Premier League, according to a transfer update.

Leeds looking to lift Championship title at Plymouth

It has been a memorable season for the Whites, with Daniel Farke’s side setting numerous club records and achieving their goal of winning promotion to the Premier League.

Leeds can still get to 100 points and lift the Championship title with a win at Plymouth Argyle on the last day of the season, something which Farke wants to do.

“The main job is done, we are promoted to the PL. We had a fantastic final home game. The connection between the club and the supporters. Icing on the cake is silverware for the bus tour. It’s pretty useful as you can drink something out of [silverware]. Both teams would deserve to win the league.”

Top 1% for clean sheets: Leeds now keen on "1-on-1 king" to replace Meslier

The Whites are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper in the summer, given how error-prone Illan Meslier has been this season.

ByDominic Lund May 1, 2025

Attention after the last game of the season at Home Park will then be on the summer transfer window. Decisions will have to be made on the likes of Junior Firpo, Sam Byram and Josuha Guilavogui, all of whom are out of contract in the summer.

Meanwhile, calls will also be required on loanees Manor Solomon, Joe Rothwell. When asked if decisions were already made on those players, Farke said: “No not yet. Until everything is settled and done, we won’t speak about individuals about the future. It will happen pretty fast, right now we have clarity. But no rush because we have the whole of May and June to speak but we will do things relatively quick.

“Middle of next week we will make some decisions then we will speak to agents and move forward. We’ve had a few meeting already [re strategic planning]. Many structural and personal changes in the past. It’s important we sit down together and have clarity over budget.

“Scouts and data analysts doing a very good job. Right now we will prepare for next season with Robbie and Alex – they are in different roles now and we have to make sure the processes are right. A bit more time needed to discuss these processes. Next week we will need a few meetings. I’m optimistic.”

Now, there has been another transfer update on Solomon signing for Leeds on a permanent basis from Tottenham.

Leeds confident of signing Solomon who says yes to Elland Road move

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are open to selling Solomon this summer, and the player himself has said yes to signing for Leeds.

A permanent transfer ‘is expected to go through in the coming weeks’, with the 49ers Enterprises confident of a transfer and the winger and his fiancé, Dana Voshina, very happy in Leeds.

The 25-year-old, on £45,000-a-week, has been a standout performer for Leeds in the pressure moments of the season, as can be seen from his form during the run-in.

Leeds United 4-0 Bristol City

8.75/10

Leeds United 6-0 Stoke City

8.84/10

Oxford United 0-1 Leeds United

7.45/10

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

8.67/10

Middlesbrough 0-1 Leeds United

7.3/10

Nine goals and 12 assists in 38 Championship games from the left hand side has been Solomon’s contribution, striking up a brilliant relationship with Firpo. Now, it looks as if the Israel international, once dubbed a “pocket rocket”, could be here to stay.

They have a strong batting line-up but will that carry them through if pacers get injured or can’t step up?

Ashish Pant17-Mar-2024

Where Delhi Capitals finished last season

Ninth on the ten-team points table. Delhi Capitals lost their first five games of IPL 2023 and could never recover. They only won five out of their 14 matches.

Delhi Capitals squad for IPL 2024

Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), Prithvi Shaw, David Warner*, Mitchell Marsh*, Ricky Bhui, Swastik Chikara, Abishek Porel (wk), Yash Dhull, Jake Fraser-McGurk*, Shai Hope*, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Tristan Stubbs*, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Praveen Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Anrich Nortje*, Vicky Ostwal, Rasikh Salam, Jhye Richardson*, Ishant Sharma*Overseas players

Player availability – No Ngidi or Brook for DC

The biggest name in terms of player availability not just for Capitals but for Indian cricket is Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batter will be returning to competitive action for the first time since suffering a horrific accident in December 2022 and will lead the side.But Capitals have other injury concerns. They head into IPL 2024 without the services of Lungi Ngidi who is still recovering from a lower-back injury he suffered during the SA20 earlier in the year. They have signed 21-year-old Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk as his replacement.Related

• Pant's return eclipses all else as Kings vs Capitals launches IPL's 36th venue

• Injury cloud over several players as Mumbai gear up for Hardik's homecoming

• Spotlight on Rahul's batting position as LSG start afresh under Langer

• Rishabh Pant leads star-studded list of IPL returnees

• What India need from the Indian Premier League

Capitals had earlier lost Harry Brook, who pulled out of the IPL for personal reasons. They are yet to name a replacement for the Englishman.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo last month, Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal had also said that the Australia fast bowler Jhye Richardson is unlikely to be available for at least the initial part of the tournament. Richardson had suffered a left side strain at the BBL in early January and has since been on the sidelines.Capitals will also be sweating on the match fitness of South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who is coming off a long injury layoff. He has been out of action since September 2023 after suffering from a stress fracture of the back. Nortje only recently returned to competitive cricket in the opening game of CSA’s T20 domestic tournament, turning out for Warriors against Kwa-Zulu Inland, and will be under the watchful eye of South Africa white-ball coach Rob Walter through the IPL.

What’s new with Delhi Capitals this year – Pant is back

Lisa Sthalekar reckons Pant could get a bigger welcome-back roar than even MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli, but how the wicketkeeper-batter goes on the field after a 14-month layoff remains to be seen. Pant has been cleared to keep wicket by the BCCI’s fitness and medical teams, and he will also be captaining the Capitals franchise taking over from David Warner who led the team last season.At the auction in December 2023, Capitals splurged on Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, getting him for INR 7.2 crore. Apart from being a hard-hitting batter, Kushagra could slot in as a back-up keeper for Pant. Capitals also went big for Richardson (INR 4 crore) and Haryana fast bowler allrounder Sumit Kumar (INR 1 crore), who has had a good few months in domestic cricket. Capitals could also look to unleash Fraser-McGurk who has made heads turn in the Australian domestic scene.

The good – A strong batting unit

Capitals have a power-packed batting unit with David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh and Pant slotted at the top of the order. They will also be keen on cashing in on Ricky Bhui and Tristan Stubbs’ form.David Warner and Prithvi Shaw are part of Capitals’ strong top order•BCCIBhui recently finished as the highest run-getter in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy and had a fruitful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 as well, where he scored at 184.25.Stubbs is coming into the IPL on the back of a triple-century, against KwaZulu-Natal Inland in CSA’s division one tournament. Before that, he finished the SA20 2024 as Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s highest run-getter in the SA20, helping them secure a second straight title.Kushagra and Sumit can also give the ball a fair whack.

The not-so-good – Where are the fast bowlers?

Ngidi has been ruled out of the tournament. Richardson is a doubtful starter. Nortje is coming in after a long injury layoff. Ishant Sharma has been short of match practice.Capitals’ fast bowling-roster seems to be thinning by the minute, which is why it was surprising that they brought in a batter in Fraser-McGurk to replace Ngidi. They could still bring a seamer in Brook’s place, but even so they are thin in the department. A lot of the fast-bowling load could fall on the shoulders of Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar, who haven’t always excelled in the T20 circuit. Capitals will desperately hope for Nortje to hit his straps from the get-go.

Schedule insights

With the Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting 11 WPL games right ahead of the IPL, Capitals have chosen Visakhapatnam as the venue for their first two home games, to give the pitches and ground in Delhi time to recover, according to Jindal.Capitals open their campaign in an afternoon game against Punjab Kings on March 23 in Mullanpur, Kings’ new home base which is making its IPL debut. They will then travel to Jaipur to face Rajasthan Royals on March 28 before hosting Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders on March 31 and April 3 in Visakhapatnam. Capitals face Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on April 7. The schedule for the rest of IPL 2024 will be released once the schedule for the national elections is revealed.

The big question

If there was any doubt about his quality as a batter, these numbers will put it all to rest

Sampath Bandarupalli19-Nov-20214:53

Vettori: de Villiers is one of the greatest players cricket has seen

1 Player to bat 50 or more innings while averaging 35-plus with a strike rate of 150-plus in T20 cricket – AB de Villiers. He scored 9424 runs across 320 innings at an average of 37.24 and a strike rate of 150.13. Graeme Hick – 1201 runs in 36 innings – is the only player other than de Villiers with more than 1000 runs at 35-plus average and 150-plus strike rate in this format.ESPNcricinfo Ltd151.68 de Villiers’ strike rate in the IPL, the highest for any batter to have faced a minimum of 2000 balls. His T20 strike rate of 150.13 is also the second-highest among the 41 players to have batted 5000-plus deliveries in this format.232.56 De Villiers’ strike rate in the death overs (17-20) in the IPL, the highest for any batter (Min: 100 balls faced). He scored 1421 runs off 611 balls in IPL death overs with 106 fours and 112 sixes. De Villiers’ strike rate in all T20s at the death reads 225.05, also the highest for any batter (where ball-by-ball data is available).Best SR at death in IPL•ESPNcricinfo Ltd8 Fifties for de Villiers coming in less than 25 balls in the IPL, the joint-most for any player. David Warner and Kieron Pollard also have eight fifties coming in fewer than 25 deliveries.Related

• 'That flame no longer burns so brightly' – AB de Villiers retires from all cricket

• de Villiers 'took the game to another level single-handedly'

• AB de Villiers: 'I am going to be an RCB-ian for life'

179.1 de Villiers’ strike rate when he walked in to bat in the IPL after the 10th over, the highest among the batters with 300 runs or more in these situations. de Villiers scored 1175 runs at an average of 39.1 when he came in to bat after the 10th over. No other batter among the 59 to score 300 or more runs averaged better.124 Runs scored by de Villiers in the IPL against Lasith Malinga, the leading wicket-taker in the league. He scored those runs from only 61 balls while being dismissed just once. De Villiers’ strike rate of 203.27 against Malinga is the third-highest for any batter off a bowler in the IPL (min: 100 runs).AB de Villiers vs Lasith Malinga in IPL•ESPNcricinfo Ltd22 Fifty-plus scores for de Villiers coming at a 200-plus strike rate in T20s, only behind Pollard (31) and Chris Gayle (29). In terms of the highest percentage of fifty-plus scores at a 200-plus strike rate in T20s, de Villiers’ 30.1% is second only to Pollard’s 54.4% (among the players with at least 50 fifty-plus scores).25 Player-of-the-Match awards for de Villiers in the IPL, the most for anyone in the league. In all T20s, he had 42 such awards which are the second-most in the format, behind Gayle (60).3175 T20 partnership runs for de Villiers with Virat Kohli, the highest for any pair in this format. The Royal Challengers Bangalore duo shared a record ten 100-run partnerships, including two double-ton stands, the top two for any wicket in the IPL.

ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL PLAYOFF BASEBALL!

There is a ton at stake over the final four weeks of the regular season in MLB, and we’re here at SI Betting to analyze the latest playoff odds in both the American and National Leagues.

There are three division races — the AL East, AL West and NL West — where the first and second place teams are separated by three or fewer games, leaving a lot up in the air in the wild card picture to close the regular season.

In the American League, a seven-game winning streak helped propel the New York Yankees into first in the wild card and just three games back of Toronto in the AL East entering September.

Meanwhile, the National League wild card appears to be pretty settled, as the Cincinnati Reds (the first team out) have fallen four games back of the final wild card spot.

Is there any value in betting on a team to make the playoffs that isn’t currently in the postseason picture? 

Let’s take a look at the latest odds and a few teams that could have some value — whether it’s to make the playoffs or steal the division — as the final month of regular season baseball gets underway. 

American League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Toronto Blue Jays: N/A
• Detroit Tigers: N/A
• Houston Astros: -700

It’s interesting to see a division leader with worse odds to make the playoffs than multiple wild card teams, but that’s the case with Houston.

The Astros are just two games up on the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, and they have worse records than the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox this season. If Houston slips in the coming weeks, it could be fighting for its playoff life down the stretch. 

Oddsmakers don’t feel the same about the Blue Jays, even though they’ve seen their lead dwindle in the AL East.  

Wild Card Race

• New York Yankees: -10000
• Boston Red Sox: -1400
• Seattle Mariners: -575
• Texas Rangers: +290
• Kansas City Royals: +500:
• Cleveland Guardians: +1100
• Tampa Bay Rays: +2000

Texas has moved past the Kansas City Royals for the fourth spot in the wild card race, as it has won five games in a row and eight of its last 10. Not only are the Rangers just 2.5 games out of the third wild card, but they are just 4.5 games back in the AL West.

So, there are multiple paths for Texas to take to get into the postseason. At +290, the Rangers could be worth a sprinkle if you’re not sold on Houston or Seattle running away with the division in the final few weeks. 

The one thing working against the Rangers is that they have the fifth-hardest remaining schedule – per Tankathon – in MLB. 

National League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Philadelphia Phillies: N/A
• Los Angeles Dodgers: N/A
• Milwaukee Brewers: N/A

While the NL West is still up for grabs, oddsmakers believe the the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers, Cubs and Padres will all make the postseason, as they’ve all seen their playoff odds come off the board.

The Reds – the closest chasing team in the wild card race – are seven games back of San Diego and nine games back of Chicago entering September. 

Wild Card Race

• San Diego Padres: N/A
• Chicago Cubs: N/A
• New York Mets: -600
• Cincinnati Reds: +700
• San Francisco Giants: +1200
• Arizona Diamondbacks: +2500
• St. Louis Cardinals: +3000

While the NL wild card may already be set, there has been a ton of odds movement for the Mets (the No. 3 wild card) and the chasing pack:

• Mets: -350 to -600
• Reds: +310 to +700
• Giants: +2000 to +1200
• Diamondbacks: +3000 to +2500

New York has a four-game cushion on the Reds and at least a five-game cushion on every other team in the chase. Barring an epic collapse from a team, the six NL playoff teams appear to be pretty secure entering the final month of the regular season.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fluminense enfrenta o Vasco neste domingo (14), às 20h30 (de Brasília), no Maracanã, pelo jogo de volta da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. A partida será decisiva: após vencer a ida por 2 a 1, o Cruz-Maltino joga pelo empate, enquanto o Tricolor precisa vencer por dois gols de diferença para avançar direto ou por um para levar a decisão aos pênaltis. A transmissão será ao vivo pelo  SporTV, (TV fechada),  Premiere (pay-per-view) e Prime Video (streaming).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalCBF divulga arbitragem para jogo de volta entre Fluminense e VascoFutebol Nacional12/12/2025Futebol NacionalÁudio do VAR de polêmica em Vasco x Fluminense é divulgado: ‘Não há’Futebol Nacional12/12/2025Fora de CampoDublador revela ‘briga’ entre Coutinho e Thiago Silva em Vasco x FluminenseFora de Campo12/12/2025

➡️ CBF divulga arbitragem para jogo de volta entre Fluminense e Vasco

Ficha do jogoFLUVASCOPA DO BRASILSemifinal – voltaData e HoraDomingo, 14/12, às 20h30 (de Brasília)LocalMaracanã, Rio de JaneiroÁrbitroWilton Pereira Sampaio (GO)AssistentesRodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (RJ) e Bruno Raphael Pires (GO)VarWagner Reway (SC)Onde assistirComo chegam Fluminense e Vasco?

O Vasco chega para o clássico com a vantagem construída no jogo de ida. A equipe de Fernando Diniz venceu por 2 a 1, com gol decisivo nos acréscimos, e agora precisa apenas de um empate para garantir vaga na final da Copa do Brasil. O Cruz-Maltino deve repetir a base da equipe titular utilizada na primeira partida.

Já o Fluminense entra pressionado pelo resultado, mas confiante na recuperação. A equipe de Luis Zubeldía terá o retorno de Canobbio, suspenso no primeiro jogo, e busca corrigir a queda de rendimento apresentada no segundo tempo da ida. Uma vitória simples leva a decisão para os pênaltis, enquanto um triunfo por dois gols coloca o Tricolor diretamente na final.

continua após a publicidadeFicha do jogo

FLUMINENSE x VASCO (1 x 2)
COPA DO BRASIL – SEMIFINAL (VOLTA)

📆 Data e horário: domingo, 14 de dezembro de 2025, às 20h30 (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
📺 Onde assistir: SporTV, Premiere e Amazon Prime Video
🟨 Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio (GO)
🚩 Assistentes: Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (RJ) e Bruno Raphael Pires (GO)
🖥️ VAR: Wagner Reway (SC)

Prováveis escalações

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)
Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Nonato (Hércules) e Lucho Acosta; Canobbio, Kevin Serna e Everaldo.

continua após a publicidade

VASCO (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)
Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Carlos Cuesta, Robert Renan e Puma Rodríguez; Thiago Mendes, Cauan Barros e Philippe Coutinho; Nuno Moreira, Andrés Gómez e Rayan.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseFutebol NacionalOnde assistirVasco

Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze scored half-centuries to set up a target of 150

Mohammad Isam29-Oct-2025West Indies took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series against Bangladesh, shrugging off a batting collapse that had taken them from 106 for 1 to 149 for 9 in Chattogram. It also marked their first T20I series win after seven consecutive defeats.The West Indies bowlers – Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein played lead roles with three wickets each – were effective in defending the moderate total. Bangladesh could not chase 150 on a good batting pitch despite the presence of dew, which hampered the bowlers. Tanzid Hasan kept them going with 61, but the rest were often caught in two minds on a surface that encouraged playing through one’s shots.The Bangladesh line-up did not do justice to their bowlers, who engineered West Indies’ batting collapse. Mustafizur Rahman picked up three wickets, while Nasum Ahmed and Rishad Hossain took two each.Hope, Athanaze lift West IndiesWest Indies had luck in the first half of their innings. Litton Das dropped Brandon King first ball, and Towhid Hridoy couldn’t hang on to a tough chance at mid-on off Alick Athanaze in the third over.Related

Athanaze lauds bowlers, Tanzid rues batting failures in second T20I

Athanaze launched Tanzim Hasan over square-leg in the same over, before Shai Hope struck Taskin Ahmed straight down the ground for his first six in the next one. The pair struck boundaries at ease during the powerplay and beyond. Athanaze hit five in total, while Hope picked up three.Athanaze and Hope both reached their half-centuries off their 30th deliveries. They brought up their 100-run stand shortly afterwards too, in 10.5 overs, as the pair put West Indies in a position from where they could aim for 200 and beyond.Nasum, Rishad wreck West IndiesAthanaze fell in the 12th over, holing out on the deep square-leg boundary, giving Nasum his first wicket. Sherfane Rutherford fell next ball for his second successive golden duck.Mustafizur then removed Hope for 55, when the West Indies captain mistimed a slower ball and was caught at point. By the time Rishad got Rovman Powell also caught at point in the 15th over, West Indies were in free fall. Jason Holder was dismissed in the same over, caught at long-on for 4.Romario Shepherd tried to resurrect the innings but did not succeed. Mustafizur had him caught at deep point in the last over, before hitting Khary Pierre’s stumps next ball. Hosein was run out off the last delivery to complete a remarkable turnaround for the home side.The Bangladesh bowlers dominated the second half of the West Indies innings•AFP/Getty ImagesWest Indies drop four chancesBangladesh lost Saif Hassan early in a slow start, when Holder sucked him into an uppish shot against a short ball. Brandon King took the catch in the covers, making up for dropping the same batter in the second over. Litton Das got the chase on track with three fours in the fifth over, using Jayden Seales’ pace – twice playing the ball down to deep third, and also scooping over short fine leg.Rutherford dropped Litton but the Bangladesh captain could not press on for much longer. Hosein bowled him for 23. Tanzid hit big sixes over midwicket, even as another catch went down in the field: Seales dropped Hridoy in the 11th over.Seales made amends in the 13th over when he took a tumbling catch, after Hridoy top edged Shepherd. Tanzid reached his fifty with a boundary soon after but Bangladesh still needed 50 off the last five overs.Shepherd, Hosein deal final blows Tanzid started the death overs with a four past cover, but Jaker Ali could not accelerate at the other end. Tanzid perished in the hunt for boundaries, caught on at deep point. He finished on 61 off 48 balls, having hit three sixes and three fours. Jaker fell in the same over to Shepherd, caught at the deep square-leg boundary for 17 off 18 balls.Holder started the 19th over by hitting Shamim Hossain’s off-stump with a yorker, and gave away just five runs. Bangladesh were left needing 21 off the last over. Hosein did not concede a boundary and also taking two wickets to finish with 3 for 22.

Real Madrid are planning to bring Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz back to the club. Madrid hold a buy-back option on the player, with its value increasing each year. The Argentine has been in sublime form this season, prompting Madrid to act quickly to secure his return.

• Madrid's buy back clause

  According to , Madrid are keen to bring Paz back to the club in the upcoming January transfer window. The player has reportedly already agreed to the move, signalling his willingness to return to the Spanish giants. However, Fabrizio Romano has clarified that Madrid cannot exercise their buy-back clause in January, as it is not valid during this window.

  The Spanish club currently hold a structured buy-back clause on Paz, reportedly valued at €8 million in the summer of 2025, €9m in 2026, and €10m in 2027. In addition to this, Madrid also retain a future buy-back option on 50% of the player’s rights, providing long-term leverage in any potential transfer.

  Furthermore, the club benefits from a right-to-match clause, allowing them to match any offer made by another club to secure Paz’s services. While Paz has shown readiness to return, Madrid’s ability to act immediately is limited by the contractual terms of the buy-back clause, meaning negotiations and potential registration of the player would likely be completed only during the next eligible window.

  Earlier Como President Mirwan Suwarso addressed Paz's transfer situation, explaining that Madrid are fully entitled to re-sign him based on the terms agreed in the original deal. He made it clear that the club respects the arrangement and that the player's future remains his own choice. Suwarso said: “I couldn’t care less. It’s a situation we agreed on from the beginning. Real Madrid are allowed to buy him back whenever they want. It’s up to Nico to decide what he wants to do with his future. We are very happy to have him. We like to build a home for him in Como. He chose to stay this season, and we take it day by day. We see how it goes. Does he go back to Madrid next season? Madrid have every right to do that. Will he stay with us? It’s up to him whether he wants it or not.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Paz's amazing start to the season

  The 21-year-old joined Como from Madrid for €6m in 2024 and quickly established himself as one of Serie A’s most promising young attackers. A dynamic forward, Paz excels at finding space between the lines, beating defenders in one-on-one situations, and creating opportunities even in tight areas. His debut campaign in 2024-25 was highly productive, delivering eight goals and six assists, earning him the league’s best young player award.

  Paz has seamlessly continued his form into the current season, contributing five goals and four assists. A significant factor in his rise has been his perfect fit in Cesc Fabregas’ tactical system. The coach has granted him freedom to dictate the tempo, find pockets of space and drive the team forward, allowing his intelligence and technical ability to shine. Fabregas has even likened him to Lionel Messi in terms of how opponents overcommit to stopping him, emphasizing that Paz must never be restricted.

  The coach describes Paz as a magician capable of pulling tricks out of nowhere, highlighting his unpredictability and creativity. With his consistent performances, Paz is beginning to demonstrate that he could become a worthy successor to Messi as the national team’s primary creative force.

• Inter's interest in Paz

  Inter are preparing to make a major statement in the upcoming transfer window with a €58 million (£49m/$63m) bid for Paz. The Nerazzurri view the dynamic attacker as the perfect long-term partner for Lautaro Martinez and are eager to bring him to the San Siro. Talks with the player’s entourage have already begun, with Inter confident that Paz would be open to the move.The situation, however, remains complicated as Real Madrid still hold significant leverage over any future transfer. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Paz's challenge this season

  Como thrashed Torino 5-1 on Monday, with Paz scoring the fourth goal in the emphatic win. The club are keen to retain Paz as they remain on course to secure a place in a European competition next season. For Paz, the opportunity to play for Madrid is always enticing, but he is focused on his Como career and plans to decide on his future at the end of the season. Como will face Sassuolo on Friday, and a victory could see them level on points with Inter in fourth place.

In the now-historic free agent negotiations with 26-year-old slugger Juan Soto, the New York Yankees went nearly everywhere the Mets did, even blowing past the previous contract record of $700 million, set by Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way star Shohei Ohtani, in the club's final bid for the four-time All-Star.

But the Yankees' reluctance to budge on one small detail, which the Mets acquiesced to, may have made a difference in Soto agreeing to change boroughs for the record, $765 million deal.

The Mets offered Soto and his family a suite at Citi Field while the Yankees "wouldn't budge" on the suite, according to Jon Heyman of the . New York, which had given suites to five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter and two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge on the condition that they pay for them, didn't feel right giving Soto the suite for nothing, instead offering him one at Yankee Stadium at a discount.

Heyman also reported that an incident with an overzealous Yankees security guard seemed to irk Soto earlier in the year, though the club apologized to him and he "forgave them." But with the offer of the suite at no cost and the knowledge of where the Yankees may have briefly overstepped their boundaries, the Mets seemingly appealed to Soto's family, as much as they did to the generational slugger.

In addition to the suite, the Mets' offer included a $75 million signing bonus, compared to the Yankees' $60 million, a fifth-year opt-out, which if voided by the club would escalate Soto's average annual value from $51 million to $55 million over the last 10 years of the deal, a no-trade clause and no deferrals (The Yankees' offer also included no deferrals).

Money talks, and it's clear that these perks certainly sweetened the pot for Soto. But most of all, it seems that Cohen, the richest owner in baseball hell-bent on winning, and Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, sold Soto on the club's vision for the future, which may have spoken louder than any of the riches the superstar player was offered.

43-year-old and 17-year-old the standout picks ahead of next month’s tournament

Matt Roller15-Jul-2025

James Anderson has been a star turn in the T20 Blast after more than a decade’s absence from the format•ECB via Getty Images

James Anderson will play in the Hundred for the first time this summer after earning a ‘wildcard’ contract with Manchester Originals, while 17-year-old Rocky Flintoff has been picked by his father Andrew’s Northern Superchargers despite never having played a professional T20 match.Anderson, who turns 43 this month, returned to T20 cricket this year after an 11-year absence and has taken 14 wickets in eight appearances for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast, operating as a new-ball specialist. He initially went unselected in March’s Hundred draft but will now play for the Originals in August after he was picked up in Tuesday’s ‘wildcard’ draft on a £31,000 deal.Flintoff’s selection will raise eyebrows given he is yet to play in the Blast and his father is Superchargers head coach. But he has already shown his obvious promise with a century for England Lions in Australia this winter and a recent hundred for England’s Under-19s against India.Rocky Flintoff will play under his father Andrew at Northern Superchargers•ECB via Getty Images

Elsewhere, Southern Brave became the first team to sign an overseas player as a wildcard – Australia’s Hilton Cartwright – after replacing Faf du Plessis with Jason Roy last week. They have also picked up the young Hampshire batter Toby Albert, who could keep wicket for them amid injury concerns around Finn Allen and Laurie Evans.Ben Kellaway, the Glamorgan allrounder and ambidextrous spinner, has signed for Welsh Fire after a breakout season at county level, while Ben Sanderson, who has enjoyed his best-ever T20 season for Northamptonshire this year, will play for Trent Rockets.The Rockets took left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson with the first draft pick and have also signed Dillon Pennington as a replacement for the injured John Turner.Yorkshire’s James Wharton and Will Luxton were both overlooked despite their form in the T20 Blast.Esmae MacGregor has signed for Manchester Originals•Getty Images

In the women’s wildcard draft, Esmae MacGregor earned a deal with Manchester Originals after taking 21 Blast wickets for Essex, while Hampshire’s Mary Taylor joins her twin sister Millie at Birmingham Phoenix.The Hundred runs from August 5-31, opening with London Spirit’s double-header against Oval Invincibles at Lord’s.Men’s Hundred wildcards (all £31,000):Trent Rockets: Callum Parkinson, Ben Sanderson
Birmingham Phoenix: Liam Patterson-White, Louis Kimber
Welsh Fire: Ajeet Singh Dale, Ben Kellaway
Northern Superchargers: James Fuller, Rocky Flintoff
Manchester Originals: James Anderson, Marchant de Lange
London Spirit: Sean Dickson, Ryan Higgins
Oval Invincibles: George Scrimshaw, Zafar Gohar
Southern Brave: Toby Albert, Hilton CartwrightWomen’s Hundred wildcards (all £10,000):Birmingham Phoenix: Mary Taylor, Phoebe Brett
London Spirit: Abi Norgrove, Kate Coppack
Manchester Originals: Esmae MacGregor, Darcey Carter
Northern Superchargers: Katherine Fraser, Sophia Turner
Oval Invincibles: Daisy Gibb, Rebecca Odgers
Southern Brave: Phoebe Turner, Amara Carr
Trent Rockets: Grace Thompson, Sophie Morris
Welsh Fire: Charley Phillips, Alex Griffiths.