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Everton have made contact with another Premier League club over the signing of a £25m-rated youngster, according to a new transfer update.

Everton targeting attacking reinforcements

A new era is on the horizon for the Blues, with life at their new Bramley Moore Dock stadium beginning next month, hopefully heralding the beginning of a more positive period in the club’s great history.

New signings are vital if David Moyes’ Everton side are to kick on in 2025/26, however, and plenty of players are being linked with moves, including Ipswich Town winger Omari Hutchinson. It is claimed that he would love the chance to remain in the Premier League, following his relegation to the Championship back in May.

The Blues are also believed to have held talks with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz over a summer switch to Merseyside, which could be a fantastic piece of business. The Brazilian was a huge hit at Aston Villa, so Moyes doesn’t have to worry about him adjusting to the pace and power of the Premier League.

It is clear that extra attacking quality is needed at Everton, especially following the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and now a hugely talented young player has been revealed as a target.

Everton make contact for McAtee signing

According to a new report from The i Paper, there “has been dialogue” between Everton and Manchester City over a summer move for James McAtee.

The Englishman is valued at £25m and Moyes is said to be a “big admirer”, with the attacking midfielder fresh off the back of European Championship glory with England’s Under-21s.

This feels like it could be a perfect move for everyone concerned, allowing McAtee to be a regular starter away from City, and getting him off their wage bill in the process.

The 22-year-old is too talented to be warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks, and he showed his quality at the aforementioned recent Euros, scoring once and helping Lee Carsley’s side go all the way in the tournament.

Meanwhile, former Sheffeld United striker Carl Asaba has even compared him to Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, saying: “He’s a bonus player in that he plays midfield and you have an extra number in there but then he can just attack. He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”

There are few negatives to Everton signing McAtee, with his price tag far from extortionate, and the fact that Moyes rates him highly can also only be a good thing.

Ndiaye 2.0 for Moyes: £35m star 'would love' to sign for Everton

David Moyes is looking to sign another attacking player this summer at Everton.

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 8, 2025

The City youngster would add much-needed guile in the No.10 role, scoring and creating at will, and he could grow into an elite footballer as the years pass.

Chelsea have certainly ruffled the feathers of England’s top clubs over recent seasons, with their outlandish spending and recruitment capturing the headlines.

Huge money being spent in the modern game is no surprise, but very few have matched the Blues’ levels of around £1.3b in the last three years alone, which would surely raise questions about their PSR standing, right?

Well, actually no, as Enzo Maresca’s side currently sit in the best position out of any side in the Premier League at present, sitting £300m in the green, after sales of their women’s team and other assets in and around Stamford Bridge.

There’s no denying the loopholes surrounding the current regulations are there for all to see, but no team has quite taken advantage quite like the Blues – enabling them to continue their heavy spending this summer.

With three deals completed since the window opened less than 10 days ago, that would make a solid summer market for many teams in the division – but not Chelsea – with plenty more names still in the mix for a move to the Bridge this summer.

Chelsea’s pursuit to make more signings this summer

After a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League, many sides would be content with limited business, but not Maresca’s men, leading to various areas of the pitch subject to investment this summer.

Hugo Ekitiké has been a name mentioned within the attacking department, with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Fermin Lopez targeted and reinforcements in the middle of the park.

However, the backline hasn’t been forgotten about, with centre-back Ousmane Diomande once again on their radar after previous interest this summer, according to O Jogo via CaughtOffside.

The report claimed that the 21-year-old is seen as an immediate and long-term acquisition at the heart of the backline, but face tough competition from Arsenal for his signature.

It also states that the Sporting CP youngster also has a €80m (£67m) release clause in his deal, but doesn’t mention if they would be open to negotiating a deal for a cheaper price.

Why Diomande would be a better signing than Guehi for Chelsea

Marc Guehi is a centre-back who has been a leading option in the Premier League, leading to multiple England call-ups, even featuring in the Euros final back in 2024.

The 24-year-old has also enjoyed a season to remember for Crystal Palace, leading the Eagles to their first major trophy in their history, beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley – securing Europa League football for 2025/26.

He could’ve been plying his trade at Stamford Bridge to this day, but they prematurely offloaded him to the Eagles back in 2021 for a fee in the region of £18m.

However, the Blues have been firmly in the race to land him this summer, leading to continuous rumours over the England international’s future, especially considering he’s set to enter his final 12 months of his current deal.

Despite the interest in the Cobham academy graduate, they should look to steer clear of a reunion and prioritise a move for Diomande, who’s been labelled a “hybrid” of Arsenal centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba by analyst Ben Mattinson.

The pair have often been the leading pair in England’s top flight over recent seasons, helping the Gunners concede just 34 times in 38 matches – the lowest in the division – highlighting how big of a compliment Diomande has received from Mattinson.

When comparing his stats to those of Guehi, he’s outperformed him in key areas, including passes completed and progressive passes made – handing Maresca an added ball-playing option from the back.

How Diomande compares to Guehi in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Diomande	Guehi
Games played	31	34
Pass accuracy	94%	83%
% of tackles won	79%	66%
Interceptions made	1.2	0.8
Recoveries made	5.1	4.2
Aerials won	67%	54%
Progressive passes	3.9	2.9
Stats via FBref

He’s also managed to dominate defensively, winning more of the tackles he’s entered, whilst making more interceptions – potentially bolstering the defensive department and replicating the success of local rivals Arsenal in such a department.

Whilst a reunion with the Englishman would be a dream for numerous supporters, the club desperately need to look past Guehi in favour of a move for Diomande.

The Ivorian is a younger prospect with a much higher ceiling, potentially blossoming into one of Europe’s leading stars over the next couple of years should he make the jump to West London.

Better than Sarr: Chelsea in contact for "one of the best young talents"

Chelsea are looking to improve their defence this summer

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 10, 2025

It has been all but confirmed that Matheus Cunha is going to depart Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer.

Their talismanic number ten seems set to join Manchester United for £62.5m, the value of his release clause, with Fabrizio Romano giving the move the famous “Here We Go” as recently as Tuesday.

For the Old Gold, losing a player as impactful as Cunha will be a huge blow. He has been pivotal in the past two seasons, helping to keep them in the Premier League. In the top flight in 2024/25, the Brazilian scored 15 times and assisted six goals in 33 appearances.

Dealing with such a sale will not be easy for the West Midlands outfit. However, he might not be the only key player set to leave Molineux this summer. Nelson Semedo could also be on his way out.

The latest on Semedo’s Wolves future

Just like Cunha is going forward, Semedo is pivotal for this Wolves side defensively. The Portugal international has also had a huge part to play for the Old Gold’s survival this season, but could be in line to depart the club, too.

According to a report from A Bola last Tuesday, a Portuguese news outlet, the player has ‘confirmed that Benfica is trying to sign him’ this summer, on what would be a free transfer. His deal at Molineux expires in a few weeks.

Indeed, the report suggests that Semedo has explained a return to his former side is something that ‘appeals to him’ this summer. He came through the academy as an As Aguias player, and was born in Lisbon.

There is no doubt that losing Semedo would be a blow. He played 34 times for the club in the Premier League in 2024/25, grabbing four assists and taking over the captaincy in the second half of the campaign.

He is also one of the highest earners in the squad, on £80k-per-week. If anything, that reflects his importance on the Old Gold, and given Cunha earns £90k-per-week, that seems to be a trend throughout their squad, for the most part.

There is one example of a high earner whose performances at Molineux do not match up to how much he earns. In fact, he is earning even more money per week than Semedo.

The Wolves player earning more than Semedo

Wolves have put in some disappointing performances at times over the past few years, almost getting dragged into relegation fights in the Premier League. One man who has never really shown his best form for the Old Gold is Goncalo Guedes.

Over two seasons for Wolves, the former Benfica academy star has played just 51 times, having been loaned out back to his boyhood side, and Spanish side Villarreal. He has managed just seven goals and six assists in those appearances.

This season was another frustrating campaign for the 28-year-old, who was once said to be “two years ahead of his age” by former Benfica boss Jorge Jesus. He made 29 Premier League appearances, but could only muster five goals and five assists. He also scored twice in the Carabao Cup against Burnley at the start of 2024/25.

Incredibly, Guedes is one of the players at Molineux who earns more per week than Semedo. Like Cunha, he is on £90k-per-week, although it certainly feels like it is not as reflective of performance as it is for their outgoing number 10.

Wolves – top five highest wages
Player(s)	Weekly wage	Yearly wage
Goncalo Guedes, Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia	£90k	£4.68m
Nelson Semedo	£80k	£4.68m
Hee-chan Hwang	£70k	£4.16m
Boubacar Traore	£55k	£2.86m
Matt Doherty	£50k	£2.6m
Figures via Football FanCast

It certainly seems like Wolves should look to cash in on Guedes this summer. His returns have not quite been what they would have wanted, and they could recoup some of the £27.5m fee they paid for him, whilst also saving money on wages.

If he does depart Molineux, it seems he will not be the only high-earner to leave. With that being said, it does feel like a case of what could have been for Guedes in that famous Old Gold shirt.

Wolves flop who left Pereira "furious" must never play for the club again

Wolves could be busy during the summer transfer window

By
Ross Kilvington

May 27, 2025

Erling Haaland is the current top striker in the Premier League, with the Man City superstar scoring for fun since moving to England.

The Norway international, should he remain in Manchester, could go on to break all kinds of records, but is he the best centre-forward the Premier League has seen since 1992? He’s got some catching up to do…

Ranking factors Appearances Goals scored Teams played for What others have said about them 20 best strikers in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Les Ferdinand QPR, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester, Bolton

One of the top strikers around when the Premier League was formed in 1992 was Les Ferdinand. A powerful target man who loved a duel in the air, he scored 20 goals in the first ever Premier League campaign for QPR and featured for five more clubs in the top flight.

Best known for his impressive short stint at Newcastle and six-year period with Tottenham, Ferdinand ended with an impressive 149 goals.

Appearances

349

Goals

149

Assists

34

19 Jamie Vardy Leicester

Considering Jamie Vardy has only played for Leicester City in the Premier League, his tally of 144 goals in just under 350 appearances is hugely impressive.

The rapid striker scored in 11 consecutive top-flight games back in 2015/16, helping the Foxes win the title under Claudio Ranieri in what is arguably the greatest underdog story in sporting history.

Appearances

340

Goals

144

Assists

47

Golden Boot

1

Titles

1

18 Teddy Sheringham Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Man Utd, Portsmouth, West Ham,

At the peak of his powers at the end of the 1990s was Teddy Sheringham, who is known best for his time at Tottenham and Man Utd.

Arguably a forward who went under the radar at the time, Sheringham was clinical in front of goal and appeared to get better with age, with Sir Alex Ferguson calling the striker “remarkable” during his time at Old Trafford.

Appearances

418

Goals

146

Assists

76

Golden Boot

1

Titles

3

17 Jermain Defoe West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth

Agile, quick and a clinical finisher were some of Jermain Defoe’s main attributes as a striker, with the Englishman enjoying a successful partnership with towering forward Peter Crouch during his career.

Defoe certainly knew where the back of the net was and scored goals in 19 different Premier League campaigns, with a highlight netting five against Wigan in 2009.

Appearances

496

Goals

162

Assists

33

16 Ian Wright Arsenal, West Ham

Despite starting his Premier League career late at the age of 29, Ian Wright made a big impact for Arsenal, hitting double figures in the first six top-flight campaigns.

Wright was even the Gunners’ all-time top scorer for a period of time, and despite being known for his punditry work today, his talents as a striker in the 1990s cannot be forgotten.

Appearances

213

Goals

113

Assists

22

15 Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal

Another Arsenal star in attack in the 1990s and 2000s was Dennis Bergkamp. The Dutch forward was versatile, intelligent and technically brilliant, enjoying a brilliant partnership with Thierry Henry at Highbury under Arsene Wenger.

Bergkamp may not have scored as many goals as others, but he was called a “dream” by Henry, “the best” Wright has played with and the definition of a “footballer” by Johan Cruyff and loved to create. (talkSPORT)

Appearances

315

Goals

87

Assists

94

Titles

3

14 Robbie Fowler Liverpool, Leeds, Man City, Blackburn

Robbie Fowler scored an impressive 162 goals during his Premier League career, and was best known for his time at Liverpool, with those at Anfield naming him ‘God’.

His goal record in the 1990s at Anfield was every two games, and despite netting 53 times in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons, never actually won a Golden Boot. In front of goal, Fowler was clinical, with Andy Cole calling the Englishman the “best finisher ever”.

Appearances

379

Goals

163

Assists

39

13 Ruud van Nistelrooy Man Utd

Sir Alex Ferguson called Ruud van Nistelrooy “the most prolific” striker he had at Man Utd, and his game to goal ratio certainly backs that up.

The Dutch striker arrived at Old Trafford having cored for fun in his native country, and he didn’t take long to adjust to life in the Premier League, scoring 23 league goals in his first campaign. It’s a shame Van Nistelrooy’s time in England only lasted five years, but he certainly won’t be forgotten.

Appearances

150

Goals

95

Assists

14

Golden Boot

1

Titles

1

12 Robin van Persie Arsenal, Man Utd

Another Dutch icon who spent longer in the Premier League was Robin van Persie, who made the controversial move from Arsenal to Man Utd in 2012.

It was a decision that worked out for Van Persie, who won the Premier League title with the Red Devils after missing out with Arsenal, and the forward had one of the best left foots the league has ever seen.

Known for scoring some outrageous goals, Van Persie’s effort against Aston Villa to help seal the title for Man Utd in 2013 was called “goal of the century” by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Appearances

280

Goals

144

Assists

53

Golden Boot

2

Titles

1

11 Luis Suarez Liverpool

Luis Suarez’s stay in England was short but sweet, with the Uruguayan becoming a Liverpool icon in such a brief period of time.

Capable of scoring out of nothing and winning games on his own, Suarez was at Anfield for just three-and-a-half seasons, with his 2013/14 campaign one of the greatest individual seasons in Premier League history.

He netted 31 goals in 33 games that year and almost took the Reds to a title before Barcelona came in and signed Suarez for big money.

Appearances

110

Goals

69

Assists

23

Golden Boot

1

It’s a list with some of the biggest names in the T20 game, batters who have left an indelible mark in the IPL over the years

Hemant Brar13-Apr-20252:44

How good was Abhishek Sharma’s 141?

Chris Gayle 175* (66)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Pune Warriors, Bengaluru, 2013Gayle rewrote the record books against Pune Warriors by smashing 175 off just 66 balls. Not only was it – and still is – the highest individual score in the IPL but also in all T20 cricket. Gayle took 17 balls to get to his fifty but needed only 13 more to get to the three-figure mark. His 150 came off 53 balls. He hit 13 fours and 17 sixes in his innings to power RCB to 263 for 5. In response, Warriors could score only 133 for 9, losing to Gayle by 42 runs.

Brendon McCullum 158* (73)

Kolkata Knight Riders vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2008McCullum’s breathtaking knock made the IPL’s inaugural game memorable. After KKR were sent in, McCullum singlehandedly took RCB down: he scored 158 off 73 balls, while all other KKR batters combined for 47 off 47. Only when you go back to the ball-by-ball scores do you realise that McCullum was on zero after six balls. The next four balls he faced read 4, 4, 6, 4. It was only one-way traffic after that as McCullum kept charging at the bowlers and kept finding the boundary.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Abhishek Sharma 141 (55)

SRH vs PBKS, Hyderabad, 2025Abhishek came into this game with 51 runs from his five previous innings. By the end of this innings, he had almost quadrupled his tally. With SRH chasing 246, Abhishek gave them exactly the start they needed – he began by hitting four fours off his first five balls. He had a slice of luck on 32 when he was caught at deep-backward point but bowler Yash Thakur had overstepped. Abhishek rubbed it in by launching the next ball for a six. He brought up his fifty in 19 balls, his hundred off 40. It was the sixth-fastest hundred in the IPL. His 141 was also the highest score by an Indian in the IPL, beating KL Rahul’s 132 not out for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) against RCB in Dubai in 2020.

Quinton de Kock 140* (70)

Lucknow Super Giants vs KKR, Navi Mumbai, 2022De Kock had been telling LSG’s assistant coach Vijay Dahiya that he had never felt “this good” but for some reason, the runs were not coming. Then this happened. He dominated every single KKR bowler, including their mystery spin twins Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, taking them for a combined 44 off 24 balls. The KKR fielders also assisted de Kock in his endeavour, dropping him on 12, 68 and 127. He and Rahul batted all 20 overs after opening the innings and took LSG to 210. That turned out to be just enough as KKR fell short by two runs.

AB de Villiers 133* (59)

RCB vs Mumbai Indians, Mumbai, 2015De Villiers is the only non-opener on the list, which itself makes this innings special. He came in at No. 3, after 3.1 overs were bowled, and faced five dots from Lasith Malinga to give him a wicket maiden. But, after that, there was a steady stream of boundaries from de Villiers’ bat. Despite hitting only four sixes in his innings, he ended with a strike rate in excess of 225. When Malinga came back for his final over, de Villiers took him for 12 off five balls. Such was the quality of his strokemaking that even the Mumbai fans were chanting his name.

The pick of our coverage of the England fast bowler over the years

01-Aug-2023As Stuart Broad calls time on his 17 years in international cricket, we look back at how we reported on the career of one of England’s leading fast bowlers.2008Profile: Geek god
England’s 638th Test player knows he can swing the ball pretty fast and accurately. By Edward CraigInterview: ‘I’m 22 and I’ve played close to 40 ODIs for England and I’m gaining in experience’
England’s promising new fast bowler is already a seasoned campaigner at 22. By Nagraj Gollapudi2009Match analysis: Broad reaches hero status
Broad’s five wickets gave England a chance to regain the Ashes at The Oval. By Peter EnglishInterview: Face of a child, mind of McGrath
The kid who almost missed the boat has grown up fast, physically and mentally. By Daniel Brigham2012Interview: ‘I learned pretty quickly to mix it up’
Ahead of Stuart Broad’s 50th Test appearance, and 100th first-class game, he reflects on his career to date. By George Dobell2013Feature: The delights and frustrations of Stuart Broad
His ability should make him a national treasure but there is an element to Stuart Broad that gets fans gnashing their teeth. By Jarrod Kimber2015Match analysis: Broad produces his golden day
Having played little brother to James Anderson for so long, Stuart Broad stepped up to replace England’s attack leader with 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge. By George DobellESPNcricinfo Awards 2015: Test bowling winner: Stuart Broad’s remarkable, absurd day
Broad’s 8 for 15 against Australia at Trent Bridge. By George DobellWatch: Broad explains #Broadface
The fast bowler explains his shocked expression when Ben Stokes took an incredible catch off his bowling at Trent Bridge, and the memes that followedProfile: The English Aussie
Stuart Broad is one of England’s finest. Yet he is baited abroad and only grudgingly admired back home. By Rob Smyth2016Interview: ‘I’d rather be the guy you can turn to in a high-pressure scenario than a dead rubber’
Stuart Broad looks back on a satisfying year in Test cricket, and especially the spells at Trent Bridge and Wanderers. By Andrew Miller The joy of stupendous Stu
Andy Zaltzman looks at some of Broad’s statistically provable destruction-bringing, series-turning credentials (and a few meltdowns)Hate to Love: A touch of Pakistani mayhem
Broad is easy to hate – until he conjures up one of his cathartic spells of fast bowling. By Ahmer NaqviESPNcricinfo Awards 2016: Test bowling winner: Stuart Broad, serial destroyer
Broad’s 6 for 17 against South Africa in Johannesburg. By Andrew Miller2017Analysis: The voice from outside the bubble
Meet Steffan Jones, the coach who helped Broad recover his pace and movement. By George DobellHate to Love: Schadenbroad
Broad’s audacity was aggravating, but you had to admire it too, however grudgingly. By Brydon Coverdale2018Watch: Inside Stuart Broad’s pub
When he’s not bowling fast, he’s pulling pints at the Cat and the Wickets pub2019Stats feature: James Anderson and Stuart Broad: 1000 Test wickets between them
A breakdown of the numbers as England’s leading Test wicket-takers reach a combined four figures. By Alan GardnerWatch: ‘Yuvraj’s six sixes made me the bowler I am’
Broad remembers that record-breaking over in Durban during the 2007 T20 World Cup2020Watch: Anderson and Broad discuss retirement
Broad explains why he won’t continue to bowl for as long as Anderson hasFeature: Stuart Broad takes 500: England’s spring-heeled superstar
On the day he took his 500th Test wicket, he evoked memories of the great Curtly Ambrose. By Andrew MillerStuart Broad – topping the finest, triggering collapses, getting better with age
A look at the numbers of the fourth fastest bowler to 500 wickets. By Bharath Seervi and S Rajesh2021Match analysis: Stuart Broad’s subtleties prove the old dog isn’t done with learning
Three first-day wickets in Galle set agenda for England and scotch some preconceptions. By Andrew Miller2022Match analysis: Stuart Broad steals back the limelight, just when it seems he’s being shunted out of it
Against South Africa at Old Trafford the loss of the new ball was the catalyst for another key display by the veteran. By Vithushan Ehantharajah2023Watch: The many milestones of Stuart Broad
He is the fifth bowler to reach 600 Test wickets, and England’s leading wicket-taker in the AshesBroad’s magnificent seven
Looking back at some of Broad’s most memorable spells in Test cricket

Showing great maturity, the debutant shelved his attacking instincts to construct a century that could set up victory

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Mar-2021Okay stop. Inhale. Pinch yourself. There are stories of a megaship stuck sideways in the Suez Canal. Niroshan Dickwella has batted responsibly. And a Sri Lankan debutant has hit a Test hundred. It’s been a weird day. Is any of this real? Are we in a fever dream?Sri Lanka batsmen fresh out of the domestic system just don’t do things like hit hundreds away from home in their second Test innings. They are not equipped to. The island’s first-class structure is a monument to incompetence and self-serving administration – obese with 24 teams, beset by pitches on which finger spinners pile up wickets like gardeners raking leaves after an afternoon thunderstorm, strung up occasionally by fixing allegations, and weakened by an annual exodus of senior pros preferring to try their luck in clubs overseas.For years, young Sri Lanka batsmen have been complaining that the gap between domestic cricket and internationals was an ever-widening chasm. That they felt, essentially, like they’d had swimming lessons in a paddling pool with a drunk instructor, before being thrown into a shark-infested eddy. It had been 20 years since Sri Lanka had a debutant centurion (Thilan Samaraweera having been the last, in 2001). The world’s least surprising stat.Related

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Nissanka 103, Dickwella 96 set West Indies 375 for first-Test victory

And yet, there Pathum Nissanka was, through the end of day three and much of day four, quelling the kind of pace-heavy attack he would almost never have faced at home, defusing the Dukes ball’s seam movement on a quicker, bouncier track than he is accustomed to, trusting his defence, riding out spells, picking his scoring opportunities.It had to have helped that of all the batsmen who have graduated from domestic cricket, Nissanka has had the best recent track record – his first-class average of 67.54 not just the best among Sri Lanka batsmen, but the best in the world among current Test cricketers. Still, this is not a Shield average, or a Ranji average or even a county average. Decent batsmen score heavily in Sri Lanka’s Premier League Tournaments. This is not new. Then they arrive at the top level and well… it’s usually not pretty.Early in this Antigua innings, Nissanka was fixated on survival. He didn’t score until he faced his 21st ball, and he proceeded with extreme, self-denying caution after that, making just 18 from his first 70 deliveries. Only when West Indies’ bowlers erred seriously in line, did he venture boundaries – all square of the wicket – and only six in total, in a 252-ball stay.Even this was a departure; a mature acknowledgement that he wasn’t flaying spin at the Nondescripts Cricket Club grounds anymore, because although his defense is highly rated, he is far from dour in domestic cricket – his strike rate up at 69 in the last first-class season; 76 the season before that. In both those seasons he had averaged around 90.Even when he became more comfortable at the crease, Nissanka was aiming for immovable, rather than dominant. There were occasional close calls: one under-edge against Shannon Gabrial bounced centimetres short of the wicketkeeper’s gloves, plus at least two edges wide of slip. But although West Indies rifled through several plans of attack, Nissanka was never shaken out of his single-mindedness. Through the course of his 179-run sixth wicket stand with Dickwella, Nissanka frequently seemed like the senior partner.It is tempting to crown him Sri Lanka’s next great batting hope, the way Dinesh Chandimal, or Kusal Mendis once had been. But now that he is known in Test cricket, tougher examinations of his technique are about to begin. His weaknesses, of which there are bound to be some given the system from which he hails, will be exposed. It’s too soon to get hype, even if there was a promise of more to come in his no-big-deal century celebration.For now, it’s enough that Nissanka has had a taste of success at the highest level, And that in Antigua he has set his team up to push for a win.

Defending champions MICT bought Shamsi for R500,000 in the September 2025 auction

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025

Tabraiz Shamsi was going to play his first season for MICT•ICC/Getty Images

Tabraiz Shamsi, the South Africa and MI Cape Town wristspinner, will not feature in the upcoming SA20 season. Shamsi made himself unavailable for personal reasons and has been replaced by allrounder Thomas Kaber, who also bowls left-arm wristspin.MICT’s spin-bowling contingent for the fourth season includes Rashid Khan, George Linde and Dane Piedt. Their fast-bowling attack features Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch and Dwaine Pretorius.Kaber returns to the franchise he represented in the last two seasons. He played one game in MICT’s 2024-25 title-winning campaign and eight in the 2023-24 season.Related

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Overall, Kaber has bowled in seven innings in SA20 and has taken 10 wickets, averaging 16.60 at an economy rate of 8.05. In four batting innings, he has scored just 34 runs but with three unbeaten knocks. In the ongoing CSA T20 Challenge, he has seven wickets in six games for Warriors at an economy rate of 6.31 and average of 17.42.Shamsi was picked by MICT in the auction held in September for R500,000 (US$ 29,000 approx.) and was set to play his maiden season with the franchise. He represented Joburg Super Kings last season and Paarl Royals for the first two seasons. Shamsi is currently representing Northern Warriors in the Abu Dhabi T10. Earlier this year, he opted out of a Cricket South Africa (CSA) national contract, and was not selected for the ODI series against India. His last T20I appearance was in the 2024 T20 World Cup.Defending champions MICT play in the season opener on December 26 against Durban’s Super Giants. Newlands, the franchise’s home venue, will host the opener as well as the final on January 25.

Leeds United picked up a crucial win on Wednesday night, as they beat Chelsea 3-1 to go outside of the relegation zone. With 14 points to their name in as many games, it has certainly been a struggle for Daniel Farke’s side this season.

However, they are in good form. Of course, they beat the Blues this week at Elland Road, and last Saturday were unlucky to drop points away to Manchester City.

Only a goal in the 92nd minute from Phil Foden could sink Farke’s team, who were close to the ideal week in their relegation fight.

Indeed, there have been some standout players over the past few days for the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds’ best players in their last two games

It is hard to pinpoint just a couple of players who have excelled for Farke’s side against two of the Premier League’s title challengers, with the whole squad impressing. However, one player who shone was defender Jayden Bogle.

Against City, he played as a right-back, and won 100% of his tackles and three ground duels coming up against Jeremy Doku. On Wednesday, he had more of an advanced role and made great use of it.

Operating as a wing-back on the right flank, Bogle assisted Ao Tanaka, who made it 2-0 to Leeds on the stroke of half-time.

Another standout from the impressive performances this week was summer signing Lukas Nmecha. The German striker has been in good form this term and added to his goal tally at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. He’s now bagged four times in the top flight this season.

Whilst he didn’t find the back of the net against the Blues, Nmecha still made a real nuisance of himself for the Chelsea backline.

The German was not the only Leeds attacker who stood out in the last week.

From "Bang average" to undroppable

The Whites are not short of attacking options after a busy summer. They already had the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnoto, three of the players at Farke’s disposal, who all played a big role in their promotion.

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Nmecha was brought in to add to that depth, as was Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Everton star made the move to West Yorkshire upon the expiry of his contract on Merseyside. It was a tough start to life at Leeds, though.

The 28-year-old did not exactly set the world alight with his start in a Leeds shirt. He’d only managed one goal in his first ten Premier League games, and that was away to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It meant the England international had to face some criticism for the lack of form in front of goal.

Earlier in the campaign, defender-turned-pundit Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday he was looking “bang average”, following the defeat to Fulham.

However, that form has recently taken a huge upturn. In what have arguably been his side’s two toughest games so far this season, Calvert-Lewin got himself on the scoresheet against both City and Chelsea.

It wasn’t just his goals that made these performances impressive, but the manner in which he played. He was a handful off the ball, winning 15 duels on Wednesday night, and six at the weekend.

He won three fouls in each game, too, making an impact despite having minimal touches.

Touches

15

35

Shots

1

3

Duels won

6

15

Fouls won

3 (1 penalty)

3

Goals

1

1

His performances were enough to earn him a pair of 9/10 ratings from journalist Graham Smyth. Against the Citizens, he praised Calvert-Lewin for the fact that he ‘gave Leeds much more presence’ and said he ‘brought others into play’ superbly against the West Londoners.

With two goals in as many games and some good centre-forward performances outside of that, it is easy to see why Calvert-Lewin could be considered undroppable for Leeds. After a tough start, it seems like he has finally begun to show his best form.

It does seem unlikely that Farke will omit the striker from his starting XI ahead of the game against Liverpool on Saturday. Instead, he will be hoping he provide further troubles for Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Reds’ defenders.

If Calvert-Lewin can replicate such a performance again, it will go a long way to helping Leeds achieve their goal of Premier League survival.

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