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Opening batter takes up role permanently after filling in last summer

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2021Tom Haines has been named as Sussex’s one-day captain for 2022.Haines, 23, led the side on a temporary basis last summer, after Ben Brown was removed from the club captaincy. Travis Head, Sussex’s Australian overseas signing, will take charge in the Championship next season.”I’m really excited,” Haines said. “I felt like I got to grips with the role this year and I felt more comfortable the longer I did it. It’s great to be backed to do it again next summer.Related

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“Whatever its position in the calendar, we’ll be taking the Royal London Cup extremely seriously. The club see it as an important part of its plans, and I want to win it and bring a trophy to Sussex.”I was encouraged at my ability to do my job with the bat at the same time as leading the team last summer and I’m really looking forward to doing that again. Above all, I’m extremely proud to be a captain at my boyhood club.”Opener batter Haines made his List A debut during the summer, scoring a maiden hundred while averaging 36.00 from seven innings. He was also the leading run-scorer in the County Championship, with 1176 at 47.04, despite Sussex finishing up with the wooden spoon.Ian Salisbury, Sussex’s Championship and one-day head coach, added: “This is the next step for Tom as a cricketer and a person who has already developed hugely over the last 18 months. I was very impressed with Tom’s leadership last summer, which itself developed massively during the time he captained Sussex.”The way he has matured is a great example for our other young players and that makes him the perfect man to lead the Royal London Cup side.”

Tottenham chiefs have now put a "fantastic" mainstay player up for sale this summer, with Ange Postecoglou's rebuild seemingly in full effect.

Spurs agree mass player exits in squad overhaul

Technical director Johan Lange and the wider Spurs recruitment team have already agreed to a host of senior players leaving N17, and it is believed that a few members of Postecoglou's squad could follow them.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 23, 2024

Girona are in talks to sign out-of-favour Spurs winger Bryan Gil, according to reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano and Paul O'Keefe, while Richarlison is believed to be attracting interest from Saudi Arabia.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of Giovani Lo Celso, who was given few opportunities under Postecoglou last term when his preferred starters were fit and available.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has joined Marseille on an initial loan deal, which will become permanent for £17 million next summer (Sky Sports), with the Dane joining Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga, Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, Tanguy Ndombele and Joe Rodon who are already out of the door.

A few surprising names have been linked with exits as well, including Son Heung-min. The South Korea superstar's contract is set to expire next summer as things stand, with Saudi side Al-Ahli registering an interest in signing Son as a result.

Chairman Daniel Levy is highly unlikely to consider selling the 32-year-old, we believe, given his importance to Postecoglou. Following these exits, Spurs have reinvested the cash in signing Archie Gray from Leeds United for £40 million, and secured a season-long extension on Timo Werner's loan deal before that.

Tottenham are rumoured to be in the market for an attacking signing before deadline day on August 30, though, so Levy and Lange could be biding their time before making more formal moves towards the end of the window.

As Postecoglou's overhaul continues to take shape, a new report from Italy has now claimed that mainstay winger Dejan Kulusevski could be sold. The Swede played 36 Premier League games last season, starting 31 of them and racking up 11 goal contributions in that time, becoming a regular under the Spurs boss.

Tottenham chiefs now put Dejan Kulusevski up for sale

According to Calciomercato.it, Tottenham chiefs consider Kulusevski up for sale, despite his first-team status, and former Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte could potentially look to sign him for Napoli.

The £110,000-per-week winger was signed on an initial loan deal on January deadline day in 2022, which later became permanent in the summer of 2023, but it appears the north Londoners are now open to offers for Kulusevski.

It remains to be seen if anything comes from this report, or if Spurs would demand a marquee fee for the 24-year-old with four years still remaining on his contract. The element of Conte's interest isn't entirely surprising, though, as the Italian has expressed his admiration for Kulusevski on more than one occasion.

“I think he is showing that he is a fantastic player for the present but also he if he continues in this way he can become a really important player,” said Conte on Kulusevski in 2022.

“He is strong physically, good technically; he has no fear of the opponent or the tackle. It is a good sign, with Harry and Son, also Lucas Moura and Bergwijn, offensively we are good, and I am happy for this.”

da pixbet： As they look to end the summer transfer window with a bang, Chelsea have reportedly held talks over a potential swap deal that would see Raheem Sterling head for the exit door.

Chelsea transfer news

da esoccer bet： The Blues have once again stolen the headlines this summer, welcoming the likes of Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall alongside several other fresh faces in an attempt to finally turn a corner back towards the Premier League's top four. Even after already splashing the cash on Neto, however, those at Stamford Bridge seemingly have their sights set on another attacking boost.

The latest to arrive, Neto told Chelsea's official website: "I feel really grateful to have joined this club. I have worked really hard in my career to be here and I’m looking forward to getting on the pitch with this shirt."

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man could take the place of Sterling in Chelsea's starting side, with the former Manchester City star potentially on the move before the transfer window slams shut.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Aug 18, 2024

According to Sky Sports' Gianluca Di Marzio, Chelsea have held talks with Juventus over a swap deal to sign Federico Chiesa in a move that would see Sterling head in the other direction.

Discussions over that deal didn't take long to reach a conclusion, however, with the Italian giants put off by Sterling's hefty £325,000-a-week salary. The Chelsea man earns over double Chiesa, who is reportedly on £153,000-a-week at Juventus.

That said, given that Chiesa has been frozen out of Thiago Motta's Juventus side and shown the door in Italy, the winger is likely to be on the move in the next two weeks. Whether that ends with a summer switch to Chelsea remains to be seen, however.

Chelsea don't need "fantastic" Chiesa

After just splashing the cash to sign Neto, signing Chiesa could be one winger too many at Chelsea, even if it could have been argued that was the case before the Portugal international arrived.

The Juventus winger has struggled in recent years too, with injuries playing a large part in his progress coming to a crashing halt. The last thing that the Blues need in their current state is a player hoping to rediscover his form amid fitness issues.

There was once a time when Chiesa wouldn't be struggling for a move; Europe's top clubs would have been queuing up for his signature after Euro 2020. Alas, those days, for now, are behind him.

Rio Ferdinand was among those full of praise for the Italian after his performance at Euro 2020, helping his country to tournament victory. The Manchester United legend said via The Metro: "He’s a huge player and he’s been linked with a few clubs in England. I’m sure they’re thinking ‘why didn’t we get him?’.

"He’s just a fantastic footballer. The intensity with which he plays with, we saw in the Euros he was the main goal threat for the Italians who went on to win the tournament."

Marnus Labuschagne admits England’s concerns about this summer’s Ashes have merit but he fully expects a resolution will ensure he confronts a full-strength opposition.England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has made it clear he would likely opt out of touring Australia if his family wasn’t able to be part of the trip, while captain Joe Root noted he is waiting for more information.The issue has been bubbling away in recent months, during which Cricket Australia has been in talks with state and federal governments.Ben Stokes has already taken an indefinite break from the sport, with CA and its English counterpart both worried about the impact of biosecurity bubbles on players’ mental health.Related

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Australia’s strict border policy is unlikely to be drastically eased by the end of this year, while interstate travel also remains clouded by Covid-19.Labuschagne couldn’t recall discussing the issue with Root and veteran paceman Jimmy Anderson, whom he crossed paths with while playing county cricket this year, bhe understood the tourists’ unease.”The welfare of players and making sure families can come out here is important,” Labuschagne told reporters in Brisbane. “You don’t need to be a cricketer to recognise the importance of making sure the mental health of all players is in a good space.”Especially with a T20 World Cup followed by an Ashes, it’s a really long four or five months.”But I have no doubt, between the government and Cricket Australia, we’ll be able to sort it out and get ourselves in a position where we can have a full-strength England against a full-strength Australia.”Injured spearhead Jofra Archer is already a confirmed omission but Labuschagne, steeled for his first home Ashes series, is keen to lock horns with 39-year-old Anderson.”Everyone out here wants to see Jimmy come to Australia,” he said.The future of coach Justin Langer was a topic of intense speculation in recent weeks but disgruntled players have seemingly agreed to move on for now.Labuschagne, who has gone from strength to strength under Langer since being thrust into the 2019 Lord’s Ashes Test as a concussion substitute, said “it’s never nice when it comes out like it has”.”It’s been spoken about, that it comes to a head now. Conversations have been had, we can all move forward,” he said.Labuschagne, speaking at the launch of a community cricket initiative in Brisbane, remained upbeat that Australia’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in Hobart will proceed as planned. It shapes as Australia’s first Test since losing to India in January.”We all want more Test cricket,” he said. “That’s not always possible.”

It’s been a very busy summer at Goodison Park for Everton, with the Toffees already securing deals for five players ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Jake O’Brien joins Jack Harrison, Tim Iroegbunam, Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom on Merseyside, with Sean Dyche conducting shrewd business amid the current financial situation at the club.

Lindstrom, in particular, is an excellent addition, providing an added creative spark in the final third, helping the Toffees combat their struggle in front of goal having registered 28 goals and assists in 80 games for Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Danish midfielder has joined on loan from Napoli with an option to buy next summer, allowing him to regain regular first-team action as he looks to push on following a disappointing campaign in Serie A which saw him feature for just 417 minutes last season.

He could form an exciting partnership with another talent who’s been linked with a move to Everton, and it’s safe to say, it’s not the first time he’s been touted with a move to Merseyside in recent years.

Everton could sign attacking talent this summer

According to Corriere dello Sport via Sport Witness, Everton are one of a number of Premier League clubs named as a possible destination for Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia this summer.

The 27-year-old, who earns £42k-per-week, as per Capology, also has admirers from Brentford, Newcastle United and West Ham – with the report claiming the forward is set for a Premier League move ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The report claims that there has yet to be any approach or offers made by Everton for Dia, but given their previous interest in the Senegalese talent, a move is yet to be ruled out.

A move for a new striker could be on the cards for Dyche’s side this summer, with Dia proving to be a better option than one player currently plying his trade at Goodison.

Why Dia would be a better option than Beto for Everton

12 months ago, Everton forked out £25m on Portuguese forward Beto, in the hope he could be the club’s main centre forward for many years to come.

However, his first campaign in England didn’t go as either party would’ve expected, with Beto limited to substitute appearances for the vast majority of last season.

He only made nine starts after his big-money transfer, with each start costing the Toffees £2.7m last season when breaking down his transfer fee.

When comparing the current Everton man – who has already been linked with a swift exit from Goodison – to transfer target Dia, it’s clear that the Salernitana star would be an upgrade on the former Udinese talisman.

The Senegalese “monster” as described by journalist Jonas Adnan Giaever, featured in 14 fewer matches than the Everton man last season, but scored one more goal – handing the Toffees an added goalscoring threat in the final third.

Games played

17

31

Goals scored

4

3

Progressive carries

1.4

1.2

Progressive passes

1.7

1.4

Shot-on-target accuracy

32%

29%

Pass accuracy

84%

62%

Dia has also managed to get more of his attempts on target, whilst dominating with the ball at his feet, proving he could be the player to provide the link-up play that Dyche is looking for in a centre forward.

He achieved an 84% pass accuracy rate, whilst Beto could only manage a 62% completion rate – with the Salernitana man having the edge over the 26-year-old Everton forward.

Whilst it’s unknown how much a deal for Dia would cost Dyche and his side, it would be an excellent signing and one that could give his side more of a cutting edge in attacking areas, with the opportunity to freshen up the attack with another Serie A import, alongside Lindstrom.

Beto unfortunately hasn’t lived up to the levels expected upon his arrival last year, but he still has the potential to make an impact as a sub, but could fall further down the pecking order should Dia move to Goodison this summer.

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ByHenry Jackson Jul 29, 2024

It's been over a month since the transfer window swung open in mid-June, and since then, Tottenham Hotspur have been relatively quiet, bar their £30m signing of Archie Gray from Leeds United.

However, while the Lilywhites have refrained from bringing anyone else into the club as of yet, they have been linked with a host of players, including England's Eberechi Eze and Canada's Jonathan David.

That said, they could soon welcome in their second signing of the summer, as recent reports have linked them to an incredibly talented winger who has won comparisons to Son Heung-min. However, this potential transfer could spell trouble for Dejan Kulusevski.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Italy, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in signing Juventus' Italian winger Federico Chiesa this summer.

The report claims that the Lilywhites have already contacted the Turin-based outfit about the Italian's future but may have to compete with Manchester United and Roma for his signature.

While the interest from the Red Devils and the Giallorossi is far from ideal, the good news is that the report has claimed the former Fiorentina star is valued at just under €30m, which converts to around £25m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Chiesa's reasonable price, comparisons to Son and his potential to replace Kulusevski, one Daniel Levy and Co should be pursuing.

How Chiesa compares to Son and Kulusevski

So, before we see how Chiesa's recent record stacks up to Kulusevski's, let's first look at this comparison to club captain Son.

It originates from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues before then creating a top ten list of the most comparable players for each one, and in the case of the Italian, they have ranked the Lilywhites ace as the seventh most similar forward.

This comparison is best seen through a number of their most similar underlying numbers, such as, shots on target, key passes, passes into the penalty area, interceptions, successful take-ons, carries and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Shots on Target

1.02

1.17

Key Passes

2.21

2.09

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.84

1.99

Interceptions

0.25

0.25

Successful Take-Ons

1.43

1.20

Carries

26.4

28.4

Ball Recoveries

2.54

2.45

So, now that his similarities to the South Korean superstar have been cleared up, how does the Juve ace stack up against the player he could replace in North London?

Well, when it comes to the most critical aspect of a modern-day winger, their output, it's the Genova-born star who comes out on top.

In 37 appearances for the Old Lady last season, the "unstoppable" wideman, as former teammate Giorgio Chiellini dubbed him, scored ten goals and provided three assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.86 games.

In contrast, the Lilywhites Swedish star scored eight goals and provided three assists in 39 appearances last season, equating to a slightly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.54 games.

Moreover, it was the same story the season prior, as while both wingers produced ten goal involvements, the Swede did so in 37 games, while his potential replacement did it in just 33 appearances.

Ultimately, Kulusevski is a talented player and an excellent winger to have in the squad, but based on the last two seasons, it appears that Chiesa would be an upgrade, at least from an attacking perspective anyway. The fact that he's available for a reasonable price and has won comparisons to Son is just the icing on the cake.

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Ben Stokes to captain replacement team against Pakistan after three players, four management test positive

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2021England’s entire ODI squad has been forced to self-isolate two days before the start of their series against Pakistan following seven positive Covid-19 tests among the team’s players and management.Three players and four members of management returned positive results from a round of PCR testing in Bristol on Monday, after the third ODI against Sri Lanka. “In collaboration with Public Health England, Public Health Wales and Bristol Local Health Authority, those impacted will now observe a period of self-isolation from July 4 following the UK Government’s protocol on quarantine,” an ECB statement said.”The remaining members of the party have been deemed close contacts and will also isolate.”The ECB confirmed that the limited-overs series against Pakistan will go ahead as planned, with Ben Stokes due to return to international duty ahead of schedule and captain the squad, which features nine uncapped players. Several have been pulled out of the ongoing round of County Championship fixtures to join up with the new squad and will undertake PCR tests in order to ensure the safety of the new squad.Related

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Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach who had been due to take time off during the white-ball series, will return to oversee the team. Both of Silverwood’s assistants, Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood, were part of the group now having to self-isolate.An ECB spokesperson confirmed that the majority of those who tested positive are asymptomatic, with those unwell not currently experiencing “significant” issues. The 10-day isolation period, backdated to July 4, means all involved are ruled out of the three Pakistan ODIs, to be held at Cardiff, Lord’s and Edgbaston.Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, said: ”We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of biosecure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak. We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.”Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to captain. We also recognise the impact this news will have on our first-class counties and their men’s playing squads and thank them, along with our partners Sky and Royal London, for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic.”The ECB had been keen to move away from the idea of biosecure “bubbles” this summer, amid a recognition of the toll such restrictions take on players and staff. England have a Covid compliance officer, Phil Davies, who has been advising the squad on what they are able to do in and around different venues, depending on local data.England players are also part of the nationwide vaccination programme – Jason Roy posted on Instagram about receiving his first jab on Monday. Everyone in the group had received at least one shot of the vaccine.There has still been a regular testing regime, which led to a number of match officials going into isolation after the T20I series against Sri Lanka as a result of a positive test for Phil Whitticase, the match referee. Concerns around biosecurity also saw Sri Lanka send home three players – Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka – after an unsanctioned trip into Durham city centre.England’s next opponents, Pakistan, have been been in managed isolation in Derby since arriving on June 25. The first ODI is due to take place in Cardiff on Thursday, with the ECB indicating there would be no changes to the schedule or ticketing arrangements. The second ODI, at Lord’s on Saturday, is in line to be at full capacity as part of a government pilot.The PCB released a statement saying it had been in close contact with the ECB over “concerns about the health and safety of its players” after being informed of developments on Monday evening.”The PCB is satisfied by the assurances and guarantees provided by the ECB on behalf of its medical panel, and feels comfortable with the existing protocols that have been put in place to ensure all the Pakistan players and player support staff remain safe and secure throughout the duration of the series,” the board said.”The PCB has also been in touch with its team management and has advised them to exercise extra caution while in the hotel or at the match venue.”

Williamson’s men look to improve patchy away record in the lead-up to WTC final

Matt Roller01-Jun-2021Big pictureTwenty-three months on from a day of agony and ecstasy, New Zealand are back at Lord’s. Nine of their 19-man squad, seven of whom played in that final, are returning to the scene of their World Cup near-miss, and just in case they needed reminding of the granular detail, they arrived at the Ageas Bowl’s hotel for their training camp last month and found Sky Sports’ cricket channel showing a rerun of the final.The circumstances this week are very different: New Zealand are only building up to the main event, the inaugural World Test Championship final against India, which starts on June 18, while Joe Root is likely to be England’s lone representative of the 50-over squad from 2019, in the absence of their IPL returnees and the injured Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Even still, with fans returning to an England home international for the first time since the end of that summer, Super Over is unlikely to go unmentioned.Related

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The series itself is something of an anomaly: it is not part of the Future Tours Programme or the WTC, and has been bolted onto the front of a jammed schedule for England that includes Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s limited-overs tours and the mid-summer headliner: a five-Test series against India. With their multi-format players rested following 10 days of post-IPL hotel quarantine, England have admitted they are using this as a chance to “look at new faces” – including two potential debutants this week in Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batter James Bracey (whose inclusion was confirmed by Root on Thursday) and Ollie Robinson, the tall Sussex seamer.This is Chris Silverwood’s first series since becoming selector on top of his head coach role, and while there was little intrigue in the squad he named – he was spared any tough decisions by the number of absentees – there is a tricky balancing act to be struck between focusing on the series itself and giving opportunities to players he feels will be important this winter: England’s fixation with the 2021-22 Ashes seems to be as strong as ever, and as such, it is not completely guaranteed that James Anderson and Stuart Broad will play together in both Tests. Even in the absence of Archer, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran, England’s bowling attack is close to full-strength, but their batting is comparatively raw: Rory Burns, with 23 caps, is the second-most experienced member of the top seven behind Root, who needs more support from the rest of the side than he got in Sri Lanka and India earlier this year.While New Zealand’s primary focus will be to ensure they have a fit, in-form squad to pick from in two weeks’ time, there is also an opportunity to win in England for the first time this century. The gunslinging series in 2015 finished in a 1-1 draw despite large periods of dominance, and their away record in Tests has been patchy in the last five years, with one series win (against Pakistan in the UAE) in their last five tours.But this side has proven time and again that they should not be underestimated. Their seamers were the key to their success in the WTC, and they have the depth to cope with Trent Boult’s absence in this series, with Tim Southee and Neil Wagner leading the attack. Their batting core is settled and consistent, and while Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and the retiring BJ Watling have been unsung stars, it is Kane Williamson who will be the prized scalp.Williamson’s Test record in England – an average of 30.87 across eight innings – jars with his dominance elsewhere and his composure against the moving ball. He comes into the series on the back of three hundreds (including two doubles) in his four Test knocks in New Zealand’s home summer. If he can lead New Zealand to a rare away win and then the WTC trophy, this will be a legacy-defining month.After a tough tour to India, Ollie Pope will be hoping to deliver big at home•Getty ImagesForm guideEngland: LLLWW
New Zealand: WWWWWIn the spotlightIn the absence of Stokes and Jos Buttler, Ollie Pope is the most experienced player in England’s engine room from Nos. 5-8, his 17 caps making him a relative veteran. He has started the season well, with 245 and 131 against Leicestershire and Hampshire respectively, but had his technique dissected by Sky’s pundits during the televised fixture against Middlesex, in particular his off-stump guard. Pope’s logic is that it allows him to leave anything outside off and score heavily off his pads, but it does leave him vulnerable to the nip-backer, especially early on. With his Test average hovering just above 30 after a tough tour to India, England need him to start delivering on his immense potential.Test cricket is an easy game if your name is Kyle Jamieson. His record so far is six caps, six wins, 36 wickets and an average of 13.27, but this is set to be his first appearance outside of New Zealand, and England will have watched hours of footage from his career to date to work out how to go about playing him. Pitches at Lord’s are rarely particularly springy, but at 6ft 8in, he is unlikely to have too many problems finding bounce. His immaculate control of line is one of his biggest assets, which will be tested by the ground’s famous slope and the novelty of the Dukes ball. In Boult’s absence, he may open the bowling for the first time in his career.Team newsThe lack of a genuine allrounder in the squad means that England’s top seven effectively picks itself, with Haseeb Hameed and Sam Billings mainly with the squad as cover, while Robinson looks likely to get the nod ahead of Craig Overton at No. 8. Jack Leach’s success in the holding role for Somerset at Lord’s earlier this summer and the upturn in the weather means Root will probably resist the option of an all-seam attack, though he left open the possibility on Thursday, admitting he had “gained a little bit more confidence in myself” as a spin option on the back of the India tour. It is possible that either Olly Stone or Mark Wood could play ahead of Leach to offer extra pace, or instead of Robinson if England are willing to risk a particularly long tail. Root himself took a blow on his hand in the nets on Monday, but has confirmed he is fully fit.England (possible): 1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Ollie Pope, 6 Dan Lawrence, 7 James Bracey (wk), 8 Ollie Robinson, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonWilliamson confirmed late on match eve that the in-form Devon Conway would make his Test debut, having been preferred over Tom Blundell or Will Young to open the batting alongside Tom Latham. Colin de Grandhomme is fit again and was an integral part of the rise to No. 1 in the ICC’s rankings but Daryl Mitchell performs a similar role and made a hundred in his last Test; and Mitchell Santner is likely to play as a second allrounder – unless the cut to his spinning finger or a green tinge to the surface means that they opt for a four-man seam attack.New Zealand (possible): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme/Daryl Mitchell, 8 Mitchell Santner/Matt Henry, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Neil WagnerKane Williamson tunes up for the Lord’s Test•AFP via Getty ImagesPitch and conditionsAfter a grim, mizzly May, the sun has been shining in London this week and will continue to do so, with highs of 27°C on the first day in St John’s Wood and only limited cloud cover throughout the Test. Lord’s has not hosted a Test since August 2019, when the second Ashes Test finished in a rain-interrupted draw, and as such the pitch is something of an unknown. There was a slight green tinge to the pitch on Tuesday morning, though Stead said that the grass was cut shorter than New Zealand are used to. Wickets have been more frequent at Lord’s than any other ground in the country in this season’s County Championship, though that owes as much to Middlesex’s flaky batting as anything else.Stats and trivia James Anderson will equal Alastair Cook’s record for England Test caps, if he plays. He is eight wickets away from 1,000 in his first-class career. James Bracey will become the first Gloucestershire player to make a Test debut for England since Jon Lewis (now England’s seam-bowling coach) in 2006. This is England’s first home game in front of fans since the fifth Ashes Test in 2019. Lord’s will host crowds of up to 25% capacity (around 7,500). Kane Williamson needs 58 runs to go past Stephen Fleming’s aggregate in Tests and become New Zealand’s second-highest run-scorer of all time, behind Ross Taylor. New Zealand have lost nine of their last 12 away (or neutral) Tests, dating back to August 2016. Phil Neale, England’s long-serving operating manager until his retirement last October, is working as New Zealand’s team liaison officer in this series, while Jeetan Patel, who won 24 Test caps for New Zealand, is England’s spin-bowling coach.Quotes”I’m not massively used to batting down the order but I’m confident I’ll jump into that. When it comes to batting, I like to be gritty and get into a battle. I’m not afraid to put in those hard yards and go through tough spells.”
“It was emotional to a certain extent to think back about being involved in that match and some of the controversies that surrounded it and the drama and all these sorts of things that come with tournament cricket and some of the fine margins. The guys are really excited to be back here: it is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to play at Lord’s”

Chelsea have now entered negotiations over a deal to sign a rapid new centre-back, and an opening offer is set to be made within weeks.

Blues looking to sign new centre-back despite Cahill comments

With Levi Colwill suffering an ACL injury back in August, the Blues’ offer centre-back options have had to step up to the plate this season, and Gary Cahill has been very impressed with their performances, so much so that he believes his former club don’t need to sign a new defender.

Cahill said: “There has been a lot of noise around this for a long time, but I think the lads that are there are doing a very good job of proving that they don’t need to add to this position,”

“I’ve been very impressed with Wesley Fofana since he’s come back. Touch wood that he stays fit.

“Trevoh Chalobah: look at the job he’s been doing – he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Trevoh is probably the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.

However, while a senior centre-back may not be required, BlueCo are always keen to bring in exciting up-and-coming prospects, and they have now entered negotiations over a deal for Gremio defender Luis Eduardo.

That is according to a report from AS (via Sport Witness), which states Chelsea have now entered talks to sign Eduardo, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United, with opening offers set to be made in the coming weeks.

The Blues are now trying to ‘accelerate’ their pursuit of the centre-back, given that scouts have been left impressed with his performances, with the 17-year-old well-known for his pace, having reached 38 km/h for Gremio earlier this year.

The speedster has a €60m (£53m) release clause included in his contract with the Brazilian club, although it is unclear whether BlueCo would be willing to shell out such a big fee on a very young player.

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The Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 30, 2025

Luis Eduardo impressing at youth level

The teenager is yet to establish himself as a regular starter for Gremio, having made just one appearance for the senior team, but he has put in some eye-catching performances for both club and country at youth level.

Despite being a centre-back, the Corrente-born ace managed to score two goals in seven appearances for Gremio U20s in 2025, while he has also netted three goals in 13 appearances for Brazil U17s.

Eduardo could be one for the future, but Cahill is correct in his assessment that Chelsea don’t need to worry about bringing in a new centre-back anytime soon, given Chalobah’s recent form, most recently netting the opening goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca also has Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile at his disposal as back-up options, and with Colwill still to return, the manager is well-stocked at centre-back.

West Ham have been tipped to match one club’s asking price to sign a striker who’s been compared to former Man City star Julian Alvarez.

West Ham battle to Man United draw as Nuno makes January plans

West Ham battled back to claim a precious point at Old Trafford on Thursday night, with Soungoutou Magassa’s late strike cancelling out Diogo Dalot’s opener in a 1-1 draw.

Their stalemate away to Man United keeps the Hammers’ survival hopes well and truly alive heading into the festive period, as the east Londoners battle to make up ground on Leeds United and Nottingham Forest above them.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side spent much of the evening defending resolutely, absorbing sustained United pressure before Dalot found the breakthrough in the 58th minute.

The Portuguese wing-back reacted quickest after Casemiro’s deflected effort fell invitingly inside the penalty area, composing himself before drilling his finish beyond Alphonse Areola.

The lead appeared safe until seven minutes from time, when substitute Andy Irving’s corner caused chaos in the United box. Jarrod Bowen flicked the delivery goalwards at the near post, Noussair Mazraoui cleared desperately off the line, but Magassa pounced to fire home his first West Ham goal from close range.

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By
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The finish sparked jubilation among the travelling supporters and left United fans booing at the final whistle.

Yet, West Ham’s attacking struggles remain glaring.

With 36-year-old Callum Wilson their only reliable striking option right now following Niclas Fullkrug’s disastrous spell in east London, January reinforcements have become essential.

The German wants out after an 18-month West Ham career marred by injuries and a lack of goals, scoring zero this season, with Nuno poised to be left desperately thin in the final third if they don’t sign another number nine next month.

Reports suggest West Ham are leading the race for Union Saint-Gilloise’s towering striker Promise David, but he is by no means their only target.

West Ham tipped to meet Santiago Gimenez asking price

AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Irons ahead of January, with Milan reportedly open to selling following his underwhelming spell at the San Siro overall.

The Mexico international fired ex-club Feyenoord to an Eredivisie title in 2023 and built upon that by scoring 26 goals in all competitions the following campaign.

This excellent form in the Netherlands culminated in a £28 million move to Milan last January, but Gimenez has failed to live up to expectations, despite former teammate Kyle Walker likening him to Alvarez, who is thriving for Atlético Madrid right now.

Walker also said that Gimenez is capable of producing ‘magic’ whilst being a hard-worker for the team.

According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero and reporter Salvatore Riggio, West Ham could bid £26 million for Gimenez in January, which would in fact match the Rossoneri’s asking price.

The 24-year-old, who has scored 93 career goals to date, is apparently ‘destined’ for England with Sunderland also very interested.

The outlet adds that Gimenez simply hasn’t settled in Milan, so perhaps a move to London could reignite his best.