Everton are now believed to have made an approach to complete the signing of a “world class” player who knows the Premier League well but has fallen out of favour at his current club.

A host of players continue to be mentioned as options for the Blues in the summer transfer window, including Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper. The 25-year-old Englishman started all 46 of the Blades’ Championship matches last season, helping them reach the playoff final, but defeat to Sunderland at Wembley ruined their chances of promotion, and he may like the idea of heading to the top flight.

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is another player who could want to remain in the Premier League, following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and Everton have been backed to snap him up, amid their search for more quality in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile, Millwall forward Mihailo Ivanovic is another reported target for the Merseysiders, with the Serb potentially seen as a strong replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Just 20 years of age, he scored an impressive 12 goals in 23 Championship starts last term and could serve as the old fashioned number nine alongside the more elusive Thierno Barry.

Everton make approach for "world class" midfielder

According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport [via Goodison News], Everton have made an approach for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, seeing him as an excellent choice to bring in this summer. The Blues are said to have asked for information regarding the 27-year-old, but it is added that no offer has been tabled for him yet.

He joined Juventus for around £42m last summer but was once worth a much higher figure, with Neil Moxley even claiming “somebody’s just having a bit of a laugh” when he was quoted at £60m while thriving at Aston Villa, pointing to Declan Rice’s £105m move to Arsenal as a benchmark.

Indeed, albeit out of form and out of favour in Turin last season, Luiz is a player who has proven his worth at the highest level for many years now, having been such an influential performer for Villa, so he could be a brilliant signing for Everton.

The Brazilian has 175 appearances to his name in the Premier League, as well as 20 goals and 18 assists, with John McGinn heaping praise on his ability, describing him as “world class”, and Jermaine Pennant calling him better than Rice in the past.

“Any team would dream to have Rice, but there are better sixes in the Premier League at the moment. I would say Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, I think he can do everything that Rice can do and better. I think he assists more, he chips in with goals more than Rice. Creativity-wise he’s better, flair is better, he can put in a tackle just like Rice, break up play just like Rice. So I think if someone said to me you can have Douglas Luiz for £60m or Declan Rice for £100m, easy every day of the week, Douglas Luiz.”

Everton now ready to pay £5m+ to sign new star with same agent as McNeil

The Toffees are ready to take advantage…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jul 7, 2025

Luiz is still in his prime, so this wouldn’t be a case of Everton splashing out on a player who has peaked, and his box-to-box style could be a great asset for David Moyes.

Manchester United and Chelsea are struggling to bridge the gap in their valuations of Alejandro Garnacho as the Blues continue their pursuit.

Chelsea eyeing GarnachoWinger valued at £30 million ($41m) by BluesUnited want closer to £50m ($68m)Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , United and Chelsea remain locked in talks over a deal for Garnacho, but there is a significant gap in the two clubs' valuations of the player. Chelsea would like to pay £30 million ($41m)  for the Argentina international, but United want closer to £50m ($68m). Bayer Leverkusen made a bid worth around £30m in January, which was rejected.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Garnacho is reportedly keen on the move and has asked United to sell him to the Blues. Chelsea have been in talks with United for some time, and the Red Devils' valuation has already dropped from £70m ($95m), suggesting there may be even more leeway in talks. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Garnacho, who was recently spotted with a vape in his hand, has reportedly passed the Blues' background checks, with any concerns over his temperament and discipline brushed aside by the west London giants.

AFPWHAT NEXT?

Chelsea face Crystal Palace on Sunday in their opening game of the Premier League season, while United play Arsenal. Exiled Garnacho won't be involved in the latter.

Manchester United fell by the wayside last season, but the early readings from the summer transfer market suggest Ruben Amorim and INEOS are doing all they can to lift Old Trafford back to its feet.

With sights set on driving their way back into the Premier League ascendancy next year, getting their foot back through the European door, the Red Devils acted swiftly to activate Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause, and that’s despite interest from Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The prestigious outfit needs new goalscoring superstars, and Cunha will certainly add to that department. However, United are also pushing to sign another who could become their new talisman.

And all this before they even sign a striker.

Man Utd still leading race for Premier League star

It’s safe to say that the ongoing transfer window has all been about attacking additions for United. After a move for Cunha was completed, Jason Wilcox and Co have turned their attention to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

However, while Gyokeres would allegedly favour a move to Arsenal instead of Old Trafford, that’s not the same story for another of football’s brightest forward players.

As per TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with Bournemouth for the transfer of Antoine Semenyo. Why is this relevant? Well, because Spurs also have a vested interest in Bryan Mbeumo having appointed the winger’s former boss, Thomas Frank, as their new manager.

Mbeumo, 25, has been immense for Brentford and is a wanted man. With Frank heading to Spurs, there were fears that he may not sign for United now, but as with Cunha, his preference is still to move to the Theatre of Dreams.

United have already seen an opening offer worth £55m rejected, and are expected to go back in for the Cameroonian with Fabrizio Romano revealing that there is an ‘agreement with the player in place’ on personal terms.

Why Bryan Mbeumo could be Man Utd's answer to Salah

Mbeumo did rather well across the recently finished campaign, only outscored in the Premier League by Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland – not bad competition to be pitted against.

It certainly makes a convincing comment on Mbeumo’s skillset, not least because he, like Liverpool’s Salah, is a right-sided, left-footed forward, not technically a striker.

In fact, Mbeumo has been described as a “mini Salah” by talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy, arcing inward to curl powerful strikes into the back of the net.

Anfield’s Egyptian King has so often been a thorn in United’s side, but in Mbeumo they might just find their own version, one whose prowess could inflict damage not just on Liverpool but the division at large, having ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in the English top flight in 2024/25 for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, Mbeumo isn’t just a sharpshooter, and would instead dynamise the Red Devils and raise their creative bar through his skilled performances, having created 17 big chances last season, averaging 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Playmaking has increasingly become a defining part of the 33-year-old Salah’s game as his athleticism drips away, and so it’s good to know that Mbeumo already plays with a natural focus on linking play together and helping his team in that regard.

Mbeumo has performed with gamely courage and a confidence in his high-level quality. He’s only 25, which, coincidentally, was the age Salah was when he joined Liverpool from Roma for £34m in 2017.

It’s clear that Man United need to forge ahead with this exciting signing. Mbeumo wants the move and has the English experience to lift the club and propel Amorim toward greener pastures.

Better than Ekitike: Man Utd open talks to sign "the best ST on the market"

Manchester United could be edging closer to ending their hunt for a new striker this summer.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 16, 2025

The change was made to free up Mooney, who is Giants’ designated wicketkeeper as well as opener

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has been named Gujarat Giants captain for WPL 2025, ending fellow national team-mate Beth Mooney’s two-year reign at the helm.”It is an absolute honour for me to be named the captain of Gujarat Giants.” Gardner said in a Giants statement. “I have loved being a part of this team and I am excited to lead this fantastic group in the upcoming season. We have a great mix of young and experienced players and plenty of Indian talent in our squad. I am looking forward to working with the team and making our fans proud.”Related

• WPL 2025: Can new captain Gardner change Gujarat Giants' fortunes around?

• Shafali, Reddy and other players who could take the WPL route to Indian team

• Mithali Raj, Nooshin Al Khadeer part ways with Gujarat Giants

• WPL 2025: Chinelle Henry replaces injured Alyssa Healy at UP Warriorz

Gardner has been a vital cog for Australia across formats, chipping in with her all-round credentials. In the recent Women’s Ashes, she picked up five wickets including a second-innings four-for in the only Test match – a pink-ball affair at the MCG – and scored her maiden ODI century in the third ODI of the series. She missed the T20I leg of the multi-format series with a calf strain but had provided a reminder of her bowling abilities by picking 16 wickets for Sydney Sixers in WBBL 2024.”She is a fierce competitor,” Giants head coach Michael Klinger said. “Her game awareness, tactical acumen, and ability to inspire players make her the ideal choice to captain Gujarat Giants. We believe she will lead from the front and guide the team towards a successful campaign.”Gardner has been with Giants since the inaugural season and the move to elevate her to captaincy was made to free up Mooney, who is also the designated wicketkeeper and the opening batter for them. Gardner was also Giants’ vice-captain for most of the first season after Mooney picked up a calf injury one game into WPL 2023.Gardner is the No. 1-ranked allrounder in ICC’s ODI rankings while Mooney is the leading T20I batter.”I would like to thank Mooney for her highly valued leadership,” Klinger said. “Now, she will be able to focus on wicketkeeping and opening the batting lineup. She continues to be a major leader of our group.”Ahead of the auction for WPL 2025, Giants rejigged their support staff with assistant coach Nooshin Al Khadeer and mentor Mithali Raj parting ways. Australia assistant coach Daniel Marsh joined as the batting coach while IPL team Lucknow Super Giants’ spin-bowling coach Pravin Tambe is the bowling coach.

The BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the two squads will be named

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-20254:39

Refresher course: remember how good Gill and Rahul are at ODI cricket?

Rohit Sharma is set to continue as India’s ODI captain; this was confirmed when the BCCI announced he will sit in as captain on the press conference scheduled for January 18, when the squads for the Champions Trophy and the ODIs against England will be announced. The three ODIs against England will be India’s last in the format before they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.Rohit’s future came into sharp focus after he had stood down from India’s XI in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month. He, however, clarified that the decision shouldn’t be misconstrued as a retirement.Related

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Rohit says he 'stood down' for SCG Test: 'It is not a retirement decision'

Rohit, 37, has been struggling for form and during the home series against New Zealand, he also admitted to captaincy errors, which contributed to India’s 3-0 whitewash. In six Test innings against New Zealand at home, Rohit managed only 91 runs at an average of 15.16 and then in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, his average slumped further to 6.20 in five innings.In a bid to rediscover his form, Rohit had linked up with the Mumbai squad for training sessions in the lead-up to the start of the second phase of the Ranji Trophy.Having ended his T20I career by winning the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year, Rohit now has the chance to lead India to an ODI world title at the Champions Trophy. India will play all their three league games in Dubai, which will also stage one of the semi-finals and possibly the final too, if India get there.India have played just six ODIs since November 19, 2023, when they lost to Australia in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

انتقد خالد الغندور، كابتن الزمالك السابق، أحد لاعبي الفريق الحاليين، خلال مواجهة طلائع الجيش، التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وفاز الزمالك على طلائع الجيش، بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في اللقاء الذي أقيم ضمن مواجهات الجولة 13 لبطولة الدوري المصري، سجل للفارس الأبيض ناصر ماهر “هدفين” وعدي الدباغ هدف، بينما أحرز محمد عاطف هدف الجيش.

وقال الغندور خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “الزمالك قدم أداء جيدًا، لأن طلائع الجيش يقدم موسمًا ضعيفًا، الجيش من الفرق التي ستصارع من أجل البقاء”.

طالع.. فيديو | بعد رحيل فيريرا.. الزمالك يعود لطريق الانتصارات في الدوري بثلاثية أمام طلائع الجيش

وأضاف: “الزمالك تحكم في اللقاء تمامًا بعد الهدف الثالث، لكن بعد ذلك تم تسجيل هدف في مرماه وتراجع الأداء والجماهير شعرت أن طلائع الجيش يُمكنه العودة في النتيجة، وهذه مشكلة الزمالك، ليست أول مرة أن فريق يتحكم ويستحوذ في الشوط الثاني أمام الزمالك، وبالتالي هناك مشكلة في تباعد الخطوط”.

وأتم: “أنا عندي مشكلة مع عدي الدباغ مهاجم الزمالك، يُهدر انفرادات سهلة، المهاجم المفترض أن يطور نفسه، لكنه اليوم اتخذ 3 قرارات خاطئة في 3 انفرادات”.

وبفوز الزمالك، اليوم ارتقى إلى المركز الثاني في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، برصيد 22 نقطة.

The opener batted throughout the day but the visitors wobbled in the final session

AAP20-Oct-2024Opener Henry Hunt scored a century to hold the South Australia innings together before Queensland struck back with the new ball to leave honours even after day one of the Sheffield Shield match in Brisbane.Hunt remained resolute throughout to end unbeaten on 130 as the visitors reached 289 for 7. He brought up his ninth first-class century with a six despite taking 236 balls to reach three figures in a watchful knock.Related

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Queensland concluded a long day in the field at Allan Border Field taking 4 for 24 at one stage during the final hour.South Australia lined up with Jake Lehmann returning after a 2nd XI century in place of Test star Travis Head ahead of the impending arrival of his second child. There were also changes to the bowling line-up with Liam Scott and Wes Agar replacing Lloyd Pope and Brendan Doggett.Queensland made two changes for their first home match of the Shield campaign with injured allrounder Jack Wildermuth and rested pace bowler Tom Straker omitted. Batter Lachlan Hearne and debutant paceman Tom Whitney came in for the pair.Queensland failed to take advantage of winning the toss, with new skipper Marnus Labuschagne sending South Australia in to bat and the visitors putting on a century opening stand.Conor McInerney and Hunt scored at barely 2.5 runs an over in reaching 106 before the former was caught behind for 51 off Test aspirant Michael Neser.Captain Nathan McSweeney posted 37 only to offer Jimmy Peirson a second catch, this time delivering a debut wicket for Whitney. It became two wickets in successive overs for Whitney when he bowled Daniel Drew for a duck.The scoring rate didn’t pick up until Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey arrived at the crease just after the tea break. He was eventually undone by Neser’s first over with the new ball, offering a simple catch to mid-off from a leading edge.Carey looked comfortable in his 42 off 63 balls, having also scored 90 and 111 in the season opener.Mark Steketee achieved a similar dismissal in the following over as Lehmann’s attempted flick to leg ended up in a catch at gully and a second-ball duck for the middle-order batter.Steketee then bowled Scott for 9 and Whitney knocked over Ben Manenti for 7 as South Australia lost 4 for 49 from 15 overs against the new ball.The 21-year-old Whitney was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 51.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet7k： O Corinthians chegou a abrir dois gols de vantagem contra o Fluminense, mas caiu de produção na segunda etapa e viu o rival empatar o duelo no Maracanã. Com o resultado, o Timão perdeu a oportunidade de se distanciar da zona de rebaixamento do Campeonato Brasileiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFluminenseÁrbitro de Fluminense x Corinthians relata ofensa de Felipe Melo em expulsão: ‘Sem vergonha, safado’Fluminense20/10/2023BrasileirãoFluminense x Corinthians: CBF divulga análise do VAR com lances polêmicosBrasileirão20/10/2023CorinthiansGuerrero ajuda Mano na volta por cima de Yuri Alberto no CorinthiansCorinthians20/10/2023

da bwin： + Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Com 32 pontos após vinte e sete rodadas disputadas, o clube do Parque São Jorge ocupa atualmente a décima terceira colocação no Brasileirão, apenas dois pontos à frente do Santos, que abre o Z4.

De acordo com o Departamento de Matemática da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), o Corinthians tem maior probabilidade de cair para a segunda divisão (19,5%) do que chances de disputar a próxima Copa Libertadores (0,37%) e viu seu objetivo na competição nacional, muito por conta da instabilidade administrativa da atual diretoria, ser definido: permanecer na primeira divisão.

continua após a publicidade

Os próximos três jogos do Timão serão fundamentais nesta luta. Na sequência, o time encara o América-MG (20º), Cuiabá (10º) e Santos (17º), todas equipes que possuem o mesmo objetivo que o clube paulista na competição.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCorinthians

The rationale behind his dipping strike rate is not clear, but he would want to try and find a way out

Shashank Kishore12-Apr-20224:49

Is Hardik Pandya’s batting position dictating his approach in IPL 2022?

When Virat Kohli said one “can’t create overnight what Hardik Pandya brings at No. 6” last October, he was referring to his middle-order power-hitting specifically. Over time, Hardik has been able to marry this ball-striking with the game-smarts that have made him a feared white-ball destroyer.Hardik, who has largely batted in the lower middle order, has notched up the seventh-most number of sixes in the IPL since 2017, with 92 hits.Related

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This fearless hitting was witnessed during the Champions Trophy final in 2017, where Hardik swatted six sixes against spin – almost immediately from the get-go – to make a whirlwind 43-ball 76 in a crumbling chase. We have seen that in Australia, where his finishing act – a 22-ball 42 – in a 195-chase helping India seal the T20I series in December 2020. He has done it numerous times for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.So, what makes Hardik tick? When in full flow, He can line up his scoring zones with a touch of brutality to his game. His powerful wrists and bottom-handed power have added different scoring zones to his repertoire. He can scythe wide yorkers behind point with the same efficacy as playing a helicopter to a yorker-length delivery.But so far this season, this version of Hardik hasn’t yet surfaced. His 141 runs in four innings this season have come at a strike rate of 122.60. This pales in comparison to his overall strike rate of 150.5 in the IPL. In the death overs, specifically, he strikes overall at a mind-boggling 187.60.This time around, Hardik has tried to take his innings deep, before trying to pull off a late jailbreak. This hasn’t worked, like it didn’t on Monday night against Sunrisers Hyderabad when he remained unbeaten on a 42-ball 50, with Gujarat Titans “finishing seven to 10 runs short” by his own admission.Barring the one knock against Punjab Kings where he made 18 off 27, Hardik has largely looked to build an innings. At Mumbai Indians, the presence of enforcers in Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock, and at times Kieron Pollard, left him with a clear mandate: of going out to take down attacks.2:15

Is No. 4 Hardik Pandya’s best position?

At Titans, it’s easy to assume it’s perhaps the added captaincy responsibility that is making him restrictive in his approach. But there could be a bigger factor at play: the auction. Titans made a splash when they signed Shubham Gill and Rashid Khan along with Hardik as their core group of players, but the batting is still thin on experience.Abhinav Manohar is a middle-order finisher, who hadn’t played a single T20 game until six months ago. B Sai Sudharsan has been picked on the back of one prolific Tamil Nadu Premier League season. It makes for a great story to tell how the franchise has backed two new players to rise to the occasion, but when it affects the overall batting dynamics, it’s hard not to look at the fault lines.Both Manohar and Sudharsan are now playing the role of enforcers. While Gill has been in scintillating touch, Matthew Wade has managed just 56 runs in four innings. Vijay Shankar, a batter they would’ve hoped a lot more from, finds himself out of the mix, firstly because of injury and then due to team combination.The top order isn’t brimming with alternatives either. Hardik’s move up to No. 4 has meant leaving the role he dearly loves to the likes of David Miller and Rahul Tewatia. There is one problem, though. Miller is not the same player that he has been. Since IPL 2016, Miller has the second-lowest strike rate among 59 batters who have faced over 500 balls,For Hardik, as a young captain, this can be a massive sacrifice, but it boils down to a lack of options. With only one other young batter in Rahmanullah Gurbaz to potentially fill in, the dearth of options may have fired Hardik to be a pillar at 4.Hardik’s captaincy mantra has revolved around “taking pressure off youngsters and asking them to play freely.” What freedom does he enjoy? It’s quite striking to look at the significant dip in strike rates of first-time Indian captains in the IPL as compared to the previous two seasons. Hardik’s dip from 151.67 in the previous two seasons to 122.6 currently is the biggest.As the season enters the second half and pitches tire, average scores could come down. Spinners may have a bigger say. The dew factor could be negligible, and Hardik may have to re-look at his approach.Even though it might not be his most ideal role, as a team man, one can understand his rationale behind doing it. But he would want to try and find a way out.

That, and other talking points from the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Oct-20203:16

What makes Sandeep Sharma tick?

Virat Kohli’s troubles against Sandeep Sharma continue
No other bowler has got Virat Kohli out as many times in the IPL as Sandeep Sharma. Seven, that’s how many times a bowler with the international experience of just two T20Is has bested the India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain – and one of the best in the world across formats – in the competition. It is not an insignificant number.David Warner, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, recognised that fact when he kept Sharma on for his third straight over in the powerplay. Knowing that the pitch was slow, Sharma took off the pace off the ball: his first ball to Josh Philippe was just 113kph, and the next one, to Kohli, was 123kph, which was driven through the covers for two.Sharma sensed that Kohli would attack him on what is the smallest ground around, but he had an ace up his sleeve. He asked wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha to come up to the stumps, and challenged Kohli with a 126kph delivery, pitched on a length. On cue, Kohli attempted to clear cover, but hit straight into the hands of Kane Williamson, stationed at short extra cover.That was Strike Seven for Sharma against Kohli. It is also the joint-highest in the IPL for a bowler getting a batsman out – Zaheer Khan had got the better of MS Dhoni that many times too.Were Royal Challengers Bangalore one batsman short?
In the two matches they had lost before this one, against the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings, there was one clear weakness for the Royal Challengers: their lower-order batting. Despite that, today, they left out Shivam Dube to make space for their best quick bowler, Navdeep Saini, who had to sit out the match against the Mumbai Indians after hurting a webbing on his bowling hand in the defeat against the Super Kings.However, was it wise playing four fast bowlers – Saini, Chris Morris, Mohammed Siraj and Isuru Udana – on a slow surface? The Royal Challengers might argue that the strategy worked in Sharjah when they beat the Kolkata Knight Riders comfortably and lost a close match against the Kings XI Punjab. But both those matches were played in the first half of the tournament, when the pitches were still relatively fresh. Now, the surface is not just slow, but also the dew gathered pretty quickly and it became more difficult for bowlers to grip the ball.Would it then have been prudent for the Royal Challengers instead to field an extra batsman – Dube or even Moeen Ali – to bolster the lower order, which once again failed, re-establishing the fact that the Royal Challengers continue to be heavily dependent on Kohli and AB de Villiers to succeed?Did Sunrisers’ brisk powerplay batting help them?
In a word: yes. Only once before in this IPL had Sunrisers made a quicker start in the Powerplay: when they dashed off the blocks to raise 77 in the victory against the Delhi Capitals in their previous match. Although the target was just 121 here, the dew factor coupled with the slow nature of the pitch could potentially have proven to be a massive hurdle for David Warner’s team.But, after Warner perished early in the chase, Manish Pandey and Saha showed courage to take risks that took the Sunrisers to 58 for 1 after the first six overs and eventually that paid off. The powerful start ensured the Sunrisers continued to be ahead of the curve despite a couple of hiccups in the middle overs. The experienced Jason Holder came in and duly sealed victory without breaking a sweat.