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Liverpool could now look to table an “increased bid” for a brilliant player in the coming days, Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol reports.

Liverpool suffer injury blow before Newcastle

The Reds are preparing for a tough trip to Newcastle United on Monday night, with the Alexander Isak saga only adding an extra spark to the game. It will be a big test for Arne Slot’s Premier League champions, and unfortunately, Liverpool’s head coach has confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong will be absent with a hamstring injury that will keep him out until next month.

“The medical team was completely right about it, to tell me I had to take him off [against Bournemouth]. He’s out until the end of the international break, and that happened in the game. I think I got criticised a bit for taking him off, didn’t I?

“I already said immediately after the game it had nothing to do with how he played. “We felt he had an issue with the hamstring, the medical staff, and they were completely right. Good call to take him off, otherwise he would maybe have been out for longer. We expect him to be back after the international break.”

Away from on-pitch matters, a key Liverpool transfer update has now emerged, as the Reds up the ante in their attempts to sign a long-time target.

Palace "cannot" let Guehi's deal run down

According to Solhekol, Liverpool may now submit an “increased bid” for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, with Steve Parish determined not to lose him for free when his contract expires next summer. However, it may be dependent on Palace’s UEFA Conference League action.

“It is possible [Marc Guehi leaves Crystal Palace in this window], it depends on what happens in the game tonight (Thursday). If they win the game easily so that almost they’re through the playoff, it doesn’t matter about the return leg next week, I can see a situation where maybe Liverpool step up their interest in Guehi and make an increased bid for him in the next couple of days.

“And then Palace would have a decision to make. But having heard from [chairman] Steve Parish, he said we cannot have a situation where a player as good as Guehi leaves on a free transfer next summer. So they would possibly be open to selling both those players [Eberechi Eze as well].”

The Reds will have to force the Eagles’ hand a bit after they only managed a 1-0 win against Fredrikstad in their Conference League qualifer, with Oliver Glasner saying after the match: “I just know if Marc leaves and he’s not available for Fredrikstad we will have big troubles. It’s pretty clear, we can’t register anyone, so from my side he has to stay.”

A new centre-back is so important for Liverpool this summer, with too much reliance on Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit, despite bringing in exciting teenager Giovanni Leoni from Parma. Guehi has always felt like an ideal choice to come in, considering he is a Premier League captain who has become an established player for England, being hailed as “world class” by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa.

Liverpool readying blockbuster late move, they think he's their next Salah

He could become their record signing.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 21, 2025

The £50,000-a-week defender could provide great competition in Liverpool’s defence, and with doubts persisting over Konate’s long-term future, he could even be the future leader of Slot’s back-line at Anfield.

MatériaMais Notícias

Campeão do Pernambucano no último fim de semana e finalista da Copa do Nordeste deste ano – o segundo jogo acontece no próximo dia 3 de maio, contra o Ceará, na Ilha do Retiro – o Sport segue em processo de reestruturação e comemora o bom momento também fora de campo. Em pouco mais de um mês, o clube ganhou mais de dez mil novos sócios e chegou a marca de 21 mil inscritos neste começo de semana, aumentando sua base de sócios em 75%. Na segunda quinzena de março, os números eram de 10,5 mil sócios titulares.

O crescimento tem ligação direta com a implementação de novas tecnologias. Em parceria com a empresa Imply, o clube da Praça da Bandeira fez ajustes como, por exemplo, nos planos com check-in gratuito para todos os jogos da temporada por apenas R$ 55 mensais.

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>Neto perde a paciência e detona time do Corinthians: ‘Sem tesão de jogar’

Além do check-in para todas as partidas da temporada, o plano Rubro-Negro oferece também outros benefícios como ativações de match day, prioridade na aquisição de ingressos, desconto na Cazá do Sport, gratuidade no estacionamento, entre outros serviços.

– Esperávamos isso porque sabemos a força da nossa torcida. Vivemos um momento especial com essa chegada à decisão e temos um ano de muita competitividade, visando o acesso à Série A. Também é um ano de modernização, com a implementação de uma tecnologia eficiente em nosso estádio, por meio da Imply, e as conversas cada vez mais intensas para que a gente se torne SAF. Tudo isso pode e deve servir de atrativo para os nossos torcedores, por isso a receita vinda de nosso plano de sócios é tão importante, e essa adesão ao nosso programa é fundamental – afirmou o presidente do clube, Yuri Romão.

Como parte dessas inovações, o Sport escolheu a Imply como fornecedora por conta de tecnologia que não só facilitou as experiências dos torcedores e sócios do Leão como também modernizou a gestão do clube. Isso porque a solução integra diversas ferramentas em uma única plataforma, como portal web, gestão completa de vendas de ingressos, sócios, atendimentos, programa de vantagens, equipes de suporte, customizações e muito mais.

Ao reunir inteligência sobre os torcedores e sócios, o clube pode criar novas ações para aumentar a satisfação e construir relacionamentos de longo prazo. Do mesmo modo, os gestores do clube podem consultar dados em tempo real para obter insights e maximizar a performance. Além disso, para agilizar, otimizar e automatizar fluxos, a tecnologia Imply garante alta segurança no controle inteligente de acessos ao Estádio Ilha do Retiro.

With Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez already potentially heading for the exit door, Liverpool now reportedly face the threat of losing another one of their key men to Barcelona.

Bayern make fresh move to sign Diaz

As Liverpool look to make their biggest statement yet by signing want-away Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, they could show the door to Diaz along the way. The Colombian has been linked with a move away from Anfield all summer long and it’s Bayern Munich who have been battling for his signature.

As ever, though, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are proving to be tough negotiators. The Bundesliga giants have consistently been told that Diaz is not for sale, but the chance for Liverpool to sign Isak may have left the door ajar for the two clubs to finally reach an agreement.

In the latest update, Sky Sports are reporting that Bayern have now re-opened talks to sign the 28-year-old winger for the first time since seeing their £58.5m offer rejected earlier this summer.

Those at Anfield are now reportedly braced for an improved offer, but it remains to be seen whether that will satisfy Edwards and Hughes’ demands to sell Diaz.

Meanwhile, Nunez could also be heading for the exit door amid reports that Al-Hilal are now holding internal discussions about securing his signature in a deal worth over £60m.

Related Isak's new Gordon: Liverpool lining up "explosive" £51m Diaz replacement

Liverpool are still ready to be active in the summer transfer market.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 25, 2025

If the arrival of Hugo Ekitike has pushed the former Benfica man down the pecking order, then the arrival of Isak would make him surplus to requirements entirely in Merseyside and that is likely to result in a departure.

Liverpool shouldn’t be overly concerned about losing either of their attacking stars, however, given the strength in depth in that department. Instead, their concern should be focused on elsewhere in their squad.

Barcelona enter race to sign Konate

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona have now entered the race to sign Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool alongside La Liga rivals Real Madrid. The French defender is currently on course to leave as a free agent this time next year and could yet follow in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Anfield chiefs, meanwhile, will be desperate to avoid the same fate and have already reportedly tabled a fresh contract offer to their important defender.

Unlike Diaz and Nunez, Konate is not a player who can easily be replaced. The towering central defender is at the peak of his powers at 26 years old and should be seen as the eventual Van Dijk replacement in the leadership role within Arne Slot’s backline. But that won’t be possible unless he signs a new deal.

Liverpool without Konate last season

Record (via Transfermarkt)

Games

14

Wins

9

Draws

2

Losses

3

Goals Conceded

19

What stands out the most when Liverpool were without their £70,000-a-week defender last season is the fact they conceded around 1.4 goals a game compared to their record of 1.2 when he is next to Van Dijk in their backline.

Simply put, replacing Konate at this stage of his career with someone who could instantly perform to similar levels would hand Liverpool their toughest task this summer.

Arsenal are reportedly closing in on another potential signing for manager Mikel Arteta, and there is an apparent sense inside the Emirates Stadium that they could be within touching distance of securing the deal.

Arsenal have "submitted an offer" to sign "strong" £30m Premier League star

The north Londoners are opening talks.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 2, 2025

New sporting director Andrea Berta has already made a real splash since officially replacing his long-serving predecessor, Edu, in late March.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Arsenal confirmed the arrival of Kepa Arrizabalaga in a £5 million deal earlier this week, and he’s poised to be followed by Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who will likely be confirmed in the next few days (Sky Sports).

Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera remains in talks to join Arteta’s side after the Gunners saw their opening bid rejected (Fabrizio Romano), but it could be done soon alongside Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard, who’s set to replace Thomas Partey in midfield.

Berta is also keen to reinforce the attacking midfield area across multiple positions, with both Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and Chelsea winger Noni Madueke on the radar as two completely separate deals.

The ambition on show from Arsenal is nothing short of stupendous, and it is a clear signal of their determination to end the club’s long wait for a Premier League title.

However, the success of their window is likely to be determined by the result of their chase for a new striker.

Arsenal in "advanced talks" for Viktor Gyokeres with five-year contract "agreed"

Now, according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, making a bold statement on X, they’ve now made serious headway when it comes to a potential deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede has been central to a public fallout with his club, and the situation is getting toxic amid club president Frederico Varandas’ repeated swipes at Gyokeres’ agent.

Gyokeres has even threatened to speak to the media if this continues, according to newspaper Record, but Tavolieri insists that Arsenal are now really getting somewhere in pursuit of a deal for the 27-year-old after months of rumoured talks.

As per the reporter, Arsenal are now in “advanced talks” for Gyokeres, and they’ve “already agreed” terms on a five-year contract with the former Coventry City star.

Sporting are reportedly demanding around £69 million to sell Gyokeres, while Arsenal apparently aim to get it done for around £60 million (Ben Jacobs), so there could still be some way to go in club-to-club talks.

He would be a blockbuster signing after spending the last two years free-scoring in the Primeira Liga, and you can make a case that Gyokeres is precisely the lethal goal-getter who Arsenal have been crying out for.

Middlesex facing first defeat as on-loan Somerset batter helps hosts build 400-run lead

ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2024

Middlesex are facing a first defeat of the season in the Vitality County Championship after Leicestershire batted themselves into a commanding position on day two at the Uptonsteel County Ground.Lewis Goldsworthy and Ben Green, who are both at Grace Road on loan from Somerset to boost a depleted squad, made their presence count as Leicestershire reached 311 for 8 in their second innings before rain forced an early end to play, with 37 overs lost.Middlesex captain Toby Roland-Jones bowled superbly to finish with 5 for 76, but after being bowled out for 86 to concede a first-innings lead of 93 on a 21-wicket opening day, his side are 404 runs behind.One down for 40 overnight, Leicestershire were 63 for 4 within the first 10 overs, which suggested another bowler-friendly day lay ahead. But Goldsworthy and Harry Swindells added 101 for the fifth wicket, and with batting proving a little less hazardous Louis Kimber and Ben Cox put on 62 for the seventh, while Green’s unbroken partnership with Ben Mike stands at 71 going into day three.During that initial flurry of wickets, Ryan Higgins brought his first ball back sharply from outside off stump to bowl Rishi Patel between bat and pad.The uneven bounce in the pitch was then illustrated perfectly as Roland-Jones had nightwatchman Scott Currie leg before to one that shot through at ankle height before dismissing Lewis Hill with one that reared up off a good length, the ball striking the Leicestershire captain a painful blow on the hand before looping gently to second slip Leus du Plooy, who had dropped him in the previous over.Middlesex, 93 behind on first innings after being shot out for 86 on a chaotic opening day, sensed an opportunity to fight their way back into the contest but were not able to make another breakthrough until six overs after lunch when Swindells, who had functioned as the junior partner in what felt like the decisive stand of the match, edged behind off Henry Brookes.One wicket then brought a second as Goldsworthy, his concentration disturbed by the day’s first stoppage for rain, departed four balls later, caught at slip off as he shaped to cut Roland-Jones.Goldsworthy, on loan at Grace Road primarily for his left-arm spin in the T20 Blast, had been one of the few batters in the match to have the measure of the pitch, picking up the majority of his 13 boundaries square on the leg side or else driven through extra cover.Much as his demise was a blow for Leicestershire, it was not the end of Middlesex’s suffering as Kimber, confidence sky high after his extraordinary performance at Hove last week and undiminished by a first-innings duck here, came in to hammer 38 off 21 balls, including four consecutive sixes off Brookes, one of them out of the ground on the Milligan Road side.Brookes had his revenge, bowling Kimber with a slow yorker, and Roland-Jones completed his 27th career five-for when he pinned Cox in front only for Green and Mike to stretch Leicestershire’s advantage beyond 400.Although the pitch is offering less help to the bowlers than was the case on Sunday, it is difficult to envisage the match ending in a draw, barring a substantial loss of time to rain, which means Middlesex will need to make one of the highest-fourth innings scores in their history to win the match.

From Tony Adams to Ashley Cole, from Cesc Fabregas to Jack Wilshere, and from Bukayo Saka to Ethan Nwaneri, it’s safe to say Arsenal have spawned some of the best young talent in world football over the last three decades.

The Hale End academy is revered around Europe and they’re not slowing down.

The start of Mikel Arteta’s reign was dominated by that man, Saka, and now, a few years into his tenure, it appears as though Nwaneri is beginning to make a name for himself too, starring in the offensive line.

With 15-year-old Max Dowman also causing a stir at youth level, the Gunners certainly look like they’re set up for a bright future.

From the above list, we’ve missed off a few names, perhaps most notably Myles Lewis-Skelly. Sadly for him, Andrea Berta and Co could be about to sign some competition.

Arsenal targeting one of the finest young talents in Europe

A lot of the talk so far this window has been dominated by the elusive striker. Will Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres arrive? Only time will tell.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

That said, it’s important that Berta doesn’t neglect other areas of the pitch, and probably to the dismay of Arsenal fans aplenty, the defence could be bolstered again.

Reports from the Athletic this week suggest that they are looking to sign someone who can play second fiddle to William Saliba and Gabriel with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi earmarked. We’ve also seen less concrete reports suggesting that Arsenal are looking at former Manchester City centre-back, Aymeric Laporte, who now plays in Saudi Arabia.

However, there’s a player who’s a great deal more exciting than both of them; Jorrel Hato.

Arsenal have a long-standing interest in the Ajax star and this summer, he could finally be on the move with a host of clubs interested in prising him away from Amsterdam.

The young Dutchman is attracting the interest of Chelsea, but recent reports from journalist Graeme Bailey this week suggest their London rivals have also held talks regarding a move.

Bailey revealed that Arsenal considered a move for £40m-rated defender last summer and are now considering making a formal bid following ‘successful talks’ with Ajax.

How Hato could replicate Arsenal's great young talents

It’s safe to say that when things have been tough for Arteta at Arsenal, the younger players at his disposal have come up trumps.

It was Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who combined so successfully during the Spaniard’s first year at Arsenal and with injuries decimating the squad in 2024/25, it was Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly who stood up.

The former ended up playing 37 matches in all competitions, scoring nine goals, most notably bagging against Manchester City in Arsenal’s remarkable 5-1 win at the Emirates.

Also on the scoresheet that day was Lewis-Skelly whose meteoric rise has been staggering. He hadn’t made his debut for the club before this season but ended the campaign having dominated Real Madrid, shone against PSG and even scored on his England debut.

Well, Hato, aged just 19, is very much cut from the same cloth as his fellow teenage stars.

Like Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, he made his senior debut as a boy. While Nwaneri was only 15 at the time of his Premier League debut, making him the youngest player in the competition’s history, Hato was only 16 when Ajax gave him his Eredivisie debut.

#1 Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

#2 Jack Porter

16 years, 2 months, 10 days

#3 Cesc Fabregas

16 years, 5 months, 24 days

#4 Jack Wilshere

16 years, 8 months, 12 days

#5 Jermaine Pennant

16 years, 10 months, 15 days

#6 Paul Vaessen

16 years, 11 months, 11 days

#7 Ryan Smith

16 years, 11 months, 18 days

#8 Gedion Zelalem

16 years, 11 months, 29 days

#9 Armand Traore

17 years, 16 days

Since then, the defender – who can play at left-back and centre-back – has risen up the ranks remarkably swiftly.

He’s already played 111 times for the Dutch giants – making him the youngest member of Ajax’s 100 club, and has been described as “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Also labelled as an “elite talent” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, Hato evidently has the world at his feet. He’s making a stir just as Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have. He’s got the confidence and swagger they both have too.

Incredibly, he’s already got amazing leadership skills despite his tender age. He’s captained his boyhood club on several occasions, which is just one of many boxes Hato seems to tick.

Versatile? Check. Leadership skills? Check. Experience in Europe? Check. This would be an amazing deal if Arteta and Co can get it over the line.

He's a lot like Isak: Arsenal in talks to sign amazing upgrade on Sesko

Arsenal are turning their attention to a striker they tried to sign in the winter.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jun 17, 2025

Brighton & Hove Albion are now eyeing a move for a “world-class” goalkeeper to replace Bart Verbruggen this summer, according to a report.

Verbruggen attracting interest after impressive performances

Brighton have enjoyed another solid campaign in the Premier League, with a top-half finish looking increasingly likely, and their goalkeeper has caught the eye with some impressive performances.

Most recently, Verbruggen kept a clean sheet in the Seagulls’ 2-0 triumph at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making two saves from inside the box to keep the Old Gold at bay, which earned him a 7.7 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest of any player.

The Netherlands international has also put in some top displays for his national side, making some impressive saves in his side’s UEFA Nations League clash against Spain back in March.

As such, it is little wonder the Dutchman is now starting to attract attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with a report from The Sun revealing that Real Madrid are now eyeing a shock deal for the shot-stopper this summer.

In the same report, it is detailed that Brighton are now running the rule over top-class replacements for the 22-year-old, with Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher one of the goalkeepers under consideration, having tracked the Irishman for quite some time.

Reports from elsewhere have revealed the Reds have set an asking price of £40m for Kelleher, so the Seagulls will need to be willing to spend big, should they decide to pursue a move for the goalkeeper.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Oct 9, 2025 "World-class" Kelleher could be ideal Verbruggen replacement

Of course, Fabian Hurzeler will be hoping to keep hold of Verbruggen beyond the end of the campaign, but it could be difficult to retain the goalkeeper’s services if Real Madrid come calling, and there are signs the Liverpool shot-stopper could be an ideal replacement.

While Alisson has remained Arne Slot’s first-choice option between the sticks, the Irishman has certainly played a role in the Reds’ Premier League title triumph, making 10 appearances while the Brazilian was sidelined due to injury.

During that time, the 26-year-old received very high praise from Andy Robertson, who described his teammate as “world-class”.

Not only that, but the Ireland international ranks highly across some key goalkeeping metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Clean sheet %

50% (99th percentile)

Goals against

1.07 (81st percentile)

Save % (penalty kicks)

100% (98th percentile)

Having proven himself in the Premier League with the champions, Kelleher could be a fantastic replacement for Verbruggen this summer, but Hurzeler will be hoping Madrid cool their interest in his goalkeeper.

Aston Villa sporting director Monchi has held talks over a move for a £10m+ player this week, according to a new update.

Villa transfer rumours heat up as Emery pushes for Champions League football

Unai Emery and his Villa side still have so much to play for between now and the end of the season as they look to qualify for the Champions League once again.

They put in an incredible second-leg display against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals earlier this month, winning 3-2 at Villa Park, however, they were knocked out 5-4 on aggregate. Villa also have the chance to win silverware in the FA Cup, with a semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley this weekend.

Romano: Aston Villa star club are "happy" with could leave for right offer

He’s future at Villa Park isn’t guaranteed.

ByBarney Lane Apr 22, 2025

It promises to be a dramatic end to the campaign, and talking about Villa’s plans to get into Europe once more, Emery spoke after Villa’s Champions League exit.

“It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League. The challenge we have for the last six matches is to try and get Europe and the Champions League. The players showed their capacity to compete at this level. Hopefully we can come back quickly to play in the Champions League. This is our objective and to play in the FA Cup as well for a trophy.”

Should Villa qualify for the Champions League, it could help Monchi when it comes to summer signings. One of those heavily linked with a move to Midlands has been Rosenborg star Sverre Nypan. There have been claims that Villa have made an offer to sign Nypan in a deal that could be worth up to £12.5m, with Fabrizio Romano adding that the Villans are looking to win the race for the in-demand teenager.

Now, a new update has emerged on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Nypan.

Monchi holds new Aston Villa talks to sign Nypan

According to reports in Norway, relayed by Sport Witness, Monchi was spotted in Norway watching Nypan in a 2-0 win for Rosenborg over Valerenga.

Monchi and scout Alberto Benito held talks with Nypan’s father before the match to discuss terms of a transfer, however, the Villa chief refused to comment when quizzed by newspaper Nettavisen at the hotel where he was staying.

Further developments are expected in the coming days or weeks when it comes to Villa’s move for Nypan, and by the looks of things, Villa could be getting a future star who is being likened to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

Games

63

Goals

14

Assists

11

Norwegian football expert Jesper Mathisen said last year: “Sverre Nypan is extremely exciting. I get a bit of the same feeling as when I saw Martin Odegaard break through as a boy.”

Indian openers adopting safety-first, risk-averse approach seems to be a thing of the past, if the Jaiswal show is anything to go by

Deivarayan Muthu13-Jul-20242:43

Jaiswal: ‘Grateful and blessed to be part of a world champion T20 team’

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s puffy Morrant pads may appear out of time but his approach is perfectly in sync with modern T20 batting.In the fourth T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare, Jaiswal clattered 15 boundaries in 53 balls on his way to an unbeaten 93, but it was a non-boundary that best exemplified his attacking intent. When Blessing Muzarabani, the most impactful bowler across both sides this series, took pace off and dug the old ball into the Harare pitch, Jaiswal shuffled across off and ended up falling on the floor, but was still aiming to scoop it over the keeper’s head to the boundary.Did he connect with the ball? No, but Jaiswal’s intent to go hard – even on a pitch that was slowing down – and keep going hard was particularly striking. According to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, Jaiswal was defensive against just two of the 53 balls he had faced.Related

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In the past, a number of Indian openers had adopted a safety-first, risk-averse approach, but more recently when a certain opener committed to no-holds-barred hitting, India won the T20 World Cup.India’s new generation remains committed to that aggressive approach. When Jaiswal was part of the post-T20 World Cup celebrations in Mumbai, Abhishek Sharma stepped in and smacked a 46-ball hundred in what was only his second international innings. Then, once Jaiswal arrived in Zimbabwe, the incumbent opener took charge and dominated the powerplay across the third and fourth T20Is.On Saturday, Jaiswal struck 47 of India’s 61 runs in the powerplay, in their pursuit of 153. He stayed leg-side of the ball and laced Tendai Chatara over the massed off-side field. When Chatara erred too full, he stretched forward and pumped it down the ground. When Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava slammed the ball on a hard length or a Test-match length, Jaiswal stood tall and heaved them over the field, despite losing his shape.Jaiswal is the only India batter other than Rohit Sharma to have scored more than 50 runs in the powerplay in T20Is. In November last year, he had cracked 53 off 25 balls in the powerplay to set India up for a total of 235 for 4 against Australia in Thiruvananthapuram.”I think it [batting approach] depends on the wicket and the bowling also and where I want to play because if there’s a lot of bounce I try to play my shots – the cut and the pull,” Jaiswal said after Saturday’s game against Zimbabwe. “If the wicket is not like that, I just try to hit hard and straight. I always keep trying and challenge myself to play different, different shots.”Jaiswal has been working on strengthening his body to pack more power into these shots. “I think I’m working on my body consistently,” Jaiswal said. “I work a lot on my legs and core and scapula if I want to hit. Consistency is really important; it’s so easy to say but it’s hard to it, I think. I’m trying my best every single day.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill put on 156 runs for the first wicket•Associated Press”I think I really enjoyed [batting] today. The wicket was pretty good and I had some plans for different bowlers and I was just trying to play all my shots where I can play and I really enjoyed today’s innings.”Jaiswal had had a hectic build-up to this series – he has been in three different time zones over the past week in the West Indies, India, and now Zimbabwe – but he hasn’t let that affect his intensity.”I’m think I’m really blessed and grateful to get all these opportunities and when you win the World Cup, it’s just an incredible feeling,” Jaiswal said. “I really enjoyed that and when I joined the team…I’m really honoured to play for my country.”India’s team management has sent some mixed signals by force-fitting four openers in the top four in this series. But, among the lot, Jaiswal has pulled further ahead as India’s first-choice opener in T20Is though these are still early days yet in the run-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

At the moment international cricket is a loose coalition of often conflicting self-interests. If that doesn’t change, the future is grim

Osman Samiuddin16-Aug-2022In 1960 a new commissioner of the NFL in America, Pete Rozelle, convinced the league’s franchise owners to start thinking and acting collectively. Rozelle’s argument was a simple but forceful one. The league’s attractiveness and marketability was not dependent on one or two teams but on the competitiveness of the whole. By agreeing to work in the interests of the league rather than of their own individual franchises, they would all thrive in the long term. “League think”, as this philosophy came to be known, was manifest mainly through a revenue-sharing agreement where the league negotiated their broadcast deals as one and shared the revenue equally among franchises.The line from that moment to now, where the NFL is the most valuable commercial sporting property in the world, isn’t straight. It has zig-zagged along the way. New franchise owners have agitated for a break from that philosophy, though it remains (in fact, in the process, a strict salary cap has also been added). Revenues for each franchise from local sponsorships and marketing deals have grown lucrative and are not shared, un-levelling the playing field somewhat. But the NFL sells itself as the most competitive league in the world with good reason, a league where anyone can win the Super Bowl: eight different Super Bowl champions in the last ten years is just one headline measure of that.Even if it were not as successful or competitive, the underlying ethos has much to commend it. League think is premised on the irreducible truth that any operation that is controlled by the wealthy for the wealthy to get wealthier is a dysfunctional one. That operation will never grow or thrive, and it will never fix itself because it won’t ever see the need to. The problem is not that the operation will fall apart, rather that it and will instead continue, pulling further away at each end until it is stretched all out of shape and meaning.Related

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Trumpeting socialist ideals may come across as ideological point-scoring (how’s the free market turning out for everyone these days?) but league think is exactly what international cricket has needed, maybe forever but especially so since 2014, when the Big Three began upending the game’s financial pillar. Cricket was far from perfect then, but its imperfections have burgeoned since.All the tensions we see and feel around us today – this shapeless, bloated Future Tours Programme, big names scrambling to secure their financial futures by signing on with leagues, star players walking away from formats because there’s too much cricket, new leagues being forced into the calendar because it’s never enough, unhappy players prevented from exercising their labour – all of these, in some way, stem from this inequitable core of the international game. It is the debris of a financial model that used to give every Full Member an equal share but now distributes the most money to those boards that need it the least, and the least to those who need it the most. It’s the classic neoliberal misstep, to take something that is unequal and make it more unequal.Cricket’s financial model currently gives the most money to the boards that need it least•BCCICricket has never thought about itself as a collective. That is not how it works. It operates as a collection of self-interests that collide into each other and then the biggest (self-interest) wins. We speak constantly of this elusive balance in the calendar between formats but, really, the balance being sought is between the avarice of the big boards and the needs of the smaller ones. Every member looks out for its own markets, its own commercial interests, its own profits, its own fans, and it ends up with nobody looking out for the game at large.If cricket is at all serious about sustaining the international game – and boards may say they want to, but their actions are at odds with that – then a more equitable distribution of ICC money must be the starting point. Currently the BCCI receives over three times more from the ICC commercial and broadcast revenues pot than nearly all the Full Members; the ECB is some distance behind in second place but still receives more money than every other member. This is the same BCCI that, two months ago, secured a US$6.2 billion deal for IPL rights, one of the most lucrative contracts in all sport; the same ECB that has, a month ago, bettered a broadcast deal that was already bringing it USD $1.4 billion over five years. Any so-called loss – or freeze – on earnings for the BCCI or the ECB are far outweighed by the potential gains for smaller boards, and thus for cricket as a whole, simply because the benefits of a relatively large increase in earnings for the latter are much greater than the marginal benefits of that increase for the former.The ICC is now in the market for a rights deal for its next eight-year cycle from 2023. Expectations are that it will be considerably bigger than the last. With it, a new revenue distribution model will likely come up for negotiation, and a better game would be where the distribution goes back to the equal-share model pre-2015. Considerably more money for boards such as CWI, PCB, CSA, SLC and BCB means more money for its players, for development, more money for women’s cricket, more money to subsidise Tests, more money to rationalise the calendar by not squeezing meaningless bilateral games in it, more money to not be so reliant on India tours. More money to make a more competitive, meaningful sport, not one dominated by three teams.CWI, which felt these forces more acutely earlier than anyone, has been arguing this for years, as well as warning of precisely the moment at which we have arrived now. Never has it been more urgent to act.There is no real argument against an equal share. Arguing that it’s unworkable because the NFL is an intra-national league and cricket an international sport misses the point that cities – especially in a country as vast as the US – are as different and self-contained as countries. The pushes and pulls on each market that dictate what Full Members do can’t be that far removed from those in cities with NFL franchises.In any case, there is precedent in international sport, namely the near-identical issues faced by the International Olympic Association and its biggest member, the US Olympic body. The US was the biggest commercial market for the Olympics, and where the main broadcast money came from. Until 2012, the US used to receive a fifth of the global sponsorship revenue of the Olympics, and just over an eighth of its broadcast revenue. Members argued the arrangement wasn’t fair, and after years of negotiations, an agreement was reached in 2012, in which the US’ share of broadcast revenue was reduced to 7%, its marketing share cut in half, to 10%, and it had to contribute to the costs of staging the Olympics, recognising that all of that was necessary to benefit the wider Olympic community.Fans at an NFL game in London in 2015. The league is the most valuable commercial sporting property in the world•Getty ImagesIn both cases it is not so much the details that are as relevant as the thinking that drove them, the not-so-radical idea that the game is only as healthy as its weakest links, and that improving their status benefits the entire game. Yet such is the state of the cricket that, one paragraph into this article, most readers will have known not only where it was going but that what would be proposed was impossible. It has not even been a decade since the ICC moved away from equal shares of revenue, but already ICC officials and members know the BCCI is never going to go back to it. That genie’s out of the bottle. They’re not even going to agree to a slightly less inequitable model.There are other ways to redress this imbalance. Those CWI arguments, presented in its “Economics of Cricket” paper at the 2018 ICC AGM continue to hang awkwardly but compellingly in the ether. Make leagues such as the IPL or others pay boards, or through the ICC, a flat fee for the right to a window in the calendar in which members stop bilateral cricket.That could be an expansion or formalisation of the policy that IPL franchises have in place – and other boards have had in the past bilaterally for each other’s leagues – where the leagues pay boards a fee for using those boards’ players. Include both contracted and non-contracted cricketers because it is the boards who have invested in those players.Or pool together the overseas broadcast rights for the World Test Championship (and the ODI Super League, had it continued) and distribute that money equally, in the common-sense recognition of the fact that it takes two sides to make a game. This was an idea that was once in active discussion at ICC meetings back in 2016. Nothing came of it.But the biggest shot in the arm would be a comprehensive correction of the ICC’s revenue model. Instead, what is likely to happen is a doubling down on the long-standing but faulty premise that the BCCI deserves the most money simply because India is a massive economy. Because this time the ICC, in a bid to maximise its revenues, has unpacked its bids so that it goes first, and separately, to the Indian market and then to the global market.Which means that we will now have a black-and-white figure of what global events are worth to an Indian market. What is to stop the BCCI from saying that it should get the vast chunk, if not all, of that black-and-white figure? That it is a value from the India market and therefore must be for the India team that the BCCI provides for those global events?Nothing, because that is precisely the logic cricket has been held hostage to for more than a decade now. The good news is that the inertia of cricket administrators means international cricket may not die anytime soon. The way things are, that’s also the bad news.