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Ashes hopefuls Weatherald, Harris, Bancroft, Renshaw not included as the squad is a look towards the 2027 Test tour of India, with Connolly, Murphy and Rocchiccioli included as spinners

Alex Malcolm07-Aug-2025Sam Konstas’ bid to retain his Test place this summer will begin in India as he was named in the 14-man Australia A squad that will play India A in two red-ball four-day matches in Lucknow in September, albeit the squad has been selected with an eye towards Australia’s 2027 Test tour rather than the upcoming Ashes.Konstas was named alongside fellow Test opening candidate Nathan McSweeney and fellow teenager Oliver Peake in the squad. Promising Victoria opener Campbell Kellaway was also included among the batting group. Jake Weatherald, Jason Sangha and Kurtis Patterson, who all featured and performed well in the recent Australia A series against Sri Lanka A, were not included.Australian openers with previous Test experience, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw, were also not included in the squad. Renshaw has been on two Test tours to India previously while Bancroft has previously toured India with Australia A including making 150 in an unofficial Test in Chennai in 2015 against an India A team that featured nine Indian Test players.Related

Shreyas Iyer to lead India A in multi-day matches against Australia A

Ollie Peake's subcontinent education: 'I was absolutely cooked'

Former Australia coach Tim Nielsen takes charge of Australia Under-19s

Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes

Konstas will play for Australia again, but will he play the Ashes this year?

It is highly unlikely that performances in India against India A in September will have any bearing on Ashes selection with the national selectors already on record saying that the first three Sheffield Shield rounds will be of most relevance. The squad has clearly been selected with a longer-term view of giving younger players experience in Indian conditions with Australia due to tour there for a five-match Test series in January-February of 2027, when the composition of Australia’s top six may look slightly different with Usman Khawaja very unlikely to still be playing by that point while Steven Smith turns 38 in June 2027.”The subcontinent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and ball,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said.”We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future sub-continent tours.”Test offspinner Todd Murphy was included in the squad having taken 14 wickets in four Tests in India in 2023, including a seven on Test debut in Nagpur. Fellow offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli will also get a chance to impress having been to the MRF Academy last year and played for Australia A previously. Both men missed the recent series against Sri Lanka A due to short-term stints in county cricket in England.Left-arm-spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year, will get the chance to gain some valuable subcontinent experience. Seam-bowling allrounders Aaron Hardie, Liam Scott and Jack Edwards were all included with the latter set to play for Australia A for the first time.Cooper Connolly will gain further red-ball exposure on the subcontinent•Getty ImagesCA contracted fast bowlers Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett were picked as was the Shield’s leading wicket-taker in Fergus O’Neill. Josh Philippe was included as the sole wicketkeeper in the four-day squad.Connolly, Murphy, Hardie, Edwards and Scott will stay on for the three 50-over matches but Bartlett, Kellaway, Konstas, McSweeney, Morris, O’Neill, Peake, Philippe and Rocchiccioli will play in the four-day matches in Lucknow only before returning to Australia for the first Shield round that starts on October 4.”For many of these players we remain interested in the development of their short-form cricket as well, but balancing out priorities meant we wanted them back and available for the start of the Sheffield Shield season,” Bailey said.”This provides opportunities for Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Tanveer Sangha, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland and Callum Vidler who will play the one-day matches in Kanpur.”Fraser-McGurk was included after losing his place in Australia’s ODI squad and he could well get the chance to keep wicket for the first time in his List A career with Shaw the only other wicketkeeper named in the white-ball squad. Fraser-McGurk is being developed as a back-up wicketkeeper for the T20I team having worked on his keeping with Australia’s fielding/keeping coach Andre Borovec on recent tours.Captains have yet to be named but there are a host of options given three state captains in McSweeney, Edwards and Sutherland will tour while Hardie has also previously led Australia A in a first-class game in New Zealand and captained Perth Scorchers.Australia A four-day squadXavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam ScottAustralia A one-day squadCooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Callum Vidler

Chasing 134, Ashraf took Pakistan close from a treacherous position of 15 for 5 but it wasn’t enough

Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2025Bangladesh completed their first T20I series win against Pakistan, after prevailing in an eight-run win in the second game. The packed Shere Bangla National Stadium got a thrilling finish with the hosts staving off a late Faheem Ashraf onslaught.Pakistan’s top six couldn’t reach double digits in this game, with five having missed out in similar fashion in the previous outing too. This time it was their bottom-half that gave them some hope. Ashraf top scored with his maiden T20I half-century, having added 41 runs for the ninth wicket with Abbas Afridi.Bangladesh however kept their cool, particularly their pace trio of Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan putting pressure on the visitors. Bangladesh’s start with the ball put them well in front, which also ultimately helped them get the win in the end.Pakistan hit new lowPakistan couldn’t have asked for a worse start to their 134-run chase as they slumped to 15 for 5, their lowest score after losing their first five wickets. Saim Ayub was run out in the first over after Rishad Hossain fielded superbly at deep point to create a mix-up between the two openers.Tanzim Hasan Sakib made it five down in the powerplay•AFP/Getty ImagesShoriful, replacing Taskin Ahmed for the match, struck with his third ball next over. He had Mohammad Haris pinned in front with a late-moving in-ducker for a golden duck. Fakhar Zaman, who top scored in the first T20I, fell in Shoriful’s next over, caught down the leg-side for 8.Tanzim’s double blow in the fifth over put Bangladesh further ahead. He had both Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz caught behind off consecutive deliveries, both falling for ducks.Ashraf’s valiant effortPakistan looked doomed at 47 for 7 in the 12th over. With batters running out at the other end, Ashraf chose this point to launch into the Bangladesh attack. He had already slammed Mahedi over long-on for his first six before smashing Rishad for a four and two sixes in a 20-run over. Pakistan were in with a chance needing 52 off the last five overs.Shoriful removed Abbas Afridi at the start of the 17th over, but three balls later Ashraf slammed his third six. Shoriful could have settled matters by the end of the over, but Tanzim dropped a straightforward chance running in from long-on, with Ashraf on 38.Jaker Ali top scored with 55•AFP/Getty ImagesDebutant Ahmed Daniyal picked up two fours off Rishad before Ashraf brought up his fifty with a six over long-on but fell next ball to a delivery that kept low. With 13 needed off the final over, Daniyal struck Mustafizur’s first ball for four but was then caught at the deep midwicket boundary, with Shamim Hossain taking the all-important catch.Rookies lead PakistanAshraf had also given Pakistan their first breakthrough of the match, before their rookies Salman Mirza and Daniyal rocked Bangladesh. Mirza had Litton Das caught in the deep before Towhid Hridoy was run out in the fifth over. Daniyal got into the act in the next over when Parvez Hossain Emon struck the ball down mid-on’s throat for 13. The dangerous Shamim also fell to Daniyal, when he inside edged in the 16th over.Jaker goes bigBangladesh usually expect Jaker Ali to get them out of trouble, and that’s exactly what he did. He waited seven overs before looking for his first big hit, as Bangladesh were reduced to 28 for 4. He started with a mow across the line, that caught the middle of his bat, landing deep into the backward square leg stands.Jaker added 53 runs for the fifth wicket with Mahedi Hasan, who contributed with 33 off 25 balls, with the help of two sixes. After he fell to Mohammad Nawaz in the 14th over, Jaker went for broke. He walloped Daniyal over midwicket for his second six, before Bangladesh lost three more wickets. Shamim, Tanzim and Rishad fell quickly, leaving Jaker with just the last two batters to work with.He struck three more sixes, depositing two more over midwicket, and then the last one down the ground to bring up his fifty. Those last few sixes boosted Bangladesh to an above-par T20I score at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Marcus Rashford is reported to have made his mind up where he wants to play next season, albeit he is still only in the early stages of a loan with Barcelona and his long-term future is far from certain due to the Catalan club's delicate financial situation. The England international fell out of favour with Ruben Amorim last season at Manchester United and any sort of reunion there seems unlikely.

• Rashford's strong Barcelona stats

  Rashford is thriving in Spanish football, where there is more focus on attacking and technique. The England international has contributed a combined six goals and assists in his last seven La Liga appearances – that included setting up Barcelona's only goal strike Sunday's 2-1 defeat in El Clasico. He's also got six Champions League goal contributions in only three matches. That is a far cry from his lowly tallies in his final 18 months at boyhood club United, before first heading out on loan to Aston Villa 10 months ago when Amorim had accused Rashford of lacking the required level of application to warrant playing time. But with his loan agreement at Barcelona only including an option to buy rather than an obligation – the like of which Villa did not trigger – there is no guarantee where Rashford will be come 2026-27.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Rashford wants to stay at Barcelona

  According to the central European edition of out of Switzerland, Rashford wants to make his stay at Barcelona permanent. The club are described as "closely monitoring" how things are going. Already known, the option to buy stands at £28 million ($37m), which is reportedly significantly less than United would ask from other clubs – that figure is now as much as £40m ($53m). Ultimately, the better Rashford performs, the more the Red Devils might be able to demand in an open market if, for whatever reason, Barcelona do not use their lower-priced option.

  Speaking last week about his situation, Rashford told : "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour."

• Can Barcelona afford Rashford?

  Even if they want to keep Rashford from a sporting perspective because of his impressive contributions on the pitch, the biggest obstacle that may prevent the player from remaining in Catalonia is financial. Having made a net loss in 2024-25, despite revenue totalling nearly €1 billion (£870m/$1.16bn), Barcelona are still not in a place of ideal financial health.

  The same problems with player registrations that have plagued several recent summers persisted again during the most recent transfer window. Rashford had to wait for his registration until the 11th hour before the first game of the season, while it was only possible to get new goalkeeper Joan Garcia on the pitch after risking going to war with club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

  Rashford agreed to a 25% pay cut in order to join Barcelona, making it possible for the club to cover his entire salary, which was an obvious source of appeal to Man Utd when they could have been liable for ongoing costs otherwise.

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  No future for Rashford at Man Utd

  The only thing that feels vaguely certain is that Rashford, who has a contract with United until 2028, won't be reintegrated into that squad unless there are drastic changes. He seemed to point blame towards the "inconsistent environment" at Old Trafford for his drop in output since a career best 30-goal season in 2022-23, which led ex-club captain Roy Keane to hit back by saying Rashford was part of the problem. "Towards the end of his time at United, there was obviously issues," Keane during an appearance. "He was part of the problem with the environment, especially [as] one of the most experienced players at United. He should have been setting the standards and showing new people at he club what it’s like to be a United player."

  Things suddenly look much different at United, with the pressure that was building on Amorim relieved by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's public show of faith and a consistent run of improved results. From finally achieving back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since the Portuguese took charge in November 2024, United have now put together three in a row for the first time since a run of games that straddled May and August 2024.

There’s something indescribable about the connection a football club forges with a youngster who successfully works their way from the academy scene to superstardom.

Here goes anyway. Tottenham Hotspur are among the chief purveyors of youth prospects finding a route up to the top level. The Spurs academy is a cornerstone of the club’s philosophy, and Harry Kane stands as a testament to that.

Plying their trade away from N17 are Noni Madueke and Troy Parrott, both rising stars who once earned their stripes under the senior stage in north London.

But the emphasis in recent years has been clear, and Tottenham have a number of rising talents cutting their teeth elsewhere on loan deals.

Luka Vuskovic is evidence of that, the 18-year-old having signed for the Premier League side in 2023 for a reported £13m fee, spending the last two years continuing his development in his Croatian homeland before arriving and heading straight back out to Hamburg in Germany for the current campaign.

Vuskovic may well be the most exciting prospect the Lilywhites have, but he’s not the only one playing elsewhere. Tottenham’s loan strategy is clear.

Spurs loan round-up

In September, Vuskovic earned his maiden cap for Croatia’s men’s team. Four games into his Bundesliga career with Hamburger SV, the teenager has shattered expectations, winning nine duels and recovering five balls on average per game (Sofascore).

A menace in the air and showing age-belying strength, Vuskovic is Tottenham’s future in defence, and the strong partnership of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero will help him to no end down the line, easing his integration into the Premier League arena.

At the other end of the field, Mikey Moore is a talent of a similar standing, hailed by Fabrizio Romano as being a “superstar” in the making. However, he has struggled out with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership since the summer, but the sinking ship at Ibrox makes for hostile conditions indeed.

These two are considered Tottenham’s brightest youth prospects.

It’s not just the youngsters. 26-year-old winger Manor Solomon has a goal and assist across three La Liga appearances with Villarreal, on loan in Spain until the end of the term.

But it’s the younger generation who primarily fill the out-on-loan spots in Spurs’ squad, with midfielder Alfie Devine having made a promising start in England’s second tier with Preston North End, two goals and an assist under the belt.

His versatility and technical ability suggest he could yet work his way into Tottenham’s plans, having, of course, scored aged 16 in the FA Cup when entering against non-league Marine as a substitute.

Not all are enjoying the same fortunes. Jamie Donley, 20, is considered a fine playmaking talent, but he has been on the fringes at Stoke City this season, yet to start in the Championship. Last year, he notched 19 goal contributions on loan with Leyton Orient.

Also at Stoke is Ashley Phillips, a young and talented centre-half who might be something of a forgotten man at Tottenham, but has the potential, just like Vuskovic, to seal a place before Frank’s vision in the coming years.

The Spurs star who could rival Vuskovic

In 2023, Tottenham signed Phillips from Blackburn Rovers for about £3m. A large payment for an 18-year-old, but he was a long-time target and had featured 15 times for the seniors before his big move.

Phillips, still only 20, started 35 matches in the Championship for Stoke last season, winning 60% of his ground duels and making 5.9 clearances per game, data courtesy of Sofascore. He has only started twice so far this season, albeit with both outings coming in Stoke’s recent league matches, two draws.

Vuskovic might be the talk of the town, but Phillips has what it takes to succeed under Frank’s wing, having garnered a wealth of experience in the Championship and playing for a Potters side whose seasonal objective is to achieve promotion, fifth after nine matches.

His is a profile which practically begs to be placed at the highest level, and his skillset is, in theory, perfect for Frank’s tactical system. Tony Mowbray, who managed Phillips at Blackburn, recognised the defender’s potential from the start.

Mowbray said: “He’s an amazing footballer and he is going to be a mega footballer I’m pretty sure, but he’s a very young boy. He’s a 6’3, 6’4 magnificent cut of a guy, fast as lightning, composed with the ball, aggressive.”

These are all the attributes required in a modern defender looking to succeed at the highest level. If Phillips can continue to make headway over the coming months, he may well be linking back up in Tottenham at the same time as Vuskovic, rivalling his junior for a starting berth.

For all his strengths, Vuskovic is hardly in fallible, having won only 47% of his ground battles in Germany so far this season. A strength of Phillips’, this is something which could sway the odds when both jockey for a starring role.

Ashley Phillips – Career Stats by Club/Level

Club

Apps

Minutes

Stoke

46

3,828′

Plymouth

20

1,592′

Blackburn U21

17

1,364′

Blackburn

14

722′

Blackburn U18

12

948′

Tottenham U21

5

450′

Data via Transfermarkt

It was three years ago that Spurs insider Jon Wenham hailed Phillips as a “monster” of a young player, drawing attention to his physique and mental fortitude, clear from the get-go.

The road to superstardom in the Premier League is long and winding. Phillips and those close to him clearly have their wits about them and recognise the advantage in playing the long game.

Kane played out a series of short-term stints away before finding his footing in north London, after his teenage years. Vuskovic is sharpening his own defensive skills.

Phillips walks the same path. Keep an eye on this ‘monstrous’ centre-back; he might just play a significant role in the Frank project down the line.

Related Spurs star who "gives absolutely zero" is now on borrowed time under Frank

Tottenham’s attacking play has found wanting across the opening months of the season.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 14, 2025

Emily Arlott’s maiden List A hundred spearheaded a stirring Warwickshire fightback as they recovered from 22 for five to overcome Essex for their first win in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition.The 27-year-old seamer flourished with the bat, hitting 130 from 141 balls and sharing century partnerships with both Chloe Brewer (44 from 75) and Charis Pavely (31 from 40) to propel the Bears to 289 all out at Chelmsford.Essex seamer Eva Gray returned career-best figures of five for 62 – but the home side’s tally of 32 wides did them no favours and they were bowled out for 181 in response, despite half-centuries from Grace Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith.Left-armer Katie George and medium-pacer Brewer picked up three wickets apiece as Essex were dismissed with 11 overs unused.Essex’s decision to bowl after winning the toss appeared to be more than vindicated when Gray wrecked the visitors’ top order by capturing four wickets in the space of 10 balls.Sterre Kalis was first to depart, lbw playing across the line to Kate Coppack before Amara Carr’s diving catch behind the stumps removed Davina Perrin, while George and Abbey Freeborn were both castled by inswingers from Gray.Nat Wraith also fell cheaply, caught at slip, but Brewer – who survived a difficult chance to cover from her second ball – led the Bears’ counter-attack, driving sweetly through the off side and injecting the innings with momentum.However, she was gradually overtaken by her partner, who punched Coppack for four over midwicket to reach her half-century and continued to accelerate after Brewer’s departure as she and Pavely shared another three-figure stand.Dropped at mid-on on 85, Arlott maintained focus and advanced to her century before dispatching Sophia Smale for three successive boundaries and thrashing a huge leg-side six off Gray as the Warwickshire total passed 250.Arlott eventually became Gray’s fifth victim, bowled attempting to paddle, but the damage had already been done and Issy Wong’s belligerent unbeaten 29 from 14 ensured the Bears finished on a high, with 16 coming from the final over.Wong struck with the ball when Essex launched their reply, nipping one back to clatter into Jo Gardner’s off stump, but Scrivens kept the scoreboard ticking over with a lively knock of 53 from 76.Warwickshire’s spinners struck twice in successive overs, with Scrivens edging behind off Pavely and Jodi Grewcock bowled by Georgia Davis, although Griffith took up the baton with gusto, hammering Davis down the ground for the only six of the innings.But Griffith shed partners at regular intervals, with Brewer pouching a trip of catches off George (three for 38) at midwicket and then claiming two wickets in three balls herself as Essex’s lower order fell apart.Four wickets went down for a single run, including that of Griffith for a creditable 72 from 76 and Brewer (three for 18) wrapped up Warwickshire’s success by trapping Munro leg before.

AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan was once a top target for Chelsea in the summer transfer window, and they could now try again in January, with the Frenchman making his Rossoneri exit stance crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

The France international, who’s widely regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in world football, held talks to join Chelsea before the Club World Cup, but the west Londoners only wanted to pay around £12 million for his signature (Ben Jacobs).

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy in 2026)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

Ben Chilwell

Milan were demanding closer to £25 million, so despite Maignan’s eagerness to join Enzo Maresca’s side, as widely reported, the deal hit a roadblock and ultimately couldn’t be done before the transfer deadline on September 1.

Maresca personally wanted Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper and centre-back during the summer (Simon Phillips), but the Italian ultimately didn’t get his wish, even if they were exploring opportunities until late in the window.

Chelsea’s pursuit of a keeper points towards a lack of faith in current number one Robert Sanchez, and while the latter has impressed them a lot more lately, Maresca is believed to be unhappy with his options in that area of the park (Simon Phillips).

With Gianluigi Donnarumma joining Man City, Maignan is coming back into the frame as a top goalkeeping target for 2026, with his current Milan contract due to expire next summer.

Mike Maignan's stance on leaving AC Milan with Chelsea "ready" to move in January

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, Chelsea are “ready” to move for Maignan in January and sign him on a pre-contract ahead of next season.

Les Bleus’ number one has also postponed all new contract talks with Milan, which is a clear indicator that he’s set his sights on leaving the San Siro next year, and Chelsea could be set to benefit from the proven keeper’s arrival.

While Sanchez has kept two clean sheets in his first three Premier League games, there is little denying Maignan would be an upgrade, as explained by Liverpool’s Alisson.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has been hit with some frustrating injury blows in the early weeks of the season, as Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka have both been ruled out for several weeks.

The German boss has had to go with Ilia Gruev in the number six position in the last two Premier League games because of those injuries, and the Whites failed to score in a 6-0 loss to Arsenal and a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United.

Whilst a point from those two matches, for a newly-promoted side, is far from the end of the world, Leeds may still want more from their midfield defensively and offensively.

Gruev has won two duels a game in the top-flight, whilst he has not scored a goal since the play-offs in 2024, per Sofascore, and that may be why the club are reportedly looking to bring in another midfielder.

Leeds eyeing late move for midfield star

The Championship champions have until 7 pm on Monday to finalise their squad for the first half of the campaign, with a new midfield monster on the agenda.

Transfer Focus

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

According to journalist Jose Palacio, via El Larguero, Leeds United are one of the teams in the race to seal a deal for Getafe star Christantus Uche.

The reporter claims that the Whites are knocking on the door to sign the Nigeria international from the Spanish side in a last-gasp swoop for his services.

He adds, though, that Crystal Palace are also ready to join the bidding for the 22-year-old star, whom he claims has turned down a move to Wolves, who were pushing to finalise a £17m deal.

It is now down to Leeds to convince Uche to make the move to Elland Road before the deadline, as he could arrive as a big upgrade on Ilia Gruev.

Why Leeds should sign Christantus Uche

The Getafe whiz is an incredibly interesting transfer target for the club because of the versatility that he would provide, as Jose Bordalas has utilised him as a centre-forward and as a central midfielder in LaLiga.

U23 scout Antonio Mango once claimed that he could be developed into a “midfield monster”, in the same way that Joelinton was for Newcastle, and Farke could do that to make him an upgrade on Gruev.

The Nigerian brute has the physical attributes and experience in a major league in Spain to suggest that he could offer way more physicality to the team in front of the defence than the Bulgaria international.

Uche’s outings as a striker also mean that he has the potential to provide more of a goal threat from midfield than Gruev, as the clip above shows that he can score goals at the top level.

Appearances

33

23

Goals

4

0

Assists

6

2

Ground duels won per game

4.1

2.3

Aerial duels won per game

2.8

0.8

As you can see in the table above, Getafe’s versatile titan offered more in front of goal and more to his team in duels than Gruev did for Leeds at a lower level in the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he could impact games at both ends of the pitch more frequently.

Uche has also started the current season by scoring one goal, providing one assist, and winning eight duels per match in his three outings in LaLiga, whilst the Bulgaria international has only won two duels per game for the Whites, per Sofascore.

Leeds open new talks to sign "fantastic" target after Buonanotte collapse

The Whites are still after an attacking addition.

1 ByTom Cunningham Aug 30, 2025

These statistics suggest that Leeds would be signing an upgrade on Gruev, as well as a versatile star who can be utilised in other roles, as a midfield monster who can protect the back four to greater effect with his impressive physicality.

England were proactive and stayed in the game but could not dislodge India’s No. 3

Sidharth Monga25-Jan-20252:01

Tilak’s finishing reminds Manjrekar of MS Dhoni

India are used to their No. 3 sealing tense chases in limited-overs cricket. With the legendary one retired from T20Is, the new one shepherded India to a 2-0 lead with a 55-ball 72 that Virat Kohli himself would have been proud of. With wickets falling around him, Tilak Varma had to tamper with his natural game and even farm the strike in the end, but he produced just enough hits to take India over the line with two wickets in hand.The two sides brought two diametrically opposite styles to the match. India continued testing England with spin, bowling 14 overs of them for 118 runs and six wickets. The beleaguered England side kept going hard at them, somehow managing to get to 165, and then unleashed high pace and bounce on a surface that gave them just enough zip. They defended bravely, gambling twice with spin, but while the pace and bounce brought them wickets, it also travelled. Jofra Archer went for 60 in his four overs. Tilak took his last over, the 16th, for 19 to tilt the scales decisively.Same, same but differentA first-over wicket for Arshdeep Singh. Check. This time with a bouncer bowled across the body of Phil Salt with two men back for the hook.A first-ball wicket with spin. Check. This time to home boy Washington Sundar, who replaced the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.Wickets for Varun Chakravarthy. Check. Harry Brook bowled through the gate the first time he faced Varun.Tight bowling from Axar Patel. Check. And this resulted in the two big wickets of Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone.However, England refused to get bogged down. They kept hitting back despite the loss of wickets. Buttler scored 45 off 30. Score 90 for 5 in the 12th over.Varun Chakravarthy bowled Harry Brook for his first international wicket at his home ground, Chepauk•BCCI

Smith and Carse boost EnglandDebutant Jamie Smith, playing in place of the unwell Jacob Bethell, displayed early promise by playing Axar like a medium-pacer and lofting him over long-on. India seemed to have gone to the well too often when they introduced the part-timer Abhishek Sharma, the fifth spinner. Smith took him for a six and a four off the first two balls, but eventually he, too, went to the well once too often and hit a third arm ball straight to long-off.Brought in to provide batting depth, Brydon Carse displayed all-around ability, hitting three sixes in his 31 off 17. Two of them came off Varun, again under the assumption that everything turns in or goes straight on. A poorly judged second run, though, resulted in his run-out, costing them a big kick in the end. The last four overs brought them just 29.Pace meets fireArcher and Mark Wood let the ball rip under the night sky. Wood seamed a quick delivery back to trap Abhishek, but not before the opener had taken down Archer by carving him for three boundaries in the first over. Varma went a step further by giving him the 1-2: back away and cut for four, followed by a swept six out of the stadium. In between, Archer’s pace accounted for the wicket of Sanju Samson.Tilak Varma hit five sixes in his knock•AFP/Getty Images

England dig inEngland didn’t back down, and kept testing the middle of the pitch. They went for runs, but Carse managed to get the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Dhruv Jurel with just that length. Jamie Overton piled on with a corker first ball to take the glove of Hardik Pandya as India lost three wickets for 21 runs in four overs and slipped to 78 for 5 in 9.1.Rashid drops WashingtonWith a little bit of grip available to him, Adil Rashid bowled beautifully in the middle overs to pile the pressure on India. Four runs came off 11 balls for the stand. Then a flying bouncer for five wides brought India relief. However, Wood again seemed to have produced the wicket, but Rashid dropped a sitter at mid-on. A no-ball, later in the over, was followed by a six off the free hit, and two glorious back-foot aerial punches to hard lengths that cleared mid-off. Now 53 required off seven.England buy their way backCarse again produced a beauty to hit the top of middle of Washington. India still had one more allrounder before they could get into the tail. Buttler bought that wicket with the introduction of Liam Livingstone’s spin. Axar holed out to deep midwicket, to open one end up with 40 still needed off 31.Tilak prevailsButtler went to Archer to drive home the advantage but Tilak cracked the game open. A top-edged six didn’t quite amuse Archer, who had seen Tilak do that earlier as well, but the flat square-cut for the follow-up six stunned him. More desperation followed when Arshdeep toe-ended a boundary but Archer had been distracted by his backing away and wasn’t attacking the stumps at any rate.Buttler gambled again with Rashid. Tilak farmed the strike early, and gave Arshdeep just one ball to play out. Like Axar, Arshdeep, too, swung hard and holed out to deep square leg.Carse again bowled a tight over to leave 13 off the last two, and Buttler gambled again. Tilak took the first four balls again. For just three. Now you can’t blame the lower order for lack of consistency. Even Ravi Bishnoi swung at Livingstone, but this time the edge flew just over short third.Tilak finished it off with a searing cover-driven four with four balls to go.

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres have been warned their transfer tactics could come back to haunt them after sealing moves to Liverpool and Arsenal.

• Alex Frei slams Isak and Gyokeres for forcing summer moves
• Strikers warned behaviour could harm Sweden’s World Cup hopes
• Isak joins Liverpool for €145m, Gyokeres signs for Arsenal for €65m

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Swiss international striker Alexander Frei has heavily criticised the new Premier League forwards for the methods used in convincing their former clubs to sell them, with both Swedish stars caught up in public feuds before finally being granted their wishes.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The criticism targets the controversial nature of two of the summer's most protracted transfer sagas. Isak's move from Newcastle United to Liverpool for a British record £125 million (€145m) was finalised on deadline day after the striker refused to play in the Magpies' opening three league matches to force the transfer. He also took to social media to accuse the club of breaking promises to him. The 25-year-old has since opted to shun all media duties while with the Swedish national team to focus on his football. 

  Similarly, Gyokeres's switch to Arsenal for £64 million (€74m) followed a drawn-out saga that sparked a conflict with Sporting CP's president, who engaged in a war of words with the player and his agent. 

• WHAT FREI SAID

  Speaking after Sweden's 2-0 loss to Kosovo, in which both forwards featured, Frei took aim at the pair and suggested their transfers may backfire and could badly affect the national team's World Cup hopes.

  "With Isak… It just fits the picture. He went on strike at Newcastle, refused to train, and then moved for almost 150 million euros. An amount I can't understand at all. This will be one of the biggest misunderstandings in football. You'll see," he said on

  "The same thing happened with Gyokeres. He went on strike in Lisbon so he could join Arsenal. I simply don't understand that. It will catch up with you. Maybe this is the first warning that they won't qualify for the World Cup."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Both Isak and Gyokeres now face the immediate pressure of performing for their new clubs to justify their significant transfer fees. For Liverpool and Arsenal, the focus will be on integrating their expensive new assets into the squads as the Premier League season continues. On the international stage, the Swedish duo will be central to their country's efforts to revive a faltering World Cup qualification campaign after picking up one point from two matches.

After welcoming veteran defender Ashley Young, Ipswich Town are now reportedly prioritising a summer swoop to sign a La Liga forward and welcome a much-needed replacement for Liam Delap.

McKenna: Young's "achievements speak for themselves"

At 39 years old, Young has made the latest move in a career that has seen him with the Premier League, Serie A, and become one of the most experienced players that English football has to offer. Dropping down to the Championship, the former Inter Milan man will be hoping to ensure that Ipswich complete an instant return to the Premier League.

Speaking to the club website after welcoming Young, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said: “Ashley has had a fantastic career and his achievements speak for themselves. He has maintained an extremely high level of professionalism and competitiveness through his career and he is still playing at a very good level.

“We feel his leadership and experience will be valuable to the group this season and he is very hungry to contribute on and off the pitch. It’s a very strong signing for the group and the club.”

The defender himself, meanwhile, also had plenty of praise for McKenna after putting pen to paper. He said: “He’s a winner and you see that on the training pitch.

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“On the sidelines at the games, I get to see that day in, day out. He was a massive pull. Obviously, I worked with him at [Manchester] United. I knew his beliefs, I knew what he wants to do with the club, I’ve seen what he’s done with this club as well.”

After adding crucial experience to their side, however, Ipswich’s summer business looks unlikely to end there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve set their sights on a replacement for ex-star striker Delap.

Ipswich prioritising Romero move

According to reports in Spain, Ipswich are now prioritising a deal to sign Isaac Romero, who would be arriving to replace the departed Delap this summer. Sevilla are reportedly open to the forward’s departure, which should hand those at Portman Road the chance to come swooping in at the right price.

The 25-year-old striker struggled to adapt to La Liga last season after scoring 11 goals in 15 games in Spain’s second tier in the campaign prior and could now be on his way out of the club.

If his agent’s eye for marketable talent is anything to go by he’s certainly got potential however – his AS1 group also represent £115m Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

On paper, his arrival would be a risk for Ipswich but perhaps one worth taking. At his best, Romero starred in Spain’s second division and a return to a similar level may yet see him rediscover that clinical form.

Whilst Romero won’t steal the same headlines as Delap’s arrival did last summer, he could prove to be the clinical goalscorer that McKenna desperately needs in the Championship next season.