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Serie A giants Inter Milan are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the January transfer window. The Argentina shot-stopper continues to be linked with a big-money move away from Villa Park after missing out on a deadline-day switch to fellow Premier League side Manchester United in the summer.

Report claims Inter are eyeing Martinez amid doubts over Sommer

In a new report from Italian heavyweights Inter are interested in landing Martinez when the transfer window re-opens in just over a month’s time. The report claims Villa are prepared to cash in on the 33-year-old, should a suitable offer arrive at the start of next year.

The report states Cristian Chivu’s Inter have doubts over current No. 1 goalkeeper Yann Sommer and are therefore weighing up their options ahead of the January transfer window. The Nerazzurri are currently top of Serie A on 24 points, leading the way ahead of second-placed Roma thanks to a better goal difference.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportUnited opted to sign Belgium 'keeper Lammens instead of Martinez

While it remains to be seen whether Martinez will leave in January, the rumours continue to swirl following his failed transfer to Ruben Amorim’s United in the summer. The former Arsenal goalkeeper was reportedly sitting by the phone as he waited to hear whether Villa and United had agreed a transfer on deadline day, only for the Red Devils to sign youngster Senne Lammens instead.

Lammens has been a revelation since moving to Old Trafford from Belgian side Royal Antwerp. The 23-year-old made his Premier League debut against high-flying Sunderland on 4 October, keeping a clean sheet as Amorim’s men recorded a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko.

Former Club Brugge stopper Lammens has remained between the sticks for United’s following four league games – the 2-1 and 4-2 victories over Liverpool and Brighton respectively, as well as the 2-2 draws with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

Lammens also made his debut for the Belgium senior team in their thumping 7-0 victory over minnows Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. Rudi Garcia’s side subsequently booked their place at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after topping Group J ahead of second-placed Wales.

Young shot-stopper receives praise from former United boss Sir Alex

Such has been Lammens’ impressive form that he has been praised by legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Speaking to earlier this month, the Scot said: "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. 

“Of course, Mbeumo and Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better.

“I think back-to-back wins is something teams like United should always expect. But having gone through a cycle where the improvement has to come by waiting and being patient, they’ll enjoy it now.”

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Getty Images SportArgentina ace Martinez told he missed out on 'chance of a lifetime'

Meanwhile, former Manchester City and Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given believes Martinez missed out on “the chance of a lifetime” after United opted to sign Lammens ahead of him.

In an interview with Given said: “It felt very close in the window just gone past, with him not playing. I think Villa played in a live game on deadline day, and he wasn’t in the squad. Everyone thought he was off, maybe to Manchester United, but that didn't happen. Then he came back as number one again to Villa. 

“He’s playing again, he’s their top man. I don’t know if the ship has sailed for a move next summer. Manchester United? Probably, not that Senne Lammens has arrived and done really well. Maybe it was a chance in a lifetime for Emi, and it’s been missed now.”

Martinez is expected to start as Villa return to Premier League action against Leeds United on Sunday. He could then lock horns with both Amorim's United and Lammens when the two sides face off in the league on Sunday, 21 December at Villa Park.

Elsewhere, United and Lammens will look to continue their fine form when they entertain Everton in the league on Monday evening, while Martinez’s reported suitors Inter face rivals Milan in the derby on Sunday night.

Spirited batting closes gap to eighth place with one round of matches to come

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025Durham 450 for 6 (Gay 161, Rhodes , Bedingham 58) drew with Worcestershire 591 for 9 dec (Roderick 151, Brookes 100, D’Oliveira 84, Taylor 66*, Edavalath 61)Centuries from Emilio Gay and Will Rhodes helped Durham pick up five crucial batting bonus points as they drew their Rothesay County Championship clash with already relegated Worcestershire.In the morning the Pears picked up a couple of Durham scalps to halt their quest for batting bonus points, but Gay and David Bedingham (58) combined for a partnership worth 122 to help Durham’s cause.Gay then reached three figures, while Rhodes scored his maiden first-class hundred for Durham to get them to 450 for six, securing the maximum number of batting points available ahead of a potential relegation decider against Yorkshire next week.Worcestershire declared overnight on 591 for nine, leaving Durham with the task of getting batting bonus points to boost their chances of staying in Division One.Opener Alex Lees carved a Tom Taylor delivery through the covers to the boundary, but Taylor got Lees next ball as he was caught behind for eight.The Pears were testing Durham in the early stages, but Gay relieved the pressure as he produced a great straight drive off Taylor which went for four.Durham’s pursuit stalled as Ben McKinney then departed for 16 at the hands of Matthew Waite as he edged one to Ben Gibbon at slip.That brought David Bedingham to the crease and the batter managed to find the boundary with ease in the early stages of his innings.Pears skipper Brett D’Oliveira came into the attack, but on his follow through he went over on his right ankle, which prompted concerns from the dressing room given they have the Metro Bank One Day Cup final on Saturday.Gay continued to tick along nicely and got his fifty from 71 balls, while taking his side to 100 before lunch.Bedingham continued to attack the bowlers after the lunch interval as he clipped one on the onside for four and he played another excellent shot, this time carving a Taylor delivery through the covers for four.Gay was almost heading back to the pavilion on 72, as he edged an Allison delivery but Gibbon couldn’t cling on to it with an outstretched hand.Bedingham then brought up his second fifty of the season from 79 balls and smashed a six off the bowling of Waite next ball. However, he went for one hit too many as Waite got him for 58 after he didn’t get enough on a pull shot, which Allison caught on the boundary.Gay continued to motor, now alongside Will Rhodes, and he picked up his fourth century of the season from 127 balls.The opener continued to play fluently after reaching the milestone, picking up three boundaries in a Brookes over, and Durham reached their first batting point in the 53rd over.Gay passed the milestone of 150 for the third time this campaign after tea and Rhodes, who has struggled for First Class runs this season, played nicely and found the boundary with a tidy glance off the legs from a Gibbon ball.Rhodes then reached fifty for the first time in Durham whites from 72 deliveries and he picked up another boundary straight after. Gay then went for an excellent 161, his highest Durham score, as he chopped a Gibbon delivery onto his leg stump.Rhodes continued Durham’s swashbuckling approach as he heaved a Dan Lategan to the boundary, but Ollie Robinson fell soon after for four as he was bowled by the part-time off spin of Jake Libby.Rhodes continued his charge as he smashed Lategan for a six down the ground and then reached three figures for the first time this season, coming from 121 balls.Graham Clark produced a quick 29 to speed things up, but Libby got his second of the day as he got the Durham man caught and bowled.Rhodes then got his 150 and guided his side to 450, the magic number for five batting points, and the two sides shook hands just after 5pm.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph at the end of the 2024/25 campaign has brought added expectations, after finally ending their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.

Ange Postecoglou’s triumph in Bilbao ended a generational wait for a trophy, but he was sacked after such victory, handing the responsibility to Thomas Frank in the process.

The Dane was handed a huge sum of money to try and build on the triumph, with the hierarchy backing the new manager after taking the reins ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Over £100m was spent on new additions, which has led to the Lilywhites already making an impact in the Premier League – as seen by their fifth-placed standing after the third international break.

Mohammed Kudus has already hit the ground running, registering one goal and one assist in the league, but the same can’t be said for one of their big-money summer additions.

How Simons compares to other PL midfielders in 2025/26

During the summer transfer window, Spurs forked out a total of £52m for the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, with the youngster joining the club from RB Leipzig.

The move ended their summer-long pursuit of a new attacking midfielder, with numerous options being targeted before completing a deal for the Dutch international.

Premier League options such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were both considered, but various factors saw the Lilywhites miss out on both of the player’s signatures.

As a result, Simons was the man chosen to fill the void, with such a move generating huge excitement within the fanbase – undoubtedly aided by the sizable transfer fee.

However, a couple of months on from his big-money transfer to North London, the 22-year-old has ultimately failed to deliver, as seen by his tally of just two assists in his first 14 outings.

His underlying stats further showcase his lack of quality, with the youngster being massively outperformed by numerous players also in a single position in England’s top-flight.

He’s only created an average of 1.01 chances per 90, with such a tally ranking him in the bottom 25% of all other midfielders in the league, with right-back Pedro Porro creating more chances in the same time period.

Simons has also been dispossessed an average of 2.1 times per 90, subsequently placing him in the bottom 18% of all players in the division for the same category.

He will certainly need time to settle into life in England after his big-money transfer, but there’s little denying that he’s been a huge disappointment in recent months.

As a result, he could find himself struggling to nail down a starting role in the near future, especially if one player continues his phenomenal development at the club.

The Spurs star who could end Simons’ Spurs career

Over the years, the Spurs faithful have been blessed with countless talents who have operated in the attacking midfield role – subsequently handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.

James Maddison was the latest player in the role before his ACL injury, with the Englishman achieving some phenomenal levels during his spell in the first team in North London.

He’s racked up 16 goals and 19 assists in his 75 appearances for the Lilywhites, with his tally of 12 goals in 2024/25 the highest he’s managed after his £40m switch.

Dele was another Englishman who filled such a role in the years prior, with the former first-team star managing to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award on two separate occasions.

However, whilst he failed to match the expectations over a sustained period, Frank could be about to rely on Luca Williams-Barnett during his spell in North London.

The 17-year-old has generated huge excitement over the last couple of months, with the youngster making huge waves within various age categories in the academy.

He’s been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s side for the vast majority of the previous campaign.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

At just 17, he’s arguably made himself one of the age group’s biggest stars, with his numbers from the ongoing season further reflecting his star quality despite his tender age.

Luca Williams-Barnett

10

Rio Kyerematen

5

Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny

4

Tynan Thompson

4

Yusuf Akhamrich

4

Oliver Irow

3

Dane Scarlett

2

Dante Cassanova

2

Williams-Barnett has made just eight appearances, but it hasn’t stopped him from catching the eye, as seen by his remarkable tally of seven goals and five assists.

Back in September, he registered three goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory over Leicester City – with such a display undoubtedly his best in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

As a result of his performances, the youngster was named in the England U17 World Cup squad, with the midfielder already scoring twice during the ongoing competition.

Williams-Barnett has also made his senior debut during Frank’s tenure, as he was brought on in the 87th minute of the Carabao Cup victory over League One Doncaster Rovers back in September.

His performances across various teams in 2025/26 has led to huge praise being directed his way, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as “one of England’s best talents”.

At just 17, the club will certainly have to manage the expectations placed upon him, but it’s undeniable that the Lilywhites have a phenomenal young prospect on their hands.

It’s unclear what his route to first-team success would be, but the hierarchy need to prepare a plan to allow him to match the potential he currently possesses at present.

As for Simons, he will need to rapidly buck his ideas up after his big-money transfer, with his spell in North London certainly being one to forget in recent months.

His future at the club could be in huge jeopardy in the years ahead, especially if Williams-Barnett is able to continue on his current development path in the youth ranks.

Spurs have another Kane in the making but he's likely to leave like Parrott

Tottenham have to watch from afar as Troy Parrott emerges as a clinical forward on the global stage.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

The New York Yankees had a simple formula for getting free agent pitcher Max Fried to sign with them. They added someone he knew to the mix, then offered the most money.

After missing out on re-signing Juan Soto, New York pivoted to one of the best players left on the free agent market and convinced Fried to head to the Bronx on an eight-year, $218 million deal. The New York Post's Joel Sherman reports the Yankees weren't Fried's top choice, but they convinced him after a Zoom meeting and contract negotiations.

The Yankees put nine members of their organization on a video call with Fried and his team. General manager Brian Cashman, pitching coach Matt Blake, and manager Aaron Boone were the headliners, but a familiar face also joined. Yankees special advisor Omar Minaya was on the call and he and Fried have crossed paths before. Minaya was senior vice president of baseball operations for the San Diego Padres when they selected Fried with the seventh pick in the 2012 MLB draft.

Minaya wasn't the Yankees' only tool in negotiations, they also brought a large checkbook with them. The Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers had reportedly offered Fried seven years and $190 million, while the Yankees were at eight years and $210 million Fried had wanted the extra year added to the deal. Eventually, Fried's team asked for a largely symbolic financial push.

Fried's reps reportedly told the Yankees that if they went to eight years and $218 million the bidding would be over. The number would set the record for the largest contract ever given to a left-handed pitcher by $1 million, eclipsing the seven-year, $217 million the Boston Red Sox gave David Price in 2015.

The Yankees agreed and the deal was consummated. In the end, they outbid the Rangers by $20 million.

Fried, whose 2.81 ERA over the last five seasons is the lowest by an MLB pitcher who has thrown at least 500 innings, will join a loaded rotation that already features Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes, and Clarke Schmidt.

The Yankees moved on from Soto and used every trick at their disposal to land Fried.

England moved within touching distance of unprecedented World Cup qualifying history after a composed 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley maintained their flawless defensive record. With Thomas Tuchel's side yet to concede in the campaign, a clean sheet against Albania would make them the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game qualifying cycle without letting in a single goal.

England beat Serbia in penultimate qualifier

England cruised to another victory as they defeated Serbia 2-0 at Wembley on Thursday, stretching their perfect record in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring on the half-hour mark with a crisp volley, before Eberechi Eze came off the bench to curl home a superb late finish and seal a seventh straight win.

The match followed a familiar pattern in this qualifying cycle, with England asserting dominance early and forcing Serbia to defend deep for long spells. Harry Kane’s movement, Saka’s incisiveness and Declan Rice’s control ensured Serbia were rarely able to build sustained attacks, while England’s defence remained largely untroubled aside from isolated counterattacks.

England’s clean sheet was also significant, extending their run to seven games without conceding, already a rare feat in UEFA World Cup qualifying. Serbia created a handful of half-chances but were kept at bay through Jordan Pickford’s alert positioning and the strong recovery defending of Ezri Konsa and John Stones. With the win, England closed in on a piece of history never before achieved in a European qualifying group of eight matches.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThree Lions closing in on a World Cup qualifying record

The victory places England on the brink of an unprecedented defensive milestone, one that would underline the transformative impact Tuchel has had since taking charge. Should the Three Lions avoid conceding in their final qualifier against Albania, they would become the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game World Cup qualifying campaign without letting in a goal. It would surpass even the great England side of 1990, which finished a six-game campaign without conceding.

Getty Images SportTuchel's side maintain flawless campaign

Beyond the clean sheet streak, England’s qualifying journey has showcased the depth and discipline required to thrive under Tuchel’s demanding standards. Pickford has now kept ten consecutive competitive clean sheets, supported by a defensive line that has remained calm under pressure and excelled at denying opponents high-value opportunities. Stones, Konsa and Rice have all played crucial roles in sustaining England’s impeccable defensive record.

This campaign has also highlighted Tuchel’s insistence on competition for places, with no player guaranteed a starting role regardless of club form or reputation. Tuchel has repeatedly stressed that his focus is on building collective unity, and England’s ability to rotate without losing fluidity underscores how deeply the squad has bought into his approach.

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Albania trip last up in qualifying

England now travel to Tirana for their final World Cup qualifier to take on Albania, where the chance to make history may serve as a major motivational factor despite the game being a dead rubber. Top spot in the group is already secured and Albania are locked into second place.

Should England secure the clean sheet, they will step into the 2026 World Cup not only as qualifying history-makers but also as one of the tournament’s most tactically complete and defensively formidable sides.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has now approved a move for AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, with a huge opening bid in the works.

The Blues retain an interest in the left-winger despite signing both Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer transfer window, with the latter finally getting off the mark in front of goal in the 4-3 EFL Cup triumph against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

At 21-years-old, however, both the former Borussia Dortmund man and Garnacho are still in the infancy of their careers, with Paul Merson making it clear he believes the west Londoners need to bring in players with more experience.

The former Arsenal man said: “The team is too young. The oldest player there is 23, 24?”

“When you get a young team, you’re up and down, they have wingers who are very inconsistent. [Pedro] Neto on his day will be outstanding, the next minute…

“There’s no 7/10s all the way through, it’s either eight, nine or fives. They can’t win the Premier League like that.”

Chelsea making strong push to sign Rafael Leao

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are now looking to bring in a forward with a lot more top-level experience, with it being revealed they are making a strong push to sign Leao, having emerged as frontrunners in the race for the winger’s signature.

Maresca has personally approved a move for the Portuguese forward, and the Blues would be willing to pay around €120m (£105m) to get a deal over the line, which could be enough to tempt the Italian club into a sale.

The 26-year-old is a priority target, having proven himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in Europe on his day, and the left-winger could be the cornerstone of Maresca’s project.

The Almada-born forward has been impressing in Italy for a number of years, having reached double figures for Serie A assists in each of the last four seasons.

Season

Serie A appearances

Assists

2021-22

34

10

2022-23

35

10

2023-24

34

10

2024-25

34

10

Having chipped in with a whopping 74 goals in 267 appearances for the Italian club, there is every sign the Portugal international could be capable of taking Maresca’s forward line to the next level.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also waxed lyrical about the AC Milan star in the past, singling him out for very high praise on X earlier this year.

Leao could be a top signing for Chelsea, but Maresca may have to offload one of his current wingers before signing him, given that the manager already has a plethora of options in attacking areas.

Rafael Leao has been named as one of the best wingers in the world The Best 15 Wingers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best wide man in world football right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 28, 2025

Bruce could be seen in his new team colours at the Cricket World Cup League 2 matches in the Canada leg starting August 27

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2025Tom Bruce has shifted his loyalties from New Zealand to Scotland, and will be seen in action for his new team later this month, when Scotland take part in the Cricket World Cup League 2 matches in the Canada leg, starting August 27.Bruce, who qualified to play for Scotland because of his Edinburgh-born father, represented a Scotland Development side in 2016, before moving to New Zealand. A top-order batter, Bruce played domestic cricket for Central Districts since 2014, and represented New Zealand in 17 T20Is between 2017 and 2020. He was most recently in action for Central Districts at the Global Super League in Providence, Guyana.In a Cricket Scotland statement, Bruce said, “There’s a long Scottish history within my family and I know they will be incredibly proud that I am representing Scotland on the world stage. I’ve been fortunate enough to play for New Zealand five years ago, and I want to continue to showcase my skills on the world stage, and help the Scotland team achieve success, as I know the group is capable of achieving success and continuing to grow as a team.Related

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“I was involved briefly in the set-up back in 2016, and it was an awesome experience. I played alongside and against a lot of the current group of Scotland players, and it’s been great following their development through the years and I’m looking forward to linking up with them again.”For me, I want to help the team in any way shape or form to play some consistent quality cricket and ultimately help get us to a World Cup.”Now 34, Bruce made a name for himself first when he hit 223 runs at a strike rate of 140.25 for Central Districts in the 2015-16 Super Smash. An innovative hitter, he had another good run at the following Super Smash, and that earned him a call-up to the New Zealand squad for a T20I series against Bangladesh. Success was elusive at that level, though, as Bruce scored a total of 279 runs at a strike rate of 122.36 from his 17 T20I innings with two half-centuries.”I’m very excited about Tom joining the group, not only is he a world-class cricketer, he brings a whole range of experience, he’s played a lot of 50-over and T20 cricket,” Doug Watson, the Scotland men’s head coach, said. “He’s going to add massive value both on the field and off the field in the years ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting him amongst the group, and I’m sure he’ll fit in perfectly well.”Scotland squadRichie Berrington (capt), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Josh Davey, Jasper Davidson, Chris Greaves, Jack Jarvis, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Charlie Tear, Mark Watt

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to meet in the World Series for the 12th time in history beginning on Friday, Oct. 25. It's the most reccurring World Series matchup in MLB history.

The Yankees will make their first World Series appearance in 15 years. They've won 27 times, which is the MLB record. The Dodgers last competed in the 2020 World Series when they won their seventh title.

As MLB awaits to crown this year's winner, here's everything you need to know about the 2024 World Series.

Full World Series Schedule

Below is the full schedule for the 2024 World Series. It's a best-of-7 series, so games that may not be needed are denoted as such.

Game

Date

Time (ET)

Location

1

Friday, Oct. 25

8:08 p.m. ET

Dodger Stadium

2

Saturday, Oct. 26

8:08 p.m. ET

Dodger Stadium

3

Monday, Oct. 28

8:08 p.m. ET

Yankee Stadium

4

Tuesday, Oct. 29

8:08 p.m. ET

Yankee Stadium

5 (if necessary)

Wednesday, Oct. 30

8:08 p.m. ET

Yankee Stadium

6 (if necessary)

Friday, Nov. 1

8:08 p.m. ET

Dodger Stadium

7 (if necessary)

Saturday, Nov. 2

8:08 p.m. ET

Dodger Stadium

Which Teams Are Playing in the 2024 World Series?

The Yankees and the Dodgers will compete in the 2024 World Series. The Dodges had an MLB best 98–64 regular season record. The Yankees posted a 84–68 regular season record.

Both teams were the No. 1 seeds in the American and National Leagues in the postseason, meaning they had wild-card byes.

The Yankees faced the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS, winning the best-of-five series 3–1 to advance to the ALCS. From there, the Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 4–1 to reach the World Series.

The Dodgers played the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, winning a close 3–2 series victory. The Dodgers then faced the red hot New York Mets in the NLCS, capturing a 4–2 series win.

Series Format

The World Series is a best-of-seven series, meaning the victorious team needs to win four games to capture the title.

Even though both the Yankees and the Dodgers were both the No. 1 seeds, the Dodgers had the better regular season record, meaning they get the first home field advantage. The series will be played in Los Angeles for Games 1 and 2, followed by going to New York for Games 3, 4 and 5, if needed. Then, the series would head back to Los Angeles if Games 6 or 7 are needed.

Game-by-Game Scores and Results

Game

Date

Result

1

Friday, Oct. 25

Dodgers 6, Yankees 3

2

Saturday, Oct. 26

Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

3

Monday, Oct. 28

TBD

4

Tuesday, Oct. 29

TBD

5 (if necessary)

Wednesday, Oct. 30

TBD

6 (if necessary)

Friday, Nov. 1

TBD

7 (if necessary)

Saturday, Nov. 2

TBD

Seamers restrict free-flowing India before top-order knock off target with 113 balls to spare

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Jul-2025England U19s ended their Youth ODI series against India on a high with an impressive seven-wicket victory at Visit Worcestershire New Road.The tourists took the series by a 3-2 margin but England deservedly won the final game after an excellent bowling display restricted India’s power-packed batting line-up to 210 for nine. A strong collective effort saw all six bowlers take wickets with Ralphie Albert (two for 24) and Alex French (two for 37) most impressive. Only RS Ambrish (66 not out from 81 balls) passed 40.England then cruised to 211 for three with 113 balls to spare. Ben Mayes (82 not out ,76 balls) and Thomas Rew (49 not out, 37) saw their side home at a canter after Ben Dawkins (66, 53) laid the platform with his third successive score in the sixties.After India chose to bat, England’s rejigged seam attack began superbly with French and Matt Firbank each striking in their first over. Ayush Mhatre’s unproductive series concluded with a careless flick to mid-on off Firbank before French added the big wicket of Vihaan Malhotra. Scorer of a high-class century in the previous game, Malhotra edged a superb delivery to wicketkeeper Rew.Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 322 from 162 balls in the first four games in the series, this time lacked fluency. He hit Firbank for successive sixes but was well-contained apart from that before, on 33 from 42, slicing Sebastian Morgan to deep third.Leicestershire seamer Alex Green maintained the pressure and was rewarded with the wicket of Rahul Kumar, well caught on the long-leg rope by Dawkins. When England turned to spin, Albert soon ousted the dangerous Harvansh Pangalia (24, 37) lbw, sweeping,Albert added the wicket of Kanishk Chouhan, slickly stumped by Rew having been lured down the wicket, and it was left to Ambrish to ensure the innings filled its 50 overs. He did so with a skilful half-century, shepherding the tail.England’s reply took an early hit when Joe Moores bottom-edged a pull at Deepesh Davendra to wicketkeeper Pangalia, but Dawkins and Mayes broke the back of the chase with a stand of 107 in 13 overs. Dawkins batted with increasing authority until, in pursuit of his fourth six, he lifted Naman Pushpak to long-on where Chauhan took an excellent running catch.When Pushpak turned one through the gate of Rocky Flintoff, India had a glimmer of hope, but captain Rew reached the crease with the equation still very favourable to England – 90 needed from 31 overs. Mayes reached his half-century from 48 balls and stayed strong to unfurl an immaculately organised innings while Rew ended the match with a flurry of boundaries against a flagging attack in an unbroken stand of 90 from 73 balls.

Everton are eyeing a move for a £15m-rated player who is also wanted by Real Madrid this summer, according to a fresh transfer update regarding their upcoming transfer business.

Everton eyeing summer signings

The Blues continue to be linked with new signings ahead of next season, with Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin emerging as an option to provide competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko moving forward. He is also out of contract at Goodison Park next summer, too, so the Black Cats player could be viewed as a long-term successor.

Meanwhile, Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis has also been linked with a move to Everton, following an impressive season for the Portuguese giants that has seen him score 24 goals in all competitions. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin potentially leaving, a new centre forward is a must for David Moyes.

In terms of possible shock signings, Liverpool winger Ben Doak has been mentioned as an option for the Blues, with his future at Anfield still unsure because of the options in front of him in attacking areas.

The teenage Scot has spent this season on loan at Middlesbrough, scoring three goals and registering seven assists in the Championship, but there is no guarantee that the Reds see a future for him at the club. He could be a hugely exciting addition for Everton, but it is hard to see it happening.

Everton keen on signing "incredible" £15m ace

According to a new report from The Sunday Mirror [via Goodison News], Everton are among the clubs interested in signing Sevilla ace Juanlu Sanchez this summer.

The 21-year-old is valued at £15m by his current club, with the Blues joined by Madrid, Brighton and Newcastle United in the race to snap him up before the beginning of next season. A £15m move could be seen as cheap, as Sanchez has a reported £34.3m release clause in his contract.

Juanlu could be a strong signing for Everton, not least because of the versatility that he possesses, being able to flourish at right-back, central midfield, attacking midfield and even as a second striker if needed.

Moyes must instantly drop Everton star who lost the ball every 2 touches

Everton sealed a late victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

1 ByRoss Kilvington Apr 13, 2025

This season, the youngster has outscored Calvert-Lewin in the league, netting four times in La Liga compared to the Blues striker’s tally of three, and he has been described as “incredible” by former Sevilla manager Garcia Pimienta, who has said of him:

“He has played as an inside midfielder [before], we were short on space in midfield due to Saul’s [Niguez] suspension and [Albert Sambi] Lokonga’s injury. I spoke to him, I knew he could do well in that position. Juanlu has an incredible present and a better future.”

Spain Under-21s

5

0

Spain Under-19s

10

1

Spain Under-18s

2

1

Spain Under-17s

1

0

Spain Under-16s

1

0

Spain Olympic Team

3

1

At 21, Juanlu could be a long-term addition for Everton, covering several positions, and he could grow into a formidable footballer over time.