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Arsenal are now willing to launch a £69m offer for the “better version of Haaland”, who has caught the attention of Mikel Arteta with his performances this season, according to a report.

Gunners determined to sign new striker

Arteta’s squad has very few areas of weakness, but the manager is arguably lacking an out-and-out striker, with the injured Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus his only real options at present, and it is looking increasingly likely they bring in a new forward this summer.

An enquiry has been made over Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, with the Frenchman in line to exit Stamford Bridge this summer, given that his game time has been limited this season, while RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Lille’s Jonathan David are also among the targets.

However, it was recently revealed that Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres is the Gunners’ top target for the summer transfer window, with talks being opened to seal an early deal for the striker, who has an £86m release clause in his contract.

Talks held: Arsenal open negotiations to sign "amazing" 20 y/o wonderkid

The Gunners have set their sights on a defender, who they have followed for years.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 27, 2025

Sporting aren’t expected to demand the full amount, however, and a report from Spain has now revealed that Arsenal are now willing to launch a stunning €80m (£69m) offer for Gyokeres this summer.

The marksman has been prolific in front of goal this season, while he has also impressed with his ability to link-up play, which means he is now viewed as the ideal addition to Arteta’s attack.

Arteta has been left impressed by the Sweden international’s performances for Sporting this season, and he is now the top target for the summer transfer window, although there may be fierce competition for the 26-year-old’s signature, as he is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe.

Gyokeres could be "better version of Haaland"

Evidently, a striker’s main job is to score goals, and the Swedish forward has been incredibly prolific for Sporting this season, scoring a remarkable 48 goals in 47 games, while also chipping in with 12 assists.

Such is the Sporting star’s ability to score goals, he has been compared to some of Europe’s top strikers, with Rafael van der Vaart even claiming he’s a “better version of Haaland”.

It is probably a little early to say the former Coventry City man has eclipsed the Manchester City star, but his performances this season indicate he is definitely ready for a move to a top club this summer.

The only doubt over the signing of Gyokeres will be the fact he is unproven in a major league, but there are clear signs he would be able to make the step-up, and he could be the out-and-out striker that Arsenal need to help them finally get over the line and win the Premier League title.

Arsenal are now leading the race to sign an “incredible” £30m forward this summer, having overtaken rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature, according to a report.

Gunners set sights on new forwards

While the dream of winning the Premier League title may be over, it is an exciting time to be an Arsenal fan, with Mikel Arteta’s side potentially just two games away from reaching the Champions League final.

The Gunners blitzed past Real Madrid in the quarter-final, despite being without an out-and-out striker, but in order to push for the title next season, Arteta may need to bolster his attacking options this summer, and multiple forwards could be brought in.

A striker is of particular interest to the north Londoners, having recently held talks over Lille’s Jonathan David, with the Canadian joining the likes of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak on the shortlist.

"I can tell you" – Fabrizio Romano says striker "will arrive" at Arsenal

The reliable journalist has shared an update on Andrea Berta’s plans this summer.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 19, 2025

With Bukayo Saka’s absence this season exposing the lack of depth out wide, Arteta could also look to sign a new winger this summer, and it was recently revealed that Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman could be available for a fee of just £30m.

There has now been a new update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Coman, with a report from Football Insider revealing they are now leading the race to sign the forward, despite interest from rivals Tottenham.

The Frenchman could be allowed to leave Bayern this summer, given that he has fallen down the pecking order, and the Emirates Stadium is said to be his most likely destination, with Spurs unable to offer consistent Champions League football.

The Gunners may face competition for the winger’s signature from Saudi Pro League clubs, but they should stand a good chance of winning the race, given that Arteta will have a lot of money to spend this summer.

Coman could be "incredible" signing for Arsenal

The Paris-born winger may not currently be receiving as much game time as he has previously, but he continues to impress when given the opportunity, most recently scoring in his side’s 4-0 victory against Heidenheim last time out.

Not only that, but the “incredible athlete”, as lauded by BBC journalist Raj Chohan, has proven himself at the highest level in the past, most famously scoring the winning goal for Bayern Munich in the 2020 Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

It is clear the Gunners could do with more depth in attack, having been left light on numbers for large parts of this season, and Coman’s top-level experience indicates he could be a fantastic signing, especially at just £30m.

Manchester City are believed to be “very interested” in completing the signing of a player who has been described as a “superstar in the making” this summer, sending scouts to watch him in action.

Man City preparing for big Nottingham Forest clash

Pep Guardiola’s side’s season has been a big disappointment by their incredibly high standards, with the defence of their Premier League crown petering out relatively early in the campaign. Meanwhile, they were sent packing from the Champions League before the knockout stages.

There is still plenty to play for in the coming weeks, however, not least Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final showdown with Nottingham Forest at Wembley, and then ensuring they secure a top-five finish in the league.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been one of the revelations of the season, sitting third in the Premier League table, so this will be a big test for City, who are looking to go one better than last term, when they were beaten by rivals Manchester United in the final.

Regardless of what happens this weekend, significant reinforcements are required at the Etihad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and a hugely exciting player has now been linked with a move there.

Man City very interested in PSG star Desire Doue

According to a fresh update from journalist Rudy Galetti TEAMtalk, Manchester City are “very interested” signing Paris Saint-Germain teenager Desire Doue this summer. Scouts have been sent to watch the gifted 19-year-old attacker in action, while Guardiola is believed to be a big admirer. PSG will only listen to offers of at least £85m, though.

Doue is a player who could have a massive future in the game, with journalist Julien Laurens recently waxing lyrical over his long-term potential.

“The key was that Luis Enrique and sporting director Luis Campos were both convinced they were getting a superstar in the making. Doue is so talented, strong mentally and physically. At PSG, they say he’s got rugby players’ legs because the bottom half of his body is so strong. They knew in Paris it would take time but they were ready. Luis Enrique was so happy to sign him. He was the player he wanted.”

Doue already has 13 goals and 12 assists in just 45 appearances for PSG, highlighting his end product at such a young age, so the idea of him in a City shirt is mouthwatering for supporters.

Capable of excelling on either wing and also in an attacking midfield role, the Frenchman could provide Guardiola with the extra depth that he craves next season and beyond.

Man City and Liverpool eyeing £165m Chelsea "superstar" with approach made

They are “sniffing around” him

4

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 24, 2025

If Doue continues on his current trajectory, he will likely mature into a world-class footballer over time, and he is exactly the type of player City should be looking to sign, as they look to return to the top of the English and European game.

Bournemouth star Dean Huijsen has decided where he wants to go this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal all circling and ready to offer him an alternative Premier League move.

Dean Huijsen wanted by Premier League rivals after excellent campaign

Signed for just £12.8 million from Juventus last summer, Bournemouth stand to make a major profit off his signature after Huijsen’s very impressive debut season on the south coast.

Chelsea in talks with striker they were secretly close to signing in January

They nearly got a winter deal done “behind closed doors”.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 11, 2025

The 19-year-old has started all of Bournemouth’s Premier League games since early December, partnering the likes of Marcos Senesi and Illia Zabarnyi to great effect, and even scored crucial goals against the likes of Spurs and Man United in that time.

The teenager is one of Spain’s most exciting defensive prospects, and his performances in the English top flight earned him a call-up to the national team recently, where he was handed his first senior caps against the Netherlands in their two-legged UEFA Nations League quarter-final.

Huijsen even bagged an assist during Spain’s second match against the Netherlands, which they went on to win via a penalty shootout, with the young centre-back making his mark for both club and country.

His growing reputation has prompted serious interest from big sides, including Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal.

According to The Athletic, Tottenham held talks with Huijsen’s representatives this week. It is also believed that Chelsea are expected to make a “big push” for Huijsen’s signature this summer (Simon Phillips), while Arsenal are thought to have made contact as well (David Ornstein).

All three sides appear to be serious contenders for the ex-Juventus starlet’s signature, but a major threat for the English trio looms in the form of Real Madrid.

Dean Huijsen decides next club amid Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal interest

According to reports in Spain, Huijsen has already decided whether he’ll join Tottenham, Chelsea or Arsenal – and all three sides are set to be disappointed.

Despite them all reaching out to his agents (David Ornstein), it is Real Madrid who are in pole position to seal an agreement as things stand, as it is claimed by a Spanish media source that Huijsen has his eyes firmly on a move to the Bernabeu.

The former Serie A gem is apparently “clear” that he wants to sign for Real this summer, dealing a blow to Premier League suitors unless they can somehow sway Huijsen’s hand.

News of his £50 million release clause appears to have reached Los Blancos president Florentino Perez, who may be aware there is a golden opportunity to reinforce Real’s central defensive options.

“He is one of the highest quality prospects in European football at this age level,” said Fenerbache boss Jose Mourinho last year.

“He will be a great footballer in the future, he has great confidence in himself.”

Rahul has not managed to convert his hundreds into big ones, with three of his last four tons ending at 100 or 101, though there’s no apparent weakness in his game

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Oct-20252:05

Chopra: A chance for Rahul to ‘right the wrongs’

Exactly 100 at Lord’s, exactly 100 in Ahmedabad.An untimely and uncharacteristically loose drive against Shoaib Bashir, an untimely and uncharacteristically loose drive against Jomel Warrican.The Ahmedabad 100 lacked the other elements of cricketing tragedy and farce that characterised the Lord’s 100. KL Rahul was not involved in a partner getting run out. His dismissal did not change the complexion of the game.But it was the same number on the scorecard. 100. The same number of runs added to his career aggregate.Related

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Three of Rahul’s last four Test centuries have ended at 100 or 101. He was last man out when he made 101 at Centurion, so there’s no reason for anyone to hold that score against him. But if you’re among the growing band of well-wishers who wish his batting average would climb high enough to at least somewhat reflect his skill and Test-match accomplishments, the dismissals at Lord’s and Ahmedabad might have made you howl in anguish.And it may not just be one of those random things. Rahul has 11 Test hundreds now, and his average across those 11 innings – let’s call it his century average – is 128.54. It’s the worst century average of any of the 18 India batters who have scored at least ten Test hundreds. It’s the third-worst of the 146 batters, globally and across the full sweep of cricket’s history, to have scored ten Test hundreds.Hey, at least he isn’t as bad as Asad Shafiq and Tamim Iqbal in turning hundreds into big’uns.KL Rahul’s century against West Indies in the first Test was just his second at home•Associated PressThere are other factors that go into the century average – as an opener, Rahul will rarely score unbeaten hundreds – but nothing inflates that figure like big hundreds. That Rahul doesn’t have very many – he’s only crossed 150 twice, both times in 2016 – is one of the many reasons why he has a career average of 36.00 despite the many very good and great innings he has played all over the world. If you need reminding, he has six Test hundreds as an opener in Australia, England and South Africa – Sunil Gavaskar, with seven, is the only Asian opener with more – and another as a middle-order batter.There are, of course, other reasons for Rahul’s average being what it is and what it isn’t. He went through a horror run across 2018 and 2019, when his technique and judgment of his off stump fell apart, possibly because he was trying to be too many things – unshackled aggressor in T20s as well as Test opener in challenging conditions – at the same time. He has played much of his Test cricket in an era of bowler-friendly pitches, and he’s happened to miss Tests, for various reasons, just when India’s top order has flourished on flat pitches.Rahul was dropped, for example, after the 2019 tour of the West Indies. Over India’s next two series, against South Africa and Bangladesh at home, Rohit Sharma, opening for the first time in Test cricket, and Mayank Agarwal scored six hundreds, including three doubles, in five Tests.Rahul was next dropped in 2023, after a lean run that culminated with two Tests against Australia on dustbowls in Nagpur and Delhi. Shubman Gill replaced him for the next two Tests, on another dustbowl in Indore, followed by a highway in Ahmedabad where only 22 wickets fell over the five days of a dull draw. Gill made a hundred in that Test.Of course he did. Top Test batters have always filled their boots when given the chance to do so. That insatiable greed to maximise the good times is a thing Rahul hasn’t really shown through his career, as his century average suggests. Or as his average for 2025 so far suggests. He’s having an incredible year for all intents and purposes, and it’s brought him an average of 49.92.KL Rahul averages 49.92 in Tests this year•AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s vexing, because Rahul, for most of this year, has looked technically flawless, showing no sign of even a minor weakness that a bowler could hope to target. He’s gone hours and hours without being beaten by a ball that didn’t deserve to beat him. He’s been watchful, but he’s also been alert to scoring opportunities. And yet, 49.92. It’s the second-best year he’s had in Test cricket. His best year, 2016, brought him an average of 59.88.That sounds pretty good until you realise that Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had three years each with 500-plus runs at 60-plus averages. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane did a 500-600 year once each. Rishabh Pant, Gill and Ravindra Jadeja – if their 2025 averages don’t drop below 60 – will have done it twice, once and once, respectively, by the end of the year.Rahul still has time to turn that 49.92 into something far more substantial and give the career needle a firm nudge in the direction of 40.The gap between Rahul’s numbers and the high ceiling he has demonstrated time and again makes his career one of the most fascinating of his time. But that gap also reflects the leap he hasn’t yet made, from batter of immense and proven quality to run-scorer of insatiable greed. Can he make that leap now, at 33?

Three double centurions on the second day while J&K’s Khajuria was dismissed on 190

Deivarayan Muthu02-Nov-2025

Nair continues to rack up the runs

Left out of the senior India and the India A squads, Karun Nair served another reminder to the selectors and team management, converting his second successive fifty-plus score for Karnataka into a double-century, against Kerala in Mangalapuram. This was Nair’s fifth double-hundred in first-class cricket and third since 2024.After dropping him for the home Test series against West Indies in favour of Devdutt Padikkal, Nair’s state junior, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that they ‘expected a little bit more’ than his 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Nair went back to the Ranji Trophy and scored an unbeaten 174 against Goa in Shimoga in the second round. After that knock Nair felt that he “deserves” to be part of India’s Test team.”Obviously, it is quite disappointing, but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years I have had,” Nair told reporters during the last round. “People might have their own opinions, but for me personally, I can have my own. My own opinion is that I deserve a lot better.”He eventually ran out of partners in Shimoga but found ample support from 22-year-old R Smaran, who scored a double-century of his own. The pair added 343 for the fourth wicket, stopping 12 short of Karnataka’s first-class record. Manish Pandey and Dega Nischal had piled on 354 for the fourth wicket against Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur in 2017-18.It was seamer NP Basil who ended the stand when he dismissed Nair for 233 off 389 balls, including 25 fours and two sixes. Smaran then proceeded to make a career-best 220 not out. Karnataka will hope that the twin double-centuries will translate into their first outright win this season.Shikhar Mohan: A new star for Jharkhand?•PTI

Another double-centurion: Shikhar Mohan

Jharkhand’s rookie opener Shikhar Mohan also hit a double-century, setting up his team’s push for an innings win against Nagaland in Ranchi. After Jharkhand had lost two early wickets on the first day, Mohan combined with stand-in captain Virat Singh, who was leading the side in the absence of Ishan Kishan, who had linked up with the India A team in Bengaluru as cover for the injured N Jagadeesan. They accumulated 253 for the second wicket before Virat was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur.Mohan and Kumar Kushagra (58) then carried Jharkhand past 400. Robin Minz also helped himself to a half-century before Jharkhand declared on 510 for 8. Mohan finished with 207 off 303 balls, with 21 fours and three sixes in his third first-class innings. A prolific run-getter in age-group cricket for Jharkhand, Mohan, now 20, is making a smooth step up to the Ranji Trophy.Elsewhere in Raipur, Jammu and Kashmir opener Shubham Khajuria came close to a double-hundred, but left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate denied him and dismissed him for 190 off 344 balls. His knock countered Chhattisgarh professional Ravi Kiran’s 7 for 82.Nachiket Bhute’s five-for wrecked TN•PTI

Vidarbha flex their depth

No Danish Malewar. No Atharva Taide. No Harsh Dubey. No Yash Thakur. No problem for defending champions Vidarbha.Despite being hit by injuries and unavailability of their strike bowlers Thakur and Dubey, who are on India A duty, Vidarbha had enough depth to dominate Tamil Nadu in Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu were also without Gurjapneet Singh, Jagadeesan and India Under-19 allrounder RS Ambrish, but it was Vidarbha who coped better.Fast bowler Nachiket Bhute, who was playing his 14th first-class game, stepped into Thakur’s shoes and triggered a TN collapse. From an overnight 252 for 4, TN were bowled out for 291. Bhute threatened both edges, especially the inside edge of both right-handers and lefties with his inducker. Both M Shahrukh Khan and B Indrajith were done in by sharp induckers. Bhute gifted himself a five-wicket haul a day after his 26th birthday.Aman Mokhade then kickstarted Vidarbha’s reply with fluent strokes against both pace and spin. When TN captain R Sai Kishore pushed one marginally outside off, Mokhade stretched forward and swept him flat and hard into the square-leg boundary. When offspinner S Mohamed Ali darted one into the stumps from around the wicket, Mokhade dared to back away and pump him through the covers. But just when he was looking set to reel off this third successive century, Sai Kishore had him caught by Vimal Khumar for 80. Vidarbha’s professionals Dhruv Shorey and R Samarth then helped them cut their deficit to 80 by stumps on day two.

Fulham are now planning to make a move for Brendan Rodgers, amid a new update on Marco Silva’s future at Craven Cottage.

Silva is going through a tricky period in the Premier League, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Everton prior to the international break, which leaves his side in 15th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

With the 48-year-old’s contract coming to an end in the summer, there has been speculation about his future, but it seems as though the club hierarchy is keen to keep hold of him, having recently tabled a new contract offer.

However, with the former Everton boss still yet to put pen to paper, there could still be a twist in the tale, and it has now been revealed that an ex-Premier League manager is set to be approached, having recently resigned from his previous role.

Fulham set to sound out Brendan Rodgers amid Marco Silva uncertainty

According to a report from Football Insider, Silva’s future in west London is still in major doubt, which means Fulham are now set to sound out Rodgers over a move to Craven Cottage, with the Northern Irishman still out of work after leaving Celtic last month.

The Cottagers are planning to hold talks with the 52-year-old, who is vastly experienced in the top flight, having managed Swansea City, Leicester City and Liverpool in the past.

Having offered Silva a new deal, there is still a chance he remains in west London, but there are some issues to iron out, with the manager eager to be backed in the transfer window, following a quiet summer, during which Kevin was the only major addition.

It would be a shame to see the Portuguese manager move on, given the fantastic job he has done at Craven Cottage, stabilising Fulham as a top-flight club after guiding them to promotion from the Championship.

That said, should Silva decide to leave, Rodgers could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “unbelievable” manager by Jamie O’Hara as a result of the work he did during his time at Leicester.

The ex-Foxes boss won the FA Cup and the Community Shield during his time at the King Power Stadium, two of 13 trophies he has lifted as a manager, having also been extremely successful at Celtic.

However, while the Cottagers’ current league position is concerning, their current manager has proven time and time again that he is capable of keeping them in the top flight, so it would be a risk to replace him.

Every manager currently working in the Premier League has been ranked

Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 8, 2025

Scott Boland says he’s not driven by comments that England’s batters don’t fear him

Alex Malcolm17-Oct-20252:25

Mitchell Starc backs Australia’s fast-bowling depth

Scott Boland could not hide the smirk on his face.Not long after he had scythed through New South Wales to take a match-winning 5 for 67 to go with his 3 for 59 in the first innings to help Victoria claim a thrilling Sheffield Shield win at the Junction Oval, Boland was asked the obvious question in his post-match conversation with a group of reporters.Boland was asked if he had seen former England captain Michael Atherton write in the that he “holds no fear” for England’s batting line-up based on how they played him in England two years ago.”I saw it. My cousin sent it to me. He [Boland’s cousin] was taking the piss,” Boland said. “I’m sure there’s going be so much banter between the former players in between now and the first Test and even the end of the summer.”Related

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He was asked if it motivated him at all ahead of the Ashes.”Not really,” Boland said. “I’ve got my own internal motivations for what I want to do for the summer. I’ve never gone into a game where I’m just middling along. I guess there’s always some motivation for me to try and either come into the team and try to put in a really good performance, to try and keep my spot. There’s so many good fast bowlers in Australia that you just don’t want to give anyone an inch. So that’s sort of my goal when I’m playing Test cricket.”Boland, 36, always speaks like a man on the outside looking in. But right now, he is actually an incumbent in Australia’s Test XI having played in their last Test match in Jamaica in place of Nathan Lyon as part of a four-man pace attack. In fact, he took a Test hat-trick in the last Test over he bowled.And it’s looking increasingly likely that he will retain his spot even though Lyon is set to return for the first Test against England in Perth, with skipper Pat Cummins saying it’s “less likely than likely” he will be fit to play as he continues a slow recovery from a back injury.Boland said he had not spoken to Cummins in several months. But he was not expecting the skipper to miss all five Tests.”Patty’s so resilient,” Boland said. “He can play through a little bit of pain if he has some. Those guys play so much cricket there’s bound to be games where someone misses out. But if Pat happens to not play the first game, we’ve got a pretty handy incoming in at some stage during the summer.”Boland is primed if he is called upon for the first Test. Like a prized race horse ahead of the Melbourne Cup, he seems to have timed his preparation down to the minute. He is pain free and without strapping on his knees for the first time in several years after a block of strength work in the gym following the Caribbean tour. His former Victoria team-mate and now Australia coach Andrew McDonald had challenged him to rethink the way he trained to become even more resilient as he ages.He bowled impressively in the opening Shield game of the summer against South Australia at Adelaide Oval last week and then backed it up with eight wickets at the Junction Oval. But he was frustrated with his performance this week having been far more expensive than usual. He conceded a tick over 4.1 runs per over across 30.4 overs in the match as the New South Wales batters looked to attack him, with Sam Konstas reverse ramping him for six in the second innings.With 0 for 54 to his name from 9.5 overs in the second innings, Atherton’s words felt prescient. But Boland found another gear, snaking a stunning delivery back through the gate to bowl the dangerous Oliver Davies for 64. He took 5 for 13 from his final 35 deliveries, including clattering the stumps twice more, to win the game for his state.”I knew the game was on the line,” Boland said. “I didn’t feel like I’d… not that I’d let the team down, but I hadn’t bowled as well as I wanted to for the whole week.”I just think it’s just a minor thing in my run up. I’m probably just stressing a little bit too much from what I usually do. But I know sometimes that just happens. I just want to find my rhythm as quick as I can in the game. And sometimes it happens in half a spell. Sometimes it takes a bit longer. This game just took a little bit longer, but I still felt like I was able to hang in there enough to bowl some spells when I’m getting wickets for the team.”Scott Boland took eight wickets for Victoria in their last Sheffield Shield game•Getty Images

He also showed a rare sign of raw emotion. After knocking over Davies, he charged past him and glared at him with a guttural roar. It was out of character for a man who barely celebrated a Test hat-trick and it caught the eye of veteran New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd.”Yeah, interesting, wasn’t it,” Shipperd said. “I don’t know what might have led up to that, but it’s not the Scotty Boland I know.”Victoria coach Chris Rogers said Boland and Davies had some history and that Davies “likes to give as much as he gets” but Boland played a straight bat.”I was just excited to get a wicket,” Boland said. “I hadn’t got one for a while. But I know we’ve had some good contests. I played an Aussie A game with him last year. Really enjoyed his company. So nice fellow. We had some nice words for each other after the game.”Boland is set to rest from Victoria’s next Shield game against Tasmania but will return for round four against New South Wales at the SCG in a game that is likely to feature Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Lyon.”I’ve got two really good games of work into my body now,” Boland said. “My body’s feeling really good. No issues with any my knees or anything like that that have been little niggles in the past. So I’m really happy with how it’s tracking. It’d be nice to have a few days off now and get some strength back in, because I know that when I’m doing that, my body’s feeling great, and I feel like I can get through as many games as needed for the summer.”

Athletic Club players arrived in Prague for their crucial Champions League clash against Slavia, and were immediately greeted by a blanket of snow. The Basque squad turned the moment into pure comedy, launching a spontaneous snowball fight as they stepped off the plane.

• Snowy welcome for the Athletic squad in Prague

  Athletic Club’s arrival in Prague ahead of their Champions League group-stage meeting with Slavia Prague produced an amusing scene. After landing in the Czech capital, several players began tossing snowballs at one another before even reaching the airport terminal, turning the tarmac into a playful battleground.

  The Basque players could be seen delighted as kids when they saw the first snowfall of the season. The clip circulating online shows members of the squad laughing, and pelting teammates with snowballs as they exited the aircraft steps. The light-hearted exchange came as winter weather swept across Prague and added a spirited twist to Athletic’s arrival.

  The team touched down ahead of a decisive fifth Champions League group-stage fixture, with Athletic sitting 27th in the overall standings on three points, just above Slavia Prague who sit 30th with two points. Despite the cold conditions, the mood within the travelling party appeared warm and relaxed.

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• Prague conditions

  The snowy conditions may caught several players off guard, with some reportedly surprised to encounter winter weather this early in the season. Local reports highlighted that temperatures dipped sharply in the hours before Athletic landed, creating the crisp surface that quickly became ammunition in the players’ impromptu game. The moment reflected a welcome break in tension for Ernesto Valverde’s team, who arrive in Prague after a difficult stretch domestically.

  Just days before travel, Athletic suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Barcelona at a newly reopened Camp Nou, a result that intensified the pressure on a team already struggling with consistency in La Liga. The opportunity to briefly switch off, even through a snowball fight, appeared to lift morale.

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  Athletic and Slavia fighting for revival in Champions League

  Beyond the viral moment on the runway, both teams face a crucial night in Europe. Slavia Prague are winless in the Champions League so far, sitting 30th after two draws and two defeats. Their struggles include a 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal and a goalless draw with Atalanta, despite dominating domestically with an unbeaten 16-match run and 36 points in the Czech First League.

  Athletic’s European campaign has not been much better, Ernesto Valverde’s men have registered just one win, from their match against Qarabag, while losing to Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle United. They have scored four and conceded nine across four games.

  Domestically, the Basque side sit eighth in La Liga and have managed just one win in their last five matches. The combination of European pressure, league inconsistency, and recent setbacks makes their upcoming clash with Slavia a pivotal turning point. 

  With only a point separating the two sides in the overall Champions League standings, Tuesday’s fixture at the Fortuna Arena is shaping up to be decisive, for team's revival in the championship.

  Athletic will aim to harness the positive energy from their snowy arrival and translate it into a composed and effective performance on the pitch. Slavia, backed by a strong home record and high domestic confidence, will look to capitalise on Athletic’s recent struggles. A tense meeting awaits, but for a moment in Prague, the Basque players allowed themselves to enjoy the simple joy of winter.

Very few players dig as deep as he does and over this India series and the Ashes coming up, he’ll need to

Sidharth Monga09-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes is an irrepressible presence•Getty Images

There are many compelling sights in our sport. Right up there is a batting team on the top, the conditions flat, the ball not doing anything at all for the other bowlers, and then Ben Stokes charging in and drawing life out of nowhere in a long spell.Stokes has the rare ability to take you along on the ride. You don’t need to be a cricket connoisseur to know something special is taking place in front of your eyes. You can almost feel the strain he puts himself through, the stretching of every sinew, the twisting away of the torso to create the unusual angle, the high pace eked out of a battered body, the unusualness he extracts from dead conditions, and the satisfaction of having achieved something when it hadn’t seemed possible.It is not magic. In this series, for example, Stokes has swung the ball more than any other fast bowler. His release is wider than most – only Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Tongue have gone wider in this series – and the swing creates problems coming from that angle.Related

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• Stokes' batting in focus as England count cost of Edgbaston errors

• McCullum's challenge is to cut one-time protégé Gill down to size

• McCullum: 'I've asked time and time again for us to be more aggressive'

• Brook moves up to No. 1 in ICC Test rankings

When Stokes is nearing the top of his mark, it seems like he is dragging his feet and has no gas left. They hardly seem to leave the ground, and seem like they are being thrown forward by force. Then he picks up pace and leaves a piece of himself on the pitch. It is tempting to wonder how much better his numbers would have been had he just been a bowler.Every time you feel this must be it for him, he comes back for another over, against the wishes of the coaching staff as his workload needs to be managed. It just doesn’t seem possible for Stokes to have a measured go. Even at press conferences, he is not finishing a chore, but gives thoughtful answers. Despite all his injuries, only a small percentage of his spells is short. Among 27 fast bowlers who have bowled 100 or more spells since 2021, only James Anderson, Matt Henry, Kagiso Rabada and Ollie Robinson have bowled a lower percentage of spells of four overs or fewer.Ben Stokes has made 86 runs from four innings at an average of 21.50 in this series•Getty ImagesThis is also part of the reason why Stokes is rated highly as a captain. His tactics on the field can yo-yo between the astute and a random smokescreen, but he has the ability to drag his team-mates with him, much like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff before him. He doesn’t take the new ball, still bowls long spells, and batted against nature just to get a buy-in into the style of play he and Brendon McCullum wanted England to adopt.Stokes batted at 57.07 per 100 balls before Bazball, and has gone at 66.83 since. At the start, he batted frantically just to drive the message home despite being the one batter in the line-up who was more at home playing traditionally. It is the fall in the batting average from 36.05 to 33 during Bazball era that is starting to hurt England. In matches that Stokes has played in the Bazball era, top seven batters have averaged 38.25 overall. Of course he could ease his own batting load a little by getting in a better batter than Zak Crawley, who averages only 31.79 on some of the flattest tracks of the last decade, but Stokes the captain is not one for half measures.In opting for this way of playing the game in the first place, Stokes has shown courage of conviction to go against the grain. Captains are known to design pitches to suit their bowlers to win matches; Stokes and McCullum saw a weakness in their batting and asked for surfaces that played to their strengths instead, asking batters to make up for it with quick scoring. It hasn’t turned them into world-beaters, and the surfaces haven’t all been the same, but it has improved the results.Stokes will continue to rouse us with those bowling spells and will keep inspiring his team, but eventually the game is won by runs and wickets. He is one of the players who can get away with some leeway because of the way he plays, but the next eight Tests that Stokes plays have the ability to overshadow even that reputation. Especially because it is quite plausible that Stokes retires at the end of the Ashes.A lot – disproportionately so – rides on the next eight Tests. Stokes could perhaps drop down a slot if he feels mentally spent. Jamie Smith has shown signs he can bat in the top six. Alternatively Stokes could perhaps reinforce the batting and drop Shoaib Bashir. A home series against India on the line and the Ashes at the end of the year, runs not coming, rest of the bowling struggling, a body to manage, this is going to be some ride that Stokes will surely take us along on.