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While there is certainly more than one issue at Manchester United, much of the current problems can be centred around the long-standing woes of one key position – centre-forward.

Since arriving from Atalanta on a £64m deal back in 2023, Rasmus Hojlund has just scored 24 goals in 88 games in all competitions. Another Serie A import, Joshua Zirkzee, scored just seven times during his injury-curtailed debut campaign in Manchester.

Prior to Hojlund’s arrival, Erik ten Hag had been forced to rely on an injury-prone Anthony Martial for much of 2022/23, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s hasty exit, a fact that led to the shock, short-term signing of two-goal loanee, Wout Weghorst.

The January addition of the Dutchman marked the lowest ebb in United’s search for a stop-gap, short-term striker – following the days of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Odion Ighalo – while the desire for more long-term acquisitions, like Hojlund and Zirkzee, has also backfired.

Man Utd’s top PL scorer by season

Season

Player

Goals

2024/25*

Bruno Fernandes

8

2023/24

Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund

10

2022/23

Marcus Rashford

17

2021/22

Cristiano Ronaldo

18

2020/21

Bruno Fernandes

18

2019/20

Marcus Rashford & Anthony Martial

17

2018/19

Paul Pogba

13

2017/18

Romelu Lukaku

16

2016/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

17

2015/16

Anthony Martial

11

2014/15

Wayne Rooney

12

2013/14

Wayne Rooney

17

2012/13

Robin van Persie

26

Stats via Transfermarkt

That latter pursuit has sparked speculation surrounding the capture of Ipswich Town’s 22-year-old talisman, Liam Delap, although Ruben Amorim’s side need a proven, ready-made goal machine to arrive through the door this summer.

The latest on Man Utd's striker search

Alongside the desire to bring in a new number ten, in the form of Matheus Cunha, the latest reports indicate that the Red Devils are also ramping up their pursuit of Delap, with the Englishman available for £30m this summer, amid Ipswich’s imminent return to the Championship.

The former Manchester City academy graduate has enjoyed a fine season regardless of the club’s collective woes, after scoring 12 Premier League goals, although such a move would still represent a risk, considering he scored just eight times for Hull City in the Championship last term.

With that in mind, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is among those seemingly under consideration as a potential upgrade, while The Mirror have only recently reported that Amorim and co are keen on a deal for Napoli’s Victor Osmihen.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to the report, the Old Trafford outfit are ‘pushing’ to strike a ‘cut-price’ deal for the Nigerian sensation, with Amorim said to have made the on-loan Galatasaray man his ‘top striker target’.

The belief is that United are keen to strike a bargain £40m deal with the Serie A side, capitalising on the fact that the 26-year-old is set to enter the final year of his current contract back in Naples.

Amorim is said to ‘favour’ a move for Osimhen, ahead of Delap, and it’s easy to see why…

Why Osimhen could be the best signing since Bruno Fernandes

It has been made clear that INEOS are keen on pursuing a youth-centric approach to transfer dealings, a fact showcased with the recent signings of Patrick Dorgu (20) and Ayden Heaven (18), during the January transfer window.

That desire to plan for the future is all well and good, but United are crying out for figures who can instantly hit the ground running in Manchester. No longer can Amorim and co afford to play the waiting game.

Going down the route of signing the likes of Hojlund simply hasn’t worked, with the Old Trafford hierarchy needing to snap up players entering their peak years – much like with the capture of Bruno Fernandes in January 2020.

From his Man of the Match performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers on debut, the Portuguese playmaker has looked every bit a Manchester United player. Fast forward just over five years, and the now-30-year-old boasts 96 goals and 85 games in all competitions for the club.

It could be argued that bringing in Osimhen would represent a signing of similar ilk, with the former Lille man having ripped it up wherever he has been, as evidenced by his career tally of 144 goals in 258 club games.

Previously the driving force behind Napoli’s Scudetto success in 2022/23 – in which he scored 26 league goals – the towering striker is currently thriving out in Turkey, having only recently powered to 30 goals for the season across all fronts.

Lauded as the “best striker on the market” by Statman Dave, Osimhen looks like a centre-forward at the peak of his powers – much like Fernandes represented in his final full season at Sporting CP.

Osimhen (24/25) vs Fernandes (2018/19) – League stats

Stat (*per game)

Osimhen (Galatasaray)

Fernandes (Sporting)

Games (starts)

24 (22)

33 (33)

Goals

21

20

Goal frequency

89mins

147mins

Big chances missed

21

7

Big chances created

10

9

Assists

4

13

Key passes*

1.1

3.2

Pass accuracy*

67%

75%

Successful dribbles*

0.6

0.9

Possession lost*

7.7

22.8

Stats via Sofascore

While yet to sample Premier League action, Osimhen has proven himself in France, Belgium, Italy and now Turkey, with it unlikely that he’ll find the jump too great a challenge next term.

In the case of Hojlund, United can hardly be too surprised by his current woes, considering he scored just ten goals for Atalanta prior to moving to Manchester. The promising Dane is a player of potential, but in Osimhen, Amorim could find the real deal.

Indeed, with club legend Gary Neville stating that Fernandes is the only signing of the last decade who has “done more than I thought he would”, perhaps the Napoli outcast could be the best addition since the Portugal star’s arrival.

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Burnley are fighting for promotion to the Premier League and Scott Parker has wasted no time in profiling targets ahead of the summer window, per reports.

Burnley edge ahead of Championship title rivals

Following a chaotic afternoon of Championship action, Burnley emerged at the summit following a vital 2-1 victory over Coventry City on Saturday courtesy of a double from Jaidon Anthony.

Sheffield United’s unexpected slip-up at Oxford United and Leeds United’s dropped points on their visit to Luton Town have played into the Clarets’ hands, with promotion specialist Scott Parker licking his lips at the remaining fixture schedule.

Nevertheless, Burnley also have an eye on next season and potential recruits once the window opens for business. Per reports, out-of-contract Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence could move to Turf Moor on a free transfer.

Despite the Clarets’ appeal as a serious promotion candidate, West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Wrexham are among other destinations on the table for the Wales international.

Burnley’s final six Championship fixtures

Derby County (A)

Pride Park

Norwich City (H)

Turf Moor

Watford (A)

Vicarage Road

Sheffield United (H)

Turf Moor

QPR (A)

Loftus Road

Millwall (H)

Turf Moor

On the same token, West Brom star Grady Diangana is on Burnley’s radar and they have been urged to put forward a proposal for the versatile attacker by David Prutton.

Ultimately, any concrete information on high-profile targets will need to wait until the summer. Parker’s men are in a good position with the end of the campaign near, but there is plenty of work to do before celebratory champagne can be cracked open at Turf Moor.

Either way, Burnley are making tracks to lure a rising EFL star to Lancashire despite competition from Premier League clubs for his signature, per recent developments.

Burnley eyeing Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon via The 72, Burnley are eyeing a move to sign Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw alongside Premier League duo Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.

Born in 2006, the 18-year-old has made ten appearances for the Gas this campaign, while his loan spell at Yeovil Town earlier on yielded two goals and an assist.

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Versatile by nature, the youngster is capable of playing across various roles in the engine room, on either flank or as a foil for the main striker.

Labelled “a clever player” by boss Inigo Calderon, he would likely be deemed as one for the future at Turf Moor, but stockpiling homegrown talent for years to come is a strategy that could save millions down the line if worked correctly.

It remains to be seen the sort of fee he would be available for if Burnley do follow up on their initial interest. One imagines he could be attainable for a relatively inexpensive fee, though only time will tell if a deal is to come to fruition.

Leeds United’s atrocious away record in the Premier League this season continued on the road at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

It’s now eight games in a row for Daniel Farke’s deflated Whites where they haven’t even scored in an away fixture, as Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts “outclassed” the visitors from West Yorkshire – as journalist Graham Smyth simply put it – by comfortably winning 3-0.

Of course, for as much as Brighton were at their dazzling best in spells, Leeds really didn’t put in a compelling enough fight to try and steal a result on the South Coast.

Several of Farke’s first team personnel very much let the under-pressure German down, as Leeds now slip nearer to the dreaded relegation zone…

Leeds' worst underperformers vs Brighton

Minus beating bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on their travels at the tail-end of September, Leeds have been largely abject on the road in the Premier League since sealing promotion.

A 2-0 defeat away at Burnley to end October has now been followed up by this 3-0 disappointment against the rampant Seagulls, as Brenden Aaronson unfortunately receded back into his shell.

The gung-ho number 11 who took to the field against West Ham and grabbed a goal was nowhere to be found at the Amex, with the American failing to fire a single effort at the home side’s net.

To make matters worse, the energy and application were also lacking, with zero mazey dribbles pulled off, on top of only three of his ten duels being won.

Another strong performer versus the Hammers in Jaka Bijol, also looked out of sorts on the South Coast, as the towering Slovenian won just one of his own three duels, while Sean Longstaff further looked a shadow of his rampaging best, leading to Anton Stach replacing him on the hour mark.

In truth, nobody donning Leeds’ changed strip could come away from the one-sided affair holding their heads high, with journalist Adam Pope right with his assessment at the full-time whistle, when stating that there is a clear “big gulf” between the two sides.

Still, Leeds’ defence throughout was far too lax and charitable, away from waxing lyrical about Brighton’s clear firepower, as one of Farke’s defenders on the day put in arguably his worst-ever shift since joining the West Yorkshire outfit.

Leeds star had his worst game for the club

Unfortunately, many of Leeds’ promotion heroes have struggled at points this season already to acclimatise to the demands of the top-flight.

Joe Rodon hasn’t been one of those – with two goals already picked up in his new, fast-paced environment – but even he fell victim to a flat individual showing against Brighton, alongside Jayden Bogle also having a nightmarish afternoon he will want to quickly forget about.

In the Championship last campaign, Bogle was an undroppable whippet who was constantly full of energy down the right, as the “unbelievable” full-back – as Farke once lauded him – ended the title-winning season with six goals and four assists under his belt, while also collecting a mighty 16 clean sheets.

Watching his showing against Brighton, however, and you would think a different presence had entered the pitch altogether, with Bogle’s tenacious energy completely gone – as seen in him failing to complete one successful dribble – as an error-prone performance, instead, helped the hosts to an emphatic win.

Minutes played

77

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

37

Accurate passes

20/24 (83%)

Accurate crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

0/1

Possession lost

10x

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

0/1

Staring at the table above in great detail really does solidify the argument that this was Bogle’s worst-ever display as a Leeds player, with zero tackles being won and zero duels being won by the ex-Sheffield United defender only boosting Brighton’s confidence that they could comprehensively get the better of their weak opponents.

Diego Gomez would go on to have an “absolutely insane” game – as one analyst put it – because of the feeble number two’s off-night, with the 25-year-old then afraid to burst forward with his usual pace, knowing he had an extremely tough job on his hands to cage the two-goal Paraguayan.

However, Gomez’s final goal of the afternoon wouldn’t be the most skilful or high-octane goal. Rather, a scuffed attempt at a pass from Bogle – who lost possession a high ten times throughout – would then lead to ex-Leeds star Georginio Rutter putting it on a plate for the red-hot South American to bury.

The aforementioned Smyth would hand out a lacklustre 4/10 rating to Bogle at the close of the demoralising loss, with Farke now surely prepared to drop his regular for James Justin to get a run-out.

If they conjure up many more of those lifeless displays on the road, Leeds will be staring at an immediate return to the Championship, with Bogle potentially collecting an unwanted third relegation on his CV.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Antes marcado para a Arena Barueri, o jogo entre Palmeiras x Vasco, válido pela 8ª rodada do Brasileirão 2024 está confirmado para acontecer no Allianz Parque.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

A mudança se deu pela paralisação de duas semanas que a CBF fez no Campeonato Brasileiro e agora o Verdão poderá ter a sua casa para um importante jogo da competição nacional.

Ainda não se sabe se o palco estará montado atrás do gol norte, o que diminuiria a carga de público em 10 mil pessoas, mas a partida está confirmada para acontecer no novo Palestra Itália, mesmo com uma agenda cheia de shows na arena alviverde prevista para a semana do jogo.

continua após a publicidade

Na última rodada do Verdão no Brasileiro, o time de Abel Ferreira teve que encarar o Athletico-PR na Arena Barueri, e após a derrota por 2 a 0, Abel Ferreira falou forte na coletiva sobre a chateação de não poder atuar em casa por causa dos shows que são realizados no Allianz Parque e impossibilitam a prática do futebol.

➡️ O mata-mata da Copa do Brasil está pegando fogo! Abra a sua conta e faça já a sua aposta no Lance! Betting

O jogo entre Palmeiras x Vasco está marcado para o dia 13 de junho, a partir das 21h30 (horário de Brasilia).

Tudo sobre

Allianz ParqueBrasileirãoBrasileirão 2024PalmeirasVasco

Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has finally shown glimpses of lift off over the last couple of weeks, with the first-team squad now adapting to the demands of his 3-4-2-1 system.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, his future at Old Trafford was massively up in the air, especially after only being able to register a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

However, he maintained the backing of the board, with such a decision now proving to be the right one, especially if their recent run of form is anything to go by.

The Red Devils remain unbeaten in each of their last five outings, winning three in a row in the process, leading to the 40-year-old claiming the division’s Manager of the Month award.

However, one player who joined the club during the off-season has somewhat struggled to make the desired impact in recent weeks, leading to question marks around his future.

What former Man Utd players have made of Sesko’s start at the club

Benjamin Sesko joined United in a £74m transfer from RB Leipzig, with the fanbase having real expectations on the centre-forward to change their fortunes in the final third.

The Slovenian has already featured in 11 league outings to date, but has only managed to find the net twice, failing to score in any of the last four matches in the Premier League.

Given his lack of goals, questions have been asked about the 22-year-old’s role at Old Trafford, with many former players voicing their concern over his struggles in England.

Former right-back and now pundit, Gary Neville, spoke about Sesko early this month and gave an honest review on the youngster’s start to life at the club.

The 50-year-old stated: “The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings Manchester United made up front, like Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward. He had a couple of good opportunities against Forest, but his touch wasn’t quite right. For £80 million, you can say he’s young and settling in, but you still want to see a bit more.”

He wasn’t the only former Red Devils first-team member to speak out on the striker’s lack of form at present, with Peter Schmeichel also questioning the big-money transfer.

The former goalkeeper said: “You spend £70 million-plus on Sesko, when we don’t have the number six we should have, and there’s the goalkeeping position as well.

“Why did we bring someone in that we didn’t need? Because the head of recruitment [Christopher Vivell] comes from Leipzig and he’s got to make a mark.”

However, Wes Brown has jumped to Sesko’s defence in the last couple of weeks, with the Englishman offering a more open-minded view on his early months in Manchester.

He claimed that: “The quality in wide areas is very good now, so this season can be a positive one for Manchester United. I think Sesko has all the attributes to score plenty of goals for Manchester United. He is mobile, good in the air and with his feet, so it all bodes really well for the club.”

If he is to reach the heights many anticipated earlier this summer, he will definitely need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with Amorim needing to show patience in the talisman.

The United star who’s becoming INEOS’ worst signing

Despite Sesko needing time to prove his worth at United, the same can’t be said about numerous other talents who were brought to the club by INEOS in recent years.

Manuel Ugarte was signed for a reported £50m from PSG last summer, but his move to Old Trafford has fallen way below the expectations many had upon his arrival.

The Uruguayan was seen as the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the side, but he’s struggled to cement his place in the starting eleven under Amorim.

It’s evident that the manager currently doesn’t trust the 24-year-old at present, with the boss currently selecting 33-year-old Casemiro ahead of him in the pecking order.

Given his tally of just two starts in the league throughout 2025/26, it would be a surprise to no one if he was sold in January, with the club needing to recoup as much of their investment as possible.

However, he might not be alone in that aspect, with forward Joshua Zirkzee another player who has struggled with the expectations after his own move 18 months ago.

INEOS forked out a reported £36m for his signature last summer, but the Dutchman has massively struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old featured in 49 matches across all competitions last season, but was only able to register a measly tally of seven goals – an average of one goal every seven games.

This season has been a new low for the Dutchman, with the attacker only making four appearances in the league under Amorim – none of which have been from a starting position.

During those outings, he’s only featured for a combined total of 82 minutes, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha ahead of him in the pecking order.

His struggles may be down to his own confusion, with Zirkzee even stating that he sees himself as a 9.5, often liking to drop deeper and affect the player – with the manager’s system just not suiting his playstyle.

Joshua Zirkzee – PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	32
Goals & assists	4
Pass accuracy	72%
Shots taken	1.8
Chances created	0.8
Dribble success	38%
Aerials won	29%
Times dispossessed	2.8
Stats via FotMob

His performances have unfortunately fallen way below what many expected last summer, leading to one analyst dubbing him as “terrible” after being hooked before half time against Newcastle United.

Given his lack of impact, there’s no denying that his move to Old Trafford has been a failure, with the board desperately needing to offload him in the upcoming window.

Whilst Sesko has had his own doubters in recent months, Zirkzee is on another level in terms of failures at the club – potentially going down as one of their worst dealings in the last couple of years.

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He had suffered a neck injury while batting during the Kolkata Test last month

Alagappan Muthu06-Dec-2025

Shubman Gill suffered a neck injury during the Kolkata Test•Getty Images

Shubman Gill will be back playing for India at the start of the T20Is against South Africa on Tuesday with head coach Gautam Gambhir confirming that he is “fit and fine, hungry to go.”Gill suffered a neck injury last month – understood to involve a pinched nerve – while batting during the Kolkata Test match. He had moved to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to recover – the initial timeline that the BCCI had drawn up for him involved five weeks of rest before resuming training.After completing a 2-1 victory over South Africa in the ODIs on Saturday, Gambhir addressed the press saying, “yes, Shubman is ready to start. That’s why he has been selected. And obviously he is fit and fine, hungry to go.”In the absence of Gill, Rishabh Pant had stepped in as captain in the second Test in Guwahati, where India suffered their biggest Test defeat, in terms of runs. In the following ODI series, Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the batting, in place of Gill, along with Rohit Sharma and helped India win the decider in Vizag with his maiden ODI hundred. Gill is now set to return to the top in T20Is and reunite with his good friend Abhishek Sharma.India have been bolstered further by the return of allrounder Hardik Pandya after an injury had layoff kept him out of action for over two months.The five T20Is against South Africa will be played on December 9, 11, 14, 17 and 19 in Cuttack, New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad respectively. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side while Gill will be his deputy.India’s T20I squad for South Africa seriesSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vice-capt), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar

Arsenal have been head and shoulders above the rest of ’em this season, but Mikel Arteta knows that the season is still young, and there are many gruelling months ahead before the Gunners might end their two-decade-long wait for the Premier League title.

Runners-up for three successive years, Arsenal have worked toward dynamising and strengthening across the park, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze all adding flavour to an outfit already refined and complete.

It’s just silverware that is missing. And while the Emirates side have all the tools to go the distance this term, they will need someone of Gabriel Magalhaes’ character and quality to have avoided a long-term injury while away on international duty with Brazil.

The latest on Gabriel's muscle injury

Gabriel has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign this season, but with a north London clash against Tottenham Hotspur looming on the horizon, a muscular injury sustained out with his nation could put a spanner in the works there.

Gabriel pulled up mid-sprint during Brazil’s recent win over Senegal. It has since been revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein that there is a worry that he faces an extended spell on the sidelines, more than a month and thus out of action until the new year.

It cannot be understated how integral Gabriel has become. As per FBref, the £150k-per-week talent ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for goal involvements and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90. That aside, he has incredibly won 78% of his ground duels, keeping clean sheets in seven separate matches.

In Gabriel and William Saliba, Arsenal have two defenders looking to take their place among the pantheon of great Premier League centre-back partnerships, and if Arteta does lift that elusive trophy at the end of the season, he and his wider squad will be indebted to the composed and flawlessly organised duo at the back.

The likes of Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are able replacements, but this could be a big blow, and it’s got us thinking about the 27-year-old’s long-term successor in north London.

There is one Hale End star who might just have what it takes to complete that step up in the future.

The Hale Ender who could replace Gabriel

Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal have a feared outfit once again. This is a team capable of tackling and overcoming any opponent across the globe, as last season’s spectacular two-legged win over Real Madrid will tell you.

But this also needs to be a lasting project, and it’s clear that there is an emphasis on this, with Bukayo Saka the talisman and exciting prospects such as Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman filtering through to the first team.

And on the other side of the field, Callan Hamill could find himself succeeding Gabriel when the time comes, with the 16-year-old having made quite the impression at Hale End since joining from St. Johnstone in Scotland this summer.

The Scotland U19 international has swiftly established himself as the captain of Arsenal’s U18 squad, racking up 11 appearances and scoring one goal.

With such impressive performances, he has even been handed a string of outings with the U21s, and during his sole effort in the Premier League 2, Hamill kept a clean sheet across 90 minutes of action.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that the teenager has “all the tools to become a quality backline leader for club and country”, and while he’s not there yet, Arteta’s decision to throw the youngster into first-team training and guide him toward the fore suggests that it’s only a matter of time before this star emulates the better-known names in front of him and cements a place under Arteta’s wing.

Who knows, given his leadership skills, strong reading of the game and dynamism, Hamill might even have what it takes to succeed Gabriel, when the fateful day of the Brazilian’s departure comes.

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Mohammed Shami has been named in a strong Bengal squad for the start of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Shami will be partnered by Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Porel in the pace department, with the squad captained by opener Abhimanyu Easwaran.Bengal had earlier named Anustup Majumdar as captain. But the late change is understood to have been made in consultation with Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain who recently took charge as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).Shami hasn’t played for India since featuring in the Champions Trophy in early March. Asked of his omission from the squad for the West Indies Tests, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had highlighted Shami’s lack of match time as one of the reasons.Related

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So far, since the end of IPL 2025 in June, Shami has featured in just one first-class game, for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy. In that game, he sent down 34 overs across the two innings, picking up one wicket. In the second innings of that match, Shami didn’t bowl much on the final day in a game East Zone lost after conceding a big first-innings lead.The Ranji season is also an opportunity for Akash Deep and Mukesh to get back on the Test selection radar ahead of the South Africa series starting November 14.Akash Deep was part of the England tour in the summer, where he featured in three of the five Tests and starred with a ten-wicket haul in India’s win in Birmingham. However, since his return from England, Akash Deep has had to undergo rehab for a back injury that ruled him out of the Duleep Trophy. He has since passed a fitness test but was not picked in the squad for the ongoing series against West Indies.Mukesh was part of the India A tour of England in the summer, where he picked up three wickets in his only outing. He bowled in just one innings in the Duleep Trophy opener for East Zone before being examined for a hamstring injury. He has since cleared his fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.Bengal open their campaign against Uttarakhand at Eden Gardens on October 15. They are placed in Group C, with Assam, Services, Tripura, Railways, Haryana and Gujarat as the other teams.

While the draw on Sunday was less than ideal, this season is shaping up to be a special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have looked imperious in the Champions League, winning all five games, and are far and away the best team in the Premier League.

While the whole squad has played a role in the Gunners’ incredible form, one player who has been one of the most important has undoubtedly been Declan Rice.

In the words of creator Jamie Kent, the Englishman is looking like “the best midfielder in Europe,” and therefore, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to someone who could be their new Rice.

Arsenal target their new Rice

The transfer window is now less than a month away, and, as a result, Arsenal are starting to be linked with a host of tremendously exciting players.

Transfer Focus

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

Real Madrid’s incredible £70m Rodrygo, for example, has once again been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has Bayern Munich’s £100m+ Michael Olise.

However, while both of these wingers would help to raise the Gunners’ ceiling, neither could really be described as being Rice-esque, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the Real Madrid monster.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Liverpool are keen on the French international, who is valued at €80m by the Spanish giants, which is about £70m.

It could therefore be a costly and rather complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s immense ability, Arsenal should be pursuing him, especially as he could be another Rice.

Why Camavinga would be another Rice for Arsenal

So, the first and most obvious similarity between Rice and Camavinga is the fact that they are midfielders who can and have played as a six and an eight in recent years.

Moreover, the pair of them are currently plying their trade at two huge clubs, and while Real Madrid is less important to his team than the Englishman, he’s still racked up 194 appearances for them in which he’s provided 16 goal involvements.

The last clear comparison between them at this point is that they’re both regulars for a top international team as well.

For example, the former Stade Rennes star has now won 28 senior caps for France and featured in the last Euros and World Cup.

Now, it’s all of these reasons that the 23-year-old could become another Rice-type player for the Gunners, in addition to the fact that, when playing, he is a sensational talent and someone who could massively improve the team’s midfield options in a way the former West Ham United captain did when he arrived in 2023.

Don’t just take our word for it, though; Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has described the versatile international as someone with “enormous potential”, and his underlying numbers back that opinion up.

According to FBref, the Cabinda-born “war machine,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and tackles won, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance and more, all per 90.

Tackles

4.19

Top 1%

Tackles Won

2.72

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

5.44

Top 1%

Blocks

1.87

Top 4%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.67

Top 5%

Passes Blocked

1.42

Top 6%

Pass Completion %

90.8%

Top 6%

Progressive Carrying Distance

122.51

Top 8%

Passes into Final Third

6.40

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

1.13

Top 12%

Add to that the fact he has helped Los Blancos win two La Liga titles, two Champions League titles and a smattering of other cups, and it’s hard to disagree with the notion he’s one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Ultimately, Camavinga already shares plenty of similarities with Rice, and were Arsenal to sign him, he could have a similar transformational impact on the midfield.

Their next Eze: Berta agrees deal to sign "exciting" new star for Arsenal

The hugely promising teenage talent could one day become Arsenal’s heir to Eberechi Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 2, 2025

India’s first training session of the tour reinforced the idea that their spearhead could be the most pivotal player on either side even if he won’t play all five Tests

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Jun-20251:15

Watch – Shubman Gill’s India hit the nets ahead of England Tests

Jasprit Bumrah’s was the loudest voice heard around the Kent County Ground in Beckenham on Saturday. India’s premier bowler was full of energy as he not just made the ball do things but also engaged in spirited chatter with his team-mates and coaches on a windy afternoon that was alternately sunny and cloudy.It was the first day at training for India’s Test squad, which landed in London on Friday ahead of their five-match series against England, which starts on June 20 in Leeds. The one player on either side who can tilt results singlehandedly is Bumrah. He knows it. There is no arrogance in this.England has been a mostly happy place for Bumrah. In his first Test in the country, in 2018, he bagged a five-for in a comfortable India win at Trent Bridge, which helped them rebound from 2-0 down.Related

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Trent Bridge was also the venue of Bumrah’s only other five-for in the country, in the first Test of the 2021 tour; India might have felt they had a slight edge going into the final day, which was rained off.In the next Test at Lord’s, in one of India’s most memorable Test wins, Bumrah stunned England with his… bat, putting on an unbroken 89 for the last wicket with Mohammed Shami before doing his usual things with the ball, including – who can forget? – the slower ball to Ollie Robinson, who might still be replaying it in his head.This is what Bumrah does. He lives in the batter’s mind. He comes to you in the middle of the night and jolts you awake. As Usman Khawaja admitted after the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy: “I was just Bumrah-ed.”What’s worse for the batters is that Bumrah doesn’t forget.2:30

Gambhir: ‘Enough quality in squad to replace Bumrah’

At training on Sunday, Bumrah could be heard telling India bowling coach Morne Morkel about his two Trent Bridge five-fors, and about how the Dukes was doing things in swing- and seam-friendly conditions on his first trip in 2018, and how, on his later tours, it became less responsive. But Bumrah has shown he has the ability to take conditions out of the equation. In Beckenham, Kent’s second home venue, Bumrah extracted good seam movement and continually tested the outside edge while keeping batters rooted inside the crease with his yorker-length deliveries.Watching him from 40-50 yards away, from behind his bowling arm, you would have never known this was the same bowler who was forced to stop bowling on the second afternoon of the New Year’s Test in Sydney owing to what was initially diagnosed as back spasms, but was eventually understood to be a stress reaction in his lower back.To avoid any worsening of the injury, the BCCI’s medical staff, in coordination with the selectors and team management, have decided Bumrah would need to be handled extremely carefully. So, on this England tour, he will not play all five Tests. As much as the fun will be rationed, the experience of watching Bumrah bowl at full tilt, filled with , is one to treasure.India, England, and Bumrah know that this once-in-a-lifetime bowler could be the most defining factor in this marquee series, soon to be christened the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Bumrah is ready for the England summer.