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Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch reacted to Erling Haaland's hilarious impression of his famous 'robot celebration' after scoring against Bournemouth on Sunday. The Norwegian goal machine scored a brace in City's dominant 3-1 win over Bournemouth as Pep Guardiola's side moved up to second in the Premier League table.

Haaland imitates Crouch

After a disappointing loss to Aston Villa away from home, City bounced back in style to humble a high-flying Bournemouth side as they thrashed the Cherries 3-1. Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute before doubling the team's lead just past the half-hour mark. Nico O'Reilly then sealed the fate of the game with a third goal in the 60th minute. Tyler Adams had found one for his team in the 25th minute but it was Guardiola's men in the end, who walked off the pitch with all three points and reduced their gap with league leaders Arsenal to six points.

Following his 17th-minute opener, which Haaland scored with a brilliant solo run, the goal machine ran towards the right edge of the penalty box before pulling off the 'robot' celebration. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCrouch reacts to Haaland's celebration

Crouch pulled off the 'robot' celebration for the first time almost two decades ago after he scored for England in a friendly against Hungary. He later repeated the celebration during a victory over Jamaica and then again after scoring his 100th Premier League goal, while playing for Stoke City. 

The ex-Reds forward later shared a video on social media with two laughing emojis. He had earlier written, reacting to Haaland's celebration: "I walked so they could run."

How Haaland reacted to his goals?

Speaking to after the game, Haaland said: "Important win. It is good to bounce back after losing a bad away game. It was nice. I tried to contribute for the team by doing my job. It is good to win. Now two more important games to come, so keep focusing. I didn't score last game. I try to help the team to win. That is my goal and even by scoring or helping in winning duels it doesn't matter. I want to help the team become better, that is my job."

Bournemouth captain David Brooks was in awe of the City star as he told : "We look to press but Manchester City are extremely comfortable on the ball. In the first half we created a lot of opportunities for ourselves through the press. But the big man up top for them – Haaland – is always going to be a threat. It's almost impossible [to prepare to face Haaland]. He's 6ft 5in, strong, a massive threat when the ball is falling to him. He took his chances well. "It was always going to be a tough game against Manchester City. It's probably the hardest week to prepare for. We knew we had to come here and be the best version of ourselves. A few minor details cost us today."

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Haaland has reached Messi and Ronaldo's level, says Pep

Reacting to yet another stellar performance from Haaland, City boss Guardiola said: "Have you seen the numbers of that guy? Of course, he has [reached their level]. The numbers from Cristiano and Messi have been for 15 years, Messi is still scoring two, three goals every game and Cristiano in Saudi Arabia, the same. This is that level. The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, going down on the grass saying ‘I am going to score this’. I have said many times, he is incredibly coachable and I am tough with him sometimes. I always try to be open-minded with him and there are players who say ‘what are you talking about?’ He is completely down to earth; he wants to do it and he lives for the goals. Without him it would be tough to be honest."

It was a year of so near yet so far for RR, who will finish last if they lose on Tuesday

Himanshu Agrawal19-May-20253:14

Cricinformed – CSK’s worst top-order show

Big picture: RR’s last chance to not finish lastIf not for the rearranged final leg of IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would have been hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Chennai on Tuesday. Instead, the teams will now meet in Delhi. Which meant that there was one question on everyone’s minds: Have we already seen the last of MS Dhoni at Chepauk?These two sides occupy the bottom two spots in the points table. While there is pride to play for, they will also have one eye on the future.Despite the forgettable campaigns, there have been some positives for both CSK and RR this season. Young and explosive batters like Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel and Vaibhav Suryavanshi have given hope and a glimpse into the future of these franchises.Related

Purple and Orange caps: Noor, Jaiswal could grab top spots on Tuesday

'No point just blaming the batsman' – Dravid on RR's struggles

Batting without brakes – PBKS make topping 200 a habit at IPL 2025

Tuesday will also be RR’s final game of the season, and looking back, their bowlers might realise they lacked execution at times, while their batters will count the number of missed opportunities in tight finishes. It was a year of so near yet so far for RR, who will finish last if CSK beat them. The only time RR finished last was in 2020, when the IPL was an eight-team competition.Form guideChennai Super Kings WLLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
Rajasthan Royals LLLWLIn the spotlight: Noor Ahmad and Riyan ParagCSK have found a match-winner in left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad. His 20 wickets are the second-most so far this season. Four of those came in CSK’s previous match, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), when Noor helped turn it around with two wickets in the middle overs and death overs each. Ten bowlers have at least 15 wickets this season, and Noor’s average of 17.25 is the best among them. At just 20, he surely is a long-term option for CSK.Riyan Parag has had a good outing with the bat this season•AFP/Getty ImagesRiyan Parag, who has led RR every time Sanju Samson was out injured this season, is just 10 runs away from tallying 400. If he gets there, it will be the second successive year he passes that landmark. He is only 23 and made his T20I debut for India last year after a solid IPL. With a home T20 World Cup coming up early next year, Parag will be hoping he can wrap this season up with a notable score and help his chances for his first global tournament.Team news and probable XIIsBrevis, Noor, Devon Conway and Matheesha Pathirana, CSK’s four overseas players who played against KKR, are the only ones available for them now. CSK have used 22 players so far this season – the most by any team – with only two more games remaining.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Ayush Mhatre, 2 Urvil Patel, 3 Devon Conway, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 R Ashwin, 8 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha PathiranaVaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal were impressive against PBKS•BCCISamson pushed himself down to No. 3 against Punjab Kings on his return to fitness after an abdominal injury. That allowed the 14-year-old Suryavanshi to continue to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal. It remains to be seen whether teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius, also a top-order batter who was flown in as an injury replacement, will get a chance.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Shubham Dubey, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Kwena Maphaka, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Akash Madhwal, 12 Fazalhaq FarooqiThe big questionAmong the 37 bowlers to have taken at least 300 wickets in all T20s, Wanindu Hasaranga leads the averages with 17.21. But at 34.40, Hasaranga’s averaged has doubled, and he has bagged only ten wickets in 37 overs.The numbers are even worse for his CSK counterpart R Ashwin. He has just five wickets to show in eight games, having taken them at 48.40 each. The last time Ashwin had fewer wickets in an IPL season was in his debut year in 2009.Pitch and conditionsThe Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi has hosted five games this season, with the average score batting first being 192. Gujarat Titans hunted down 200 with all ten wickets standing against Delhi Capitals on Sunday at that ground. With short boundaries and the possibility of dew, expect another high-scoring game on what is expected to be a hot Tuesday evening.Stats and triviaCSK and RR have faced each other in 31 matches so far, with CSK leading by only 16-15. CSK have had the worst-performing top order this season. Their top three batters have a combined average of only 23.68, while striking at 140.74. Both numbers are the lowest by any team this season. RR, on the other hand, have been the worst bowling side this season. Their bowling average (44.84) and economy rate (10.02) are the worst among all sides.

Yeremy Pino's glowing comments about Adam Wharton will do little to ease concerns among Crystal Palace fans that the midfielder won't be at Selhurst Park for the long-term. Since making the step up from Blackburn Rovers less than two years ago, Wharton has been heavily linked with a high profile move away in recent months, with Real Madrid a rumoured suitor.

Real Madrid tracking Wharton

Real Madrid interest in Wharton emerged during the summer transfer window, having not directly replaced either Toni Kroos, who retired in 2024, or Luka Modric in the centre of the pitch. But Los Blancos were not the only side credited with rival interest, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool all thought to be monitoring his progress and situation as well.

Wharton's skillset makes him the ideal central midfielder in the modern game, combining great energy with precise passing and a ball-winning bite. It was that mixture of attributes which previousy propelled a pre-ACL Rodri to the top of the mountain, named the best player in the world in 2024 when he became the first defence-minded winner of the Ballon d'Or in almost 20 years.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWharton good enough for Spain

Wharton's similarities with Rodri are not lost on Yeremy Pino, who played alongside the Manchester City star at former club Villarreal. The winger, who joined Palace towards the end of the summer transfer window as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Eberechi Eze, has been enormously impressed by what he has seen from Wharton in his first few months in England.

"Adam can do everything," Pino told The Athletic. "Defensively, he is a fighter. He goes in very strong, wins a lot of balls. Technically, you just have to watch him and enjoy him."

The highest praise came next: "He has the quality to play in the Spain national team, no doubt."

Spain is perhaps the side in all of international football most revered for the level technical ability throughout the squad. It would also make full sense for a club like Real Madrid to be interested in a player like Wharton if that is the level he is considered by a colleague in the know to be operating at.

A history of Brits at the Bernabeu

Although British footballers haven't always had the same technical reputation as those from continental Europe or South America, Real Madrid have never shied away from them over the years and there has been a steady string of English, Scottish and Welsh imports. As it goes, the club's first ever captain was an Irishman named Arthur Johnson.

Not all have been a huge success. Where Jude Bellingham and Gareth Bale have been Champions League winners in all-white, and David Beckham played a role in expanding the club's already enormous international reach at the peak of the orginal Galacticos era, Jonathan Woodgate was never fully fit and Michael Owen understandably couldn't dislodge Ronaldo or Raul from the starting XI.

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Getty Images SportWharton left out of England squad

The talent considered good enough to get into Spain's team – if he was, of course, eligible and not born and raised in Lancashire – was not selected by England manager Thomas Tuchel for this month's international fixtures against Wales and Latvia.

Wharton had to withdraw from September's squad through injury and the boss opted to stick with the same team that he'd used for those games when October came around. The 21-year-old was told exactly why and appeared happy to accept the reasoning.

"He just gave me a message saying I'm playing well, I'm close and I deserve to be there, but he's going to stick with the same team," Wharton explained.

"That's football, I'm not too fussed about that. I can take the time off, go see my grandparents, and it's not the end of the world, as there's another camp next month. I'm just focusing on Crystal Palace and playing well, and hopefully, if I play well, I'll get the call. It's nice to hear, but I think my focus is on Palace and if that goes well, then England is just a bonus."

Wharton was a surprise inclusion in the England squad Gareth Southgate named for Euro 2024, but it would come as a shock if he doesn't reclaim his place before next summer's World Cup. There is, however, significant competition for places, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson back in the fold this year, and Jude Bellingham also currently out of the picture.

بدأ محلل الأداء الدنماركي نيكلاس أورباك كنودسن عمله رسميًا داخل الجهاز الفني للنادي الأهلي بقيادة مواطنه ييس توروب، في خطوة تأتي ضمن خطة القلعة الحمراء لتطوير أدوات التحليل والأداء الفني للفريق الأول خلال المرحلة المقبلة.

وانضم كنودسن إلى طاقم الأهلي في الساعات الماضية، حيث يُنتظر أن يلعب دورًا مهمًا في تطوير الجوانب التكتيكية والتحليلية، بما يواكب طموحات الإدارة والجماهير في المنافسة على جميع البطولات.

اقرأ أيضا.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري بعد هدف زيزو في مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد 

وفي أول تصريحاته الخاصة لـ بطولات، عبر كنودسن عن سعادته الكبيرة ببداية مشواره في الأهلي، مؤكدًا انبهاره بالأجواء داخل النادي وبحجم تاريخه ومكانته في كرة القدم الإفريقية والعربية.

وقال محلل الأداء الدنماركي: “يا له من نادٍ رائع، وأجواء مميزة، ومجموعة مذهلة من الأشخاص الرائعين سواء في الجهاز الفني أو اللاعبين”.

وأضاف كنودسن في حديثه: “أتطلع حقًا إلى هذا الفصل الجديد مع هذا النادي الكبير، سعيًا لتحقيق مجد جديد والوصول إلى إنجازات أعلى”.

 ويضم طاقم ييس توروب مع الأهلي كل من إيمره سابيتش، جوني مولبو، يواكيم فيلوم، كاي ستيفانسن وأخيرًا كنودسن بجانب عادل مصطفى.

Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, has rejected suggestions that his players did not take their preparation seriously on the tour of India, saying it was “factually incorrect” that the team had not done enough training during the T20I and ODI series, both of which ended in one-sided defeats.During a discussion on TV commentary for the third ODI between Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen, it was claimed that, with the exception of Joe Root, England had not netted during the ODI series. England had trained before the first ODI in Nagpur, but opted not to do so ahead of the second and third games in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.With the Champions Trophy looming, a 142-run defeat in the final game saw England go down 3-0 in the ODIs, having previously been beaten 4-1 during the T20I leg.The tourists have also had to deal with injuries, with Jacob Bethell ruled out by a hamstring strain and Jamie Smith nursing a sore calf – meaning that assistant coaches Marcus Trescothick and Paul Collingwood were named as substitute fielders in Cuttack.Related

• Ben Stokes declares he's ready for England return after hamstring surgery

• Ben Duckett passed fit for Champions Trophy after groin scan

• Jacob Bethell 'ruled out' of Champions Trophy, Tom Banton called to India as cover

• McCullum promises focus on entertainment as England white-ball era begins

• Missing in action: Players injured and unavailable for the Champions Trophy

“Firstly, it’s factually incorrect, the whole statement that we don’t train,” McCullum told talkSPORT after the third ODI. “We’ve trained plenty right throughout, guys have come from a lot of cricket as well. I think it’s an easy thing to have as a throwaway line that guys don’t train enough when the results aren’t right.”But we’ve got a style and a method that we believe in. We’ve got guys who are battling injuries and trying to make sure that we’ve got enough bodies out on the field, knowing that we’ve got a huge assignment coming up in a week or two. Ultimately it’s factually incorrect what’s been said and we’ll stay true to what we believe in.”Jos Buttler, England’s captain, also denied that the poor results in India had been down to “lack of effort” when speaking to reporters after the Ahmedabad game.”We’ve had a reasonably long tour, a few long travel days,” Buttler said. “There have been a couple of times we have not trained but we have done plenty of training throughout the tour. We try to create a really good environment but don’t mistake that for a lazy environment or lack of effort. The guys are desperate to perform and do well and improve.”McCullum only took on the role of white-ball head coach in January, having previously had sole responsibility for the Test side, and said that the tour had provided valuable lessons ahead of the Champions Trophy, which gets underway in Pakistan next week.England will spend the next few days in the UAE before beginning their campaign against Australia in Lahore on February 22. They have confirmed Tom Banton in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad as a replacement for Bethell.”I’ve learned a lot,” McCullum said. “There’s guys in our team who are incredibly talented, if we can add a little bit of craft and give ourselves a bit of confidence within the dressing room, which is ultimately the task of us as coaches, then we’ll see some of that talent will flourish. It’s been a good tour, so much good will come from it, albeit the results are very disappointing. But that’s the nature sometimes when you come up against a very good side in their own conditions.”Ultimately you’re judged on results,” he added. “From our point of view, we’ve got to strip away the fear of failure that results can bring. Guys are fiercely determined and competitive… how do you allow an environment to provide the freedom and clarity of thought to go out there and allow your talent to come out?”That’s what we’re trying to do in the group we’re building and that’s what we’ll try and do over the next week as well, give the guys a freshen-up in Abu Dhabi, make sure all the bodies are fit and ready to go, we’ve got a full squad to pick from come that first game against Australia. We do that, hopefully we walk a little taller and play a little better and end up getting better results as well.”

Robert Lewandowski asked to leave Bayern Munich "every year" as he grew frustrated with the lack of Champions League success with the German club, according to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The former Bayern CEO reveals, Lewandowski's desire to win the European crown had him itching for a move away, before the club finally delivered on his objective.

Robert Lewandowski's a relentless champion

Lewandowski’s time at Munich was never short of goals. Despite becoming one of the club’s most reliable scorers, the Polish striker reportedly wanted to leave on multiple occasions, chasing the dream of Champions League glory elsewhere. During his Bayern spell, Lewandowski scored 238 Bundesliga goals in 253 appearances. He shattered Gerd Muller’s decades old single-season record with 41 goals in the 2020-21 Bundesliga, breaking the 40-goal benchmark first set in 1971-72.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFormer Bayern boss reveals Lewandowski's hidden desire

Former Bayern board member Rummenigge revealed the reality of Lewandowski’s repeated requests in an interview with Kicker. He said: "He came to me every year and said he had an offer from a top club. I said: 'That's great, and proof that we've signed the right player.' But he really wanted to win the Champions League. I told him: 'You can win that with Bayern Munich, too.'"

Despite dazzling numbers and consistent domestic dominance, six Bundesliga top scorer titles among them, the polish attacker was restless, pressing for moves elsewhere. The biggest goal he craved, the Champions League, only came in 2020 under Hansi Flick.

Rummenigge further added: "That was one of the best days I've ever experienced. We had an extraordinary year with Hansi Flick. That day, after the game, I said: 'You see, Robert, you can also win the Champions League with Bayern Munich.' He was incredibly happy."

Lewandowski still going strong for Barcelona

Since joining Barcelona in 2022, Lewandowski has kept up a remarkable scoring rate. With 71 goals and 17 assists in 107 La Liga appearances. In 2024-25, he notched 27 goals in 34 league games, his best La Liga season yet. He also became the first player in Europe’s top five leagues that season to reach 30 goals across all competitions, hitting that mark by February. Under Flick, he remains a central attacking figure, contributing not only with goals but with his hold-up play, movement, and leadership.

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Getty Images SportWhat lies ahead for Lewandowski

Lewandowski rejected the chance to move to Saudi Arabia despite multiple offers. The 36-year-old forward wanted to continue in La Liga and as the club build under Flick, he is crucial not just for his scoring, but for how he guides the attack, the younger players, and helps in tight matches. His contract situation, which  is expiring in 2026, looms large but club leadership has reason to consider renewal should this form continues.

Cummins says Australia hierarchy are “not beholden to stats” when it comes to appraising the lean run returns of Khawaja, McSweeney and Labuschagne

Alex Malcolm18-Dec-2024Australia captain Pat Cummins has defended the output of his top-three batters – particularly makeshift opener Nathan McSweeney – in difficult batting conditions, as Australia’s selectors mull their options for the final two Tests of the series.Australia’s selectors are due to meet on Thursday morning to select the sides for Melbourne and Sydney after a rain-affected draw in Brisbane left the Border-Gavaskar Trophy poised on a knife’s edge at 1-1.Top of the selectors’ agenda will be extra bowling cover for the injured Josh Hazlewood with Scott Boland the obvious man to come back into the XI. But it would be hard for them not to at least discuss the top three, and in particular their openers, after another difficult week in Brisbane.Related

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Usman Khawaja, who turned 38 on Wednesday, was undone by Jasprit Bumrah for the second time in the Test match and the fourth time in the series. His partner, McSweeney, escaped Bumrah’s clutches for the first time in the series but instead nicked a wide delivery from Akash Deep. Marnus Labuschagne nicked one of Bumrah’s most innocuous deliveries of the series for just 1 as Australia slumped to 16 for 3 on their way to a bizarre third innings of 89 for 7 declared as they tried fruitlessly to set up a result before rain ended the game.Labuschagne averages 16.40 across five innings in the series, with 64 of his 82 runs coming in one hit in Adelaide. McSweeney averages 14.40 with a highest score of 39. Khawaja is averaging just 12.60, having been arguably Australia’s most reliable batter in 2022 and 2023.It appears unlikely that any change will be made despite the lean returns.Calls from the public for 19-year-old phenom Sam Konstas are growing louder following his stunning 20-ball half-century on BBL debut for Sydney Thunder on Tuesday night. That followed his century against an India attack that featured all of the Test bowlers bar Bumrah.But Cummins defended the contributions of his top three in the context of Travis Head’s two magical centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane, which according to the skipper were set up by the top three ensuring he didn’t walk out to face the new ball.”Everyone’s always hoping to score more runs,” Cummins said after rain ended the third Test. “I think the trend in world cricket pretty much all around the world is the top three is a really hard place to bat at the moment. Particularly here in Australia, the wickets are tough. I think there’s little snippets that have been important. Again, that first innings, Trav walks in 35 overs into the game, I think that makes a big difference, the same in Adelaide. Obviously they [the top three] would be hoping to score more runs, we’d like them to score more runs, but I think they have made some important contributions that others have benefited from.”Usman Khawaja has been cleaned up by Jasprit Bumrah four times this series•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesBy that measure, Australia’s top three are doing their jobs given Head’s two centuries, plus Steven Smith’s century and Alex Carey’s 70 in Brisbane put Australia in commanding positions in both games. It is clear that Australia are content, given the quality of Bumrah and the difficulty of new-ball batting, to simply ask their top three to absorb pressure and buy Head time to come in and play the way he does.”The trend is, it seems like, five, six, seven is sometimes where a bulk of the runs are scored in Test cricket all around the world,” Cummins said. “I spoke ahead of this summer when there was all the talk about batting orders, we didn’t really want to move our five, six, seven – they’ve been so important to many of our wins over the last couple of years. We’re not beholden to stats, we know there are certain roles, there are easier times to bat, harder times to bat, just like bowlers, so you are always looking at the best seven batters who will function as a unit and place them as best you can.”McSweeney and Khawaja’s numbers look extremely lean compared to that of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who are averaging 47 and 38.60 respectively in the same conditions against Australia’s attack. But Rahul’s 84 in Brisbane could have been 30 had Smith held a straightforward chance at slip on day four, while Jaiswal has made just 32 runs in five innings outside of his match-winning 161 in Perth.Cummins was particularly supportive of the job McSweeney has done in his first three Tests, having been asked to debut as an opener with no prior experience at Sheffield Shield level and just two brief innings in the role for Australia A.”It’s been really hard for the opening batters for both sides really,” Cummins said. “I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s gone about it. Even today, someone starting out his career still being selfless enough to go out there and try to play shots rather than try and preserve and get a score. Really impressed with him, again probably hasn’t scored the runs he would have liked, but he has played some important knocks that have set up a win in Adelaide and a really good result here.”

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has a key decision to make about the future of a big-name player this summer, with Premier League rivals now looking at tempting him with a move away.

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Berta’s key priority right now, according to Fabrizio Romano, is sealing some outgoings to balance the books – having already spent over £200 million on new additions this window.

Gyokeres is their latest official capture after he sealed a long-awaited £64 million move from Sporting CP last weekend, joining Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.

Eze would be a fine addition to this already-impressive crop of exceptional new talent, and Arsenal are believed to have already held initial talks with Crystal Palace. However, going by Romano’s update, exits will be necessary before they can formally bid.

Leandro Trossard faces a reported uncertain future at Arsenal given the Belgian has now entered the final 12 months of his contract. According to recent reports, Arsenal could sell Trossard this summer, rather than lose him for free in 2026.

The winger has offers to leave England with Borussia Dortmund keen (Florian Plettenberg), and Trossard isn’t the only forward who could quit before deadline day.

Reports earlier this month, specifically from talkSPORT, claimed Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr hold a serious interest in Gabriel Martinelli and were considering a £73 million bid, which would double Arsenal’s club-record sale of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool in 2017.

£265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus is another nominee for Berta’s chopping block, especially following Gyokeres’ arrival.

Arsenal poised to accept Gabriel Jesus offer as Premier League rivals line up

Jesus has attracted serious interest from Flamengo, according to recent reports from Brazil, with the 28-year-old also open to leaving the Emirates.

Right now, Jesus is in recovery from a crippling ACL rupture which ended his 2024/2025 season, and that potentially makes finding an outright buyer pretty difficult.

Nevertheless, according to well-connected former chief scout Mick Brown, who worked at Man United during their most successful period, top flight rivals are keen on signing Jesus from Arsenal.

“Arsenal are going to accept an offer for Jesus if their price is met.

“I think his best days are behind him, but he was still a reliable squad player at Arsenal until now. He hasn’t pulled up any trees, but he’s done alright. I think the thing for Arsenal has been that they need better than ‘alright’ and that’s why they’ve now gone out and spent all that money on Gyokeres.

“With him and Havertz there, it’s difficult to see where Jesus would fit in their plans.

“I hear there’s interest from a few teams in the Premier League, so that would be a good option. From his point of view, he’s going to want to go somewhere he can play at a high level but also play regular football, because he won’t get that at Arsenal.

“And from the club’s point of view, if they can make good money from him, they can spend it elsewhere. It’s the type of deal I think could work for all parties.”

The former Man City star signed for around £45 million on a long-term deal back in 2022, but has struggled to become that ’25 goal per season’ striker despite periods of excellent form.

Jesus enjoyed a real purple patch just last season, but that was immediately followed by his long-term injury in what was real bad luck for the ex-Palmeiras sensation. With just two years remaining on his deal, now could be the right time to sell Jesus if any suitor is prepared to take the plunge.

Tottenham Hotspur could hijack Nottingham Forest’s move for an “unbelievable” forward, amid the fall-out surrounding their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White, according to a report.

Forest considering legal action after Spurs approach Gibbs-White

Spurs’ pursuit of Gibbs-White has proven to be controversial, with Forest ceasing all communication after alleging that an illegal approach had been made for the midfielder, which means the deal has now stalled.

The Tricky Trees have reported Spurs to the Premier League, and it is currently unknown whether the transfer will be blocked entirely, although super agent Sky Andrew has suggested Daniel Levy may have to simply pay more to get a deal over the line.

Andrew said: “If it goes to arbitration, where it must go within the football rules and regulations, then Forest will have to prove that the club went directly to the player or to the agent. Most clubs know that it is very difficult to prove.

“So, this is a case now of how much will the buying club pay for the player. It won’t be £60 million, it will probably have to be more.”

Related Chief flies to London for transfer talks with £100k-per-week Tottenham star

He could leave Spurs this summer.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 13, 2025

The Lilywhites will no doubt have been left frustrated by the deal stalling, but they could now have an opportunity to get one-up on Forest, with a report from The Standard revealing they are in the race to sign one of their Premier League rivals’ major targets.

Tottenham reportedly remain in the race for Brentford star Yoane Wissa, having submitted an enquiry earlier in the transfer window, at which point they were told that it would take an offer of £50m to tempt the Bees into a sale.

Forest have also set their sights on the forward, having recently had a £20m bid knocked back, indicating Spurs could hijack the deal if they are willing to put a higher offer on the table.

That said, Brentford have made it clear they are unwilling to sell both Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa in the same window unless they receive a huge bid, so it could be difficult to get a deal done.

"Unbelievable" Wissa emerged as Premier League star last season

The 28-year-old was one of the best-performing forwards in the Premier League in the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 19 goals, the sixth-highest tally in the top flight, while also providing five assists in 35 outings.

Courtesy of his performances last term, the DR Congo international was lauded for his “unbelievable” quality by former manager Thomas Frank, and it is an added bonus that the Spurs boss knows the forward very well.

As such, Wissa could be a solid signing for Tottenham this summer, with the France-born forward’s goal and assist tally suggesting he could justify a £50m price tag, although the fact his contract is set to expire next summer means a lower fee would perhaps be more fair.

English statistician developed the DL method with Tony Lewis and it was first used in international cricket in 1997

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2024

Frank Duckworth, one of the inventors of the Duckworth-Lewis (later Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method to determine results in rain-affected cricket matches, died on Friday, June 21 at the age of 84.The original method, devised by English statisticians Duckworth and Tony Lewis, was first used in international cricket in 1997 and was formally adopted by the ICC as the standard for setting revised targets in truncated games in 2001. In 2014, it was renamed the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after the retirement of Duckworth and Lewis and the modifications made to the system by Australian statistician Steven Stern.Duckworth and Lewis were both awarded MBEs in June 2010.The DL method replaced the rain rule that was used previously to calculate targets in interrupted matches, most infamously during the 1992 ODI World Cup semi-final between England and South Africa in Sydney.Duckworth was a consultant statistician with the ICC until 2014.”Frank was a top statistician who was respected by peers as well as the wider cricket fraternity. The DLS method that he co-created has stood the test of time and we have continued to use it in international cricket more than two decades after its inception,” Wasim Khan, the ICC general manager – cricket operations, said in a press statement. “Frank’s contribution to the game has been immense and the world of cricket is poorer with his death. We send our condolences to his family and friends.”