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Jose Mourinho claims that five of his Benfica players were suffering a “self-esteem crisis” ahead of a crunch clash with Porto, leading to the ‘Special One’ adopting a pragmatic mindset against his former employers. Mourinho makes no apologies for setting his side up to frustrate table-topping opposition, with an important point being taken from an uneventful goalless draw.

• Man-management skills: Special One put to the test

  That stalemate could prove crucial in the long run, with Benfica ensuring that they did not lose any ground on Porto – who are currently perched four points above them at the Liga summit. Mourinho has returned to familiar surroundings in a bid to restore domestic dominance at Estadio da Luz.

  His glittering coaching career started in Lisbon, before going on to make his name as a Champions League winner with Porto. Mourinho has mastered the art of grinding out results and delivering tangible success, with major honours having been won in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain. At 62 years of age, he still prides himself on being one of the best tactical brains in the business.

  Mourinho got what he was looking for from a trip to Estadio do Dragao, with all of his man-management skills required when it came to setting up a team that was ready to battle bravely against Porto. Benfica ultimately fared admirably in that task as they headed home with a clean sheet and share of the spoils.

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  Mourinho tactics: Benfica set up to frustrate rivals

  Mourinho told reporters of his approach: “I think Benfica has its characteristics. FC Porto has players with a lot of horsepower, with the ability to attack space. We don't have that type of player. We had to create danger and not let the game go. Right now, the team is suffering from low confidence. I found three, four, five players with a self-esteem crisis. It's one thing to need tactical concentration, another to need inspiration for something more. I told the players that on the bench I felt what they felt on the field: we want to win, but we can't lose.

  “When you're in a game with this kind of pressure on you, it's not easy to manage, think, and make decisions. FC Porto didn't have that pressure, and yet they didn't take any risks. They changed player by player and could only go from four to seven positive points, while we could go from four to seven negative points compared to FC Porto. This is a huge handicap from an emotional standpoint.

  “As a coach, I fulfilled – if I'm not mistaken, I fulfilled the official 1,200th game, and even a coach with 1,200 games is analysing and thinking that if you lose, you're going home with a seven-point gap. It was a limitation. We couldn't leave here with seven points. It's not the result we wanted, but it's a good situation. It's just a shame I won't see the players for 15 days.”

• Friend to foe: Porto fans now want Mourinho to fail

  Mourinho took in 127 games as Porto boss between January 2002 and June 2004, becoming a club legend in the process. He is now a direct rival for fans that once adored him and accepts that he has morphed from friend to foe in the eyes of those that now want him to fail – and will happily make him aware of that fact.

  He added on not receiving the warmest of receptions when returning to familiar surroundings: “History doesn't change, my gratitude to FC Porto doesn't change. I had a completely relaxed game, focused on my work, on helping my team. I'd already played here against Chelsea, so I can't say I had any special feelings. What the President [André Villas-Boas] said before the game is normal. How should I be received? As a Benfica coach. After the game, I ran into him in the hallway as friends, a hug, and life goes on.”

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  Another return to England: Next up for Mourinho

  With another international break being reached, as Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team turn their attention to 2026 World Cup qualifying duty, Benfica will not be in action again until facing Chaves in a cup clash on October 17. Mourinho, who has already returned to Chelsea this season, will then head back to England again for a Champions League meeting with Newcastle at St James’ Park.

If you could encapsulate Tottenham Hotspur in one week it would be the period of days that have just played out. It’s classic Spurs, it really is.

On Wednesday, everything looked smooth sailing as far as a deal to sign Eberechi Eze was concerned. This was a spectcular signing, a Premier League proven talent capable of taking Thomas Frank’s side to the next level.

Alas, Arsenal swooped in and stole the boyhood Gooner away from their rivals. Eze is now a full-time Gunner, it’s time to forget about that saga.

And boy did Spurs forget about it on Saturday afternoon. The Etihad has been a happy hunting ground for the Lilywhites in recent years and they went to Manchester City this weekend and won again, swatting aside Pep Guardiola’s side 2-0.

It was a complete defensive performance and the inroads Frank has already made in making Spurs more secure at the back is mightily impressive. Yet, they still need new recruits in the market.

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Missing out on Eze is a colossal blow. With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison out, the latter with an ACL injury, Spurs desperately need to find more creativity.

They have sourced that in the form of Mohammed Kudus who has enjoyed a spritely start to his time in white.

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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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Yet, more is required and it’s required quickly. The window is eight days away from closing and Daniel Levy needs to find that Eze alternative.

Well, a move for Manchester City star Savinho is still on the cards according to reports in Spain.

The Brazilian has been the subject of interest from the north Londoners for a few weeks now but it’s touch and go to know whether City will sanction a sale.

In a bid to do so, Spurs are now prepared to put a club-record £73m on the table to bring the Citizen to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Previously, they had only been willing to put a fraction below £50m forward, but amid the Eze blow, Levy and Co know they must act.

Savinho: Tottenham's answer to Lamine Yamal

Signing someone of Savinho’s quality in the remaining week of the window is a must for Spurs if they are to realise their lofty ambitions this term. They have started with consecutive wins and look good value, having not conceded yet.

Still, extra firepower is required and they’d surely find that in the form of the Man City star. While he’s not so prolific as far as goalscoring is concerned just yet, only bagging three times in 2024/25, he’s one of the best creators in English football, registering 13 assists in all competitions.

Amid those injuries to Kulusevski and Maddison, he could be just the creative hub that Frank is seeking.

Comparisons to Ballon d’Or contender, Lamine Yamal, will also raise excitement levels. Speaking after a dazzling display from the Brazilian last term, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson said: “His decision making is unbelievable. He remins me a bit like Yamal. They can dribble, they dribble at the right time, they pass at the right time. He’s going to be a superstar.”

While taking anything Merson says must be done so with a pinch of salt, there is logic here. Indeed, according to data-led website, FBref, Yamal was the most similar winger in European football to Savinho last term, based on statistics.

Of course, Yamal is a generational talent, but it’s of great intrigue to see where they are most comparable.

Savinho vs Yamal in 2024/25

Stat (per 90 mins)

Savinho

Yamal

Goals

0.05

0.28

Assists

0.41

0.41

Key passes

2.35

2.02

Progressive passes

3.42

5.05

Shot-creating actions

5.66

5.93

Progressive carries

6.99

5.71

Carries into final 3rd

2.30

3.03

Stats via FBref.

From a goalscoring perspective, plenty of wingers in European football are streets ahead of Savinho but we can see here that he’s one of the most creative around.

Over the league season, he registered the same number of assists per 90 minutes as the great Yamal while he also made more key passes.

The Spanish wonderkid was far ahead for progressive passes but in other aspects, notably progressive carrying and shot-creating actions, there isn’t a great deal to seperate the duo.

Based on a number of things, the 21-year-old is still incredibly raw but as Merson said, he looks as though he’s on his way to becoming a superstar. He’s not going to reach Yamal’s overall quality but having someone with those traits in your squad will help a great deal.

Spurs do need more goals but creativity is also on their shopping list. They’d get that and then some if they signed City’s Brazilian star.

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Related Forget Eze: Spurs preparing move for "unstoppable" star who's like Rodrygo

Tottenham Hotspur have moved on to other targets after missing out on Eberechi Eze’s signature.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 23, 2025

South-Africa born batter will head back to England after she was hurt during training

Valkerie Baynes20-Nov-20241:46

Paige Scholfield is out to prove age is just a number

Paige Scholfield will leave England’s tour of South Africa before it’s begun after she was injured in training.Scholfield hurt her ankle during training on Tuesday and, following further assessment on Wednesday morning, withdrew from the T20I squad to return to the UK and begin her rehabilitation.”We’re obviously really gutted for Paige,” Her team-mate, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, said. “She’s a good mate of mine as well, so I was really sad to see her down on the floor yesterday. But she’s a tough cookie. She’s been really unlucky with her injuries over the last few years. But she’s putting a smile on her face, and staying positive, and actually said to me that she can’t wait to get stuck in on the rehab and get back fit again.”Scholfield was one of two changes made to England’s T20I squad which exited last month’s World Cup in the group stages, brought in to add firepower to England’s middle order with batter Alice Capsey overlooked amid a form slump and allrounder Dani Gibson ruled out after undergoing knee surgery. Fast bowler Lauren Filer was also included after missing the World Cup.Related

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Capsey had already been a late call-up to the South Africa touring party as cover for what England described as some minor niggles within the T20 squad, leaving her WBBL stint with Melbourne Renegades, before Scholfield was injured.Shortly before she left the UK for South Africa, Scholfield spoke of her joy at being selected for the trip to her birthplace, having made her England debut at the age of 28 during the tour of Ireland in September.”I thought it was my England A coach calling me, so I’ve got the wrong coach,” Scholfield told ESPNcricinfo of her call-up for the Ireland trip.”It was so out of blue and I was so excited and I just couldn’t believe it was happening. If I’m honest, I am still now trying to regulate my feelings around it.”Speaking to my mum and dad when I told them about this tour to South Africa, they were over the moon, being diehard South Africans, they just couldn’t believe it. My mum started crying. It’s just so exciting and I just hope it continues to happen.”Paige Scholfield made her England debut on the tour of Ireland in September•ECB via Getty ImagesScholfield was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition this year with 259 runs at an average of 43.16 and strike rate of 140.00 with a top score of 73 not out. She also scored 190 runs in the Women’s Hundred, striking at 137.68 with a highest score of 71 off 40 balls playing for Oval Invincibles.”She really deserved a chance to be in the squad for this series,” Wyatt-Hodge added. “She’s done outstanding over the last couple of years for South East Stars and in the Hundred as well for Invincibles. So, obviously we’re gutted for her, but I’m sure there’ll be a lot more chances for her to show off what she can do in England colours.”Scholfield credited the ongoing professionalisation of the domestic women’s structure in England and Wales, which started in 2020, with helping her reach her goal of representing the country she has called home since the age of 12.”I’m 28, I had very little hope that I’d be representing my country with these youngsters coming through who are just unbelievably talented,” Scholfield said. “But this county setup now allows players like myself to still be able to have that ambition to represent their country and to show the rest of the world what we can do, and that age is just the number and I can still throw myself about and hit a couple of balls.”It’s an exciting time and I’m really enjoying where the game’s going and I hope it continues to grow to the point where we can get to where the men are at and make a career and travel the world doing it.”The multi-format series between South Africa and England starts on Sunday with the first of three T20Is in East London, followed by three ODIs and a Test.

Sri Lanka’s spinners claimed six wickets between them to skittle New Zealand for 135

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Nov-2024

Dunith Wellalage starred with three wickets•AFP/Getty Images

On a turning Dambulla track, Sri Lanka’s spinners claimed six wickets between them, kept a leash on the scoring rate, and restricted New Zealand to 135 all out. It should have been a straightforward chase, even despite the conditions. But it needed a cool head, which is what captain Charith Asalanka provided with his 35 not out off 28.Sri Lanka got home with six balls to spare, and four wickets in hand, although the result was never super tense. New Zealand, remember, are trying out some young players at the very tail end of their long South-Asian spring.New Zealand slide in the powerplayThe first six overs kind of set the tone for the whole thing. The ball was almost immediately turning square, as even Maheesh Theekshana – a modest turner of the ball usually – ripped it big in the first over of the innings.Theekshana would only strike off the last ball of the innings, getting Will Young lbw for a run-a-ball 19. But before that, Dunith Wellalage nailed Tim Robinson in front with an arm ball, and Nuwan Thushara had Mark Chapman flick a slower ball to deep square leg.All up, it was outstanding slow-pitch bowling from Sri Lanka. New Zealand were down at 31 for 3 when the fielding restrictions eased. They’d go on to control the middle overs too – New Zealand only made 66 off the next ten overs, and lost five further wickets.Kamindu and Kusal Perera set the chase upKusal Perera helped propel Sri Lanka through the powerplay, hitting 22 off 15 while the fielding restrictions were on, though his team lost Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis through this period.And because this is is a Sri Lanka victory of this age, Kamindu Mendis has to have a hand in it too. He made 23 off 16, mostly after the powerplay ended.Charith Asalanka’s knock helped Sri Lanka chase down 136•AFP/Getty Images

Asalanka guides the chase homeAfter seeing what New Zealand did in the Tests in India, you can never be too sure they don’t have something special up their sleeves. Asalanka made sure that although Sri Lanka kept losing wickets, he was on hand to see the victory through, hitting two sixes off his first 11 balls to start, before toning it down and knocking it around as Sri Lanka knocked off the remaining runs.Foulkes rocks Sri LankaIn only his third international, bowling allrounder Zakary Foulkes brought all his skills to bear. First he cracked 27 not out off 16 to raise New Zealand from an embarrassing total to merely a modest one. With the ball, he bowled Nissanka with a fullish delivery, bounced Bhanuka Rajapaksa, then, had Wanindu Hasaranga holing out to collect figures of 3 for 20.

It’s a rivalry that has dominated football for almost two decades now, with the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo story looking likely to come to a close at next year’s World Cup.

Now well into veteran, yet not necessarily diminished, status, the two men defined a generation during their pomp at Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, with the beautiful game arguably having never seen – and might never again – the two best players in the world going head to head on a weekly basis.

While Messi’s contract situation at Inter Miami had sparked speculation regarding a potential switch to Saudi Arabian side, Al Ahli – throwing up the prospect of a renewed battle with Al Nassr’s number seven – it looks unlikely that their paths will cross again on the club scene.

With previous reports of Ronaldo moving to Miami to partner the Argentine having also been shut down by his recent bumper extension in the Middle East, the greatest ‘what if’ question of the modern era is likely to go unanswered.

Just what would have happened if the two men had ever played together in the same side?

Well, with the help of AI tool ChatGPT, we may well have the answers, having taken a deep dive into what Messi’s career, in particular, would have looked like had he ended up partnering the Portuguese sensation:

Messi & Ronaldo together – Hypothetical stats (2009-2018)
Season	Messi (G/A)	Ronaldo (G/A
2017/18	33 G, 22 A	44 G, 8 A
2016/17	37 G, 25 A	42 G, 10 A
2015/16	32 G, 27 A	49 G, 11 A
2014/15	35 G, 30 A	52 G, 9 A
2013/14	34 G, 21 A	51 G, 12 A
2012/13	42 G, 24 A	47 G, 11 A
2011/12	50 G, 29 A	48 G, 9 A
2010/11	40 G, 25 A	45 G, 10 A
2009/10	38 G, 21 A	42 G, 10 A
Total	341 Goals, 224 Assists	420 Goals, 90 Assists

1

A change in role

The sight of the 38-year-old strolling round the park has become a familiar one for both club and country these days, with Messi, as to be expected considering his age, no longer the balletic, lightning forward who tore defences to shreds in his pomp.

Who can forget the left-footer’s majestic 2012, in which he scored 91 goals in total during a simply staggering calendar year, having made a sublime transition from life on the flanks to a false nine berth. In all for Barcelona, the 5 foot 7 star registered 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games, as per Transfermarkt.

In the view of ChatGPT, a link up with Ronaldo at the Bernabeu might well have led to a different positional path, with it predicted that Messi would have dropped into a deeper role sooner, described as “more orchestrator than finisher”.

That tweak to operate more as a number ten – in a similar vein to Mesut Ozil’s role behind ‘CR7’ for Los Blancos – would perhaps have seen Messi emerge as more of a provider than a clinical goalscorer.

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Charlie Smith

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Indeed, ChatGPT thinks that he would have more likely chipped in with 35-45 goals per season, in contrast to his 50+ average at his pomp, albeit with that counterbalanced by an increase in assists. As the AI tool states, a “season with 30+ assists wouldn’t be impossible.”

2

Increased success at club level

As was seen during Messi’s time at Paris Saint-Germain, alongside both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, putting the world’s best together doesn’t always prove particularly fruitful, with the Ligue 1 side unable to even get close to securing Champions League glory with that trio onboard.

Would the same have happened with a forward line containing Messi and Ronaldo? Well, ChatGPT doesn’t think so, having predicted that Madrid – with that duo in tow – could have won “seven or eight La Liga titles in a decade”.

In the real world, Messi already boasts ten LaLiga titles, although he could have eclipsed his record on the European stage, having won four Champions League titles during his time in Catalonia.

According to ChatGPT, that return could be enhanced with a haul of six to eight Champions League triumphs, alongside Ronaldo, mirroring the club’s success during the golden period in the 1950s.

Such glittering success both in Spain and on the continent would, in the view of ChatGPT, have led that Madrid side to become recognised as “the greatest in club football history”.

3

The GOAT debate

Everyone has their favoured pick, although it is hard to argue against Messi being the greatest of his generation – if not of all-time – having claimed eight Ballon d’Or awards to date, eclipsing Ronaldo’s return of five.

Would that domination over his long-time foe have continued with the two playing together? Well, ChatGPT thinks not, suggesting that the pair might have claimed six apiece.

They add that their “votes would cannibalise each other’s dominance”, thus potentially opening the door for a player like Neymar or Robert Lewandowski to claim the award themselves.

Equally, a seemingly prosperous joint Ballon d’Or is even floated for the great duo, with the debate predicted to shift away from Messi vs Ronaldo, and instead focus on the pair “versus everyone else”.

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By
Matt Dawson

May 31, 2025

There is the claim that there would be far less of a debate over who is the better of the two, with there a more wider acceptance of just how great they are together.

That said, even in a parallel universe, tribalism exists, with ChatGPT noting that contention would remain over who is the one “carrying the team”.

4

A different legacy?

As a man who has won everything in the game – including the World Cup – the diminutive wizard could hardly have built a greater legacy, with even his recent mixed adventures in Paris and Miami unable to tarnish a truly staggering individual career.

Sharing the limelight with Ronaldo may well have impacted his standing somewhat, however, with ChatGPT suggesting that Messi would have been more widely admired as the “ultimate team player”, rather than simply an individual genius.

With his role as a supplier or a provider, ChatGPT claims that the Argentine would be “seen as the creative force behind an unbeatable duo”, leading to him being “even more respected by coaches and purists” but “less by stat-driven fans”.

Is that a world we would have liked to see? Two figures working in tandem to terrorise the rest of Europe, rather than going head to head with each other?

Much of what has made the 21st Century great in a footballing context has centred on that Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, but were we denied something even more intriguing by not seeing them play together?

Alas, it was not to be. But if ChatGPT is anything to go by, both men would have achieved greatness either way.

AI predicts when every Premier League manager could be sacked

AI tool ChatGPT has predicted when every 2025/26 top-flight manager is at risk of being sacked

By
Robbie Walls

Jul 5, 2025

أبدى رافا بينيتيز مدرب ليفربول الأسبق، رأيه في النجم المصري محمد صلاح حين تم وضعه في مقارنة مع عدة لاعبين آخرين وأبرزهم النجمين كريستيانو رونالدو وليونيل ميسي.

وأجرى بينيتيز مقابلة مع “Shoot for love” عبر منصة “يوتيوب”، وتم توجيه عدة أسئلة له حول هيئة المهاجم الأفضل بالنسبة له.

وسُئل في البداية عن محمد صلاح وسون هيونج مين، ووقع اختياره على نجم ليفربول، كما فضله على روبرت ليفاندوفسكي مهاجم برشلونة، وأيضًا على ستيفن جيرارد، وأشار: “تتحدث عن المهاجمين، محمد صلاح يتميز بثبات مستواه لسنوات طويلة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | الحاسوب العملاق يتنبأ بالفائز بـ لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025-2026.. موقف ليفربول

وحين سُئل عن محمد صلاح وكريستيانو رونالدو، علّق: “هذا صعب جدًا، رونالدو ربما يكون الأفضل في إنهاء الهجمات، لكن صلاح أكثر تكاملاً، في النهاية، سأفضل أن أدرب محمد صلاح”، وفي الختام سُئل بينتيز عن محمد صلاح وليونيل ميسي، واختار النجم الأرجنتيني.

محمد صلاح رسّخ نفسه كأحد أبرز نجوم كرة القدم على مستوى العالم، على مدار السنوات الثماني الماضية مع ليفربول، حيث سجل صلاح 323 هدفًا وصنع 162 هدفًا في 657 مباراة خلال مسيرته مع الأندية في مختلف البطولات، وهو ثالث الهدافين التاريخيين لليفربول برصيد 246 هدفًا.

Hosts West Indies will be looking to continue their winning run at the first ever T20 World Cup game in Trinidad

Hemant Brar12-Jun-2024Match detailsWest Indies vs New Zealand
Tarouba, 8.30pm localBig picture – WI eye Super Eight spotSince 2015, New Zealand have been the most consistent side in World Cups, making it to the semi-final in all six editions – in 2015, 2019 and 2023 in the ODI World Cup, and in 2016, 2021 and 2022 in the T20 versions. They reached the final on three of those occasions even though they never lifted the trophy.But at the 2024 T20 World Cup, they are in danger of elimination after just one match. An 84-run thrashing at the hands of Afghanistan means the game against West Indies is almost a virtual knockout for them.The loss against Afghanistan, during which they looked rusty with bat as well as in the field, also put under scrutiny their refusal to play any warm-up games.West Indies, too, started their campaign in a stuttering manner, taking 19 overs to chase down 137 against Papua New Guinea. But they roared back to bundle out Uganda for 39 to register a 134-run win. If they beat New Zealand, they will become the first team from Group C to qualify for the Super Eight.West Indies know this is their toughest challenge yet but, as their captain Rovman Powell said, “if there is a good time to play New Zealand, it is now”.This is the first men’s T20 World Cup game in Trinidad; they did not get any in 2010. That could be one reason the ICC is expecting a strong crowd, probably a sell-out.Form guideWest Indies WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
New Zealand LLWWLIn the spotlight – Roston Chase and Kane WilliamsonWith just 15 T20I caps, Roston Chase is one of the least experienced players in the West Indies squad. But given the low-scoring pitches in the World Cup so far, he has emerged as one of their most important players, thanks to his ability to play the anchor’s role and bowl economical offspin. In five T20Is this year, Chase has scored 178 runs at a strike rate of 154.78 and picked up four wickets at an economy of 5.92.In the Afghanistan game, nothing symbolised New Zealand’s rustiness more than Kane Williamson’s dismissal: steering the ball into the hands of first slip off Rashid Khan. Between the last T20 World Cup and this one, Williamson played just eight T20s. Even though he was with Gujarat Titans for IPL 2024, he featured in only two games. The reason being Williamson is not your modern, power-hitting T20 batter, but he could hold the key to his team’s chances on these pitches.James Neesham is in contention to be back in the XI against West Indies•ICC/Getty ImagesTeam news – Sodhi in for a seamer?West Indies are likely to field the same XI for the third successive game.West Indies (probable XI): 1 Brandon King, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieNew Zealand could make a couple of changes. James Neesham might come in for Mark Chapman and Ish Sodhi for Matt Henry.New Zealand (probable XI): 1 Finn Allen, 2 Devon Conway (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 James Neesham, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultStats and trivia – Pooran set to overtake Gayle Among those who have scored at least 500 runs across all T20s since the start of 2024, Andre Russell (205.15) is the only one to have a strike rate in excess of 200. Mitchell Santner’s T20 economy rate in the West Indies is 5.55. Nicholas Pooran needs three runs to take over Chris Gayle’s tally of 1899 to become the leading run-getter for West Indies in T20Is. Pooran has hit the most sixes (82) in T20s this year. Pitch and conditions – Another low-scoring game?There was lots of rain on Wednesday due to which West Indies had to cancel their training. New Zealand cut short theirs because of “unacceptable” practice pitches. There is no forecast for rain on the match day, though. Since the start of 2021, the average first-innings total in Tarouba has been 167 and it could once again be a low-scoring game.Quotes”Not just playing at RR, cricket is a global sport now with a lot of technology around. So everything you do in every single game is available to everyone around the world. Thankfully for us, we have a very good analyst who has figured out some of the strengths and weaknesses of Trent Boult. So hopefully tomorrow we can mitigate his strengths and try to capitalise.”
“From talking with a few of the West Indies boys and getting some understanding of what it plays like, they said sometimes it could be a sort of scrappy wicket around that 140-150 [mark]. And then there have been some games where it has been high-scoring. I look forward to the challenge tomorrow and try to adapt as quickly as possible.”

Sporting CP star and top Arsenal transfer target, Viktor Gyokeres, has made an intriguing admission to teammates, amid reports that the clubs are advancing in talks over his move to north London.

Portuguese media claim Arsenal have agreed fee to sign Viktor Gyokeres

Over the last seven days, reports in the Portuguese media have boldly claimed that Arsenal are making serious progress in their bid to tempt the 26-year-old back to England.

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There’s been a very significant update on the futures of Mikel Arteta’s key men.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2025

Following his quite ridiculous haul of 53 goals across 51 appearances in all competitions this season, Gyokeres has emerged as a prime striker target for Arsenal, with sporting director Andrea Berta said to be personally pushing for him.

“Andrea Berta is pushing to sign Viktor Gyökeres for Arsenal,” said Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg a fortnight ago.

Sporting CP

101

96

28

Coventry City

116

43

17

Brommapojkarna

67

25

9

FC St. Pauli

28

7

4

Swansea City

12

1

0

Brighton

8

1

1

via Transfermarkt

“Several talks have already taken place. Alexander Isak remains high on the Gunners’ list, as previously revealed — but he’s very expensive. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid are all in the race. No commitments yet. Everything is still open. Bayern are currently out — too expensive. As exclusively revealed in October, Gyökeres can leave Sporting this summer for €60–70 million, due to a verbal agreement between the player and the club.”

Since then, the likes of newspaper O Jogo, sharing information in the last few days, have reported that Gyokeres is “on his way to Arsenal”, with the Gunners and Sporting shaking hands on a £59 million fee.

Last week, fellow Portuguese source A Bola made claims of an Arsenal offer to Gyokeres over personal terms worth £135,000-per-week as well, though reports closer to home have since stated that Berta is actually prepared to hand out a £10 million-per-year salary package (CaughtOffside).

£59 million would be considered one of the bargains of the summer for one of Europe’s most lethal goalscorers in his prime, so it will be intriguing to see if this does in fact come to fruition.

Viktor Gyokeres makes admission amid Arsenal agreement claims

However, according to Sporting midfielder and teammate Pedro Goncalves, the Swede is remaining coy over his future.

Confirming what the striker has told him, Goncalves states that Gyokeres said he’s ‘not a fortune-teller’ when asked if he could stay at Sporting – appearing to commit his future.

“I asked [Gyokeres], and we all asked him. He says he’s not a fortune-teller,” said Goncalves.

“We still have the Portuguese Cup against Benfica to play. I have a very good relationship with him, but I don’t talk about it with him. What I know is because of Fabrizio Romano… I’m sticking with him. I don’t know if he’s going to leave.

“I feel like he’s evolved a lot since he arrived. There are training sessions where it seems like he’s holding back.”

The Scandinavian superstar is making waves abroad, and it appears inevitable that he’s set to leave Sporting. The only question is, who can win the race for him?

Judging by recent reports, Arsenal appear to be firmly in pole position as things stand.

Arsenal may not have won the Premier League this season, but Mikel Arteta’s squad still have it all to play for in the Champions League.

Though Paris Saint-Germain left the Emirates Stadium with a slender one-goal advantage in midweek, the Gunners have the quality and confidence to create something special at the Parc des Princes.

Some questionable officiating aside, Arsenal know the crux of their issues this season lies with the failure to provide Arteta with an elite-level striker.

Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz in the new year sapped the Londoners’ strength at number nine, calling for an unconventional but curiously effective stopgap in Mikel Merino.

However, Arsenal need a permanent solution, one which could ease the talismanic burden Bukayo Saka wears around his neck.

Bukayo Saka's season in numbers

To be fair, Saka wears the weight of responsibility rather well, having maintained a confident stream of goals and assists through the campaign while producing influential and energetic performances.

But this only draws to attention the yawning hole at number nine, with a prolific centre-forward certain to take the England international’s game to the next level.

Saka, 23, has scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists for Arsenal this season. The three-month hamstring injury picked up in December has proved the biggest blow to his side’s campaign; Saka’s back now, but he’s still not at his sharpest.

Nonetheless, the winger’s return has restored a deeper degree of balance and fluency that must be allowed to bloom into something truly world-class next season, and a more clinical attacking partner than one of Havertz or Jesus will ensure that happens.

As per FBref, Arsenal’s starboy ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for goal-creating actions and the top 5% for crosses made per 90.

This man is a striker’s dream, and new sporting director Andrea Berta is ready to reward him with one of the finest centre-forwards out there.

Arsenal in talks to sign top striker

We all know Alexander Isak’s the dream. But Isak is going to cost more than £150m to convince Newcastle United to sell, and this would likely prove beyond any interested party’s means.

Instead, Berta is pushing to seal the signing of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, several talks have already taken place, with the Liga Portugal champions looking for no more than €70m (about £60m) to get a deal done.

Arsenal are confident they can get a deal done, but with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United also keen, they will need to act swiftly.

What Viktor Gyokeres would bring to Arsenal

Isak has been described as “the best striker in the Premier League” this season by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, but he’s not the only deadly goalscorer on the market.

In fact, Gyokeres has the complete take on the centre-forward role and could make it his own at the front of Arteta’s system.

The 6 foot two star’s technical quality, physicality and hunger for success have been hallmarks of his journey in Portugal, scoring 95 goals from 98 matches and winning last season’s Liga Portugal title before being crowned the division’s Player of the Year.

This level of surety in the final third is something that Arsenal have lacked across the campaign, and by instating Gyokeres in the focal role, Saka would finally have the reliable outlet from which he could direct his peerless playmaking ability.

Viktor Gyokeres – Past Five Seasons (all comps)

Club

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25 – Sporting

48 (40)

52

12

23/24 – Sporting

50 (47)

43

15

22/23 – Coventry

50 (47)

22

12

21/22 – Coventry

47 (42)

18

5

20/21 – Coventry

19 (7)

3

0

20/21 – Swansea

12 (2)

1

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

Talk about year-on-year growth. Gyokeres, 26, has yet to make his mark in one of Europe’s recognised top-five leagues but his numbers leave little to the imagination in the best way, especially since he’s only missed 43 big chances across his past three league terms, as per Sofascore, scoring 88 times.

Havertz has his strengths, but he’s not clinical. In the Premier League this season, the German has missed 15 big chances, converting nine strikes. The 28-year-old Jesus, meanwhile, has not been available often enough to warrant Arteta’s trust as his first-choice option.

There’s no doubt Saka is among the finest players in world football, but his game is being impeded by the absence of a partner like Gyokeres. With 20 big chances created in the Premier League this season, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has more – and having played plenty more minutes at that.

Injury pulled from Saka the chance to immortalise his name in the Premier League’s playmaking record books, but the Three Lions sensation’s electric start to the 2024/25 season remains a welcome reminder of the level of player Arsenal have on their hands.

Moreover, it’s an arresting lever Arteta wields in convincing a player of Gyokeres’ ilk that the Emirates project is the best place for him to go from strength to strength and hit the next level in his incredible journey.

Of course, any natural goalscorer would find their game enhanced alongside Arsenal’s main man, but the Sweden star is “the hottest striker in Europe,” according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden, and the partnership might just be something that fixes the issues that have plagued the north London side’s season.

Having come agonisingly close in recent years, this would be a signing to complete the craft and finally establish Arsenal as the continent’s team to beat.

It’s not over yet; Arsenal may yet find themselves fighting for the Champions League trophy after turning it around against PSG, but in any case, Gyokeres would turn a great team into an unstoppable force.

Related Their own Bruno Fernandes: Arsenal holding talks over "exciting" £66.5m ace

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 2, 2025

The T20I series ended with a lengthy list of bowlers ruled out and Australia’s selectors will hope it doesn’t extend to their Test resources

Andrew McGlashan15-Sep-2024Australia’s pace-bowling depth is often talked about, and for good reason, but right now it is being tested. The list of injuries and absentees around the limited-overs tour of the UK has become a lengthy one.Xavier Bartlett was the latest to be ruled out after suffering a side strain in the first T20I against England. Nathan Ellis was scrubbed from the trip early in the Scotland leg after aggravating an injury sustained in the Hundred. Spencer Johnson (side) was ruled out before the tour began. Riley Meredith did not feature after first T20I in Scotland, also due to a side issue.Related

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Josh Hazlewood had a delayed arrival because of a minor calf strain but bowled superbly in Southampton before being rested in Cardiff. As one of the big three, he is central to Australia’s plans for the five Tests against India in the home summer. All the cricket before that, especially for the fast bowlers, is played through the lens of making sure Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc make that series and can sustain throughout it.”A lot of our priorities will be geared around that,” Andrew McDonald, Australia’s coach, told last week. “You’ll see that unfold with the management of our players. We’ll be very pointed around who does what in terms of [Sheffield] Shield cricket coming into the summer to make sure that they are ready for that first Test match.”While those who have picked up injuries in England would not be the next in line for Test spots, there are also question marks over the red-ball reserves. Lance Morris will be given a careful reintroduction to the Sheffield Shield after another off-season beset by back problems while his Western Australia team-mate Jhye Richardson remains a longer-term project in terms of red-ball cricket.Scott Boland and Michael Neser have also nursed injuries in pre-season, with the former likely to be managed through the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield, although neither are considered major worries. Sean Abbott, whose first over in Cardiff on Friday would not have looked out of place in Test match as he nipped the ball around sharply, could come into the planning depending on the progress of others.Starc will be part of the ODI series in England but will be carefully managed through the matches. Cummins has remained at home to work on strength and conditioning. It would be a surprise if Hazlewood played more than three of the one-dayers with the series taking place across just 11 days, although the washed out game in Manchester allowed for some extra downtime.”There aren’t many breaks in the calendar unless you manufacture one,” Cummins said last month about missing the England tour. “The medical staff and coaches and everyone thought this is a good opportunity to have a month or so off bowling for my body, and then build up and hopefully be in as good a position as possible for the five Tests.”Mitchell Starc has arrived for the ODIs but also faces a big Test summer back home•Getty ImagesAustralia are far from alone in how they manage their valuable multi-format fast bowlers. India are careful with how much Jasprit Bumrah plays while Mohammed Shami’s recovery from an ankle injury is slightly behind schedule and may require careful management ahead of the Australia tour. For England, a major theme over the next year will be how they ensure Mark Wood reaches the 2025-26 Ashes after he recently suffered another elbow problem to rule him out of the upcoming Pakistan and New Zealand tours.The lengthy list of injuries around Australia’s pace bowlers is a reminder both of the incredible resilience of Cummins, Starc and more recently Hazlewood but also that it would not take much for best-laid plans to unravel. Aided by none of the Tests going five days last season, they played throughout against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand having also featured throughout the ODI World Cup, barring the one game Starc was rested for.Cummins has missed just one Test through injury since 2018; the others have been due to Covid and compassionate leave. Starc missed three in a row against South Africa and India in early 2023 due to a finger injury and was left out of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, but has been almost as durable, often bowling through the pain of various injuries. Hazlewood, meanwhile, has emerged from a two-year period between 2021-2023 where he played just three Tests to keep himself on the park throughout except for being rested at Headingley in last year’s Ashes.Cummins has already flagged things might be different against India, referencing the importance of Australia’s allrounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh, the latter who hasn’t bowled since the IPL. “The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches,” he said. “I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time.”Even the first reserve, Boland, who boasts a home Test average of 12.21, had expected an opening to emerge somewhere last season. “I was expecting to play at some stage,” he told . “The coaches and selectors were saying, ‘You’ll probably get a go at some stage, so be ready’.”It’s hard, especially when my mindset is ‘It’s seven Tests, I’ll get a crack at some stage’. But [the big three] are just so resilient and they kept bowling teams out quickly, that they just don’t need that much of a break.”At the moment, the injuries have been a disappointment for those involved in the England tour, and a juggling action for the selectors to fill the gaps, rather than an imminent concern for the India series. But that much-vaunted depth in Australia’s bowling stocks may yet be face a defining summer.